Lin Tian held the shuttle-shaped magic tool in his hands. Although it appeared ordinary, measuring only six inches and four-tenths long, weighing about fifty pounds, and shaped like a shuttle with a rounded tip, the surface had a faint bluish-gray sheen and was incredibly smooth to the touch. Initially, he hadn't expected much from it, thinking it was merely a mid-grade magic tool that might be somewhat useful but not something he planned to rely on.
However, when he infused his magical power into it, a pleasant surprise followed. Inside the shuttle-shaped magic tool, there was an intricate spiritual magic network that allowed the magical power to flow smoothly through it, with channels that seemed ready to channel power at any moment. This discovery greatly pleased Lin Tian, but what excited him even more was that this tool also contained a small explosive rune. This rune, when activated by an influx of magical power, could trigger an explosion similar to the divine thunder, which was formidable in its own right.
Even better, with the spiritual magic network, Lin Tian only needed to inject a small amount of magical power to control the tool. Although it was a low-tier substitute for a flying sword, it was more suited to him at his current power level. After all, with his limited cultivation, even a low-grade flying sword would be difficult to control, whereas this low-tier magic tool was far more agile and manageable.
As Lin Tian continued to pour more magical power into the shuttle-shaped tool, it began to tremble slightly before slowly lifting off the ground and flying around him in circles. With the technique from the Spirit Martial Scripture for controlling magical tools, he quickly got the hang of it, and within moments, he was able to maneuver the tool with ease.
When Lin Tian directed the tool toward a large tree with a trunk three feet in diameter, he accelerated his magical power. The shuttle-shaped tool shot through the tree's trunk like an arrow, piercing through to the other side, before flying back to his hand. Though it was slower than a flying sword, its speed and penetration power were still impressive. In terms of modern Earth time, the process took only 0.01 seconds—an almost lightning-fast action.
Holding the promising shuttle-shaped magic tool, Lin Tian's eyes gleamed with excitement. He muttered to himself, "From now on, you'll be called 'Life-and-Death Shuttle.'"
Just as he was reveling in his success, the voice of the strange serpent echoed in his mind: "Not bad for someone skilled in both martial arts and magic. Looks like choosing you as a partner was a wise decision."
"Thanks, Purple Lightning," Lin Tian replied confidently. "With these magic tools, our chances of success have certainly increased." At this moment, he was no longer afraid. Even without magic tools, he had confidence in defeating lower-level Qi Refining practitioners and might even be able to kill a mid-stage practitioner with a surprise attack. Now, armed with these powerful tools and aided by the Purple Lightning Serpent, he felt that even against higher-level practitioners, there was a chance. However, he was still cautious about facing peak Qi Refining experts.
The serpent, however, didn't like being addressed as "Snake Brother" and grumbled in his mind, "From now on, call me Purple Lightning. I don't like the term 'Snake Brother.'"
Lin Tian sighed inwardly. The serpent's massive size and iron-gray scales hardly seemed fitting for the name "Purple Lightning," but he decided not to dwell on it, simply nodding in acknowledgment.
On the way back to the valley, Lin Tian cast aside his remaining doubts. He realized that the Zhao family members were not as benign as they seemed, and they were looking for something in the valley. What had started as a plan to cause some trouble now seemed like a chance to team up with the Purple Lightning Serpent to kill them and take whatever magic tools or treasures they had.
Though this wasn't the most righteous path, Lin Tian knew that to quickly grow stronger, he had to take risks. After all, to seek vengeance and survive, he needed to become much more powerful.
"Survival of the fittest, elimination of the weak—that's the way of the world," he thought grimly. The grudge against the old man Lei lingered in his mind, and he remained wary of the future. The Spirit Martial Scripture made him a target for many factions, and without growing stronger, his life could be in constant danger.
Only by reaching the Breaking Void and Shattering Virtuality stage might he truly have a chance to protect himself. But even then, he would never be entirely safe, as there were many hidden powers across the Three Realms and Four Domains, and even experts at the Breaking Void stage couldn't be sure of their survival.
As night fell, the beasts in the valley began to stir. The Purple Lightning Serpent signaled the already tamed Six-Limbed Crocodile to enter the valley, and Lin Tian lay quietly on its broad back, hiding his aura and waiting silently. Meanwhile, the Windstorm Golden Striped Leopard began heading toward the mountain cave now occupied by the Zhao family, preparing for an ambush.
The Zhao family soon realized the threat posed by the Golden Striped Leopard. Zhao Kun, the younger brother of the current head of the Zhao family, immediately sprang into action, leading a group to confront the leopard. However, the Golden Striped Leopard, sensing danger, quickly retreated and prepared to flee.
"Trying to run? Too late!" Zhao Kun sneered, his body shooting out like an arrow, moving so fast that he nearly matched the speed of the Windstorm Golden Striped Leopard.
However, the Golden Striped Leopard was no ordinary beast. Despite lacking intelligence, it was highly sensitive to danger. Without hesitation, it turned and fled, knowing its best chance of survival was to escape.