So what?
The Silver-winged Divine Eagle beat its wings, stirring up blades of wind that sliced through the air, forcing Li Zhong into a desperate defense.
“Li Zhong’s physical strength may have increased, but his spiritual awareness is still lacking,” Wang Lun observed, seeing through Li Zhong’s true situation. Although Li Zhong’s body had grown much stronger, he lacked spiritual awareness, making his actual combat ability fall short of his usual level by ten or twenty percent.
Wang Lun didn’t expect that his own magic and spiritual awareness would guarantee victory over Li Zhong, as he was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, a whole realm below Li Zhong! Li Zhong was a peak Core Formation cultivator. Li Zhong’s cultivation speed was something Wang Lun could never hope to match. Still, Wang Lun believed he could face Li Zhong head-on.
Li Zhong was currently without magical treasures or weapons, fighting barehanded. The defensive talismans on him were likely of ordinary grade. Though Li Zhong carried precious items, he hadn’t studied spells or cultivated any special techniques. These weaknesses meant Li Zhong was not skilled in prolonged battles against an opponent.
Thus, Li Zhong had to finish the fight quickly.
“If you want a duel, I’ll accept. We’ll settle life and death right here!” Wang Lun declared, not wanting to waste time. As he spoke, he summoned the ancient bronze mirror.
The ancient bronze mirror hovered before Wang Lun, whirling in the air. Wang Lun formed a spell, controlling the mirror as it cast a beam of azure light.
“What is that?” Li Zhong startled, wary of the aura emanating from the ancient bronze mirror. Yet, he did not retreat. He sat cross-legged, circulating his inner power and adjusting his breathing, then gripped a black token in his right hand.
Boom!
Li Zhong poured his surging magic into the black token, which instantly flared with blood-red light, enveloping him. The armor on Li Zhong’s body vanished in a flash, revealing his lean, muscular physique. His former plump appearance was completely gone, replaced by an imposing presence.
Wang Lun frowned slightly, thinking, “Li Zhong’s armor has been altered by the black token.”
Compared to earlier, Li Zhong’s armor now appeared much lighter in color, clearly changed by the token.
“Li Zhong’s defense has greatly increased. Now he’s no weaker than a Core Formation cultivator with a magical treasure,” Wang Lun thought, hesitating no longer. He immediately urged the Silver-winged Divine Eagle forward.
Swoosh.
The silver giant eagle’s phantom appeared, charging at Li Zhong.
“Die!” Li Zhong roared, swinging the black token fiercely, slamming it into the silver giant eagle.
Clang!
A violent collision sounded. The silver giant eagle was knocked back but unharmed, immediately launching another attack.
Li Zhong snorted coldly, raising his left arm as the wrist guard he wore flashed with dazzling golden light.
Bang.
The golden light exploded, shaking the surroundings.
“Hm?” Bai Zongnan’s face darkened. He noticed that Li Zhong’s left arm now bore a piece of armor—a thick, solid golden guard, just like his own wrist guard, both magical treasures.
He hadn’t noticed this before.
Li Zhong actually had two magical treasures? How could he not recall Li Zhong possessing them? Had Li Zhong kept them hidden?
Bai Zongnan considered this possibility.
It was highly likely, for he didn’t know whether Li Zhong possessed a storage ring or similar item.
“Li Zhong must have one. Otherwise, he couldn’t have taken that storage ring!”
“No matter what grade the storage ring is, Li Zhong’s distinguished status makes it unlikely to be anything ordinary. I must find that ring!”
As he pondered, Wang Lun’s spell struck.
A massive sword of crystal ice cut through the sky, slicing the air with a piercing whistle.
This time, Li Zhong dared not take the blow head-on. He swiftly sidestepped, then leapt a hundred meters away to distance himself from Wang Lun.
“I want to see just how powerful your Nascent Soul magic is!”
“Dark Thunder spell, destroy it!”
Li Zhong shouted angrily, stomping hard on the ground.
Buzz!
The earth quaked beneath him, then a gigantic cylindrical pillar of rock rose, blocking the crystal ice sword and stopping its advance.
Meanwhile, a streak of lightning arced from Li Zhong’s palm, shooting toward Wang Lun with the speed of thunder.
Swoosh.
Wang Lun immediately recalled the Silver-winged Divine Eagle, casting his own spell.
A spear of thunder shot forth.
Crack.
The thunder spear pierced through the slender thread, then exploded.
Li Zhong’s face paled.
The thread of magic he had conjured was extremely potent, capable of shredding three egg-sized stones, yet it was destroyed by a single thunder spear. Clearly, thunder magic held an overwhelming advantage against spells formed from condensed magic!
This fact was proven upon him.
“I don’t believe you’re really that powerful!”
Li Zhong, both shocked and afraid, gritted his teeth and summoned his magic again, casting another thread.
He knew Wang Lun’s Nascent Soul magic was abundant, so he chose to entangle him with these threads, aiming to exhaust Wang Lun’s magic.
This method of attack was disadvantageous for any low-level cultivator, since it consumed magic slowly, but Li Zhong was not worried about exhaustion.
He carried potions to restore his magic, and even if Wang Lun had better means of recovery, it would do him no good!
Wang Lun indeed felt the pressure.
Li Zhong, a seasoned veteran, reacted swiftly, and with the black token aiding him, Wang Lun found it difficult to break through his spells.
Still, he was not afraid.
He had the ancient bronze mirror, a deadly weapon!
Swish, swish, swish.
Wang Lun activated the bronze mirror, sending several beams of azure light toward Li Zhong.
Li Zhong immediately darted about, dodging the beams, while he gripped the black token and spat flames at the azure light, trying to burn them away.
“Heh, out of tricks already?” Li Zhong mocked.
Wang Lun ignored him, continuing to unleash the bronze mirror’s beams.
Furthermore, Wang Lun kept activating the mirror, wave after wave of azure light streaming forth, endless and inexhaustible.
Li Zhong gradually could not withstand the assault.
The power of Wang Lun’s beams was immense. Once touched, the effect was not merely superficial. Now, the beams penetrated to bone, tendons, and other vulnerable spots, even eroding the magic within his body!
He dared not take risks, only dodging, unable to resist directly.
Wang Lun seized the chance, commanding the Silver-winged Divine Eagle to fly at Li Zhong while launching a psychic assault.
“A mere second-tier beast dares to harm me? Dream on!” Li Zhong scoffed, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
“Go!”
He flicked his palm, and a mass of black mist suddenly formed out of thin air, swelling with the wind to envelop the Silver-winged Divine Eagle.
The black mist expanded rapidly, growing tenfold in the blink of an eye. From within, sharp screeches echoed, as if some monstrous creature were about to burst forth.
Wang Lun saw a shadow dart from the black mist, charging at the Silver-winged Divine Eagle with astonishing speed and a pungent stench.