Chapter 85: Landmine
Xiang Yu’s eyes widened in shock as the Core Formation expert pinpointed his location instantly. The cultivator’s methods were clearly beyond ordinary tracking techniques. Before Xiang Yu could formulate an escape plan, the expert materialized directly in front of him, moving with such blinding speed that Xiang Yu’s eyes could barely follow.
Instinctively, Xiang Yu began trembling, adopting his practiced facade of terror—but the Core Formation cultivator wasn’t deceived. The man drew back his massive fist, the air itself seeming to compress around his knuckles as he prepared to strike.
"Your qi sense is all over the place, yet you pretend to be a mortal," the man declared, his voice filled with contempt.
Xiang Yu finally realized what was happening. The cultivator had tracked him through his extended qi sense! He felt a moment of relief at his earlier decision not to blanket the entire pavilion with his qi sense—if he had really gone through with it, he would have immediately betrayed his position and potentially exposed the hidden spirit vein.
With milliseconds to spare, Xiang Yu channeled everything into his movement technique, propelling himself away at maximum speed. The cultivator’s fist connected with the tree where Xiang Yu had perched just moments before, obliterating it into splinters that exploded outward like wooden shrapnel.
Landing several meters away, Xiang Yu observed the devastation, his lips twitching slightly. Such a huge tree had been reduced to fragments with a single punch. How was he supposed to fight against such overwhelming power? Perhaps he should have waited until he’d refined a few thousands more talismans before confronting this opponent.
"Just as I thought, you’re hiding your strength," the man continued, his lips curling into a predatory smile. He rose from the ground, his body floating eerily through the air as he approached. "To think that you have a scripture that can hide your strength so deeply. Hand it over, and maybe I’ll leave your corpse intact."
Xiang Yu stared at him with deadpan eyes. Who wants an intact corpse?
Without hesitation, he whirled around and bolted, activating his movement technique once more.
The Core Formation expert’s laughter echoed through the forest as he gave chase. Despite Xiang Yu’s considerable speed, the gap between them steadily closed—the difference in their cultivation realms becoming apparent with each passing second.
As the cultivator’s presence loomed directly behind him, Xiang Yu suddenly turned around to face his pursuer with palm extended. The abrupt reversal caught the man by surprise, causing him to momentarily decelerate. Their palms collided with tremendous force, sending Xiang Yu flying backward several meters.
But in that brief moment of contact, Xiang Yu had accomplished his true objective. The cultivator’s eyes widened in sudden realization as he desperately shook his arm, barely managing to shake off the talisman Xiang Yu had placed there. Despite his quick reaction, he couldn’t completely escape the explosion that followed, the blast hurling him backward through the air.
Rising from where he’d landed, the Core Formation expert assessed the situation. One moment’s delay, and he would have suffered severe injuries. He’d assumed the boy had depleted his supply of talismans in the earlier explosions—after all, such items were crafted exclusively by Golden Core realm experts or above. How could a disciple from a minor sect possess so many? Twenty talismans had already seemed insanely excessive, yet the boy somehow had even more.
Had their intelligence been flawed? No—the man was certain they had accurately assessed every expert within the Azure Cloud Sword Sect. The only explanation was that the disciple himself was the anomaly. He must have stumbled upon some ancient inheritance, which would explain his possession of such an advanced concealment scripture.
Greed flickered across the cultivator’s face, if he could take this inheritance for himself...
But the momentary distraction proved costly—when he refocused, Xiang Yu had completely vanished from sight.
...
Although Xiang Yu had fled, the Core Formation cultivator tracked him effortlessly, his qi sense detecting that the young disciple hadn’t traveled far. Despite Xiang Yu’s ability to conceal his cultivation level, the expert possessed numerous methods of detection beyond mere cultivation sensing. After pinpointing Xiang Yu’s exact location, the man charged in Xiang Yu’s direction.
Upon reaching an open clearing, the cultivator slowed his pace, carefully scanning the surroundings. Something about the situation made him uneasy.
"Show yourself, kid," he called out, his voice carrying across the clearing.
Xiang Yu emerged from behind a tree on the opposite side of the clearing. He observed the man with calculating eyes, inwardly acknowledging that the Core Formation cultivator’s qi sense nearly matched his own. The man had detected him despite his concealed cultivation. To truly evade such perception, he would need an advanced concealment scripture capable of masking not just his cultivation but his entire presence.
Seeing as he couldn’t hide anymore, Xiang Yu drew his sword with a sigh.
"Not running anymore?" the man asked, advancing into the clearing unhurriedly. When Xiang Yu remained silent, a predatory grin spread across the cultivator’s face. "At least you know that you can’t run," he taunted, suddenly accelerating into a charge.
Xiang Yu watched the approaching man but he didn’t make any moves. Any time now, he thought.
The Core Formation expert continued his charge, closing the distance rapidly—until the world around him suddenly changed. One moment he was rushing through the open ground; the next, he found himself in the middle of a chaotic battlefield as explosions detonated in rapid succession. The first blast caught him directly, sending shockwaves through his body before he could mount a defense.
As he struggled to regain his bearings, a second explosion struck, then a third. Only then did the cultivator realize the situation he was in—the entire area had been planted with talisman. The man’s mind raced quickly for a solution. Instantly, he launched himself skyward, escaping the explosion radius.
Observing from a safe distance, Xiang Yu clicked his tongue in disappointment. The Core Formation expert had escaped faster than he had anticipated. Still, he’d managed to land several significant blows.
After the first direct hit, the cultivator had erected a protective barrier, reducing the impact of subsequent explosions—but the cumulative damage was undeniable. Combined with his previous injuries, the man’s combat power had reduced significantly, definitely nowhere near his peak. In this weakened state, Xiang Yu thought that he might actually stand a chance.
"You bastard! How dare you trick me!" the cultivator roared, his voice thundering with rage as he dove from the air toward Xiang Yu.
...
Author’s Corner:
I don’t feel like naming this guy