Chapter 21: Shanzhai surrounded? I

"Shrink Ground to Inch" is worthy of being a supernatural-level escape technique. Lin Lin Xuan only felt the mountains and rivers flying backward under his feet, and the journey that originally took most of the day to rush back now took no more than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, and the familiar outline of Black Wind Shanzhai was already in sight.

However, before he was even a few miles away from the Shanzhai, Lin Lin Xuan's spiritual sense had already perceived the abnormality there in advance!

A murderous aura permeated around the Shanzhai! The outskirts of the Shanzhai, which were originally bustling and had begun to have the appearance of a "commercial stronghold," were now empty! Replacing them were dense armies surrounding the Shanzhai!

Looking at their attire and flags, they were none other than the City Guards of Qingyun City! There were as many as a thousand of them! And, mixed among these City Guards were dozens of cultivators wearing black tight-fitting clothes and cold auras—people from the Nether Sect!

They actually joined forces?!

Lin Lin Xuan was shocked, immediately operated the "Turtle Breath Technique" and "Shadow Concealment Technique" to the extreme, and at the same time operated the newly acquired luck disguise ability, completely masking his aura and that special "attraction," like a stone without life, silently sneaking to a high ground that could overlook the Shanzhai.

I saw the Shanzhai gate tightly closed, and the Shanzhai wall that had been painted with exorcism talisman scripts by Lin Lin Xuan was now covered with traces of battle, scorched and damaged everywhere. Black Bear and the others were relying on the Shanzhai wall and the traps arranged inside, struggling to resist.

The City Guards set up siege crossbows, arrows shooting toward the wall like locusts, and bandits were hit and fell from time to time. And the Youming Sect cultivators continuously released black magic techniques, corroding the defense of the wall, and occasionally Foundation Establishment late-stage Youming Sect disciples tried to attack, but were all beaten back by Black Bear and his men fighting to the death.

But obviously, Black Wind Shanzhai was at the end of its rope. The gap in manpower and strength was too big. If it weren't for relying on the "exorcism" materials (black dog blood, Yang Flame Talismans, etc.) left by Lin Lin Xuan before, which had no small restraint on the Youming Sect cultivation techniques, the Shanzhai would probably have been broken long ago.

"Zhao Zhao Wuji! You are the City Lord, colluding with the demonic path, besieging my legally operated commercial organization, are you not afraid of the King's Law?!" On the wall, Black Bear was covered in blood, waving a big knife to block a crossbow arrow, roaring hoarsely.

In front of the City Guard formation, Zhao Wuji sat atop a tall steed, his expression gloomy. Yet, a hint of a grim, confident smile played in his eyes: "The law? In this Qingyun territory, my Zhao Clan is the law! The Black Wind Mountain Stronghold has harbored the Nether Sect's wanted criminal Lin Xuan, practiced evil arts, and harmed the people. Today is the day you all shall be executed!"

Beside him, the gaze under the hood of that Deacon You was even colder, hoarsely saying: "City Lord Zhao, why talk nonsense with the dying? Break this Shanzhai, leave no chicken or dog alive! If Lin Lin Xuan is here, take him together! If not... use the blood of these ants to sacrifice to the spirit of my holy object!"

Their voices were amplified by spiritual power, clearly spreading across the battlefield, and also into Lin Lin Xuan's ears.

Lin Lin Xuan's eyes were cold, killing intent permeated. The Zhao Clan really colluded with the Youming Sect completely! And they actually used such a clumsy excuse to besiege Black Wind Shanzhai, it was clearly revenge and silencing!

He saw on the wall, those bandits who had followed him for a long time, although everyone was injured, their faces carried fear, but not one person retreated, still resisting to the death under Black Bear's command. They believed their Consultant Lin would come back, or, at least, they were fighting to protect their own home.

"Brothers... you've worked hard." Lin Lin Xuan felt a warm current and deeper anger in his heart.

He carefully observed the battlefield situation.

Although the City Guards had many people, their individual strength was generally not high, mainly relying on military formations and siege equipment. The real threat came from the dozens of Youming Sect cultivators, especially Deacon You (middle stage of Golden Core) and the two Golden Core early-stage elders beside him! Once these three took action with all their might, the Shanzhai's defense would collapse in an instant.

The reason they didn't launch a general attack immediately might be because they were scrupulous about the "exorcism" means of Black Wind Shanzhai, or perhaps they were waiting for... himself to throw himself into the net?

"Want to fish me out?" Lin Lin Xuan's mouth curled into a cold arc, "Then let's see, who is the real hunter!"

He was now at the Golden Core Stage, his strength was different from before, and he had "Shrink Ground to Inch" and "Blood Escape Technique" in hand, so he could run if he couldn't beat them. But to lift the siege of Black Wind Shanzhai, fighting head-on was definitely not the best strategy.

His gaze swept over the rear of the City Guards, where the supplies were stored and the commander was located. Zhao Zhao Wuji and Deacon You were both there.

A bold plan instantly took shape in his mind—decapitation operation!

Relying on the extreme speed of "Shrink Ground to Inch" and the concealment of "Shadow Concealment Technique," he had the confidence to approach Zhao Zhao Wuji and Deacon You before the other party could react!

As long as he killed or severely injured these two leaders, the City Guards and the Youming Sect would be leaderless and inevitably fall into chaos, and the crisis of Black Wind Shanzhai would be solved!

"System, Deep Scan Zhao Zhao Wuji and Deacon You!"

