Chapter 31: Power Revealed!

A wisp of mind energy slowly entered into the spirit artifact, allowing Qin Lie to clearly see a simple and unrefined spirit diagram; it was "Spirit Gathering"!

Compared to the "Spirit Gathering" diagram Qin Lie was familiar with, it was like the difference between heaven and earth. Regardless of whether it was the spirit diagram's precision, complexity, or size, they were all much too inferior!

Originally, in order to remember the "Spirit Gathering" diagram within the Soul Suppressing Orb, Qin Lie had spent a lot of effort in a bitter attempt to study it. Thus, he had a very profound understanding of "Spirit Gathering" diagrams and was almost able to instantly recognize the spirit diagram within the short spear.

The spirit diagram within the short spear was only a small part of the "Spirit Gathering" diagram that he was familiar with. It probably wasn't even a tenth of the size of the "Spirit Gathering" diagram within the Soul Suppressing Orb. Moreover, the precision and connections of the inscription were poor, making it unable to fully utilize the the effects of a "Spirit Gathering" diagram.

A weird look appeared in Qin Lie's eyes as an idea unconsciously emerged in his mind: If this can be considered a spirit artifact, then what would happen if I were to inscribe that extremely complex true 'Spirit Gathering' diagram into it?

"Crackle crackle crackle!"

He didn't have time to think any longer as an electric current suddenly rippled around the short spear.

After he infused his spirit energy, the short spear began to flicker with lightning, as if it had suddenly absorbed and trapped a stream of lightning, and also bathed him in light.

"Hm? This is also possible?" silently exclaimed Qin Lie, immediately feeling around inwardly.

He discovered that when his berserking thunder and lightning energy were infused into the incomplete, simplistic, and crude "Spirit Gathering" diagram and circulated within, they would release the special characteristics within the spirit materials of the spirit artifact itself. Thus, the short spear became sharper and the spirit energy became slightly upgraded.

He immediately understood that even the simpler spirit diagrams could also be used to increase the power of the practitioner; this was true as long as they were able to draw out the innate characteristics of the spirit materials used in refining the spirit artifact!

"Qin Lie! Don't come over!"

Ling Feng shouted, shaking the Firecloud Hammer in his hands and condensed cluster after cluster of fire clouds, which greatly raised the temperature. It was as if Feng Yun's body had been encircled by red lanterns.

Feng Lun, who was similarly at the seventh level of the Refinement Realm, wielded a double-edged axe. As it hacked and chopped, halo after halo of green light condensed.

Sometimes, the double bit axe would draw a circle, surprisingly forming a beautiful green wing of light. Not only could the green wing of light block the fire cloud clusters, it also forced Ling Feng to retreat after diffusing them.

Clearly, the green wing of light could not only defend, but also attack!

"Ling Feng, we are both very familiar with each other. Your Firecloud Hammer is a Grade Two spirit artifact whereas my Green Wing Axe is Grade Three! Our cultivation levels are the same, as is our spirit energy. However, my spirit artifact is better, and thus you cannot beat me," Feng Lun chuckled, swinging the Green Wing Axe and forming another beautiful feathered wing, routing out the fire clouds.

They were martial practitioners of the same cultivation level, with their spirit energy effectively the same as well, which meant whoever had the higher quality spirit artifact held the advantage.

Feng Lun hefted the Green Wing Axe, full of self confidence and in no rush to risk his life. His job was to just make sure that Ling Feng couldn't intervene in another battle so the Feng Family members could smoothly kill off the rest of the Ling Family clansmen.

Feng Lun's strategy would have been flawless if Feng Jie hadn't died, as Ling Xin would have died at his hands, which would then allowed Feng Jie to move on to killing the rest one by one.

However...

"Qin Lie! I said don't come over! Eh?"

Ling Feng suddenly cried in fear as he looked at Qin Lie, who was walking up behind Feng Lun, with a sliver of astonishment showing on his face.

Feng Lun didn't even bother looking behind him, and continued laughing weirdly, "Did you think that your acting would work? How could a fool cause me to divide my attention and look back? Ling Feng, please, your trick is so pathetic it's funny."

"Zzt zzt zzt zzt!"

