Chapter Sixty-One: The Enigmatic Talisman

Gripping his longsword, a flicker of doubt flashed in Geng Zhiyi’s eyes. No one understood the force behind his own attacks better than he did; with that strike just now, he had expected to sever Lin Xiaobao’s arm. Yet unexpectedly, it had left only a wound.

Right now, Lin Xiaobao was even more astonished. He had prepared thoroughly for the competition among the personal disciples, and his cautious nature had driven him to inscribe layer upon layer of defensive arrays upon himself. At present, his body was protected by no fewer than five defensive arrays—the utmost he could manage given his abilities. Yet even so, his opponent had managed to break through and nearly cleave off his arm.

Since embarking on the path of cultivation, Lin Xiaobao’s journey had been smooth and untroubled; this was unquestionably the first time he had been wounded. The outcome left him deeply displeased.

He could not afford to give his opponent another chance to strike first! At least, not before he figured out how to counter the Sword Art of the Severed Hand. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his left arm, Lin Xiaobao gave a thunderous shout, and the Seven Stars Sword began to whirl rapidly in his grasp.

Dragon Emperor’s Sacred Flight!

Countless sword shadows materialized around Lin Xiaobao, their tips bristling outward until he seemed like a hedgehog of blades. With a fierce thrust of his feet, his body transformed into a spinning sphere bristling with sword points, shooting straight toward Geng Zhiyi.

Geng Zhiyi had evidently resolved not to clash head-on with Lin Xiaobao. The moment Lin Xiaobao launched himself, more than ten talismanic scripts flew from Geng Zhiyi’s hands to meet him, even as Geng Zhiyi himself leapt high into the air.

With a shout, Lin Xiaobao’s myriad sword shadows rained down like a storm of blades, yet he did not stop there. Instead, he soared higher, spinning ever faster like a top as he ascended.

Dragon Soars in the Void!

With the power of the Spirit Gathering Array behind him, Lin Xiaobao unleashed the third move of the Dragon-Slaying Sword Technique as soon as the previous one ended. He could not afford to grant his opponent even a moment’s respite—this hard-earned lesson was now etched into his heart.

As Lin Xiaobao spun, he seemed to shrink within the dazzling sword aura, almost vanishing amid the storm of blades within a few heartbeats.

Meanwhile, many of the sword shadows unleashed by Dragon Emperor’s Sacred Flight collided with Geng Zhiyi’s talismanic scripts, each impact resounding in thunderous explosions.

Geng Zhiyi, swinging the Azure Dragon Sword to evade Lin Xiaobao’s attacks, suddenly realized that Lin Xiaobao, whom he had locked onto with his spiritual awareness, had vanished amid the cacophony. A wave of unease quickly swept through his body.

By now, Long Xingtian, who stood below the dueling platform, had already defeated his own opponent. His gaze pierced the sword curtain, instantly discerning Lin Xiaobao’s hiding place. A wicked smile played at his lips; after moving them slightly, he turned and strode out of the hall, as if such a battle held no interest for him at all.

Geng Zhiyi, momentarily at a loss, suddenly heard Long Xingtian’s telepathic message. Startled by Long Xingtian’s current strength, a faint sneer tugged at Geng Zhiyi’s lips. Still fending off Lin Xiaobao’s relentless attacks, his gaze flickered intentionally toward a corner of the platform.

Opportunity!

Hidden among the sword shadows, Lin Xiaobao noticed that Geng Zhiyi, in the midst of evading, had finally left an opening—precisely in the direction he could strike.

He must not let this chance slip away! Lin Xiaobao darted forward, blending into the swirling sword aura, silently shooting straight toward Geng Zhiyi.

Yet the instant Lin Xiaobao moved, a phantasmal talisman had already appeared silently in Geng Zhiyi’s hand.

Although Geng Zhiyi had used many talismans before, they had all been of the lowest Yellow-grade, suitable only for distracting opponents at their level. Talismans, too, were ranked: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, each further divided into Supreme, Upper, Middle, and Lower grades. The Phantom Talisman now in Geng Zhiyi’s hand was a Yellow-grade Middle talisman—only one rank higher than those used previously, but more than sufficient against a ninth-tier innate martial artist.

Confident in his Dragon-Slaying Sword Technique, Lin Xiaobao was unaware that Geng Zhiyi had already detected his presence. As he accelerated midair, he emerged from the sword shadows.

“I’ve been waiting for you!” Geng Zhiyi’s face showed a trace of triumph as he flicked the Phantom Talisman outward. “Let’s see where you can run this time!”

The talisman unfurled into a giant net of intertwining blue threads, enveloping Lin Xiaobao. At the same instant, Geng Zhiyi gave a thunderous shout and the Azure Dragon Sword blazed with light.

Thirteen Severed-Hand Strikes!

The Azure Dragon Sword flew from his hand, spinning through the air, sweeping away all the sword shadows Lin Xiaobao had conjured. Once assured of his safety, Geng Zhiyi invoked another sword technique, sending the Azure Dragon Sword to strike at Lin Xiaobao from behind with lightning speed.

As the Azure Dragon Sword appeared in its full glory, all eyes focused on it. Many spectators even began to pray for Lin Xiaobao. Trapped within the bonds of the Phantom Talisman, Lin Xiaobao could not dodge, utterly powerless against the sword rushing toward him.

In that moment, everyone wondered: would Lin Xiaobao be killed, or merely wounded?

Indeed, upon the appearance of the Phantom Talisman, Lin Xiaobao was stunned; he had not expected Geng Zhiyi to see through his concealment. That brief hesitation allowed the talisman’s array to trap him.

But could the array within a Yellow-grade Middle talisman truly restrain Lin Xiaobao at his current level? The answer was a definite no.

A talisman was but a vessel for an array; when activated, the array inscribed upon it was instantly unleashed, delivering a blow to the opponent. The Phantom Talisman’s method was not direct assault, but entrapment. In theory, it could restrain even a Spirit Dao practitioner for about ten breaths.

However, for Lin Xiaobao, who was well-versed in arrays, the effect of this talisman was inferior to a direct attack from a low-grade Yellow talisman.

Swept into the array, Lin Xiaobao’s spiritual sense mapped the entire formation in an instant; a quick analysis revealed the escape route. As the Azure Dragon Sword slashed through the sword shadows, Lin Xiaobao feigned desperate attempts to break free, when in fact he was advancing directly toward the exit of the array.

Unfortunately for Geng Zhiyi, the talisman had been a gift from his master, the Second Elder, and he barely understood its workings. Thus, he failed to notice Lin Xiaobao’s subtle maneuvers.

As the Azure Dragon Sword spun back to strike, Lin Xiaobao suddenly sprang forth, bursting from the illusory formation and appearing almost directly before Geng Zhiyi. The Seven Stars Sword quivered in his grasp, erupting in rainbow light that enveloped Geng Zhiyi completely.