Chapter 61 – Spear
Chapter title is a minor spoiler, highlight it to read it now, or see it at the bottom.
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“Two sticks of incense have already burnt down.” Li Tie and Wang Mang’s faces were ugly. They did not think that Lin Ming would been able to persist for so long; it was proof that Lin Ming had already surpassed them, that he was likely to enter the top 150 rankings!
“Big Brother, this Lin Ming is still fighting in there…” Li Tie’s mouth twitched. He never thought that they two brothers’ talents were inferior to others, but they couldn’t even keep up in actual combat!
This all made Li Tie feel depressed.
“Mm… we underestimated the Seven Profound Martial House’s youthful talents. When this Lin Ming fought with Wang Yanfeng, he must have hidden his true skills, either that or his progression has been amazingly quick.”
At that time, a ray of light shot out as the first person was ejected from the Ten Thousand Killing Array. This person was not Lin Ming, but an old disciple of the Earth Hall. His final result was 147.
“147! My goodness, this Lin Ming is relying on his age of 15 to advance past the 150 top rankings! This is the same result that Ling Sen, Ta Ku, and Zhang Guanyu had achieved!”
Saying that Lin Ming was on par with these three existences, many present people’s hearts turned cold. These three men had always been the unshakeable and ineffable existences that occupied the top three ranks of the Ranking Stone. Their strength was a level higher than those of the fourth and fifth rank. And to say that Lin Ming shared this honor with these three people? It didn’t matter if he had managed to scrounge around and eat some rare material, or if he had met some sort of fortuitous encounter as a child, as long as he managed to be on par with these three, his future fame would echo in the world.
“Don’t draw conclusions so quickly. It’s only time that’s passed. Maybe this Lin Ming is very slow at killing, and he’s just spending most of his time running away. If that’s the case then he wouldn’t have 200 points yet.
“Mm, that’s reasonable. Being in there a long time doesn’t mean his score is also high. That old disciple that came out was just rank 147 and had just entered the top 150. Let’s wait and see.”
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In the illusory world of the Ten Thousand Killing Array, even if one fended off enemies and did not kill them, their number would still slowly increase. So even if a person was strong, they could not stay inside for an indefinite period of time. Of course, if their power exceeded that of a Xiantian expert, they could directly break through the barriers, but that was a different matter altogether.
Lin Ming hadn’t done any useless dodging. From the moment he started with that first kill to now, he hadn’t stopped to take a single breath of rest, the only thought on his mind was to kill, kill, kill!
The ‘Chaotic Virtues Combat Meridians’ was a Body Transformation skill manual that was the extreme essence of light and Yang. Its every style and move was to march forward and defy all enemies with courage, it wasn’t a skill manual that favored dirty dogfights.
Lin Ming’s fists were already dripping wet with blood!
Every time an enemy died, a more formidable one took its place. These phantom beings started at the early Third Stage of Body Transformation and became the peak of the Third Stage, and onto even the Four Stage of Body Transformation – Altering Muscle.
There were already three Altering Muscle level enemies that had appeared, and with the Viscera Training level enemies serving as a distraction, even Lin Ming was finding it difficult to keep up.
Fortunately, Lin Ming had support from the first layer’s Large Success of the ‘True Primal Chaos Formula’. Lin Ming’s true essence was rich and lively, and it continued to grow. His physical strength hadn’t dropped by much. Even a durable martial artist who had reached the Large Success stage of Viscera Training and could breathe like a serpent would find it hard to compare with his resilience.
The enemies became stronger and stronger, and finally a Body Transformation second-level vicious beast appeared. It was a Crystal Backed Spider! Lin Ming felt an enormous pressure on him when this beast appeared; a Crystal Backed Spider’s defensive capabilities were astonishing; it was difficult to wound it even with a sword! It could also launch its spider silk in a long-range attack. The spider’s silk was durable like steel wire; once he was entangled by this silk in the midst of all these enemies; he would immediately die.
“This spider is difficult to deal with!” Lin Ming tightly frowned. If this was one-on-one he could wear this spider down until it died, but in his present situation with danger on all sides, he couldn’t take this tactic into consideration.
At the same time he had to deal with the attacks of multiple enemies, he also had to dodge this spider’s long-range attack. Lin Ming was surrounded by peril.
“Che!”
A sharp sword light flew at him. Lin Ming immediately backed up and the dangerous sword light just barely missed his chest. This sharp sword aura really made one’s hairs stand up.
Lin Ming gradually found that his own fists were insufficient weapons.
In it was against a single enemy there would be no problem, but in this midst of a chaotic crowd, he found that he lacked the ability to move as he liked. If he attacked an enemy, especially with a close-range attack, he would be vulnerable to the enemy intercepting.
