Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 29: Fierce Battle in the Swamp, Killing the E-beast, Desperate Counterattack, Killing the Strong Enemy

More than half an hour passed in a flash. Lin Fan continued along the intricate, maze-like forest path, his steps light as if he feared disturbing any sleeping evil spirits. Suddenly, the view opened up, and a swamp, emitting a foul odor, suddenly came into view.

Above the swamp, a thin layer of mist lingered like a veil, adding a somewhat eerie and gloomy atmosphere to the area. Lin Fan's eyes were as sharp as torches, and he scanned the surroundings vigilantly. In a moment, he locked onto his target—a high-level, first-level Jade Jade demon beast.

The size of this Bishui Jade monster is beyond imagination, and its body is covered with a layer of dark green scales. In the dim light, it flashes with an icy and piercing luster, just like a cold mirror that hides murderous intent.

Its head is broad and flat, and its bloody mouth is full of sharp fangs. From time to time, it opens its mouth, revealing its scarlet oral cavity, as if it is madly declaring its territory sovereignty to the swamp.

At this moment, the monster was lying on a relatively dry piece of land in the swamp, with its tail swinging lazily behind it. It seemed leisurely and relaxed, but in fact it was secretly alert. Any slight movement around it would not escape its extremely keen perception.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Fan spotted several stalks of seven-star grass quietly growing not far from the edge of the swamp. These small, delicate plants had unique seven-pointed leaves, dotted with silvery specks. In this dark, damp swamp, they stood out like twinkling stars in the night sky.

Lin Fan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. This Seven Star Grass was a key ingredient in refining high-level elixirs, priceless, and a key spiritual object in the sect's collection catalog. He immediately made up his mind to slay the monster.

This high-level, first-level Jade Jade demon beast was roughly equivalent in strength to a cultivator at the tenth level of Qi training. Lin Fan, however, had already reached the thirteenth level of Qi training and was equipped with several top-tier magical instruments. He believed that he only needed to expend a small amount of mana to easily defeat it.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan slapped his storage bag. In a flash of light, the Star-Shattering Sword and Primordial Shield instantly appeared in his hands. He quickly formed a seal with both hands, muttering something. As the seal was completed, the Star-Shattering Sword vibrated violently, humming, and instantly transformed into a stream of light, shooting out, piercing the vitals of the Jade Jade Monster. As the sword emerged, the surrounding air felt as if being torn apart by an invisible blade, emitting a hissing sound.

The Jade Jade Monster instantly sensed the impending danger. A fierce glint flashed in its icy, vertical pupils, and its massive body rapidly twisted. Then, it opened its bloody maw, and a jet of dark green water shot out like an arrow, heading straight for the incoming Star-Breaking Sword.

The water arrow and the Star-Shattering Sword collided in mid-air, unleashing a powerful surge of spiritual energy. Water splashed everywhere, and the surrounding swamp was rippled by the impact, like a calm lake into which a boulder had been dropped.

Seeing this, Lin Fan's eyes focused, and he shifted his magic formula once again, increasing his control over the Star-Shattering Sword. After colliding with the water arrow, the Star-Shattering Sword encountered only a slight obstruction before dashing towards the Jade Jade Monster once again. Its speed not only didn't slow, but actually accelerated. At the same time, Lin Fan raised the Primordial Shield before him, and a faint spiritual light instantly enveloped him, preventing the Jade Jade Monster from launching a sudden counterattack.

Seeing its water arrows fail to block the Star-Breaking Sword, the Jade Water Jade Monster roared in anger. With a fierce sweep of its thick tail, it whipped up a cloud of muddy water, whipping it fiercely towards Lin Fan like a giant whip. This muddy water contained powerful demonic energy. Even with the protection of the Primordial Shield, Lin Fan would inevitably suffer a significant impact if it was hit.

Lin Fan dodged the fierce blow with a swift, ghostly agility. "Go!" Lin Fan shouted, and with unstoppable momentum, the Star-Shattering Sword lunged once again at the Jade Jade's neck. This time, the Star-Shattering Sword's speed and power reached new heights. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to scorch with a sizzling sound, seemingly scorching with heat.

The Jade Jade Monster sensed the mortal threat, a flicker of fear in its eyes. However, as a high-level monster, it possessed its own survival strategies. A dark green glow suddenly emanated from its body, and its scales stood erect, forming a solid defensive barrier. Simultaneously, it condensed an even more powerful ball of water from its mouth and launched it towards the Star-Breaking Sword in a final attempt to resist.

