Chapter 94: A Blessing in Disguise

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Even though Zong Wuji’s strength was much greater than Lei Qing’s, under Lei Qing’s desperate attacks where he completely disregarded his own life, Zong Wuji was forced to constantly defend himself and could do nothing to him.

Given Zong Wuji’s self-perceived valuable status, he was unwilling to die together with a nobody like Lei Qing. He was even unwilling to suffer heavy injuries just to kill Lei Qing. Moreover, to ensure the success of his framing plan, he had to keep this kid named Lei alive.

Because of this, Zong Wuji kept waving his claws to block Lei Qing’s crazy attacks. At the same time, he thought to himself that this kid named Lei’s outburst was just a final flash of life; he wouldn’t last long before collapsing.

“Zuo Qianqian!” Lei Qing held the hilt of Lian Zhan with both hands, leaped up crazily, and slashed down with his sword. The sword light cut through the air with a sharp whistle, erupting with a rumbling thunder sound. He roared like a wounded beast: “Take her away.”

“We’re not leaving.” Seeing Lei Qing’s miserable state and watching him risking his life for her, a look of resolve appeared on Li Baobao’s pale, pretty face. She picked up her long sword and rushed forward, stimulating her Wood Element Fighting Qi, and slashed out: “Even if we die, let’s all die together.”

Zuo Qianqian’s moist eyes shifted. Her figure swayed, and with steps as light as a spirit cat, she silently circled behind Zong Wuji.

“Roar!” Li Sanba, whose body was covered in bloody scratches from the sharp claws, let out a explosive roar. He struggled to his feet, grabbed his mace, and smashed it forward. His eyes were as violent as those of a peerless ferocious beast.

“Madman.” Zong Wuji dodged with a flash. Just as he was about to counterattack, Zuo Qianqian’s dagger, mixed with black energy, stabbed silently toward his ribs.

Zong Wuji was truly formidable; it was as if he had eyes on his back. His body twisted like a snake to dodge that attack, and then he counterattacked with a kick that sent Zuo Qianqian flying.

The advantage of the group attack was immediately revealed. Lei Qing once again burst out with the Fighting Technique he was best at, Lightning Flash and Thunder Clap. Amidst the brilliant display, over a dozen sword beams shot toward Zong Wuji’s vital points as fast as lightning and wind.

With nowhere to hide, Zong Wuji could only try his best to block, but he still missed one sword beam, which stabbed fiercely into his chest. The Protective Gang Qi and inner armor formed by his surging Fighting Qi deflected some of the killing power . However, Lei Qing’s sword was a Treasure Sword of no low quality; it pierced several inches into his chest. Blood spurted out and splashed onto Lei Qing’s face, adding a touch of ferocious killing intent to his appearance.

Zong Wuji retracted his Fighting Qi to protect his wound, feeling both shocked and angry. He was just killing a group of nameless trash, yet he was repeatedly frustrated and injured several times. Burning with rage, Zong Wuji no longer cared about his lustful desires toward Li Baobao. A killing intent appeared, and he directly blocked Li Baobao’s long sword. His cold, pale blue claws, stimulated by Fighting Qi, radiated light and seemed to grow several times larger in mid-air as he viciously dug toward Li Baobao’s heart.

He didn’t want to play with this trash anymore; he wanted to finish the mission quickly and leave. This was Zong Wuji’s greatest wish right now.

However, how could Lei Qing let him have his way? His figure flashed, moving even faster than his previous top speed, and he blocked in front of Li Baobao.

Hiss~

The sharp claws pierced into Lei Qing’s shoulder. Suddenly, Lei Qing’s shoulder muscles tightened forcefully, snagging the claws for a moment. This caused Zong Wuji’s swift speed to pause slightly.

Lei Qing smiled ferociously. Holding Lian Zhan in his right hand, he quickly slashed upward. Amidst the flashing sword light, he cut off Zong Wuji’s arm.

“Ao ao!” As blood spurted out, Zong Wuji screamed in pain. He held his severed arm, his face pale as large drops of sweat rolled down. He staggered backward.

But he was also a decisive person. He knew that the kid named Lei was now in a crazy state, and his strength seemed to be constantly increasing. With one arm gone, it would probably be extremely difficult to win. Immediately, he gritted his teeth, used his remaining left claw to block Lei Qing’s fatal One-Character Lightning Sword, and his figure spread out like a great roc taking flight as he frantically fled, without even leaving any threatening words behind.

