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Cultivation Nerd: Chapter 54
🕑 Added 2024-03-17 20:55:54 +0000 UTCChapter 54 - The Chase
The dark night enveloped the forest, with only the half-moon offering a faint glimmer of light. Yet, it was inadequate, and the trees loomed ominously like silhouettes against the darkness. Moving at my maximum speed, I had little time to evade the small branches that snagged my clothes and grazed my skin.
The biting cold permeated the surroundings and seeped into my skin, leaving a slick layer of moisture that froze the sweat on my brow. Despite the discomfort, I dared not even scratch my itchy brow, knowing that any obstruction to my vision could prove fatal.
One small mistake, one misstep, and death awaited me. So, I remained vigilant, scanning for any potential threats.
As we ventured deeper, the trees grew more menacingly jagged. I tasted copper in my mouth from biting my cheek earlier, and the cold air stung my nostrils, accompanied by the distant hoot of an owl. Yet, these sounds were drowned out by the thunderous rhythm of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.
Despite the dire circumstances, I found myself falling into a rhythm, and the pain in my legs became bearable with familiarity.
However, as I passed a massive tree, just behind it was a young man, perhaps a year or two older than myself. He turned towards us, his expression confused. Without hesitation, I shot out to grab his collar, intending to drag him away from the imminent danger posed by the jade-like girl.
This instinctive act of trying to save someone's life was second nature to me. It seemed inconceivable to walk past someone facing certain death, especially when their demise would, in part, be due to my presence. Unlike those I had slain before, this young man had done me no harm. Though I had no time to think these things through, it was more of a spontaneous decision.
But in that split-second of delay, the chill in the air intensified, hurtling towards me with unprecedented force.
Damn it! I had already faltered, and now there was no turning back!
As my hand tightened around the back of his robe, preparing to pull him to safety, the young man's confusion was replaced by horror as an icicle pierced through his neck. With lightning reflexes, I narrowly avoided the bloodied tip as it grazed past my eye.
With no time to spare, I continued to haul the young man's lifeless body, no longer attempting to save him. His blood splattered across my face, but I pressed forward, sensing more Qi shards hurtling toward me.
What began as an attempt to rescue him quickly devolved into using his corpse as a shield, as a barrage of ice spikes pierced through him. His once bright eyes, now dull and lifeless, bore the brunt of the assault. Thankfully, a cultivator's body proved resilient, sparing me from being skewered.
I tossed his body aside and bolted away, whispering, "Sorry, man."
Despite the chaos, the ice spikes miraculously missed me. A suspicion crept into my mind. Was she toying with me, like a cat with its prey? Or perhaps she was biding her time, conserving her energy, waiting for an opportune moment.
But before I could dwell on it further, a miniature ice spike pierced my shoulder, burrowing through flesh as if guided by her will. Reacting swiftly, I seized the spike and hurled it away, but it looped back towards me like a guided missile, its target now my neck.
As I leaped onto another tree, I decided to halt in a split second, suspending myself in mid-air. At that moment, she caught up and looked at me like a predator awaiting its chance.
Taking the initiative, I slammed my fist into the neighboring giant tree, unleashing the Sonic Fang Fist technique. The tree erupted from the internal shockwaves, hurling debris towards the jade-like assailant.
The explosion created a temporary smoke screen and a deafening noise, but she remained unperturbed. She relied on her Qi senses to track me through the chaos.
"You're quite the schemer," she remarked, her tone devoid of malice.
"Everyone becomes one when their survival is at stake," I retorted calmly, standing my ground. "But if you're hoping to paint me as the villain here, you're barking up the wrong tree, miss bitch."
"What crude language," she remarked.
"Well, you are attempting to kill me. Should I be singing your praises?" I winced as I tried to stem the bleeding, feeling strangely accustomed to the pain.
Had the cold numbed my nerves?
"Shouldn't you be fleeing?" Her silver eyes bore into me, their color shifting like a mesmerizing rainbow from afar.
"Shouldn't you be trying to finish me off?" I shot back, abandoning any pretense of diplomacy. If death was inevitable, I saw no point in sugar-coating my words. And frankly, I had no desire to be friendly with her.
"You could have tried begging, you know. It won't sway me, but it might buy you some time with others. Make them hesitate," the jade-like girl remarked coolly as the ice sword in her hand morphed into a long spear, sparkling like a diamond in the moonlight. With a tilt of her head, the ice spear aimed straight at me, spinning rapidly like a lethal drill. Even at a distance, its menacing energy was palpable.
That thing would tear through flesh and bone like butter, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.
"Though I expected more from someone who used another person as a shield. You could have at least attempted to flee after creating that diversion with the tree," she chided.
"Oh? Seems like someone here is even more stupid than she appears," I smirked, realizing she was unaware of my true intentions. Her eyes flickered at my taunts, but I no longer cared.
"Who said I smashed that tree to escape? There were better ways to do that. It was to draw attention, hoping one of my teammates nearby would investigate. But it seems my calculations were off, or perhaps luck wasn't on my side," I shrugged, gazing up at the night sky.
Drawing a shaky breath, I mustered a facade of confusion and defiance, masking the fear creeping in.
I didn't want to die... There was so much left to explore and experience. What a wasted opportunity. But blaming others now would be futile. I alone bore responsibility for my choices.
In my final moments, it would be pathetic to blame the librarian who sent me here, Song Song who left me behind, or even the decision to save Cao Wu. I was an adult and would face the consequences of my actions.
I will take responsibility for my own decisions.
My heart raced, and my hands instinctively adjusted an imaginary tie as if I were back in one of those stifling suits from work.
The ice spear whirred, the air around it shifting ominously.
