Page 11: Added insights
Long Bai heard a loud whistle while exiting the secret passage. At that moment, he knew they were discovered. If it's just the four of them, it would be unlikely that they would be discovered since they are far swifter than the second group. Long Bai has his thoughts but what won was his humanitarian side as to help these fellows. After all, they came from the same place, and that there could be some benefits from establishing a good rapport with them. Maybe not for him directly but for the place that gave him opportunities.
Responding to the warning, Long Bai rushed out of the tunnel and went to meet up with Yue and Ah Mu. In not more than 3 seconds, he found The two who were on standby in an open area. The two were deliberately showing themselves to divert the guards' attention into them giving the first group some escape time. With a giant leap, Long Bai landed in front of the two.
Yue and Ah Mu immediately recognized Long Bai and reported about the status of the group. While retreating for two minutes, Long Bai was able to receive all the info from their observations.
"I see. With that speed, they will at most need an hour to reach the brother Ling Tian's position. This time, we go all out. These men that's approaching us would not hesitate to take our lives now. In their laws, anyone who tries to run away from servitude is considered dead to them. That is why you just need to return what they are trying to do to you."
"Brother Bai, we already know. Since we became disciples of the sect's elders, we were taught to be decisive in our actions especially when our lives matter. I know you are worried about us but let me tell you this on behalf of us three. You have taught us strong skills so we will be fine. We want you to trust in our capabilities too." Yue reassured Long Bai with her straight forward but sweet voice. Ah Mu who was on the side nodded in agreement.
Long Bai was struck with such realization. He was too naive. Compared to them, he was the one who was holding himself back from moving forward. He never did think that he was too concerned about them that it might have become a problem in the future. It was good that his companions were confident about being able to stand on their own. With those words, Long Bai finally cast all his worries and let out a thankful smile. After all, each of them is carving their fate, the road to becoming an immortal. This time, he can go with his fullest, a fight with no constraint. This was his wish after acquiring the greater success of the
With a nod, the three agreed in silence to work together in hindering the guards and at the same time, have their real fight. After all, they don't have any attachment to this current world. In addition, this was a test for them to survive the even more dangerous mainland where immortals are found.
The three split to reduce the concentration of soldiers. Yue ran to the right while Ah Mu took the opposite. Long Bai on the other hand remained at the center, the most open and widest area where a large battle can take place.
The guards who numbered to ten divide themselves into three, 3 on the left, another 3 on the right while the rest continued towards Long Bai. All of the guards were just regular guards but their cultivation was at an average of the early layers of core tempering stage.
While waiting for the enemies to make a move, Long Bai was counting their numbers. Seeing that their numbers were just half of how much he counted from the past days, he hypothesized that the rest must have gone inside the tunnels to check how many had fled the place. While their numbers are still manageable, he initiated the attack. With the rapier on the right and the stiletto on the left, he moved like a warping ghost leaving a copy of his former stance at his previous spot that stayed for at most two seconds. The mirage was the effect of his
One of the guards noticed Long Bai's strong battle intent and got scared. Immediately, he brought out a piece of paper with an inscription in it while yelling something.
"Don't move if you don't want to die! I can detonate the lock on your neck if I wanted to!"
Long Bai heard the man clearly but he did only replied with a smile. The guard noticed the unyielding attitude of Long Bai and immediately activated the inscription. While waiting for a bloody explosion, Long Bai let out a scoff to the man's effort. Originally, the inscription should work in a way that the closest to the inscription will explode. There was no specific detonator but instead, there was like a universal remote that triggers the lock that's closest to the range. The poor guard who never knew that the locks were already deactivated instead heard a scream coming from behind. It must have been a worker who was at the mines busy doing his work.
Since it came to this, Long Bai took his actions. Without wasting any time, the pointed end of each weapon on his hands pierced the four enemies that were making a queue like a barbecue.
Stab! Stab!
One neck was pierced by the stiletto while the three were queued on the rapier altogether. There was no sweat as they were not prepared to guard themselves against the swift attack. After seeing the reassuring dead and blank eyes from the four guards, he finally put his weapons slanted towards the ground to let the skewed bodies fall to the ground. Just when he was about to make a run, two small knives came at him with high speeds. The first almost got his right foot but then the second one proved to be aimed properly. Using the first knife as a distraction, the second knife was aimed to hit at the time he would dodge the first one.
Clang!
The knife was blocked using the thick hilt of the rapier. Long Bai did not expect such expertise to be in this place. Now, he just proved his thoughts to be wrong.
"Surrender or die!"
An oppressive voice came from somewhere. The voice can suggest Long Bai that it was from a domineering person. In that place, there's only one person. It was the man they call "the mountain", Corporal Mountain of Cinnabar City. Having cultivation at the essence condensation layer, the same as Long Bai makes them a match in the whole personnel of the mine.
