I Can Merge Techniques

"Qing Ling—!!"

A shrill shriek pierced the night sky, filled with despair and venomous hatred.

Zhang Ling’Er caught the corpse of her guard as it was sent flying toward her, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

Steam still billowed from the bloody hole in Qing Ling’s abdomen, and her eyes, wide open even in death, seemed to speak of utter disbelief.

She slowly raised her head, her beautiful face now twisted by a monstrous hatred. Her eyes, crimson as blood, were locked onto the young man holding the long saber.

"Chu Fan! I will tear you limb from limb!"

Before the words even left her mouth, she completely ignored the roaring, howling Mutated Witch and flicked her wrist.

Her longsword, glinting with a frigid light and carrying a bone-chilling killing intent, plunged viciously into the ground at her feet.

"Profound Ice Earth Spike, rise!"

An endless sizzling sound filled the air!

The ground froze in an instant, white frost spreading like lightning.

Countless sharp ice swords burst from the earth like a surging earth-dragon, letting out sky-splitting shrieks as they closed in to annihilate Chu Fan.

Chu Fan’s expression was grim as his footwork became unpredictable.

He executed the Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step, and his figure instantly blurred into a series of residual images, weaving through the dense thicket of ice swords.

Shards of ice flew and a biting Cold Qi filled the air, yet he was like an uncatchable phantom, dodging each fatal strike by a hair’s breadth.

But the earth-dragon of ice swords seemed to have eyes, relentlessly hounding him without letting up.

Everywhere it passed, grass and trees were pulverized, and rockeries crumbled.

Just as Zhang Ling’Er focused all her attention on hunting down Chu Fan, the neglected Mutated Witch suddenly let out a bizarre laugh.

Her killing intent flared, and seeing Zhang Ling’Er’s back wide open, she immediately transformed into a black shadow and pounced, her hook-like claws aimed straight for the heart.

CLANG—!

A crisp, loud sound reverberated through the area.

A cyan shield had automatically appeared to protect its master—it was the Ancient Treasure, the Profound Cyan Shield.

The Witch’s claws could tear through metal and stone, yet when they struck the Profound Cyan Shield, they only managed to stir up ripples of cyan light, failing to break its defense.

What’s more, the battle armor she wore, which flowed with a silvery light, was also an Ancient Treasure.

Therefore, she had no fear of a sneak attack from behind.

"Hmph. You think a monster like you can hurt me?"

Zhang Ling’Er snorted coldly and turned her blade, intending to eliminate the Witch first before killing Chu Fan.

But just as she re-engaged the Witch, a sharp glint flashed in the eyes of Chu Fan, who was still dodging ice swords in the distance.

’This is the moment.’

He abruptly halted and viciously flung his left wrist.

CLATTER!

The Demon-locking Chain coiled around his wrist, which had seemed like a simple ornament, suddenly sprang to life.

The dark iron chain expanded in the wind like a black spirit serpent, instantly shooting through the sky full of ice shards.

It precisely avoided the Witch and slammed right into the hovering Profound Cyan Shield!

CRACK!

CRACK!

The Demon-locking Chain instantly wrapped around the Profound Cyan Shield again and again, locking onto it tightly.

Although the Demon-locking Chain was only a Spirit Soldier, when combined with the Demon-locking Technique—and its Breaking Limit Trait, "Binding Spirit, Solidify"—once it entangled the Profound Cyan Shield, the shield found it impossible to break free!

"Get... over here!"

Chu Fan roared, the veins on his arm bulging as he yanked backward with all his might.

Under the immense force, the Profound Cyan Shield, which had been protecting Zhang Ling’Er from behind, was forcefully ripped away!

"What?!"

Zhang Ling’Er’s face fell in shock.

But before her Divine Thought could recall the Magical Treasure, the Mutated Witch had already sensed its opportunity.

With the Profound Cyan Shield gone, the Witch let out an excited shriek. Black qi swirled around its body as its attacks suddenly grew several times more ferocious.

This time, Zhang Ling’Er completely lost her composure.

She had to divide her attention between controlling the ice swords and guarding against Chu Fan, all while facing this terrifying Witch head-on.

Though she was protected by the Ancient Treasure Battle Armor, each of the Witch’s blows was immensely powerful, shaking her to the core and forcing her into a steady retreat.

Not far away, Zhao Qingyan and the other two Demon Suppression Guards, as well as the three masters from the Six Gates who had been waiting for a chance to act, were all completely dumbfounded.

"This..." Zhao Qingyan’s red lips parted slightly, her face a mask of disbelief.

The situation had changed too quickly.

In the blink of an eye, the three-way melee had turned into a situation completely controlled by Chu Fan, who even seemed to be "assisting" the Witch in besieging Zhang Ling’Er!

"This Chu Fan... he’s so ruthless, his methods so vicious," one of the Six Gates Constables gulped. "He’s trying to kill someone with a borrowed knife."

On the field, Zhang Ling’Er was now disheveled and in a wretched state.

The combat experience she’d gained from family spars seemed so pathetic in the face of a true life-and-death battle.

If not for the protection of her Ancient Treasure Battle Armor, she would have already been torn to pieces by the Witch!

"Damn it! Damn it all! Are you useless trash just going to stand there and watch?!"

Zhang Ling’Er shrieked furiously, but no one dared to respond.

Zhao Qingyan and her two companions were busy maintaining the barrier, and besides, after being called "trash" by her, why would they help?

The few from the Six Gates wanted to help, but What Can I Do? Their strength was too low, and they didn’t dare step forward.

Seeing this, Zhang Ling’Er knew the situation was hopeless. If she didn’t leave now, she would likely die here today!

’That bastard Chu Fan is completely insane...’

Compared to the Witch, Zhang Ling’Er was more willing to believe that Chu Fan was the one who had undergone a Demonic Transformation!

’He... he really would dare to kill me!’

"Cold Ice Prison!"

Zhang Ling’Er thrust out her left hand, furiously burning the Primordial Qi in her body.

The surrounding temperature plummeted to an extreme low as countless streams of Cold Qi gathered madly, instantly enveloping the attacking Witch and freezing it into a giant ball of ice in the blink of an eye.

Seizing this momentary opening, Zhang Ling’Er snatched up Qing Ling’s corpse from the ground. A flash of Spiritual Light appeared at her feet, and she charged toward the edge of the barrier.

At the same time, the Profound Cyan Shield, which had been bound by Chu Fan’s Demon-locking Chain, transformed into a streak of light, escaped, and flew back to her.

Zhao Qingyan, who was maintaining the barrier, frowned slightly but ultimately opened a gap for her.

In the instant before she burst through the barrier, Zhang Ling’Er whipped her head around, her eyes filled with the utmost venom:

"Chu Fan! For the humiliation I suffered today, I will repay you a hundredfold! I’ll remember this debt. Just you wait!"

Her harsh words echoed through the night sky, carrying the unique arrogance and bitterness of a Noble Family Member.

But she never would have imagined that just as she thought she had escaped with her life, believing Chu Fan wouldn’t dare pursue her for fear of her family—