Hunter 132: Inside and Outside the Barrier 

"Eight Mysterious Technique!"

As soon as Lu Ci mentioned this, everyone's gaze immediately focused on Ma Xianhong, their eyes gradually becoming fervent.

"Heh, is this a rare skill delivered for free?"

Lu Ci couldn't help but sigh.

"I hope you'll still think so in a bit!"

Lin Jiu chuckled as he once again charged toward Lu Ci, this time without anyone to block him.

Outside the barrier, the Lufamily's Outcast prepared to take down Ma Xianhong, aiming to extract the Mysterious Mechanism Converts All Art technique through the Soul Seizing Technique. However, Ma Xianhong remained calm, throwing out several containers, with three floating artifacts—the Lion's Roar—hovering beside him. The impact of the Lion's Roar technique rendered a group of Lu family members immediately incapacitated.

What's more terrifying is that the Lion's Roar can be fired repeatedly. In the original story, during the Biyou Village battle, even someone with Feng Baobao's resilience suffered a bone fracture in her arm from just one sound wave.

Only veterans like Lu Xiao, Lu Zhong, and Lu Ping, along with some elite disciples, managed to avoid the attacks of Ma Xianhong's Lion's Roar.

Seeing this scene, Lu Ci's eyes grew fierce, his expression becoming increasingly twisted. Every member of the Lu family's bloodline is a precious treasure to them, and any loss here would naturally enrage him.

However, he had no time to worry about the situation outside the barrier and could only leave it to LuXiao and the others to handle. Inside the barrier, Lin Jiu's sword was already slashing toward him.

Lu Ci stared at Lin Jiu with a fierce gaze, raising his palm and striking in Lin Jiu's direction, aiming for his head. This strike lacked the grandeur of Zizai's Palm Technique, but Lin Jiu sensed the danger.

He immediately chose to retract his sword, sidestepping. A formless force grazed past Lin Jiu's ear.

"The Lu family's Qi is indeed extraordinary!"

Before the Lu family had developed the Soul Seizing Technique, their family secret, Qi manipulation, was not as conspicuous but was by no means inferior. Mastering the Qi manipulation means perfect control and versatile applications.

Techniques like hitting a bull across a mountain are just low-level uses. Advanced Qi manipulation can be conducted through materials on the ground, allowing invisible force to launch attacks from underground at will, as Ma Xianhong had just experienced.

Lu Ci's Qi manipulation is even more refined, capable of using the air as a conducting medium. Once the Qi is unleashed, it is invisible and formless, making it even more dangerous.

Lin Jiu was not at all surprised by such a high level of Qi manipulation mastery; he had long anticipated it. Lu Ci had rarely revealed whether he could use the Soul Seizing Technique, and with his Qi manipulation prowess alone, he became one of the Ten Elders—a skill level that is indeed impressive.

Moreover, this old guy Lu Ci is extremely experienced. If his strike hadn't targeted the head, Lin Jiu would have chosen to take it head-on. Most fighters couldn't withstand a few strikes from Lin Jiu's sword, and even Lu Ci wouldn't last. The Lu family doesn't train in body strengthening—what would they use to resist?

Lu Ci was surprised that Lin Jiu dodged his strike. He had already shown considerable restraint when attacking a junior, yet he missed.

"Could it be that the artifact detected it?"

Lu Ci speculated that the black scout released by Lin Jiu was a detection artifact… which wasn't far from the truth.

Seeing Lin Jiu dodge his strike without any fear and charge toward him, Lu Ci instinctively took two steps back, feeling that letting the opponent get close would not end well.

Lu Ci found it hard to believe his instinctive reaction. Except for those famous in his generation, when had he ever felt pressure from anyone else, let alone a young man?

Even though he sensed danger in close combat, the Lu family's Qi manipulation also required close contact to exert its maximum power. The force penetrates the body, attacks the internal organs, and inflicts severe damage.

Lin Jiu had no problem with this—he just needed to pop a pill, and as long as he didn't die, he'd be fine.

Meanwhile, the black scout conveyed some of Lu Ci's information to Lin Jiu.

