Zhao Letian was startled and hastily donned the Three-star Low-grade Spirit Armor, darting to the side and watching intently.
He saw that the comer was a robust youth clad in a beast skin short coat, with disheveled hair, and a rugged visage, on whose forehead was a wolf head totem imprinted.
"Heavenly Wolf Tribe, Ao Tian."
Zhao Letian's eyes revealed a cautious demeanor, gripping the longsword in his hand, his body surging with True Yuan Power.
The Heavenly Wolf Tribe's Ao Tian, with a true cultivation of the True Martial Eighth Realm, possessed immense strength, likely even surpassing Wanyan Zheng who was one of the ten great young masters.
Even when his cultivation was suppressed to the True Martial First Realm, Ao Tian was still not to be underestimated, currently ranking third, even above Murong Zhan, the son of King Wen.
"It's you, the first placer from the last assessment, Zhao Zilong, you think your meager True Martial Fourth Realm cultivation is worthy to compete with us? Hmph, you were lucky to get the first place last time, but now your luck has run out, and not even making it to the top ten. You're nothing but trash, prepare to die."
Ao Tian also recognized Zhao Letian, eyes filled with disdain, he snorted coldly, and swung his curved blade straight at Zhao Letian.
"A Three-star Spiritual Artifact? An Xuan-level Initial Stage Sword Technique? Hmph, Flowing Cloud Sword Technique."
Zhao Letian was slightly shocked, yet no fear showed on his face as he brandished his longsword to strike.
Blade and sword collided, a powerful burst of True Yuan Power erupted, both of them were forced back, neither gaining the upper hand.
However, Zhao Letian's sword now had a notch, and fine cracks had appeared on the blade.
His sword was merely a One-star Spiritual Artifact, naturally, it couldn't contend with the opponent's Three-star Spiritual Artifact.
But no matter, in his storage ring, he still had a few One-star Spiritual Artifacts, which were sufficient to battle Ao Tian.
"A mere Yellow-level Middle Stage Martial Technique, and you can contend with me?"
Ao Tian's face darkened as he furrowed his eyebrows and spoke.
"Your Xuan-level Early Stage Sword Technique isn't even cultivated to minor achievement, while I have completely mastered the Yellow-level Middle Stage Swordsmanship. In terms of power, I'm not inferior to you. To kill me, your strength is still inadequate."
Zhao Letian replied indifferently, Ao Tian's strength was formidable, he didn't have much confidence in defeating him and didn't want to be entangled with this person, merely hoping to push him back.
"Hmph, arrogance, the likes of which is your strength, how could an unknown junior like you possibly measure? Ghostly Soul Step, kill."
Ao Tian sneered, his figure flickered into a vague and sinister afterimage, elusive, swinging his curved blade at Zhao Letian.
"An Xuan-level Early Stage Movement Technique? Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, slash."
Zhao Letian was alarmed yet again, but he remained calm amidst danger. Standing his ground without moving, he mustered True Yuan Power and swung his sword, releasing a crescent-shaped sword light, sweeping across a fan-shaped area in front of him.
His Body Technique was only at the Yellow-level Early Stage, simply incomparable to Ao Tian's; even though Ao Tian hadn't cultivated his Movement Technique to minor achievement, his was faster than Zhao Letian's fully mastered Chasing Wind Steps.
In other words, unable to outmaneuver in movement, he could only stand and defend.
"You think that will defend against my attack? Naive, die."
Ao Tian's figure shifted, easily dodging the sword light that Zhao Letian slashed out, brandishing his curved blade towards Zhao Letian's head.
But seizing this opportunity, Zhao Letian flipped his hand and launched a golden Swastika Palm Seal, thundering toward Ao Tian.
"A mere Yellow-level Early Stage Martial Technique, like an arm blocking a carriage—useless."
Ao Tian sneered disdainfully, shattering the Swastika Palm Seal with a single slash and continuing to chop toward Zhao Letian.
Taking advantage of the brief moment bought by the Swastika Palm Seal, Zhao Letian's figure flickered as he used the Body Technique Chasing Wind Steps with all his might, dodging to the side.
Ao Tian's blade came down but missed Zhao Letian's head, instead carving a swathe down from Zhao Letian's shoulder, striking sparks against the Three-star Spiritual Armor and leaving a white slash mark.
"Three-star Spirit Armor? So what, you're still going to die."
Ao Tian's eyebrows furrowed, a cold light flashing in his eyes as he swung his blade at Zhao Letian again.
"Daluo Palm Seal." Love this story? Show support at *.
However, before Ao Tian could strike, Zhao Letian, relying on his rich combat experience, managed to dodge and simultaneously struck with a golden Swastika Palm Seal, blasting directly onto Ao Tian's ribs.
A muffled sound echoed. Ao Tian, caught off guard, was sent flying by Zhao Letian's strike, but he was not injured. He merely furrowed his brow slightly, his eyes showing anger. A mere ant at the True Martial Fourth Realm, managing to strike him with combat skills while at a disadvantage, was a massive humiliation.
"Three-star Spirit Armor?"
Using the recoil from that palm strike, Zhao Letian put distance between himself and Ao Tian but frowned upon closer inspection, feeling quite frustrated in his heart.
He saw that after his palm ripped Ao Tian's animal hide short jacket, a piece of Three-star lower-grade Spirit Armor was revealed underneath.
A Three-star Blade, Three-star Armor, plus two Xuan-level Initial Stage Martial Techniques—Ao Tian's equipment was simply too good, virtually impossible to fight against.
"Boy, I will tear you to pieces."
Ao Tian, now truly inflamed by Zhao Letian's palm strike, with cold killing intent flickering in his eyes, swung his blade at Zhao Letian once again.
"Not playing with you anymore, explode."
Zhao Letian made a decisive move, using True Essence Power to control the already damaged One-star Longsword, sending it toward Ao Tian. Before it could be destroyed by the latter's Three-star Curved Blade, he actively detonated it, unleashing a powerful explosion of True Essence Power mixed with a mass of Spiritual Artifact Fragments, raining down on Ao Tian.
"Dammit, a Self-Destructing Spirit Artifact, but even so, you can't escape."
Caught unprepared, Ao Tian's face was slashed by several Spiritual Artifact Fragments, but with the Three-star Armor on his body, he was not seriously harmed. With a sweep of his blade, he easily dispelled the aftermath of the Spirit Artifact's explosion, and then quickly made a slashing attack at Zhao Letian.
But at this moment, Zhao Letian took out another One-star Longsword, turning into a streak of sword light, flying directly toward the direction of the distant teleportation formation.
Possessing Three-star Armor and having cultivated Xuan-level Early Stage Body Technique, Ao Tian was in an invincible position. Even if Zhao Letian could contend with him using various methods, he could still not harm him. As the fight dragged on, there was even a risk of danger. Thus, this was not a place to linger. Zhao Letian must find a way to escape. If it truly came to it, he would have to leave through the teleportation formation.
"Foolish, whether it's movement technique or Spiritual Artifacts, I am stronger than you. Where can you run?"
Ao Tian coldly sneered, promptly controlling the Three-star Curved Blade to transform into an even faster streak of light, chasing after Zhao Letian.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Letian, who was on the flying sword, suddenly turned around, drew his Spiritual Bow and Arrow, firing one arrow that split into seven sharp arrows, sealing off Ao Tian's path from different directions.