Ninth stage

A bright golden light envelopes Robert and his aura expands around him and the area , his wounds begin to heal rapidly and strength pours into his entire body like gushing water and his eyes glows golden.

He gets up finally from the ground as his body was fully healed and his soul power was recovering much faster than before

"Finally l have broken through to the ninth stage of the spirit refining realm, my body feels harder than before and soul power is recovering rapidly , looks like the odds of this battle is about change in my Favor"

Robert gives a grin and picked up his sword but the puppet was in a tensed State.

The puppet immediately dashed forward with it's blade headed for Robert and the puppet landed a downward Slash at Robert.

The blade slashed downward and the blade got an inch form his face but Robert seemed unfazed

*Slash*

The blade tore through the wind with force but something was off, the puppet face turned into an expression of shock.

The spot which Robert had stood when the blade slashed , he was no longer there surprising the puppet .

Then a figure immediately appeared behind the puppet with glowing blue eyes with the intent to lay waste to the puppet , the figure rose his sword in the air to land a strike.

*Slash*

The Puppet receives a slash at it's back and the puppet facial expression changed into that of disbelief , the puppet staggers forward and they was a Deep cut on its back .

Soul power was dripping from the cut behind the puppets back and the puppet's expression was that of pain.

While Robert stood standing and his blade was dripping with a blue liquid and when the liquid touched the ground it evaporates , that was soul power which Lin zhong had used to created the puppet.

"Looks like you are too slow to react to a common attack"

Robert said with mockery in his eyes towards the injured puppet .

The puppet had an angry expression on its face as it was pissed from Robert words and the puppet lunched towards him to attack.

*Swish*

*Slash*

The puppet attacked Robert furiously but he kept dodging the puppet's slashes with ease and more swiftly

"Although we are on the same stage , you can't still land a hit"

Robert said as he had mocking smile , getting on the puppet's nerve more making the puppet to attack more dangerously.

The puppet jumped in mid air and delivered a downward Slash on Robert.

*Clang*

Both swords collided as Robert blocked the attack with his sword easily shocking the puppet more.

The puppet immediately leaps a few meters back from Robert and a red circular array appears behind the puppet

"Trying to use such an attack again , well done"

A smile played on Robert lips as he looked at the red circle array and the puppet does a hand seal and multiple glowing red swords appear out of the array.

The puppet pointed it's finger towards Robert and swords flew towards his direction in full speed

*Whoosh*whoosh*

The swords pierced through the air like an arrow , towards Robert who stood with a smile

"Lighting boost technique, first stage"

Roberts body began to sizzle with lightning and he dashed forward at lighting speed dodging all the incoming flying swords within a flash.

He appeared in front of the puppet in an instant catching the puppet off guard.

" Now it's my turn"

Roberts fist becomes engulfed in flames as he throws a punch towards the puppet's stomach , everything becomes slow motion as if time had stop , that was in the eyes of the puppet as it saw the incoming punch.

*Pow*

The puppet spits out blue liquid as the force of the punch from Robert sends the puppet flying meters backward and The puppet slams onto the floor real hard.

The puppet staggers back on it's feet as it's face was covered in blue liquid which evaporated.

The puppet looked at Robert with an expression of hate and it sent a arc of red light towards Robert

"Flame slash strike , first stage"

Robert's sword rose in flames which surrounded the blade and he sent an arc of flame slash towards the red light arc

*Boom*

The attacks clashed with each other and exploded the center of the two figures standing apart , and dust covered the place

"Huff...huff...huff"

The puppet was breathing heavily from exhaustion and a figure immediately dashed through the clouds of dust at full speed at the puppet

*Swoosh*

Robert lands an upper slash slicing off the arm of the puppet .

The puppet looks with shock as it's arm is decapitated but a certain someone had a smile on his face as the battle unfolded

And Robert turned swiftly without given any time for the puppet to react and kicked it in the face sending the puppet flying into a large boulder.

*Bam*

The puppet could barely move forward as it was battered and it's cut arm was dripping with Blue liquid, even it's armour was shattered already.

"It looks like you are at you wits end, well it's time for you to pay for beating me so badly" a smirk played on Robert's lips.

Roberts aura begins to surge and radiate around him and he held his blade with two hands in front of his face.

A red aura immediately surrounds the blade as Robert placed his hand on the blade and his eyes were closed.

Then he opens his eyes immediately which glowed red

"Falling meteor crush , first stage"

Robert strikes a slash towards the puppet who was meters away and the a red Pillar of light followed the attack .

The puppet looked in shock and bewilderment as the enormous attack descended uponon it

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

The ground shakes slightly from the devastating attack and dust clouds rose up and engulfed the area.

Some few minutes later the dust begins to clear up and large Crater is seen in front of Rober

"Huff....huff , finally l did it but this attack consumes too much soul power"

Robert was breathing heavily as sweat rolled down his cheeks, the puppet was completely obliterated from the looks of the attack even the large boulder wasn't spared .

*Clap*clap*

Robert turns backwards to see that Lin zhong was clapping

"You've finally broken through to the ninth stage of the spirit refining realm and defeated a puppet sword cultivator with the same stage, you have my regards"

Lin zhong praised him as an impressive smile played on his face

"So this is what it feels like fighting an opponent stronger than you and a cultivator , the cultivation world nature is cruel"

Robert said with a victory expression on is face .

"The cruelty of that world doesn't lie in it's nature But in the hearts of it's people"

Lin zhong told him with a serious look towards the sky and the wind blew and Lin zhong long white hair fluttered in the wind

His word spoke the Truth as the people think only the strong can rule while the weak were mere bugs who couldn't do anything.

So the strong will always Bully the weak no matter what place even Robert was once a weakling who got bullied by others , so he knew what it felt like to be weak .

" The strong bully's the weak making them submissive to their rule what a world*sigh*"

Robert sighed as he spoke , and the area started to be windy and cold

"It's Time for us to leave, am happy you always learn from your mistakes and now Know you what it's like to be a CULTIVATOR"

Lin zhong told Robert while smiling and he placed his hands on Robert shoulder and they both disappeared from the place .

The sun was already setting in the horizon as the barren landscape became quiet and only the wind could be heard.