If it's about strength, both were just on the same level. The only difference between the two must be that Corporal Mountain is more experienced while Long Bai can boast about his movement speed. In a battle, such differences make the advantage over the other.
The Corporal Mountain didn't have much patience as he only waited for a few moments for a response from Long Bai. Since Long Bai was seen as an escapee, he was seen as a rebellious property that needs to be returned through threat. Corporal Mountain approached Long Bai at a regulated pace while exuding a suppressive aura. In the past, such a method works to anyone that had their essence utilization suppressed. However, this time, it was the corporal who received the surprise.
"Brat! How come you are not afflicted by my disposition? Anyone whose essence is blocked should be groveling on the ground by now but how come you are still standing there like everything is fine?"
Long Bai smirked and replied, "Because everything is really fine."
After saying that phrase, he took off the collar around his neck and threw it in front of the officer. The surprised officer can't hide his looks as his thoughts were running wild. A second later, the officer began to yell in anger. His cultivation burst full forth with rage. The officer had never been this humiliated. As a commanding officer of the smallest unit, he still holds power that still deserves to be feared however this is the first time a person showed no much regard for it. Instead, he was given a reply with a condescending facade that stirred his pride causing him to be infuriated.
"How!! How did you do it!!"
The officer leaped high and activated some skill that Long Bai never had seen before.
[System notice: Essence conversion to physical enhancement detected. Utilizing the inner essence to enhance further the physical body to its limit is possible with a certain routine. The process of conversion is now added to your library. ]
Long Bai didn't have enough time to think about the new notice as the officer from high above was coming down like a burning meteor. In his mind, there was only one option, that is to dodge. Crude attacks like those can't just be underestimated or one would suffer the consequences.
Using the
Crash!
The earth on the original position caved in almost a meter and it even created a crater almost three meters wide. Such a devastating attack.
Long Bai was amazed by the strengthening skill that the officer used. Maybe after this, he would also try the contents of the added note just a moment ago. Right now, this is a chance for him to fight an enemy of a similar cultivation level upfront.
The officer at first thought that he surely was able to land an attack but then realized that his attack didn't hit anyone after seeing that there's no one on the ground where his fist landed. He looked around and saw Long Bai five meters away still standing without any damage at all.
"How did you break the lock? Unless you are from Magvel... You don't strike me as a citizen of this place so that could only be the answer, a Magvel spy. If this is the case, then that's more of a reason to kill you."
The officer didn't wait for any reply as his mind has already set such ideas. Climbing up from the crater, he continued his straightforward attacks against Long Bai. This time, he was even faster.
From Long Bai's assessment, his opponent was able to raise his speed similar to the effects of the early success of his
Since the opponent was too hype with his attempts, Long Bai also started to reciprocate. Every attempt of the enemy, there's always a counter that keeps on landing. Surprisingly, each counter should have cut so deep but all the officers got were nonfatal wounds. It wasn't so shallow for just an epidermal lesion but not too deep to severe any arteries or veins. The enhancement even toughened up the skin preventing any normal damage to be fatal.
After a one-sided exchange, the officer backed down for a few meters away. Wounds from sword slashes covered his body. Blood started to dye his clothing red as time passes by. However, even with those light wounds, he was still full of vigor but his eyes became warier. The realization of the difference in skills started to enter his mind. His foot even started to instinctively step back due to the developing fear inside him.
Although those feelings started to creep into his mind, those were new to him. For the first time in forever, this was the only situation where he felt such emotions. Never did he had an experience where he was driven to a corner. Since he never knew how to react, he still pushed through with how he usually deals with things, hit things head on no matter what.
Long Bai saw that the officer was pushing himself despite his situation. This time around, he decided to use his sword aura to enhance the blade's sharpness.
"Officer, it is time I end this fight. Prepare yourself!"
Long Bai warned the officer as he was awed by his strong determination. With the incoming officer's enhanced right fist, Long Bai shrouded his rapier with the sword aura, activated his mirage steps, and went to meet the man. Within less than a quarter of a second, he reached the officer's body, ducted a little, and gave a stab at the heart with his rapier.
The officer on the other hand experienced things differently. During the moment that his heart was stabbed, his eyes were still deceived by the mirage Long Bai left on the original spot. The moment he thought his fist reached the opponent, the mirage was gone, and felt a cold and painful sensation from his chest. His sight began to become blurry and his strength started to dwindle. He fell on his knees and started to realize his situation.
"Haha! I did not expect this ending...you are strong but even that, you are still in trouble. As a reward let me tell you something...As we speak..an officer of mine is on his way to report the situation..you may have escaped from here but you won't make it away from this country. You see, killing a titled officer is one of the top five greatest sins you can commit in this place. By now, my life token in the city might have already broke...you can't escape as my last moment will be transmitted at that token..your face will be everywhere as a most wanted person... haha..ha.."
The officer let out his last breath and eventually slumped on the ground like a withered plant. Long Bai on the other hand left the area immediately to check on the rest.