A Duel of Calculations

Since his position was already exposed, there was no point in staying hidden behind the rock any longer.

Han Li took a deep breath. Under the dazzling protective barrier, he held a magical tool in each hand and stepped out from behind the stone.

“You!”

Upon clearly seeing Han Li’s face, the man addressed as “Senior Brother Lu” cried out in some surprise. He had actually recognized Han Li.

Han Li’s heart sank slightly at the other’s startled cry.

This “Senior Brother Lu” had only seen him once before, on that small hill months ago, and amidst a chaotic battle at that. Yet, so many months later, he could still recognize him at a single glance. This meant one of two things: either the man possessed a photographic memory and never forgot a face, or he was meticulous and exceptionally cunning.

Neither possibility was good news for Han Li.

In truth, Han Li had a vague feeling that this “Senior Brother Lu” was, in some ways, a kindred spirit. He was equally skilled in scheming and just as ruthless in action.

In particular, his arrogant and flamboyant behavior in front of others was just as much a smokescreen as Han Li’s low profile. Han Li did it to avoid drawing attention, while “Senior Brother Lu” did it to deliberately invite contempt from others, thereby disguising his true nature.

However, Han Li felt he could never be as shameless as the man before him, nor as heartless and vicious. He merely adhered to the doctrine of looking after his own well-being.

Just as Han Li’s heart was growing wary, “Senior Brother Lu” also put on a grave expression. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and the look he shot Han Li was filled with undisguised murderous intent.

Han Li sighed. He had originally thought to waste some words, to see if he could bluff his way out. But seeing the other’s expression and understanding his cunning, he knew there was no room for negotiation. Only one of them could be left alive in this world. It was best to save his breath and strike first.

With that thought, Han Li said nothing more. He raised his left hand, and a fine steel ring shot forth with a piercing screech, hurtling straight toward “Senior Brother Lu.” Then, he raised his right hand, revealing the black-green gourd. From its spout, five or six pitch-black spheres shot out, following closely behind the steel ring.

Not stopping there, with his now-free left hand, Han Li made a few gestures in the air. In an instant, several crimson fireballs materialized. With a flick of his sleeve, he rolled them inside and then flung them toward “Senior Brother Lu” with a sharp flick, muttering a low “Go!”

Instantly, carrying a wave of scorching heat, the fireballs scattered, converging on Senior Brother Lu from various angles.

In this single burst, Han Li had employed almost all his pre-Talisman Treasure offensive capabilities, excluding the Talisman Treasure itself. The final technique, the rapid, simultaneous release of multiple fireballs, was a trick he had learned with great difficulty from Wu Feng, intended to catch his opponent off guard and eliminate him in one fell swoop.

In truth, if he weren’t still unfamiliar with his new magical tools and worried about using them effectively, he would have already thrown everything he had into the mix. After all, the new tools were far more powerful than the old ones.

But almost at the same moment Han Li launched his attack, “Senior Brother Lu” was not idle. With a flick of both wrists, a large azure banner, over three meters long, appeared in his hands. The banner shimmered with green light, bearing the embroidered image of a ferocious, snarling azure flood dragon.

It was only then that “Senior Brother Lu” fully registered the chain of attacks Han Li had unleashed. He was taken aback, and then furious.

He had pulled out his most powerful magical tool—the Azure Flood Dragon Banner—first, intending to do the same as Han Li: unleash a killing blow and silence his target.

But he had never imagined that Han Li, after revealing himself, wouldn’t say a single word and would immediately launch such a ferocious and ruthless assault, as if determined to fight to the death.

With no other choice, “Senior Brother Lu” abandoned his own attack. Gripping the azure banner in his right hand, he reached into his storage pouch with his left and pulled out a yellow talisman. He shot a reluctant glance at this high-grade talisman, then gritted his teeth and tossed it lightly in front of himself, rapidly beginning to chant an incantation.

In that split second, Han Li’s steel ring, glowing with a faint yellow light, was already closing in, just about to smash into “Senior Brother Lu.”

“Senior Brother Lu” finally pointed a finger at the yellow talisman and bellowed:

“Wind Wall Art, arise!”

Following the shout, the yellow talisman erupted with a blazing white light. It transformed into a white tornado, several dozen meters high, which lay horizontally in front of “Senior Brother Lu,” blocking the steel ring’s path.

With a puff, the steel ring unceremoniously plunged into the tornado. But it was immediately swept askew, tumbling head over heels before being flung back.

The spheres that arrived next fared even worse. They could only spin uselessly outside the tornado, unable even to pierce the gale.

Seeing this, Han Li’s expression flickered. He quickly extended a finger, guiding the last few arriving fireballs. They immediately traced two wide arcs, nimbly streaking toward the flanks, attempting to bypass the wind wall and attack “Senior Brother Lu” from the side.

“Heh! A nice thought!”

“Senior Brother Lu” let out a cold laugh. With practiced ease, his single hand formed a hand seal, and then he pointed at the middle of the wind wall. The tornado instantly split in two from the center, each half shooting out rapidly to intercept the fireballs once again.

Bang! Bang!

Several explosions rang out. The fireballs, unable to evade any longer, collided head-on with the wind. The tornado trembled a few times, but the fireballs were swallowed up, vanishing without a trace within the gale. Han Li felt a chill in his heart.

At that moment, under “Senior Brother Lu’s” control, the wind wall merged back together, returning to its original form.

“Such paltry tricks, and you dare to put on a show? This junior disciple brother—although I don’t know your name or your background—tonight, you are dead!” Senior Brother Lu crowed arrogantly.

Then, he clasped his hands together, once again gripping the Azure Flood Dragon Banner, and began to wave it furiously.

Han Li was growing tense. His opponent was far more troublesome than he had anticipated. Such a fierce, linked offensive had been broken so effortlessly. Although the large banner the man was waving hadn’t done anything yet, seeing his grim expression, Han Li knew that this “Senior Brother Lu’s” counterattack would be no joke.

It seemed he had no choice but to use the Talisman Treasure, Han Li thought coldly.

But in his current state, unable to refine the Talisman Treasure, he needed to buy a certain amount of casting time each time he used it to drive it to victory. For that, his own defense had to be absolutely watertight.

With that thought, he looked back at his opponent. The azure banner “Senior Brother Lu” was waving had grown increasingly dazzling, its surface emitting a blinding azure light that made the embroidered flood dragon even more ferocious and terrifying. It seemed the man’s attack was about to be unleashed.

Han Li hesitated no longer. With a wave of his hand, the steel ring flew back with a whoosh, stopping a few feet above his head and beginning to spin rapidly.

“Grow!” With a soft shout, the steel ring flared with yellow light, expanding rapidly until it was the size of a table, only then ceasing its enlargement.

“Drop!” The obedient ring descended, encircling Han Li, and began to rotate slowly, forming a protective ring of steel.

Han Li did not stop there. After putting away the gourd, he sacrificed the shield he had just acquired. It expanded several times in size outside the blue protective barrier, floating lightly in front of him, emanating a black radiance.

Thus, Han Li was now protected by three layers of defense: the outermost being the giant steel ring, the middle being the Darksteel Flying Shield, and the innermost being the blue protective barrier he had initially raised.