Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Dog Eat Dog!
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A flash of sword light, a roar of thunder.
In an instant, the sword light took Zhao Xuhe's head. But before it could hit the ground, his body abruptly exploded into a pile of bones.
"I wonder which fellow sect member is waiting for me here?"
After the bones shattered, a wisp of yin qi shot out, reforming into Zhao Xuhe's likeness a hundred meters away, a trace of panic still lingering on his face.
But before the words left his mouth, the sword light was upon him again, like a shadow.
Swish—!
The next second, Zhao Xuhe's head once again flew into the air, only to turn into a shower of bones. The yin qi retreated another hundred meters, manifesting his form once more.
"I—"
Boom!
"You—"
Crack!
"Enough!"
After dozens of sword lights filled the space and killed him more than ten times in succession, Zhao Xuhe finally managed to regroup, seizing an opportunity to dodge the blade.
Though the opening lasted but a moment, Zhao Xuhe seized it with precision. With a wave of his wide sleeve, a cloud of blood-red dust billowed out to shield him. He then swallowed several pills to recover his injuries and restore his true qi, only then managing to survey his surroundings.
"Lu Yang, it's you!"
Zhao Xuhe's gaze was like a torch; he recognized the sword light that had killed him over a dozen times as the Divine Empyrean Sword Control True Art and immediately called out Lu Yang's identity.
Even so, he was shocked beyond words.
He had experienced the power of that sword light firsthand—it was not something an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator could achieve. In just a few short days, Lu Yang had actually reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining.
"This man must have had a fortuitous encounter!"
At this thought, Zhao Xuhe's anger vanished, replaced by an inexplicable joy. "Excellent, excellent! A double blessing today. I'll be taking that fortuitous encounter for myself!"
Outside the bewildering array, Lu Yang's expression was grave.
"How troublesome..."
He thought his attack had been vicious enough, yet Zhao Xuhe had still managed to grasp a sliver of life, surviving his initial combo.
He'd even had his identity exposed.
But with the bewildering array obscuring the area, his true body hidden, and attacking only remotely with his flying sword, he still had the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xuhe had also discovered the bewildering array around him. Though it was only a crude trapping formation that he could easily break with a little time to deduce its workings, Lu Yang's interference, coupled with his true qi being less than half of its peak, left him helpless for the moment.
Thinking this, Zhao Xuhe's eyes darted, and he suddenly spoke:
"Brother Lu, when you think about it, there's no real hatred between us..."
"Go!"
Strike while the enemy is weak. Lu Yang naturally had no intention of reminiscing with Zhao Xuhe and giving him a chance to heal. He immediately formed a sword seal and continued his assault.
"Tsk! So you've chosen the hard way!"
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe's gaze turned icy. He abandoned the idea of stalling for time, formed a hand seal, and summoned a metal seal into the air.
This item was called the "Primordial Magnetism Gold Seal." It could attract all things made of metal, a perfect counter to flying swords. It was Zhao Xuhe's trump card, a secret treasure he had been saving for the future battlefield between the righteous and demonic sects to deal with disciples of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion. Now, however, he had brought it out early to counter Lu Yang's sword light.
"Freeze!"
Zhao Xuhe activated the treasure seal, precisely catching a descending slash of sword light. As the seal fell upon it, the sword light was instantly subdued, unable to move an inch.
Lu Yang's expression, however, remained unchanged.
He was still at his peak, while Zhao Xuhe was at a low point. A war of attrition that consumed true qi was actually to his advantage, so he wasn't worried at all.
"My biggest advantage right now is that I'm hidden. With the array for cover, Zhao Xuhe can't find my position. Even if he has some trick to turn the tables, it's useless as long as I don't show myself. If I just keep wearing him down, I'll definitely be the one to win."
So Lu Yang made up his mind: he would not reveal himself.
Forget the flying sword!
You won't be able to refine my flying sword anytime soon anyway, and you'll have to waste true qi suppressing it. That suits me just fine. Let's see how long you can last!
"Rumble!"
Standing outside the array, Lu Yang channeled his true qi. A plume of misty white qi drifted from the top of his head, forming a hand seal several meters wide that slammed down into the array from above.
This technique wasn't particularly profound; it was pure, overwhelming force.
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe's face darkened. He knew Lu Yang had seen through his plan.
"You dog!"
Zhao Xuhe cursed inwardly. They were both at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, yet this man was so cautious and prudent. How was he supposed to turn the tables and win?
