Book 2: Chapter 17: Upholding Justice

Vol 2 Chapter 17: Upholding Justice Lin Jing had shown everyone the "correct" way to purchase Mechanical Bamboo Rifles—one was merely the starting point; buying ninety or a hundred was the true endgame! “I told you, we should catch a mountain full of monkeys and equip each monkey monster with two rifles. That would be unstoppable!” Gao Sheng said, sticking to his wild idea. “What’s wrong with these examiners?!” Some of the candidates were starting to panic. What was supposed to be a test of their mastery of spells and techniques had been turned into a blatant contest of resources! Each examiner wielded at least one Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, and Lin Jing himself carried five or six. Even the only successful candidate so far had relied on a rifle to win. Were rifles now mandatory to even participate in the exam? “What are you doing?!” One elder noticed their brilliant disciple donning layers of equipment—a protective treasure robe underneath, followed by beast armor, and even a combat suit with a shield in hand. “Uncle, the examiners’ firepower is just too overwhelming! If I’m not prepared, I won’t even last a round on stage!” The candidate looked distressed. “They’re examiners; you’re a candidate! The academy isn’t testing your wealth; it’s testing your mastery of spells and techniques. The weapons you’re using aren’t even ones you forged yourself, and your application of techniques is crude at best. Doing this will only cost you points! Just stick to the spells taught by the sect and figure out a way!” “But Gao Sheng used tons of magical artifacts!” “His grandfather is a Nascent Soul Realm Venerable! What are supposed to do?” The prodigy, who had cultivated for years and only just left the sect, suddenly realized how ruthless the world of cultivation could be. Doubts about life began to surface in their heart. At this point, ordinary candidates didn’t even know which examiner to choose anymore. While it was true that the sword cultivator examiner was unlikely to use a rifle, his Foundation Establishment cultivation level was far more intimidating than any Mechanical Bamboo Rifle. Even Xu Zhizhi, who had lost his match earlier, was not truly weak. Everyone had seen it—he had simply lost to an opponent with far greater firepower and superior artifacts. “Anyone else?” “You, come challenge me.” Suddenly, two voices rang out at the same time. From the crowd, a man stepped forward. He was clad in a flowing yellow robe embroidered with intricate talisman patterns, faintly glowing with spiritual light. Hearing the second voice, he turned toward a small, youthful figure in the crowd—Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect, who also bore the Heavenly God Physique. The two had indeed spoken at the same time. “Let him go first,” Lin Jing said, nodding toward Chen Lingxi, the Holy Maiden of the Divine Talisman Sect, allowing her to take the challenge. “Thank you.” Chen Lingxi gave a slight smile, then turned her gaze to another examiner. “That examiner—I want to challenge him.” Her golden hair flowed like a waterfall, radiating a faint divine light. There was an air of transcendence about her, both mysterious and extraordinary. “Please,” the examiner, Wang Xiao, accepted the challenge graciously. “Before we start, may I confirm something first? Sir, are you a Beast Taming Cultivator? Do you still intend to rely on those one-time-use resource items, like Spirit Bean Bombs, for the assessment?” Chen Lingxi asked, pointing out the disposable nature of Lin Jing’s tactics. “Miss, mechanized beasts are still beasts. These so-called ‘one-time resources’ are integral parts of mechanized beasts, created as tools for combat. Naturally, they are valid for use in battle,” Wang Xiao replied with a faint smile. “In that case, I suppose I won’t hold back. Since my mortal years, I’ve focused on drawing and crafting talismans. All the talismans I created during my practice sessions have been stored in my bag, and their number has now exceeded 100,000. Surely, using them for this assessment is perfectly valid,” she replied with another smile. “Chen Lingxi of the Divine Talisman Sect, at your service.” Her words caused an uproar among the crowd. “100,000 talismans?!” “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Several cultivators couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation, almost forgetting that the Holy Maiden of the Divine Talisman Sect was here! When it came to stockpiling disposable tools, talisman cultivators were undisputed champions in the cultivation world. Almost every talisman cultivator carried a large number of talismans with them for emergencies. Unlike others who had to purchase them at high prices, talisman cultivators could craft their own. While Lin Jing’s Spirit Bean Bombs were indeed inexpensive, everyone present was confident that Chen Lingxi, with her innate Talisman Physique and the backing of the Divine Talisman Sect, could craft talismans at an even lower cost. The upcoming duel... was bound to become an extraordinary war of attrition. Sёarch* The Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “Hahaha, now this is getting interesting!” A cultivator couldn’t help but laugh. “This is going to be justice served. Let’s see her use Lin Jing’s own tactics against him and teach these ‘firepower-heavy’ examiners a lesson!” “Right! Let these examiners know that the candidates aren’t pushovers either!” “Oh no, Lin might have met his match!” Gao Sheng said with an amused expression, ready to enjoy the show. Lin Jing was momentarily stunned, but he respectfully replied, “Please, go ahead.” Cao Ziwei, watching with a playful expression, also felt that Lin Jing was in trouble. As he announced the start of the match, an astonishing scene unfolded. One talisman… two talismans… three talismans… Hundreds of talismans floated into the air behind Chen Lingxi, densely covering the sky. The ordinary candidates had never seen such a display. Typically, they used talismans one at a time or at most a few together. But Chen Lingxi, with her Talisman Physique, controlled over a thousand talismans at once, instantly demonstrating the terrifying potential of her physique. “This physique isn’t even ranked among the top hundred divine physiques. How strong would those be?” Many candidates dared not even imagine. “If the stockpiled talismans are sufficient, couldn’t she rival even divine physiques?” Even Yuan Jing and Ziling’er, both in the Foundation Establishment stage, wore serious expressions as they witnessed this scene. Wang Xiao, the Heavenly God Physique, took a deep breath, realizing just how troublesome Chen Lingxi could be. “This woman is no joke. That examiner is doomed.” Even Wang Xiao felt a headache at the thought of the 100,000 talismans stored in Chen Lingxi’s bag. “Lightning Talisman!” Chen Lingxi’s lips curled into a smile. Though it might seem wasteful, she knew that in Hidden Dragon City, one had to make an impression. If she wanted her name to spread, she had to stand out. Lin Jing’s reputation as an unconventional examiner had already made waves. To surpass him, she had to be even more outrageous! Lightning filled the air as countless talismans activated. Thunderclouds gathered, unleashing a deluge of lightning bolts toward Lin Jing. The entire sky above the arena turned into a sea of golden lightning, enveloping everything. In terms of “firepower,” it appeared even more terrifying than the Mechanical Bamboo Rifles. Lin Jing had just declared that firepower was king, but now his opponent's firepower was clearly stronger. “Indeed, never underestimate anyone,” Lin Jing muttered. Instead of meeting the attack head-on, he chose a different approach. Knowing that the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle alone wouldn’t be enough to defeat Chen Lingxi, he summoned a small Pine Leaf Mouse, which was holding a piece of wood in its paws. In the next moment, the mouse used the wood to rapidly construct an enormous wooden fortress, encasing Lin Jing and the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle within. The sky-splitting lightning fell upon the fortress but left no trace. Then, holes appeared across the fortress walls, and from each hole, gun barrels emerged.