Chapter 78 – Chase

The disciple with the torn sleeve swore angrily, “That slippery rat!”

The other disciple also never saw it coming. Lu Ping looked like he would go all out to defeat them just a second ago, and yet in the next, he was making a run for his life.

If only he’d seen it coming, then he wouldn’t have stood by and watched. He sneered coldly and asked, “Run? Where can he run to? I’ve already sent a message to Senior Hu and Junior Zeng. They’re on their way to intercept him.”

From the moment Lu Ping saw the two Xuan Ling disciples, he already had it all planned out in his head.

After the first clash, he noticed his opponent was in the Fifth Layer Blood Condensation Realm. In a different situation, he would have tested his prowess against him. Even if Lu Ping couldn’t win the battle, he felt confident that he could escape.

However, watching the battle was another Xuan Ling disciple of seemingly similar prowess. If he stalled for a little longer, that Xuan Ling disciple might join in the combat, not to mention the other teams chasing after him.

Hence, Lu Ping acted decisively. He used a Water Escape Charm and fled north.

Xuan Ling Sect’s territory was to the south and there were enemies pursuing him from the back. North was the only direction he could go, despite knowing his enemies would likely be roaming that area as well.

The Water Escape Charm could last roughly fifteen minutes, but after fleeing a few dozen miles, a flying sword suddenly slashed the air in front of him. With a soft laugh, a voice called out, “Where are you going? Come out!”

The charm’s effect was interrupted and Lu Ping was forced to leap up from the water. A Xuan Ling Fourth Layer Blood Condensation disciple was standing in front of him, accompanied by another emotionless Xuan Ling disciple nearby.

Lu Ping tried to check the first disciple’s divine sense but a stronger power blocked him from probing. Shocked, Lu Ping immediately knew the second disciple was far stronger than the one standing in front of him.

Whereas the first disciple had a pale-white face and looked as young as Lu Ping, but his cultivation base at the Fourth Layer Blood Condensation Realm revealed that he was someone with talent!

This pale-faced talent clearly took Lu Ping as a training target to hone his sword skills. He cast out Xuan Ling Sect’s [Dissolute Delightful 18 Swords]. His sword attacks were swift yet gentle, directed from the most unpredictable angles to the most vital points of the human body.

The sword art was like an unexpected soft wind that glided lightly over everything, or a delighted fairy that danced and sang within the breeze. This was the state of Force for the wind-style sword arts.

Lu Ping’s face turned gloomy and serious, this was his first time facing a Blood Condensation opponent who also attained the state of Force. In response, he cast out the [Stormy Waves Crashing Shore Sword Art] with his Yan Ling Swords. His attacks were an endless wave of water that sprang forward like the sea.

The wind could blow over everything in its path, but the water could drown anything it flowed over. The two sword arts were equal in power and the battle reached a stalemate.

When Lu Ping cast the [Stormy Waves Crashing Shore Sword Art], the pale-faced talent’s eyes brightened up. He didn’t expect to see another cultivator with the state of Force in sword skills. The apathetic youth was now fired up, while the other Xuan Ling disciple was also surprised.

After changing a few bouts of attacks, the pale-faced talent secured the upper hand due to his stronger cultivation base. But after roughly seventy blows, the pale-faced talent still had the upper hand while Lu Ping continued to cast his sword art at an unhurried pace.

Suddenly, the pale-faced talent realized that despite being in the First Layer Blood Condensation Realm, his opponent’s arcane energy was abnormally strong. Although he fought without holding back and his own cultivation layer was higher, his opponent was still holding firm against him.

This Zhen Ling disciple looked placid and unmoved, his attacks were like tidal waves, one rising current after another. While defending himself, there was also a hidden energy brewing underneath the waves.

Could it be… he hasn’t used his full strength yet?

A preposterous thought appeared in the Xuan Ling talent’s mind.

It was at this moment, Lu Ping’s attacks suddenly changed. His strikes were previously firm and unshakeable—like the deep currents of a calm sea—but it was as if a gale had blown over the tranquil waters, causing the waves to surge high like a tsunami.

Lu Ping’s Yan Ling Swords resembled the tsunami and crashed down hard towards the pale-faced talent.

“Force Borrowing?!”

The pale-faced talent heard his comrade’s exclamation and was shocked. His face turned even more pallid than normal!

The tables had turned. Lu Ping sent wave after wave of sword attacks, heavily suppressing the pale-faced talent who could do nothing other than defend himself. However, even at a disadvantage, this opponent couldn’t be defeated in such a short time. Moreover, there was another, much stronger, Xuan Ling disciple watching the battle from the side.

By now, this Xuan Ling disciple had grown impatient. He raised his right hand and with a casual flick of his fingers, a ball of seawater hovered up in the air and turned into a crystal-clear, gleaming triangular bayonet. The bayonet quickly shot out and jabbed at Lu Ping’s throat.

The triangular bayonet was now a few yards away and Lu Ping could already feel an ice-cold sensation against his throat. He exclaimed in shock and flung out two charms that turned into water shields that protected him in the center.

He used this chance to leap down to the sea while slapping another Water Escape Charm on his body. Now concealed by a current of seawater, he fled northwest.

The water shields managed to momentarily block the triangular bayonet. By the time it pierced through and shattered the protective charms, Lu Ping was nowhere to be seen.

Frustrated that he lost the battle, the pale-faced talent gritted his teeth and snarled furiously, “Sneaky brat, do you only know how to flee?”

The other disciple looked at him and said emotionlessly, “If you didn’t insist on fighting him alone, how could he even escape? But it won’t be long now since Junior Pang has joined the hunt. With his Late Blood Condensation Realm cultivation base and speed, it won’t matter how many Water Escape Charms that guy has.”

The pale-faced talent suddenly calmed down. “That’s true!”

Lu Ping still didn’t know that his biggest challenge was already waiting for him ahead.

Lu Ping had been immersed in his battle with the pale-faced talent and gained more attainments in his sword skills. It was only when the other disciple intervened that he recalled his situation and quickly escaped.

If not for the pale-faced talent’s arrogance and his comrade’s pride, Lu Ping wouldn’t have been able to escape unscathed!

After some time, Lu Ping felt an aura appear ahead of him—the sea waves stopped moving and the air turned stagnant. He was once again forced out of the water and had to leap up into the air.

Facing Lu Ping was a Xuan Ling Sect cultivator. His hands were placed behind his back, his eyes full of curiosity as he wondered how Lu Ping, a First Layer Blood Condensation cultivator, had escaped from the hands of his four junior martial brothers.

On the other hand, Lu Ping’s eyes were filled with horror. Through his divine sense, he saw the essence of this Xuan Ling cultivator was so formidable that it formed a cloud of smoke that shot straight into the sky above his head.

This was the Smoke of Essence!

The Smoke of Essence was formed by the abundant spiritual energy in a cultivator’s bloodlines and it was only seen on Late Blood Condensation cultivators!

This time, it seemed like this would be Lu Ping’s end!