Chapter 168: Absolute Strike
The Catkin Breeze Sword was the sword spell that Lin Lang excelled in, an extremely wondrous sword technique that was both a sword spell and a movement spell.
Cloudflow Academy’s spell arts were noted for their lightness and agility, for integrating the body with the tool. Thus, in battle, defense and offense came hand in hand, and its students were often able to counterattack from the most absurd positions.
Lin Lang was an elite student of Cloudflow, and he had grasped the essence of its spells. His dodges and thrusts were all exquisitely chosen, and he fully exhibited the maximum combat prowess a low-level student could have.
As he thrust his sword, a sharp light appeared on the tip, aimed straight at Tang Jie’s throat.
Tang Jie thrust out his left hand, slapping the sword away. As the two of them passed by each other, Lin Lang and Tang Jie attacked each other.
Bang! Bang! Ice erupted on Tang Jie’s body. This was Lin Lang’s Frozen Palm, which had chilled Tang Jie to such an extent that his skin had turned blue. Lin Lang’s face flushed with blood—a sign that the overexertion of strength had caused his blood energy to fall into turmoil.
But a moment later, the two of them turned around and attacked again, not willing to let their opponent even catch their breath.
Windcleaver Saber competed against Catkin Breeze Sword, and explosions of light erupted in the air. Saber and sword clashed numerous times in only a few moments, and the sound of clashing metal resounded through the air.
They briefly clashed and then broke apart again.
When they parted again, Lin Lang was sporting a deep saber wound, but Tang Jie had sword wounds on his face, chest, and arm. However, his injuries were much lighter than Lin Lang’s.
But after exchanging glances, the two of them roared and charged at each other for a third time—this time, with even greater speed.
“Formless Golden Body! Violet Lightning Lunge!”
“Godhead Armor! Cloudless Shroud! Windchase Step!”
“Godhead Armor! You really are a member of Godhead Palace!”
“I learned my Godhead Armor from my father, not from Godhead Palace! But it’s pointless to say such things! Whether I am or not, the Basking Moon Sect won’t let me go!”
“You’re right! Since you already knew what would happen, why did you still try!?”
“Before then, I’ll kill you and avenge my father!”
“Let’s see if you can!”
The two of them traded blows at high speeds as they shouted at each other, instantly kicking the fight into overdrive. Though Tang Jie had a tough body, Lin Lang had cultivated for many years and possessed a sea of spiritual energy and numerous spell arts. As he used various spell arts, a giant cloud began to form on the ground.
The onlookers felt powerful winds stirring up that pushed them away, and they couldn’t even see what was going on, let alone take part in the battle. Wei Tianchong and Shi Meng were also amazed by what they were seeing.
They had known that Tang Jie was stronger than them, but they didn’t think it was to such an absurd level.
And they had taken Lin Lang to be some playboy who was dependent on his father, but his astonishing strength had their eyeballs almost falling from their sockets. And the fact that Tang Jie was able to fight against an elite sixth-year student almost had their jaws dropping.
Was this the strength of a second-year student? Not even a fourth-year genius would be this strong, right?
They were shocked, and Mo Xiang on the side didn’t dare to believe what she was seeing.
It wasn’t rare for underclassmen to beat out upperclassmen who just muddled around, but her master was in the top ten in his class in Cloudflow Academy. For this sort of thing to happen was a rarity among rarities.
The two of them fiercely exchanged blows, Tang Jie’s saber swings heavy and powerful. Meanwhile, Lin Lang had numerous spells, an abundance of spiritual energy, and light and nimble movements. In the midst of this battle, blood would occasionally gush into the air. Once they were totally engrossed in the battle, Tang Jie suddenly shook his saber and shouted, “Thousand Rupture Slash!”
It was the Divine Court Thousandshift once again.
Lin Lang knew that this was a powerful attack, so he didn’t dare to take it directly. He first used the Catkin Breeze Sword to reduce its power, and then he used the Windchase Step to dodge. Lastly, he used the Cloudless Shroud to take the aftershocks. As he did all this, he thrust out a finger and shouted, “Shooting Star Finger!”
