Before the chilling and grim voice faded, Shui Ying was already charging forward and was shrouded in a dazzling but terrifying blue glow.
Boom!
He made a grabbing motion in the air and, as the air exploded, a giant invisible hand enveloped Lin Xun’s body.
Before the attack struck Lin Xun, a terrifying blast of wind had already ruffled his hair and he felt piercing pain in his skin like it had been frozen.
He looked terrified as he stood rooted to the spot.
The wooden hut exploded into pieces and Shui Ying had completely broken out. The series of movements had happened at an unbelievable speed.
Other cultivators likely wouldn’t have been able to react in time to the series of movements.
However, Lin Xun remained calm and composed without budging an inch. He fixed his dark eyes on the destroyed wooden hut, looking a little unusual.
Shui Ying was a sharp-witted, vigilant and experienced expert, so Lin Xun’s extremely subtle but unusual action didn’t escape his attention.
Could that guy still have a trick up his sleeve?Just as the thought flashed into Shui Ying’s mind, he felt a terrifying force rushing towards him from all directions like invisible tentacles. It caught his body and propelled him back while he was charging forward.
Bang!
He was ruthlessly slammed to the ground and brought dust swirling into the air. A sharp pain shot through his body and he couldn’t help grunting.
At that moment, Lin Xun, who was standing quietly, seemed to be heaving a sigh of relief. Then, an imperceptible smile curved the corners of his lips.
The wooden hut had exploded apart and fell into ruins, but a perfectly round shadow had unknowingly appeared above the ruins.
The shadow wandered silently and imperceptibly like mist. Several wisps of mysterious runes were circulating within it, releasing five different colored rays of rune light: gold, blue, red, azure, and black.
If someone was looking down from a bird’s eye view, they would see that the colorful shadow formed a perfect circle in the center of the ruins of the wooden hut, spewing out rays of rune light that intertwined and wove together in the air. The runes within the shadow tumbled and pulsed in a mysterious and dazzling manner.
Shui Ying was imprisoned inside it. Each ray of rune light seemed illusory, gentle, and powerless but they were able to hold him to the ground. He felt like he had been suppressed by a divine mountain, unable to break free regardless of how he struggled.
His countenance suddenly changed, his eyes were wide with horror, and he seemed a little dazed.
Standing in the distance, Lin Xun quietly drew his blade. Then, he slowly stepped forward, his handsome face still as calm as a tranquil lake and without a ripple of emotion. But a murderous aura was spreading around his body
“This is the true face of the Little Five Elements Purgatory Array.”
Lin Xun came to a stop outside the array and looked at Shui Ying’s furious and shocked face. “So you don’t have to look so unhappy.”
Shui Ying felt his body aching with severe pain. He distinctly felt terrifying forces pressing down on him, crushing him like a millstone. Every inch of his body was being destroyed.
He had no doubt that he would be crushed into a puddle of flesh and blood and lose his life if it continued!
“I have indeed underestimated you, but do you think you can kill me with this formation?”
Shui Ying’s voice was hoarse and low as if it was being squeezed out from his teeth but it contained no anger. He clearly hadn’t completely lost his mind.
Surprisingly, Lin Xun nodded with a smile. “You’re right. Although this array is powerful, it lacks one of the core things. I really don’t have much confidence in using it to kill you.”
Shui Ying narrowed his eyes, studying the young man in the distance. But his heart uncontrollably sank when he saw the serious and calm look on his face.
What kind of human youngster is he?
I thought I had a very good hiding spot and wouldn't be discovered, but that youngster seemed to have an extraordinary sight—He not only knew about my presence but also went to the effort of setting up a sophisticated trap over several days.
This isn’t something that ordinary cultivators could do!
However, Shui Ying was most terrified and shocked that Lin Xun was able to set up such a rune formation at such a young age. Lin Xun’s ability had completely changed Shui Ying’s view of rune masters.
Shui Ying had over twenty years of combat experience and had killed an unknown number of experts from the Ziyao Empire. He had a deep knowledge of the Ziyao Empire and knew that it was very rare and terrifying for a youngster at the True Martial Stage to produce such a rune array.
Shui Ying finally sensed a trace of crisis when he saw Lin Xun’s calm and composed expression. Lin Xun seemed to be in absolute control.
The youngster must have a trick up his sleeve!
If Shui Ying’s comrades knew that he, who had the title of Ghost Assassin, was so terrified of a youngster from the human race, they would laugh their heads off.
However, Shui Ying didn’t find it funny at all!
On the contrary, he was terrified. If a True Martial teenager could force me to such a state, what terrifying strength would he possess when he grows up?
If he isn’t killed, he would become a huge problem to the entire Magi Brute Race.