Zong Wuji originally cultivated Wind Element Fighting Qi and was very good at speed; his cultivation level was also high. With him running for his life with all his might, no one could catch up. And the Thousand-Mechanism Crossbow was not even wound.

Zuo Qianqian and the others could only watch helplessly as Zong Wuji moved as fast as a fleeing rabbit and disappeared from everyone’s sight.

“Brother Lei.” Zuo Qianqian was now more concerned about Lei Qing’s life and safety. She turned around and saw him covered in injuries, his clothes soaked in blood. But he was still standing straight there. Aside from the terrible blood on his face, his expression was one of ferocious terror.

“Lei Qing, Lei Qing, are you okay?” Li Baobao also hurriedly supported Lei Qing. Her pretty face was full of panic and worry as she anxiously poured her Wood Element Fighting Qi into his body. Wood Element Fighting Qi seemed slightly weaker in combat power, but because it was greatly beneficial for nourishing life force, it had a tremendous effect on healing wounds and accelerating recovery.

Purely in terms of Fighting Qi cultivation, Li Baobao had reached Mid-stage Bronze, and her Wood Element Fighting Qi was quite thick. The slightly cool, clear, and vibrant Wood Element Fighting Qi began to flow through Lei Qing’s meridians, especially at the two most severe wounds on his shoulder blade and stomach. Nourished by the Wood Element Fighting Qi, the speed of his life factor regeneration increased, and the pain from the wounds seemed less intense.

What benefited Lei Qing even more was that his body, having swallowed a Gold-rank Crystal Core, was currently suffering from violent impacts. Although that impact was helping Lei Qing suppress the toxins in his body, constantly tempering his body, and pushing him toward the Silver rank, it was also providing him with a seemingly endless source of power for combat in a short period.

However, every medicine has its side effects, let alone a Thunder Element power Crystal Core known for being violent and unpredictable. Perhaps Lei Qing could rely on this impact to advance to the Silver rank. But it was more likely that his meridians would suffer severe damage, causing his cultivation strength to regress rather than progress, or even affecting him for life.

Fortunately, Li Baobao’s Wood Element Fighting Qi, full of healing properties, began to play a positive role in his body, helping him nourish and repair the meridians damaged by the violent impact. It traveled throughout his body, helping him nourish those slightly torn life factors.

Of course, not all Wood Element techniques had such powerful healing abilities. Li Baobao was a girl, and a very wealthy and high-status noble girl at that, so naturally, she did not need to fight and kill, nor did she need to cultivate those fierce combat techniques.

Thus, the Eternal Spring Secret Art, a technique from the Eternal Life Palace, one of the Fighting Qi Holy Lands, which was best for preserving beauty and keeping one youthful, became her main Fighting Qi Technique.

The original intent of this technique was actually not for preserving beauty, but was a very precious healing technique. Because the Fighting Qi cultivated was full of healing properties and could nourish one’s life factors, those who cultivated it rarely aged, and their skin would appear tender and smooth, as if their faces never grew old.

The special effects of the Eternal Spring Secret Art were sought after by countless women. But the Eternal Life Palace was one of the transcendent Fighting Qi Holy Lands. To learn the Eternal Spring Secret Art, aside from normal disciples with exceptional talent, one had to be a “favor” disciple. Favor disciples nominally joined the Eternal Life Palace, but only learned the Eternal Spring Secret Art for beauty purposes.

Of course, not everyone was qualified to become a favor disciple of the Eternal Life Palace. But Li Baobao’s status was not low; she was the daughter of the helmsman of one of the eighteen influential major forces of the Free Alliance, and a main candidate for the next president. Most impressively, the Li Family of the Li Chamber of Commerce was known as the richest in the Pan-Continent.

With this status, even the transcendent Eternal Life Palace would not refuse her.

But after Li Baobao learned the Eternal Spring Secret Art, she had never used it to heal anyone, as if the technique was not invented for healing, but essentially for beauty.

It was fortunate that Li Baobao used the Eternal Spring Secret Art to help Lei Qing heal; otherwise, Lei Qing’s chance of surviving this safely would have been at most thirty percent. At that time, he was truly forced into a corner. His brothers were falling one by one, either heavily injured or dead. It looked like they were about to be wiped out, and even Li Baobao was going to be humiliated.

This made Lei Qing have no time to consider anything; he directly swallowed the Gold-rank Crystal Core. But at this moment, the powerful Thunder Element power contained within the Gold-rank Crystal Core began to trigger earth-shaking changes inside Lei Qing’s body.

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