The Prowess of the Northern Five Spears

While Zheng Donglin was still in shock, Fan Ri launched his offensive, his spear stabbing toward Zheng Donglin’s vital points as fast as a lightning bolt.

Zheng Donglin did not dodge; his Bawang Spear performed a similar move, and the two spear shadows collided. At this moment, whoever possessed superior speed and strength would gain the upper hand.

In terms of strength, Zheng Donglin was confident he was second to none, but Fan Ri was no ordinary person. His realm had reached the Eighth Grade; while Zheng Donglin’s strength might not be inferior, their speed was not on the same level.

Sweat beaded on Zheng Donglin’s forehead as he gradually found it difficult to hold his ground. The opponent was indeed very strong—extraordinarily so. His spear was not only terrifyingly powerful but also extremely flexible; he seemed to emphasize unpredictability more than pure strength.

There were times when the opponent's spear coiled like a python, tracing an unpredictable curve that caught Zheng Donglin off guard, allowing Fan Ri to stab him once below the chest.

"I am not his match." Zheng Donglin cautiously retreated.

The opponent's realm was higher than his, and his spear techniques were even more sophisticated. If they only compared strength, he wouldn't lose, but the opponent didn't want to use strength to face him.

"Your spear technique is crude, only knowing how to swing blindly. Is this all you have, Brave Man of Xi Shan?" Fan Ri said indifferently, his spear still held straight.

Despite his words, Fan Ri was also deeply shocked. The opponent was just a young boy; his spear technique was indeed very solid compared to ordinary people, it was just that to him, Zheng Donglin’s technique was still very rudimentary. But the opponent was so young; his potential was immense.

Fan Ri silently concluded that Zheng Donglin was someone with potential who would affect him in the future, and perhaps even the entire Da Li army.

"Cleave!" Zheng Donglin did not lose heart, performing the most powerful move in the basic spear manual.

The air beneath the spear tip was distorted unsightly as the spear cleaved straight down toward Fan Ri. Simultaneously, the spear in Fan Ri’s hand transformed into a coiling dragon soaring upward.

"Dragon's Finger!" Fan Ri’s attack easily shattered Zheng Donglin’s offensive.

"It seems you have only learned basic spear techniques," Fan Ri said with an experienced gaze; with just one look, he knew where Zheng Donglin’s moves originated.

Zheng Donglin’s pupils constricted, and the Green Ox beneath him also sensed a feeling of unease.

"It seems you have just begun learning the spear," Fan Ri guessed from Zheng Donglin’s appearance. Indeed, the opponent was just a boy; how could he have had time to practice more profound spear techniques? But reaching this level was already very formidable.

"Did you teach yourself your spear techniques?" Zheng Donglin asked.

"Naturally, otherwise I wouldn't be worthy of the title Northern Five Spears," Fan Ri replied.

Zheng Donglin’s eyes flashed as he watched the opponent's spear intently, as if trying to steal the moves.

"Dragon's Finger!" Fan Ri shouted, his spear not overwhelming like others, but merely tracing a coiling curve like a life-taking divine dragon.

"Cleave!" Zheng Donglin also shouted simultaneously, the Bawang Spear cleaving accurately toward Fan Ri’s spear.

However, Fan Ri’s spear tip veered to the side, dodging Zheng Donglin’s attack, and then slashed across his body. From Zheng Donglin’s body, a layer of earthy yellow True Qi appeared, helping him neutralize the power of the attack.

"Your True Qi..." Fan Ri was shocked. One must know that normal True Qi was transparent and colorless; only a few rare and special cultivation methods could produce colored True Qi. But that didn't mean Zheng Donglin could block his attack. He guessed that Zheng Donglin’s True Qi specialized in defense.

Zheng Donglin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth; although he had no external wounds, he was shaken, and his internal organs were injured.

"I have it too." Fan Ri’s spear was enveloped by a layer of red True Qi, emitting waves of scorching heat. That was Fire-attribute True Qi, the attribute with the greatest destructive power among the five elements.

Fan Ri’s spear once again transformed into a divine dragon wagging its tail as it slashed, but a moment later, his eyes widened. Unexpectedly, Zheng Donglin’s Bawang Spear made the exact same motion, the spear vaguely taking the shape of a divine dragon.

However, Zheng Donglin’s divine dragon seemed to have just formed, looking much weaker than Fan Ri’s. It was swallowed by Fan Ri’s dragon, and the remaining force slashed across his body.

A wound stretched from his shoulder to his chest; Zheng Donglin looked like a man of blood, fresh blood spraying out. Fortunately, the wound was not too deep and hadn't reached the bone; he had just lost quite a bit of blood.

