"Earth-Splitting Slash!" Jiang Li swung the Molin Sword in his hand vigorously towards the front. A sword shadow filled with all his spiritual power and will rushed towards the flying black spears with a howling sound.
This sword shadow was even more majestic and solid than before. Wherever it passed, the space seemed to twist slightly and made a low humming sound.
With a loud "boom" sound, the spiritual power sword shadow collided fiercely with the black spears, and instantly burst out a powerful impact that spread out in all directions.
The surrounding ground was shaken and cracked, with fragments of rocks flying everywhere. Some onlookers with weaker strength were shaken back continuously by this impact and had looks of horror on their faces.
Although Jiang Li had exerted all his strength to launch this attack, he was still no match for the profound cultivation of the middle-aged man at the Martial Master Realm after all.
Although most of the black spears were blocked by the sword shadow, there were still several that broke through the defense and shot towards Jiang Li.
Jiang Li couldn't dodge in time and could only watch helplessly as those black spears shot towards him.
At this critical moment, a familiar power suddenly surged within his body. It was the soul fragment of Ling Zuo!
The soul fragment of Ling Zuo that had been lurking deep inside his body seemed to sense Jiang Li's life-and-death crisis at this moment and was activated spontaneously.
In an instant, a vast and mighty power gushed out from Jiang Li's body, shining brightly and illuminating the entire stone chamber.
Jiang Li felt that his cultivation level soared like a rocket and instantly broke through his original realm, reaching all the way to the Martial Saint Realm!
The surging spiritual power rushed and circulated within his body. Under the nourishment of this power, his injuries also recovered rapidly. His originally weak aura became extremely powerful, and he seemed to be completely renewed, exuding an awe-inspiring majesty.
This sudden change left everyone present extremely astonished. They watched helplessly as Jiang Li's cultivation aura skyrocketed like a rocket. The thought of seeing Jiang Li being severely taught a lesson disappeared in an instant, replaced by deep shock and fear.
"Martial Saint! This... How is this possible? How did this kid become so powerful all of a sudden?" someone shouted in horror, and his voice was trembling.
Jiang Li clenched the Molin Sword in his hand and felt this brand-new power. A sense of heroic pride welled up in his heart. He coldly swept his gaze over the middle-aged man in front of him and said in a loud voice,"Now, it's my turn!"
After saying that, Jiang Li's figure swayed and disappeared in an instant like a ghost.
The middle-aged man only felt a blur before his eyes and then lost sight of Jiang Li. A chill immediately rose in his heart.
He quickly became fully alert, but before he could react, Jiang Li had already appeared behind him.
Jiang Li raised the Molin Sword in his hand high. The sword body, infused with the spiritual power of the Martial Saint Realm, shone brightly, like a scorching sun.
"Wind-Breaking Slash!" Jiang Li shouted loudly and swung the Molin Sword fiercely towards the middle-aged man's back.
This sword was extremely fast, and its power was even more astonishing. Wherever it passed, the air was instantly torn apart, forming a vacuum tunnel and making a shrill whistling sound.
The middle-aged man felt the fatal danger coming from behind and was greatly shocked in his heart. He wanted to dodge but it was already too late.
He could only turn around hastily, cross his hands in front of his chest, and desperately mobilize the spiritual power within his body, trying to form a shield to resist this fierce sword strike.
With a loud "clang" sound, Jiang Li's Molin Sword slashed heavily onto the middle-aged man's shield, sending out a brilliant burst of sparks.
This time, instead of being forced back half a step by the powerful recoil, Jiang Li remained firmly in place. On the contrary, the middle-aged man was shaken backward by this force and fell heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Jiang Li, not willing to let go of this advantage, approached the middle-aged man again like lightning.
He continuously swung the Molin Sword in his hand, and sword shadows filled with spiritual power poured down towards the middle-aged man like rain. Each sword shadow contained a deadly force.
The middle-aged man rolled on the ground in a panic, trying to dodge Jiang Li's attacks that were coming down like rain.
