Chapter 1237: Small Town Origins

The portly spellcaster couldn't help but sigh. He had originally intended to wait a bit longer before unleashing his trump card, which would make his technique stronger and more secure. However, the fighter had clearly sensed something. If he delayed any further, the situation would become unpredictable, so he had no choice but to activate it early.

Having made up his mind, thunderous power suddenly surged around the portly spellcaster. Simultaneously, the warning signs in Lu Ye's heart intensified dramatically, and his skin tingled all over. This was a clear sign that the thunder pool surrounding him was about to unleash its full power.

The spellcaster stopped retreating, stood his ground, and formed a hand seal. He then offered a faint smile to Lu Ye, who was lunging towards him. "Fellow Daoist," he said, "your strength is impressive, but this is a battle for opportunity, not personal enmity. Please understand."

They were both from different realms and had never met before, so there was naturally no personal grudge between them. Thus, what he said was true: it was purely a struggle for opportunity. In the face of the greatest opportunity within the Divine Sea Realm, no one would hold back.

At this instant, the spellcaster's true intentions were laid bare! If all went as expected, the fighter would be severely wounded or even killed in the next moment!

Yet, a sudden unease stirred within him. Despite being clearly in a desperate situation, the fighter's expression had grown calm, which was somewhat abnormal.

Then he saw a streak of light shoot out from the fighter's waist, heading straight for him! "This is... an enchanted artifact?" The spellcaster let out a laugh of disbelief. "At his cultivation level, to still be using an enchanted artifact?"

Enchanted artifacts are typically used by fighters and body cultivators at lower cultivation levels to compensate for their limited attack range. They are very popular among low-level cultivators because, at that stage, fighters and body cultivators generally lack long-range attack methods. However, as cultivators' levels gradually increase, such items are largely phased out.

It's not that they lack destructive power. Rather, for fighters and body cultivators, they prefer to rely on their own weapons and fists to unleash their maximum strength. Enchanted artifacts are merely an embellishment.

"Was he out of tricks?" he wondered. "So, knowing he couldn't close the distance further, he resorted to using an enchanted artifact for an attack?" While thinking this, the spellcaster didn't underestimate the artifact. The opponent he faced this time was very strong, and it was hard to say if he had tampered with the artifact in any way, so it was best not to come into contact with it.

He shifted his body to the side, and the streak of light from the artifact flew past him, narrowly missing him. At the same moment, the thunderous power swirling around Lu Ye erupted in a brilliant flash of light. Instantly, the area where he stood transformed into a thunder pool, crackling with lightning snakes!

This was a trump card the spellcaster had been planning for a long time. Although the evolving situation forced him to activate it prematurely, its might was still not to be underestimated. It was absolutely not something at the Divine Sea Realm level could casually withstand. With this, the fighter would be severely wounded, if not killed!

The spellcaster raised the treasure fan in his hand, channeled his spiritual energy, and stared intently forward, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. However, just then, a strange aura suddenly rippled behind him. The spellcaster's hair stood on end. When he hastily turned his head, he was horrified to find that the fighter, who should have been struggling for life in the thunder pool, had somehow appeared behind him!

This was simply impossible! He had no idea how the opponent had managed it.

Meeting the opponent's calm gaze, the spellcaster knew that this time... he was doomed!

As the Mountain Crusher Blade was raised high, a hazy blood-red light erupted behind Lu Ye, rapidly spreading out into a sea of blood. As the blade descended, the sea of blood surged forward as well.

At such close range, the spellcaster had no room to dodge. A heavy, powerful slash landed on him, and he immediately felt as if he had been struck head-on by a mountain. His portly figure uncontrollably plummeted downwards.

It was fortunate that he had been cautious, activating the power of his treasure pagoda to protect himself from the very beginning of the fight. Otherwise, that single strike would have been enough to cleave him in two.

Although the pagoda's protective light blocked the blade's attack, the fierce power, however, could not be nullified. As the spellcaster's body fell, he felt his internal organs shift and his vital energy surge within his chest and abdomen.

Before he could stabilize himself, he was already enveloped by the sea of blood, sinking into a sticky embrace.

"Blood Art!" the spellcaster exclaimed, aghast. "It makes no sense! He's clearly a human fighter, how can he use a blood art? Is this guy... cultivating both martial and spell arts?"

He didn't believe Lu Ye was a Blood Race member; the characteristics of the Blood Race were very distinct and completely different from humans. There were also human cultivators who practiced blood arts, so he assumed Lu Ye was dual-cultivating martial and spell arts.

What monstrous talent was this? Judging solely by the blood art the opponent displayed, it seemed even more intricate and magnificent than those of genuine Blood Race members.

A second slash awaited him. His body tossed and turned within the sea of blood, unable to stop. Having fallen into the sea of blood, he was then struck by another heavy, sneak attack from Lu Ye. Even if he was undoubtedly the most monstrous talent of his own realm, he could not make any significant moves now.

True combat was always this dangerous. The side that clearly held a great advantage might, in an instant, be defeated and killed.