The sound of a rippling electric current suddenly emanated from behind Feng Lun. He had just finished speaking when his expression suddenly underwent an immense change. He hastily disregarded the shocked Ling Feng as he abruptly looked behind him.

In Qin Lie's hand was what seemed to be a luminous, dazzlingly white lightning bolt. His body exuded an extremely violent and fierce aura, causing him to resemble a vicious beast galloping over.

"This is... that fool?"

Feng Lun was stunned, and subconsciously brandished his Green Wing Axe to form yet another green wing of light which he sent at Qin Lie.

An sharp burst of spirit energy surged over along with the green wing of light, causing Qin Lie's expression to turn solemn.

However, he didn't dodge nor yield. Gripping the short spear twisting with thunder and lightning, he explosively rushed over!

"Zzzt zzzt zzzt!"

The thunder and lightning energy atop the spear tip collided with the green wing of light, resulting in the release of an extremely violent crackling of electricity.

"Cling clang!"

The short spear ripped through the green wing of light, directly hitting the axehead of the double bit axe in Feng Lun's hands. As the grinding of metal released an extremely harsh sound, Qin Lie's seemingly thin body surged forward and explosively collided directly into Feng Lun's chest.

"Crack!"

An extremely crisp sound of bones breaking emanated out from Feng Lun's chest, his expression immediately becoming ugly.

The terrifying feeling of having been bombarded by a giant ship came to mind as his body soared through the air, drawing a parabola before explosively crashing to the ground.

"This..."

Ling Feng's eyes popped open, his mouth agape. He looked at Qin Lie as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, unable to fathom what had just happened.

Qin Lie, who was nearly half the size of Feng Lun, had, with an incredible impact, actually sent Feng Lun flying. How was this possible? How could such a skinny body hide this kind of power that was reminiscent of a primitive savage beast?

Without waiting for Ling Feng to react, Qin Lie's seemingly small body, with no hesitation whatsoever, struck at Feng Lun again like an extremely sharp sword!

At this moment, Feng Lun, with a mouth full of blood, couldn't even stand up. He could only fearfully and desperately crawl backwards...

"That first time by the campfire, I had wanted to kill you right then and there due to the cheapness of your mouth. Now I have fulfilled my desire."

Qin Lie lowly muttered one sentence and then immediately rushed forward again. A stone beneath his foot suddenly exploded as his body flew into the air. As if he were wielding the power of the lightning from the Ninth Heaven, he came crashing down.

"Pssh!"

Qin Lie viciously impaled Feng Jie's short spear into Feng Lun's chest, nailing him onto the ground.

If one suddenly glanced over, Feng Lun would seem to be a giant toad which had been nailed in place by a giant nail, his expression ugly and miserable.

"Gurg!"

Feng Lun's mouth foamed with blood, his body twitching as the light in his eyes gradually faded.

"Zzzt!"

Also at this moment, an explosive, thunderous sound came from within the short spear. The spirit diagram within seemed damaged.

Surprised, Qin Lie went over and touched the short spear. He discovered that the materials within the spear astonishingly had traces of being charred...

Heavenly Thunder Eradication circulated the energy of thunder and lightning. Not only did it use lightning, it also used thunder! Heavenly Thunder was too overbearing and violent, not something any materials of a spirit artifact could withstand.

Feng Jie's short spear was totally unable to withstand the extreme power of the thunder and lightning for long and had already turned into scrap metal in this short period of time.

"Too weak..."

Qin Lie shook his head as he quietly mumbled to himself. Then, he went to wrest the Green Wing Axe from Feng Lun's corpse.

Afterwards, he noticed the sounds of fierce combat around him come to a complete halt. Confused, he looked around at his surroundings and was instantly stunned.

At this moment the eyes of all the martial practitioners from both families were directed at him and they were filled to the brim with extreme terror; their faces shocked pale!

Their expressions were all full of terror and shock, as if they had suddenly discovered a demon!

"Was it him? Was it also him who killed Feng Jie?" Light rippled in Ling Ying's beautiful eyes as she suddenly happily shouted, "Yay! I knew it was him!"

Ling Xin's face became complicated as he suddenly lowered his head. Others who also felt ashamed and embarrassed were also seemingly afraid to face Qin Lie and averted their gazes.

