Cao Jin's face turned grim the moment he saw the sky-covering tide of Gold-Munching Mice pour out in a flood that could fill the surrounding space for ten meters. He knew right then that things had gone very wrong.
The Six-Rune Iron Vow Wolf was formidable, but against this many Gold-Munching Mice attacking at once, Cao Jin's first thought was that the Iron Vow Wolf was finished.
"Jiang Chen, I didn't expect you to have so many trump cards up your sleeve." Cao Jin's expression was dark as he stared fixedly at Jiang Chen. Only now did Cao Jin realize that, though he had already overestimated Jiang Chen, he had still somehow underestimated him in the end.
This Jiang Chen's arsenal of tricks was absolutely inexhaustible!
The Six-Rune Iron Vow Wolf had been one of Cao Jin's two great trump cards against Jiang Chen. Cao Jin had been dead set on destroying Jiang Chen, so he'd played one of those cards right from the start.
He never expected that his first trump card would prove completely useless—not only failing to help, but being wasted entirely!
How could Cao Jin not be stunned and furious at the same time?
"One of the Ten Supreme Disciples of the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect. Surname Cao—you've got quite a few trump cards yourself, huh? Got any more? I'll give you the chance to use them."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. Even facing Cao Jin, he showed not a shred of fear at this moment; if anything, his will to fight only blazed hotter.
Cao Jin did indeed have another trump card, but now he was no longer willing to use it so casually.
The failure of his first card had affected him, at least a little.
With a ferocious grin, Cao Jin's body shot skyward like lightning, and he let out a long roar: "To deal with a petty thief like you, why would I need trump cards? My ordinary martial techniques are enough to kill you!"
As he spoke, he extended a single finger. A pinpoint of brilliance streaked across the void like a dazzling star in the Milky Way, hissing through the air as it shot toward Jiang Chen at blinding speed.
This was none other than the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect's supreme technique—"Heaven River Finger."
Brilliant as the galaxy, its finger-force fell like a meteor.
The finger shot in, and Jiang Chen was mildly surprised—but then a peculiar smile crept across his face. He had never imagined such a coincidence.
The "Heaven River Finger" that Cao Jin was using was identical in concept to the "Star Burst Finger" that Jiang Chen himself practiced. The only difference was that Cao Jin's version was far less complex in its profundity and variations.
In other words, Cao Jin's technique was very likely a primitive version of the Star Burst Finger.
Jiang Chen shifted his body slightly and dodged the finger strike effortlessly.
Since he already knew the inner workings of the technique, predicting his opponent's moves was trivial.
Cao Jin unleashed a full set of Heaven River Finger, and the display was indeed spectacular—brilliant and domineering. Yet as the sequence progressed, Cao Jin realized with growing disbelief that his signature technique was accomplishing nothing. Forget about defeating the enemy—he couldn't even touch the guy's shadow.
This… how was this possible?
Even Cao Jin, who was supremely confident, felt something deeply sinister at work. Ever since he'd encountered this Jiang Chen, everything had become so uncanny.
His proud Heaven River Finger—one of the top techniques of the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect—had always been unstoppable against any opponent. Back at the Dan Qian Palace, a single strike had sent several of their supreme elders flying.
Yet now, used against a mere minor disciple of the Dan Qian Palace, the Heaven River Finger seemed to have lost all effectiveness.
It was simply supernatural.
That kid Jiang Chen was acting as though he'd practiced the Heaven River Finger himself, always anticipating his moves one step ahead. No matter how Cao Jin varied his attacks, how he pushed the technique to its absolute limit, it was all for naught—Jiang Chen always saw through his changes before they happened.
This wasn't a life-or-death battle. It felt more like two fellow disciples sparring.
"Tsk, tsk. Surname Cao—the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect is a first-rate sect, after all. And this is the caliber of technique they taught you? It's not even good enough to give someone an itch."
Jiang Chen could see that Cao Jin's mind had already begun to waver.
Two consecutive encounters of the impossible—even the most resolute Dao heart couldn't escape without at least a crack.
Cao Jin erupted in rage. His hand seized outward, and suddenly a sword appeared—its edge sharp and gleaming as autumn water.
"Jiang Chen, making Cao draw his weapon—you can die knowing that was an accomplishment."
Cao Jin was clearly consumed by fury now. The autumn-water blade swept out like a silver bolt across the galaxy, carving crack after crack through the void that folded and interlocked, rolling toward Jiang Chen in a devastating wave.
This seemingly simple slash was the embodiment of the Great Dao's simplicity, containing an immensely powerful sword intent.
"Jiang Chen, a mere first-level Saint realm cultivator—you think some petty tricks can make you my match? Now I'll show you in person just how absurd that notion is!"
Cao Jin's swordwork was utterly devoid of flashiness, yet every casual stroke was deeply meaningful. Every move, every slash, was a component of a wondrous sword formation.
Shua, shua, shua!
Before long, the surrounding void was saturated with Cao Jin's frenzied sword intent.
This was no longer mere swordsmanship—it carried within it the unique sword intent of this particular technique, and that intent was clearly anything but ordinary.
In an instant, the entire void was blanketed by Cao Jin's rending sword intent.
BOOM!
The void shattered. Every Gold-Munching Mouse caught within the attack zone—hundreds of them at least—was torn to shreds, flesh and blood spraying in every direction.
Cao Jin let out a cold laugh and sheathed his long sword.
Obviously, he believed that under his "Ocean-Overwhelming Sword," Jiang Chen could not possibly survive. Even if the boy had a body of iron and steel, it wouldn't help.
Only—amid all that carnage filling the sky, Cao Jin had no idea which splatters of flesh and blood were Jiang Chen's.