Tang Jie thrust out his own finger and countered, “Energy Needle!”
The two of them parted with a bang.
Lin Lang’s Godhead Armor now had a rice-sized hole, while Tang Jie’s steely skin sported a finger-sized hole.
They had both come away injured again.
They were now both covered with wounds, but they both glared at each other, the fires within their bodies burning stronger and stronger.
This was particularly true for Lin Lang. His face had gradually begun to twist into a scowl.
For him, a sixth-year versus a second-year, let alone a tie, even having only a small advantage was a sort of disgrace.
As he inwardly seethed, he barked, “You really do have some skill. It’s no wonder you were able to stir up such a storm. But do you think that this is enough?”
He drew back his left hand and started to form hand signs while at the same time muttering strange syllables.
As Tang Jie heard these syllables, he grimaced. “An incantation?”
Spell arts were primarily cast using hand signs, through which art circulation and art manifestation were performed, but some more complicated spells would use auxiliary methods to boost the art manifestation speed, such as Shi Meng’s Sonic Sword.
Incantations were actually the classic example. These powerful spell arts often required a spoken chant to support the activation.
Powerful cultivators would often shout the names of spells or read out some inexplicable words while fighting. While some people might have just been pretending, there were more who needed to do this cast their spell arts.
For Tang Jie, who mostly relied on physical strength in combat, this sort of spell art that required hand signs and incantations was something that he wouldn’t learn now, nor in the future. But this didn’t mean that he didn’t like this kind of spell art.
After all, once this kind of spell art was used, the kind of strength they had previously displayed would seem insignificant. These spell arts usually possessed an awesome power that truly exhibited the power of Immortal spells.
From a certain perspective, this kind of “spell” was already comparable to the “arts” that could draw on the spiritual energy of the world. The only difference was in the consumption of spiritual energy.
As Lin Lang began to chant, Tang Jie stopped hesitating. Activating the Violet Lightning Lunge, he swung the Heartbreak Saber at Lin Lang.
Lin Lang didn’t move, but the jade amulet hanging from his neck suddenly erupted with light. As the saber slashed at his head, it struck the light and could proceed no farther.
“A protective jade amulet!” Tang Jie grunted as he brought his other hand around and punched at the light. But the primary purpose of this punch was its impact, with which he sent Lin Lang flying.
Tang Jie couldn’t break through the protective barrier provided by the jade amulet, and Lin Lang’s spell could finish at any time. Thus, his first priority was to interrupt the art manifestation.
But while Lin Lang had been sent flying, his hands were still moving, and this shock had done nothing to affect him. Posture wasn’t important so long as he wasn’t using some spell art that drew on the power of the earth. What was important was that the circulation of energy in his body remained uninterrupted.
“Ha!” With a furious roar, Tang Jie swung his saber.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Light exploded with each saber clash, and Lin Lang painfully grunted and fell back, but no matter how savagely Tang Jie attacked, Lin Lang did not stop casting.
His casting time was so long that the pressure he released as he continued to cast became terrifying to behold.
Lin Lang instantly became the center of attention, everyone waiting in fearful anticipation for that spell to be unleashed.
As Lin Lang’s hands moved and his mouth chanted, Tang Jie could see the special silver glow of art manifestation appearing on him, and his sword began to crackle with lightning.
“Thunder Lightsear Sword!” Tang Jie grunted. He had finally recognized the spell art that Lin Lang was casting.
The Thunder Lightsear Sword!
It was one of the strongest spell arts a Spirit Platform Realm student could use, many times stronger than ordinary spell arts. It could be considered one of the single strongest spell arts one could use, its effect almost on par with the spell arts used by Mortal Shedding Realm Spirit Masters. Even Tang Jie, with his current constitution, didn’t dare to receive the attack directly.
Lin Lang couldn’t be allowed to complete this spell!
