Chapter 423 422: Crushing

But he was no longer the man he once was.

"Your life is mine!" Zhang Chongbei brandished his long saber as a terrifying saber energy radiated outward. A Sword Gang cut through the ensuing waves of energy, racing straight for Mu Lin.

Mu Lin remained calm, tracking the Sword Gang's trajectory with his naked eye. At the same time, he mobilized his internal energy and unleashed the Primordial Gang Force.

Although his power was suppressed to the level of a Grandmaster, as long as he had mastered the Primordial Gang Force, his strength would be multiplied severalfold.

The effects balanced out, perfectly negating the suppression.

The phantasmal images of a saber and a palm collided in midair, and a powerful backlash struck both men.

The soft earth beneath Mu Lin's feet instantly gave way, his legs sinking at least five inches deep until his feet were completely buried.

Zhang Chongbei didn't fare much better. The backlash sent him flying, forcing him to somersault in the air before he could manage a landing.

Zhang Chongbei gasped for breath, his chest heaving. That exchange had been exhausting.

He cried out in alarm, "Is that the Primordial Gang Force from the Celestial Dragon Temple?"

He was utterly stunned. He never imagined Mu Lin could master this Cultivation Technique to such a degree in just a few days.

Such talent was simply terrifying, unfathomably so.

The other two Grandmasters were also shocked. 'So young, yet so perceptive. Given time, what kind of terrifying power will he become?'

It was absolutely insane.

If their allegiances were different, they would never want to provoke a monster like him.

Mu Lin said, "Who are you? State your names!"

Zhang Chongbei said coldly, "I am Zhang Chongbei. You've probably heard of me, haven't you?"

Mu Lin thought for a moment. "Oh, the captain of the Military Suppression Bureau's tenth team?"

"Brat, you humiliated our tenth team in Songyang, made us unable to hold our heads high in front of our superiors! I can't just let that slide! The only way to wash away this shame is with your blood!"

Mu Lin laughed. "So that's what this is about! But for a captain of the Military Suppression Bureau to stoop so low as to become Elder Deng's lapdog... doesn't that tarnish the Bureau's honor?"

Zhang Chongbei's eyes went bloodshot. His mind was consumed with the single thought of killing Mu Lin on the spot. He roared, "Watch your mouth!"

Mu Lin retorted, "Who's the one who sold his ass to Elder Deng in the first place? You tell me to watch my mouth? How do you have the gall?"

Zhang Chongbei was beside himself with rage. He decided actions would speak louder than words. He leaped, his ascending form instantly blurring into an afterimage.

The immense pressure of his saber crashed down from the heavens, aimed solely at Mu Lin.

The other two experts did the same. One used fists, the other palms, but both favored wide, sweeping, powerful attacks.

The mountain forest environment was perfect for them to unleash their abilities.

While they were talking, Mu Lin had been secretly searching for the array's core, but he hadn't found anything that looked like it.

He could only guess the core had been placed outside the Array itself.

Mu Lin stood firm, his mind tracking the movements of all three attackers while keeping a portion of his awareness on his surroundings.

At the same time, a metallic sheen spread across his skin. He was activating the Vajra Shield.

But in Zhang Chongbei's eyes, Mu Lin's defensive stance was nothing more than passive resistance. 'He must be scared stiff by my power,' he thought, 'this is the move of a man preparing to give up.'

After all, if their roles were reversed and he were facing such a dire situation, he would have already accepted his fate, not wasted time waiting for the inevitable.

A glint appeared in Zhang Chongbei's eyes. Spurred to his absolute limit, he decided to use his full power to crush Mu Lin to death.

"Die!"

The three's frenzied attacks all landed on Mu Lin.

The blows drove Mu Lin's body even deeper into the earth, burying him by another twenty centimeters.

THUD! THUD!

The soft ground could no longer take the pressure on Mu Lin. The rock deep beneath the surface couldn't withstand it either, emitting muffled cracking sounds.

Seizing the opportunity, the edge of Zhang Chongbei's saber struck Mu Lin on the left shoulder.

He eagerly anticipated the sight of blood and gore; only that would be truly satisfying.

But to his astonishment, as the blade passed over Mu Lin's shoulder, it only produced a loud, metallic CLANG.

