A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

With a flick of his wrist, a stack of Six-Color Talismans appeared in his hand.

Similar to the Junling Sword Talisman from before, these also lacked the usual Talisman Head, Talisman Core, and talisman foot.

The old Daoist tossed the Talismans before him and immediately began to chant, his hands forming one finger mantra after another.

”Talismanic Magic: Xuluo Talisman Shield!”

The Six-Color Talismans fanned out, arranging themselves perfectly into a hexagon before instantly expanding into a massive shield.

Below, Lian Yin looked up, having just finished dealing with the horde of corpses.

The alarm on her cold, beautiful face subsided. A moment ago, she had been worried that Senior Brother Lian Zhen was in mortal danger. But now, seeing the Xuluo Talisman Shield unfurl, she relaxed. The shield’s defensive capabilities were incredibly powerful, capable of withstanding even a direct blow from a Golden Core cultivator.

But what she saw next made the color drain from her face.

In a flash, Lü Zhong appeared behind the old Daoist.

Unlike a Spiritual Shield, which offered complete protection, a one-directional shield had a glaring weakness.

It wasn’t a torrent of distant attacks, but the inability to react once an enemy got in close.

Just like now. Even though the old Daoist Lian Zhen reacted with incredible speed, instantly commanding the Xuluo Talisman Shield to turn and protect him, it was no match for the swiftness of Lü Zhong’s Star Shifting Step.

Two swift slashes, and the old Daoist’s Protective Gang Qi wavered.

By the time Lü Zhong manifested two more slashes, the talisman shield had already repositioned itself, shielding the old Daoist, whose face had paled.

’So what?’

Lü Zhong decided to go all out. The Star Shifting Step consumed a massive amount of Magical Power, true, but his own reserves were far deeper than his peers’. ’He’d just use it a few more times if he had to. Eventually, he would shatter the old Daoist’s Protective Gang Qi.’

’The man has already exhausted his tricks. Once his Gang Qi shatters, his fate will be sealed!’

He flashed with the Star Shifting Step, delivering another two swift slashes.

The Late Sun Magic Sword clashed against the Gang Qi, and the resulting spray of Spiritual Light illuminated half the cavern.

”Senior Brother!”

”Don’t you dare!”

Down below, Lian Dong and Lian Yin instantly understood Lü Zhong’s intentions.

But just as they moved to act, the roars of a dragon and a tiger sounded nearby, pinning them down and leaving them powerless to help.

It all happened in a flash.

In mid-air, Lü Zhong unleashed two more slashes. With his Protective Gang Qi severely weakened, the old Daoist was sent flying to the ground by the immense force.

He raised a hand, and the Jade Nether Fire Fork came spinning into his grasp.

He formed a finger mantra, and the green flames on the fork flared intensely.

He spun in the air, executing the Meteor Technique to add force to his descent.

BOOM! A deafening crash echoed as the cavern trembled violently.

A pillar of dust erupted, and a shockwave tore gullies into the ground, scattering the starlit ceiling until it vanished.

When the dust settled.

In the depths of a crater filled with raging green flames, only the upper half of the old Daoist’s body remained.

With a grasping motion, Lü Zhong retrieved the Storage Bag from the body. He saw the Cyan Jade Bottle was inside and felt a wave of relief. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he turned on the two remaining Huayi Temple cultivators.

’Since I’ve made my move, I have to be thorough!’

Seeing the thin Daoist bolting for the exit, he immediately sent the Dragon and Tiger Essence to hunt him down.

He was about to intercept the man himself when a figure blocked his path.

Directly ahead, Lian Yin had set up a ritual altar. She waved two Black-Yellow Magic Banners, chanting a constant stream of edicts.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with killing intent as she pointed a slender finger at Lü Zhong.

”Edict: Thunderstorm!”

RUMBLE!

Bolt after bolt of lightning crashed down in a relentless bombardment.

’Thunder Skill? No, that’s not it!’ Lü Zhong dodged, but he couldn’t avoid taking a few direct hits. Smoke billowed from his nose and mouth, his vision swam, and he nearly collapsed. If not for his Body Refining Techniques, he likely would have been taken out of the fight instantly.

He couldn’t help but feel relieved about his earlier decision.

’If I hadn’t sent the corpse horde to tie her up, the outcome of this battle might have been very different.’

’Still, this told me that while her strange technique is powerful, it must have significant restrictions. Otherwise, she could have just hit me with it a few times earlier.’

He saw the Daoist Nun’s face turn deathly pale as she began muttering again, chanting one edict after another.

Lü Zhong didn’t just stand there. Lightning condensed in his palm, and he unleashed a Palm Thunder.

BOOM!

It struck the casting Daoist Nun dead-on.

Unexpectedly, a Spiritual Shield materialized around her, blocking the Palm Thunder.

At that moment, Lian Yin coughed up a final mouthful of Essence Blood, spraying it onto the Black-Yellow Small Flag in her hand. Her face visibly turned ashen, her once-curvaceous figure shriveled as if deflating, and her entire aura weakened rapidly.

In an instant, her black hair turned snow-white!

She looked determined to stop Lü Zhong, even at the cost of her own life.

”Edict: Thunder Swamp!”

Her bloodless fingers trembled as she pointed toward Lü Zhong.

Instantly, countless bolts of lightning materialized from the void.

This was a Secret Skill from one of Huayi Temple’s Daoist lineages—her final attack, launched with every last bit of her strength.

The lightning descended, transforming the entire area into a seething Thunder Swamp.

When the light from the lightning faded, a look of despair filled Lian Yin’s eyes. Reflected in her dimming pupils was the image of a figure still standing tall. Then, she collapsed into the dust, her breath gone.

Lü Zhong grit his teeth against the searing pain, wishing he could tear the Daoist Nun’s body to shreds.

’Her final attack was truly terrifying. If I hadn’t thought to use the Palm Thunder’s Refining Vein Method at the critical moment to channel and disperse the lightning invading my body, I would have been blasted to smithereens.’

Even though he had survived by a hair’s breadth, he felt awful.

’I’m afraid my entire body is severely injured...’

Lü Zhong struggled to his feet. Seeing that the thin Daoist was already tied up by the Dragon and Tiger Essence, he forced himself to focus. He coughed up a large mouthful of dark blood before summoning the Wood Spirit Wind-controlling Ship and flying unsteadily toward them.

Lian Dong was desperately wielding his Duster, struggling to fend off the pincer attacks of the Cloud Dragon and Wind Tiger.

He caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye: the Demon Cultivator who had just killed Lian Zhen and Lian Yin was flying toward him.

Staring into those bright eyes—fixed solely on him and radiating undisguised killing intent—Lian Dong couldn’t help but shudder. He dropped his Duster Magical Artifact, fell to his knees with a thud, and cried out in utter collapse:

”Please, spare me! I’ll be your slave, I only beg you to—!”