Chapter 20#
第20章#
The surrounding environment shifted abruptly. Sensing something was wrong, Yu Lin pulled back his sword and jumped down.
Before him lay a bottomless cliff, shrouded in semi-transparent mist that clouded his vision.
The air here was damp and heavy with an cloying scent of water elemental energy, pressing against his nose and throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe. Frowning, Yu Lin pinched his nose and coughed twice.
The bright, scorching sun from moments ago had vanished; the sky had returned to the dim, moonlit state of the Spirit Herb Valley.
The sound of flowing water continued, a relentless “drip, drop.” Yu Lin turned around to see a cave, but he knew for certain that this was not one he had seen before.
This cave was pitch-black, filled only with the sound of water. There were no glowing blue fireflies, no golden light orbs, and no scent of blood.
Yu Lin squinted into the darkness, able to see the end of it at a single glance.
He had lost that place.
While disappointed, Yu Lin also felt a sense of relief. The person in the goose-yellow clothing must have been teleported out as well. It was best that no one had discovered that location.
His priority now was to get out. He didn’t know where exactly he was, and if the Spirit Herb Valley guards discovered him, it would be troublesome.
He peered left and right before stealthily moving toward the left side.
Beyond the cliff, a boundless path stretched into the distance, flanked by rugged, rocky mountains.
Yu Lin carefully kept close to the mountain, seeking shelter in case of an emergency.
“Whoosh!”
Quick as a blink, the sound of an arrowhead piercing the air rang out from the darkness. A short arrow shot straight toward his face!
He cursed inwardly: Of course, the bad things are the ones that actually happen!
Yu Lin rolled swiftly to the side, grabbed the rock wall, and dove into a nearby crevice. As the arrow embedded itself in the ground, his heart was still pounding.
Fortunately, it was the Spirit Herb Valley; the dim light made their aim poor. Otherwise, that arrow would have cracked his skull open!
After a long while, only the dripping of water remained in the air. The unseen people made no move and no sound. Unable to tell where they were hiding, Yu Lin cautiously poked his head out.
Rustling sounds emerged from the clearing outside, and the noise grew steadily louder.
A man trampled through the weeds roughly.
“Pah!” He spat to the side. “This godforsaken place has way too much overgrown grass!”
His companion frowned and shoved him hard. “The target is still nearby! Keep your voice down!”
The man seemed indifferent. “What kind of trouble can a little brat who just reached the Heaven Stage cause? Don’t be so jumpy.”
Finished speaking, he glanced at the cave ahead and chuckled. “Still not coming out? I see you.”
Yu Lin wouldn’t fall for his trick. He gripped his Water-Floating Sword tightly and pressed himself against the corner, unmoving.
The man casually picked up a small stone and tossed it toward the cave where Yu Lin was hiding.
“Clatter.”
The stone landed right at Yu Lin’s feet.
Then came a burst of rapid footsteps. The man rushed toward him, his careless attitude hardening into malice as he raised his sword to strike. “I told you… I see you!”
Yu Lin bent his knees, pivoted on his toes, and stepped back at an angle, raising the Water-Floating Sword to parry the attack.
This man’s cultivation was not below his own; his use of spiritual energy was fluid and vicious, unlike the disciplined styles taught by major sects.
After locking swords, the man even had the energy to chat. He scrutinized Yu Lin, saying with a hint of disdain, “The Young Master must have lost his mind to send us for someone with this level of skill.”
Yu Lin gritted his teeth, pushed back several steps. “Are you with Liu Yufeng?”
The man suddenly raised his hand, flicked Yu Lin’s sword aside, and hummed. “Sharp enough!”
Yu Lin was forced back two more steps, then used the momentum to distance himself further.
Quick as lightning, Yu Lin pulled a smoke bomb from his storage ring and crushed it. A thick, opaque white fog rose between them, obstructing their vision.
He retrieved a concealment artifact, put it on, and hid to the side.
If this person wasn’t at the Saint Stage, he wouldn’t be able to detect his presence.
He was gambling.
The man indeed noticed the disappearance of his aura. He chuckled, seeing through Yu Lin’s trick, and said unhurriedly, “Run, but how long can you run? Do you really think I can’t catch you just because you hid your aura?”
Yu Lin didn’t waste a second, darting on his tiptoes into the cave.
This cave had no light orbs and was very dark. But since Yu Lin was at the Heaven Stage, his vision was relatively clear.
He carefully avoided the puddles to prevent making noise. He scanned the layout of the cave, moved toward the dry rock, and kept his focus sharp, sword gripped tight in case of an ambush.
Yu Lin used his movement techniques, reaching the higher ground of the cave in just a few breaths. He dampened the glow of his Water-Floating Sword, hid in the shadows, and tensed his body in a defensive stance.
“Clatter.” “Clatter.”
The man didn’t bother hiding his footsteps, walking straight through the puddles as if to announce his position to Yu Lin. His sword scraped against the ground with an ear-piercing screech.
“Where are you?”
The man drew out his tone, his careless voice echoing through the cave—hollow and oppressive.
The sound of the sword scraping the ground was grating, yet the man seemed oblivious, playfully drawing various shapes on the floor, the screeching noise echoing repeatedly.