"Zheng Donglin!" Ding Buling’s group of four noticed the situation was bad and shouted.

"Run!" Zheng Donglin said weakly, lightly patting the Green Ox’s head to give the order.

Ordinary warhorses had no cultivation and could not possibly catch up to the Green Ox, allowing it to break through the encirclement and carry Zheng Donglin away until he vanished.

"He got away." Fan Ri spoke in a deep voice. The opponent could mimic his Dragon's Finger after only a few observations; if Zheng Donglin were left alive, he couldn't imagine how far the opponent would develop in the future.

Fan Ri clenched his fist. Zheng Donglin, I have learned your name. What kind of deity are you to be able to steal my Dragon's Finger? Even if you truly are a deity, I will make sure you die beneath my spear.

"Cough, cough..." Ngao Kieu sat on the ground coughing.

"What are you coughing for?" Fan Ri glared at Ngao Kieu, knowing the opponent was intentionally teasing him to let Zheng Donglin escape. His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of soldiers, following Zheng Donglin’s silhouette.

"The opponent was too strong." Zheng Donglin’s face was now pale, without a drop of blood, as he leaned against the Green Ox to escape.

Enemy soldiers tried to stop him, but the Green Ox’s strength was immense, goring anyone who blocked the path; their fate was only one: internal organs scattered everywhere.

"Retreat!" The sun had begun to set, and the sky was preparing to sink into night; the commanders of both sides gave the order loudly.

The soldiers of both sides stared at each other but dared not disobey the order, quickly returning to their military camps.

"Donglin!" Cheng Xiu carried a wooden sword stained with blood; seeing the Green Ox return with Zheng Donglin covered in blood, he cried out in panic.

"Are you alright?" Ding Buling pushed through the crowd and approached, asking worriedly.

"Squad Leader." Li Xin no longer had his madness from the battlefield; instead, he was timid and shy.

"Hang in there." Su Dongliu walked over, wiped the blood from his longsword, and said.

"I'm fine, go see how Liang is doing," Zheng Donglin said weakly, the Green Ox leading him to where Liang was recovering.

What met their eyes was Liang lying on a cloth on the ground, his eyes watching them.

"Are you alright?" Zheng Donglin asked with a smile, which agitated his wounds and made him grimace in pain.

Looking at Liang now, his entire body was blackened, his frame as stiff as a zombie, and he was wrapped tightly in white bandages like a mummy, which made Zheng Donglin unable to stop himself from laughing.

"Is it funny?" Liang asked coldly, lying stiffly without moving.

"It is funny." Zheng Donglin’s group of four nodded honestly.

"It hurts..." Zheng Donglin grimaced.

"Serves you right," Liang glanced at him.

"You also have a hole in your left chest; why don't I see you complaining?" Ding Buling asked.

"Will complaining help the pain go away?" Liang asked back instead of answering.

"Uh..." Ding Buling was speechless, not knowing how to respond.

Su Dongliu, who always had a cold face, also slightly curled his lips in a smile. Cheng Xiu laughed loudly, while Li Xin shyly covered his mouth and giggled.

"Are these the young heroes who charged in and slaughtered the enemy? I recognize the brother riding the ox, the brother with the bow and arrows, the little brother carrying two great hammers, and the two brothers, one with a sword and one with a blade." At this moment, a bearded soldier with blood-stained bandages on his hand looked at Zheng Donglin’s group with admiration and spoke loudly.

"I, Da Ping, also saw these five brothers charging across the battlefield. The giant of Da Li was killed by the young hero riding the ox!" Zheng Donglin’s group of five looked at each other in surprise. Zheng Donglin was about to speak when another soldier interrupted.

"Haha, not only did you see it, I also saw that little brother carrying two great hammers smashing the enemy until they were terrified!" The words attracted even more people. Another person looked at Li Xin and spoke loudly.

Li Xin blushed in embarrassment, not knowing what to say when a group of large men stared at him with admiring eyes.

Cheng Xiu’s mouth twitched; this person met gods and killed gods on the battlefield, fearing no one, yet now he had such a bashful appearance.

"Young brothers, today we killed so many enemies, and it's all thanks to you. You deserve to be our heroes." A group of wounded soldiers simultaneously cupped their hands and bowed, speaking loudly.

"Everyone..." Zheng Donglin’s group of four was moved and also cupped their hands in return. Only Liang lay there like a mummy, somehow emitting strange "u u" sounds. If one looked closely, they would see his mouth was stuffed with a piece of bandage. He glared at Cheng Xiu; it was this bastard who had stuffed the bandage into his mouth, and his entire body was in too much pain for him to remove it himself.