Returning to the grocery store, Lǐ Zhuóyáng began to meticulously study the "Colossal Spirit Sword Technique."
In truth, this sword technique was quite simple, consisting only of a few moves like hacking, slicing, thrusting, and parrying. All its maneuvers were broad and powerful, devoid of any fancy tricks.
Lǐ Zhuóyáng merely followed the qi circulation method described in the technique and practiced it a few times before achieving basic mastery.
Senior Brother Zhao was correct; this sword technique consumed a tremendous amount of Mana and bodily strength when executed.
Lǐ Zhuóyáng only attempted it briefly, before even circulating his qi, and felt the spiritual energy in his dantian surge towards the low-grade magic sword in his hand like a bursting dam. Startled, he quickly retracted his stance, fearing that he might accidentally level the entire grocery store if he wasn't careful.
Most of the time spent cultivating was quite tedious.
More than twenty days passed in a flash, and Lǐ Zhuóyáng had already practiced the "Colossal Spirit Sword Technique" to a considerable level of proficiency.
Seeing that the day for his transaction with Xǔ Shàoyáng was fast approaching, he stopped his meditation.
Moreover, although he still had quite a few spirit stones on hand, those were basically from selling Supreme Gold. The income from Purple Sun Stones alone had already been nearly depleted.
Most importantly, he was running out of Dragon River Spirit Tea, and this was an essential item!
Especially now that he was concurrently cultivating the "Colossal Spirit Sword Technique," his body's demand for spirit tea had doubled abruptly!
Without the spirit tea to nourish his body, his cultivation speed would be greatly affected.
With this thought, Lǐ Zhuóyáng suddenly stood up, stretched his body, and went out.
This time, Lǐ Zhuóyáng once again rode the Cloud-Flash Shuttle to the Purple Sun Mining Area. After disguising his appearance, he boldly entered the stone gambling house.
Old rules: take only one-third of the Purple Sun Stones from each stone gambling house.
As Lǐ Zhuóyáng entered the stone gambling house, a small light boat flying artifact was also departing from the Ziyang Sect, flying rapidly towards the Purple Sun Mining Area.
On the flying ship, one person was anxiously replenishing spirit stones while simultaneously examining a mirror-like spirit artifact.
"To think that you actually ran this far in just the time I wasn't paying attention! Just you wait until I catch you, and I'll deal with you!"
The person on the light boat was none other than Tián Chí gōng, holding the spirit artifact tracking mirror of his clan elders.
"Huh? This direction seems to be towards the stone gambling house!"
"So that's how it is! So you've been relying on the Purple Sun Stones obtained from gambling on stones! It seems my elder brother was right; you must have some strange treasure helping you!"
Tián Chí gōng's face flushed with excitement as he spotted Lǐ Zhuóyáng's whereabouts.
Although the Tián family didn't care about five hundred Merit Points, it couldn't withstand the steady stream of income. With this treasure, the Purple Sun Mine would practically belong to the Tián family from now on!
With that thought, Tián Chí gōng added over ten more spirit stones, and the speed of the light boat increased again.
At the stone gambling house, after Lǐ Zhuóyáng visited several more establishments, he had accumulated the required two hundred and fifty stones.
He didn't want to delay and was eager to return to the grocery store, retrieve the Purple Sun Stones, and then complete the transaction with Xǔ Shàoyáng the next day.
He arrived at a dense forest several miles outside the mining area. Just as Lǐ Zhuóyáng had restored his original appearance and was about to deploy the Cloud-Flash Shuttle, he saw a flying artifact rapidly approaching him from afar.
From a distance, the figure on the artifact looked somewhat familiar. By the time he clearly saw the face, the light boat had already arrived near him.
It was Tián Chí gōng! Lǐ Zhuóyáng immediately felt a sense of foreboding.
"Good one, you've been hiding quite well!" Tián Chí gōng leaped from the light boat, landing several yards in front of Lǐ Zhuóyáng.
"I couldn't figure out how you were getting so many Purple Sun Stones so quickly before. Today, I finally realized it was through gambling on stones!"
Lǐ Zhuóyáng's heart suddenly clenched upon hearing this!
"I disguised my appearance to enter the stone gambling houses. Could I have been recognized?
Impossible!
Tián Chí gōng is only at the seventh level of Qi Condensation; he definitely couldn't see through my disguise."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand!"
"Stop playing dumb!"
Tián Chí gōng said, raising the tracking mirror in his hand. "This spirit artifact of my clan uncle has been tracking your movements for a long time. You just visited eight stone gambling houses. Do you still intend to deny it?"
Lǐ Zhuóyáng suddenly recalled that day when Steward Tián had lightly patted his shoulder a few times. He surmised that he had fallen into someone's trap at that very moment.
