"Swish!"
As the Redwood Tree Spirit, clad in a deep red robe, unleashed a barrage of fiery attacks on Lin Zhao, a golden mirror suddenly flew from the Lingxu, transforming into a circular disc suspended in mid-air. A profound resonance of the Great Dao emanated, and the golden mirror shot a beam of oppressive radiance that enveloped the Redwood Tree Spirit. Instantly, the Redwood Tree Spirit felt a profound unease, as if trapped in a fiery purgatory, its power significantly suppressed!
In this realm, though the northern four tribes are divided into demons, monsters, ghosts, and spirits, the origins of the demon race and spirits are quite similar. Take this Redwood Tree Spirit, for instance; in the demon realm, it would simply be called a Redwood Tree Demon, with a potent demonic aura. Consequently, Lin Zhao's Demon-Slaying Mirror exerted a powerful suppressive effect on this Star River realm spirit. Furthermore, the Demon-Slaying Mirror's effect was continuous, constantly shifting like ripples in the air, yet a strand of golden light always remained fixed upon its target.
Lin Zhao drew his sword and slashed wildly. Coupled with the Golden Armor of Immortality he wore, he could maintain his health above 75% even when fighting this level 165 Ghost-God class Boss. At this moment, a Ghost-God class Boss no longer posed a significant challenge. He could handle it solo without issue, though it might take a little longer. But that was fine; with so many flying swords, the process wasn't slow.
From the orange gourd, sixteen Mayfly Flying Swords constantly launched, transforming into a torrent of gray mosquito-like rain that pierced through the Redwood Tree Spirit's body.
As Lin Zhao attacked, he frowned, glancing at his real-time combat statistics. In the flying sword category, his three innate flying swords accounted for 36% of the damage output. After all, the Sword Hearth's instant damage could reach hundreds of thousands, which was incredibly powerful. The five Immortal Swords plus the twelve Desolate Ancient Swords contributed 44%, a substantial portion due to their sheer numbers. The remaining 20% of the damage came from the Mayfly Flying Swords in the orange gourd.
For some reason, Lin Zhao felt that the damage dealt by the Mayfly Flying Swords was slightly lower than expected. With a total of sixteen Mayfly Flying Swords, and nurtured by the Immortal Gourd, they only accounted for 20% of the damage output. More importantly, when Lin Zhao activated the orange gourd's automatic attack mode, these Mayfly Flying Swords attacked with a certain "mechanical" lack of spirit. These were all issues that needed to be addressed, but it couldn't be rushed; he would find solutions gradually.
In any case, Lin Zhao could now easily solo a Ghost-God class Boss. Such strength was considered truly heaven-defying, not only on the national server but across all servers. If other players witnessed this scene, they would likely be discouraged and consider abandoning the game.
...
"..."
Before the mountain gate, a Golden Core realm spirit frowned. He appeared as a middle-aged martial artist, a spirit formed from stone, sharing the same origin as Shi Xin. At this moment, the numerous spirits brought by Shi Xin had already engaged in battle. Although they hadn't achieved much, they had all done their best. Thus, this Golden Core realm spirit also wished to find an opponent.
His gaze fell upon a disheveled man. This scruffy fellow looked like a sword cultivator of the lower five realms. At his age, to still be in the lower five realms was truly a wasted life. Moreover, this disheveled man had a lecherous demeanor, his eyes darting around Lu Guiyi and a group of female disciples of the Dongquan Sword Sect. These female disciples were desperately protecting the Sword Sect, yet this wretch was taking the opportunity to ogle every beautiful aspect of them. Truly despicable!
Instantly, strands of fist intent rose from the Golden Core realm spirit. He frowned, even feeling that if he were to kill the disheveled man with a single punch, it would be an act of eliminating a scourge for the people.
"Hmm?"
With his attention divided, Tang Guangjun, the twelfth-realm Sword Immortal controlling the entire battlefield, suddenly paused. He sensed an unfriendly gaze from the Golden Core realm spirit not far away. What was his intention?!
"Hey!"
Tang Guangjun frowned and said, "I advise you to show some self-respect."
"Self-respect?"
The Golden Core realm spirit clenched his fists, his fist intent escalating and erupting layer by layer. His eyes blazed with intense light, and he laughed, "I've walked the martial world for hundreds of years and never knew what 'self-respect' meant. Today, I will use you, a sword cultivator of impure heart and a good-for-nothing, to baptize my fist intent!"
"Alas!"
Tang Guangjun sighed.
The next moment, a sword light flashed. Before the Golden Core realm spirit could even throw a punch, his body was split in two on the spot, transforming into a block of light green jade cut in half. These Golden Core realm stone spirits had clearly cultivated sentience long ago. Their remains were blocks of fine jade. This one before him, if slightly carved, could fetch an exorbitant price in Yunzhou.
...
"Puff!"
In the distance, Lu Guiyi, within the woods, could no longer suppress Shi Xin's onslaught. His body was being overwhelmed by the magnificent fist intent of the upper five realms, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. His protective sword intent weakened slightly. Immediately after, he took a punch to the abdomen from Shi Xin and was sent flying, his protective sword aura beginning to dissipate. A tenth-realm cultivator truly couldn't contend with an eleventh-realm cultivator, especially one who was a martial artist.
"Is it about time?"
Tang Guangjun frowned and said, "Mountain Master, if you don't act soon, Lu Guiyi might be seriously injured."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao said in a deep voice, "Since we are to act, let's be ruthless. Since these spirits dared to ascend the mountain and challenge us, let none of them escape. Let's kill them all."