The Star-Shattering Sword and the water ball collided with a resounding roar. A powerful surge of spiritual energy, centered at the point of impact, spread wildly in all directions like a surging tide. This force rustled the surrounding trees and stirred the mud and water in the swamp several feet high. The entire scene felt like the end of the world.

Lin Fan's eyes were as firm as a rock, his hands kept changing the spells, continuously injecting the spiritual power in his body into the Star-Breaking Sword, vowing to break through the defense of the Green Water Jade Monster.

Just when the sword and the ball were in a stalemate, Lin Fan's eyes suddenly became stern. He seized the perfect opportunity, controlled the Star-Breaking Sword to slightly shift the attack angle, cleverly avoiding the center part of the water ball where the impact force was the strongest, and then suddenly accelerated, stabbing at the neck of the Green Water Jaw Monster like lightning.

This attack completely caught the Jade Jade Monster off guard. Although it sensed danger, it was too late to fully adjust its defenses. The Star-Shattering Sword pierced the monster's neck, sending dark green blood gushing out like a fountain. The Jade Jade Monster roared in pain and struggled desperately, lashing its tail wildly, stirring up the surrounding swamp into a mess, splashing mud and water everywhere.

Lin Fan would not give it any chance to breathe. The magic formula in his hand changed instantly, and the Star-Breaking Sword slashed across its neck, tearing a deep wound and almost cutting its neck off.

The Jade Jade Monster's struggles gradually waned, and its massive body collapsed with a thud, splashing a large amount of muddy water. Lin Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief, sheathed his Star-Breaking Sword and Primordial Shield, and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.

Although he had won this battle thanks to his own cultivation and the advantages of his magical instruments, it had also consumed a lot of his spiritual energy. He didn't dare to delay even a little and hurried to the Seven Star Grass.

Lin Fan carefully dug out several mature Seven Star Grass plants, roots included, and placed them in a specially crafted jade box. He also dug up a few nearby seedlings and took them away. He then placed the jade box containing the spiritual herbs into his storage bag, carefully confirming it was intact before he felt a sense of relief.

He then found a relatively secluded spot nearby, sat cross-legged, and began practicing his techniques to restore his spiritual energy. After a while, Lin Fan's spiritual energy had recovered by about 70% to 80%. He stood up, reoriented himself, and headed deeper into the forbidden area.

Lin Fan walked through the blood-red forbidden ground, his steps as light as a cat's, carefully weaving between the jagged rocks and dense thorns. With each step, he feared disturbing the evil spirits dormant in this eerie place. The forbidden ground was filled with a damp, decaying odor, mingled with the faint scent of blood, which permeated his nostrils and weighed heavily on his heart.

Without warning, a chilling murderous intent suddenly struck from behind, like a poisoned blade on a cold night, piercing his back. Lin Fan's scalp instantly went numb, his life-or-death instincts instantly ignited. Without time to think, he threw himself forward with all his might, tumbling awkwardly along the ground.

At this critical moment, a black light, brimming with violent spiritual energy, flashed past him with the force of a thunderbolt, like lightning tearing through the night. Immediately afterwards, a resounding "boom" shook the surrounding air violently. The black light struck the boulder ahead with unerring precision, its powerful impact instantly shattering it into pieces, scattering a cloud of shards.

When the dust settled, Lin Fan took a closer look and saw that it was a flying sword that was completely dark. Runes flickered on the sword body, emitting a chilling chill that was breathtaking. It was a top-level magical weapon.

Lin Fan quickly got up and turned around to see a tall and strong man in a black robe from the Giant Sword Sect slowly walking out from the shadows.

The man's spiritual energy surged through his body, revealing he had reached the thirteenth level of Qi training. His face was as cold as ice, his eyes shone with ruthlessness and disdain. He looked at Lin Fan as if he were a lamb to be slaughtered.

"Boy, you are lucky enough, but that's all!" The big man in black robe pulled the corner of his mouth and spoke coldly, his voice like a bell.

After saying that, he quickly formed seals with his hands and muttered something. The flying sword instantly drew a strange arc in the air, wrapped in a whistling wind, and stabbed towards Lin Fan's throat again, at a speed even faster than before.

At this critical moment, Lin Fan hurriedly slapped his storage bag, pulled out the Hunyuan Shield, and quickly poured all his magic power into it. In the blink of an eye, the Hunyuan Shield lit up with a dazzling blue light, forming a protective shield in front of him.

Then, the flying sword crashed down with a thud, a thud that made Lin Fan's ears ring and his vision flash. The force of the impact was like a savage bull, slamming into him.

