Chapter 1339 - 693: Artifact Spirit (Part 2)

"Want to unleash a big strike? Not that easy!"

"Boom!"

Long Teng’s figure erupted, the Demon Refining Spear traced a blood-red arc in the air, aiming directly at Gu Sheng’s throat.

Before the spear arrived, the fierce spear wind had already slashed a blood mark on Gu Sheng’s cheek.

"Your opponent is me!"

Ling Xiao shouted loudly, the Golden Alms Bowl flew off his hand, spinning rapidly in the air, its golden light expanding greatly, colliding fiercely with the Demon Refining Spear.

"Clang—"

The deafening metal collision echoed in the valley, the Golden Alms Bowl was knocked flying, but the Demon Refining Spear’s momentum was also halted.

Long Teng’s eyes showed surprise.

"Early stage of Heavenly Palace Realm can actually block my strike? Interesting!"

Ling Xiao caught the Golden Alms Bowl as it flew back, his tiger’s mouth had already cracked, blood dripping along the edge of the bowl.

Spiritual Power surged madly within his body, the bowl emitted light again.

"Come again!"

Long Teng sneered.

"Seeking death!"

The Demon Refining Spear swept across, a blood-red spear beam slashed towards Ling Xiao like a flash.

Ling Xiao didn’t dare to take it head-on, retreating swiftly, while the Golden Alms Bowl was thrown out, transforming into a golden barrier in the air.

"Bang!" The spear beam struck the barrier, the golden barrier shook violently, cracks spreading like a spider web.

"Crack!"

The barrier shattered, the residual spear beam unrelenting, crashed heavily onto Ling Xiao’s chest.

"Pff—"

Ling Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flew backwards, crashing heavily against the cliff wall ten feet away, rocks crumbling.

"Ling Xiao!"

Gu Sheng’s heart tightened, but he was at a crucial moment of unleashing Infinite Sword Qi, unable to be distracted.

Among the pile of rocks, Ling Xiao wobbly stood up, wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, revealing a grim smile.

"Long Teng, is that all you’ve got?"

Long Teng’s pupils narrowed—an ordinary early stage Earth Palace Realm cultivator taking a hit from him would be gravely injured if not dead, yet this person could still stand and speak?

"The body is certainly tough."

Long Teng snorted coldly.

"Let’s see how long you can withstand!"

Before the words finished, Long Teng appeared in front of Ling Xiao, the Demon Refining Spear retracted, his right fist wrapped in terrifying Spiritual Power slammed towards Ling Xiao’s face.

"Bang!"

The fist solidly hit Ling Xiao’s face, making a dull impact sound.

To Long Teng’s surprise, Ling Xiao’s head slightly tilted back, then straightened again, even with a mocking smile on his face.

"Is that all?"

Ling Xiao grinned.

"Just a tickle?"

Long Teng’s expression changed, a punch capable of shattering a small mountain couldn’t defeat this early stage Heavenly Palace Realm kid?

Refusing to believe it, Long Teng swung another punch, this time aiming at Ling Xiao’s chest.

"Boom!"

The fist struck Ling Xiao’s chest, sounding like muffled drumbeats.

Ling Xiao’s feet sunk half a foot into the ground, yet he still stood strong.

What shocked Long Teng more was the intense pain from his fist, as if hitting a piece of Divine Iron.

"How is this possible?!"

Long Teng finally showed a change in expression.

"Your body..."

Ling Xiao seized Long Teng’s shocked moment and fiercely head-butted Long Teng’s face.

"Bang!" Long Teng’s nose bled profusely, stumbling back several steps.

"Haha, refreshing!"

Ling Xiao laughed heartily, though his forehead also bled, his eyes burned with an intense battle spirit.

Long Teng wiped away the nosebleed, his eyes filled with killing intent.

"Good, very good! I’ll see if your head is harder or my Demon Refining Spear!"

The Demon Refining Spear appeared again in Long Teng’s hand, blood light flowing along the spear shaft, emitting a disturbing pulse.

Ling Xiao’s expression changed slightly, knowing he couldn’t confront it head-on anymore, and retreated swiftly.

"Trying to run?"

Long Teng sneered, sweeping the Demon Refining Spear horizontally, a blood-red spear beam chased Ling Xiao like lightning.

Ling Xiao hurriedly lifted the Golden Alms Bowl to block.

"Clang!" A loud sound, the Golden Alms Bowl was knocked flying, the residual spear beam hit Ling Xiao’s abdomen, sending him flying.

"Pff—" Ling Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air, his body crashing through several ancient trees before coming to a stop.

