The moment Bertha exposed Dustin to Tranqurin, Chester’s 18 Forms of Golden Sword had reached its peak. Each strike was exceptionally fierce and unstoppable.
At that moment, with Dustin’s energy armor shattered, his sword and right arm frozen by ice, and Chester launching frenzied attacks, he could no longer evade Bertha’s sneak attack.
Dustin could only hold his breath.
The Tranqurin turned into a white mist, lingering around Dustin. Even though he held his breath in time, the white mist still entered his body through his skin and pores, spreading inward continuously.
“Hmph!” Dustin stomped on the ground forcefully, leaving the ground with a dent three inches deep.
A powerful surge of energy erupted from his body. For a moment, rocks and debris flew around, and strong winds howled.
Tranqurin instantly evaporated away, and even Chester, who was still launching continuous assaults, was pushed back by the energy wave, forcing him to stagger back several steps.
Bertha, on the other hand, was flung more than 30 feet away by the shockwave. Upon landing, she staggered several steps before barely regaining her foothold.
She felt as if a huge stone was pressed on her chest, and her blood and energy surged erratically within.
For a mere eruption of internal energy to have such tremendous power, Bertha had to admit that Dustin was much stronger than she had anticipated.
“Your inner cultivation is so strong. It seems like we’ve underestimated you.”
Bertha took in a deep breath, and a cold smile appeared on her lips. “However, it’s a pity. No matter how strong you are, you’ve been exposed to Tranqurin.
“Even if you manage to hold your breath, it will permeate your body through your skin. You must be feeling physically weak now, with your internal energy diminishing.”
“Well done, Bertha!” Chester burst out into laughter at Bertha’s words.
He added, “This kid is truly an odd one. The internal energy that surged out earlier was majestic. Thankfully, you had the wits to use Tranqurin. Otherwise, we would have been at a disadvantage if we clashed head-on.”
His 18 Forms of Golden Blade had reached its peak earlier. However, he still wasn’t able to take Dustin down. Instead, he was forced to retreat several steps back from Dustin’s surge of internal energy.
Had they continued the fight, they would have been in dire straits. However, the situation was different now. Dustin had been poisoned by Tranqurin. Even if he was highly gifted, he wouldn’t be able to muster even a fraction of his strength.
After all, Tranqurin was specially developed to be used against grandmasters and was extremely precious and rare.
At a critical moment, it even had the potential to reverse the situation.
“Did you really think you could take me down with this insignificant poison? If so, you’re too naive.” Dustin remained standing in place, expressionless.
“Drop the act. You’re now at your weakest. In a moment, you probably won’t even be able to stand. If you had any sense, you’d surrender immediately. Otherwise, you’ll only face death!” Bertha sneered.
“That’s right!”
With his golden broadsword resting on his shoulder, Chester said imposingly, ” Kid, it’s rare for someone as young as you to possess your level of cultivation.
“It’s a pity to kill off talent like you, so we’ve decided to give you a chance. As long as you surrender and hand over the treasures, we’ll let you go safely!”
“Hmph! Sounds nice, but once I hand over the treasures, I’ll probably be killed to keep things quiet!” Dustin snorted.
These so-called righteous sects would resort to any means necessary for their interests.
Since they haven’t secured the treasures, they harbored certain reservations. However, once Dustin handed them over, it would be the end of him.
People like them resorted to murder and betrayal, so how could they be trusted?
“You don’t have a choice. Agree to our demands, or we’ll have everyone in the inn killed with you!” Bertha barked.
“Seems like you’re certain to get me today.” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“Of course! Why else do you think I’m wasting my breath with you? I’m just waiting for the poison to take full effect.
“The longer we wait, the more advantageous it is for us. And you will only grow weaker and weaker.” Bertha gloated.
Even though Dustin had been exposed to Tranqurin, his strength wouldn’t dissipate instantly. If they rushed their attacks, he might even launch a counterattack before his demise.