These immortal cultivation families' methods were truly unpredictable!
"So what if I did? What is there for me to not admit?"
"Hmph, the probability of winning in stone gambling is one in a hundred. It's impossible for you to have gambled and won fifty Purple Sun Stones in just a few days, unless you possess a treasure that can perceive spiritual ores!"
"Such a treasure is not something someone like you can possess. Hand it over honestly today, and perhaps your life can be spared!"
Upon hearing this, Lǐ Zhuóyáng's heart tightened. The other party had practically guessed his secret. It seemed this fellow was definitely someone who couldn't be kept alive!
"Hahaha, Senior Brother Tián's joke is really funny..." Lǐ Zhuóyáng feigned uncontrollable laughter, bending over.
Tián Chí gōng was taken aback. Were his words really that amusing?
However, before he could react, Lǐ Zhuóyáng suddenly straightened up and flicked his right hand, sending a piece of paper flying towards him!
"A talisman!" Tián Chí gōng immediately recognized it!
Indeed, these were the more than ten first-tier talismans Lǐ Zhuóyáng had previously obtained from the bearded shopkeeper.
The moment the talisman was activated, a cluster of fierce flames erupted around Tián Chí gōng, engulfing him. As the flames burned, numerous sharp stone blades emerged from the ground, slashing towards him.
"Bang bang... Roar... Crack..."
After a series of loud noises, the flames dissipated, and Tián Chí gōng's figure reappeared in his original spot.
However, seeing this, Lǐ Zhuóyáng's heart grew heavy. Apart from a few torn holes in his clothes, the other party appeared completely unharmed.
And around him, a resplendent golden halo was shining!
The Diamond Talisman!
Lǐ Zhuóyáng also recognized this top-tier first-tier talisman known for its excellent defense.
"A good-for-nothing is just a good-for-nothing. Did you really think your meticulously prepared talismans were your greatest trump card for survival? In my eyes, they are merely a joke," Tián Chí gōng couldn't help but sneer.
"Aren't you also a good-for-nothing who relies on talismans?" Lǐ Zhuóyáng retorted.
Although he hadn't deluded himself into thinking this stack of talismans would kill the opponent, he was truly surprised that Tián Chí gōng was completely unscathed.
"The biggest difference between us is that your talismans are your trump cards, while I merely use them casually," Tián Chí gōng scoffed.
Lǐ Zhuóyáng stopped speaking and summoned the low-grade magic sword from his Storage Bag, holding it horizontally in front of him, adopting a fully defensive posture.
Tián Chí gōng became even more smug. "What, are those the only broken talismans you have? If you've run out of offensive means, then taste mine!"
Saying this, he seemed to find the Diamond Talisman cumbersome and put it away. Then, he casually pointed his finger.
A small sword, about the size of a palm, flew out from his Storage Bag. It grew to about three feet long as it faced the wind and slashed towards Lǐ Zhuóyáng's head.
Lǐ Zhuóyáng was unhurried. As the flying sword approached, he exerted force with the magic sword in his hand.
"Clang!"
With a loud clang, the two swords met. Tián Chí gōng's small sword flew back, landing in his hand.
Tián Chí gōng looked down and saw a small nick had appeared on his flying sword.
"You son of a bitch, how dare you damage my magic artifact! Die!"
As Tián Chí gōng roared, he scattered a thicker stack of talismans.
The scene that had just happened to Tián Chí gōng replayed itself on Lǐ Zhuóyáng, and this time the fireball was larger, the stone blades longer, and explosions could be heard intermittently within the fireball.
Seeing this, Tián Chí gōng's anger did not subside, and he kept cursing, calling Lǐ Zhuóyáng a "son of a bitch" repeatedly.
As he was venting his anger watching the flames, he suddenly sensed a figure rapidly charging out from within.
Tián Chí gōng felt a moment of tension, then a flash of inspiration. The Diamond Talisman he had put away earlier instantly formed a golden shield around him.
"Clang!"
The next instant, Lǐ Zhuóyáng's flying sword struck the shield. The shield merely flickered but remained firmly in place.
"Hahaha," Tián Chí gōng laughed heartily, seeing that the Diamond Talisman had not been broken, as if to mask his recent panic.
"Your broken sword, and you think you can break my Diamond Talisman? Hahaha..."
However, before he could finish laughing, he felt a chill in his chest. Looking down, he saw a sword hilt embedded in his chest, the blade having already pierced through his heart.
"You... how... could you... break..." Tián Chí gōng sputtered blood, still unable to believe the reality.
"Hmph! Ever heard of the Colossal Spirit Sword Technique?"
Lǐ Zhuóyáng replied coldly, then ¡swoosh! he pulled out his magic sword.
Tián Chí gōng's eyes widened, and he crashed to the ground with a thud.