C18 Ambush
"Qin Ming, how can you scold me over such a nobody? What happened to your pride as a genius?"
Duan Dali's complexion soured. He hadn't anticipated Qin Ming standing up to him over someone like Chu Tianyu. It was well-known that geniuses and experts carried their pride with them. Only those with true strength could join their ranks, and geniuses tended to respect one another. Even enemies would maintain a certain level of respect, unlike Qin Ming, who had berated Duan Dali over a minor character.
Chu Tianyu cast a grateful look at Qin Ming before addressing Duan Dali, "Duan Dali, it took you a hundred years to reach Level Nine. If I were you, I'd be so ashamed I'd consider suicide rather than bullying a young woman."
Duan Dali's expression turned even more foreboding, icy and severe. His desire to kill Chu Tianyu was stronger than ever.
Qin Ming nodded in agreement. "Without reaching the Saint Level, I remain extraordinary. After forty years of cultivation to achieve Level Nine, I still practice humility and caution. I diligently pursue my training, treading carefully each day. I wouldn't presume to claim the title of genius. What gives you the right?"
Her voice crescendoed with the final question, booming in Duan Dali's head like thunder.
"You—pfft!" Duan Dali's face turned beet red as he spat out a mouthful of blood, his energy flagging as his mind suffered a tremendous shock, shaking uncontrollably.
Such mental trauma was incredibly serious. If he couldn't overcome it, it would lead to an obsession or even a demon in his mind, effectively ruining him.
"Bastard, wretch, you're both doomed. The treasures, the spiritual weapons, and even you will be mine," Duan Dali raged, beside himself with anger. No Level Nine expert could stand such an affront to their pride.
"Just give me a few years, and I could crush an insignificant role like you with a flick of my wrist," Chu Tianyu lamented. Endowed with the supreme techniques of the Dragon Clan, he was bound to become a force to be reckoned with in a few years, potentially even reaching the Saint Level.
Chu Tianyu was speaking the truth, yet to the ears of the two listeners, it sounded like nothing more than arrogant boasting. How could someone they considered worthless be so bold? They were well aware that each of them had undergone decades of grueling cultivation to reach Level Nine, and they were among the rare geniuses in a million. For an average person, attaining Level Four was already quite an achievement.
Despite Qin Ming's favorable opinion of Chu Tianyu, she couldn't help but think he was exaggerating. Duan Dali, on the other hand, was even more skeptical.
"Haha, a nobody dares to boast so shamelessly? You could spend a hundred years trying and still never reach Level Nine. And why would I, of all people, foolishly give an enemy the chance to grow stronger?" Duan Dali smugly believed he had seen right through Chu Tianyu's attempt to goad him.
Qin Ming also gave Chu Tianyu a skeptical look, suspecting he was trying to provoke Duan Dali into agreeing to a challenge to be settled years later. Such challenges were not uncommon in the Qin Empire, though successful challengers were few and far between. She doubted Duan Dali would accept such a proposition.
Chu Tianyu was at a loss for words; his intention had been misunderstood. Those who had cultivated to such a level were no fools. The typical story of a hero and villain setting a date for a future showdown, only for the hero to triumph gloriously, was not something that would happen in reality.
"Enough talk, then. Time to die," said Duan Dali, his face void of emotion as he launched a punch at them.
"Run!" Before Qin Ming could respond, Chu Tianyu quickly dodged to the side and sprinted away without a backward glance.
The area was dense with ancient trees and the terrain was complex. Chu Tianyu zigzagged through the woods, and for the moment, Duan Dali couldn't catch him.
"Hehe, let's see where you can run to," Duan Dali sneered as he redirected his pursuit toward them.
"Take this—my spirit weapon!" Qin Ming shouted, hurling an object from her hand at Duan Dali with lightning speed.
Duan Dali, taken aback, swiftly dodged. He was deeply wary of the spirit weapon that had already injured him twice.
"Fool, you dare to trick me?" Duan Dali raged, looking at the tree branch in his hand.
Chu Tianyu was sprinting ahead with Duan Dali hot on his heels. Had it not been for Qin Ming's "secret weapon" causing significant delays, they would have been overtaken long ago.
Duan Dali had grown accustomed to the "secret weapons." Now, when he saw an object flying toward him, he merely sidestepped, not breaking stride.
