Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Qin Lu was on his way back.

He walked to the western edge of the market, near the city wall.

Hiss!

A faint sound suddenly came from around the corner ahead.

Qin Lu’s heart skipped a beat. He stopped dead in his tracks and glanced cautiously toward the sound.

“Trying to sneak away after stealing something? Surround him!”

A loud shout erupted from around the corner, and three figures leaped out, blocking Qin Lu’s path.

At the same moment, footsteps sounded behind him. Two men and one woman, who had been disguised as ordinary passersby, burst out from the roadside.

Front and back, they had him completely surrounded.

“You little thief! You stole my pills—hand them over now!”

The leader, a burly man clad in a tiger-skin coat and mink fur, pointed an angry finger at Qin Lu and bellowed.

This sudden scene startled the bystanders, who quickly retreated to watch from a safe distance.

Qin Lu frowned deeply and said in a low voice, “Fellow Daoist, please don’t speak nonsense. I’ve never met you, let alone taken your pills.”

“You still dare to deny it? I just bought several pills, and now they’re all gone! Only you were near me—who else could have stolen them?” the burly man roared.

“You brat! How dare you lay your hands on the Feiyun Gang! Hand over all your money immediately, or you’ll die right here!”

“That’s right! Surrender all your Spirit Stones and pills!”

The two men standing beside the burly leader joined in, shouting threats loudly.

Six pairs of eyes glared menacingly at Qin Lu.

Inside, Qin Lu sneered coldl. His spiritual energy stirred instantly, flowing into his eyes and causing them to glow faintly.

Heavenly Eye Technique!

One at Qi Condensation Level 7, two at Qi Condensation Level 6, three at Qi Condensation Level 5…

In an instant, this information flashed clearly through Qin Lu’s mind.

After so much time spent practicing, he had already mastered the Heavenly Eye Technique to the Expert level. With this upgrade, the technique’s power had increased dramatically. Even though Qin Lu was only at Qi Condensation Level 5, careful observation allowed him to discern the exact cultivation level of even those at the late Qi Condensation stage.

Armed with this information, Qin Lu spread his hands and declared loudly, “Everyone, I haven’t stolen anything from your Feiyun Gang. You must be mistaken. Why don’t we part ways peacefully today?”

“Bullshit! Refuse to hand over your money, and you die!” the burly man snarled, drawing his magical artifact.

Hearing this, Qin Lu’s eyes flashed with a fierce glare. He said in a deep voice, “I think you’re the one who wants to die…”

“Bold! Kill him!” The burly man swung his blade forward with a roar.

The other five men quickly drew their artifacts and launched their attack.

“Then come and try!”

Qin Lu, who had been fully prepared, snapped his fingers, bursting a Body Protection Shield.

Whoosh!

An instant silver aura enveloped his entire body.

Boom!

Qin Lu took a swift step forward, immediately activating the Soft Wind Technique to narrowly dodge two beams of light.

Bang!

He leaped high into the air, soaring five or six meters, his fist instantly ablaze as he swung forcefully at the three attackers charging toward him.

A massive ball of flame, like a giant boulder, shot forth from his fist!

Fire Fist!

The fireball was three or four meters in diameter—as large as a small truck—and hurtled downward with astonishing speed.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rang out. Its terrifying destructive force shattered the protective shields of two opponents and claimed their lives in an instant.

Only the burly leader at Qi Condensation Level 7 managed to escape unscathed thanks to his quick reflexes.

“What the hell was that?!”

“Is that… a Fireball Technique?”

“No way! How could a Fireball Technique be this huge?”

This scene left every cultivator present utterly astonished. Even the Loose Cultivators watching from afar were dumbfounded. They had never seen such a powerful Fireball Technique before.

Bang!

As Qin Lu landed back on the ground, he felt his body jolt, stumbling as if someone had forcefully shoved him from behind. The transparent shield around him wobbled violently.

Qin Lu turned around and saw a beautiful female cultivator holding a magical artifact, staring at him nervously from a short distance away. That strike had come from her hand.

“Hmph!”

A cruel glint flashed in Qin Lu’s eyes. He turned and raised his finger to shoot.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three consecutive shots of the Finger Flick Technique!

Precise gusts of wind struck directly against the woman’s protective shield. The first two blows shattered the barrier, and the final blow took half her head clean off.

Her body went limp, collapsing to the ground.

In just a few breaths, three of the six attackers had already met their gruesome ends.

“Keep going! One person can’t take us all!” the burly man shouted in fury.

The remaining three were hardened killers who had survived countless life-or-death battles. At the leader’s urging, they instantly snapped out of their shock, drawing swords and knives as they closed in on Qin Lu.

Seeing the enemy approach rapidly, Qin Lu swiftly drew the Shangqing Sword from his waist.

Ducking to one side, he evaded a streaking magical attack, then sneered. “Come on!”

Since upgrading his swordsmanship to the Expert level, his bladework had become extraordinary, each move exuding the grace of a grandmaster.

Clang!

Qin Lu raised his sword to block the burly man’s massive blade.

The strength of a Qi Condensation Level 7 cultivator was immense; an ordinary Level 5 cultivator surely couldn’t withstand such a blow. But Qin Lu’s bones shifted ever so slightly, his muscles stretching in a way that deftly dissipated the force with uncanny precision.

“What… what is this?!”

This sight left the burly man utterly stunned.

But Qin Lu had no intention of explaining. With a twist of his body, the enhanced speed of the Soft Wind Technique kicked in, allowing him to dodge the magical attacks from the two men behind him.

Then he swung his sword!

Sizzle!

The sword tip plunged straight into one man’s brow, taking his life instantly.

“Agh! You son of a bitch!”

The man beside him, seeing his companion fall, screamed madly and slammed his magical artifact into Qin Lu.

Bang!

The attack struck the protective shield, causing it to tremble violently.

But Qin Lu’s crafted Body Protection Shield was of exceptionally high quality. Though its color had dimmed considerably, it remained steadfast.

Seeing this, Qin Lu swung his long sword in a sweeping arc.

Clang!

The man’s defensive shield blocked the attack. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief—

Bang! Bang!

Qin Lu fired two more shots of the Finger Flick Technique, shattering the shield instantly. Then he thrust his long sword again, piercing straight into the man’s throat.

Within moments, two more lives were claimed.

Seeing that only the burly leader remained, Qin Lu felt his heart settle. He turned sharply—

But to his surprise, the burly man now wore a look of terror and was turning to flee.

How could Qin Lu let him live? With a single step, he pursued at a speed far surpassing that of an ordinary Qi Condensation Level 5 cultivator.

He used the Finger Flick Technique once more, sending the burly man crashing to the ground.

“Mercy… mercy!”

The man waved his hands frantically, begging for his life, his movements clumsy with fear.

But once Qin Lu had made his move, there was no room for mercy.

Bang!

With a blank expression, he blasted the burly man’s head apart.

Having killed the last attacker, Qin Lu looked around, his vigilant expression unwavering.

Perhaps because the loose cultivators were too cautious, none dared approach. They all stood at a distance, staring at Qin Lu in stunned silence.

Qin Lu withdrew his gaze and sheathed his long sword.

After a moment’s thought, he crouched down and began searching the bodies. Before long, he had collected all the valuables into his Storage Bag, then turned and strode away without looking back.