Mortals cultivate immortality, I have a Chaos Tower

Lin Fan stood in front of the Bluestone Pass, his eyes fixed on the Skystone Shield in Shi Jian's hand. The surface of the shield glowed with an ancient and steady brilliance, and the runes flowed slowly like a tide, as if silently absorbing the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, adding infinite defensive power to the shield.

"Brother Lin, it seems that this battle is not easy." Jin Buke stood aside, tightening his grip on the sword, with a solemn look on his face.

"That's right, this Sky Stone Shield is indeed the most precious treasure of Longquanzhou." Lin Fan's eyes were cold, and he gently raised the Qiankun Axe in his hand. He knew that it would not be wise to underestimate such an opponent.

However, he is also Lin Fan, and no difficulties or obstacles can stop him.

"Hah!" Lin Fan shouted, and the Qiankun Axe flashed a cold light in the air, slashing straight down towards Shi Jian. The power of this axe was enough to tear apart the heavens and the earth, and the axe blade pierced through the sky like lightning, carrying an earth-shattering pressure.

The moment the axe blade collided with the Sky Stone Shield, a thunderclap seemed to erupt in the air, accompanied by a huge roar. The strong wind was like a violent beast, howling in all directions, shaking the ground and creating several deep gullies. Lin Fan's power rushed in like an overwhelming force, as if to split the shield in half.

However, facing this earth-shattering blow, Shi Jian remained unmoved. His steady posture made people despair. The Sky Stone Shield did not move at all. The faint light emitted by the runes on the shield was like an invisible force field, turning Lin Fan's axe force into nothingness.

Lin Fan frowned slightly, and unwillingly swung the Qiankun Axe again. The axe blade carried violent spiritual power and struck several times in succession. Every time the axe blade fell, it was accompanied by a piercing roar. The air was torn apart and sparks flew, as if every strike was enough to split the sky and the earth.

But no matter how Lin Fan attacked, every blow was perfectly blocked by the Sky Stone Shield. Sparks flew on the Sky Stone Shield, making a crisp metal collision sound. The runes on the shield were like wandering snakes, flashing mysterious light, as if constantly absorbing the spiritual power on Lin Fan's axe and turning them into its own defensive power.

Shi Jian stood there, motionless, with a faint sneer on his face, as if he was mocking Lin Fan's powerlessness.

"How...how is this possible?" Zhong Ling'er was stunned. "Lin Fan's Qiankun Axe is a legendary artifact. How come it didn't even leave a scratch?"

"That's the Skystone Shield," Jiang Shuiling said in a low voice, with worry in her eyes that was difficult to conceal, "It is a divine weapon known for its absolute defense. No matter whether it is physical attack or spiritual power, it is difficult to hurt it in the slightest."

"Retreat!" At this moment, Jin Buk suddenly shouted, a trace of anxiety flashing in his eyes. "It's just a waste of energy to go on like this. Shi Jian's defense is too strong. A simple strong attack will have no effect."

Lin Fan gritted his teeth, his eyes still firm, but he also knew in his heart that if they continued like this, not only would their spiritual power be wasted, but they might even fall into an irreversible situation. He took a deep breath, a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes, but in the end he chose to retreat temporarily.

"Go!" Lin Fan gave the order, and several people quickly retreated and left the defense range of Qingshi Pass. Shi Jian stood in front of the pass, with the Skystone Shield still raised in front of his chest. He sneered and looked at Lin Fan's back, with no intention of chasing him.

"Do you think you can easily shake Qingshi Pass? It's wishful thinking." Shi Jian snorted coldly and stood back at the guard position of Qingshi Pass, as if everything that just happened had never happened.

Lin Fan and his group retreated to the temporary camp, and the atmosphere seemed a little heavy.

"That stone is too strong..." Zhong Ling'er frowned, still shocked by the scene just now. "The defense of the Sky Stone Shield is simply impeccable. No matter how Lin Fan attacks, there is not even a crack left."

Jin Buk nodded in agreement, "Yes, it seems that this level is much more difficult than the previous levels, and a strong attack is simply ineffective."

Lin Fan clenched the Qiankun Axe in his hand, and a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes. He thought that with the power of the Qiankun Axe, he would be able to gain an advantage over Shi Jian, but the reality was far beyond his expectations. The Sky Stone Shield not only had amazing defensive power, but it could also absorb the spiritual power in the attack, making Shi Jian's defense more stable.

Jiang Shuiling remained silent, lowering her head in deep thought. She closed her eyes and kept replaying the previous battle scenes in her mind, especially the flow of runes on the Skystone Shield. Those runes were not just ordinary defensive patterns, but an ancient defensive formation that could automatically absorb the opponent's attack energy and convert it into defensive power. This defense mechanism made the Skystone Shield like a copper wall and iron wall, almost impeccable.

After a moment, Jiang Shuiling suddenly opened her eyes, and a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.

"Something is wrong..." She spoke slowly, with a hint of thought in her voice, "I feel that although the defense of the Skystone Shield is strong, it has a weak point."

"What?" Upon hearing this, Lin Fan's eyes immediately focused on Jiang Shuiling with a hint of anticipation.

Jiang Shuiling continued, "In the battle just now, I carefully observed the flow of the runes on the Skystone Shield. Although its overall defense is almost perfect, the flow of spiritual power at a certain rune position in the lower left corner is relatively weak, like a tiny gap."

"If we can hit that spot..." Jin Buke's eyes flashed with excitement, "then we might be able to break his defense!"

Lin Fan nodded. Jiang Shuiling's judgment has always been sharp and accurate. Her discovery undoubtedly provided a breakthrough for their next move.

"But the problem is," Jiang Shuiling continued hesitantly, "Although the spiritual power is weak at that location, Shi Jian is likely aware of this. He is standing at the pass, with the defense of the Skystone Shield and the entire Bluestone Pass, so it is difficult for us to find an opportunity to hit him directly."

"Indeed," Lin Fan frowned, "Shi Jiang is guarding the pass firmly. His defense is not only the Skystone Shield, but also the spiritual power formation of the entire Bluestone Pass. We need a suitable opportunity, preferably to lure him out of the pass to reduce interference from other defenses."

Zhong Ling'er's eyes flashed with a cunning light, and she smiled and said, "Lure him out? That's not a problem for me. I can create an illusion array to confuse his vision and lure him away from the place with the strongest defense."

After hearing this, Lin Fan showed a hint of appreciation in his eyes, "Very good, Zhong Ling'er's illusion can confuse his mind, and with Jiang Shuiling's analysis, we have a chance to catch him off guard."

Jin Buk also smiled and nodded, saying, "Now that we have a plan, let's find an opportunity to implement it. As long as we can lure him out of seclusion, we will have a chance to break the Sky Stone Shield."

Lin Fan looked determined, "We must hit the target with one strike, otherwise we will only alert the enemy." He pondered for a moment and added, "Shi Jian is a sophisticated opponent and cannot be easily fooled. We must proceed step by step and be fully prepared."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

As night fell, the four of them sat by the campfire, each practicing their own breathing exercises to accumulate spiritual power. They knew that tomorrow's battle would be the most severe challenge they would face, and success or failure would determine whether they could continue to move forward.