Chapter 226: Countdown (2/2)
…
“Your spear technique is not bad. A pity the level of your skill is too weak.” Culkin flashed to the side as he pulled back the dagger he used to cut a wound on Chen Xiaolian’s upper arm area. His lips curled into a smile and he said, “The Air Incarceration skill upon my body is getting weaker and weaker. You can’t afford any more of this.”
Chen Xiaolian looked at the wound on his upper arm area and he waggled his eyebrows.
Time left before he could summon Bai Qi… about two more minutes!
“Guild Leader! My incarceration ability is not going to hold on much longer!”
Bei Tai’s message came over from the guild channel.
Chen Xiaolian gritted his teeth.
This time’s gamble… seemed to have failed?
Chen Xiaolian had originally thought that he could hold on until the time came. However, after Lei Hu lured Lun Tai away, breaking their organized group combat, these two minutes had become something of an insurmountable moat.
Could it be that I have to resort to using the Great Art of Demonic Dissolution [1]?
“Do you have no other moves? In that case… just die!” Culkin sneered.
Chen Xiaolian’s pupils contracted and he bounced up vigorously from the ground. He dodged the slash by the incoming short knife that Culkin was brandishing and retreated toward Xian Yin who was behind him.
Run? Hide?
No matter what, as long as he could last through these two minutes, everything will work out! Chen Xiaolian was confident that as long as the cool down period came to an end, this man before him would be no match for Bai Qi.
Rolling on the ground, Chen Xiaolian picked up Xian Yin before she could even respond. Then, he ran into the museum building behind them.
“You think you can run escape?” A trace of ridicule flashed across Culkin’s face. His figure flashed once more to reappear before the escaping Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian who was holding onto Xian Yin in his left hand clenched his teeth. His right hand held the spear and stabbed it forward in Culkin’s direction.
This time, Culkin did not dodge at all.
Light burst out from both of Culkin’s eyes and he reached out with his left hand with a ghost-like move.
Culkin intercepted the tip of the spear with his bare hand!
Culkin stood before Chen Xiaolian. His head was lowered as he examined the tip of the spear that he was holding onto. A faint smile was etched upon his face.
“This weapon is [A] class, right? It’s not bad… … so, next, I want it to – BURST!”
Following Culkin’s words, the spear, all that remained of the axe that had lost its axe blades, broke and shattered!
With a pinch, he caused an [A] class weapon to burst apart!
Due to the bursting spear, countless metal fragments shot out toward both Culkin and Chen Xiaolian. In that instant, Chen Xiaolian quickly embraced Xian Yin and sprang to the back. Then, after rolling over a few times, he curled into a ball on the ground.
The shockwave and fragments of the spear blasted outward, adding to the injury that Chen Xiaolian was suffering from. At the moment, however, the shock Chen Xiaolian felt within his heart outweighed the injuries that he was suffering from. The shock he felt was comparable to the endless roaring of thunder.
They had confronted each other twice so far and he had gained a certain grasp of Culkin’s strength. Although Culkin was stronger than him and Bei Tai combined, he was certain that Culkin did not have the strength to easily destroy an [A] class weapon.
He was shocked because – the move he just saw was clearly Metal Burst [2]!
Qiu Yun’s Metal Burst skill!
“Qiu Yun! You are Qiu Yun… … you did not die?” Chen Xiaolian stared with widened eyes. He stared intently at the man standing before him who shared the same face with Qiu Yun.
The same appearance and the same skill.
But, Qiu Yun… … Qiu Yun should have already died in the Qin Shihuang instance dungeon!
“I told you before, I am not Qiu Yun.” Culkin gave a faint smile and shook his head. “You who have taken over Meteor Rock Guild should know this better than me.”
“Then… … then, why are you…” Chen Xiaolian staggered as he tried to get up. Yet, after struggling for a long time, he finally slumped down to the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood. He had used his body to block off the aftermath from the explosion earlier in order to protect Xian Yin, ensuring that she did not suffer from any injuries.
“There is no need for you to know,” said Culkin as he shook his head. He raised the dagger in his hand and said, “Now, the woman in mine.”
Culkin sneered and walked past Chen Xiaolian. He did not even bother giving him a glance; instead, he directed his attention at the Countess and slowly walked over.
“Do not come!”
Seeing the dagger held within Culkin’s hand, both of Xian Yin’s legs trembled slightly. Her voice was hoarse and her eyes were filled with panic.
Xian Yin held on to a black coloured old-fashioned umbrella and she directed the tip of the umbrella at Culkin, putting on a show of intimidation that possessed no strength behind it.
“What? An ant finally found its courage?” Culkin smiled subconsciously and said, “A weak woman holding onto an umbrella… …”
Culkin’s voice trailed off and his eyes that were mocking Xian Yin abruptly turned incomparably serious. It was so serious to the point where a trace of something else could be seen – fear.
