Chapter 99
The huge claws of the flood dragon slowly descended in slow motion towards his head. Shin Jiao wasn't able to react immediately because he was distracted upon seeing the face of the woman which looks exactly like his former lover which is from Earth.
Shi Anne Li, the woman who first caught his eyes. She was the campus belle of the university and was very famous because of her talent and intelligence in school. They accidentally met one day while Shin Jiao is rushing to go to class. At that time, he just came back from an overnight assignment which the agency has deemed highly confidential.
When he met her it was like the whole world stopped spinning and time froze. Her beauty and charm are just like that of a goddess of his dreams. Though Shin Jiao is a very experienced young man when it comes to society and people, he would not have expected that once he saw her, his experiences were turned to nothing. And just like those ordinary and inexperienced young people, he stuttered and would often be tongue-tied while talking.
And that was the start of their budding relationship which lasted for many years until one unexpected day he received the call that broke his heart for the first time.
Though he would say that he had forgotten about the woman because of the following relationships he had in this world. But no matter what, he had still spent a very long time with her. And no matter how much he denies it, still have feelings for her.
Hence when he saw her or someone who looks exactly like her, he was stunned.
If he was in his right mind Shin Jiao could easily dodge the claw with Shadow steps, but he decided not to do so because he didn't have time to do that, so he just did a quick basic side step movement. When the demon beast noticed Shin Jiao's movement, a scowl with a sneer appears on its expression. But it was surprising to see that Shin Jiao was able to dodge its claws by a hair's breadth.
Boom!!!
The loud explosion sent torrents of dust into the air forming a dust cloud which covered the two figures. When the dust died down, the three figures where revealed. Shin Jiao is currently holding the woman by her waist on his side, while the flood dragon is currently looking at the ground unable with disbelief clearly written on its face.
Nobody knows when did Shin Jiao attack but the demon beast just noticed two flashes of silver lights near it.
On its arm lays two bloody gaping holes, this made the flood dragon stunned as it could not believe that a mere mortal human was able to hurt it. When everyone saw this they were dumbstruck as once again the mortal was able to do something impossible for a mere mortal to accomplish. He even saved the goddess in the process.
As Shin Jiao was press for time, all he can do is do a quick draw and shot the arm of the demon beast. His first shot was used to deflect the flood dragon's hand and wasn't able to hurt it, so he is not sure if his bullets can hurt it. Since he didn't want the demon beast to sense any killing intent from him, he decided to shot its arm. And so he was successful in wounding it, but if he shot its vital parts Shin Jiao knows that he beast would detect it and dodge.
"I think it's the artifact. I need to get my hands on that artifact." Wei Qi Nian's thought as he recalled how Shin Jiao was able to deflect the claws of the beast the first time.
Upon thinking what the artifact could do in the hands of a mortal, Wei Qi Nian's mind began to imagine what he could accomplish with such an item in his hands. Upon thinking so, his mouth unconsciously salivates with just a thought of conquering any cultivators or demon beast that would stand in his way.
While thinking on this, his eyes shifted towards Shin Jiao and a hint of killing intent suddenly appear on his eyes. Shin Jiao suddenly feel that his body became cold, and the tiny hairs on his back stood upright.
"Damn this demon beast, I need to finish this fight as soon as possible." Shin Jiao thought.
"Umm… Can… Can you please let me go now?" Suddenly a cool and soothing woman's voice enter his ears.
"What the hell! Even her voice… This is…" Shin Jiao's mind began to shout out loud.
He knows that the woman he is currently holding is not Shi Anne Li, but upon hearing her voice his mind went blank. Shin Jiao's emotion was once again in turmoil. But he already learned his lesson so he quickly recovers from it and then uses Shadow steps to move away from the beast. Even though Shin Jiao and the woman is already a distance away from the flood dragon, it still didn't move as if still in a trance.
"You… stay away from this place and run now. I'll try to buy you some time… Go!" Shin Jiao resolute voice echoed through the woman's ears.