Although he still had the strength for a desperate, life-or-death struggle, even if he killed Lu Yang, he himself would likely not survive. Having just obtained such a great fortuitous encounter, how could Zhao Xuhe be willing to accept that?
Seeing his true qi draining away, Zhao Xuhe could no longer hold back. He shouted, "...Brother Lu, do you know what kind of fortuitous encounter I had here on Coiling Dragon Island? A third-grade true technique that leads directly to the Golden Core path! If you stop now, Brother Lu, I am willing to share the technique with you!"
"A third-grade true technique?"
Outside the bewildering array, Lu Yang abruptly stood up. True qi was divided into nine grades and thirty-six ranks. Below the seventh grade, there was no path to Foundation Establishment; below the third, the gate to the Golden Core was closed.
And now, Zhao Xuhe was offering a cultivation method that could allow one to refine third-grade true qi, with the hope of reaching the Golden Core realm in the future!
What a massive opportunity!
"No, wait..."
Lu Yang took a deep breath, suppressed his greed, and sat back down. "He's promising a great reward, but he still just wants to lure me out. If I go out there, I'll fall into his trap."
"What do you say, Brother Lu? Can we reconcile?"
Inside the bewildering array, Zhao Xuhe was still trying to persuade him when a voice suddenly echoed from all directions: "Fool. If I kill you, the technique will be mine anyway!"
"Brother Lu, you are mistaken." Zhao Xuhe shook his head and smiled. "Fortuitous encounters are destined by the heavens. This third-grade true technique is an opportunity I earned with merit from three lifetimes of arduous cultivation. It has no destiny with you, Brother Lu. Even if you kill me, the technique will simply fly away. It will not be yours."
"What?"
Lu Yang was stunned. His expression flickered with uncertainty. Destined by the heavens? No destiny with the technique? It would automatically fly away even if he obtained it?
But he quickly recovered and sneered, "If that's the case, then why should I reconcile with you for this technique?"
Zhao Xuhe hastily explained, "You originally have no destiny with the technique, Brother Lu. But if I willingly share it with you, then no destiny can become destiny."
"...Fine."
After a moment of silence, Lu Yang said, "Transcribe a copy of the technique for me, and I'll let you out."
"Deal." Zhao Xuhe agreed without hesitation. He then took out a jade box, opened it, and revealed the two volumes of a Daoist scripture inside.
"The first volume is the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art*, a Qi Refining Realm technique. It allows you to refine a 'True Dragon Baleful Qi,' and your combat strength will be among the best in your realm. The second volume is the *Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Treasure Scroll*, a Foundation Establishment Realm technique. It allows you to forge a 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding' Dao foundation, with prospects of reaching the Golden Core path in the future."
After introducing the technique, Zhao Xuhe's tone suddenly shifted:
"But Brother Lu, I am currently injured and my true qi is weak. If I just give you the technique like this, what if you go back on your word and break your promise?"
"...That's simple."
Lu Yang's eyes darted as he made a suggestion. "You can give me the *Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Treasure Scroll* first. Keep the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art* for yourself."
"I'm only in the Qi Refining Realm right now. Even if I have the Foundation Establishment technique, I can't cultivate it. You won't have to worry about me going back on my word and trying to kill you." As he spoke, his face was the very picture of sincerity. "After I let you out, you can give me the *Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art*. How about it?"
Zhao Xuhe thought for a moment and felt that Lu Yang's words made a lot of sense.
"It's a deal!"
Zhao Xuhe took the *Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Treasure Scroll* out of the jade box. Lu Yang still did not show himself, instead forming a large hand of true qi to grab it from a distance.
Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe could only sigh inwardly, suppressing his last fleeting thought, and obediently handed the technique to Lu Yang.
Lu Yang took the technique, memorized it word for word, then grinned.
"Goodbye!"
The next second, Lu Yang sank his qi into his dantian, directly activated the Life-Taking Incantation, and brazenly self-destructed!
Boom!
A moment later, the dust and smoke settled, revealing Zhao Xuhe's face, completely bewildered.
"My technique... is gone?"
Why did he self-destruct?
Fine, self-destruct, but why not do it earlier or later? Why wait until after he got the technique to self-destruct? I haven't even had a chance to read that technique myself!
"Lu Yang..."
Zhao Xuhe stood in the wind, staring at the *Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Treasure Scroll* that had turned to ash. He muttered Lu Yang's name, his expression gradually twisting:
"You animal!"