Seeing the dense swarm of ants bearing down on him, the green-robed man cursed inwardly. A magic artifact was one thing—many Foundation Establishment masters gifted powerful weapons to their most promising offspring to protect them from accidents. But to have a magic artifact and also be an insect cultivator, and to own a peak third-grade leopard spirit beast? He had never seen a Qi Refining cultivator with such terrifying strength.
"Die!" The hawk-nosed elder, enraged that Leo had used his insects and beast to delay his two sworn brothers, drove his sword formation with even greater ferocity, hoping to finish Leo quickly before the tide turned.
Trapped within the formation, Leo knew he had to break it to escape. Four swords wove in from all directions. He could only lash out three times with his rope. One sword slipped through, slashing his side.
The elder's face lit up, then froze. Leo's torn robes revealed a silken armor beneath. The sword had left only a shallow gouge.
"Top-grade defensive armor!" The elder spat the words. Without it, Leo would be dead or wounded.
The armor had stopped the blade, but the impact still jarred Leo, nearly making him cough blood. The sword formation was devastating. He had never been so pressed. Without the armor, even with the Demon Binding Rope, the elder would have killed him.
He should have brought the small black sword. The formation couldn't withstand two magic artifacts. He had thought only artifacts could counter artifacts. He had been naive.
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No time for regret. The formation's attacks accelerated—four swords, sometimes together, sometimes in sequence. Leo blocked three, but four or five strikes slipped through, leaving gouges in his armor. Sustaining the magic artifact consumed spiritual power rapidly. He drew a mid-grade stone from his boundary space. Precious, but he had no choice.
Roar! Sensing Leo's danger, the leopard attacked the stocky man furiously, but the man was skilled. The leopard's desperation left it wounded. Elsewhere, hundreds of Shadow Ants, leaderless, barely delayed the green-robed man.
Leo had other tricks, but they were for the Bloody Battlefield. Using them now, so close, would leave him vulnerable.
Crack! The rope deflected another sword. Suddenly, the four swords' radiance dimmed. Their power waned. Leo blinked, then exulted. Even a formation couldn't withstand artifact strikes indefinitely. Dozens of clashes had taken their toll.
The elder paled as his formation weakened. He had never fought an artifact wielder. Greed had blinded him.
The formation distributed damage among the swords, prolonging their life. But magic artifacts outmatched spirit artifacts. And the rope consumed spiritual power quickly. The youth had endless tricks. His armor, though damaged, would need more hits to destroy. And the formation was failing. His brothers were still trapped. The elder regretted targeting this youth. His prized swords were damaged—a loss.
Seeing victory impossible, he shouted, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother! He's too strong! Flee!"
"Too late." Leo's rope blurred, striking the swords repeatedly.
A faint crack. One sword showed a hairline fracture.
The elder shrieked, "I'll kill you!" But he fled, abandoning his swords.
The green-robed man and the stocky man, horrified, couldn't escape the leopard and ants.
Snap! The four swords shattered like mirrors.
The rope shot after the elder. He drew a spirit saber, but without his formation, it was useless against the artifact.
"Bind!" Leo commanded. The rope wrapped around the elder, its thorny filaments piercing his skin.
"Third... Fourth... save me!" The elder withered, his blood drained. The rope gleamed crimson.
Leo frowned. The rope was ruthless.
"Elder Brother!" The two cried out, losing all will to fight. They turned to flee, but the leopard and ants clung to them.
Dozens of wind blades ended them.
Leo seized the elder's storage pouch and fled on his crane, racing back to the Palace marketplace.