“Ugh!”
As Yu Lin concentrated on hiding, a blood-red silk ribbon suddenly looped around his neck before he could react, yanking him to the side!
Yu Lin’s pupils constricted. He instinctively reached for it and spun around, locking eyes with a pair of red ones.
“Found you.” The woman grinned at him.
Yu Lin’s hands reacted faster than his brain; he raised the Water-Floating Sword and slashed at the red ribbon, snapping it in two.
Stumbling, Yu Lin braced himself against the ground with his sword. Without wasting a moment, he used his movement technique to leap away.
The woman, clutching the broken ribbon, pursued him with the agility of a cat.
“Qian, your artifact quality is really lacking.”
The man looked up leisurely, enjoying the spectacle as he goaded her.
A-Qian glanced at the man still dragging his sword below and said coldly, “Shut up.”
“Fine, fine…” The man stretched and cracked his joints. “Brother is coming!”
As he spoke, he suddenly accelerated, sprinting toward him with a rhythmic “tap-tap-tap,” reaching the air above the rock where Yu Lin stood in mere moments!
Cold sweat beaded on Yu Lin’s forehead. He had forgotten there was a second person; the man’s antics had completely drawn his attention away!
Was the man’s careless behavior—making such loud noises with his sword—just a ruse to mask the sound of A-Qian’s footsteps?
Yu Lin had no time to ponder; he couldn’t afford to be distracted. Seeing the man descend, he quickly raised his sword and invoked a water dragon with a sword seal to push him back.
While still mid-air, the man stepped onto the water dragon and slashed downward!
The water dragon let out a hoarse cry, thrashing in the air to shake him off. When that failed, it swiveled its head, intent on striking him again.
In the gap while the man was busy dodging, Yu Lin used a movement technique to reach the dragon’s head, leaping across to the other side with its momentum.
The Water-Floating Sword drew a circle in the air, gathering a burst of blue spiritual energy. The man moved to block it, only to realize the energy was aimed at the rushing A-Qian!
“Watch out!”
The man hadn’t expected Yu Lin to shift his target toward A-Qian, and the surprise disrupted his focus.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Yu Lin grabbed a thin stone pillar on the cave ceiling and swung himself forward, putting distance between them.
A-Qian was highly agile; seeing the energy strike, she twisted her body and narrowly dodged it.
“Boom!”
The energy hit the stone wall, causing a minor rockfall.
“Chase!” A-Qian shouted to the man.
Keeping her eyes on Yu Lin, she leaped with grace, pursuing him in the direction of his escape.
“Tsk, why is this brat so hard to catch!” The man said irritably, venting his frustration by slamming his sword into the ground before resigning himself to follow A-Qian.
With Yu Lin in the lead and A-Qian close behind, her speed was immense; he couldn’t shake her off.
Yu Lin retreated rapidly to a corner and waited with one hand extended, ready to ambush.
“Whoosh!” A-Qian rushed past. Yu Lin grabbed her wrist, using her momentum to drag her to the ground.
Caught off guard, A-Qian was flung down, her body skidding against the gravel.
She recovered by rolling once and tried to strike him with a hand-blade, but Yu Lin dodged nimbly.
Yu Lin backhanded her red ribbon, pulled her toward him, and swiftly struck her pressure points.
Trapped, A-Qian struggled in vain, glaring at him with her red eyes, unable to move.
He held A-Qian in front of him, pressed his Water-Floating Sword against her neck, and watched the approaching man coldly.
The man lowered his eyes, his gaze icy. “Release A-Qian.”
Yu Lin stared at him and took two steps toward the cave entrance, dragging A-Qian with him.
“Let me go, and I’ll let her go.”
The man took a deep breath and let out a sigh. “Fine.”
Yu Lin didn’t lower his guard; he watched the man with piercing vigilance, never ceasing his pace. For a moment, the only sounds in the cave were the dripping water and their footsteps.
They grew closer and closer to the entrance.
When the light from outside spilled in, casting a faint glow on Yu Lin’s face, he finally felt a sense of impending safety.
Yu Lin let out a trembling breath. Seeing the man’s figure fade into the shadows ahead, he loosened his grip on his sword just a fraction.
Calculating his escape route in his head, he pivoted his feet, preparing to release A-Qian and retreat outside.
But suddenly, his body went rigid.
He turned his head stiffly to see A-Qian’s supple hands resting on his wrists before he knew it.
She tapped his pressure points in quick succession, and a stream of black-red demonic energy flowed into his pulse.
His hands shook violently, his strength drained away instantly, and he could no longer hold his weapon.
“Clatter.”
The Water-Floating Sword slipped from his grip and fell to the ground.
A-Qian gracefully turned away, breaking free from his hold, though her hands remained on his wrists.
She traced her fingers up his arms and finally rested her hands on his shoulders, tilting her head to blow a soft breath against his cheek.
“My dear, I am a demonic cultivator, after all.”
She looked down at him with seductive, half-lidded eyes, her fingers gently stroking his cheek, and gave a faint smile.
“Pressure points don’t work on me. Don’t be so naive.”
She shot a sidelong glance at the approaching man and curled her lips. “Let’s go. The Young Master wants him alive.”