Chapter 146: 140, [Star Skill: Holding Shield][Star Skill: Wearing Armor] (Please subscribe to a monthly pass)
BANG!
The gunshot echoed again, but Lu Lin had already predicted it and dodged with Inch Step. He was now rapidly approaching Mi Yan.
Mi Yan grinned when he saw this, his left hand pointing at Lu Lin. "Yellow Sand! Sandstorm!"
A fierce wind howled, and in an instant, a dense sand fog enveloped the space between Heaven and Earth. This was Mi Yan’s ultimate combination. He looked like a Star Core Warrior, but he was actually a sharpshooter. All his Star Skills served his marksmanship: Sandstorm was to confuse the enemy’s Perception; Yellow Sand was to slow their speed; Sand Erosion was to rapidly dehydrate them, reducing their physical strength. These three Star Skills were Mi Yan’s most frequently used techniques, and their combined power was immense. After that, all he had to do was raise his shotgun, aim, and pull the trigger.
However, Mi Yan never expected that when it came to manipulating sand, Lu Lin was practically his ancestor. Lu Lin had not only constructed his own Desert Star Power Domain but had also entered it multiple times. Furthermore, when facing the Artist, Lu Lin had sealed the domain, preventing anyone from leaving. Even without Sand Class Talent, his familiarity with and control over the desert were no weaker than Mi Yan’s.
A faint smile touched Lu Lin’s lips. He took a step forward and suddenly appeared outside the Sandstorm’s reach. To Mi Yan’s utter disbelief, Lu Lin also extended a hand toward him. "Swamp!"
Mi Yan felt himself sinking. An illusion? He looked down; a dark, muddy swamp had indeed appeared beneath his feet. Mi Yan tried to pull his feet out, but he couldn’t.
Who is this young man? Why does he know so many Star Skills? But Mi Yan had no time to think further. Lu Lin had already reached him. "Earth Shattering!"
As Lu Lin threw the punch, he suddenly felt a vicious gust of wind brush past him. Not good! Suspended in mid-air with no leverage, Lu Lin could only activate Stone Skin.
BOOM!
A fist slammed into Lu Lin’s left ribs. But it wasn’t Mi Yan. Nor was it Jin Dun or Bai Lang; those two were still out cold on the ground. That’s not right. There’s someone else here! But I can’t see them.
The blow sent Lu Lin crashing heavily to the ground. Fortunately, Stone Skin had protected him, and his injuries weren’t serious. "Who is it?" Lu Lin roared, simultaneously pushing his Perception Star Skill to its limit.
"Sir, you’re here," Mi Yan said respectfully from where he was trapped in the swamp.
The air was silent. Lu Lin still couldn’t sense any trace of this new foe, but another attack was already coming. He rolled aside, dodging it. His heart pounded. Whoever is attacking me can definitely turn invisible. But why can’t my Perception Star Skill detect them? Could this invisible person have some way to block Perception?
Lu Lin crouched, his expression tense.
From the swamp, Mi Yan laughed. "Sir, I’ll conceal your presence. Enjoy the hunt! Yellow Sand! Sandstorm! Sand Erosion!"
A yellowish sand fog once again filled Lu Lin’s vision, and sand grains worked their way into his clothes. Mouth dry! Dodge!
BANG!
Just as Lu Lin felt his mouth go dry from dehydration, another attack came. Fortunately, he was on full alert and detected the attack just before it landed.
After three consecutive attacks, Lu Lin noticed something. The opponent seemed skilled in unarmed combat but used no weapons. Is it that they can’t use weapons, don’t want to, or... aren’t allowed to?
Since his eyes were useless, Lu Lin closed them. He trusted his Perception. He *had* to trust his Perception. Star Skills grew stronger with use. A Star Core Warrior couldn’t expect to comprehend suitable Star Skills with every promotion. Jin Dun’s Hardening Star Skill, for example, was significantly different in strength and coverage compared to the Hardening Lu Lin had helped others awaken through Guiding. Now, he had to continuously use his Perception Star Skill.
Yellow sand danced in the air, pressing in from all sides. Special sand grains, mixed with the ordinary yellow sand, found their way into his collar and cuffs. As soon as these special sand grains touched Lu Lin’s skin, they began to leach the moisture from his body. A dry mouth and throat were just the beginning. The longer the Sand Erosion affected him, the more severe his dehydration would become, leading to dizziness, slowed reflexes, and muscle Weakness. At that point, even without the invisible attacker, Mi Yan could easily defeat him.
