Chapter 69: The Fisherman Gains the Advantage

Huo Yuanzhen wasn't quick to trust the old man in the underground cave, so he didn't enter right away. He continued waiting.

He was waiting for the arrival of the Absolute Extinction Nun. Only when she arrived would he enter the cave and ensure that she followed him. This would be the safest way for him.

Once he spotted the nun's silhouette, Huo Yuanzhen chose to stay farther from the cave.

He had seen her on the mountain earlier, but she hadn't noticed him. So, he had to make himself visible and provoke her into chasing after him.

Sure enough, as soon as Absolute Extinction saw Huo Yuanzhen moving on the mountain, she let out an angry cry and rushed toward him.

In her heart, Huo Yuanzhen was a despicable, shameless villain who had humiliated her in front of everyone. Since taking the position of Emei's leader and acquiring the Broken Sky Sword, she had never been so humiliated.

This damn monk, who had caused so much trouble for the local people, even if I kill him, surely Buddha won't fault me.

The nun justified herself, gripping the Broken Sky Sword tightly, with murderous intent filling her heart.

She was known as "Absolute Extinction" because of her ruthless nature. Anyone who dared oppose her had no mercy from her. She had killed many, earning that title.

But to her, those she killed deserved to die, and she held no guilt for it.

As she drew closer to Huo Yuanzhen, he noticed her and started running in panic.

"Thieving monk, don't think you can escape! Taste my sword!"

When they were about twenty feet apart, Absolute Extinction swung the Broken Sky Sword. A sharp wave of sword qi, accompanied by a whistling sound, shot toward Huo Yuanzhen.

"Oh no!" Huo Yuanzhen cried out, accelerating to dodge the attack. The sword qi slashed into a tree, slicing it in half.

Failing to land a hit, the nun's murderous intent only grew stronger. "Thieving monk, there's no escape! Today is your day to die!"

Huo Yuanzhen, while running, shouted, "Old nun, I have no enmity with you! Why are you chasing me?"

"Shut your mouth! If you dare to call me old again, I'll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!" Absolute Extinction's eyes reddened. The repeated insults about her age had deeply enraged her, as she cared greatly about her appearance.

She pushed herself harder to chase him, but she was still falling behind. Despite her sword qi attacks, she couldn't get close enough to Huo Yuanzhen to pose any real threat.

In desperation, she released more sword qi in an attempt to slow him down and close the gap.

The chase continued, with sword qi flying everywhere. In less than a stick of incense's time, they had circled the majority of the back mountain.

Absolute Extinction was beginning to feel the strain. Although she had reached the innate level and opened her meridians, sustaining this kind of intense chase was depleting her energy.

The only thing keeping her going was that her sword qi had started to show some effect.

Each time she released a sword qi, Huo Yuanzhen had to pause to avoid it, allowing her to close the distance little by little. Though her inner energy was rapidly draining, the gap between them had finally narrowed to within ten feet.

"Little monk, surrender now!" Absolute Extinction grinned, her patience wearing thin. After such a long chase, she was close to him and felt that she could finally end this.

Huo Yuanzhen continued to glance back in panic, his face full of desperation.

The gap was closing: eight feet, six feet, five feet.

Eventually, Absolute Extinction closed in to within three feet of Huo Yuanzhen.

She could almost taste victory, and the grin on her face widened. "Little monk, you're finished now!"

With a sneer, she raised her Broken Sky Sword, preparing to deliver a fatal blow. At this range, she was sure Huo Yuanzhen couldn't dodge. Just one strike and all her efforts would be worth it.

Suddenly, Huo Yuanzhen veered to the side and charged toward a large boulder.

"Monk, don't even think about it!" Absolute Extinction shouted in anger. This cunning monk was trying to use the boulder as cover to escape, and she couldn't allow that.

Her energy was running low, and Huo Yuanzhen clearly still had plenty left. If he reached that boulder and started dodging her, all her efforts would be for nothing.

She swung her Broken Sky Sword again, sending another wave of sword qi aimed at his waist.

Huo Yuanzhen, clearly exhausted, was too slow to circle the boulder, and in the blink of an eye, the sword qi was almost upon him. He dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding the strike.

The sword qi slammed into the boulder, sending stone shards flying.

Rubbing his eyes from the dust, Huo Yuanzhen looked up in time to see Absolute Extinction charging toward him.

In a split second, as if inspired, he rolled to the side and let out a shout of surprise. His body suddenly disappeared into the ground.

Losing her target, Absolute Extinction couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked, and when she looked closely, she realized there was a hidden cave beneath her feet.

Just as Huo Yuanzhen had disappeared into the hole, she let out a furious roar. This damn monk had actually managed to escape her again!

Her fury flared as she followed Huo Yuanzhen into the cave, ignoring the martial arts taboo of entering a cave. Sword raised, she leapt into the hole after him.

The light shifted from bright to dark as she entered the cave, and when her eyes adjusted, she immediately sensed something was wrong.

This wasn't an ordinary cave, but a well-hidden secret chamber.

The cave was large, over thirty feet in diameter, and had a circular shape. In the center of the cave stood a large alchemical furnace surrounded by numerous herbs. An old man, dressed in tattered black robes, stood in the middle of the cave, glaring at the entrance as if ready to pounce.

Huo Yuanzhen, having just crawled out of the hole, turned to the old man and said, "Senior, this is the evil nun; please deal with her quickly!"

In that instant, Absolute Extinction understood. This was all part of the monk's plan. He hadn't been running aimlessly. He had been leading her into this trap all along.

Such a clever scheme!

If he had just entered the cave at the start, she would have never followed. But after he had led her on a chase around the mountain, her patience had worn thin, and her mind had lost its focus.

No wonder she had felt like his lightness skill wasn't as fast as before. It had all been planned!

But as the leader of Emei, she had never feared anyone. With the Broken Sky Sword in hand, she wasn't concerned about any reinforcements.

The old man seemed to be locked in the furnace with iron chains, and Absolute Extinction knew that if she killed him, Huo Yuanzhen would have no escape. She had no qualms about facing any reinforcements.

Without hesitation, she jumped into the air, sword raised, and attacked the old man.