When their eyes met, the woman sent a grateful expression on Shin Jiao's way, which he responded with a nod. Though Shin Jiao wanted to act tough yet his body is doing another thing.
"Umm… you haven't released me yet." She said with a blush on her face.
"Oh… So… Sorry about that." Shin Jiao said with a sheepish smile.
He then let go of the woman and slowly walks back towards the beast. When his back was turned, Shin Jiao's eyes are swelling with tears almost bursting out.
"What the hell! That was too shameless of me. Damn it, I need to control myself." He thought.
The woman watches the back of Shin Jiao with mixed emotions on her face. But she immediately recovers from her stupor and took out another veil from her spatial pouch. After putting it on her face, she immediately went back towards the princess's location. Not long later their group disappears from the area.
Meanwhile, the flood dragon is now looking at Shin Jiao with caution in its eyes. No matter how hard it thinks, it can clearly see that Shin Jiao is just a mere mortal human. So, what the demon beast feared now is the ability of the mortal to injure its body. It could not imagine what would happen if its torso or head was hit as those parts have thinner scales, with this fear started to crept in its demonic heart. So with vigilance, it watches Shin Jiao's every move.
Both man and demon beast are facing each other in a deathmatch. Both know that only one of them can survive this predicament, and so the battle between Shin Jiao and the flood dragon started.
Since patience is not a demon beast's strong aspect, the flood dragon made its move first. Its strong legs began to bulge as it inserted more force in them, and then like a cannonball the demon beast flew towards Shin Jiao. Since it knows that its speed is probably faster than the mortal human, it decided to rush in for the kill immediately.
Both of its arms and claws are already extended wanting to grab hold of the human in front of its eyes and tear him to pieces. As the flood dragon neared Shin Jiao still didn't move a step.
"Stupid fool, I think his reaction speed is really slow as a mortal. This will be his end trying to be a hero, what foolish trash." One of the servants of Wei Qi Nian muttered with a mocking face.
Everyone in the area where Wei Qi Nian stood nodded their heads. As of now, this group was the only one remaining out of the hundreds of people surrounding the lake. These people are the loyal servants and the children of the elders of the Nian clan. They can be considered as the most powerful group in the clan, and right now most of them are looking at Shin Jiao with their greedy eyes. They all are waiting for Shin Jiao to show the artifact so that they can get a clear picture on how to use it after stealing it from the cold hands of Shin Jiao's dead body.
As the people started to formulate their wicked plans behind Shin Jiao's back, two people from afar are looking at their direction with anger burning in their eyes.
"Master, those people are really despicable. We should not have fought against the flood dragon." Rat Ling suddenly said with anger in his face.
"And whose fault is that why we are in this state?" Zen Nian said with a smirk.
Rat Ling suddenly realized his mistake as he lowered his head, but he still murmured something.
"I just reacted because I don't want to put the young master's life in danger."
"Hahaha… You… both of us know our own capability. Hopefully next time, you would learn to trust us your companions and not carry all the weights on your own. Look at Shin Jiao there, even though he is just a mortal, with the ability he taught us, he is able to face that level 4 demon beast." Zen Nian said.
"Ah… I forgot! I never would have thought that brother Shin is able to fight against that demon beast." Rat Ling said with a realization.
"Like what I told you, trust on your companions okay?" Zen Nian continued.
Rat Ling didn't say another word and just nods his head.
"So what should we do with those people young master?" Rat Ling suddenly asked with concern.
But before he could do anything Zen Nian suddenly noticed two figures standing on both their sides. This made him frown but didn't do anything as he didn't put in his eyes the two young men. Zen Nian didn't receive any heavy wounds while Rat Ling's wounds are already half-healed. With their current situation, they both have enough strength to be able to take care of the two cultivators. So their focus is now in Shin Jiao.
When the flood dragon flew towards him, Shin Jiao was already prepared to counter and face its attack. But upon seeing the speed and feeling the aura of the beast, his heart sank.
