C25 – Cripple Your Cultivation
Bang!
When titans clash, damage is inevitable.
The instant Min Zhenkang’s sword met the wolf’s claw, the earth trembled.
The spectators gasped as they saw only the hilt of Min Zhenkang’s sword remained, its blade vanished.
Across from him, one of the flaming wolf’s claws was fading away, almost making the Martial Spirit appear as a three-legged creature.
“Hahaha, with no sword, how will you defeat my flaming wolf? Min Zhenkang, prepare to meet your end!” Jee Gong laughed triumphantly upon seeing the hilt in Min Zhenkang’s grasp.
“Awoo~”
The flaming wolf howled, as if to claim victory before the fight was over.
The flaming wolf had never known defeat since its inception, filling it with unshakeable confidence that today would be no different.
“Oh, really? Then brace yourself for my fist!”
Instead of anger, Min Zhenkang responded with a smirk and summoned his Martial Spirit.
“Hahahaha~ Are you trying to make me die laughing, Min Zhenkang? What is this, a One-star Martial Spirit? And the weakest humanoid kind at that? You can’t be serious about fighting my flaming wolf with that!”
“A One-star Martial Spirit? That’s just pathetic.”
“Seriously, even a nobody could muster up a One-star Martial Spirit!”
“Indeed, this is the first One-star Martial Spirit I’ve ever seen. It’s laughably memorable.”
“I’ll remember this too. Next time someone brags about seeing a Five-star or Six-star Martial Spirit, I’ll top their story with my encounter with a One-star, especially one in human form.”
Jee Gong and the onlookers couldn’t resist mocking Min Zhenkang’s Martial Spirit.
“Try beating me first!” Min Zhenkang, with his Martial Spirit in tow, lunged at Jee Gong.
“Bring it on, for this day next year will be your day of remembrance!” Jee Gong charged, equally determined not to show weakness.
The Wolf Claw of the Fierce Flame Wolf, on the verge of fading away, had now fully regenerated.
Having sustained minimal damage, and with Jee Gong unscathed, recovery was effortlessly achieved.
The healing pace of a Martial Spirit hinges on the extent of its wounds and the current condition of its master. Lesser injuries and a stronger master equate to a swifter recovery.
Conversely, if a Martial Spirit is completely shattered and the master grievously injured, summoning it anew could take an indeterminate amount of time.
In a mere moment, Min Zhenkang and Jee Gong had clashed through hundreds of exchanges.
Min Zhenkang grew increasingly valiant and vigorous with each move.
But Jee Gong found himself becoming more startled and fearful as the battle wore on.
Despite the prolonged fight, Min Zhenkang’s Martial Spirit hadn’t been dispersed by the Inferno Wolves; instead, it thrived, growing stronger with every blow.
“This is a One-star Martial Spirit?”
“It’s been holding its own against a Five-star Martial Spirit for this long without faltering. Have One-star Martial Spirits become this formidable?”
“Does this mean I’ll have to steer clear of any warrior with a One-star Martial Spirit from now on?”
The onlookers were astounded to see Min Zhenkang’s One-star Martial Spirit not only withstand the lengthy battle but also gain momentum.
This defied everything the Cultivation World took for granted.
Unbeknownst to them, and to Min Zhenkang himself, his Martial Spirit was far from ordinary.
Thus, Min Zhenkang was equally astonished by the resilience and increasing might of his Martial Spirit.
What’s more, across the entire Suanikos, it was believed that human-shaped Martial Spirits were the weakest. Yet, aren’t all cultivators human, growing from frailty to become the mightiest beings of their realm?
Once dispersed, the Martial Spirit would regenerate within the cultivator’s dantian. But due to its weakened state, it couldn’t be summoned for combat for some time. Even a forced summoning would result in significantly diminished offensive and defensive capabilities.
Only if the cultivator’s dantian is destroyed or if they are killed does the Martial Spirit dissipate completely.
Had the guard captain summoned his Martial Spirit in a timely manner during his fight with Min Zhenkang, he might have avoided death.
Unfortunately, his arrogance prevented him from summoning his Martial Spirit before the fight. Later, overwhelmed by Min Zhenkang’s onslaught, he forgot to summon it, ultimately leading to his demise.
Min Zhenkang staggered toward Jee Gong, who at that moment resembled a lamb awaiting slaughter.
“Spare him!”
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the east gate. It was Tang Tian and the others, along with Jee Luoyang.
It was Jee Luoyang who had cried out for mercy.
“Min Zhenkang!”
Tang Tian also called out, signaling to Min Zhenkang to restrain himself.
But Min Zhenkang seemed deaf to the pleas of Jee Luoyang and Tang Tian, continuing his advance toward Jee Gong.
Jee Luoyang, seeing his words fall on deaf ears, was seized by panic and dashed toward the pit with all his might.
A loud thud resonated from the depths. Jee Luoyang and Tang Tian froze, fearing the worst. Jee Luoyang, believing Jee Gong dead, let out a thunderous roar to the heavens.
“Min Zhenkang, I swear, today you will die by my hand, and no one shall stand in my way!”
Tang Tian, no longer holding back, sped toward the pit with urgency.
Min Zhenkang, overwhelmed, finally collapsed. The dual onslaught of intense battles had pushed his body to the brink of ruin.
Even then, Profound Qi continued to flow from his dantian, albeit more slowly. The once destructive force was now gently mending Min Zhenkang’s wounded meridians.
Jee Luoyang and Tang Tian reached the pit’s edge just in time to witness the heart-wrenching scene below.
Though Min Zhenkang had not taken Jee Gong’s life, the damage was done. Jee Gong’s cultivation was destroyed, his dantian shattered, leaving him a broken man, incapable of further cultivation.
For a cultivator, the abrupt loss of the ability to cultivate, to be crippled in such a way, is a fate worse than death.
Only if he were as fortunate as Min Zhenkang to find a cultivation method that defied the heavens, might he have a chance to cultivate once more.
“Min Zhenkang, I swear I’ll tear you to shreds!”
Jee Luoyang, in a frenzy, unleashed a mighty assault and lunged at Min Zhenkang.
At that moment, the space within the deep pit was distorted by Jee Luoyang’s Profound Qi, causing the entire area to become rigid.
As Jee Luoyang bore down on him, a wry smile crept onto Min Zhenkang’s lips. Yet, this smile was one of self-derision, his heart brimming with resentment.
He despised his own frailty!
He loathed his inability to protect the one he cherished!
Was he destined to die in such a manner?
Resigned to his fate, Min Zhenkang slowly closed his eyes, awaiting death’s embrace. Given another chance, he would make the same choices. He had given it his all, and his conscience was clear.
Crash!
Jee Luoyang’s attack finally struck.
But!
Min Zhenkang was not dead. Tang Tian intercepted Jee Luoyang’s blow, sustaining injuries in the process.
The residual force of the attack hurled Min Zhenkang and Jee Gong out of the pit. Upon impact, Min Zhenkang succumbed to unconsciousness.
Blood trickled from the corner of Tang Tian’s mouth. Already at a disadvantage in terms of cultivation compared to Jee Luoyang, Tang Tian had borne the brunt of his wrathful strike, resulting in grave injuries and internal turmoil.
“What are you playing at, Miss Tang? This villain has wreaked havoc in the Jee household, slain my guards, and now crippled my son’s cultivation. There’s no way I can let this slide. I am determined to claim this scoundrel’s life today!”
Thwarted by Tang Tian time and again, Jee Luoyang’s rage knew no bounds. He didn’t care anymore that she was from the castellan’s residence.