115 Page 14: Oppressive spirit

After having a common ground, everyone from Long Bai's group and Shen Zhu's group became well acquainted. Both parties discussed each of their objectives and found that there was no conflicting interest. Shen Zhu opened up about their current problem. He admitted that their business is losing its stability now that new products kept on appearing from other places. Some of their previous shareholders have started cutting ties as other competitors started bringing out new and better pill products.

As for Long Bai, he speculated that this new development must have been done by the newcomers like him. Of course, he didn't yet disclose the information that they were aliens of this world. Just the information about being enslaved and escaping the mines was disclosed. After speaking about it, they received so much sympathy. It seemed that the people from Magvel knows about the things that happen in the neighboring country.

Right now though, everyone is being pursued by someone. Just a few minutes after they all departed to return to Carcino, they were spotted by someone wearing an all-black outfit. It was the trackers from Cinnabar city's punitive forces. Currently, everyone is running towards the nearest safe area however the enemy is closing. Unlike the pursuers who are all at the soul refining stage, many are still at the body refining stage from the group. Their speed is less capable compared to someone who is a stage higher in cultivation. Of course, this excludes Long Bai and the other three who can escape at any moment. The only reason they won't do it is because of Shen Zhu's companions. Except for the young master, every one from his group are at the early layers of the soul tempering stage while one of them is at the upper layer.

In terms of fighting power, it is apparent that the pursuers are on the advantage considering the average levels in cultivation.

[Vice Chief Bo

Age: 72

Cultivation: Soul tempering stage- ethereal manifestation layer (7th level) ]

"Vice chief, they are faster than our group. How about we join forces in buying the rest some time? You take the leader on the left (pointing at Captain Waterfall) while I'll take on the one at the right?"

"Lad, are you that confident? What's your cultivation level?"

"If it's buying time, I can do it with no problem. We just need to stall enough time so the rest would be able to gain some distance. They just need to go full speed and recuperate when needed. That way, our pursuers won't be able to keep up once we have the advantage in stamina. As long as we have the recovery pills, I have confidence in this plan. What do you say, uncle? Although my cultivation level is lower, I'm highly confident with my speed." Long Bai was strongly suggesting that the two of them together with the eight guards with him create some delay for the group.

"Lad, do you know have an idea what cultivation level our opponent is? I sense that they are the same as me, the ethereal manifestation layer. Do you know what that means to someone who's at the lower layers?" Vice chief Bo asked.

Long Bai never had any chance to reply as one of the guards successfully released a projectile weapon towards the two who are at the most end of the formation. Although Long Bai and the vice chief are the fastest, they are running behind the group since they are also the strongest from each group. An arrow tried to hit Long Bai but then it was redirected to the ground by his stiletto that he brought out in a fraction of a second from his pouch. With this attempt from the enemy, the vice chief ordered the whole group to proceed and not stop running while he gave the order to the remaining guards to join the defense.

"Young lad, let's do it. I'll block that one in the left, I'll leave the other to you."

Long Bai nodded. Before he stopped his tracks, he told the three to become the guards of the entire group while they are still fleeing. After everyone confirms their job, Long Bai together with the vice chief and the guards halted to block the pursuers.

Just as planned, the vice chief went straight to the leader of the pursuers from the left. With similar cultivation, they were just in an evenly matched fight.

Long Bai, on the other hand, stopped in front of all the incoming guards.

On Long Bai's right hand, a longer weapon showed up. With the activation of the <thunder steps> mirage skill, the four guards that were coming after him fell one by on. The victims will never know what hit them as each of their necks are slashed or punctured. On the sides, three black-clothed men just passed him as nothing happened. Long Bai allowed the three trackers to go ahead. He was thinking that three would be able to handle them anyway.

After seeing that the four guards fell with a major blood vessel punctured, the rest of the members became motionless from the shock. One of the high-ranked officers, Captain White Sand saw this and he immediately got angry.

"You! Presumptuous brat! Let me teach you a lesson you'll never forget! Hmmph!"

Captain White Sand rushed close to Long Bai. Just when he was just 2 meters away from Long Bai, he released something that looks like a semi-transparent spirit that slightly manifested behind him. The figure was huge. It was double the size of the man. The image was only showing the head of a kind of bird with white feathers. Its beak was long but the glare from its eyes was the most remarkable. They look like they were on fire, it was full of fiery anger. Just then, Long Bai received an alert from the system.

[System alert: Quasi- Spirit manifestation detected. You will feel the restrictive force as the enemy directs its malice towards you. Since you have not yet reached a semi formation of your spirit, your speed will be reduced by 50% while your strength will be reduced by 25%.]

[System notice: Spirit manifestation has been added to your library. Requirements for it has not yet been met. ]

After seeing that misty appearance of the bird spirit slightly manifested, Long Bai felt an oppressive force bearing down on him. It was like the gravity that's pulling him down has increased making his move with difficulty. The vice chief saw this development while fighting the other captain rank opponent and tried to warn Long Bai.

"Lad, watch out! If you move away to a certain distance, you'll be relieved of its effects!" the vice chief warned. It seemed that he realized Long Bai didn't reach yet the layer that allows one to manifest a quasi- spirit.