Maybe he should choose a weapon?
If so, what should he choose? Lin Ming’s mind began to race with thoughts and ideas.
Sword?
In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, 90% of martial artists used the sword. The reason was that sword’s use was diverse and its attacks were sharp and fierce. Although it was difficult to reach the pinnacle of swordplay, the barrier to entry was not high.
A sword could attack and a sword could defend, and it could be heavy or it could be light. It was a versatile weapon that had gained a top reputation with soldiers among every weapon in the world.
But Lin Ming felt that the sword did not suit him. What he cultivated was the ‘Chaotic Virtues Combat Meridians’, the most Yang of all Body Transformation skill manuals. If he reached the Large Success stage, then his aura would be like a billowing tsunami that swept through heaven and earth. If he saw a god then he would kill a god; if he saw a demon, then he would kill a demon!
But a sword master was different. They were known for their agility, ever changing styles, complex moves, and cunning attacks. Their style did not match him.
Then what about the saber?
If 90% of Sky Fortune Kingdom’s martial artists used a sword, then of the left over 10%, more than half most likely used a saber. The saber was less dexterous than a sword, but its striking power was strong. Its attacks were relentless and unceasing. In the hands of a powerful martial artist it would be especially dominant. In a battle with many opponents, its endless attacks would be irresistible and unstoppable; in those cases it could be called the tyrant of weapons.
But Lin Ming also felt that the saber did not suit him. Although the saber had overwhelming offensive strength at times, it had few attack methods. Though it could chop and divide with unprecedented aggression, it lacked an impression of irresistible force.
Lin Ming suddenly remembered several days ago when he had met Lan Yunyue in the Martial Lecture Hall. When the elder there had been discussing the basics, he had gone on length about a weapon… the spear!
Very few martial artists used a spear in the Sky Fortune Kingdom. It wasn’t because the spear wasn’t strong, in fact, it was just the opposite. Every spear’s attacks were mighty and indomitable. But spears were difficult to learn, and even harder to master.
A spear took a long time to practice, more than any other weapon. A spear could divide, it could pierce, it could draw, it could push, it could dance like a flower, it could kill an encirclement of enemies. Its imposing aura was unrivaled and its attacks were unstoppable.
To sweep away an army of a thousand, there was only the spear!
The spear was called the king of a hundred soldiers. To be titled this, it was obviously formidable.
But the spear was difficult to practice, and it was also difficult to wield. Even the construction of a spear was many times more complex than a sword or a saber!
For blades like sabers and sword, as long as the steel was fine, then it could be incomparably sharp.
But the spear shaft needed to be rigid, yet flexible like a willow branch. Steel and iron simply didn’t have the elastic properties required, and could not be used to make the shaft. But wood and bamboo, although they were flexible, they weren’t stiff enough and the weight was also too light, and its lethality would only be ordinary. In a real fight it could easily be chopped in half by a bladed weapon.
Therefore a high quality treasure spear’s value eclipsed that of a treasure sword or saber by five to six times, and there weren’t many of them!
Lin Ming fought on one hand, and on the other quickly deliberated on a choice of weapon. His mind ran through the elder’s lecture on a spear’s merits.
However in a life or death fight like this, to be distracted was only inviting disaster. As Lin Ming finally decided, a bolt of spider silk came flying at him like an arrow. Lin Ming jumped into the air, barely evading this danger, but in the moment when he was turning in midair, a sword came madly cutting at him from a tricky angle. Lin Ming only felt pain in his back as his blood shot into the air.
“He’s injured!”
Outside the Ten Thousand Killing Array, Lin Ming’s main body showed a reaction. There was a stuffy cough, and his face paled.
“This boy cannot last much longer!” The observing martial artists let out a collective breath and relaxed. Most of the martial artists here didn’t want to see others doing well. The Seven Profound Martial House already had three holy cows pressing down on them; they did not want another one pressuring them.
“It’s already impressive that he lasted this long. Two sticks of incense have been burnt, if he goes any longer than it will go against the will of heaven.”
“He’s done for. He might be able to reach a ranking around 150.”
Also outside the Ten Thousand Killing array, even the dignified and haughty Zhang Cang was showing a change in complexion. Although Lin Ming’s ranking now was nothing compared to him, but what rank one could achieve at their first time ranking war symbolized their potential. That a 15 year old could reach above around rank 150 with only a third-grade talent, it really made one alarmed and afraid.
“This Lin Ming definitely ate the Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill and the Golden Snake Scarlet Pill and that’s why he has such strength. Although this is only strength that came from taking pills, I cannot look down on him.” Zhang Cang clenched his fist as he felt pressure descending on him.