Within the three white glows, two Golden Sword Technique emerged along with a top-grade talisman, the Earth Wall Talisman.
Upon activation, it conjures a substantial earthen wall standing about ten feet tall, offering excellent protective effects.
Lu Xuan digested the Golden Sword Technique in his mind, meticulously contemplating the subtleties of the technique.
As his spiritual power circulated, a golden stream of light nearly instantaneously appeared, swooshing through a massive boulder.
He sensed that his mastery of this technique had reached a moderate level. When activated, it consumed less spiritual power, increased in speed, and amplified its potency considerably.
The six mature Firefly Grass plants further bolstered Lu Xuan's combat prowess with six additional white glows.
He even wished that Qin Ming would delay his arrival, ideally until all the Firefly Grass matured, or even until the Crimson Cloud Pine or Sword Grass matured, which he would readily accept.
However, he knew well that it was wishful thinking. Once his opponent discerned his limits and patterns, they would swiftly take action.
It was a silent night, devoid of any sound.
A figure materialized quietly outside Lu Xuan's courtyard, making no sound whatsoever.
"The damned kid is quite crafty, hiding indoors all this time."
"However, thinking that staying indoors guarantees safety is naivety to the extreme."
Qin Ming stood quietly outside the courtyard, observing the black thorns on the stone walls, a hint of mockery appearing on his face.
Relying on his cultivation level two stages higher than Lu Xuan's, he felt confident, adopting an attitude akin to a cat playing with a mouse by intentionally meeting Lu Xuan.
Unexpectedly, this Qi Cultivation Level 2 independent cultivator had been exceptionally cautious, staying indoors all this time and not venturing out to help clear pests for others.
He had kept watch for several days but hadn't seen any movement from Lu Xuan. Hence, he had decided to come straight here.
"Basic defensive formations might have an impact if it's a top-grade formation. But something of this protective caliber can easily be breached."
With a single hand, he directed a thin layer of spiritual energy towards the courtyard. Several sharp ice thorns appeared, rotating and, with a low whistling sound, directly shattered the defensive formation.
Approaching the window, his spiritual sense detected no movement inside the house. The destruction of the defensive formation seemingly hadn't raised any vigilance from the cultivator inside.
"Terrible spiritual awareness, still sleeping soundly. Good, let your demise come in your slumber, sparing you some pain."
Muttering to himself, Qin Ming proceeded towards the window, a half-yard-long ice spear manifesting above his head, its tip trembling slightly, emitting a bone-chilling cold akin to white jade.
The ice spear made a light humming sound as it thrust towards the cultivator on the bed.
"Hmm?"
The ice spear pierced through the entire bed, but Qin Ming felt something was amiss. Approaching the wooden bed, a layer of frosty armor appeared around his body as he intended to inspect further.
As he entered the room, a golden stream of light shot at Qin Ming's head at incredible speed.
The frosty armor was easily pierced by the golden stream of light, nearly about to penetrate his head.
Sensing the lethal threat from the golden light, in an instant, a jade talisman around Qin Ming's waist silently shattered. A faint layer of spiritual light formed on his body, rapidly expanding, shielding him from the still potent golden light.
"Bold!"
Qin Ming looked at the dissipating Golden Sword Technique, a hint of fear flashing across his face.
He had been cautious enough, even reinforcing himself with frosty armor before entering. Yet, a Qi Cultivation Level 2 plant cultivator's released technique exhibited such destructive force.
The Frost Armor technique, renowned for its numerous past successes, proved woefully inadequate! If not for the precious jade talisman sensing the danger and protecting him in time, he might have perished beneath that sword technique.
After the fear came a regretful expression.
The precious jade talisman that intercepted the fatal strike had been acquired at great cost, almost 200 spirit stones. He always carried it for unforeseen circumstances.
But unexpectedly, such a precious jade talisman was completely used up on this Qi Cultivation Level 2 independent cultivator!
"Very well, your proficiency in sword techniques far exceeds my expectations. However, this is where it ends."
"Wasting my top-grade protective artifact, I'll make you regret it!"
Glaring at Lu Xuan's figure emerging from the dark corner, Qin Ming's expression turned malevolent.
"I'm just an ordinary plant cultivator. Why must a noble cultivator like you, two stages ahead in cultivation, resort to such ruthlessness?"
Lu Xuan spoke calmly.
"The mistake lies in your extermination of so many larvae belonging to me and profiting from the spirit stones that should have been mine."
"The biggest mistake is that you're merely a Qi Cultivation Level 2 independent cultivator. Do you understand?"
Lu Xuan didn't say much, just gestured provocatively towards Qin Ming.
"Hmph!"
Provoked by a Qi Cultivation Level 2 plant cultivator, Qin Ming's heart ignited with fury, his spiritual power surging.
Dozens of bone-chilling ice spikes swiftly materialized in front of him, enveloping all possible escape routes for Lu Xuan.
Expressionless, Lu Xuan flicked both hands, simultaneously activating around ten top-grade talismans.
In an instant, a dense array of sword blades, like a rain of arrows, surged towards Qin Ming. Among them were crimson fireballs and green-grey wooden thorns.
"All white spirit stones..."
A thought flashed through Lu Xuan's mind rapidly; this attack nearly depleted all the talismans he had collected during this time. It was a battle of spirit stones!
Simultaneously, a faint silver-white blade followed amidst the numerous sword energies, inconspicuous yet lethal.
Seeing the multitude of sword energies approaching, Qin Ming cursed inwardly. With a single hand press, a thick ice wall suddenly rose in front of him.
He indeed possessed deep expertise in ice-based techniques. The Frost Armor technique could freeze even the tiniest black budworm larvae and swiftly form such a formidable protective ice wall.
Hundreds, even thousands, of sword energies rushed forth, creating a clangorous symphony. Countless fissures appeared on the ice wall under the impact of the sword energies, and ice blocks of various sizes fell off.
A loud bang!
A crimson fireball hit a fissure, ice and fire colliding, resulting in a violent explosion.
A massive hole appeared in the ice wall.
A silver-white sword light quietly penetrated, aiming for Qin Ming's head.
"Well done!"
A flying sword shot out from Qin Ming's waist, meeting the silver-white sword edge.
At the moment when the two were about to make contact, the silver-white sword edge suddenly split into dozens of thin, residual pieces.
Carrying a sharp sword intent, these pieces attacked various parts of Qin Ming's body amidst his look of intense shock.
The largest piece veered behind Qin Ming's head, lightly brushing past, leaving a thin line on the back of his neck, followed by a spray of bright red blood.
The moment his head fell off, the last remnants of Qin
Ming's consciousness saw several thin pieces lodged in various positions on his limbs, heart, and even below.
"What the hell, a Qi Cultivation Level 2?"
Endless regret flooded his mind as Qin Ming's consciousness descended into boundless darkness.
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