Chapter 412: Yan Armor

According to calculations by the Myriad Demon Ridge faction, based on Lu Ye's current pace, he should enter a valley two hours later. While not as ideal as the previous canyon, the terrain there was still quite suitable for an encirclement.

Messages were relayed, and numerous Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators streamed towards the valley, preparing to deploy in advance. The plan was that once Lu Ye entered the valley, accepted the challenge, and Zhu Pang endured for the duration of an incense stick, the encirclement would be complete. At that point, no matter how skilled Lu Ye was, he would be unable to break through, and death would be his only outcome!

The Myriad Demon Ridge's plan was well-conceived... However, just one hour later, a new message arrived.

"Zhu Pang has already entered the arena!""What? That Lu Yiye didn't wait for the two-hour limit? Where is he now?"

After learning Lu Ye's location, the group was dumbfounded. Lu Ye's previous position was actually a vast, flat plain! Such terrain was clearly unsuitable for an ambush.

"He must have sensed something. Quick, quick! We don't know how long Zhu Pang can hold out. Send people to Lu Ye's current location immediately." The Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators were not foolish; Lu Ye's deliberate choice to enter the arena from a flat plain clearly indicated he was on alert.

At this moment, the best approach was to quickly dispatch forces to surround him, forming a tight encirclement before Lu Ye's battle with Zhu Pang concluded. Only then could their plan succeed.

Large numbers of Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators scrambled into action once more, filled with intense frustration. This time, they had been secretly plotting against Lu Ye, yet now, inexplicably, it felt as if they were being led by the nose by him!

As the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators hastily mobilized, Lu Ye and Zhu Pang simultaneously appeared within the arena, which encompassed an area of several dozen feet.

Logically, since Lu Ye had already discerned the Myriad Demon Ridge faction's intentions, the safest response to such a challenge would have been to refuse. However, refusing would only lead to more challenges until he was expelled from the Spirit Creek Ranking. If that happened, he would have to restart his climb up the ranks and begin a new month-long calculation period to receive the Heavenly Secret's reward, effectively wasting all his previously accumulated days.

This was why Lu Ye accepted the challenge. As long as he won this fight, no one else would be able to challenge him thereafter; neither the female archer nor Ghost Shadow would invite further trouble.

However, to avoid being truly encircled by the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators, Lu Ye's immediate goal was to finish the fight swiftly, denying them ample time to act.

As the white light dissipated from his vision, Lu Ye immediately spotted a burly figure not far ahead.

Lu Ye had never actually faced Zhu Pang during his previous ranking attempt. Zhu Pang had directly refused his challenge back then, being ranked in the thirties. It was unclear how, but he had swiftly climbed to the sixth position in such a short time.

In the Spirit Creek Battlefield, howling magnetic forces and rampant force fields typically confined cultivators' spiritual power within their bodies. However, these effects were absent in the arena.

Without a word, Lu Ye first carefully tucked the blade technique insights from his Third Senior Brother into his storage bag. He then activated the Wind Travel spirit patterns to empower his legs, leaving a trail of afterimages as he lunged directly towards Zhu Pang.

Zhu Pang seemed poised to greet Lu Ye, perhaps intending to stall for time, but seeing Lu Ye's fierce charge, he dared not waste a single word.

With a clatter, a peculiar contraption draped over him. It appeared to be a mechanism, featuring a massive disc on his back. Four mechanical arms extended from the disc, two on each side, each grasping a spirit artifact. These spirit artifacts, typically varied for offensive purposes, had all been replaced by Zhu Pang with large defensive shields. Moreover, he gripped an enormous shield in his hands, twice the size of others, capable of almost completely obscuring his burly frame.

Including the mechanical shield on his back, he was completely enveloped by a total of six spirit artifact shields, front and back!

This was Lu Ye's first encounter with such an opponent; this individual was clearly intent on maximizing defense. His intention to stall for time was glaringly obvious. Furthermore, this marked the first time Lu Ye had seen a Mechanist on the Spirit Creek Ranking!

Zhu Pang was not only a body cultivator but also a Mechanist. With these two disciplines complementing each other, his defensive capabilities were undeniably formidable.

Undeniably, Lu Ye found himself intrigued when Zhu Pang brought forth the Mechanist's creation. While these mechanical arms appeared ferociously like spider limbs, they were, in fact, exquisitely crafted constructs.

Such creations, within the Mechanist discipline, are collectively known as War Mechs!

Zhu Pang's War Mech was clearly a half-body model, enveloping only his upper torso. Lu Ye knew that Mechanists in Kyushu were capable of constructing full-body War Mechs.

These were War Mechs that could completely encase a cultivator, further categorized into humanoid and beast-shaped variants!

Lu Ye had learned about these constructs from the ancient texts he acquired from Madam Yun. Since War Mechs are imbued with a multitude of spirit patterns internally, crafting a high-quality one first requires mastering the appropriate spirit patterns.

At the time, Lu Ye had developed a keen interest in these War Mechs. However, deeply understanding the principle of 'biting off more than you can chew,' he hadn't devoted too much effort to this particular field.

With Zhu Pang now clad in his War Mech, it was no exaggeration to call him the most heavily defended individual on the entire Spirit Creek Ranking.

