At that moment, Lin Moqin raised his hand and launched a flurry of starlight needles. The Myriad Star Needles were treacherous and highly effective in ambushes, often catching opponents off guard.
Fortunately, having nearly suffered from a similar attack before, Elian was prepared this time. He instantly reversed the Fiery Void Sword, releasing its protective energy to propel himself a thousand meters away, dodging most of the needles.
As the Myriad Star Needles failed to penetrate his sword energy and the protective barrier of the Nine Deflection Bell, Elian let out a breath of relief. But just then, his pupils contracted sharply as a lethal sense of danger surged toward him.
Lin Baixi seized the moment and hurled the Earthly Divine Thunder Pearl, unleashing a bolt of divine thunder that descended toward Elian.
Given Lin Baixi's cultivation, he couldn't fully utilize the thunder pearl's power, but even a sneak attack like this could easily kill a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Faced with the sudden strike, Elian instinctively activated the Heavenly Flame Sword Art. This was the first time he had used the divine ability in combat since mastering it, and its brilliance was immediately evident.
"Clang—"
A golden sword beam soared into the air, colliding with the Earthly Divine Thunder. However, it was instantly shattered.
Elian had anticipated this outcome. His current cultivation was far inferior to the power sealed within the thunder pearl, which had been created by a Purple Mansion cultivator.
However, the Heavenly Flame Sword Art, as the strongest offensive divine ability in Yu County, managed to weaken the thunder's power by 30% and delayed its descent for a critical moment.
That moment was all Elian needed. He quickly summoned the Whiteblade Dustbreaker Saber to intercept the remaining thunder.
The clash caused the saber to tremble violently, its glow dimming as it fell to the ground.
Elian knew the saber's spiritual essence had suffered significant damage and would require months of nurturing to recover. Yet, the artifact had fulfilled its purpose, further reducing the Earthly Divine Thunder's power by 40%.
With only 30% of its power remaining, the thunder was no longer a threat. The Fiery Void Sword surged forward, its energy perfectly aligned with Elian's sharp spiritual energy. In his hands, the sword's power rivaled that of a second-tier high-grade artifact at full strength.
The sword energy swept through the divine thunder, dissipating it into faint arcs of electricity.
"Not good," Lin Moqin muttered. Seeing their strongest weapon fail to kill Elian, his face paled, and he shouted, "Baixi, we need to retreat!"
"Uncle Moqin!" Lin Baixi roared in frustration, refusing to back down. His eyes glinted with madness as he charged forward.
"He's used up so much of his spiritual energy summoning those artifacts. If we don't kill him now, when will we?"
At that moment, Elian's Fiery Void Sword slashed out again, forcing Lin Baixi's two artifacts into retreat.
Lin Moqin, witnessing the scene, felt a chill of fear. Without hesitation, he turned and fled on his flying sword, abandoning Lin Baixi.
With Lin Moqin gone, the battle's outcome was sealed.
After dozens of more exchanges, Elian, his expression cold, activated the Fiery Void Sword once more. The blade struck with overwhelming force, breaking through Lin Baixi's defensive artifact and severing his head in a single strike.
Even in death, Lin Baixi's eyes remained wide open, filled with hatred and fury.
Elian quickly cleaned up the battlefield and flew in the direction Lin Moqin had fled. However, due to the exhaustion of his spiritual energy after the intense battle, he failed to catch up.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Elian didn't linger and immediately returned to Qingyuan Mountain.
Ten days later, Elian arrived in Pingyang City and sought out the elder patriarch.
Seeing Elian's grave expression, the elder patriarch stepped forward and asked, "What happened?"
Elian wasted no time recounting the events of his journey. After finishing, he sighed and said, "It's a pity I couldn't eradicate them completely."
"This isn't your fault. The enmity with the Lin family began long ago over the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade," the elder patriarch replied, shaking his head solemnly.
"Things have reached a point where there's no way to make peace. It seems another clash with the Lin family is inevitable."
"Did you leave any evidence?" he added.
Elian produced Lin Baixi's storage bag, retrieving a Parent-Child Tracking Stone and another hidden stone from the Water Essence bottle.
"Does this count as evidence?"
"It's more than enough," the elder patriarch said with a nod.
"This matter won't end with the Lin family backing down, and we won't either. With this evidence, it'll be easier to convince the other families not to interfere."
"Still, with the beast tide drawing nearer, fighting now will only weaken Yu County's strength."
After some further discussion, they began sorting through Lin Baixi's belongings.
Looking through the storage bag, the elder patriarch sighed.
"Lin Baixi was talented but too stubborn. With power in his hands, he would have brought disaster upon his family."
"That said, individuals like him are rare among cultivators. If they survive their recklessness, they often surpass more calculating peers."
"Take Lin Baixi, for instance. Foolhardy as he was, he reached Foundation Establishment without using a Foundation Pill."
"What?" Elian exclaimed, surprised. It was the first time he learned Lin Baixi had achieved Foundation Establishment on his own.
Something still felt off to him, so he asked, "Then why did his spiritual energy seem less refined and potent than mine?"
"Do you think everyone is like you?" the elder patriarch laughed, shaking his head.
"Self-made Foundation Establishment cultivators can fight above their rank, but typically their spiritual energy at the third level is comparable to mid-stage Foundation Establishment."
"But for you to achieve mid-stage strength at the first level? I've never seen anything like it."
"Among the Foundation Establishment cultivators in Bianzhou, about a third are self-made. Most are rogue cultivators or from small families, who only dare attempt it around age sixty, often risking their lives to succeed. Their future prospects are far inferior to yours."
"Lin Baixi became the Lin family's second-in-command because of his self-made Foundation Establishment. Had he reached the sixth level, his spiritual energy might have rivaled mine."
Elian finally understood his extraordinary uniqueness. He had always assumed self-made Foundation Establishment cultivators were on par with him.
However, thanks to the Primordial Purple Qi tempering his meridians over the years, his spiritual energy was far more refined and potent than most. Coupled with the advantages of self-made Foundation Establishment, his strength was unparalleled.
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D