"Late-stage fourth level Qi Cultivation, a perfected Geng Metal Finger, this level of power could be considered top-notch in the entire Dongwu Market, right?" Xu Ping smiled at the corner of his mouth.
Dongwu Market had numerous cultivators, numbering in the tens of thousands.
Early-stage Qi cultivators made up sixty to seventy percent, mid-stage was only about twenty to thirty percent, and as for late-stage Qi cultivators, at most there were a hundred or so.
With Xu Ping's current strength, although he didn't dare to claim he could kill late-stage Qi cultivators, he could certainly leave mid-stage ones unrecognizable even to their own mothers.
Of course, not all mid-stage Qi cultivators are on the same level, just as people should not be generalized.
A loose cultivator who struggles daily in Dongwu Market for a living certainly cannot compare to a sect cultivator who has received systematic training.
The former might have more combat experience, but the latter surpasses in equipment, attack techniques, and cultivation knowledge.
"Since there's no need to water the spiritual field now, it's a bit idle. I'll go to the market tomorrow to buy a sword and start practicing swordsmanship, and perhaps find a comprehensive magic book to learn other spells." After admiring the panel for a while, Xu Ping silently closed it.
Stretching lazily, Xu Ping walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner for himself.
After eating, he habitually went to the bedroom to cultivate.
At that moment, a knock on the door suddenly sounded outside.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Fellow Daoist Xu, are you home?"
"So late? Who could it be?"
Xu Ping got out of bed and opened the door, and was greeted by the sight of the beautiful Lv Liu, standing quietly at the door.
Her close-fitting dress outlined her elegant curves. The thin fabric gently swayed in the breeze, with the hem embroidered with exquisite patterns, vivid in color, enhancing her jade-like delicate skin.
"Fellow Daoist Lv? So late, what brings you here?" Xu Ping asked curiously.
"My house... huh?"
"Fellow Daoist Xu, you've broken through to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation?" Lv Liu looked at Xu Ping in surprise.
"Just lucky, I only barely broke through yesterday." Xu Ping replied modestly.
"Don't be so modest; Fellow Daoist Xu is so young and already mid-stage Qi Cultivation, really admirable." Lv Liu's eyes sparkled with admiration.
The gaze of a charming female cultivator filled with admiration naturally stirred Xu Ping's heart.
He forced himself to suppress the eagerness in his heart, asking again, "Fellow Daoist Lv, is there something you need from me?"
"There's something strange in my house, always making weird noises, and my husband is out hunting demons, so I'm scared alone. Can Fellow Daoist Xu come and help me take a look?"
Her voice carried a hint of tremor, as if she had thought of something horrifying, her expression turned timid.
"Strange noises?"
Xu Ping frowned, immediately suspecting whether it could be the doing of a Demon Beast.
"Fellow Daoist Lv, are you sure there are strange sounds at your place?"
"Really, I've heard it more than once. It seems like some kind of wild beast. It sounds terrifying, and my heart is still pounding." Lv Liu's eyebrows drooped as her delicate, fair hand rested on her chest.
Xu Ping furrowed his brows even tighter. Lv Liu's words strengthened his belief that it must be some sort of Demon Beast.
After hesitating for a moment, he decided to go with Lv Liu to take a look.
After all, it was to return the favor of the Demon Beast Flesh she had given him before.
However, previously, he wouldn't have gone, but now after breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation, his strength had increased significantly. He could even contest with late-stage Qi cultivators.
This gave him confidence.
"Fellow Daoist Lv, lead the way, I'll accompany you to check it out." Xu Ping said calmly after a moment of silence.
"Really? Thank you so much, Fellow Daoist Xu!" Lv Liu's jade-like hand involuntarily clung to the edge of Xu Ping's garment, her eyes showing intense joy.
"No need to be so polite, neighbors should help each other." Xu Ping nonchalantly pulled away from Lv Liu.
"Then let's go." Lv Liu didn't mind and led Xu Ping towards her home.
Before long, the two arrived at Lv Liu's house.
"It's inside." Lv Liu pushed the door open and went inside the room first.
Xu Ping followed closely.
The room was pitch dark, like a giant abyss devouring everything.
Just as Xu Ping stepped over the threshold, a glint of ghostly light appeared silently from the darkness, shooting straight at his head.
The light was like a snake sticking out its tongue, carrying a cold intent to kill.
Keen intuition screamed warnings incessantly, a strong sense of crisis instantly enveloped Xu Ping's heart!
Xu Ping's heart almost seized, nearly leaping out of his chest.
Without time to think, he pushed against the door frame with his palm, shifting his body slightly.
In this way, that ghostly light naturally missed.
Shooting straight into the wall, revealing a small section of a silvery needle tip, remarkably a sneakily crafted flying needle!
"Who is it?" Xu Ping broke out in a cold sweat.
That was close, just a little more, and he would have been dead!
If it weren't for his improved reaction speed from practicing the Nourishing Life Skill, he would have been unable to dodge it.
"You brat, quite sharp, to dodge my Soul-Breaking Needle?"
A chilling voice came from the shadows, carrying a hint of mockery and contempt.
Looking towards the voice, Xu Ping, under the moonlight, identified his attacker. It was Zhao Tao.
"It's you!" His face changed dramatically, realizing that this was all a trap set by Zhao Tao and Lv Liu.
"He has broken through to the fourth level of Qi Cultivation, make it quick!" Lv Liu's voice was cold as ice.
"Don't worry, he can't escape our grasp!" Zhao Tao sneered, forming a seal with his magic technique.
Pu! Pu! Pu!
Out of nowhere, several yard-long earth spikes emerged under Xu Ping's feet, aiming to pierce his body instantly.
Yet it was as if his feet had eyes.
His body soared and shifted, narrowly evading the spikes that appeared in succession.
These sudden earth spikes were clearly premeditated.
"Body Refining Cultivator?"
Zhao Tao's face changed; ordinary magic cultivators don't have such quick reflexes.
Seeing this, Lv Liu's expression changed slightly, instantly ceasing to conceal her cultivation, her aura climbing rapidly, reaching the fifth level of Qi Cultivation.
She immediately summoned a flying shuttle magical artifact.
Whiz!
A flash of cold light, the flying shuttle slashed towards Xu Ping in a blink.
Xu Ping fiercely slapped his storage bag at his waist, summoning an ash-yellow shield, which swelled in the wind like a stone wall, blocking in front of him.
Turtle Spirit Armor.
This was the lower-grade defensive magical artifact he had bought at the Hundred Refining Workshop!
With a "clang", the flying shuttle scored a groove on the Rock Shield, sparks flying, the sharp screech of friction echoing, barely holding back the attack.
Xu Ping breathed a sigh of relief, but the situation was still dangerous. Once Zhao Tao made his move, it would be even more perilous.
Thus, he unleashed his full force in a Geng Metal Finger towards Zhao Tao.
Whoosh!
A golden beam of energy slashed through the sky like lightning, hurtling towards Zhao Tao.
Seeing this, Zhao Tao's mouth curled into a cold smirk, summoning a mass of black thread.
The black thread expanded dramatically into a dense black net, spanning a yard wide, swirling a gray whirlwind to meet the Geng Metal Finger.
This black net was a mid-grade magical artifact, both offensive and defensive, purchased at great cost.
Activated by his sixth-level Qi Cultivation, it couldn't be matched by a mere spell.
Zhao Tao's face was feral, seemingly seeing Xu Ping wrapped by the net, turning into a pool of blood in an instant.