Nine Evolutions of the True Spirit
chapter-238

In a situation like this, Lu Ping couldn't care how Enlightened Master Jin Li recognized him despite all his layers of concealment.

Enlightened Master Jin Li's magnificent sword light was quickly drawing close—Lu Ping could only stop and immediately take a defensive stance.

The marvelous power of the divine revelation had locked onto him, there was no way he could run away from the sword light.

"How dare you look down on me!"

Enlightened Master Wang Hua shouted angrily, he felt that Enlightened Master Jin’s actions were disrespectful and a slight on his authority.

Without hesitation, he unleashed a ring of fire that quickly flew out and latched onto the sword light. As the fire ring’s grip tightened, the magnificent sword light suddenly exploded into 1,296 smaller sword lights.

The sword lights ignored the fire ring and continued to rain down over Lu Ping.

In just two years, Enlightened Master Jin Li's swordsmanship had vastly improved. The number of sword lights had increased, which showed that his attainments in Sword Complexity had reached a new stage. The initial magnificent sword light was also proof that he’d attained a new state known as Sword Unity.

Casting Verdant Dawn Sword in the air, Lu Ping performed the [Stormy Waves Crashing Shore Sword Art]—nine Enneagon Sword Arrays formed to protect him in the center.

The sword lights collided, the clash of metal reverberating through the island and filling their ears.

Lu Ping's sword arrays shattered instantly, but still managed to block over two hundred sword lights.

The Verdant Dawn Sword flew back into his while he beat a hasty retreat. Within moments, his Umbra could no longer withstand the barrage—his Million Poisons Aegis Energy soon followed and shattered.

By then, Lu Ping succeeded in reducing half of Enlightened Master Jin Li's sword lights.

Then, he cast up a pestle mystic treasure which enlarged in the sky and rammed viciously at the remaining sword lights.

Enlightened Master Jin Li had expected this move, having seen Lu Ping use this mystic treasure before.

"Oh?"

Enlightened Master Wang Hua, however, was surprised to see it for the first time.

The pestle mystic treasure managed to eliminate more than half of the sword lights, leaving around two hundred behind.

But these sword lights were too close to him now—he didn't have time to ready the mystic treasure and cast it again.

A stream of water rushed out from the Cold Jade Glazed Bowl and formed a vortex in front of him, taking down thirty-six more sword lights before it was crushed.

Lu Ping calmly waved his hands and threw out more than a dozen mid-grade mystic instruments, sacrificing them to eliminate another few dozen sword lights.

Finally, around a hundred sword lights broke through his defenses and stabbed his chest, causing water to splatter out!

Water?

This wasn’t Lu Ping!

Using the [Sea Crossing Concealment Art] to create a water clone, he managed to deceive the sword lights. Not only did the water clone buy him some time, it also destroyed dozens of sword lights.

With that, less than fifty sword lights were left, which naturally weren't an issue anymore. He raised the tottering Verdant Dawn Sword and cast up his aegis energy, which now looked dimmer than ever.

After crushing the remaining sword lights, he let go of the defensive talisman treasure he’d hid in his left sleeves. Then, he turned and fled from the nameless island without looking back.

Enlightened Master Jin Li tried to stop Lu Ping, but found himself facing Enlightened Master Wang Hua.

Enlightened Master Wang Hua had expected him to act, so he immediately intensified his attacks and intercepted Enlightened Master Jin Li, forcing the latter to shift his focus and let Lu Ping slip away.

Lu Ping had no idea why Enlightened Master Wang Hua was helping him, but he quickly realized that he must have mistaken him as a Crystal Palace cultivator.

In fact, that was exactly what Enlightened Master Wang Hua believed.

After all, he hadn't seen one before, and he knew that his nephew and the Crystal Palace disciples had come to the island.

Hence, Enlightened Master Wang Hua stepped in to save Lu Ping.

After all, if he was indeed a Crystal Palace disciple and then happened to die here, the Wang Clan would have a hard time explaining themselves and taking responsibility!

In the worst case scenario, if Master Alchemist Kun Shan's favorite disciple were to die here, not only would the Wang Clan lose the Crystal Palace's support and protection, they would also be offending a Master Alchemist.

