Chapter 428 - 425: Yuan Ye
Chapter 428: Chapter 425: Yuan Ye
Without a moment’s hesitation, Fang Han abruptly sheathed his sword.
SWOOSH!
With a flicker of his figure, he ghosted out of the mining site, darting toward a dense forest not far away.
He activated his `Returning Ruins Hidden Essence Skill` at full power. This Top-Grade Stealth Secret Technique, which he had already reached the Mastery Realm in, suppressed his aura to the absolute limit.
His heartbeat grew slow and drawn-out, his breathing became nearly inaudible, and his skin temperature blended with the environment. He was like a lifeless stone.
He hid behind an ancient tree, his wary gaze peering through a gap in the foliage in a specific direction.
’A supremely dangerous aura is approaching!’
His `Thousand Mile Soul Lock`, a Top-Grade Tracking Secret Technique, had been constantly active ever since his Cultivation reached Mastery, never once stopping.
At every moment, this Secret Technique presented a clear picture of all auras within a radius of several miles to his perception.
If he wished, he could even expand this range to ten miles, but the Inner Qi consumption would multiply.
And just a moment ago, within this vast sea of auras, one particular presence was closing in on the mining site at extreme speed.
This aura was cold and savage, carrying a heart-pounding pressure and an unfamiliar feeling.
It was deeper and more terrifying than Yuan Zhan, whom he had faced before.
’Definitely not someone I know!’
Fang Han’s heart sank.
He had at least seen all the Elders within the Qingxuan Sect at some event or another, even those he didn’t interact with.
This person’s aura was unfamiliar, meaning they were more likely foe than friend.
’Could it be...?’
Fang Han held his breath, his eyes glued to the direction the aura was coming from.
A short while later, a figure appeared at the edge of the mining site.
It was an old man, about sixty years of age, dressed in the unique dark-patterned black robe of a Netherworld Pavilion Elder, the corners embroidered with dark flame patterns in gold thread.
Beneath thick brows, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s.
His face bore some resemblance to Yuan Zhan’s, but he appeared more composed and less sinister.
’The newcomer is a Netherworld Pavilion Elder!’
Fang Han’s pupils constricted slightly.
The man was a Netherworld Pavilion Elder, and his aura was even more dangerous than Yuan Zhan’s.
His aura was as heavy as a mountain and as contained as still water, yet it faintly exuded a suffocating pressure.
It was somewhat similar to Yin Wugou, whom he had encountered before.
’Could he be a Second Grade?!’
The thought flashed through Fang Han’s mind, and a chill ran down his spine.
Yuan Zhan had been killed and the gold mine seized. As expected, the Netherworld Pavilion wouldn’t let it go; they had sent a Second-Grade Elder.
’I can’t fight him head-on!’
Fang Han took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart as he kept his eyes locked on the figure.
Although Second Grade and Third Grade were only one rank apart, the difference in strength was as vast as heaven and earth.
He might have been able to kill Yuan Zhan, who was at the Late Stage of Third Grade, but facing a Second Grade Martial Artist in a direct confrontation was the worst possible option.
’A sneak attack!’
Fang Han quickly determined the best course of action.
If he could catch the man off guard and severely injure him with a surprise attack, the ensuing fight would be much easier.
His right hand slowly came to rest on his sword’s hilt. The Inner Qi of his `Cyan Profound Technique` began to circulate silently, his Wind Sword Intent coiled but unreleased, waiting for the most lethal moment.
However—
Just as he was about to strike.
The figure suddenly stopped in his tracks.
His sharp, eagle-like eyes abruptly turned, landing on the dense forest where Fang Han was hiding.
’I’ve been discovered?’
Fang Han’s heart leaped, and a deeply unsettling premonition arose within him.
The next moment—
The Netherworld Pavilion Elder—Yuan Ye—raised his right hand.
He threw a simple punch.
There were no fancy Transformations in this punch; it was just a casual strike.
But the moment the punch was thrown, a torrent of indescribably immense black Qi Force erupted from his fist.
It instantly condensed into a massive, pitch-black Fist Seal.
The Fist Seal was several zhang in size, so solid it seemed tangible. Its patterns were clear, and it was wreathed in a sinister black mist.
Wherever the Fist Seal passed, the air tore with a piercing shriek, and a deep trench was plowed into the ground.
Its destination was precisely where Fang Han was hiding.
The spiritual power perception of an Upper Three Grades Martial Artist surpasses that of a typical Top-Grade Secret Technique, though its range is far more limited.
The aura-hiding effect of the Master-Level `Returning Ruins Hidden Essence Skill` could block the Spiritual Perception of a Third Grade Martial Artist, but it couldn’t block the even keener Spiritual Perception of a Second Grade Martial Artist.
SWOOSH!
The instant he sensed the danger, Fang Han reacted decisively.
Activating his `Wind and Cloud Escape` at full power, his body transformed into a stream of faint cyan light and shot sideways.
His speed was astonishing, leaving only a distorted afterimage in his place.
The next moment—
BOOM—!!!
An earth-shattering explosion erupted behind him.
The massive, pitch-black Fist Seal viciously slammed into the ancient tree he had just been hiding behind.
The ancient tree, so thick it would take several people to encircle, shattered like paper mache under the force of the punch, sending splinters flying everywhere.
The Fist Seal’s momentum didn’t wane as it crashed to the ground. The earth trembled violently, and dirt and gravel shot into the sky as if a bomb had gone off.
Amidst the billowing dust, a massive crater over a zhang deep and several zhang wide appeared on the spot.
