Chapter 9: Sneak Attack
Gu Wuqing charged at Xiang Yu's unprotected back, a menacing smile twisting his features into something almost feral. His knife glinted dangerously as he closed the distance between them. This wasn't just about avenging his humiliation anymore—this was about something far more personal.
The sect's top beauty, Li Yao, was inexplicably obsessed with this useless senior brother. It made no sense! That was the real reason Gu Wuqing had come today, orchestrating this entire confrontation. He had hoped she would witness Xiang Yu's pathetic defeat and finally see him for the worthless trash he truly was. But since his men had failed so spectacularly, he would take matters into his own hands.
She'll forget about him once he's dead, Gu Wuqing thought, his mind racing with delusions of grandeur. Women are such romantics, always fawning over the wrong men. Once he's gone, I'll comfort her. I'll be there for her, and eventually, she'll fall for me instead.
A chuckle escaped his lips at the thought of his imminent victory and future conquest. The sound was disturbing—halfway between glee and madness—as he thrust his knife toward Xiang Yu's exposed back.
But just before the blade could make contact with Xiang Yu's flesh, an overwhelming pressure descended upon the training ground. The very air seemed to become heavy, oppressive, as if the sky itself had fallen. Gu Wuqing found his body instantly slammed against the earth, pinned by an invisible force so powerful it drove the air from his lungs in a painful whoosh.
"Wha—?" he managed to gasp, struggling desperately to lift his head against the crushing pressure. With monumental effort, he raised his chin just enough to see her—Li Yao, hovering gracefully in the air above them, her robes billowing around her like azure clouds.
His eyes widened in shock and terror. She was floating! That could only mean one thing—she had reached at least the Foundation Establishment stage! The realization hit him like a physical blow. He was merely at the fifth stage of Body Refining; the gap between them was like comparing an ant to a mountain.
How is this possible? he silently cursed, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. The sect genius has hidden her true power this deeply? Everyone knew she had progressed from mortal to peak Qi Refinement in just three months—a feat impressive enough on its own—but Foundation Establishment? What kind of monstrous cultivation speed was this? It was practically cheating!
Li Yao's gaze fell upon him, her beautiful eyes now cold and emotionless as she regarded him like an insect beneath her notice.
"You, a cultivator at the fifth stage of Body Refining, dare to sneak attack a mortal?" Her voice carried the weight of mountain stone, each word falling like a judgment from the heavens.
At that moment, Xiang Yu finally realized what was happening behind him. He spun around, only to be confronted with the shocking sight of Gu Wuqing pressed against the ground mere inches from where he'd been standing, the man's knife still clutched in his trembling hand.
Was he really going to kill me? Xiang Yu thought, genuine bewilderment washing over him. What did I do to deserve this? Dammit! I even went out of my way to be polite!
If even basic courtesy couldn't prevent murder attempts, how was he supposed to survive in this cultivation world? But even more surprising than the attempted murder was the revelation about his junior sister. She was actually at the Foundation Establishment stage? Xiang Yu stared at her suspiciously. No, she was probably hiding even more power than she was letting on. Just how terrifying was Li Yao?
"I was wrong, please spare me!" Gu Wuqing pleaded, his previous arrogance completely evaporated, replaced by naked fear.
Li Yao merely looked at him with cold indifference, her expression unchanging. Seeing that his pleas weren't working, Gu Wuqing quickly switched tactics.
"You can't kill me! You can't kill fellow disciples!" he shouted, desperation evident in every syllable.
Li Yao tilted her head slightly, regarding him as if he were particularly slow-witted. "If I kill a Body Refining cultivator like you, will the sect punish me?" she asked, her voice dripping with contempt.
Gu Wuqing's eyes widened in horror as the truth of her words sank in. She was right—there was no way the sect would punish their prized genius just for eliminating a worthless nobody like him. The rules that governed others simply didn't apply to someone of her talent and status.
Energy began to condense in Li Yao's palm, a sphere of deadly spiritual power that pulsed with cold blue light. Realizing his imminent demise, Gu Wuqing lunged forward and grabbed Xiang Yu's legs in a final, desperate attempt to save himself.
"Senior brother, please ask her to spare me!" he begged frantically, all dignity abandoned.
Even his subordinates looked on in shock, never having seen their leader reduced to such pathetic groveling. Inwardly, Gu Wuqing laughed at his own cunning. He knew of Li Yao's obsession with her senior brother—if Xiang Yu asked for mercy on his behalf, she would definitely comply. And once spared, he could bide his time and return for revenge when the coward was alone...
Xiang Yu gazed down at the man clutching his legs, a weary sigh escaping his lips. He was caught in an impossible situation. If he didn't ask Li Yao to spare this man, whoever backed Gu Wuqing would likely come seeking trouble later. But looking into those pleading eyes, Xiang Yu could see the calculating gleam hidden beneath the fear—this man would definitely return for revenge if allowed to live.
My luck is really terrible, Xiang Yu thought with resignation. Without a word, he simply moved his foot, pulling away from Gu Wuqing's desperate grip. Then, without looking back, he turned and began walking away.
Gu Wuqing watched this in frozen disbelief. How was this possible? The cowardly senior brother was actually leaving him to die? But before his thoughts could fully form, Li Yao's condensed energy blasted through him, ending his life instantly. His body crumpled to the ground, a smoking husk devoid of life.
Li Yao dropped gracefully to the earth, her robes settling around her like gentle waves. "Take this trash with you," she commanded the remaining four disciples, her voice leaving no room for argument. Then she turned and joined Xiang Yu, matching his pace as they walked away from the scene.
As they proceeded in silence, Li Yao reflected on the changes in her senior brother. The Xiang Yu she knew before would have likely forgiven Gu Wuqing out of compassion or fear. Not that it would have changed the final outcome—she would have simply pretended to comply with his wishes before secretly eliminating the threat later.
A menacing smile curved her lips at the thought, sending an involuntary shiver down Xiang Yu's spine. He glanced around nervously, wondering if the weather was suddenly getting chilly.