Indeed, fear!
However, those fearful eyes of Culkin were not directed at Xian Yin. Rather, they were directed at the black coloured, old-fashioned umbrella in her hand.
An old-fashioned wooden handle, black coloured umbrella fabric and an ancient design!
“This… … this umbrella. Where did you get it from?” Despite doing his best to suppress it, traces of trembling could be heard within Culkin’s voice.
Xian Yin did not say anything. She simply stared cautiously at Culkin as she tightly gripped onto the umbrella with both her hands and brandished it. The difference in strength between the weak her and Culkin could be compared to being thrown alone in the wilderness where she had to face off against a pack of wolves.
“I am asking you a question! Where did you get the umbrella from?!” After observing it in detail for a moment, the look of fear upon Culkin’s face resurfaced. Then, after forwarding his question, he began to mumble to himself. “No… … it cannot be that person… … impossible. That person, should be a mere legend… besides, she is clearly not an Awakened. She should have no connection with that person! This is just a coincidence! This umbrella simply happened to look the same!”
…
On the other end of the screen, the relaxed expression on Tian Lie’s face completely disappeared. His face had become solemn and his face was almost making contact with the surface of the monitor as his eyes stared intently at the black coloured umbrella in Xian Yin’s hands.
It was as though that was not an ordinary old-fashioned umbrella but a wondrous artefact that could incinerate the Heavens and destroy the Earth!
“Not, no… … that cannot be possible…”
…
The situation had turned into a stalemate. Chen Xiaolian had his hand on his chest as he half knelt on the ground, Xian Yin was holding onto the umbrella, Culkin was in a trance as he kept mumbled to himself. Time seemed to have stopped for the three of them.
“No matter… … a legend is just a legend after all.” After a long while, Culkin made his decision. He clenched his teeth and raised the dagger in his hand.
“Wait a minute!”
Chen Xiaolian suddenly forced himself up from the ground.
“Oh? Do you plan on stopping me?”
Chen Xiaolian shook his head and said, “Just now you have the opportunity to kill me. However… … I think you won’t have the chance to regret this anymore.”
After saying that, Chen Xiaolian quietly looked at the time.
Countdown… … complete!
“Come out, Bai Qi!”
The God of Slaughter, Bai QI’s cool down period was finally over!
A sword light flashed out!
Both of Culkin’s pupils contracted into pinholes. He instinctively reacted. Before Chen Xiaolian could even finish his sentence, Culkin had flashed over to the side.
The moment Culkin’s figure disappeared from where he was standing, a sword light pierced through the spot where he had been standing at.
A drop of blood dripped to the ground as Culkin looked on with a horrified expression.
Although he had dodged quickly before the sword light appeared, the sword light that had been issued out after he made his move had managed to stab him in his lower abdomen in the last moment.
The sword had pierced through Culkin’s abdomen!
…
“Life qi… … blood… … life qi…”
A white robed figure appeared on the spot where the sword light dispersed.
…
What powerful strength!
This opponent was much stronger than him!
Lowering his head to look at the wound on his abdomen, Culkin quickly determined the difference in strength between the enemy and himself.
He used his hand to cover the wound on his lower abdomen area before quickly taking out a [High] class Healing Beast Blood and swallowed it.
Run!
That was the first thought that appeared in Culkin’s mind.
“Bai Qi, kill him!”
Chen Xiaolian shouted.
Culkin could feel the cold eyes staring at him. The powerful killing intent was seemingly capable of piercing through his skin, causing him to feel a faint sensation of pain!
However… Bai Qi suddenly turned his body around.
Bai Qi who had turned around cast his gaze at Chen Xiaolian.
There was no pupil or sclera in his eyes. Instead, there was only a darkness that resembled a deep abyss in them.
His body that was originally wearing white coloured robes were now exuding traces of black qi. The black qi billowed lightly in the wind.
“Bai, Bai Qi?” Chen Xiaolian was shocked.
“… blood… lifeblood!” Bai Qi spoke out with a parched and hoarse voice. Then, he slowly raised the sword in his hand and pointed it at Chen Xiaolian.
Due to his earlier fight with Culkin, Chen Xiaolian’s body was presently suffering from wounds everywhere and blood stained his body.
Bai Qi’s eyes were focused onto… the wounds on Chen Xiaolian’s body!
And the blood!
Within the pair of cold eyes, something flowed out. It was a maddening…
Desire!
Indeed – it was a desire for blood and life qi!
“Bai, Bai Qi?”
1. His [S] class skill, Goddess of Dawn’s attack: Overwhelming Sunlight Purification which combusts all his attributes for an all-out attack. Even though his stats will be restored, it takes quite some time.
2. Metal Burst is Qiu Yun’s special skill which appeared in Chapter 63.