The earth at the crater’s edge was overturned and scorched black.
The surrounding trees were either uprooted or snapped in half, their broken branches and shattered leaves filling the air.
Fang Han landed more than ten zhang away, stumbling a step before regaining his footing.
He stood with his sword in hand, his gaze fixed on the ravaged crater, his heart filled with dread.
’If I had been a split second slower...’
Even with the formidable physique granted by his `Xuanwu True Skill`, he would likely have been severely injured.
"He dodged it?"
Yuan Ye retracted his fist, his gaze falling on the ruined landscape as he raised a slight eyebrow.
Although he hadn’t used his full strength in that punch, it was still a strike from him, a Second Grade Martial Artist.
It was so fast that even a Martial Artist at the Late Stage of Third Grade would have found it difficult to evade.
Yet, the person hiding in the shadows had managed to dodge it.
"A very impressive Body Technique!"
Yuan Ye muttered to himself, his sharp, eagle-like eyes turning toward the figure who had just revealed himself more than ten zhang away—the person who had been hiding.
The moment he got a clear look at the young face, his pupils constricted slightly. An irrepressible killing intent immediately surged from his chest.
Fang Han.
He had seen this face countless times in the booklet Li Wushang had given him.
The one who killed Yuan Zhan, seized the gold mine, the most outstanding genius of the Qingxuan Sect in hundreds of years—
First on the Celestial Pride List, Fang Han.
"Fang Han! So you were the one hiding in the shadows!"
Yuan Ye spoke, his voice low and hoarse, like the winter wind scraping across withered branches.
The killing intent that surged from his chest materialized into tangible pressure that bore down on Fang Han.
"Who are you? You’re not among the Second-Grade Elders of the Netherworld Pavilion I know of!"
Fang Han stood with his sword, his expression as grave as still water.
The Inner Qi from his `Cyan Profound Technique` surged endlessly within him, and his Wind Sword Intent was coiled but unreleased.
According to his knowledge, none of the dozen or so Second-Grade Elders of the Netherworld Pavilion matched the man before him.
This person had either been concealing his strength for the Netherworld Pavilion, or he had just recently broken through to become a Second Grade Martial Artist.
"I am Yuan Ye, a kinsman of Yuan Zhan, the man you killed!"
Yuan Ye’s voice dripped with killing intent.
The next instant—
He moved.
There was no build-up, no warning—just a single step forward.
The step seemed ordinary, but empowered by Second Grade Inner Qi, it was unbelievably fast.
His figure seemed to shrink the ground with each step, crossing over ten zhang in an instant to appear right in front of Fang Han.
His right fist, wreathed in dense black Inner Qi, clenched and shot forward in a punch.
BOOM!
This punch was completely different from the last one.
Upon his fist, ink-black Inner Qi gathered frantically, condensing until it was tangible, like a black hole devouring all light.
A terrifying fist Momentum permeated it.
Wherever the fist’s wind passed, the air tore with a piercing shriek, and a deep trench was plowed into the ground.
Its power far surpassed that of his previous punch.
’This punch is extremely dangerous!’
Fang Han’s pupils shrank abruptly.
With no time to think, the Inner Qi from his `Cyan Profound Technique` surged at an unprecedented speed, pouring entirely into his Cloud Splitting Sword.
He fully activated his Entry Level `Sky-Splitting Sword Technique`!
VMMM—
An indescribable aura suddenly emanated from him.
The aura was incredibly sharp, carrying a terrifying Tearing Realm that seemed capable of shredding anything to pieces.
It was his Wind Sword Intent!
But as the Wind Sword Intent emerged, the cyan-gold light on the Cloud Splitting Sword abruptly changed.
It transformed into a nearly transparent yet tangible sharpness.
The sword’s blade hummed and vibrated, like a long-starved beast that had finally scented blood.
He slashed out with his sword!
The sword light and the Fist Seal collided violently in mid-air.
BOOM—!!!
A deafening roar exploded outwards, the shockwave spreading in all directions like a tsunami.
Wherever it passed, a layer of the ground was violently scraped away, sending rubble flying and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The instant the sword and fist met, an invisible Spiritual Shock erupted from the Cloud Splitting Sword, shooting along the point of contact between the Fist Seal and the sword light, directly piercing Yuan Ye’s mind.
The Spiritual Shock was sudden and fierce, like an invisible blade stabbing viciously into Yuan Ye’s mind.
Yuan Ye felt his mind tremble as his consciousness wavered for a split second.
That single moment was enough to change the tide of battle.
His originally peerless Fist Seal faltered for a fraction of a second due to the mental assault.
And in that fleeting moment of hesitation, Fang Han’s sword light broke through the Fist Seal and drove straight forward.
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK—
Yuan Ye grunted, stumbling back several steps involuntarily. Each step left a deep footprint in the hard ground, causing it to crack.
WHOOSH!
A sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. He pressed his advantage, giving no quarter.
He unleashed his `Wind and Cloud Escape` at full power, his body becoming a stream of faint cyan light as he pursued Yuan Ye.
He slashed out again with the Cloud Splitting Sword, another full-power strike, another burst of Wind Sword Intent.
This strike aimed straight for Yuan Ye’s heart.
However—
Just as the tip of the sword was about to touch Yuan Ye’s chest, his eyes, which had been slightly unfocused from the Spiritual Shock, suddenly regained their clarity.
His body came to an abrupt halt, then he floated backward at a speed that defied logic.
His speed was astonishing, and in an instant, he had put more than ten zhang of distance between himself and Fang Han.