[Ten Elder: Lu Ci]

Health: 100%

Strength: 18

Agility: 17

Stamina: 16

Intelligence: 20

Charisma: 5

Skill 1: Qi Practitioner Lv.40 (Active): Enhances the body by circulating qi in a specific pattern. Strength +5, Agility +5 (Duration: Until internal qi is exhausted).

Skill 2: Qi Manipulation Lv.50 (Active): A flexible and pervasive force. The damage caused depends on the attacked area and the attached qi.

Skill 3: Unarmed Combat Mastery Lv.30 (Passive): Increases unarmed combat damage by 15%.

Derived Skill: ???

Skill 4: ???

???

???

…

Whether or not Lu Ci possesses the Soul Seizing Technique doesn't matter, as it has little impact on the battle.

The two engaged in close combat, with Lu Ci raising his hand to strike toward Lin Jiu's eyes, but Lin Jiu forced him back with the blade of his sword. Lin Jiu then slightly lifted his leg and kicked at Lu Ci's shin.

Lu Ci didn't back down, enveloping his leg in qi as he kicked toward Lin Jiu's leg.

Their shins collided, and Lu Ci unleashed the Qi Manipulation through his leg. Lin Jiu stepped back two paces, feeling a force penetrate his skin and strike his bones.

This was a force, not energy—soul power couldn't block it. Fortunately, the attack didn't hit a joint, and with his enhanced physical toughness, Lin Jiu felt pain but wasn't seriously injured.

On Lu Ci's side, his qi protection kept him from injury, but he also felt the strength of his opponent's force—far beyond what he expected from someone of the younger generation, so he set aside his underestimation.

He glanced outside the barrier, realizing that the heir to the Eight Mysterious Technique couldn't be judged by the standards of the younger generation.

Ma Xianhong, clad in jet-black armor, with the Lion's Roar hovering beside him, held the Soul-Swaying Bell. Lu Xiao and the others couldn't get close.

At this moment, Ma Xianhong is an intruder in the Lu family, so Lu Xiao and the others naturally don't have any intentions of capturing him alive, like in the original story; they all fight with full force.

However, they still couldn't take him down, as Ma Xianhong also brought along his carefully crafted Black Puppet.

The Black Puppet was modified from the White Puppet, equipped with the same Udu armor and red beads as Ma Xianhong, along with Fu Rong's sword energy, Zhang Kun's Terrain Immortal, Zhong Xiaolong's Finger Snap Divine Power, Ding Zihuan's Ghost Shadow Walk, Master Bi's Ghost Gate Needle, and Chen Duo's Primitive Gu.

It's equivalent to half of the Twelve Roots of Heaven. It can't use multiple techniques simultaneously, but the Black Puppet would've been sent to deal with Lu Ci. Even so, the Black Puppet is far more troublesome than Ma Xianhong himself.

Ma Xianhong still had to be cautious of Lu Xiao and Lu Zhong's Qi Manipulation, while the Black Puppet had the Primitive Gu for protection and the Terrain Immortal for movement, making it immune to most long-range attacks.

Lu Xiao, Lu Zhong, and the others being seasoned fighters, could hold their ground against Ma Xianhong and the Black Puppet even as they went all out.

The problem is that Ma Xianhong's physical body is too weak; he can't withstand their Qi Manipulation. If Lin Jiu were in his place, he would have killed them all while tanking their non-lethal attacks.

Ma Xianhong couldn't do that. If his body sustains even minor injuries, his strength would be significantly affected. You can refer to Zhang Chulan's condition after suffering internal injuries from the Qi Manipulation for comparison.

"Is this really what a contractor does?"

Hiding in the back, Ao Tian wasn't surprised by Ma Xianhong's situation, as even bringing the Black Puppet along and gaining an advantage was not surprising.

But what happened on Lin Jiu's side truly shocked him. He initially thought Lin Jiu was just manipulating Ma Xianhong, but seeing the two of them locked in a barrier together made him suspect that Ma Xianhong had sensed something amiss and was borrowing Lin Jiu's help to kill someone. He didn't expect it to be a two-pronged attack.