In the distance, cold sweat drenched Gu Sheng’s forehead, and the Tai Chi Seven Star Sword trembled violently in his hand, yet he couldn’t fully activate it.

Infinite Sword Qi requires channeling spiritual power throughout the body in a special way into the sword, forming seven cycles of Sword Qi, ultimately merging into one.

At this moment, he struggled to even condense the first cycle of Sword Qi.

"Damn it, why isn’t it working..."

Gu Sheng gritted his teeth; the more anxious he became, the more stagnant his spiritual power flowed.

On the other side, Long Teng, no longer concerned with the seemingly incapacitated Ling Xiao, turned toward Gu Sheng.

"Kid, your companion is finished, next it’s your turn!"

Just as Long Teng was about to approach Gu Sheng, a golden light suddenly attacked from the side.

Long Teng sidestepped, the golden light grazed his cheek, leaving a blood mark.

"I told you... your opponent is me!"

Ling Xiao staggered to his feet, covered in blood, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes remained undiminished.

What was even more surprising was that the aura around him was sharply increasing, as if something was breaking through its shackles.

Long Teng narrowed his eyes.

"A breakthrough in battle? Interesting, but it won’t change anything!"

The Demon Refining Spear struck again, aiming straight for Ling Xiao’s heart.

Ling Xiao did not dodge, clasping his hands together, with the Golden Alms Bowl somehow back in his grasp, emanating unprecedented golden light.

"Clang!"

The spear tip struck the Golden Alms Bowl, producing a deafening roar.

Ling Xiao’s feet plowed two deep furrows in the ground, retreating more than ten yards before he managed to stabilize.

This time, he wasn’t sent flying, but instead steadied himself against the thrust.

"Heavenly Palace Realm... Mid-stage!"

Ling Xiao let out a long howl, spiritual power surged around him, his aura several times stronger than before.

Long Teng’s expression finally turned serious.

"He actually broke through..."

Feeling the surging power within, Ling Xiao’s confidence soared.

"Long Teng, now it’s a real fight!"

The Golden Alms Bowl spun in his hand, transforming into a golden whirlwind attacking Long Teng.

Not daring to be careless, Long Teng wielded the Demon Refining Spear like a dragon, fiercely clashing with the Golden Alms Bowl.

"Clang clang clang..."

The sound of metal clashing was incessant as the two tangled into a chaotic battle, moving so fast that only afterimages were left in the air.

Taking the opportunity, Gu Sheng forced himself to calm down and made another attempt to activate the Tai Chi Seven Star Sword.

The starlight flowed on the sword, yet it remained just short of fully activating.

"What exactly is missing..."

The veins on Gu Sheng’s forehead bulged, and with most of his spiritual power already spent, unless the sword skill was successful soon, he’d be exhausted.

"Gu Sheng!"

Ling Xiao’s sudden shout pierced through the heated battle.

"Stop trying to control the sword, let it do its work! Just pour spiritual power into it!"

Gu Sheng was startled by the words.

"Let it do its work?"

This thought flashed through his mind like lightning.

Yes, a divine weapon like the Tai Chi Seven Star Sword is said to have an Artifact Spirit.

If there’s a spirit within the sword, and it recognizes him, perhaps...

Gu Sheng stopped forcing control over the path of spiritual power; instead, he opened his mind and poured every remaining bit of spiritual power into the sword.

Strangely, this time the Tai Chi Seven Star Sword no longer resisted, instead greedily absorbed his spiritual power.

The seven stars on the sword lit up in succession, emitting a soft and profound light.

Gu Sheng sensed something awakening within the sword, establishing a wondrous connection between him and the sword.

"Is this... the Artifact Spirit?"

Gu Sheng felt both astonished and thrilled.

Just then, Long Teng seemed to sense the danger, explosively repelled Ling Xiao and charged towards Gu Sheng.

"You’ll never succeed!"

The Demon Refining Spear transformed into a crimson lightning bolt, stabbing straight at Gu Sheng’s heart.

At this moment, Gu Sheng was in crucial communication with the Sword Spirit, completely unable to divert his attention to defense.

"Gu Sheng!"

Ling Xiao’s eyes were wide in anger, disregarding his own injuries, and dragged his battered body once more toward Long Teng.

"Get lost!"

Long Teng roared, the Demon Refining Spear swept across, sending Ling Xiao flying again. Yet, Ling Xiao’s obstruction momentarily stalled Long Teng’s offensive.

"Hah, a bug will always be a bug!"

Long Teng sneered, the Demon Refining Spear drew a crimson arc in the air, space subtly distorted where the spear tip pointed.

Ling Xiao, whose recently broken-through aura had yet to stabilize, felt a suffocating pressure coming his way.