I can’t let this go on, Lu Lin thought, growing anxious. Yet, he still hadn’t found any trace of the invisible person. It’s like they’ve vanished into this endless sandstorm.
BANG!
Just as Lu Lin was trying to sense his foe, a fist suddenly connected with his head. The punch came without warning, as if thrown from point-blank range. Although he sensed it the instant the fist flew, his nerves couldn’t react in time to defend. Lu Lin’s head snapped back. Then, a kick landed on his stomach, the force sending him flying backward to crash heavily on the ground.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Even with Stone Skin’s protection, the attacker’s blows were powerful. Lu Lin gasped for breath, his chest aching from the coughs. But there was no time to recover; the enemy was attacking again.
"Swamp! Swamp! Swamp! Swamp!..."
Lu Lin unleashed a dozen Swamp Star Skills in rapid succession, hoping to reveal his attacker. But he couldn’t tell if they were standing still or had dodged the areas. Over a dozen swampy pits appeared, but to no effect. Lu Lin felt incredibly frustrated, wishing he could just play his trump card and finish this. But a trump card was most effective when used at the last possible moment, when the opponent least expected it. He didn’t want to reveal it so easily.
Perception... Perception... Work harder! Lu Lin screamed inwardly. Suddenly, a shield materialized on his left arm.
[Star Skill: Holding Shield]
[Introduction: Use Star Power to condense an indestructible shield; can be repaired (Active Skill).]
[Note: Hold up a shield for her, ensuring her safety.]
This Star Skill was one Guan Yue had helped him awaken through Guiding back on Saturn. It also had a complementary Star Skill.
There! I sense them! Lu Lin finally pinpointed his attacker. They were less than 1.5 meters tall, burly, and moved with a strange gait. But their strangeness doesn’t matter. Now that he had located them, Lu Lin wouldn’t let them escape. He feigned ignorance, cautiously approaching their position, his expression carefully maintained—a look of caution, prudence, and hesitation.
Suddenly, when Lu Lin was just three steps away and the invisible person readied their attack, an enclosure sprang up around them. It was as if a small house had instantly materialized, trapping them inside.
Their vision went dark, and the invisible person instinctively punched at whatever was confining them. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! But no matter how hard they struck, the enclosure remained undamaged.
Lu Lin smiled.
[Star Skill: Wearing Armor]
[Introduction: Use Star Power to condense a suit of indestructible armor; can be repaired (Active Skill).]
[Note: Wrap her in armor, ensuring her safety.]
Wearing Armor and Holding Shield were the two Earth Element Star Skills Guan Yue had helped him awaken before leaving Saturn. He hadn’t expected them to be so useful here. Lu Lin wasn’t sure why he had comprehended these particular Star Skills; perhaps it was because he was an Earth Warrior. It seemed his duty to protect teammates on the Exotic Battlefield in the future was unavoidable. For now, though, he needed to deal with this invisible person.
BANG!
Just as Lu Lin let his guard down slightly, Mi Yan, who had been quiet, made his move. Black smoke billowed from the muzzle of his special Double-Barrel Shotgun. A bullet capable of killing a Level 4 Star Core Fighter sped towards Lu Lin. The distance was too short; Lu Lin couldn’t dodge. "Stone Skin!"
The bullet struck Lu Lin’s left arm, unleashing immense kinetic energy. Instantly, his arm was shredded, exposing white bone. Fortunately, Lu Lin had cultivated the Golden Body Sutra; although his skin and muscle were blasted away, the exposed bone stopped the bullet. Cold sweat beaded on Lu Lin’s forehead. Yet, he didn’t turn to deal with Mi Yan. It was better to eliminate the invisible threat first. As if feeling no pain, he used Star Power to temporarily staunch the bleeding from his arm and strode towards the invisible person trapped within the heavy armor. "Seize the Gap!"
Lu Lin wielded his broken knife like a sword, thrusting it through a gap in the heavy armor.
"ARRRGH—" A cry that didn’t sound human erupted.
From his right hand gripping the broken knife, Lu Lin suddenly felt a surge of... Star Power. And Life Energy!
What is...? Before he could fully process it, he saw his left arm, mangled by Mi Yan’s shot, rapidly healing. The bullet lodged in the bone dislodged itself as easily as spitting out a date pit and clattered to the ground. Star Power and Life Energy continued to flow into him through the hilt of the broken knife.