2: Using himself as bait, the thunder talisman slays the enemy.

"Wang Yu! Is your damn 'Three Talents Spirit-Hiding Formation' a piece of junk?"

"Even a small fry at the Mid-Stage Qi Refining could see through it?!"

At the moment Qi Yuan's sword light turned, a ripple appeared in the mountain forest below, and three figures emerged.

The leader was none other than Liu Yan, who had many conflicts with Qi Yuan on Qixia Peak!

His face was currently ashen as he cursed at a thin Cultivator holding a Formation Plate beside him.

The Cultivator named Wang Yu also looked displeased and said urgently:

"Brother Liu, now is not the time to argue about this. Pursue him!"

The three of them immediately rose on their artifacts, turning into three streaks of light of different colors, chasing after Qi Yuan in the direction he fled. Their speed was clearly a notch faster than his.

The distance between the two sides rapidly closed.

A look of ruthlessness flashed in Liu Yan's eyes. He raised his hand and blasted a scorching Medium Grade technique, the Fire Snake Art, toward Qi Yuan's back.

The other two also attacked simultaneously; an ice spike and a golden beam formed a triangular formation to block Qi Yuan's retreat.

Qi Yuan didn't look back. With a flick of his Spiritual Sense, three shimmering Talismans flew out of his Storage Pouch—First-tier Medium Grade "Wood Shield Talismans"!

The Talismans burned out in the air, transforming into three wooden shields flowing with green light, accurately blocking the three techniques.

"Boom! Crack!"

Wood chips flew everywhere. The three wooden shields successfully blocked the strike, but they also shattered into pieces.

Qi Yuan was not stingy at all. He backhandedly threw out six more Talismans—First-tier Medium Grade "Wood Entanglement Talismans"!

The Talismans dissipated and turned into countless tough green vines, coiling toward the three pursuers like spirit snakes.

However, the spiritual light around the three men surged, and their Protective Aura easily shredded the vines. Their speed was almost unaffected.

Qi Yuan's heart sank. His Divine Sense swept over the three people behind him.

Qi Refining Seventh Layer! Qi Refining Seventh Layer! Qi Refining Sixth Layer!

It was actually two at the Late Stage Qi Refining and one at the Mid-Stage Qi Refining!

That Liu Yan had indeed made a Breakthrough long ago, keeping it hidden just for today!

"Liu Yan!"

Qi Yuan shouted sharply while desperately fleeing,

"I didn't expect you to have broken through so long ago. You've hidden it quite well!"

He now realized why Liu Yan had disappeared from his sight these past few years; he had been secretly planning to deliver a fatal blow.

"Hahaha!"

Liu Yan laughed wildly, his voice sounding very smug in the wind.

"Old man Qi, if a slippery old fellow like you had gotten wind of this, wouldn't you have disappeared long ago? Today is the day you die!"

As he spoke, Liu Yan launched another even more ferocious Fire Dragon Art. The scorching heat waves caused the air to distort.

Qi Yuan gritted his teeth and threw out three more "Wood Shield Talismans."

"Bang!"

This time, the wooden shields only lasted for a breath under the Fire Dragon's impact before exploding violently.

The residual flames struck Qi Yuan's back, causing a sweet taste in his throat and his blood and Qi to surge.

I can't just keep defending!

A cold light flashed in Qi Yuan's eyes. He knew that being a passive target would only lead to death.

He suddenly turned around to face the pursuers. His hands flicked repeatedly, no longer using defensive Talismans, but several "Gold Needle Talismans" emitting a sharp aura and "Poison Swamp Talismans" with a corrosive scent!

Golden needles as fine as cow hair shot toward the three men's faces, while the ground below instantly turned into a muddy swamp bubbling with green foam, attempting to restrict their movements.

"Paltry tricks!"

The unknown Cultivator at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve. A small earthy-yellow shield flew out and instantly enlarged, blocking all the golden needles.

At the same time, the artifacts beneath the three men's feet shimmered with spiritual light as they forced themselves higher, easily avoiding the swamp.

But that momentary delay was exactly what Qi Yuan wanted!

He took a deep breath, and his remaining spiritual power surged into the Green Wood Sword. The blade's green light intensified, letting out a shrill whistle as its speed increased by another thirty percent.

At the same time, he unhesitatingly threw out a handful of "Wood Entanglement Talismans" and low-grade "Mist Talismans." For a moment, vines danced wildly behind him and mist filled the air, greatly interfering with the trio's vision.

"Dammit! How does this old guy have so many Talismans!"

Wang Yu cursed in anger, constantly swinging his artifact to hack away the entangling vines.

He was the weakest among the three, so these Medium Grade Talismans were quite troublesome for him.