He was extremely terrified in his heart and couldn't figure out how this kid, who had been completely unable to fight back just a moment ago, had become so powerful in the blink of an eye, so powerful that he was completely unable to defend himself.
Just when Jiang Li was about to deliver the final blow to the middle-aged man, suddenly, a loud voice rang out in this open space:"Stop!"
A piece of broken stone hit the swinging Molin Sword, deflecting its direction. The sword just grazed past the middle-aged man's ear, yet the sharp sword qi still cut a wound on his ear, causing a few drops of blood to spill out.
Jiang Li paused his movement and turned his head to look. He saw a middle-aged man dressed in a tight outfit striding out.
This man's eyes were as sharp as lightning, his posture was upright, and there was a faint yet extraordinary aura emanating from him.
Zhao Jiu had been handling affairs in other parts of this stronghold. Suddenly, he sensed a familiar aura, which was the aura of Ling Zuo!
He was greatly shocked in his heart, thinking that he was hallucinating at first. But as the aura became clearer and clearer, he hurriedly rushed towards this place. Coincidentally, he saw Jiang Li was about to deliver a fatal blow to the middle-aged man.
"Who are you, sir? Why do you ask me to stop?" Jiang Li asked with a frown.
Zhao Jiu didn't answer Jiang Li's question immediately. Instead, his eyes were fixed tightly on Jiang Li, and there was a complex look in his eyes, including shock, confusion, and, more than anything else, an indescribable excitement.
"Why... Why do you have the aura of General Ling Zuo on you?" Zhao Jiu asked.
Hearing this, Jiang Li's heart stirred. Remembering the soul fragment of Ling Zuo inside his body, he said,"I once absorbed the soul fragment of Ling Zuo by chance. I thought it had already dissipated long ago. Unexpectedly, at this critical moment today, it played a role again and helped me break through the encirclement."
Zhao Jiu was extremely shocked when he heard this. He knew very well what the soul fragment of General Ling Zuo meant.
Just at this moment, the soul fragment of Ling Zuo inside Jiang Li's body shone even brighter. Suddenly, a light figure flew out of Jiang Li's body and gradually condensed into the appearance of Ling Zuo.
The figure condensed by Ling Zuo's soul looked around, and when seeing those once familiar faces, a trace of relief and emotion flashed in his eyes.
"Brothers, long time no see!" Ling Zuo's voice rang in everyone's ears. Those who had been fleeing in panic just now stopped one after another when they heard this voice and looked at Ling Zuo in astonishment.
"General! Is it really you?" someone asked with a trembling voice.
"It's me. Although I'm already dead, my soul fragment happened to remain in Young Master Jiang Li's body by chance. It had been waiting to come to this place, so it reappeared by borrowing Young Master Jiang Li's body." Ling Zuo said slowly.
Hearing this, everyone's faces showed a look of sorrow and they gathered around one after another.
"General, we've always wanted to avenge you, but we... we're really powerless!" A big man said, unable to hold back his tears.
Ling Zuo waved his hand and said,"I know your intentions. Now that I can no longer fight side by side with you, I hope you can have a good future."
With that, Ling Zuo looked at Jiang Li and said to everyone,"This Young Master Jiang Li is young, but he has a sense of justice in his heart and is quite powerful now. I hope you can follow him and, under his leadership, continue to safeguard the beliefs we once held firmly."
Hearing this, everyone was stunned at first, and then they all turned their eyes to Jiang Li.
They looked at Jiang Li's young yet resolute face. Although they had doubts in their hearts, they trusted Ling Zuo more.
Zhao Jiu was the first to step forward, clasped his fists and said,"Since it's the general's intention, we should naturally obey. Young Master Jiang Li, from now on, you are the hall master of our Greenwood Hall! Your subordinates pay their respects to the hall master."
Seeing this, the others also clasped their fists and saluted one after another, indicating that they were willing to follow Jiang Li's command.