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Chapter 538 – You Cannot Escape Even if You Grow Wings
He was surnamed Su!
The old-timer’s voice carried a rare hint of excitement, and he was uncharacteristically distracted.
It seemed that the surname “Su” had an extraordinary meaning to him.
Ge Qian was briefly stunned. “What kind of stupid reason is that? You knew his surname back at the Sea of Chaotic Spirits too, didn’t you?”
“That was then, and this is now,” said the old-timer, sounding conflicted. “You don’t get it…”
Ge Qian took a deep breath. “So you’re saying you’re dead set on meeting Su Yi, right?”
The old-timer’s tone left no room for argument. “That’s right.”
Ge Qian sighed. “Agh, can you give me a bit of time to mentally prepare? How about this? Tomorrow, after we’ve left for Sumeru Immortal Island, I’ll find an opportunity to meet with him. How about it?”
Despite finding the whole process terrifying, Ge Qian made it into the top thirty without incident and obtained a Sumeru Talisman. This qualified him to proceed to Sumeru Immortal Island.
The old-timer immediately cursed him out. “You’ll have to meet him eventually, so why procrastinate? Are you really such a wimp, you little brat?”
Ge Qian said solemnly, “I’ve just always been extra cautious about things I’m unsure of, that’s all. Besides, if we meet yesterday, and if something goes wrong, there will be others present. That might give Su Yi some reservations. If we just show up on his doorstep, who knows what will happen?”
The old-timer obviously felt melancholy, but after a moment’s silence, he said impatiently, “Tomorrow, then! Let me tell you: if you change your mind again, I’ll visit him myself!”
Ge Qian instantly sighed in relief, then smiled. “Rest assured. I might be a little on the cautious side, but I always keep my word.”
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He took a sip of wine, feeling completely relaxed.
He didn’t know why, but he’d always felt a wordless dread whenever Su Yi was around, as if he’d encountered his nemesis.
If possible, he’d prefer never to see Su Yi ever again.
Late that night, Ge Qian left the little tavern.
Pedestrians were already few and far between. Falling leaves drifted through the air, and the lamps were dimly lit.
After just a few steps, Ge Qian suddenly sensed something. His eyes narrowed slightly, but without any other change in his expression, he said to his companion, “Old-timer, someone’s following us.”
The old-timer said at top speeds, “Make a circle around the city. See if you can shake him off.”
Ge Qian nodded.
He then wandered throughout the city as if he had nothing better to do, going out of his way to choose streets with other people.
His steps looked unhurried, but every time he reached a corner, he accelerated, shooting ahead as quick as the wind.
Almost ten minutes later.
Ge Qian’s expression was somewhat grave. “He’s still there. I suspect he’s a Spiritual Manifestation Realm expert!”
“Strange. You’ve always been cowardly and afraid of trouble, and you haven’t offended anyone since entering Nine Tripod City. Why would a Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator suddenly set his sights on you?” The old-timer was a bit confused.
A possibility suddenly occurred to Ge Qian, who said uncertainly, “Perhaps… It’s because of Su Yi. As you know, Yuan Heng and I displayed abilities with a common origin. Both of us use the Xuanwu Overlord Seal. And now, everyone knows that Yuan Heng is Su Yi’s attendant. I, too, am from the Great Zhou, so I’m afraid everyone suspects that Su Yi and I are somehow connected too.”
Saying this out loud left Ge Qian rather down in the dumps.
It was then that someone chuckled. “Young Friend Ge, please, wait up.”
Immediately afterward, a tall, thin figure appeared further down the road, seemingly out of nowhere.
It was a man in dark robes. He held a fly-whisk, and he wore an iron crown on his head. He looked thirty or forty, with bony features.
This late at night, the wide-open streets were all but abandoned.
As soon as the dark-robed man appeared, Ge Qian’s keen senses alerted him to a strange transformation in the ambient air currents.
It was as if the street’s connection to heaven and earth had been completely severed.
Ge Qian’s pupils constricted, but he had no other outward reaction. Inwardly, he was readying himself for battle.
“This is called ‘Reversing the Void.’ It’s but a petty little trick. You needn’t panic, my young friend. This humble Daoist just wants to talk to you without others overhearing,” said the dark-robed man with a smile.
“That so? But it seems we’ve never met. I honestly can’t imagine what you’d want to discuss with me.” Ge Qian furrowed his brow.
“We didn’t know each other before, but it’s not too late.” The dark-robed man inclined his head with a faint smile. “This humble Daoist is called He Changying, and my Daoist title is Tie Liu, or ‘Iron Willow.’ I’m from the Demonic Huan Family.”
The Demonic Huan Family!
Ge Qian’s heart shook, but outwardly, he exclaimed, “And here I thought every expert of the Huan Family shared their surname. So, they have Daoists in their ranks too?”
The dark-robed He Changying explained patiently, “You don’t know this, my young friend, but even thirty thousand years ago, the Huan Family presided over nine other sects and factions. This humble Daoist’s Skywater Temple is one of the nine.
“Alas, as the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness descended, Skywater Temple encountered disaster. I was fortunate enough to receive the Huan Family’s protection, enabling me to avoid calamity and survive the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness. I reawakened from my dormant state a few years ago, and I’ve served the Huan Family ever since.”
Ge Qian couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised. He hadn’t anticipated that the dark-robed man would explain all that.
