Lu Ye speculated that this was related to his recent improvement in strength. The stronger he became, the greater the power of the spirit patterns he could activate. Ultimately, the spirit patterns were rooted in his own spirit energy.
Moreover, the long sword in his hand had barely reached the rank of a spirit weapon, unlike the ordinary iron sword he had before. The same spirit pattern would have different effects when applied to a spirit weapon versus an ordinary iron sword.
A single fire snake talisman and a spirit pattern that enhanced the sharpness of a slash allowed Lu Ye, with his cultivation at the second level of the Spirit Stream, to cut down a third-level Body Cultivator.
Without pausing, he leaped over the Body Cultivator and rushed to the young master, who was dressed in bright clothing.
The young master was clearly terrified, mainly because the series of events had happened too quickly. He was still thinking about studying the spirit body trapped by the Mystic Spirit Bell when a snow-white tiger suddenly appeared after Brother Zhang's punch, followed by a fierce cultivator who attacked.
Before he could figure out what was happening, the Body Cultivator in front of him collapsed, clutching his neck...
In the critical moment of life and death, the young master instinctively pushed the woman in his arms toward Lu Ye's blade, catching her off guard.
The woman's face was filled with panic as she watched a bright blade flash before her eyes. She only managed to activate her spirit energy to protect herself before her vision began to blur, and she quickly lost consciousness.
Taking advantage of the brief moment the woman had bought him, the young master frantically fumbled in his storage bag for a spirit talisman, infused it with spirit energy, and threw it.
Lu Ye's ferocity had truly frightened him. He rarely engaged in direct combat, and usually, his two senior brothers would capture or severely injure the targets before he made his move. He had never experienced such a dangerous and intense situation.
He even momentarily forgot to retrieve his Mystic Spirit Bell to protect himself.
In contrast, Lu Ye remained extremely calm and focused throughout, his goal clear. With his cultivation at the second level of the Spirit Stream, he had fought with the momentum of a ninth-level cultivator!
A person's character is shaped by their past experiences. The young master, who had always lived a life of luxury, naturally could not match the resilience of a mine slave who had struggled to survive in the margins.
In an instant, a blade of light appeared before Lu Ye, which did not surprise him.
The sturdy man had a Golden Body Talisman for protection, and this young master would certainly have one as well.
His spirit energy surged and roared, the two major and minor circulation systems operating at their limits. Lu Ye's eyes were filled with spirit energy, allowing him to clearly see the point of impact of the blade.
A triangular, intricately patterned shield-like object appeared on Lu Ye's chest, the Defensive Spirit Pattern.
Almost as soon as the spirit pattern formed, the talisman's blade struck. Lu Ye felt a powerful force hit his chest, causing him to feel short of breath.
He didn't know how much the strike had affected him, but he had no time to focus on it. He had already rushed to the young master, who watched helplessly as Lu Ye thrust his blade forward.
The young master's hastily activated protective spirit energy was as fragile as paper, and the long sword pierced through, the sharp blade slicing through his shoulder, blood splattering.
A scream echoed, and Lu Ye pulled out his blade, turning to stand behind the young master, placing the blade at his neck!
The young master's scream abruptly stopped as he felt the cold touch of the blade on his neck, his entire body stiffening.
From the moment the snow-white tiger revealed its presence to this point, only five breaths had passed. Lu Ye had broken through the sturdy Body Cultivator's defense, cut down the second-level woman, and captured the young master, all while activating three sharp spirit patterns and one defensive one.
The entire process was so swift and seamless, without a moment's hesitation, like a rabbit springing and a fish leaping.
"Roar!" The snow-white tiger's low growl echoed as its massive figure was thrown against the rock wall, sliding down. It was no match for the fourth-level cultivator and quickly fell into a disadvantageous position.
However, the victor showed no joy, turning to look at the chaotic battlefield, his eyes filled with disbelief...
Junior Brother Sun lay on the ground, clutching his throat, his eyes wide open, his body convulsing. Though he was not yet dead, his injuries were fatal.
Senior Sister Yuan's headless body lay nearby, blood gushing from her neck, making a hissing sound. Her beautiful head had rolled to the side, her face still showing fear and terror.
The young master's shoulder bled profusely, a long sword at his neck. Behind him, a figure was partially hidden, only one eye visible, staring at him like a lone wolf, fierce and resolute!
What was happening!
Senior Brother Zhang's scalp tingled. He had only fought the snow-white tiger for a moment, yet how had his three fellow disciples ended up two dead and one captured?
Who had come?
The snow-white tiger, after being thrown, slowly walked over but did not rashly attack Senior Brother Zhang again. It had sensed that it was no match and, with Lu Ye already capturing one of the enemy, it saw no need to rush.
"Release him!" Lu Ye stared at Senior Brother Zhang, his voice low and commanding.
"Who are you?" Senior Brother Zhang gritted his teeth, none of the formidable opponents he knew matched Lu Ye.
Lu Ye retracted his long sword and thrust it fiercely into the young master's thigh. A scream echoed, and the young master almost fell to his knees, only Lu Ye's support keeping him upright.
Pulling out the long sword, blood spurted, and Lu Ye placed the blade back at the young master's neck, looking at Senior Brother Zhang and repeating, "Release him!"
"You..." Senior Brother Zhang's eyes were bloodshot. He had underestimated Lu Ye's decisiveness and ferocity. His idle talk had resulted in another wound for the young master. The message was clear: more idle talk, and another strike would follow, and the next one could be anywhere.
With the young master under control, Senior Brother Zhang, despite his fourth-level cultivation, did not dare to act rashly, feeling extremely frustrated.
Ensuring the young master's safety was paramount; otherwise, he would not be able to report back. With a grim face, he said, "This Mystic Spirit Bell is a spirit item bestowed by a senior of the sect. Once triggered, it cannot be easily deactivated. It will take some time!"
Swish...
A blade of light flashed, and an arm flew off. The young master, who was captured by Lu Ye, first froze, then trembled violently. He screamed loudly but dared not move, knowing that the blade at his neck could cut through at any moment.
He shouted, "Zhang Wu, are you trying to kill me? I curse your entire family!"
"Release him!" Lu Ye's voice was low and clearly losing patience.
"Release, release, release!" The young master's face was covered in tears and snot, the pain driving him nearly mad. He managed to raise his remaining arm, forming a hand seal, and the inverted Mystic Spirit Bell immediately flew up, spinning and shrinking, returning to the young master's hand.
Lu Ye was taken aback, realizing that the spirit weapon was controlled by the young master...
Yi Yi, who had been trapped, emerged and immediately rushed to the snow-white tiger, merging into its body and disappearing.
Although Senior Brother Zhang had the intention to do something, he did not dare to act rashly. He looked at Lu Ye, who was hiding behind the young master, and said slowly, "Release the young master, and we will call it even today. I can swear by the Heavenly Oath."
"Agreed!" Lu Ye responded, pushing the young master forward.
The young master stumbled a few steps forward. Before he could savor the joy of surviving, a hot spring of blood gushed from his neck.