That being the case, surely Enlightened Master Wang Hua would rather save Lu Ping than to take any chances.

Especially when he saw Lu Ping successfully block Enlightened Master Jin Li's attack—he was even more convinced that Lu Ping was a Crystal Palace disciple!

After all, only a colossal sect like Crystal Palace could nurture such talented disciples that could survive an Enlightened Master's full-blown attack.

Therefore, when Enlightened Master Jin Li was about to strike again, Enlightened Master Wang Hua quickly tried his best to stall him.

Lu Ping laughed in his heart and felt relieved, yet didn’t slow his pace. He knew that Enlightened Master Wang Hua would know the truth sooner or later, so he must escape before then!

After fleeing from the nameless island, he quickly dived underwater. The seawater could obstruct detection from the divine sense and divine revelation to a certain degree.

Lu Ping released the snake trio and they used their water spells to boost their speed, quickly disappearing from the scene in a flash.

…

A few miles away from the island, under a coral reef, Lu Ping quietly surfaced from the bottom of the sea, using the [Sea Crossing Concealment Art] to hide himself. The [Sea Crossing Concealment Art] was improved with the [Shapeless Sword Art], raising its stealth ability even higher.

He observed the battle from far. It seemed like he had to leave now.

By the looks of things, the battle would be ending soon. It had already attracted the attention of Enlightened Masters from other places; they were probably on their way to check out the battle.

Just as Lu Ping was about to return to his Wave Listening Island, he saw a fiery-red light shooting across the sky from the west towards the battlefield.

An Enlightened Master had arrived—this definitely wasn't good news for Enlightened Master Jin Li. As a monster Enlightened Master, the human Enlightened Masters would certainly work together against him.

Lu Ping was now leaving on the Auspicious Cloud.

On the battlefield, an enlarged cattail fan flipped through the air and fanned out a bright yellow flame, eliciting a scream of pain from Enlightened Master Jin Li.

That was a heaven-and-earth spirit fire!

Lu Ping eyed the fire in the sky and quickly left for the outer layer. Although he had to slow his pace to quietly sneak through the patrols and detection, it didn't take long for him to return to the outer layer.

He arrived at one of the mini islands under Three Clans Alliance's control. The island was known as Twilight Island, managed by a dozen Blood Condensation Realm cultivators.

The island master was only in the Eighth Layer, but he had five blood brothers who were all in the Seventh Layer.

When the six brothers worked together, other forces would think twice before messing with them.

Although the mini islands were said to be owned by Three Clans Alliance, the alliance hadn’t stationed any of their men here, so Lu Ping was not worried about being discovered.

His mind finally at ease, he landed on a coral reef. He consumed a Spirit Regenerating Pellet and held spirit stones to restore his arcane energy.

Fortunately, the Fallen Rift's spiritual energy was much more concentrated compared to other places, which sped up the recovery process considerably.

Once he recovered, he was all set to return to Wave Listening Island when a dazzling blood light suddenly shot across the sky behind him.

It was the [Blood Spirit Escape]!

Lu Ping immediately thought of something, watching as the blood light fell down from the sky and crashed on the sea surface in front of him!

The overwhelming pressure from the blood light gave off a sense of familiarity.

Lu Ping cursed in his heart as Enlightened Master Jin Li looked at him with a strange expression.

The Enlightened Master looked much more wretched than before, his golden robe was tattered and covered in burn marks, white steam rising from his body!

His face was terrifyingly pale from massive blood loss after casting the [Blood Spirit Escape]. Blood was dripping down the corner of his mouth which showed that he had suffered heavy internal injuries.

It seemed that two human Enlightened Masters had been too overwhelming for Enlightened Master Jin Li—he had no choice but to use the [Blood Spirit Escape] to flee.

"Brat, we meet again!" Enlightened Master Jin Li's pale face looked hideous.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Lu Ping answered with a bitter smile.

"Tell me, how do you want to die?" Enlightened Master Jin Li’s expression was now murderous.

This young human was the sole reason for everything that had happened to him until now; he only wished that he could kill Lu Ping a few more times in order to calm his anger.

"Are you sure you have the strength to kill me now? Or kill me before another Enlightened Master arrives?"

Pressing down his alarm, Lu Ping calmly met Enlightened Master Jin Li’s gaze.