"This guy, you really did hide yourself really thoroughly! Even we, your own people, were fooled by you..." said Ling Feng, bitterly laughing with his face full of great emotion.

Ling Yushi's pretty face also beamed with a radiant and lustrous smile; the look in her eyes caused even Qin Lie's heart to speed up.

"It was you! It was actually you!" Feng Yi's handsome face unconsciously distorted, causing him to look extremely sinister at this moment. "I was wondering why the Ling Family would leave all of a sudden! There wasn't anyone who left the canyon recently, there was only you, who no one paid attention to. It must have been you who messed with us from the shadows!"

Qin Lie didn't immediately respond to Feng Yi. Instead, he looked at Ling Feng, Ling Ying, Ling Xin, and the others and astonishingly asked, "What are you guys blankly staring for? Feng Jie and Feng Lun have both died, what are you waiting for?"

He looked towards the remaining Feng Family members and then mimed slitting their throats towards Ling Feng and the rest, indicating that they should kill all of them.

Ling Feng immediately reacted, quietly letting out a sound of shame before hurriedly shouting, "Stop blanking out already, let's quickly eliminate the Feng Family!"

Ling Ying, Ling Xin, and the rest roared in response, their morale suddenly soaring. Like fierce beasts, they charged at the Feng Family members, ready to kill them all.

The initially disadvantaged Ling Family now had an overwhelming advantage since Ling Feng's opponent, Feng Lun had been annihilated along with Feng Jie. The situation had completely turned around.

"Retreat! Temporarily retreat! Wait till we regroup with Shattered Ice Manor before attempting to enact revenge!" Upon seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Feng Yi didn't dare say another word to Qin Lie, hurriedly calling for retreat.

As he shouted, his ice cold eyes gazed at Qin Lie. Not bothering to give Ling Yushi another glance, he turned around and withdrew.

"Kill them all! Every kill counts!"

Qin Lie gave instructions at the same time and immediately infused his violent energy into the Green Wing Axe. When the axe began to blaze with electricity, he fiercely threw it over.

"Boom!"

Under the hot sun, the sound of a thunderclap exploded out of nowhere. The axe rotated in the air, as though a crazed lightning dragon as it soared, on a direct collision course for Feng Yi's back.

Feng Yi's expression changed as he hastily tried to stabilize his stance. He swung the Rainbow Hilt Sword, forming five rainbows which were sent out to block the incoming axe.

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

The five rainbows collapsed in succession upon collision, leaving Feng Yi with no other way to block the axe's fierce onslaught than receiving it with his Rainbow Hilt Sword. The moment the axe and sword collided, his entire body violently trembled and his long black hair suddenly became charred.

The violent, explosive thunder energy surged into the Rainbow Hilt Sword from the axe and then into Feng Yi's body, immediately wounding him.

A mouthful of blood suddenly rose up his throat, but he held it in, not spitting it out. Seeing Qin Lie rushing over with killing intent, Feng Yi, for the first time in his life, didn't dare to say a single word and hurriedly retreated.

Chapter 32: Dual Powers

With Feng Yi's retreat, there was no way to change the fact that the Feng Family had been defeated. Following Ling Yushi, Ling Feng, and Ling Xin's exertion to kill, any Feng Family member who couldn't retreat quickly enough was slaughtered on the spot.

Qin Lie didn't continue fighting and instead walked over and picked up the Green Wing Axe. Feeling it for a moment, he discovered that the Green Wing Axe was not completely ruined yet and could still be used for a while longer. Because of that, he couldn't help but rejoice a little inside.

"Eighth level of Refinement's Feng Yi still wasn't particularly powerful. Head to head... it didn't feel like he was stronger than me."

Qin Lie pondered to himself, thinking back to the previous battle. As he circulated his energy to observe the state of his body, his eyes suddenly lit up a bit.

He discovered that as he circulated spirit energy, the spirit energy within his dantian's spirit sea would come surging out, following his muscles and veins as it converged towards his arms and then palms before discharging out of his fingers and entering into the spirit artifact.

However, this wasn't even his full strength!