Liu Yan's face was grim. He hadn't expected Qi Yuan to be so difficult to deal with. Despite having a lower cultivation level, Qi Yuan used his endless supply of Talismans to neutralize their killing moves time and again.

He had heard that Qi Yuan had only become a First-tier Medium Grade Talisman Maker a few years ago. How could he have so many Talismans? His five attempts at a Breakthrough must have required quite a lot of resources.

But then he thought, the more formidable Qi Yuan was, the more profit he would get later.

"Don't hold back! Use the combined attack technique and finish him off quickly!"

The three clearly had great chemistry. Hearing this, they immediately changed their formation, their spiritual power faintly connecting into a thick pillar of light that fused fire and gold elements.

Like a raging Dragon, it blasted toward Qi Yuan!

The power of this strike was already close to Qi Refining Perfection!

Such power made Qi Yuan's scalp tingle!

Without hesitation, he threw out all the remaining defensive Talismans in his Storage Pouch—twenty "Wood Shield Talismans" and ten "Stone Armor Talismans"!

Layers upon layers of shields unfolded behind him.

"Boom boom boom boom—!"

A series of deafening explosions rang out. The wooden shields and stone armor were like paper before the combined light pillar, shattering one after another.

Although the pillar's power was weakened layer by layer, it still slammed hard into Qi Yuan's back!

"Pfft—!"

Qi Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if his internal organs had been displaced. His protective spiritual light instantly dimmed.

Like a broken kite, he tumbled from his Flying Sword and crashed heavily into the dense forest below.

His face was deathly pale, blood leaked from the corners of his mouth, and his aura was weak. Facing the three who had caught up, especially Liu Yan, he actually fell to his knees with a "thud"!

"Senior... Senior Brother Liu! Mercy! I, Qi, admit defeat!"

His voice trembled, filled with a sob. "All my savings, all my Talismans, are right here!

"I only beg Senior Brother Liu to consider our past ties as fellow disciples and spare my old life!"

As he spoke, he tremblingly untied the Storage Pouch from his waist, holding it in both hands and raising it above his head in a state of groveling.

Seeing this, Liu Yan and the other two paused and looked at each other, their eyes filled with greed and mockery.

The reason they targeted Qi Yuan, besides old grudges, was more importantly his status as a Talisman Maker.

Having attempted to break through the Qi Refining Seventh Layer Bottleneck five times in six years, his net worth was surely much greater than that of an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple.

"Hmph, if you had known this would happen, you wouldn't have acted that way before!"

Liu Yan looked at the kneeling, weak Qi Yuan, a flash of satisfaction and greed in his eyes.

He sneered in his heart:

"This old fogey's Talisman-making skills are indeed extraordinary.

"If I can capture him alive, cut off his feet, and imprison him, won't there be a steady stream of Talismans to use in the future? It's much more profitable than killing the goose that lays the golden eggs!"

He snorted coldly, still remaining vigilant. Keeping a certain distance from Qi Yuan and locking onto him with his Spiritual Sense, he reached out to grab the Storage Pouch held above Qi Yuan's head.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the Storage Pouch—a sudden change occurred!

The kneeling Qi Yuan's eyes suddenly burst with a terrifying brilliance!

His left hand struck his waist with lightning speed!

There, it wasn't a Storage Pouch, but a Talisman he had kept close to his body—a Talisman with internal spiritual energy and faint traces of flowing lightning!

First-tier Top Grade—heavenly thunder talisman!

Simultaneously, his right hand crushed a golden Talisman he had been holding in his palm—a First-tier Top Grade "Heavenly Shield Talisman"!

A solid golden light shield instantly enveloped his entire body!

"Not good! Retreat quickly!"

The Cultivator at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer was the first to react. His face changed drastically as he roared and retreated frantically.

But it was too late!

"Rumble—!!!"

A blindingly bright, blazing bolt of lightning erupted violently with Qi Yuan at the center!

The terrifying power of thunder instantly swept through the entire valley! The earth shook, and the vegetation turned to ash!

"Ah—!"

The greed and satisfaction on Liu Yan's face instantly turned into endless horror. He only had time to let out a short scream before his protective spiritual light and his entire body were turned to charcoal in the lightning!

The other two were also heavily injured by the sudden power of the Top Grade Talisman, coughing up blood as they were sent flying, their fates unknown.

As for Qi Yuan, who was at the center of the explosion, even though the Heavenly Shield Talisman blocked most of the power,

the backlash of the massive thunderous force and the impact of the explosion were definitely not something a Qi Refining Sixth Layer Cultivator could fully withstand.

"Crack!"

The golden shield shattered, and he was thrown like a tattered sack, slamming against the mountain wall.

Countless bones in his body were broken, his internal organs seemed displaced, and blood flowed continuously from his nose and mouth. His vision went black, and he completely lost consciousness.