Chapter 231 – Murderous Pursuit

In the jungle, Yang Kai’s figure flashed like an agile monkey weaving over and through the treetops. His body floated as light as a feather in the breeze, not disturbing a single leaf along his path.

His expression was solemn, and he maintained a high level of vigilance towards his surroundings as he planned his next move. While he was dissatisfied about the way Wu Cheng Yi’s group had acted towards him, in the end, it did not affect him, and he managed to achieve his purpose.

However, he did not expect the news he obtained to be so grim.

Over the years, disciples from the various factions who entered this isolate world for life experience had often formed their own groups. Even temporary large scale alliances had occasionally been forged, but this time, because of the actions taken by the cultivators from Tian Lang Dynasty, all the Great Han Dynasty cultivators had been thoroughly bound together.

This was something that had never happened before, and it had even risen to the level of a life and death struggle between the younger generations of the two countries.

Who the winner would eventually be, Yang Kai was uncertain, but he was, after all, a Great Han Dynasty cultivator. Simply put, he did not like the idea of people from Tian Lang Dynasty dominating them.

If it were not for the two disciples from the Asura Sect and the overbearing arrogance of that Wu Cheng Yi, Yang Kai might have remained with Chen Xue Shu and others to do his part in this battle.

But what was done was done, so Yang Kai rid his thoughts of these distractions and continued forward, when suddenly he paused and looked back with a trace of suspicion flashing through his eyes.

Standing there for a moment, Yang Kai grinned, dropped to the ground, and then ducked behind a large tree to hide while he concealed his breath.

Shortly after, another figure flew over his head from the direction he had just come. As he passed, Yang Kai caught a good look at this person’s face and clothes.

This man carried a sword and wore a blue uniform. He was slightly older, probably in his early twenties and had a solemn face.

Yang Kai coldly snorted under his breath, and his eyes flashed a murderous intent!

This person was the one he had seen sweeping the battlefield; the one collecting all the Blood Beads. The Sword he carried on his back made it easy to identify him. He was a Nine Star Sword School’s disciple, one of Wu Cheng Yi’s Junior Brothers.

He had not acted together with their group and instead chased after Yang Kai, which made his intention quite obvious.

Yang Kai’s face went cold. Earlier, he had not wanted to start a fight with Wu Cheng Yi, afraid of involving Chen Xue Shu and Su Xiao Yu, but now that he had sent someone to chase after him, there was no reason for him to hold back.

Even clay is limited to three phases of heating within the kiln (There is a limit to his patience), not to mention Yang Kai’s lack of a forgiving nature to begin with.

The Nine Star Sword School’s disciple had stopped not far away, and then circled back. His eyes carefully scanned the vicinity. If one listened carefully, they could hear him mutter under his breath, “Strange, where did he go?”

He was a True Element Boundary master and was certain his speed was much higher than Yang Kai’s, but now, after chasing him for so long, the trail he followed had suddenly disappeared. Naturally, he decided to double back and check the surrounding jungle more carefully.

Yang Kai could not help admiring this man a bit. He really had some outstanding tracking ability. Along the way, Yang Kai had been very careful not to leave any clues about his direction, but this guy had still traced him.

A moment later, the Nine Star Sword School disciple stopped about one hundred meters from Yang Kai with his brow thoroughly wrinkled as he looked around.

Yang Kai remained patient, quietly hiding amongst the trees, and secretly observed this person.

After a long time, the man grinned ferociously, reached behind his back, and, along with a wind splitting noise, drew his sword from its scabbard.

With his sword in hand, his momentum suddenly climbed to new heights. His whole aura became as sharp as a blade.

The Nine Star Sword School definitely deserved its reputation! This momentum alone was vastly superior to an ordinary True Element cultivator.

“I know you’re here!” Qi Jian Xing smiled meaningfully, gripped his sword, and shouted in a confident tone, “Obediently come out and I won’t embarrass you!”

Yang Kai frowned. He was not sure if this Nine Star Sword School disciple had really found him or was just trying to trick him into exposing himself.

Qi Jian Xing added, “Little brat, I admire your guts. To this day, people who dare talk to my big brother like that, in addition to the young masters of the Eight Great Families, besides you, there is no one else. For this alone, I promise not to hurt you as long as you hand over every pill on your body so I can complete the mission big brother has given me.”

After a few moments of silence, Qi Jian Xing’s voice became cold as he threatened, “Do not reject a toast or you will suffer a loss, my offer is good only until I find your hiding place, come out now and discuss things while I am still in a good mood.”

Still receiving no response, Qi Jian Xing no longer bothered to speak. He swung his sword forward, and crisp sword cries began to ring out from all directions.

Yang Kai’s face stiffened as he suddenly felt a faint chill spread all around him, which caused him to hurriedly dash out from his hiding spot.

One by one, blades of invisible Sword Qi shot out, and toppled every tree in a radius of a hundred meters, only leaving behind smoothly cut stumps as they fell to the ground.

Yang Kai’s face sank. He now understood this Nine Star Sword School disciple’s ruthlessness. His talking with him until just now was just a trick to stall for time, but in reality he had been secretly setting up this attack.

Those invisible Sword Qi threads had been spread around while he spoke, so once his arrangement was finished, and he activated this Sword Qi, then, as long as Yang Kai was still hiding in the trees, he would not be able to escape unharmed.

