Chapter 144: Unprecedented Brutality
The First Peak disciple could move fast. But out on the water, he had only himself to rely on. That was especially true considering that Xu Qing had destroyed his huge bronze sword.
Meanwhile, Xu Qing had his dharmaskiff. Not only did he not need to expend any effort to move at top speed, but also, he could simply sit on the deck and recover while doing so. It was easy to imagine how a chase between the two would ultimately play out. This was one reason why the ‘boat cultivators’ from the Seventh Peak were so mighty. Once in Foundation Establishment, they were strong on shore, but at the same time, could stay out on the water for long periods of time.
As a result, after about two hours passed, the First Peak disciple was starting to feel extremely anxious at having Xu Qing chase him with his dharmaskiff.
Xu Qing wanted to kill his target, and therefore, he had no qualms about using the godliness in his boat. At a certain point, he unleashed another godly attack. The First Peak disciple let loose an agonized shriek, and quickly performed an incantation gesture and threw out a talisman treasure to defend himself. Blood sprayed from his mouth, but he survived and kept fleeing.
Snorting coldly, Xu Qing kept up the chase. Before long, it was getting dark. As the sun set, slowly turning sea and sky the same color, Xu Qing accelerated on his dharmaskiff. This time, instead of using the godliness in an attack, he just tried to close the distance.
Then he waved his hand, and the sea erupted loudly as a snakeneck dragon suddenly popped up in front of the First Peak disciple, blocking his path. Then, as Xu Qing closed in from behind, he sent his black iron skewer shooting out. As it circled around, looking for an opening, the excited voice of Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior could be heard from inside.
“Milord, milord, you have to destroy this guy! Over the years, your humble servant has read many ancient records, and I’ve seen a lot of accounts of people like this. Based on his clothing, he’s obviously from the Seven Blood Eyes’ First Peak. He’s in Foundation Establishment, but hasn’t ignited his first life flame, yet is obviously very strong. In books, people like that are usually the main character. He’s obviously not an ordinary person. He might even have the title ‘highness.’
“Also, milord, did you notice that he talks very strangely? In most books, people with so many special qualities are usually very hard to kill!
“However, compared to you, milord, he’s like a knockoff protagonist while you’re the real thing. In the ancient records your humble servant has read, people like this usually have incredible destiny. However, after you kill them, you can take their destiny! So you really, really, really don’t want to miss out on this opportunity!
“Another thing. Considering how this guy loves to indulge in histrionics, and how he loves spewing loads of meaningless crap, we have a duty to beat him until he talks like a normal person. It’s satisfying just thinking about it!”
As the patriarch jabbered excitedly, he flew the iron skewer closer and closer to his target. At the same time, he was thinking, You’re dead! There’s only one person who can survive being chased by the Fiendish Xu. And that’s me! There won’t be a second!
As the patriarch pushed the iron skewer to higher speeds, Xu Qing got closer, lifted his hand overhead, and summoned the illusory heavenly saber.
Wailing inwardly, the First Peak disciple threw out a dozen or so talisman treasures, and as they exploded, they repelled the snakeneck dragon and the heavenly saber. Then he continued to flee.
However, that was when Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior saw his opening, and shot forward to stab the First Peak disciple through the arm.
Breathing heavily, and his eyes filled with a vicious gleam, the First Peak disciple shouted, “Burn!”
Instantly, the blood covering the iron skewer burst into flame.
The patriarch shouted in alarm and quickly worked to put out the fire. Feeling like he had lost a lot of face, he howled angrily, causing a huge sealing mark to appear outside the skewer and shoot toward the First Peak disciple.
The First Peak disciple was about to fight back, but then Xu Qing arrived. The moment he did, black fire erupted from him and surrounded the First Peak disciple. It seemed like Xu Qing was about to start extracting his soul.
This level of brutality was shocking to the First Peak disciple, and he fell back at top speed while simultaneously trying to point out to Xu Qing that they were both from the same sect, and didn’t need to be fighting like this.
“A home amongst immortals puts the heart at ease; we two are neighbors within the mountains and seas!”
Xu Qing had no idea what that meant, so he tuned out the First Peak disciple’s voice and sent black flames raging out with full force. As the moment grew more critical, the First Peak disciple shouted loudly and pulled out a small black statue of a human. When he threw it out, dazzling light exploded from it, and a projected image appeared. It was a middle-aged cultivator in a black daoist robe, his face expressionless. Looking at Xu Qing, he flicked his sleeve, and a wild wind sprang up, blocking Xu Qing’s black flames.
Xu Qing was also sent spinning away, blood oozing out of the corners of his mouth. When he finally stopped his backward motion, the First Peak disciple was fleeing in the opposite direction.
“Milord,” Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior shouted urgently as he flew back in the iron skewer. “This little punk has too many tricks up his sleeve. Let’s just poison him!” The patriarch was really trying to make it sound like he and Xu Qing were working together as a team.
“I already did,” Xu Qing said coldly, looking at the First Peak disciple’s retreating form.
All of a sudden, the First Peak disciple coughed up a mouthful of black blood. Terror grew in his eyes, as he sensed his energy and blood growing very unstable. At the same time, intense pain struck his internal organs, as if they were melting. Realizing that these were symptoms of poisoning, he immediately pulled out some antidote pills. However, consuming them didn’t do anything. In fact, they made the symptoms worse. Xu Qing had designed his poisons specifically to counter the effects of common antidote pills.