Mu Lin's skin was unbroken. It only left a shallow mark, no longer than a pinky finger.

In other words, he was unharmed.

Zhang Chongbei never in his wildest dreams expected such an outcome.

'How is he this strong?'

The other two experts were just as astonished. Worse, they had suffered tangible injuries themselves.

The force of their own attacks had been reflected back into their bodies, causing massive disruption to their meridians.

The fact they hadn't coughed up blood was a testament to their deep foundations and masterful cultivation.

In truth, Zhang Chongbei had also been hit by the backlash, but his saber had absorbed most of it.

"That's the Vajra Shield!"

As Grandmasters, they were knowledgeable and experienced, and immediately recognized the technique.

Mu Lin wasn't completely unscathed either. While the Vajra Shield had blocked the attacks and prevented injury, the raw impact force still coursed through his body.

Fortunately, he withstood it without suffering any serious damage.

The webbing of Zhang Chongbei's hand split open and started bleeding from the shock. Seeing how incredibly tough Mu Lin was, he knew this fight was not going to be easy.

In a battle of attrition like this, they might not be able to defeat Mu Lin.

In fact, Mu Lin might just wear them down and kill them.

Back in the day, no one had dared to cross Vajra Zhenren for the same reason. His physical body was simply too powerful. A protracted battle against him was a thankless, exhausting task with a high probability of being turned on and killed.

Zhang Chongbei was suddenly reminded of the headache the Military Suppression Bureau had faced when dealing with Vajra Zhenren. In the end, they had chosen to observe from afar, keeping their distance and avoiding provocation.

It was, in essence, a surrender.

Wasn't the Mu Lin before them now a miniature Vajra Zhenren?

He turned around in a hurry and yelled to his two companions, "Quick, let's go!"

'If we don't leave now, it'll be too late!'

Mu Lin sneered. "What is this, a public restroom? You think you can come and go as you please? You've come all this way, do you really think I'll let you leave without leaving something behind?"

As he spoke, Mu Lin stuck to them like glue, shadowing their every move and making them extremely agitated.

'Damn it, why can't we shake him?'

Mu Lin extended a finger, and a violent Qi Force shot straight toward Zhang Chongbei.

Zhang Chongbei felt immense pressure. His expression changed drastically as he frantically raised his saber, trying with all his might to block the bizarre Qi Force shot from Mu Lin's finger.

But it was easier said than done.

A powerful force struck his saber, and Zhang Chongbei used the momentum to accelerate his retreat.

The distance between them instantly widened by dozens of meters. Zhang Chongbei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was finally safe.

But he suddenly found Mu Lin right beside him, a saber in his hand, looking absolutely terrifying.

'How did he get here so fast?!' Zhang Chongbei was terrified.

The two men farther behind cried out in shock, "Heavens, that's the ultimate Taoist skill, the Vertical Cloud Ladder! Where did this brat learn so many Secret Techniques?"

Mu Lin ignored their astonished cries. With a vicious chop, his long saber slashed straight at Zhang Chongbei.

The gleam of the blade flew much faster than Zhang Chongbei could react, flashing past his arms.

In the blink of an eye, both of Zhang Chongbei's arms were severed. Although they could be reattached later, for now, he had lost all combat ability.

With their main fighter crippled, the remaining two lost all will to resist. They immediately turned and fled.

Mu Lin gave them no such chance. He used the Vertical Cloud Ladder to move horizontally, closing the distance with a series of rapid leaps.

The Mid-stage Grandmaster realized he couldn't escape and changed his mind, deciding to surrender.

"Sir, wait! I surrender! I beg you—"

Before he could finish, Mu Lin's Sword Gang swept past him, and the violent saber energy tore him to shreds.

Mu Lin hadn't heard his full plea, nor did he have any interest in doing so.

Aiding a villain and then trying to beg for mercy was utterly laughable.

When the Sword Gang swept past the other man, he too was grievously wounded and instantly crippled, left barely breathing.

Mu Lin didn't waste time finishing him off. Instead, he immediately sent out his Yin Spirit to search for other Martial Artists in the vicinity.

He immediately spotted Master Xiang. The fluctuations of the man's aura were in perfect sync with the rhythm of the array.

'It's him!'