Chapter 65: Concealment Technique

The two exchanged glances and decided to put off chopping trees for the moment, choosing instead to check out the commotion.

Among the numerous spells Lin Xiao had created earlier, there was one called Concealment Technique, which was specifically designed for situations like this.

Sun Yigao had already mastered it.

Thus, the two used the Concealment Technique to hide their presence as they quietly approached the source of the noise.

When they got closer, they saw five people engaged in a sword fight. They all appeared to be young, around sixteen or seventeen years old, and they were all dressed in identical red robes with silver patterns.

Their swordsmanship seemed decent, with fast moves and flashy spins, making their robes flutter dramatically. Occasionally, when they found an opening, one of them would hurl a small fireball or shoot a jet of water.

Lin Xiao, who had spent considerable effort creating flashy yet practical spells, remained silent.

Why? Because the five who were fighting were all at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining!

Is this really how Qi Refining cultivators fight? Lin Xiao thought to himself. Shouldn't they be using a dazzling array of spells, with leaves turning into blades and swords flying in unison?

Suddenly, Lin Xiao felt like all the effort he had put into creating those spells had been in vain.

Beside him, Sun Yigao, who had also learned a wide variety of spells thanks to Lin Xiao, fell into a similar silence.

Is this how cultivators in the outside world actually fight? he wondered. This seems a bit different from what Lin Xiao had taught us.

While the two were lost in thought, the fighters began to shout at each other.

One of them, a round-faced youth, yelled, "Yuan Qing! Hand over the Shadow Grass! For the sake of our sect, we'll spare your life!"

The cultivator called Yuan Qing, who was fighting back-to-back with another companion, gritted his teeth and responded, "Stop talking nonsense! Yuan Gang, you can give up that idea! Qingqing needs the Shadow Grass to survive, and I won't give it to you!"

His companion, who was also fighting, added, "Yuan Gang, you're violating the sect's rule against harming fellow disciples! I swear, I'll report you to the Discipline Hall when we get back!"

The fight continued without slowing down, with both sides exchanging blows. However, with the numbers against them, Yuan Qing and his companion gradually found themselves at a disadvantage. Inevitably, a few cuts appeared on their bodies.

Yuan Gang, the leader of the opposing group, laughed at their struggle. "Xu Juan, I'm already showing mercy by sparing your lives. Otherwise, you'd already be dead!"

Yuan Qing's arm was slashed again, and he almost lost his grip on his sword. He clutched his wound with one hand while trying to fend off attacks with the other.

"Yuan Gang, aren't you afraid of being punished by the head of the family?" Yuan Qing shouted.

Yuan Gang laughed even louder. "The head of the family? Punish me? That's a joke! I'm the only son of the second elder, and you're just an orphan who clings to the family because of an arranged marriage with Qingqing. Do you think the head of the family would care if I killed you? If anything, he'd probably let me marry Qingqing afterward!"

Hearing this, Yuan Qing clenched his teeth and lowered his head. He knew Yuan Gang was right. In the Yuan family, he held no real power or influence.

As the battle continued, Yuan Qing felt a sense of despair. The odds were against them, and he feared not only for his life but also for what might happen to Qingqing if he died.

Sensing Yuan Qing's despondency, Xu Juan quickly blocked an incoming strike and urged him, "Snap out of it, Yuan Qing! If you die, you really will lose everything!"

In that moment, Xu Juan's shoulder was slashed, and his red robe was soaked in blood. One of Yuan Gang's companions sneered, "Xu Juan, this doesn't concern you. If you stop helping him, we'll let you go."

Xu Juan laughed coldly. "Let me go? So I can report you to the Discipline Hall? You must think I'm a fool. If I'm going to die today, I'll make sure to take you down with me!"

With that, he swung his sword at them.

To his surprise, his blade connected with flesh, sinking deep into his opponent's shoulder. The attacker stood frozen in place, unable to react.

At the same time, Yuan Qing and Xu Juan noticed that all three of their opponents had suddenly stopped moving.

Hidden behind a nearby tree, Lin Xiao marveled at how effective his Paralysis Technique was at immobilizing enemies. As long as their spiritual power was significantly lower than his, they couldn't break free from the spell and were left at his mercy.

Xu Juan was the first to react. He scanned the surroundings warily and called out, "Who's there?"

Lin Xiao and Sun Yigao remained still.

Xu Juan called out again, "Show yourself! Stop hiding in the shadows!"

As he spoke, he began to move cautiously in their direction.

Unfortunately, his path led him straight toward where Lin Xiao and Sun Yigao were hiding.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but internally groan. I've already immobilized your enemies, and you're still looking for me? Are you serious?

He quickly released the Paralysis Technique on Yuan Gang and his companions.

Freed from their paralysis, Yuan Gang and the others looked around in fear, unsure of what had just happened. Two of them were already thinking of retreating.

However, seeing that no one had appeared, Yuan Gang's courage returned. He figured that whatever had happened must have been a passing anomaly in the secret realm.

He rallied his companions and launched another attack on Xu Juan and Yuan Qing.

With both Xu Juan and Yuan Qing already injured and struggling, they were quickly pushed to the brink of defeat once more. Just as they were about to face certain doom, their attackers suddenly froze in place again.

This time, Xu Juan and Yuan Qing didn't hesitate. They shouted a quick thanks to the unseen benefactor and fled the forest as fast as they could.

Once they were gone, Lin Xiao finally released Yuan Gang and his companions from the spell.

The three of them, still shaken and confused, quickly decided to flee as well.

In truth, with their Qi Refining levels at five and six, they could have broken free from Lin Xiao's Paralysis Technique if they had exerted their full strength. However, caught off guard and scared, they never thought to fight back with all their might.