Unfortunately for Shui Ying, it looked like he couldn’t change anything. He wasn’t even certain if he could escape from the danger he was in!
Suddenly, Shui Ying sharply sensed that the rune array power around him was imperceptibly weakening.
His heart fluttered as it confirmed one of his speculations.
“It seems that it’s indeed impossible to escape my doom. I, Shui Ying, have assassinated an unknown number of human cultivators in my life. I thought I would die in the hands of a stronger opponent. I never thought that it would be a teenager. How ridiculous.”
Shui Ying sighed, his hoarse voice sounding grim. “Can you tell me your name before I die?”
Lin Xun clasped his blade as he stood outside the rune array. His smile deepened as he looked at Shui Ying’s dispirited expression.
He had always liked to smile since a young age. Sometimes it was endearing and sometimes it was incredibly annoying.
At least, at that moment, Shui Ying felt the smile was very unpleasant like Lin Xun was mocking him.
“You’re just buying time, but so am I.” Lin Xun suddenly spoke.
His smile began to fade and his expression turned serious. “You must already know that this array’s greatest weakness is that it lacks a strong aeth power source. As a result, its power is only temporary. Over time, the rune array will completely collapse due to a lack of aeth power support.”
Lin Xun shrugged, sighing, “It can’t be helped. I can’t find aeth crystals to act as an aeth power source in Demon Cloud Ridge and had to use items such as aeth pills and aeth herbs instead. It seems that this array can’t be used anymore. In five minutes…no, three minutes, you won’t have trouble breaking out with your strength.”
As Lin Xun’s voice rang out, Shui Ying looked increasingly annoyed. Lin Xun had read his mind but he couldn't guess what Lin Xun’s real intention was.
“What do you actually want to do?” Shui Ying couldn’t help but ask. He knew the question was stupid but he couldn’t stand being controlled.
“My ultimate goal, of course, is to kill you.” Lin Xun stated without any hesitation. “Only then can I continue the assessment with peace of mind in the remaining half a month.”
“Are you sure you can kill me when I break out?”
Shui Ying stared intently into Lin Xun’s eyes as if attempting to read his mind.
“Of course.”
Lin Xun casually responded. “If I didn’t think I could kill you, I would have fled while you were trapped in the wooden hut. I would have had enough time to escape from here and get help from Black Wind Army Spirit Dipper cultivators. I wouldn’t need to put myself into any further danger.”
Shui Ying’s heart sank. “So, the reason you stayed is because you have the means to kill me?”
Lin Xun thought for a moment and shook his head. “I can’t be too sure until the last moment.”
Shui Ying suddenly raised his head, and a chilling and ruthless glint shot out from his blue eyes. “I’ll ask you one more time, do you have the Heavenly Water Sacred Bead?”
Lin Xun smiled, “This is what you care about the most?”
Shui Ying nodded.
Clang!
Lin Xun suddenly brought his blade up, producing a clear and resounding blade cry. “Then there’s no harm telling you after you die.”
Shui Ying’s pupils rapidly shrank as an intense feeling of unease surged in his heart.
He predicted that he only needed at most another ten seconds to break out the rune formation but he didn’t think Lin Xun would act now!
Could that guy have already accurately timed it?
However, before Shui Ying could think further about it, a bizarre blade cry rang in his ears. It stirred the wind and shook his spirit.
As though he had entered a trance, Shui Ying felt like he could see stars falling from the dark sky, the sky splitting, and everything collapsing…
It was like doomsday!
A deadly dangerous aura enveloped Shui Ying and made him feel like all the pores on his body were about to explode. It was unknown where he got the strength from but he unleashed a loud roar, which violently shattered the layers of rune light pressing on his body. He scrambled to his feet.
“Do you think a human bastard like you can kill me?”
As he uttered coldly, he circulated all his powers. His entire body seemed to be burning and a terrifying aura surrounded him. The illusion instantly disappeared before him.
He finally saw Lin Xun’s blade slashing through the air. A chilling smile curved the corners of his lips and he thrust his palm forward without any hesitation.
However…
Unexpectedly, although the power of the Little Five Elements Purgatory Array that imprisoned him couldn’t do anything to him, it suddenly exploded!
Rumble—
The rays of dazzling rune light exploded and vaporized like a volcano erupting. They turned into terrifying waves of qi and engulfed everything across a thousand-feet radius. Not only were the surrounding rocks and trees instantly pulverized, but Shui Ying was also drowned in them.
Lin Xun had swiftly moved to the distance to avoid the rune explosion.
As he stood afar and watched the explosion and columns of flaming light shoot into the sky, he didn’t relax his grip around his blade in the slightest.
Everything had been under Lin Xun’s control so far, but he didn’t know whether or not the explosion of a rune formation could kill a top expert like Shui Ying.