As the spirit energy circulated, wisps of thunder and lightning energy began to accumulate within his muscles, veins, flesh, bones, and even his organs. This was what caused his spirit energy to become violent and fierce, not only increasing the power of his spirit energy, but also allowing it to use the energy of thunder and lightning which in turn greatly increased his power!

He suddenly understood.

These last five years, he had constantly been tempering and refining his physique with the power of the lightning from the Ninth Heaven. However, the thunder and lightning energy that had surged into his body and ravaged through it hadn't completely disappeared. Instead, some had infused into his physique, becoming another source of power outside of his spirit energy!

During a fight against someone else, he could use this thunder and lightning energy to explosively enhance his fighting capabilities!

Currently, he was only at the seventh level of the Refinement Realm. However, if he used this thunder and lightning energy during a fight, increasing his level of strength by one, then he could even fight head to head with Feng Yi and not feel disadvantaged.

Thus, assuming this was true, Feng Jie and Feng Lun who were at the same level as him were simply unable to defend against him.

"...So it was like this. Seems like not a single bit of my years of harsh, bitter tempering were a waste after all! Not only did Heavenly Thunder Eradication greatly increase the strength of my body, it also allows me to use thunder and lightning energy. It is indeed violent and overbearing!"

Qin Lie silently thought to himself, the corners of his mouth gradually forming a joyful smile. Afterwards, he stopped circulating Heavenly Thunder Eradication and tried to control the spirit energy within his spirit sea again.

A relatively calmer spirit energy surged out of the spirit sea, flowing along the same path through to his palm and then into the Green Wing Axe.

"Swoosh!"

The Green Wing Axe suddenly released a misty green halo. Carefully examining it, Qin Lie immediately detected that there was no longer any thunder or lightning energy inside it.

Sure enough, when he didn't circulate Heavenly Thunder Eradication, the spirit energy within his body was normal and wouldn't destroy the structure of the spirit artifact.

"It's another low grade spirit artifact. This simple "Spirit Gathering" diagram, it's no different from the one inside the short spear..."

Relying on his mind energy to feel about, Qin Lie became disappointed yet again. He immediately withdrew his spirit energy, hefting the axe as he walked back towards the Ling Family's people.

"Qin Lie!" Before Ling Yushi could even speak, Ling Ying had already shouted out, her small face overflowing with excitement and an inexplicable expression. "You are so bad, you actually tricked us for so long! Say, have you been acting the fool this entire time to watch us make fun of you?"

"I never would have thought that Qin Lie would actually be this strong!" Ling Xiao excitedly chimed in.

"You stinkin' brat!" Ling Feng walked over, and pounded his chest in jest. He was also full of happiness.

"This time... it is really thanks to you. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to avoid this," said Ling Yushi, her bright eyes shining.

"Ling Yang died," commented Ling Xin, solemnly. He was the only person who hadn't walked over, still standing in the back with his head bowed.

Qin Lie glanced at him from afar before silently walking over and quietly saying, "Then you better live well and kill all of the Feng Family members to avenge him."

Ling Xin fiercely raised his head, looking deep at Qin Lie. From within his tiger-like eyes, complex emotions flowed out. With a profound tone, he said, "I, Ling Xin, owe you my life! In the future, I will definitely repay you!"

Surprised, Qin Lie shook his head, replying, "You don't owe me anything. I killed Feng Jie for everyone's sake, as well as for my own. Relying on my own power, I wouldn't have been able to contend with the Feng Family at all. If not for you all, I would have died at their hands, with absolutely no way to live."

"I owe you my life anyways!" stubbornly said Ling Xin.

"Including Feng Yi, a total of three Feng Family members escaped. When they find Shattered Ice Manor's people, they will come to kill us again." Qin Lie took a breath and then bitterly smiled, continuing, "So we are still in danger. Everyone, let's not talk too much and get out of here before we say any more."

Everyone nodded their heads to express their acknowledgement.

When he took command of escaping this time, whenever they encountered an area where spirit beasts might gather and had to decide whether or not they would avoid the area, no one questioned his decision.

The sky slowly darkened as Qin Lie and his party gathered within a valley filled with giant, towering shrubs.

The shrubs within the valley were even taller than them, providing them with natural camouflage. No matter how powerful Shattered Ice Manor was, it was pretty much impossible for them to find them through discreet means.