With Benjamin Patel's current strength, killing ordinary third-level cultivators would only take two or three spells at most. Yet, after his exchange with Leaf Gray, he had already lost count of how many spells he had cast.

What surprised him even more was that this Mountain-Passing Tiger could actually use Spirit Patterns in battle!

Studying Spirit Patterns is several times more difficult than mastering spells because constructing a Spirit Pattern is a delicate task. The slightest error leads to failure, let alone activating a Spirit Pattern during combat.

Generally, only quite experienced Spirit Pattern Masters possess such capability.

But how old is Leaf Gray?

Through observation, he determined that Leaf Gray had mastered a defensive Spirit Pattern. That Spirit Pattern could block the attacks of his Ice Dagger technique and was activated at will...

This discovery inevitably made Benjamin Patel drop his contempt. What those Shixiong said before he left was indeed correct: one must not be careless outside, nor underestimate any enemy. Others might have opened fewer Spirit Apertures than oneself, and their methods might be less varied, but that single skill of Spirit Pattern technique was not something ordinary people possessed.

However, instead of retreating because of this, Benjamin Patel's fighting spirit soared. During his training sessions in the outer circles recently, the people he encountered couldn't stir his fighting spirit. It was rare to meet such a well-matched opponent; how could he miss it?

Just as his thoughts were churning, a bright blade light suddenly flashed ahead, accompanied by a cracking sound. A large block of ice was split open, and from the gap, a figure charged forth like a gust of wind.

The Ice Prison technique was broken just like that? Benjamin Patel wore an expression of shock. It wasn't ordinary ice, but a spell, a technique he had constructed based on the Icicle spell. Even though it hadn't managed to trap Leaf Gray, it shouldn't have been broken so easily.

This made him realize one thing: the spirit tool longsword in Leaf Gray's hand was extraordinary. He definitely couldn't withstand a slash like that!

Spiritual power surged, and spells rose again, striking headlong towards Leaf Gray one after another.

Leaf Gray charged forward fiercely. This time, he neither used his sword to slash apart those spells nor dodged them. Instead, he bulldozed through recklessly. All the incoming spells were blocked by him using the Defensive Spirit Pattern.

In the dark tunnel, light continuously bloomed, and the distance between them rapidly closed.

Benjamin Patel's eyelids twitched, cursing inwardly that Leaf Gray was indeed a brainless brute.

But undeniably, this brute's response was flustering him a bit.

In confrontations between weapon cultivators and spell cultivators, keeping distance is the spell cultivator's domain. But once closed in, spell cultivators usually don't end well.

In just three breaths, Leaf Gray closed to within two zhang of Benjamin Patel. The longsword in his hand flashed with light, and as his figure advanced, he swung a slash.

Benjamin Patel hastily retreated. But just then, Evie emerged from behind him again, her form quickly solidifying as she raised a hand and slapped it onto Benjamin Patel's shoulder.

Benjamin Patel was scared out of his wits. However, he soon realized this palm strike didn't have much killing power; it was easily blocked by his protective spiritual power.

A bright spiritual light suddenly erupted from his back. This light was extremely sharp, like sharp spikes stabbing into his back. Evie, who had just slapped him, cried out in pain and flashed away.

But with this obstruction from her, Benjamin Patel was already unable to avoid the attack!

If it were an attack from another third-level cultivator, Benjamin Patel would still be confident in blocking it with his own protective spiritual power. But having witnessed Leaf Gray's ferocity in breaking the Ice Prison technique, how dare he be overconfident?

"Mist Shield!" he shouted low, spiritual power surging, immediately enveloping his body in a layer of misty spiritual power.

Leaf Gray's downward slash, even enhanced with sharpness, actually failed to break through the Mist Shield's defense. He felt as if he had chopped into rubber; the longsword cut in but got stuck inside.

Benjamin Patel retreated while raising a hand to point at Leaf Gray, gritting his teeth and saying, "Golden Arc!"

Now it was Leaf Gray's turn to be unable to avoid it. The golden crescent-shaped strike hit Leaf Gray squarely in the chest. However, before that, he had already activated a Defensive Spirit Pattern to protect his front.