He had to be stopped!
Tang Jie had only one thought in mind. He roared, a golden light shooting out from his fingertip. Activating the Nullight spell as a cover, he shot the golden light at Lin Lang.
But at this moment, Mo Xiang rushed up to place herself in front of Lin Lang.
The golden needle penetrated into Mo Xiang’s body.
Thud!
Mo Xiang’s body erupted with blood.
This sudden sight left everyone stunned.
Even Tang Jie was dumbfounded.
He had never imagined that Mo Xiang would suddenly make a move and ruin his counterattack.
The last opportunity had passed, and Lin Lang’s body radiated light, his sword crackling with lightning. He had finished casting this terrifying sword spell.
“Raaaa!” He bellowed, his sword seething with ten thousand lightning bolts, his thunderous roar pressuring the entirety of the Xu Estate.
“Oh no!” Wei Tianchong and Shi Meng paled in fear. Lin Lang’s attack was bound to alarm the heavens.
But it was too late to run. Lin Lang raised his sword high and then aimed it at Tang Jie. “You must die!”
Sword light slashed downward.
At this moment, Tang Jie focused his eyes.
Not only did he not try to dodge, he accelerated forward.
Just when that sword light was about to touch him, he grabbed Mo Xiang and placed her in front of himself to take Lin Lang’s lightning sword!
If this sword continued downward, it was certain to strike Mo Xiang first.
Tang Jie stared at him.
Lin Lang!
Are you going to strike or not?
That lightning-imbued sword in the sky froze.
Lin Lang looked at the girl in Tang Jie’s hand, and his heart trembled.
He couldn’t help but recall the times in Cloudflow Academy when she and her master walked through the flowers and chatted under the moonlight.
At the time, she had been an ignorant and rather stubborn girl. She had always been trying to protect her master from being tempted by some heartless young master. Lin Lang had gone through a lot of trouble when dealing with her, and he had once found her rather annoying.
But as they spent more time in the academy, that ignorant girl gradually matured, and as she came to understand, she stopped interfering in his relationship with Xu Mujun.
Yet occasionally, Lin Lang would be able to sense that girl’s admiring gaze.
He understood that Mo Xiang also liked him.
Alas, his heart belonged to Xu Mujun, so he could only feign ignorance when it came to Mo Xiang’s affection.
Half a year ago, he had discussed Mo Xiang’s future with Xu Mujun. He had proposed to Xu Mujun that they find Mo Xiang a good partner.
Alas, Mo Xiang had begun to weep, saying that she would never leave her young lady, and she eventually ran off in a huff.
At that time, he understood that he had wounded her heart.
When the Lin Clan fell and its members were wiped out, Mo Xiang had come out even earlier than Xu Mujun to announce that she wouldn’t abandon him.
If not for that incident, then perhaps… perhaps he would have already fled far, far away?
“Mo Xiang…” Lin Lang muttered.
“Young Sir…” Mo Xiang softly muttered, dully gazing at Lin Lang.
Holding Mo Xiang, Tang Jie was still charging over. He was so close, yet he also seemed like he was at the other end of the world. At that moment, Lin Lang was at a loss.
Could he strike or not?
Countless thoughts ran through his mind.
Tang Jie charged up to his side.
Lin Lang sighed.
The lightning on his sword dissipated.
In the end, he couldn’t unleash that heaven-shaking blow.
Mo Xiang’s figure disappeared, replaced by Tang Jie’s callous face.
A palm struck Lin Lang’s chest.
Thud!
Lin Lang flew into the air and then struck the ground, vomiting blood.
“Young Sir!” everyone shouted in unison.
This palm strike had contained almost all of Tang Jie’s power, and it had broken several of Lin Lang’s ribs, rendering him incapable of rising.
“Nooo!” Mo Xiang shrieked. She rushed over to Lin Lang’s side to help him. Tang Jie let her be and made no attempt to stop her. Retrieving the golden needle, he stared coldly at Lin Lang.
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