Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

273: Chase and escapeAlong the way, Lin Jingyu occasionally spotted Cultivators in the hollows of the mountain walls or on small, naturally formed platforms that offered slight protection from lightning.

These individuals were few in number, but each exuded a formidable aura, mostly at the Peak of Ninth Level Qi Refining. A few even had obscure and profound auras, subtly resonating with the surrounding thunder, seemingly already at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Most of them were shabbily dressed, or carried strange Magical Artifacts, their faces flickering between light and dark under the lightning, their eyes either cold as ice or fiercely fervent. Evil Qi swirled around them, clearly indicating they were isolated and perverse individuals who had long immersed themselves in such desperate circumstances, their Heart-Nature having been tempered by the lightning.

Upon the arrival of Lin Jingyu, a stranger, most people merely cast a cold glance. After perceiving his disguised Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivation, they lost interest.

They continued to immerse themselves in their arduous Cultivation, as if everything outside had nothing to do with them.

Some believed that a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Cultivator capable of reaching this place must have used some secret treasure, and such a Cultivator usually had a powerful background, making them untouchable.

However, a few gazes, like venomous snakes hidden in the dark, swept over Lin Jingyu with scrutiny, greed, and ill intent, making him vigilant.

As he passed a relatively open platform, encircled by several huge charred rocks, trouble finally came knocking.

In the center of the platform sat a burly man with a full beard, dressed in a crimson robe. He was nine feet tall, with bulging muscles.

Fire and thunder Qi intertwined around him, his aura violent and scorching. He was clearly a Peak of Ninth Level Qi Refining Cultivator who had combined fire-attribute Cultivation Technique with thunder spells.

A palm-sized token on his body emitted a strange power, forming a shield against the pervasive and terrifying lightning pressure around him.

Seeing Lin Jingyu pass by, an undisguised glint of greed and mockery flashed in his bell-like eyes, like a beast spotting prey that had strayed into its territory.

”Stop!”

The burly, bearded man’s voice was like a clap of thunder, still clearly audible in the ceaseless roar of the environment.

”Kid, you look unfamiliar? Which mountain did you come from? Don’t you know the rules of the high reaches of this Thunder Mountain? If you pass through here, you must leave a toll!”

He clearly saw that Lin Jingyu’s Cultivation was ”not high” and that he was unfamiliar, definitely not a Core Disciple of the Qinglan Sect, and alone, so he wanted to take the opportunity to extort some benefits.

Even if the other party had a significant background, he was not afraid in the slightest.

Lin Jingyu frowned, knowing that it was extremely unwise to clash with someone here. He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice:

”Fellow Daoist, I am merely passing through to a higher place to comprehend the thunder. I have no intention of offending, please facilitate my passage.”

”Less nonsense!” The burly, bearded man sneered, giving no room for discussion.

”Looking at your tender skin, and that you could come here, you must have good treasures on you! Hand them over!”

Before his words finished, he waved his large hand, and a crimson thunder-fire shot out. This thunder-fire was not pure flame; it contained violent fire poison and paralyzing thunder Evil Qi.

Like a fire python choosing its prey, it swept towards Lin Jingyu with a foul wind and hot waves!

Its power far exceeded the full-strength strike of an ordinary Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Cultivator, clearly containing a rather sinister Fire Thunder True Intent.

Lin Jingyu’s eyes instantly turned cold! He knew this matter could not be resolved peacefully.

He swiftly dodged with Flowing Cloud Steps, his figure like willow catkins in the wind, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the thunder-fire. At the same time, his right hand formed a sword-finger.

A strand of extremely condensed, dark purple electric light suddenly flashed from his fingertip. This electric light not only contained his nascent Thunder True Intent.

It also subtly incorporated a hint of the embryonic form of ”Intercepting” True Intent, derived from the miscellaneous chapters of the Taihao Elixir Canon, adept at finding flaws and cutting off the circulation of spiritual energy!

The electric light, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, was silent yet as fast as lightning, striking directly at the intersection of the burly, bearded man’s wrist Meridians.

”Eh?”

The burly, bearded man had not expected Lin Jingyu’s movement technique to be so strange and swift, nor his counterattack so sharp and tricky, aiming directly at a vital point. In haste, he changed his move to block, crimson thunder-fire condensing on his arm.

”Sizzle!”

The dark purple electric light and crimson thunder-fire collided violently, emitting a teeth-grinding tearing explosion! The burly, bearded man felt a sharp, piercing pain in his wrist.

It not only contained the numbing heat of lightning but also a strange power that instantly penetrated his protective thunder-fire, directly invading his Meridians, causing his spiritual energy circulation to momentarily stagnate!

His heart immediately filled with dread:

”This kid is strange! His lightning quality is extremely high, and it contains another peculiar True Intent!”

Lin Jingyu retreated after one strike, not lingering in battle.

He knew that prolonged fighting here would consume a massive amount of spiritual energy and easily attract more covetous gazes, possibly even angering others.

His figure like lightning, he used the recoil force to unhesitatingly sprint towards the higher and more perilous mountain path.

”Where do you think you’re going! Stay here!”

The burly, bearded man was enraged and humiliated. In front of potential ”onlookers,” he was repelled by a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Kid, losing much face.

He roared, his body erupting with fire and thunder Qi. He took large strides, madly giving chase, while continuously waving his hands. Streaks of crimson thunder-fire, like a barrage, smashed towards Lin Jingyu’s back, his offensive incredibly fierce.

Lin Jingyu pushed his Spirit Refining Art perception to its limit, his Divine Sense spreading out like a spiderweb, precisely capturing the trajectory and weak points of each attack.

His figure constantly shifted among the rugged strange rocks and charred wood on the mountain path, sometimes like a nimble ape climbing, sometimes like a hawk turning, always narrowly and safely avoiding attacks at the last possible moment.

If an attack was unavoidable, he would skillfully deflect it with finger force or palm wind imbued with Thunder True Intent, never taking it head-on.

The two, one chasing and one fleeing, engaged in a thrilling pursuit on the lightning-ridden and perilous mountain path.

Thunder and lightning became the most intense background sound of this escape.

During this time, Lin Jingyu keenly sensed that from higher up or more hidden corners, several other Divine Senses, varying in strength but equally ill-intentioned, swept across the battlefield.

The owners of these Divine Senses were perhaps observing coldly, but ultimately chose to remain still and did not intervene.

The chase lasted for about a quarter of an hour. Lin Jingyu gradually felt his spiritual energy greatly depleted, and his chest felt somewhat constricted.

The burly, bearded man was also running low on spiritual energy and had already considered retreating, but on the surface, he pursued relentlessly, determined not to give up until his goal was achieved.

Seeing a steeper, almost seventy-degree, bare and exposed mountain ridge ahead, the situation became extremely critical.

Once he stepped onto that ridge, Lin Jingyu would have nowhere to hide, becoming a living target for the burly, bearded man!

At the same time, this was the burial ground he had prepared for the burly man.

After such a long chase, he was probably underestimated. Under a lightning-fast counterattack,

the strength he unleashed would be even greater than the burly man’s.

He would definitely succeed with one strike.

Dare to chase him, and be prepared to die.

Lin Jingyu’s eyes sharpened, and he had already made up his mind.