Chapter 19 - Breakthrough [2]

"How long will he take?" asked a disciple.

"I don't know," replied Spark.

As they discussed their next steps, they heard the sound of countless footsteps heading their way.

A disciple peeked out and saw a large group of bandits approaching the hall.

"They're here," he warned.

"We have to buy Junior Brother some time. We can't fight here; it will disturb him." Said the chubby senior brow.

After quick words, they left the cellar.

Outside the door, they formed a defensive line. The straight passage ensured they wouldn't be surrounded like before. All they had to do was defend the door.

"Oh, you all managed to break free," said the robust man, leading the bandit group.

"That kid is going through a breakthrough," the man noticed, realizing Lin Mo was the only one missing. "Can't let that happen."

The man stepped forward with his large mace.

"Move!" he ordered the bandits, clearing the way.

As the man led the bandits forward, a figure stepped before him, blocking the way to the cellar.

"You can't get past," said Captain Du, his giant sword ready to engage. "You have to go through me first."

"Don't make me laugh. Little Du is going to stop me?" mocked the man.

"How about I join in?" a voice came from the side.

"Big guy, can you fight?" asked Captain Du.

"Well, Junior Brother asked us to buy him time. I can do that much as a senior," replied Senior Brow.

"You two… Are you underestimating me?" The robust man glared fiercely, standing before the two.

The disciples and mercenaries behind them shivered, meeting the man's gaze.

A Core Formation expert's aura spread in the narrow hall, making them hesitant and wary. Even Senior Brow seemed somewhat taken aback by the pressure emanating from the robust man, despite their similar cultivation realms.

Captain Du broke the stalemate and charged with his long sword toward the man.

Seeing that, the robust man casually swung his mace, sending Captain Du flying back several meters.

The man was advancing towards Captain Du when he suddenly raised his mace. With a clink, three small needles dropped to the ground.

"He blocked it?!"

"I've seen the tools you use when stripping off your body," claimed the man, turning toward the senior brow "Quite crafty, but useless against me."

The man dashed towards Senior Brow.

"You don't have to come close," Senior Brow cursed, retreating swiftly.

The man suddenly halted his steps and raised his foot, noticing small nail-like objects attached to his shoes.

"Another minor trick," muttered the man, removing them effortlessly.

It seemed those could only penetrate his shoes and not the skin.

"Damn, nothing works on him," Senior Brow cursed under his breath, appearing hesitant. "Do I have to use that item?"

Captain Du and Senior Brow shared a glance, determination hardening their resolve.

With a coordinated effort, they lunged at the man, their attacks synchronized in a desperate bid to buy more time for Lin Mo's breakthrough.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The robust man's strength seemed to increase with each clash.

At some point, Captain Du could no longer hold his ground and coughed up a mouthful of blood from a blunt hit of the mace.

On the other hand, Senior Brow appeared uninjured, but he was running low on tools. As the man had stated, sneak attacks didn't work on him, and his sturdy body provided a natural defense against Senior Brow's techniques.

On the other side, the second round of the battle had already begun, and they were being pushed back into the cellar. The bandits in purple were proving to be formidable opponents, no weaker than any of the disciples or mercenaries.

"Hold the line!" Captain Du shouted, his voice strained but resolute. He spat out more blood, struggling to rise, but his spirit remained unbroken.

Senior Brow, though winded, stood his ground, wielding his remaining tools with precision and desperation. "We can't let them through!"

"We're getting overwhelmed!" a disciple cried out as the bandits pressed their advantage, their attacks relentless and coordinated.

"They're too strong!" another disciple echoed, his voice tinged with fear.

"Focus!" Senior Brow commanded, his tone sharp. "We need to buy more time!"

The bandits' leader smirked, sensing the defenders' weakening resolve.

"You think you can stop us?" he taunted, raising his mace for another crushing blow.

Desperation fueled Captain Du's movements. He parried a strike from a bandit, then lunged at the robust man, aiming for a vulnerable spot.

But the man's reflexes were too quick; he sidestepped and delivered a brutal counterattack, sending Captain Du crashing into the wall.

Despite their valiant efforts, the defenders were being pushed back into the cellar. The disciples and mercenaries fought with everything they had, but the bandits' superior numbers and the robust man's overwhelming strength were proving too much.

"We need to hold them off just a little longer," Senior Brow thought, glancing towards the cellar door where Lin Mo was undergoing his breakthrough. "Junior Brother, hurry up!"

In the cellar, Lin Mo remained motionless in his meditative state in the far corner.

A circular core hovered above his head, revolving endlessly. The air around the cellar grew sharp, like the whistle of wind in the desert.

"Oh, a fragmented sword," commented Spark from the side. "Is he going to wake up?"

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The door breached, and the bandits entered the cellar.