In an instant, Lu Ye rushed before Zhu Pang, leaping high. His Mountain-Shattering Saber was unsheathed, a fiery red spiritual light clinging to its blade as he brought it down in a single strike.

Spiritual energy surged furiously into the Mountain-Shattering Saber. "Flash!"

With this strike, Lu Ye employed a blade technique he had not yet fully mastered.

Against an opponent who embodied defense so thoroughly, only the most furious assault could bring him down in the shortest possible time!

One of Zhu Pang's mechanical arms snatched a shield, raising it to block in front of him. As he channeled his spiritual power, the shield glowed intensely, clearly indicating he was putting up a desperate fight.

"Roar!" Amber roared.

During Lu Ye's previous ranking attempts, Amber typically only used its soul-stirring roar when opponents sought to surrender. This time, however, it understood the need for a swift victory and began cooperating with Lu Ye from the outset.

A visible sonic wave violently struck Zhu Pang, causing his body to tremor slightly and the spiritual light on the raised shield to dim.

This was clearly an effect of Amber's roar, which hampered the smooth circulation of his spiritual power.

With a resounding crash, the Mountain-Shattering Saber struck the spirit artifact shield. The sheer force caused Zhu Pang's body to stoop, nearly bringing him to his knees. Simultaneously, with a sharp shattering sound, the spirit artifact shield splintered into pieces.

Even the mechanical arm holding the shield was shattered!

Zhu Pang was utterly terrified!

He had directly refused Lu Ye's challenge last time because he was then constructing this half-body War Mech under the guidance of a senior from his sect. At that time, he lacked the confidence to contend with Lu Ye, and his ranking wasn't particularly high either.

After completing this half-body War Mech, Zhu Pang's strength significantly increased, allowing him to ascend rapidly on the Spirit Creek Ranking. He had surged from being ranked in the thirties all the way to sixth place, thus earning the right to challenge Lu Ye.

When challenging Lu Ye, he had been confident he could at least stall him for the duration of an incense stick. However, with Lu Ye's descending strike, that confidence was utterly shattered!

A Nine-Seal defensive spirit artifact had been shattered by a single strike, and its accompanying mechanical arm rendered useless. Could a Spirit Creek Realm cultivator truly unleash such a blow? He now only felt fortunate that he hadn't underestimated his opponent; when activating his War Mech, he had chosen entirely defensive spirit artifacts over offensive ones. Otherwise, the fight would have been over before it began.

While Zhu Pang was momentarily stunned, Lu Ye brought down another strike!

It was the same incomplete 'Flash' blade technique!

Zhu Pang's reaction was remarkably swift; he quickly snatched another shield to block.

With another clatter, the second shield shattered, rendering the second mechanical arm useless.

Zhu Pang's heart ached!

More than half of his strength resided within this War Mech. With two mechanical arms rendered useless, his power was diminished by at least twenty percent, and the cost to repair the War Mech later would be substantial.

After two strikes, the arm with which Lu Ye wielded his saber began to throb.

This unrefined blade technique imposed a significant burden on him; during his practice, Lu Ye would rest for a long period after each strike before attempting another. Now, having delivered two consecutive strikes without pause, he could not unleash a third identical blow without risking exhaustion or even internal injuries to his entire arm.

However, the shattering of the two shields had created a flaw in Zhu Pang's impenetrable defense.

Still in mid-air, Lu Ye raised a finger. As spiritual energy surged, a fiery red Vermilion Bird rapidly formed before him, flapping its wings and streaking towards the newly created defensive gap.

Seeing the danger, Zhu Pang hastily tried to dodge aside. However, just then, a heaven-shaking tiger's roar caused his body to momentarily falter, and the Vermilion Bird art already arrived directly in front of him.

Left with no choice, he could only raise a shield to block. The Vermilion Bird's form crashed into the shield, causing flames to surge skyward, and a faint smell of charred flesh, mixed with Zhu Pang's muffled grunt, became perceptible.

Lu Ye realized that with the opponent's half-body War Mech, combined with his strong physique as a body cultivator, his defense was indeed formidable. However, this came at the cost of agility. Against a weapon cultivator like himself, if he couldn't effectively defend against attacks, he would easily be at a disadvantage.

At this moment, employing controlled artifacts wasn't the optimal strategy; instead, using spell arts was more effective, as their power could more easily penetrate the opponent's defenses.

Lu Ye had already swept to Zhu Pang's side. The heavy footsteps put Zhu Pang on alert, and he quickly adjusted his defensive posture, aiming to block the attack incoming from Lu Ye's direction.

However, at that very moment, Amber's agile form pounced forward. Its massive tiger claw slammed into a shield, causing Zhu Pang's body to stagger.

Amber's capabilities were never limited to merely its soul-stirring roar; it was inherently a powerful fierce beast, and its metal-attributed demonic essence highlighted its destructive nature.

However, until now, there had rarely been a need for it to intervene. Typically, Lu Ye could handle enemies himself, and if he couldn't, Amber's intervention would likewise be futile.

But this time was different. Lu Ye needed to defeat this heavily fortified opponent in the shortest possible time, which finally gave Amber an opportunity to play its part.