The vice chief that's currently busy fighting had also released his spirit. It was a boar type spirit; with two long horns and spines at the back. On one hand, is a lamp while the other hand holds an ax. Although it was not that visible, it was still seeable. On the opposite party, the captain rank that he's fighting released an amphibian type spirit that resembles a toad. Spines at the back, on its right arm, is a rigged sword while on his left-hand holds a scaled shield. The two were trying to oppress each other but since they have the same spirit grade, the oppressive effects are canceled out.

Spirit grades are ranked according to the color it had manifested. During the late levels of the ethereal manifestation layer of the soul tempering stage, a cultivator will already start manifesting his or her spirit however its real appearance won't truly manifest yet. It will just appear in a white hazy appearance but it would already have its oppressive powers. When the cultivator enters the spirit tempering stage, that will be the time that they would determine the grade of the spirit.

Nine grades separate each strength of spirits manifested. Ordinary spirits will manifest with a red aura around them. They are considered the lowest type of spirits, the grade 2 spirits. Grade three will have orange, grade 4 is golden yellow, green, blue, violet, gray, and black respectively. Except for grades 8 and nine, the rest are also divided into lesser and greater spirits. Those that are considered lesser will manifest a lighter in color. For example, grade two lesser spirits will appear pink, grade 3 will appear faint orange, grade 4 is light yellow, light green, cyan, and lavender respectively. Greater spirits will have a darker and sharper color than the other. With this, one can also immediately determine whose stronger and weaker spirit manifest.

Now, Long Bai understood what the vice chief meant when he asked him if he would be able to handle it. He was asking him if he would be alright fighting someone who can manifest his or her spirit. Currently, his speed is halved but it was still enough for him to dodge his opponent. It was like his movement was regressed to the intermediate success from being at greater success.

Captain White Sand began his attacks on him but still fail to land an attack. To Long Bai, if one of those attacks would manage to hit him, it would cost him his life since his cultivation is also suppressed to a certain degree. Long Bai was more of dodging while sometimes parries with his slim swords. Currently, he was just looking for some opening, a chance that the opponent will let his guard down.

On another side of the battle, the 8 guards under the vice chief were being suppressed. With the numbers of the guards of the enemy, it is not a surprise that they would be pushed up against the wall. Seeing this, Long Bai changed his strategy. He would first trim down some of the enemy guards to gain some advantage.

Long Bai acted like he was about to launch a forward attack but then simultaneously changed his direction on the sides where the guards are fighting. Captain White Sand who was fooled by such simple tricks s

was ticked off and chased with rage.

While Long Bai is being chased, he was taking down the guards one by one along the way. Since the guards are preoccupied with their fight, they didn't notice the sharp and pointed blades that are approaching their vulnerable spots. This enraged Captain white sand even more and went all out.

"Brrraattt!!! Diieee!"

The face of the captain was scary that even his guards were being oppressed by his spirit. Now, Long Bai can see that the man has turned berserk. He won't even mind that his people are being suppressed by his spirit. This was a chance Ling Bai had been waiting for. Although he didn't expect that the man will go wild, it was still better than fighting a calm and calculating opponent. Fighting a mindless one would mean that he would have a lot of openings.

This time, Long Bai put all of his skills together. On the rapier, he imbued it with his sword intent while the stiletto was imbued with poison essence. Since the opponent is too strong, he planned to wear the enemy with poison. Using the rapier to create a wound while the other poisons it afterward, that was how the fight was being kept.

The exchange was going on for 5 minutes already and the officer started to show sluggishness. The small amounts of poison that were dabbed into the small wounds have now entered the bloodstream and currently disrupting the normal functions of the body. Since its a poison essence and not poison itself, the effect is to corrupt the normal essence in the body until it won't be useable anymore. When the poison essence will reach a saturation point, it will now have the effect of a regular poison where the body starts to deteriorate due to organ failures. When this stage comes, it will already become untreatable.

The captain ranked officer noticed his declining strength and asked what Long Bai did. In reply, Long Bai told him the truth that if he won't treat his poisoned status immediately, he would suffer. Although Long Bai was honest, he didn't tell the man how to cure it but instead just identified it as poison. Even though it is still some small amount, the poison essence present in the body of the captain can still allow him to live for three months as long as he continuously replenishes his inner essence. Three weeks if not and three days if he would keep the fight since his essence will be drained from the fight.

"Captain, if you won't retreat right now, you will surely die. Let's say you can kill me, but that will cost you your life in an instant. The poison in your body is bot your typical poison. You cannot treat it with normal medicine. What will you do captain?" Long Bai was hopeful that he would back down as he stared at the officer.

With Long Bai's warning, the officer halted his movements for a while but then replied with a smirk.

"Do you think an officer of Cinnabar gives up that easily? Dream on! If I can take you with my life, I'll gladly do it. Haa!"

Long Bai was a bit disappointed but at least his enemy did not pose any threat anymore now that the poison started to act. All he needs to do now is prolong the battle until the opponent turns weak enough for him to kill.