“Then what did you come here for tonight?” asked Ge QIan.
He Changying smiled faintly. “It’s simple. I’m here to invite you to visit the Huan Family’s current residence. We’d like to learn more about Su Yi.”
Ge Qian grimaced. So Su Yi really did implicate me!
He took a deep breath, then said earnestly, “Sir Daoist, if I said I didn’t know Su Yi at all, would you… Would you believe me?”
He Changying smiled but said nothing.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” muttered Ge Qian dejectedly.
“You have nothing to worry about, my young friend,” said He Changying warmly. “So long as you cooperate, the Huan Family won’t harm you.”
“As if I’d trust you! You said all that earlier just to stall for time, didn’t you?” Ge Qian laughed derisively and waved his sleeve.
Boom!
At least talismans shot forth like a string of radiant, searing lights. They arced through the air like a rainbow and burst with terrifying power.
Ge Qian shot ahead in a flash and fled explosively into the distance.
The moment he fled, a black jade ruler appeared in his right hand, and he gripped a spirit pearl in his left hand.
The black jade ruler was called Holy Peak, and it was an ancient treasure. It was one of the strongest spiritual weapons in Ge QIan’s possession, and unless his life was in imminent danger, he wouldn’t use it lightly.
The pearl was a secret treasure designed for breaking formations. Thus, it was called the “Formation-Breaking Pearl.” It was a rare and precious treasure.
While venturing through forbidden lands and other danger zones, it had saved Ge Qian on numerous occasions, allowing him to escape peril unscathed.
However, Ge Qian still couldn’t rest at ease.
He gnashed his teeth and placed a dusty gray heart-protecting talisman around his neck.
This was the Evil-Dispeling Talisman. It could ward off the full-force blow of a Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator.
After completing these preparations, Ge Qian felt much more assured.
“Open!” The Formation-Breaking Pearl burst with blue light.
The entire stretch of heaven and earth trembled, and the invisible, restrictive power of the formation shook violently as a rift tore open.
Ge Qian felt a surge of delight, and he charged out without hesitation.
Not far away, He Changying gently waved his fly-whisk.
The ten-plus talismans Ge Qian had just unleashed disappeared into nothingness.
However, even after seeing Ge Qian slip through the hole in the Reversing the Void Restriction, he didn’t give chase.
On the contrary, his eyes flashed with a hint of playful disdain.
Clang!
An explosion shook the heavens.
Ge Qian staggered back several dozen feet, his blood and qi churning within him. His jade ruler, Divine Peak, trembled and buzzed.
A tall man in red had appeared not far away. He looked fierce and imposing, and when he looked around, his coppery eyes flashed with sinister electricity.
A snow-white flying sword hovered around him, glinting with cold light.
Earlier, when Ge Qian charged out of the freshly-broken restriction, the snow-white flying sword slashed at him. Although he blocked the attack, the impact left him on the verge of coughing up blood.
The tall man in red was a Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator too!
“You blocked Daoist Brother Cui Heng’s flying sword? Young Friend Ge, you really are a genius. It’s no wonder you placed in the top thirty at the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly.” He Changying strolled over, his voice rife with emotion.
He and the distant man in red, Cui Heng, were working together to form a pincer attack. Ge Qian instantly found himself beset on both sides, unable to retreat or advance.
Ge Qian grimaced. “Two Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators are working together just to target lil’ ol’ me? You sure think highly of me…”
He keenly picked up on yet another restriction covering the nearby streets!
This meant that even if he caused a far greater disturbance, no one would notice unless he broke through the second restriction.
It was clear that He Changying and Cui Heng had made ample preparations for tonight’s operation!
This increased the pressure on Ge Qian enormously.
“Old-timer, it seems that even if we risk our lives, we’ll have a hard time avoiding disaster…” muttered Ge Qian.
“Rest assured. I’ll open a path for you even if it kills me!” The old-timer steeled himself.
He Changying drew closer and closer. “Young Friend Ge, a wise man adapts to his circumstances. Even if you risk your life, there’s nothing you can do. Why not come quietly and save yourself some pain?”
Ge Qian took a deep breath and grinned. “That so? Alas, I’ve never been the trusting type!”
Boom!
He waved his sleeves, and countless talismans and treasures flew out and enveloped He Changying and Cui Heng.
There was a tiger in front of him and a wolf behind him, but fortunately, there was still room to maneuver to his left and right.
Ge Qian’s figure flashed, and he shot to the side without hesitation.
“Open!”
He flung the Formation-Breaking Pearl in an attempt to break free.
But it was then that a short, withered elder appeared out of nowhere, stretched out his hand, and firmly gripped the Formation-Breaking Pearl.
The short, withered elder clucked his tongue. “A Formation-Breaking Pearl is a good treasure, yet you threw it away so easily? You’re truly desecrating a precious item. In that case… I’ll just pocket it.”
As he spoke, he’d already slipped the pearl into his sleeves. He laughed heartily at Ge Qian.
Yet another Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator!
Ge Qian stiffened, and his face filled with bitterness. Since when was I important enough to warrant three Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators joining forces to trap me?
Not far away, He Changying and Cui Heng had already countered Ge Qian’s talismans and treasures. Both had already locked onto their target.
Ge Qian was little different from a trapped beast. Even if he grew wings, he wouldn’t be able to escape!