Chapter 17: Which One To Pick
Xiang Yu plunged into the dense forest, branches whipping past as he fled deeper into the undergrowth. His heart hammered against his ribcage, each beat pulsing with a profound sense of injustice. What had he done to deserve this? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Yet here he was, running for his life from cultivators who wanted him dead simply by association. Did the universe genuinely want him eliminated from existence?
Pausing momentarily in a small clearing, he surveyed his surroundings, desperately trying to determine the safest escape route. The sound of crashing foliage and angry voices behind him eliminated any chance for careful consideration. Without a backward glance, he bolted forward, diving deeper into the forest's protective embrace.
Behind him, the five disciples burst into the clearing he'd just vacated. They halted, heads swiveling as they attempted to discern which direction their prey had fled.
"Which way did he go?" one demanded, frustration evident in his voice.
After several moments of debate, the group reached a consensus.
"Let's split up and search in every direction," suggested one of the disciples with an arrogant sneer. "He's just a worthless mortal without spiritual roots. Anyone of us alone is more than enough to handle him."
Agreement rippled through the group. With curt nods, they scattered, each taking a different path into the forest. Their footsteps gradually faded, leaving behind an eerie silence punctuated only by natural forest sounds.
Only when the last echo of their presence disappeared did Xiang Yu cautiously descend from the tree he'd scrambled up moments before they arrived. His improvised hiding spot, though risky, had proven remarkably effective. More importantly, he'd overheard their entire conversation and subsequent plan.
Crouching low, he carefully analyzed the situation. Though unable to precisely gauge their cultivation levels, he could tell they were all Body Refining stage cultivators. Since they were hunting him regardless, waiting passively would only lead to eventual discovery—they would regroup after failing to find him individually, eliminating his advantage.
Now was the perfect opportunity to seize the initiative, but who to target first?
Xiang Yu's mind worked rapidly, recalling the group's dynamics. Two disciples had clearly commanded more respect from the others—likely indicating higher cultivation levels or greater importance. Targeting them would be foolish. From the remaining three, one had appeared particularly nervous, his stance less confident than his companions.
That one, Xiang Yu decided. He's my best chance.
Without further hesitation, he slipped silently through the underbrush, following the trail of his chosen target. The hunter was about to become the hunted.
...
Li Yao sprang from her position with lethal grace, her sword poised and humming with spiritual energy as she descended upon her opponent. The dean had already settled into his combat stance, spiritual power coalescing around his fists until they glowed with menacing intensity. His eyes tracked her approach with the cold calculation of a seasoned killer.
She struck with devastating precision, her blade slicing through the air in a brilliant arc of concentrated power. The dean responded instantly, raising his arms to form an energy barrier that shimmered with protective force. When Li Yao's sword connected, the collision of opposing energies erupted in a spectacular display of crackling sparks and resonant power that echoed through the forest.
For several heartbeats, they remained locked in this deadly equilibrium. The dean's lips curled into a smug smile, satisfaction evident in his contemptuous gaze. Just as I thought, she's still just a Foundation Establishment...
Before he could complete the thought, Li Yao's expression shifted. Her delicate features hardened with determination as she channeled an unexpected surge of power through her blade. The sudden escalation sent shockwaves rippling through the dean's barrier, applying mounting pressure until—with a sound like shattering glass—the protective field fractured completely.
Caught by surprise but moving with the instincts honed through decades of cultivation, the dean twisted sideways. Li Yao's sword missed his flesh by mere centimeters, continuing its unstoppable descent to strike the earth below. Upon impact, the ground split violently, a jagged fissure racing outward from the point of contact.
The dean's eyes widened as he assessed the destruction her single strike had wrought. Impossible! How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator possess such devastating power? A grudging respect flickered briefly across his features before being replaced by cold determination. I need to stop underestimating her and fight with my full strength.
Without warning, he launched himself toward Li Yao, targeting the momentary vulnerability while her sword remained embedded in the fractured earth. Yet Li Yao had anticipated this opportunistic attack. Maintaining her grip on the sword's hilt, she executed a graceful flip that carried her body up and over the dean's charging form.
His attack found only empty air, but he recovered with frightening speed, pivoting to deliver another strike. Li Yao, still suspended mid-flip, wrenched her blade free and brought it up to block the incoming blow. Though she successfully deflected the attack, the sheer force behind it sent her flying backward until she collided violently with the crater's edge, impact sending clouds of dust billowing around her.
She regained her footing swiftly, readying her stance once more, but the dean had already closed the distance between them. With barely a moment to react, Li Yao rolled along the crater's wall, narrowly avoiding a devastating punch that plowed through solid earth where she had stood heartbeats before. The impact pulverized stone and soil, sending debris spiraling through the air like deadly projectiles.
Regaining her position, Li Yao studied her opponent with calculating intensity. I need to end this quickly and help Senior Brother, she thought, but this opponent is formidable even for me. Setting her resolve, she charged forward with renewed purpose, her sword tracing elegant patterns through the air—a deadly dance of precision and power.
Their clash intensified, attacks and counterattacks flowing in a brutal choreography. Each connected strike left marks on both combatants, neither willing to yield ground. After a particularly ferocious exchange, a massive collision of energies threw both fighters apart, sending them skidding to opposite sides of the battlefield.
The once-modest crater had expanded dramatically, transformed by their combat into a vast arena of shattered earth and exposed stone. Without exchanging a single word, both warriors gathered their strength and charged toward each other once more, the air between them distorting with the pressure of their unleashed power.