Cultivation is Just That Scientific

Gao Tianqing’s figure flickered and appeared beside Junior Sister Zheng. The low-grade iron hammer spiritual tool in his hand swung down heavily.

Junior Sister Zheng panicked. At that moment, she realized the error in coordination between herself and Senior Brother Zhao. If she had advanced and retreated alongside Senior Brother Zhao, Gao Tianqing wouldn’t have had any opportunity.

She wanted to recall her low-grade hairpin spiritual tool, retrieve a defensive talisman from her storage pouch, and channel more spiritual power into her low-grade defensive shield all at once. In her panic, attempting to do everything simultaneously left her overwhelmed.

This wasn’t entirely her fault. She had barely faced any combat during her time in the sect. Even during missions, she was often assisted by her senior brothers. This was how she managed to save enough spirit stones to buy a Spirit Gathering Disk.

However, her lack of experience had dire consequences in real combat. Her panic caused her low-grade defensive shield to barely block the blow from the low-grade iron hammer spiritual tool.

But this was a blow driven by a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. The strike shattered her low-grade defensive shield instantly, and the iron hammer smashed heavily into her body.

Junior Sister Zheng’s entire body trembled. The iron hammer, imbued with late-stage Qi Refining spiritual power, extinguished her life force in an instant.

“Junior Sister!” Senior Brother Zhao roared in anger.

He no longer held back. He slapped his waist, and a mid-grade offensive talisman appeared in his hand.

He activated the talisman with his spiritual power, sending a streak of fire towards Gao Tianqing.

Gao Tianqing grabbed Junior Sister Zheng’s storage pouch. Seeing Senior Brother Zhao’s attack, he hesitated not even a moment. He threw his low-grade iron hammer spiritual tool towards the fiery strike.

Simultaneously, he took out a red talisman and spat a mouthful of heart’s blood onto it. The red talisman transformed into a streak of blood light, carrying him far away in escape.

After activating the mid-grade offensive talisman, Senior Brother Zhao’s body merged with his mid-grade long sword spiritual tool, preparing to engage Gao Tianqing in combat.

As a disciple of a sect, he still had many techniques left to use.

As long as he could delay Gao Tianqing, the latter would have no way of escaping.

But he clearly hadn’t expected the ruthless decisiveness of a loose cultivator. Gao Tianqing detonated his primary spiritual tool and activated a special blood-linked escape talisman.

Senior Brother Zhao advanced just as the low-grade iron hammer spiritual tool exploded.

The explosion of a spiritual tool nurtured long-term by a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator was terrifyingly powerful.

Even Gao Tianqing likely hadn’t anticipated the full effect of detonating the iron hammer. By this time, he was already fleeing far away, not bothering to check the outcome of the battle.

Senior Brother Zhao’s mid-grade defensive talisman had been broken by one of Gao Tianqing’s earlier low-grade talismans. Even his mid-grade tortoise shell spiritual tool had been damaged.

The explosion of the iron hammer spiritual tool instantly shattered the mid-grade tortoise shell.

Fortunately, most of the blast was absorbed by the tortoise shell. Combined with the help of his mid-grade long sword spiritual tool, he avoided instant death.

His body flew like a tattered cloth and crashed heavily onto the street.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he took out a pill from his storage pouch and swallowed it. He then jumped up, collected Junior Sister Zheng’s corpse into a storage pouch, and summoned a small flying boat.

This small flying boat wasn’t his own but was borrowed from the sect specifically for this mission.

He leapt onto the boat, embedding several spirit stones into the formation. The boat lifted off and soared towards the sky.

Once the boat stabilized, his tense mind finally relaxed. He coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his organs, his face pale.

The reason he fled immediately was that the close-range explosion of the iron hammer had left him gravely injured.

He feared that if the loose cultivator returned, he wouldn’t have the strength to fight back and would be at the enemy’s mercy.

Both sides departed, leaving behind a scene of devastation. The buildings flanking the street were in ruins, littered with fragments of stone and wood torn apart by spiritual power.

Apart from the groans of the injured, those inside the buildings dared not make a sound, terrified by the commotion outside.

It wasn’t until lights and the sound of a large group’s footsteps approached that people cautiously ventured out to check the situation.

Li Wenyuan was awakened by his servant and rushed to the scene.

Li Shiming, who had been trying to sense spiritual qi and hadn’t yet fallen asleep, also heard the disturbance outside.

“Mo Yan, what’s happened this time?” Li Shiming asked as he dressed, seeing his approaching servant.

He was quite pleased with Mo Yan. Whenever something occurred, Mo Yan promptly reported it.

“There was a fight near Temple Front Street. The reported damage resembles what happened at the garden!” Mo Yan replied, visibly shaken.

The explosion at the garden had terrified the household servants. Who would have thought the city would experience another event before peace returned?

Li Shiming knew the incidents on Temple Front Street and in the garden weren’t the same. In this world, no one else could mix nitroglycerin to create such an explosion.

He thought of the two cultivators. Only a battle between cultivators could cause such destruction.

“Mo Yan, send two mammas (嬷嬷 – momo – older women servent) to the guest courtyard to see if our guests are still there,” he instructed.

The household mammas were sharp and knew how to inquire discreetly. Sending Mo Yan might not yield satisfactory results.

“Yes, Young Master!” Mo Yan bowed and complied, though he didn’t know the reason.

Unable to sleep, Li Shiming went to the administrative hall to wait for Li Wenyuan.

News from Mo Yan arrived first: the two guests were no longer in the courtyard.

At this point, Li Shiming was certain the incident in the city was related to the two cultivators.

“Father!” Li Wenyuan entered, his steps heavy. Li Shiming rushed forward to support him, worried.

“I’m getting old. When I was young, I could spend three days and nights on the river embankment without feeling tired!” Li Wenyuan sat down, massaging his legs with a sigh.

Li Shiming ordered a servant to bring ginseng soup, which he had the kitchen prepare in advance.

“Father, I sent people to check the guest courtyard; the two cultivators are gone!” Li Shiming reported.

“No need to investigate further. A bold witness saw the battle. The female cultivator died, and the male cultivator and his enemy both escaped!” Li Wenyuan said solemnly.

“Father, I’m afraid the Ministry of Revenue’s evaluation this year will be troublesome!” Li Shiming remarked, concerned.

The Ministry of Revenue’s evaluation assessed an official’s annual performance, crucial for promotions.

“Don’t worry about the evaluation. I never planned on returning to the capital anyway!” Li Wenyuan smiled, shaking his head.