"Check out my magic tool," Qin Ming announced as she hurled an object, which whistled through the air.
Duan Dali sneered, sidestepping again, ready to continue the pursuit.
"Explode!" Qin Ming's voice was ice-cold as she commanded. Hearing this, Duan Dali's face turned ashen.
But it was too late. The object was less than ten feet away, unavoidable.
"Boom!" A thunderous explosion erupted. Duan Dali bore the brunt of it, and even Chu Tianyu, thirty feet away, was sent flying by the massive shockwave.
From the settling dust, an infuriated roar broke out, "Ah, I'm going to kill you!"
Duan Dali emerged, his clothes in shreds, bloodied from head to toe, his hair a wild mess. He looked more pitiful than a beggar, a far cry from his earlier domineering presence.
Chu Tianyu gaped at Qin Ming, unable to believe his eyes.
"It's nothing, really. I just detonated a magic tool," Qin Ming said, her face turning pale. The self-destruction of the magic tool had inflicted significant damage on her Divine Sense.
Chu Tianyu's first thought was that she must be incredibly wealthy, considering a magic tool could fetch thousands of Spirit Stones. His second thought was that this woman was extraordinary; she had held onto her trump card until the very last moment, likely to catch Duan Dali off guard.
"I'm going to kill you!" Duan Dali bellowed in rage, charging like a wild beast with bloodshot eyes. But with his multiple injuries and even with the aid of a Heaven Creation Pill, he couldn't withstand much more. His speed had dwindled to less than half of his former pace.
"Run!"
The chase was on again, but this time Chu Tianyu's speed had surged, while Duan Dali's had significantly decreased. Noticing that Duan Dali was only slightly faster than himself, Chu Tianyu felt a sense of relief.
"Little bastard, if you're brave enough, stop running," Duan Dali yelled while in pursuit.
"If you're brave, stop chasing me," Chu Tianyu retorted.
"Little bastard, you're asking for it."
"Old fool, think you've lived long enough?"
...
Chu Tianyu no longer held the same reverence for the Level Nine expert as he did initially, matching him in verbal sparring without missing a beat, which enraged Duan Dali.
Chu Tianyu, with the blood of the Dragon Clan coursing through his veins, found his stamina and speed increasing the longer he ran. Meanwhile, Duan Dali, nursing serious injuries and weakened from an earlier battle, slowed down progressively. After about an hour, Chu Tianyu could no longer see Duan Dali.
Still, Chu Tianyu dared not stop, uncertain of what other tricks the Level Nine expert might have up his sleeve. He wasn't about to gamble with his life.
Carrying Qin Ming on his back, Chu Tianyu navigated the dense forest. They encountered various wild beasts, all of which fled at the mere scent of Qin Ming's lingering powerful aura. Although Qin Ming was currently unable to fight, the presence of a formidable expert remained. Fortunately, they didn't come across any Demonic Beasts, for mere aura might not have been enough to deter them.
"The conflict has only lasted half a month so far. The Demonic Beasts are still wary of the residual aura of higher-level Demonic Beasts in the air and haven't returned," Chu Tianyu explained upon noticing Qin Ming's confused look.
"Did you witness that Sacred War?" Qin Ming asked, surprised. "That makes sense. With your level of strength, you couldn't have traveled far. Your home must be nearby."
Chu Tianyu remained silent. He had indeed witnessed the event, and one of the key figures was still present in his mind. Ao Xingyun had been good to him, and he had no intention of revealing any information about him.
"Where is your home?"
Chu Tianyu's expression turned somber. He might never have the chance to return in his lifetime, and even if he did, it would be as Ao Xingyun, the one who had taken possession of his body.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," Qin Ming said, believing that Chu Tianyu was a survivor of the Holy War and that his home had likely been destroyed.
"It's okay, I'm doing well now. Just being alive is lucky enough." Indeed, for Chu Tianyu, surviving the Holy War, evading Duan Dali's pursuit, and living on after being possessed was more than he could have asked for. What more could he hope for?
Qin Ming couldn't read Chu Tianyu's thoughts and mistakenly thought she had touched a sore spot. She felt a pang of guilt, biting her lip as she struggled to find the right words.
The atmosphere turned awkward for a moment.