【Ding! Consumed 2% energy, Deep Scanning...】

【Zhao Zhao Wuji: Cultivation Golden Core early stage (unstable), cultivation technique "Thick Earth Technique", weakness: thunder, fire attribute attacks, restless (affected by bad luck curse).】

【Youying (Deacon You): Cultivation Golden Core middle stage, cultivation technique "Youming Devouring Soul Technique", weakness: extremely rigid and extremely yang power, spiritual sense injured and not healed (caused by the host destroying the holy object projection last time).】

Good! Both have weaknesses! Zhao Zhao Wuji is restless, Deacon You's spiritual sense is injured! Heaven helps me!

Lin Lin Xuan didn't hesitate anymore, he locked onto the target, the Golden Core in his dantian spun, and the pure and majestic spiritual power instantly poured into his legs!

"Shrink Ground to Inch"!

His figure disappeared from the high ground like a ghost, and the next moment, he appeared in the shadows behind the City Guards like a teleportation! The whole process was faster than most people's perception!

A few City Guard soldiers who were close only felt a flash before their eyes, as if a wind had blown, and didn't care.

Lin Lin Xuan continued to approach silently like a god of death in the dark night. The distance to Zhao Zhao Wuji and Deacon You was less than a hundred feet!

He pointed his right hand like a sword, and a strand of condensed, evil-breaking golden light sword qi began to spit at his fingertips (a small trick newly comprehended). His left hand held a few of the most powerful "Yang Flame Burst Talismans."

Seventy feet! Fifty feet!

Just as he was about to enter the best attack distance—

"Hmm?!" Deacon You suddenly turned his head, his scarlet gaze shooting toward the direction where Lin Lin Xuan was lurking! His spiritual sense had been injured, his perception was not as sharp as before, but the spiritual sense of a middle-stage Golden Core still allowed him to capture a trace of extremely weak killing intent and spatial fluctuation!

"Careful! Assassin!" Deacon You shouted sternly, and at the same time flicked his sleeves, and a condensed black light of death aura shot toward Lin Lin Xuan like a poisonous snake!

Discovered!

Lin Lin Xuan was shocked, but his movements were not slow at all!

"Shrink Ground to Inch" activated again! His figure moved horizontally several feet like a teleportation, narrowly avoiding the black light!

Since the sneak attack failed, then attack head-on!

"Zhao Zhao Wuji! Old Ghost You! Hand over your lives to little master!"

Lin Lin Xuan roared, his figure completely revealed from the shadows, no longer hiding the majestic aura of the Golden Core Stage! The golden sword qi at his fingertips soared, turning into a golden light like a stream, stabbing straight at Zhao Zhao Wuji, whose heart was in a state of panic! At the same time, his left hand raised, and several Yang Flame Burst Talismans shot toward Deacon You like meteors!

"Golden Core Stage?! How is it possible?!" Zhao Zhao Wuji felt the spiritual pressure that was not weaker than his own, and the golden sword qi that was fast as electricity and pointed straight at his weakness, scared out of his wits! He was already restless because of the "Bad Luck Curse," and at this moment, he was even more panicked, barely condensing an earthy yellow shield in front of him!

"Boom!"

The golden sword qi collided with the earth shield, spiritual power surging! Zhao Zhao Wuji groaned, and was shocked backward with his horse, and cracks appeared on the earth shield!

On the other side, Deacon You faced several Yang Flame Burst Talismans emitting pure yang aura, and didn't dare to take them head-on, his figure turned into black smoke and retreated rapidly, while waving several strands of death aura to block.

"Boom boom boom!"

The Yang Flame Talismans exploded one after another, pure yang flames and Youming death aura annihilated each other, making a violent roar, blowing several City Guard soldiers who couldn't dodge in time into a mess!

"It's Consultant Lin!!"

"Consultant is back! And he's Golden Core Stage!!"

On the wall, Black Bear and the others saw that familiar figure and the powerful strength he exploded, were stunned for a moment, and then erupted into thunderous cheers! In despair, they saw the strongest hope!

"He actually broke through to Golden Core?!" Deacon You was shocked and angry, how many days has it been?! The growth speed of this son is simply shocking!

"Everyone! Target Lin Lin Xuan! Kill him!" Deacon You roared hoarsely, no longer caring about saving strength, the death aura around his body surged wildly, turning into a giant ghost claw, grabbing toward Lin Lin Xuan!

The two Youming Sect Golden Core elders also took action at the same time, three powerful attacks instantly shrouded Lin Lin Xuan!

"Well come!" Lin Lin Xuan was not panicked, "Shrink Ground to Inch" was performed to the extreme, leaving trails of afterimages in place, but his true body was like a swimming fish, shuttling through the gaps of the three attacks!

He didn't fight the three head-on, his goal had been achieved—to create chaos and attract firepower!

Sure enough, the commander was attacked, the core combat power was restrained by Lin Lin Xuan alone, the City Guards' offensive instantly stagnated, and the formation appeared chaotic.

"Brothers! Consultant came to save us! Follow me and kill out! Meet the Consultant!" Black Bear seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, his eyes blood-red, waving his big knife, and was the first to open the gate, rushing out like a tiger down the mountain!

"Kill! Fight these dog-raising things!" The bandits who had been holding back for a long time, at this moment, were like chicken blood, roaring and following Black Bear to launch a counter-charge!

The battlefield situation instantly reversed!

Lin Lin Xuan restrained three Golden Cores alone, Black Bear led the Shanzhai crowd to charge the chaotic City Guards!

Inside and outside combined, the balance of victory began to tilt!

(End of Chapter 21) ===== CHAPTER 22 =====