The robust man entered the cellar with his men and saw Lin Mo in a deep meditative state in the corner. Above Lin Mo, he also noticed a small fragmented sword floating within Lin Mo's revolving core.

"That's a strange core formation," commented the man, "well, it doesn't matter."

Seeing Lin Mo at such a crucial point, the man decided to seize the opportunity.

As a cultivator himself, the man knew that if someone undergoing a breakthrough lost their concentration, they would fail.

The man lifted his giant mace and hurled it directly at Lin Mo, aiming to disrupt his breakthrough.

The others, still engaged with the bandits, noticed the attack but were too occupied to intervene.

Just as the mace was about to reach Lin Mo, it shattered into pieces, as if hitting an invisible barrier.

"What?!" the man exclaimed, wide-eyed. His mace, made of extremely hard metal, had shattered completely as if it were made of fragile glass.

Lin Mo's revolving core retracted into his abdomen, and a sudden gust of air filled the room.

Lin Mo opened his eyes, which gleamed with a new intensity.

He had successfully reached the Core Formation stage.

The man took a step back, sensing the change in Lin Mo's aura. But instead of retreating, he steeled himself and moved forward, determined to confront this Lin Mo.

The robust man came forward, his head almost touching the cellar's ceiling.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lin Mo asked, his tone serious. "You can't win."

The man sneered.

"I never run from a challenge," he replied, moving into an offensive stance.

He threw a powerful uppercut towards Lin Mo.

Lin Mo didn't counter immediately; instead, he simply raised his foot.

The robust man's uppercut stopped dead under Lin Mo's foot, unable to budge an inch.

"In terms of physical strength, in the same stage, I will never lose," proclaimed Lin Mo. These were the words his master had imparted when passing down The Dragon Gate Variations.

The robust man followed up with a left hook, but Lin Mo blocked it effortlessly with his palm. The man continued to throw punch after punch, each blow strong enough to shatter large boulders, yet Lin Mo parried them all.

"Hmm?" Lin Mo felt a slight force in the last punch and raised his arm to see a small bruise.

"This trick again," he commented, realizing the robust man's strength was gradually increasing. "Well, it won't make a difference."

Lin Mo positioned himself in a punching stance. With a resounding crack, his large fist caved into the robust man's chest, breaking his ribs just beside his heart—an inch to the side would have killed him.

The man fell to his knees, gasping for air.

Leaving him there, Lin Mo strode forward, only to notice the man struggling back to his feet. "Stand down, you already lost," reminded Lin Mo.

"No, as long as I stand, I haven't lost," said the man bravely.

"You leave me no choice." Lin Mo turned back and swiped his hand vertically.

"AHH!" The man's groan resounded in the cellar and outside. His left arm fell to the ground, severed, blood pouring out like a stream.

The cellar fell silent as everyone took in the scene. Lin Mo's decisive actions left a lasting impression on both allies and enemies.

Captain Du and Senior Brow exchanged glances, silently acknowledging Lin Mo's newfound strength.

The bandits, seeing their leader incapacitated, wavered.

Lin Mo walked to the door, and the purple-clad bandits, who had previously been so aggressive, now backed away in fear, none daring to block his path.

Suddenly, the entire place trembled.

"An earthquake?" a disciple murmured.

The whole building shook violently, and to everyone's shock, the ceiling seemed to float up, disjointed from the walls.

It was as if the upper cover was being removed by some immense force.

Everyone's eyes turned skyward, and they saw an old man floating above them.

A powerful wave of suppressive might surged from the top of the fortress, making it clear that this powerful existence was watching their every move.

"This power," the disciples realized, recognizing that the old man was not just any expert, but someone on par with their sect elder.

"Who is this senior?" they speculated silently, wondering why such a powerful individual would associate with bandits.

It would be strange for such an expert to be a mere bandit. People of his caliber merely needed to speak a word, and many powerhouses would come seeking their services.

The old man glanced at the bloodied robust man and commented disdainfully, "Such a mess. You couldn't even handle a kid who recently broke through."

 "Kid, how did you do it?" the old man asked, his voice echoing with authority.

"Oh, that," Lin Mo replied, staring at his palm. "I recently learned it."

"Show it to me," the old man demanded.

"This place is too crowded for senior," Lin Mo replied. "Let's move somewhere more spacious."

"Fine then," the old man agreed, floating away.

Lin Mo turned to the group. "You guys find the mayor and escape."

"What about you, junior brother?"

"I'll be fine," Lin Mo assured.

"Do you need our help?" Captain Du asked, fully aware that their assistance would likely be futile against such overwhelming power.

Smiling, Lin Mo shook his head. "Go. You all staying here will only hinder me."

Though his words were harsh, they held the truth.

The bandits could regain their morale at any moment and might surround them again in no time. Given the chance, they had to escape the fortress.

They knew they had no power to help here. Reluctantly, the group moved to find the mayor and make their escape.