Lin Fan felt as if his arm was being torn off, the pain piercing his heart. His feet dug two half-foot-deep grooves in the ground, and he slid several feet away.

"Hmph, you have some skills." The big man in black robe frowned slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, and was replaced by a stronger murderous intent.

His hands danced like phantoms, and he uttered an obscure spell. The flying sword suddenly split in mid-air, transforming into three identical blades, locking onto Lin Fan in a triangular formation. "Die!" the black-robed man shouted fiercely, and the three flying swords shot towards Lin Fan from different directions like arrows from a bow, blocking all his escape routes.

Seeing the flying sword approaching in a flash, Lin Fan forced himself to remain calm, his gaze as sharp as a torch. In a flash, he slapped his storage bag and pulled out three primary and high-level defensive talismans. He quickly chanted an incantation, and the talismans instantly ignited, transforming into three golden light curtains that tightly enveloped him.

Almost simultaneously, the three flying swords slammed into the light curtain, emitting a series of deafening crashes. The light curtain trembled, its light flickering, and it nearly shattered. Lin Fan felt as if he were being crushed by three mountains at once. His chest felt tight, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Taking advantage of this brief moment, Lin Fan, suppressing his discomfort, hastily activated the Hunyuan Shield once again with all his might, while simultaneously drawing out three more defensive talismans. These three talismans transformed into layers of defensive shields, intertwining with the Hunyuan Shield, and finally firmly blocked the flying sword's attack.

Lin Fan, who was finally able to catch his breath, roared, "You are really looking for death!" He slapped his storage bag, took out the Star-Breaking Sword, and took out five primary and high-level attack talismans.

He quickly made hand gestures with both hands, and the Star-Breaking Sword turned into a sharp cold light, stabbing towards the black-robed man; the talisman instantly turned into several basic and high-level spells, whistling towards the man.

The black-robed man's expression suddenly changed upon seeing this, but he remained calm. He quickly recalled his flying swords, weaving them into an impenetrable sword net in front of him, attempting to block the fatal blow.

The Star-Breaking Sword, carrying Lin Fan's desperate and fierce momentum, was like a meteor streaking through the night sky, and collided with the flying sword driven by the black-robed man with a loud bang.

Suddenly, a series of clashes erupted, reminiscent of the clashing of swords or the sudden ringing of a mighty bell. "Clang, clang, clang," "ding, ding, ding," intertwined and resonated. The sound was crisp and penetrating, spreading through the utter silence of the forbidden area, each one jarring the eardrums. The metallic shimmer of the collisions splattered like fireworks. Each collision sent sparks flying, like scattered stardust.

Immediately afterwards, the spells transformed from the five primary and high-level talismans Lin Fan had previously cast swept in like a raging tsunami. Blazing fireballs engulfed him in waves of heat, icy ice spikes chilled him to the bone, and razor-sharp wind blades lashed him like deadly blades. These various spells intertwined and resonated with each other, unleashing a devastating force.

"Boom!" A resounding explosion shook the heavens and earth, as if the sky were collapsing and the earth was cracking. From the point of impact, a terrifying energy storm spread wildly in a circular pattern, sweeping away everything in its path. The surrounding boulders, fragile as paper before this force, were instantly shattered, turning into a shower of stone dust that rained down like a torrential downpour.

Even towering trees, millennia-old, were unable to withstand this terrifying force. They were uprooted and tumbled wildly through the air like drifting leaves. The entire space seemed to be unable to bear the weight, warping and deforming. Light became chaotic, presenting a strange and shocking apocalyptic scene.

Amidst the storm, Lin Fan's face was as pale as paper, his clothes drenched in sweat, yet his eyes shone with determination and resolve. He stared intently ahead, mobilizing every ounce of spiritual energy within him to maintain the functioning of his magical instruments. Meanwhile, the black-robed man struggled equally against the storm, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead, soaking his robes. He clenched his teeth, his hands constantly shifting spells, striving to stabilize the sword net before him.

After a brief stalemate, cracks began to appear in the black-robed man's sword net, growing ever wider. Lin Fan seized the opportunity, manipulating the Star-Shattering Sword into a dazzling flash of light, piercing the black-robed man like lightning. Before he could react, he was engulfed by the terrifying energy. With a shrill scream, his body twisted and shattered in the turbulent energy, ultimately dissipating into a bloody mist.

With the black-robed man dead, this thrilling battle finally came to an end. Lin Fan's legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. He gazed at the devastation before him, feeling a surge of relief at having survived. After a brief rest, he forced himself to stand, gathered his magical tools and spoils, and found a secluded cave to recover from his injuries.

(End of this chapter)