Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Stop Fighting, I’m from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion
Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Stop Fighting, I’m from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion
“Arrogant!”
Jiang Fan laughed, incensed.
He’d seen audacious types before, but never someone so utterly dismissive.
A thief discovered, yet still acting so brazenly.
It was truly a first!
“Then don’t even think about leaving!”
The words barely lingered in the air before Jiang Fan had already darted forward at an astonishing speed.
Ruan Qingsu was not worried—in fact, she seemed delighted. Her lips curled slightly as she said, “Relying on words alone won’t keep me here!”
Without hesitation, she too employed her movement technique and dashed away.
She had been cultivating *Shifting Shadow*, an Earth-level intermediate movement technique treasured by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
At its deepest level, it was said to exhibit effects akin to *Shrinking Land into Inches*.
She had only cultivated it to the First Layer thus far.
Still, it granted her the startling ability to cover eight zhang in a single step.
Moreover, as the technique unfolded, a sequence of illusions scattered in different directions.
For a brief moment, it was impossible to distinguish her true form from the illusions.
Chasing her became an arduous task.
Jiang Fan hesitated for a second.
“This is…”
It was his first encounter with such an enigmatic movement technique.
The fact that it naturally came with illusions to mislead enemies amazed him.
Whether for escape or in combat, it was far superior to ordinary movement techniques.
“This female thief’s movement technique is remarkably intricate,”
Jiang Fan admitted, somewhat envious of her skill.
However, those illusions that might confuse others posed no challenge for him.
He concentrated his spiritual power between his fingers and swept them across his eyes.
*Qi Observation Technique*, derived from the *Undying Medical Book*, suddenly activated.
This technique was originally designed to allow healers to observe a patient’s internal organs and assess deeper pathological conditions.
Used in combat, however, it practically turned into a perfect tactical advantage.
After all, illusions could never possess internal organs.
Once Qi Observation Technique unfolded,
Jiang Fan’s field of view revealed a void within all the illusionary figures.
Only the one rushing eastward had clearly visible internal organs.
“Looks like you won’t get away!”
Without hesitation, he employed his movement technique and darted after her.
Ruan Qingsu, who had been smirking in anticipation of Jiang Fan chasing after the illusions like a headless fly, suddenly froze.
Her expression changed dramatically.
Jiang Fan was ignoring all the illusions and was heading straight toward her.
“No way! Did he figure out which one is my true body?”
*Ruan Qingsu found it hard to believe.*
Once more, she used her movement technique to flee further away, scattering countless indistinguishable illusions along the way.
Yet, to her dismay,
Jiang Fan continued to lock onto her, narrowing the gap between them rapidly.
When she was about to be caught, Ruan Qingsu finally confirmed that her illusions were useless against Jiang Fan.
She cried out, “You can see through to my true body?”
Jiang Fan’s gaze turned cool. “Take a guess.”
Immediately, he unleashed a strike of *Wandering Dragon Palm* toward her shoulder plate.
Ruan Qingsu raised an eyebrow, saw that it was a Profound-level high sword technique, and scoffed:
“Do you think this level of skill is enough to capture me?”
“Water Lotus!”
Her pale jade-like hand shot out at astonishing speed, colliding directly with Jiang Fan’s handprint.
A tyrannical burst of force from an Earth-level technique exploded from her palm.
However, the expected scene of her single strike repelling Jiang Fan did not unfold.
On the contrary, an incomparably dense and potent palm force matched hers evenly.
This greatly surprised her.
Both were palm techniques,
yet an Earth-level skill couldn’t suppress a Profound-level high skill?
*Only the very top-tier Profound-level techniques could exhibit this kind of power,* she thought.
Jiang Fan also felt a bit surprised.
“Someone skilled in such advanced techniques is actually dabbling as a petty thief!”
He had executed the final move of *Wandering Dragon Palm*, *Dragon Destruction*.
Its power rivaled even Earth-level techniques.
This woman was able to match him strike for strike, which suggested her skill must stem from an Earth-level technique.
He struggled to understand; practitioners capable of cultivating techniques of this level were rare jewels within the Nine Sects.
They should possess considerable status and prestige.
A petty thief, though?
Ruan Qingsu snorted: “If I didn’t steal, how would I acquire such powerful techniques?”
Her palm suddenly surged with force, and spiritual power from the Second Level of Core Formation erupted, forcing Jiang Fan backward.