Looking more alarmed than ever, the First Peak disciple unleashed a secret magic to suppress the poison. He was really confused by everything that was happening. They were both from the same sect, and all he’d done was snatch a Foundation Establishment sea beast. Was that really worth this sort of life-and-death battle?
“Modern morals have fallen far; bullies make me wonder who I am.”
Xu Qing ignored him and sent his dharmaskiff forward in a battering attack.
The First Peak disciple howled in grief, wondering why this Seventh Peak brat was so difficult to communicate with. He had already explained who he was and where he came from, yet his opponent wouldn’t give up the fight. At this point, he was coming to the realization that he actually might die. As anxiety built in his heart, he bit his tongue and spat out some more blood. Yet again, he entered his blood sword form, then shot away.
Time passed.
Xu Qing pursued with relentless brutality, chasing the First Peak disciple for two days and three nights!
They clashed numerous times, and Xu Qing always fought at full force. He took advantage of every opportunity to utilize poison, but the First Peak disciple skillfully used some sort of bloodletting magic to neutralize it. What was more, he repeatedly tapped into his secret magic to assume his blood sword form and escape. Xu Qing had landed grievous blows on him numerous times, yet couldn’t kill him.
However, he wasn’t ready to give up. Meanwhile, Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior sighed inwardly. Watching the First Peak disciple flee kept making him think of himself.
You little brat. I don’t care if you really are an MC. That alone isn’t enough now that you’ve run into the Fiendish Xu. The only way you could survive is if you do the same thing I did. But there are only a few open spots left for that kind of thing. At this point, only the dharmaskiff is available!
Though the patriarch sighed, he also felt quite proud of himself.
By now, the First Peak disciple’s hair was disheveled, his robe was in tatters, and he looked very weak. The paleness of his face made it obvious how much blood he had lost. He had bitten his tongue so many times that he was worried that if he kept it up, he might not have a tongue left. By now, his cold demeanor had long since vanished. He had never met anyone as stubborn as this. During this two-day and three-night chase, neither of them had slept. It really seemed like this person was not going to give up until the First Peak disciple was dead.
“The heart falls numb when winter comes and autumn goes; when leaves fall and blood pools, homesickness grows!”
The First Peak disciple suddenly threw a medicinal pill out behind him, which exploded, revealing a host of souls. However, they didn’t launch an attack. It seemed more like the First Peak disciple was giving them to Xu Qing. The First Peak disciple had been collecting them, some for cultivation use, and some to sell to Seventh Peak Foundation Establishment cultivators. After all, he knew that though these types of souls weren’t as useful as freshly extracted ones, they could still be helpful.
“Where water meets land, reach the moon in the sky; all living beings know that you rule on high!”
He forced the words from his mouth hoping they would save his life, then bit his tongue and transformed into a blood sword.
Meanwhile, Xu Qing couldn’t make heads nor tails of his babbling poetry. However, after seeing all those souls, he sent out his black flames to absorb them. The souls didn’t resist, and immediately became kindling that he sent smashing into his 12th dharma aperture. As a result, he managed to half-open it. Eyes lighting up, he accelerated in his pursuit.
Seeing that, the First Peak disciple’s expression became one of grief and indignation. He really didn’t understand why Xu Qing was being so unreasonable. The First Peak disciple had begged for forgiveness, and even offered compensation. He had even pointed out that they were on the same side! But despite all that, including flattery, this was the result?? It was just a sea beast, right?
“Sun, moon, and stars are seen every day; to we immortals they are friends to stay.”
Xu Qing didn’t say anything in response, and instead, kept up the chase. Another day and night passed. The First Peak disciple had run out of souls, and Xu Qing had opened two dharma apertures, putting him at a total of 13. Despite that, he wasn’t giving up the chase, and had even launched some mortal blows, only to have his quarry evade them. The First Peak disciple was so bedraggled his robe almost didn’t look like clothing. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his face was extremely pale.
On a few occasions he was hit so badly he saw stars, and was worried he might pass out from exhaustion. And thanks to the poison, he was even weaker, pushing him closer and closer to the point of despair. He was glad he had prepared so well for this trip out to sea. All the boosts to his battle prowess allowed him to evade numerous mortal attacks from the Seventh Peak disciple.
Unfortunately, he had gone too far out to sea. Despite the days that the chase had stretched out, they still weren’t close to the sect. And if his calculations were correct, they were still about five days away from it. Realizing that, his heart filled with despair. He had tried sending some voice messages to ask for help, but was so far away from shore that the messages didn’t go through. As his pursuer accelerated, the First Peak disciple moaned inwardly. But then, he noticed rumbling sounds in the sky ahead. Craning his neck, he saw figures flying through the sky, causing thunderous rumbling sounds, and kicking the seawater into a storm-like frenzy.
Dozens of figures up ahead were engaged in fierce fighting, and there appeared to be two groups. Their cultivation bases were difficult to assess, and the shockwaves that rolled out from their blows filled the area with wild winds. The sky above them was dark.
Despite being a great distance away from them, the First Peak disciple felt such immense pressure from their aura that he coughed up some blood. Behind him, Xu Qing saw the same thing, and as his mind spun, he also coughed up blood.
The figures ahead seemed almost like gods, and they definitely surpassed Third Elder. Just looking at him caused Xu Qing to feel like his body might collapse. Then he saw that beneath one of the figures was a dreadnaught, which was when he realized who they were.
At the same time, the First Peak disciple’s eyes lit up as he realized that one of those figures was his Master. Whooping with joy, he cried, “The setting sun casts out a divine ray of light; a new thread of hope rises up deep in the sea.”