Leaf Gray swung his sword again, slashing down fiercely.

"Icicle!"

"Wind Blade!"

"Thunder Halberd!"

Benjamin Patel's angry shouts continuously echoed in the tunnel, accompanied by his cries, spells of different attributes were constantly activated, striking Leaf Gray's chest with loud thuds.

He seemed full of momentum, yet he was stepping back step by step, all because Leaf Gray pressed forward slash by slash. The Mist Shield on his body even began to show signs of dispersing.

"I don't believe you can maintain such a Spirit Pattern forever!" Benjamin Patel roared while exchanging blows with Leaf Gray. Although he was shocked that Leaf Gray could use Spirit Patterns in battle, activating Spirit Patterns consumed a lot of energy. As long as Leaf Gray's spiritual power was exhausted, then he could win!

That brute opposite him was like a mute, not saying a word, his slashes becoming increasingly fierce.

A moment later, the corner of Benjamin Patel's eye began to twitch and spasm. He felt the situation was not looking good.

Leaf Gray consuming energy to activate Spirit Patterns had a cost, and Benjamin Patel consuming energy to cast spells also had a cost. His spiritual power reserve was indeed greater than Leaf Gray's, but he cast more spells, and because he had to guard against Evie, he maintained the Mist Shield technique constantly, which consumed even more energy.

If this exchange of attacks continued, it was truly hard to say who would hold out first.

His mind racing, Benjamin Patel roared, "White Blaze!"

As he raised his hand, a spirit talisman appeared between his fingers. Spiritual power poured into it...

Leaf Gray felt he was about to reach his limit. His fight with Benjamin Patel hadn't been long, at most half the time of one cup of tea. Yet, in this short time, eighty percent of his spiritual power was already gone...

This was the most intense battle he had encountered so far, and his opponent was only a second-level cultivator.

Therefore, when Benjamin Patel shouted "White Blaze," he knew there was trickery involved. His figure abruptly leaped backward, and at the same time, he reached for his storage bag, his fingers pinching a spirit talisman.

Their eyes met, each momentarily stunned. As spiritual power surged, the two talismans simultaneously bloomed with light.

Water Spears appeared instantly, three of them in a triangular formation assaulting Leaf Gray. Fire Snakes surged, swaying as they burned towards Benjamin Patel.

With a loud boom, the tunnel shook violently, and rubble fell rustling down.

The collision of water and fire instantly generated a large amount of high-temperature gas in the tunnel. Spiritual light flickered on Leaf Gray and Benjamin Patel as both were sent flying by the powerful impact.

Each cursed inwardly, "Little cheater!", then stood up, covered in dust.

By the time Leaf Gray lifted his sword and chased over, Benjamin Patel had already escaped the tunnel. Turning his head, he shot a spirit talisman towards Leaf Gray.

Leaf Gray ducked his head. The talisman exploded into a sky full of golden light, blasting the surrounding ground pockmarked.

Looking again, Benjamin Patel had already run far away. Leaf Gray gave chase at full speed. Amber also caught up from behind. Leaf Gray flipped onto the tiger's back, and his speed increased sharply.

Benjamin Patel, fleeing, glanced back and was so angry his nose crooked. Seeing that he couldn't escape, he simply stopped running. Turning around to face Leaf Gray, he held a spirit talisman in each hand. He slapped one onto himself, immediately enveloping himself in a solid layer of golden light.

This was a Golden Body Talisman, and its quality seemed quite good. At the same time, he threw the other talisman towards Leaf Gray.

Leaf Gray leaped out from the tiger's back, slashing with his sword at the incoming attack, while instructing Amber, "Stay far away."

The huge impact force made him fall to the ground, his whole body aching. As soon as he stood up, he saw Benjamin Patel standing boldly in place, provocatively curling a finger at him, saying, "Come!"

Leaf Gray, without a word, took out a Golden Body Talisman from his storage bag and slapped it onto himself...

Benjamin Patel couldn't help but sigh. The opponent's financial resources... seemed no weaker than his own.