Regaining his balance, Jiang Fan narrowed his eyes, saying, “Surrender now, and I’ll give you a chance to turn over a new leaf.”
“Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Ruan Qingsu reacted as if she had just heard a joke: “With your Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation, you think you can be ruthless toward me?”
“Come on then, let me see just how ruthless you can be.”
She beckoned with her finger, a smug smile stretching across her face.
Jiang Fan said no more.
He summoned his spiritual power, then struck decisively with a finger!
“Regretful Dragon!”
The final move of *Heavenly Ruined Finger*—its power was no weaker than the first move of an Earth-level intermediate technique!
A dazzling, multicolored light spot bloomed at his fingertip.
As soon as the light emerged, the space around his fingertip vibrated with crackling sounds, rippling intensely.
It seemed as though the light might rip the surrounding space apart.
Dangerous energy radiated outward.
The smile vanished from Ruan Qingsu’s face.
Her expression morphed into shock. “An… Earth-level finger technique?”
She realized Jiang Fan was taking this seriously.
*Perhaps the banter had gone too far.*
But for her, a disciple of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, bowing her head and admitting fault to someone from the Green Cloud Sect was out of the question.
“Who’s afraid of you?” Ruan Qingsu muttered, lifting her jade-like finger to unleash her own Earth-level finger technique.
As she struck, brilliant white petals resembling dazzling lotuses soared toward Jiang Fan.
However, her finger technique was only at the First Layer.
It couldn’t compare to Jiang Fan’s technique, which he had cultivated to the Third Layer.
Jiang Fan’s finger shot forth.
The multicolored light spot instantly transformed into a terrifying rainbow-like beam.
It pierced through the air like a radiant spear.
In the blink of an eye, it shattered all the lotuses and charged straight toward Ruan Qingsu.
Ruan Qingsu’s expression shifted drastically!
*Despite both being Earth-level techniques, her own was utterly crushed.*
She frantically tapped her chest.
A jade pendant around her neck shattered, releasing beams of brilliant clear light to envelop her.
It turned out to be a Protective Dharma Treasure.
Bang—
The rainbow light struck the clear light barrier, as if sinking into a dense cushion of cotton.
It stopped just one chi from Ruan Qingsu’s face, unable to progress further.
As the spiritual power dissipated, the beam vanished entirely.
Ruan Qingsu broke into a cold sweat.
If not for a Defensive Magical Treasure capable of withstanding attacks from the Fifth Level of Core Formation,
she might have suffered grave injuries.
*Reflecting upon this, frustration bubbled up within her.*
She glared at Jiang Fan in annoyance: “You’ve wasted one of my Protective Dharma Treasures!”
“Next time, I won’t play games with you!”
She turned on her heel and decisively employed her movement technique, aiming to leave at once.
But to her surprise,
Jiang Fan’s expression hardened. “Did I say you could leave?”
With the tip of his foot lightly touching the ground, he accelerated at an astonishing speed and chased after her.
Seeing Jiang Fan unwilling to yield, Ruan Qingsu fumed with a mix of shock and fury: “What more do you want?”
“I’m already retreating willingly.”
For a disciple of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, taking the initiative to withdraw was already a considerable loss of face.
Yet here was someone from the Green Cloud Sect, relentlessly pushing for more.
“I already gave you a chance to surrender,”
Jiang Fan’s legs emitted rings of lightning as he covertly performed *Three Pure Thunder Shadow*.
This leg technique was designed specifically to counter defenses!
The protective light shield ahead might not be able to withstand it!
Ruan Qingsu snapped in anger: “You’re so cheeky! I guess I’ve spoiled you too much?”
“Cloud-breaking Finger!”
She unleashed a finger strike far more formidable than before.
The white lotuses morphed into colorful blossoms.
Their power increased exponentially.
This was the Second Layer of her Earth-level finger technique—a trump card she prided herself on.
For someone of her age to cultivate an Earth-level finger technique to the Second Layer wasn’t merely rare—it was extraordinary.
There were only a handful who could withstand this level of force!
Initially, she had planned to keep this strike as a secret weapon.
*It was meant to give the senior disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion a “surprise.”*
Yet she hadn’t expected to be forced to use it in the relatively insignificant Green Cloud Sect.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated on N𝘰vgo.co