Fortunately, Yang Kai had been alert and dodged out quickly, or else this Sword Qi attack would have definitely taken him by surprise and undoubtedly caused him heavy injuries.

Yang Kai no longer dared to underestimate this person. The Nine Star Sword School being called the first Sect under the Eight Great Families was not without cause, how could one of its elite disciples be weak?

“Found you!” Qi Jian Xing turned and stared coldly at Yang Kai, looking down at him from his position in mid-air, eyes filled with disdain.

However, he no longer attacked and instead chose to quietly observe Yang Kai. Facing a Separation and Reunion Boundary Seventh Stage cultivator, Qi Jian Xing was naturally fearless. His opponent was only at such a level and came from a second-class Sect, so he was certain that a single sword would be enough to behead him.

“Your ability to hide yourself is quite ingenious.” Qi Jian Xing praised him without reserve, “Who did you learn it from?”

He was obviously interested in Yang Kai’s concealment skill. In a crisis, if he had such a technique, it would increase his ability to survive, which was why he did not immediately attack Yang Kai.

Yang Kai only sneered, “You have already seen through my ability, so how exactly is it so great?”

Qi Jian Xing slowly shook his head, his eyes filled with greed while showing a trace of admiration, “I did not see through it, but I sensed your hostility towards me and my Sword Qi instinctively responded a bit. In fact, I only knew that you were hidden somewhere close by, but I could not pinpoint your location, so I took a chance and tried to force you out. It seems I got lucky.”

After he had patiently explained, Qi Jun Xing smiled coldly, “You’re a smart brat, me standing here until now, you should understand my intentions from just that. Surrender all the pills you have on you, tell me your concealment art, and I’ll consider letting you live!”

Yang Kai simply sneered, “Do you think you’ve already beaten me?”

Qi Jun Xing froze for a moment before he burst into laughter, “What do you think?”

He was a mere Separation and Reunion Boundary Seventh Stage, not even a True Element Boundary cultivator, so how was he any threat at all?

After laughing for a while, Qi Jun Xing smile’s disappeared before he slightly nodded, “Very well, once I cripple you, I can leisurely ask about your techniques!”

Before he had even finished speaking, the sword in his hands flickered.

With a *zheng* sound, a few sword waves suddenly appeared in front of him in a fan-shaped arrangement that glowed with an icy cold light. Each sword wave certainly contained a massive hidden lethalness.

“Hah!” Qi Jian Xing’s name was spelled with the character for ‘sword’. There was no doubt that his ability with the sword was great, and just this attack alone had fully displayed his extraordinary skill. The sword waves flew out, like a burst of lightning, to attack Yang Kai.

(Silavin: His name is齊劍星 and 劍 is Tradtional Chinese for Sword)

Feeling the threat of these sword waves, Yang Kai quickly retreated. The leisurely look on his face quickly disappeared.

This guy was indeed a first-class Sect’s core disciple! He was so young yet still possessed such strength.

In less than a breath of time, the sword waves had arrived in front of Yang Kai and directly penetrated his body. Qi Jian Xing frowned. He had not thought things would go this smoothly. He did not want to kill Yang Kai outright because he wanted to force him to reveal the cultivation technique of his concealment art, so when he attacked just now he had still held back.

The next moment, Qi Jian Xing eyes flashed as his sword struck out and chopped towards his side.

Another sword wave appeared and seemed to pierce the void beside him.

Just as Yang Kai’s figure emerged, the other side’s second attack flew towards him, which forced him to use his movement skill again to dodge the blow.

“Good good good!” Qi Jian Xing’s face was filled with excitement as he applauded. After only two strikes, he no longer attacked, but instead greedily stared at Yang Kai, “Your movement skill is also fantastic, a Separation and Reunion Boundary Seventh Stage being able to move at such speed, I will be sure to accept it from you later as well.”

Yang Kai let out a deep breath, stood firm, and grinned, “Since you want my concealment art and movement skill, how about we make a trade?”

“What kind of trade?” Qi Jian Xing’s interest was piqued.

“I’ll give you what you want, and you teach me some of your Nine Star Sword School’s sword skills! How about it?”

“You want to learn the sword?” Qi Jian Xing looked curiously at Yang Kai, carefully scanning his body but he found no traces of a sword.

If he had no weapon, why did he want to learn sword skills?

“Yes, we both get what we want, and nobody needs to suffer.” Yang Kai nodded. Right now he had no sword on him, but inside his body was the Asura Sword. In terms of exquisite sword skills, the Nine Star Sword School’s arts could be described as the best. Even the powerful Eight Great Families could not deny this.

“You dream! How can the Nine Star Sword School’s swordsmanship be taught to outsiders?” Qi Jian Xing sneered, “Moreover, you are so much weaker than me. I can take your life easily, why should I trade with you!”

Yang Kai laughed viciously. The pride and malice soaked into his bones were stimulated as he spoke, “I’ll ask you again; do you think you’ve already beaten me?”

“Your movement skill really is superb, just wait until I waste you, then you can elaborate on it for me!” Qi Jian Xing coldy snorted and no longer sent out sword waves. He knew that they could not take Yang Kai down, so instead he flourished his sword and charged toward Yang Kai himself.