Trouble has come knocking at my door!
A moment before the enemy arrived, Jia Ren sensed them first through the mosquitoes he had stationed outside.
He had hoped the other party was just passing by, but he couldn't avoid the encounter.
Tonight would be his first battle with a cultivator.
Jia Ren didn't look at the stone door but quickly moved away from the window.
The enemy is breaking the door to draw attention to the main entrance, intending to follow with a surprise attack through the window. It's a game of information asymmetry. A regular person's focus would be on the doorway upon its breach, subconsciously neglecting danger coming from other directions. Unfortunately, this trick is useless against me; I've already seen through it with the help of the mosquitoes I set up.
The window shattered, and a flying dagger shot through the opening, carrying an Explosive Talisman that was in the process of activation.
The ordinary flying dagger exploded into fragments, sending shards scattering in all directions.
Jia Ren had already raised his defenses. A yellow-green Spirit Shield enveloped his entire body, leaving no blind spots. A yellow-green, turtle shell-like spiritual armor manifested over him, protecting his vital areas while leaving his limbs and head exposed.
In a short amount of time, two defensive spells were active.
With the Turtle Prime Spirit Armor, Breeze Robe, and Spirit Shield providing three layers of defense, and the Green Spirit Shield—a Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implement—ready to be activated at any moment, his sense of security greatly increased.
The iron fragments and shockwaves from the explosion slammed into the Turtle Prime Spirit Armor and Spirit Shield, causing faint ripples but failing to penetrate.
Explosive Talismans are low-level talismans with mediocre lethality. Their shockwaves are merely very weak.
The invader didn't intend to inflict damage with the Explosive Talisman but instead sought to create chaos.
The target lacks extensive combat experience; sudden changes will surely throw him into disarray.
Cloaked in Nightcloth, the Bizarre Cultivator took advantage of the explosion's cover to burst through the window into the stone house.
The newcomer's face was obscured, but he immediately targeted Jia Ren. His body flashed with spiritual light, ready to attack.
An explosive trap set at the window detonated, unleashing a scorching wave of fire.
Unable to cast a defensive spell in time, the Bizarre Cultivator resorted to a defense talisman, conjuring an Aura Shield.
The explosive trap's power was limited. Against someone already using protective spells, it posed no real threat.
A beam of golden light shot out from Jia Ren's fingertips. Seizing the moment during the explosion, he unleashed the Metal Finger Technique.
The Aura Shield crumbled like paper under the Metal Finger Technique, pierced with a single touch.
It was unable to withstand a blow from the Grandmaster-Level Metal Finger Technique.
Following the Metal Finger Technique, Jia Ren's second attack was not another Metal Finger Technique but a Lime Bag.
Countless particles burst forth, coating the Bizarre Cultivator's skin.
In an instant, his face, back, and all exposed skin began to itch unbearably. The defensive spells he had been casting abruptly ceased.
This is bad! I've come across a ruthless one, using poison right off the bat! Most critically, this intolerable itching makes it hard to focus, rendering the use of spells exceedingly difficult.
Jia Ren didn't give his opponent a chance. For someone daring to come after his life, sending the intruder to his death was the best response.
Another beam of golden light surged forth from his fingertips.
This was the advantage of the Metal Finger Technique: low consumption and high speed. After reaching Grandmaster Proficiency Level, it compensated for any lack of lethality, overpowering common cultivator spells in every aspect.
"Metal Finger Technique? How is that possible?!"
The Metal Finger Technique was widely known, and most Spirit Farmers possessed some knowledge of it, so recognition was not difficult. It had always been mocked as a mere parlor trick, virtually useless against cultivators in terms of killing power.
The Bizarre Cultivator had never imagined he would one day be wounded by the Metal Finger Technique.
There's something wrong with this Metal Finger Technique; it can actually break through a Spirit Shield! This is big trouble! If I can't defeat him quickly, I'm at risk of dying under this Metal Finger Technique at any moment!
"I refuse to believe your pathetic spells can hurt me!"