"Yes!"
Tang Guangjun stepped forward, and instantly, a twelfth-realm domain of a military strategist sword cultivator enveloped half the mountaintop, covering the entire battlefield. The Shi Xin, who was pursuing Lu Guiyi, trembled internally. He abruptly looked up and saw the unremarkable, disheveled man slowly drawing his long sword and swinging it towards him. The speed of the sword strike was extremely slow, yet Shi Xin couldn't resist or evade it. Time seemed to stand still. The next moment, Shi Xin's head rolled away with a trace of blood, his body transforming into a jade stone over a meter long and falling into the mountain forest.
Tang Guangjun swept his sword, and surges of sword energy erupted. The spirits of the middle and lower five realms couldn't withstand it. Cries of agony were incessant as their bodies were either cut in two or into multiple pieces by Tang Guangjun's sword; none remained intact. Yet, Tang Guangjun's control over his sword intent was precise. The sword energy flew in all directions, slaying countless spirits, but not a single female disciple of the Dongquan Sword Sect was harmed in the slightest by Tang Guangjun's meticulous sword energy.
Even the Celestial-grade Boss of the Nascent Soul realm, which Leng Yan was fighting, was also slain by a single sword strike from Tang Guangjun.
Leng Yan felt a bit aggrieved. She had spent nearly ten minutes fighting, only for her kill to be snatched away by Tang Guangjun's sword. She didn't even get the kill credit.
...
"A'yan!"
From a distance, Lin Zhao, holding his long sword and continuously bombarding the Redwood Tree Spirit with flying swords, said in a deep voice, "Come and get the kill credit. This Boss is yours. I'm just here to help and don't need the credit."
"Oh my..."
Leng Yan flew over on her sword, accepting the kill credit while smiling, "How could I possibly feel comfortable with that?"
"You're truly too hypocritical..."
Lin Zhao laughed heartily. Leng Yan also smiled slightly, her smile growing sweeter.
Shortly after, with Lin Zhao's assistance, Leng Yan successfully solo-killed the level 165 Ghost-God class Boss. She didn't particularly want the kill, but Lin Zhao insisted he didn't need the reward, saying he might receive some story compensation. Thus, Leng Yan reluctantly accepted. Unfortunately, the loot was quite ordinary, with no armor-type equipment usable by sword cultivators.
At this time, the mountainside was covered with various exotic flowers and rare herbs, all transformed from the spirits brought by Shi Xin. It was already difficult for spirits in the mountains to refine spiritual energy and develop their own sentience. Therefore, those who managed to become spirits were mostly various exotic flowers, rare herbs, and precious jade. Unfortunately, these spirits did not cherish their fortune. Despite cultivating human forms, they greedily desired further advancement, ultimately resulting in their demise and becoming spoils of war.
"Tang Guangjun."
Lin Zhao took out a blue gourd from his inventory. The gourd was bound and could only be given to NPCs as a quest item, not traded to players. With no other option, he called Tang Guangjun over and said, "This Immortal Gourd, can you help me give it to A'yan?"
"This..."
Tang Guangjun hesitated for a moment, accepted the Immortal Gourd, and then turned to throw it to Leng Yan, saying, "Miss Leng, our Mountain Master has taken a liking to you. This is a betrothal gift. I hope you will show some self-respect and find a way to fall in love with our Mountain Master, becoming the envied Dao companions on the mountain. Do not hesitate, lest you miss your chance."
"Ah?"
Leng Yan's pretty face turned red. Holding the blue gourd, she was both happy and surprised. Happy that Lin Zhao had saved an Immortal Gourd he planted in the Mountain Peak Villa for her, and surprised if Tang Guangjun, the gatekeeper, had his head squeezed by the door.
Lin Zhao stepped forward and kicked Tang Guangjun in the backside. He looked at Leng Yan and said with a smile, "Don't listen to his nonsense. This gourd is simply for you to nurture your flying swords, with no attached conditions!"
Leng Yan smiled and nodded, happily accepting the priceless Immortal Gourd.
Beside them, Lu Guiyi naturally recognized the power of the Immortal Gourd and frowned. "Mountain Master, is this the legendary Immortal Gourd?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded with a smile, "If it were something too inferior, I would be too embarrassed to give it to A'yan."
"I see..."
Lu Guiyi smiled slightly, looking at the jade stones and spirit herbs scattered on the ground. "Today, we are greatly indebted to Sword Immortal Tang from the Mountain Peak Villa for his intervention. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for the Dongquan Sword Sect to resolve this calamity. Since that is the case, please take these treasures, transformed from the mountain spirits, with you, Mountain Master. They should all belong to the Mountain Peak Villa."
"No need."
Lin Zhao shook his head. "I brought Tang Guangjun up the mountain simply to deliver the gourd. We happened to encounter these spirits challenging us, and it was merely a matter of convenience. Therefore, these resources all belong to the Dongquan Sword Sect. Our Mountain Peak Villa will not claim any."
"???"
Tang Guangjun was bewildered, finding Lin Zhao's words confusing. When did the Mountain Master become so virtuous and honorable? Back when the Mountain Master visited the Fusu Great Wall, he had left behind the saying, "Wild geese pluck their feathers, Lin Sanquan; passing the Great Wall is like passing the New Year." At that time, he would have wanted to move the entire Fusu Great Wall back to Xueyu Tianchi. How had his nature suddenly changed, to the point of not plucking even a single feather from a passing goose?
Tang Guangjun was surprised, feeling that his image of the Mountain Master, "Wild geese pluck their feathers, Lin Sanquan," had completely collapsed.