Several seconds had passed since Minos started his attack. At this point, many cracks could be seen appearing in the barrier that protected that property.
Crack!
The surface that once looked like a blue liquid, which molded itself into a rounded barrier with a smooth surface, now seemed to be at its limits.
The blue color was no longer so intense, becoming more and more transparent. At the same time, the thickness also diminished with each passing second.
The black ring in the sky revolved around that area, about 100 meters from where Minos was standing, while the spiritual energy of that defensive array was continually sucked away, leaving a characteristic noise in the air.
At the same time, the young Stuart made several sword moves while remaining in the same position he was in before.
He had both hands gripping the grade-2 sword, which at about 1 meter long, that left 'vuup' sounds with every movement, before finally air blades flying towards that barrier.
Swooish!
Swooish!
The young Stuart's forehead had several drops of sweat running down at this moment. At the same time, his breathing began to increase as he felt the weariness overtake his body gradually.
Although he could destroy that barrier, he had to activate the attack technique many times, which created fatigue that could not be ignored.
In fact, even absorbing part of the energy of that defensive array, this was still less than the energy expenditure that Minos had to break that barrier. After all, his support technique hadn't yet reached the domain where he could use whatever the Devourer Art absorbed.
And he also had to do it quickly!
With that, the young Stuart's power was diminishing, while the signs of tiredness started to appear little by little.
As for why he just didn't just absorb the energy from that array without attacking it, well, he couldn't do that. With Minos' current mastery of the Devourer Art, he couldn't just use it to dry up the energy of his enemies.
He had to absorb some of the energy and use it in the form of attacks. The young Stuart would only reach a level where he could ignore this factor when he ascends to the next stage of cultivation, Spiritual King!
But it was not just that. Minos also didn't want to linger outside this property for too long, breaking that barrier. Even if he already had a high grip on the Devourer Art, he still wouldn't use it alone.
Within that property, they could fight without committing themselves. However, outside, in the middle of one of the city streets, who knows who could show up here? Maybe some ally of those people, or perhaps someone who was going to chase them...
Someone couldn't have much security exposing yourself in the middle of this public place. Hence, Minos wanted to destroy that barrier quickly, to put an end to entering that place and settle his affairs more discreetly!
Then, the young Stuart was sparing no effort to fulfill this small part of this mission!
Crack!
...
And as the cracks grew from different points of the great barrier covering that place, the people inside that area were already tenser and tenser with what was happening.
It had all started all of a sudden. Now the grade-2, low-level defensive array, which should have been able to stop even a level 49 person from destroying it, was about to fall apart!
Crack!
Every time the blades sent by Minos touched that bluish barrier, the hearts of the guards on this property trembled in fear.
All they could think at this point was that a Spiritual King was attacking them!
Because of that, those people couldn't help but tremble with fear. How could they fight someone of that level? Would they beg for their lives, would they be spared?
They all had these questions deep in their hearts.
"But who will this person be?" The man in charge of security tonight asked aloud, looking shocked and extremely pale.
"We're mere cultivators at levels 45 and 46. So why is such a monster here?" He wondered, feeling shivers down his spine.
And while the local guards were there exclaiming their doubts in fear, many of the outlaws in this place had already begun to pay attention to the situation.
Some of them were still under the effects of the drugs available in this location, while some were even asleep. But most of these men were people who were used to having to sleep with one eye open to avoid surprises.
As a result, even though they were celebrating in this establishment, several of them retained their compulsions of suspicion. They immediately started preparing themselves when they noticed they were being attacked.
"What is the situation? Why would anyone attack this place like that?" One of the more concerned thugs yelled in doubt as he already wielded a large rusty ax.
"I don't know either, but I think someone here must be being chased by the people who are attacking us!" An old pirate muttered, just for him and his crew to hear.
'Shit, the way they're attacking us, we're going to have to fight for our lives, no chance of conversation...' Someone thought about it, already feeling regretful for having come to this place, just at a time like this.
As for Del and his cronies, they too were already gathered in one corner of that place. They were watching the barrier getting thinner, full of cracks, almost as if it would shatter at any moment.
"Let's get ready to flee this place the moment this barrier is destroyed!" Del exclaimed in a low voice, looking into the eyes of his two associates.
For him, there was no point in staying and fighting someone so strong. The only chance they would have was to flee as fast as they could, hoping these other criminals would take the time of these attackers.
Maybe they would get lucky and be left out!
"Hmm, that person is terrifying. You can't fight monsters like that!" One of the cronies replied as he looked towards Minos, who wore a black cloak and a mask, which covered his appearance.
And since the defensive array was still functioning, none of these Spiritual Generals could sense the spiritual energy of Minos and the soldiers on the other side of the barrier.
This was a kind of field effect, which created spiritual isolation in that area for as long as the array was fully functioning, as it was right now.
This prevented one from probing the strength of living beings outside the boundaries of the barrier, as well as the opposite side.
But this was an effect brought about only by arrays that created fields, as were the case of defensive ones, which generated an area covered by a spiritual membrane.
However, this did not happen with other types of arrays, such as, for example, those of spiritual gathering present in many locations. This different type of array only altered the spiritual concentration in a particular area without changing other natural characteristics of the region of influence.
Consequently, neither side could feel the strength of the other side's cultivation until the defensive barrier collapsed utterly!
Crack!
...
Abby and Eda had been watching Minos' entire movement outside the barrier from the beginning with their mouths wide open.
They knew the absurd proficiency the young Stuart had, as they had both seen him fight Troy during the final of the Spiritual Tournament. However, what they were seeing here today was completely different from then.
Before, he could fight someone well equipped in spiritual techniques and level 44 while he was only at level 39. That was awesome!
However, he now achieved a fighting proficiency similar to that of a level 50, Spiritual King, being only at level 42!
Because of this, the two women from the Miller family could hardly believe what they were seeing! "Minos's fighting proficiency seems to increase with whatever cultivation stage he's in." They thought.
And to Abby's bodyguard, she was even more shocked than her mistress. Just a few months ago, Minos was much weaker than she was, and it could very well take a few years to reach a level that he could ultimately surpass this woman.
That's even if he went to the Flaming Empire!
But in just over seven months, here was Minos, displaying power that was more than 40% of what Eda could ever exhibit!
"He must have an innate ability to turn the heavens and the earth!" That thought crossed the mind of this middle-aged woman.
And while Abby and Eda were both impressed with how strong Minos was becoming, a few seconds passed. Then, finally, Minos made his last move while he had a discreet smile at the corners of his lips.
"Whew, you're finally out of energy!"
Swooish!
Crack!
And at that very moment, after the last blade touched that barrier, it was wholly destroyed, turning the thousands of now transparent pieces into dust. At the same time, the area protected by that array was finally exposed!