Enduring the intense itch, the Bizarre Cultivator crushed a life-saving talisman.
A golden light barrier enveloped his body like a Golden Bell, leaving no angle uncovered.
Jia Ren's Metal Finger Technique, which had been unstoppable until now, struck the Golden Bell Shield. It emitted a metallic clash but failed to penetrate with a single strike.
A First-Order Superior-Grade defensive talisman, the Golden Bell Shield Talisman! He took out a renowned golden elemental defensive talisman. Its defensive power even surpasses that of a Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implement. This talisman isn't cheap; it must be worth at least thirty Spirit Stones.
"You're as good as dead!"
His common Spirit Shield couldn't withstand Jia Ren's treacherous Metal Finger Technique. Out of desperation, he had used his most treasured defensive measure.
I can only recoup my losses from Jia Ren!
The Spiritual Power Fluctuation of a Fifth Layer Qi Refinement cultivator burst forth. He unleashed three Verdant Flying Daggers in a triangular formation, aiming for Jia Ren's head, chest, and groin.
However, his intent and execution were entirely misaligned. Unable to concentrate, his Verdant Flying Daggers—Magic Artifacts—fluttered about erratically, like drunken birds, failing to inflict effective damage.
"This is infuriating! Damn poison!"
With my strength, three Medium-grade Magic Tools, and a First-Order Superior-Grade defense talisman, this should have been an easy win... Yet everything was ruined by a damned Lime Bag!
Rage boiled in his heart. He was eager to kill Jia Ren but powerless to do so.
In this condition, it's difficult to fight. If I don't leave now, the trouble will only get worse. I've noted this grudge; I'll take my revenge another day.
Bizarre Cultivators who had survived this long were no fools. Seeing the disadvantageous situation, a sense of fear emerged in his heart.
He tried to use the Wind Control Skill to escape but... failed to activate it.
It vexed him to the point of nearly coughing up blood.
His Featherweight Talisman had long been consumed, leaving no quick way to escape.
"Let's talk this out peacefully! I too am afflicted by some evil spirits..."
"I'll leave right now, and you can pretend nothing ever happened."
You come when you wish and think you can leave as you please? Do you think this is your home? What would have been the outcome if I lacked strength? I would be a corpse lying at home, all my possessions taken. Then, to whom would I address my grievances and hatred?
Jia Ren's actions proved his resolve. The Metal Finger Technique shot out wildly, bombarding the Golden Bell Shield.
If power alone isn't enough, I'll make up for it with quantity. I refuse to believe I can't break through your turtle shell!
In Jia Ren's eyes, the Bizarre Cultivator had become like a giant Spirit Insect that he absolutely had to kill.
The light of the Golden Bell Shield dimmed at an alarming rate; it was unlikely to hold for much longer.
"You're forcing my hand!"
Although his spells were unusable, he still had numerous talismans on him that weren't difficult to activate.
Talisman after talisman was activated: Fire Bullet Talismans, Ice Cone Talismans, and Golden Blade Talismans swiftly rained down upon Jia Ren.
Jia Ren dared not be careless. Allowing his opponent to turn the tables would be too frustrating.
The Green Spirit Shield materialized in front of him. Its green aura condensed into a basin-sized shield, whirling around him as if it possessed Spiritual Nature.
The torrent of spells crashed upon the Green Spirit Shield, all of them blocked, unable to break through the green shield.
"How could you have a Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implement?!"
With his talismans used up, the Bizarre Cultivator's last shred of hope vanished, leaving only despair.
I thought I could easily slay this fat sheep, only to capsize in the gutter myself!
Jia Ren, protected by the Green Spirit Shield and with no worries for his own safety, unleashed the Metal Finger Technique in a wild barrage. The Golden Bell Shield Talisman's defense, no matter how strong, couldn't withstand such a relentless onslaught.
Before long, the Golden Bell Shield shattered.
"I cannot accept this!"
Filled with a torrent of resentment, the Bizarre Cultivator's body was riddled like a sieve by the Metal Finger Technique.