"Damn! I just can't face a Level 4 beast. Normally, when it comes to strength I am far inferior by a thousand miles and now with its speed, then I stood no chance at all." Shin Jiao cursed in his heart.
In just a blink of an eye, the beast is now standing near Shin Jiao and currently throwing its large fist towards his body. Shin Jiao know that it would be his funeral if he defended so his only option is to use Shadow steps. With that, an afterimage of Shin Jiao was left while the beast's huge fist passes through. When the people with Wei Qi Nian saw this they were all dumbstruck once again. They could not comprehend how a trash mortal could move like that.
No one knows that even though Shin Jiao's body didn't have any spiritual or natural energy, but his physique is already like that of a first stage Spirit Refining realm expert. With the toughness of Body Refining realm and the spiritual Qi sensitivity of Spirit Refining realm, he is able to see the trajectory of the fist just like having ripples of lines flowing in the air.
Unlike normal cultivators who uses spiritual Qi to refine their body and spirit, Shin Jiao's way of refining his physique is like turning his body into a very strong artifact. With constant training and straining of his muscles, absorption of strong and dense spiritual energy on his body, and physical abuses which makes his muscles repair and be damage over and over, this result to what his body state is right now.
Just like when he had a body of a nascent realm while his spiritual and natural energies are still low, Shin Jiao is now experiencing the same thing though right now his body cannot exert or use any energies. But with this, he is now able to move freely and resist any strong mental pressure as his body is in constant refining.
When Shin Jiao evaded the attack from the flood dragon, the demon beast became enraged and wildly clawed towards his direction. But no matter how hard it did, the demon beast is unable to hit Shin Jiao. But what enraged the beast more is the expression that Shin Jiao is showing.
While fighting Shin Jiao is actually smiling and suddenly remember something when he was on earth. He met a strange old man from a small country while he was on vacation with She Anne Li. The old man is in an old temple with decrepit buildings and ruins all over him. At that time of the night, he was roaming around the mountainside curiously while following a trail.
Then while walking by a sea of green bamboo trees, he saw an old man doing some strange blade technique, something that he had never seen before. While watching Shin Jiao's mouth almost fell as the blade technique is something that could only exist in fantasies.
At that time, the old man is just casually standing in the middle of the ruins, holding the edge of the scabbard of his sword near the armguard while waiting for something. When a strong wind passes by the thin blade leaves from the bamboo trees began to fall. Then in a blink of an eye, the old man made his move. Shin Jiao's perception is already extraordinary and is able to see the movements of the old man.
What made him dumbstruck is that the blade is actually not touching any of the leaves, but with a casual wave of his keen sword, a couple of leaves would immediately split apart. After seeing that Shin Jiao approaches the old man with determination, he must learn that sword technique.
Lucky for him the old man is kind enough and tested his potential. And from then on, Shin Jiao learned the name of the technique; it is called the Perfect Defense Sword.
"If I cannot beat it with speed then I can use that technique and see if I can at least survive this demon beast's onslaught." Shin Jiao thought while his mind runs through the sword style that he had not used for a while.
While Shin Jiao scans his memory the beast began his second barrage of claws. But this time it became a little intelligent as its claws began to turn red and emit a very hot temperature. Shin Jiao was taken aback as when he evaded one of its claws by a hair's breadth his clothes actually showed four black lines and a smell of burnt cloth assaulted his nose.
"Damn it! This is getting too dangerous." Shin Jiao thought.
And so without a choice, he decided to fight back.
Standing like an immovable pole, Shin Jiao extended his senses to perceive the flood dragon's movements. Then as if his mind opened another eye, he was astounded at the thing he is seeing deep in his consciousness. He can actually perceive the demon beast's every action clearly as if it is moving normally and not in a very fast manner. Upon discovering this Shin Jiao actually closes his eyes and was absorb to this new feeling of awakening.