He just couldn't understand how the fighter had suddenly appeared behind him. He should have been in his thunder pool!

However, he soon realized the problem. Before the thunder pool's power erupted, the fighter had launched an enchanted artifact at him. Because he had been wary, he avoided contact with the artifact, letting it fly past him to his rear. Now that he thought about it, the fighter's appearance coincided precisely with the location of the enchanted artifact!

"He has a way to swap positions with the artifact? What kind of ability is that?" It must be said that the spellcaster had misunderstood. The technique Lu Ye employed was not swapping positions with the artifact, but directly using the power of a Void Spirit Rune to teleport to the artifact's location!

It was precisely the moment before the thunder pool's power erupted! Too early would not work; the continuously accumulating thunderous power had been swirling around him, impossible to shake off, following him wherever he went. If he had used this technique prematurely, it would only have alerted the spellcaster. Too late would be even worse; if he waited, he would truly be enveloped by the thunder pool.

He could only teleport out at the same instant the thunder pool unleashed its power. This way, he would both avoid the thunder pool's might and catch his enemy off guard.

In fact, Lu Ye could have done this from the very beginning. Ever since his Talent Tree underwent its second evolution and he had inscribed Void Spirit Runes onto its leaves, he no longer feared long-range attacks from others.

He could teleport to an enemy's side anytime, anywhere, by utilizing Void Spirit Runes. Coupled with his Blood Sea Art, it could be said that within the Divine Sea Realm, with this fighting style, he was practically invincible.

If not for this, with his current Divine Sea Realm cultivation, why would he carry a weapon box, and why would he use enchanted artifacts against enemies? The effort spent on using an enchanted artifact would be better spent unleashing a few more blade auras, which would likely have greater power.

The enchanted artifact was merely a smokescreen; building Void Spirit Runes upon the artifact was Lu Ye's true purpose.

This was a unique and extremely flexible and mobile tactic belonging solely to him. In the Insectoid Tree Realm, he had used this method to ambush Yan Ya, and now it was the portly spellcaster's turn.

Within the sea of blood, the spellcaster was still struggling and resisting, but it was destined to be futile.

The viscous restraints of the sea of blood greatly reduced his speed. Unable to escape the sea of blood's embrace, he was merely a lamb to the slaughter.

Under repeated slashes as heavy as mountains, the portly spellcaster continuously bled. Finally, at a certain moment, his treasure pagoda could no longer provide him with protection. The once dazzling pagoda became dull, losing its spiritual essence, and then shattered!

With a muffled thud, the battle ceased.

The sea of blood receded, revealing two figures. Lu Ye stood casually in mid-air, his Mountain Crusher Blade already sheathed. The portly spellcaster was slumped before him, not yet dead, but clinging to his last breath.

Although he had just engaged in a life-or-death battle, Lu Ye actually quite admired this person. Even when he was at a complete disadvantage and had no strength left to resist, the portly spellcaster did not beg for mercy. He knew that since he had come with the intent to kill, it was only natural for others to kill him.

He couldn't demand mercy when his own attempt to kill had failed.

"I've made a fool of myself, letting Fellow Daoist witness this!" the portly man sighed heavily.

Lu Ye remained silent. To a dying man, especially one he had just killed, he didn't know what to say.

"So, Fellow Daoist," the portly man asked, "you were confident of victory from the start, yet you hesitated to make your move?" This was what puzzled him the most. If Lu Ye had displayed such miraculous techniques from the beginning, he would have turned and fled, never engaging Lu Ye.

Saying the other party deliberately showed weakness seemed incorrect, because throughout the process, the fighter also took enormous risks; one wrong move could have resulted in his own death.

The spellcaster didn't think the opponent's intention was like that. Lu Ye hadn't intended to say anything, but since the man asked, he might as well treat it as casual conversation; the battle was over, after all.

"I'm from a small place, not very well-traveled," Lu Ye replied. "Since I have the opportunity, I wanted to refine myself, broaden my horizons, and see what methods the monstrous talents from other realms possess."

That was a good reason. The spellcaster let out a laugh. So, he had been regarded as a whetstone, and he had perfectly fulfilled the task expected of that role.

"Coincidentally, I'm also from a small place," the spellcaster chuckled. "So, Fellow Daoist, it's best not to use me as a standard to measure the monstrous talents from the top realms. When facing them, you should be even more careful and cautious."

Lu Ye nodded. "I'll take your auspicious words to heart."

If an uninformed person were to witness this scene, they would likely think two friends were chatting casually, completely unaware of the deadly dangers they had just faced.

"Alas, what a short and hurried life!" the portly man sighed heavily once more. As his words faded, his head dropped, and his entire body fell downwards.

Lu Ye raised his hand and held the man's corpse. He channeled his spiritual energy, and a fiery light surged upwards.

A moment later, he destroyed the corpse, leaving no trace. He then collected the storage bag and treasure fan left by the man, and leisurely departed the spot.

He had a pleasant conversation with the portly spellcaster, but this didn't prevent him from claiming the spoils of war, which he had earned.