Perhaps I should attempt to use my Earth Grade Technique, though hers could easily overpower mine, given that she was utilizing her own Qi to wield these techniques.
The javelin hurtled towards me, time slowing to a crawl as the world narrowed to the steady thump of my heartbeat. Despite the apparent sluggishness, I couldn't catch sight of the projectile, knowing evasion was futile.
Then, with a sudden shift in the air, the spear froze in its path, and my eyes focused on the hand adorned with a silver ring on the pinky finger that had grabbed into the projectile. My savior turned towards me.
"I expected more resistance from you." Song Song sighed.
Relief flooded through me, threatening to buckle my knees. Summoning a smile, I managed, "You arrived just in time."
Her intervention had been nothing short of miraculous. A split second later, I would've been a lifeless body on the forest floor.
"Not really," Song Song shrugged. "I've been around for a while. I was just seeing how you handled the situation."
My hopes of her being a guardian angel plummeted. Realistically, her chances of swooping in at the eleventh hour to save me were slim to none.
As I assessed Song Song, a fact that had slipped my mind during our time together resurfaced: This girl was certifiably insane, no matter how one sliced it.
Rather than backing down, I upped the ante, casually leaning against a tree. "Well, then. Let's see a good fight. You wouldn't want to be defeated by someone with lower cultivation, now would you? That'd be embarrassing."
Song Song's smile remained intact, unfazed by my provocation. "I'll give you a show you won't forget."
Turning towards her adversary, she tightened her grip on the ice spear, causing it to crack and shatter into a thousand icy fragments.
"That's quite the technique you have," she complimented her opponent, her tone carrying a hint of genuine admiration.
"Thanks," the jade-like girl responded, her expression tinged with confusion.
"And at the Qi Gathering stage at such a young age, you're on the verge of breaking into two-star Qi Gathering. That's an extraordinary talent, even surpassing mine," Song Song added.
Her praise wasn't empty; it was accompanied by a piercing intensity in her gaze—the sort of look that would unsettle anyone who received it.
The jade-like beauty straightened, her eyes narrowing as Qi gathered in her palms, forming two translucent ice swords.
Song Song was right; her technique was impressive, unlike anything I'd seen among Qi Gathering disciples. But then again, I wasn't good at discerning their techniques since I couldn't even see the Qi they used.
With a crouch, Song Song prepared to sprint, causing the ground to rumble beneath her. She shot forward like a rocket, leaving a cracked trail behind and kicking up a small dust cloud.
Their movements blurred, a dark and blue flash intertwining as the environment around them froze. Wisely, I retreated behind a tree, seeking cover from their clash.
Muttering under my breath, I brushed aside blades of grass and traced my finger along the wound on my shoulder, gathering blood. Initiating a soft chant, I manipulated the air around me, performing the ritual for a Warming Array—albeit without the core of a tiger monstrous beast, which served as fuel.
A translucent yellow square barrier formed, spanning a one-hundred-meter radius around us. Its effects were subtle, primarily warming the surrounding area. While more effective during the day, given its absorption of Qi from the sun, it still functioned somewhat under the moonlight.
Amidst the chaos, a crash reverberated through the forest as the jade-like beauty collided with a tree with such force that it shattered the trunk, sending the giant tree tumbling to the ground.
The jade-like beauty rose to her feet before Song Song could intervene, her icy demeanor contorting into a frown as she drew in a deep breath. The Qi surrounding her surged erratically, starkly from her usual controlled demeanor.
"Attempting to break through during combat? That's a bold move, one I've never seen before," Song Song materialized beside me, her hand on my shoulder as she pulled me behind her.
The other girl remained silent, her actions speaking volumes as her Qi erupted outward.
Breaking through during a battle was perilous and risked shattering one's cultivation. Yet, as the Qi settled, the jade-like beauty appeared revitalized, her gaze sharp and focused.
"Damn, she makes it seem effortless," I muttered under my breath.
"She certainly does," Song Song agreed, her smile widening. "But that's what makes this all so exhilarating. And try not to ramp up the heat from your array too much. While it may momentarily inconvenience her to expel Yang Qi to form her weapons, cranking up the heat tips the scales in our favor."
Did she think I had more control over the array's temperature? She was overestimating my abilities as an Array Conjurer.
"Yeah, sure," I replied. There was no reason not to let the jade-like beauty assume that. It might make me a target, but I trusted Song Song to protect me and take advantage of the opening that would create.
Comments
Rynn Kanra
TFTC. Can't wait to read next ch.
ReapingRed Sanguis
Thank you for the chapter gonna start checking in about once a week. It was really nice reading 5 or so chappys.
jean
or it could show that trope exist here but are not absolute and can be broken if enough is done else why even write this story as he has since we can always guess what is gonna happen and the only difference is that we see it coming and can prepare to survive it which would ruin the story in my opinion as it would make next to no different if tropes dominate what happens at certain events which always end up sucking in the end since this event where the protag gets a item and the jade beauty no matter what mc do would just make the story suck :P in my opinion :) its like reading 3 different story's with more or less the same story lines and tropes and you can do nothing to change it and if you have read one of them the other 2 is not gonna be better if only slightly different :P
jean
i have always hated when a character breaks through mid combat because of a couple of reasons :P 1. you have no experience in using your new strength and combat is the worst place to try to do it no matter how talented you are 2. a breakthrough doesn't automatically heal you of injuries its only improving what you can do 3. why the fuck wouldn't you be attacked the moment you try to do this its a golden opportunity mid battle you are the enemy why should i let you do it without cost??? 4. to breakthrough you need a overabundance of qi to breakthrough to the next level and when you do those resources are spent you dont get a free qi regain boost 5. why there are no side effects to heal from advancing when damaged and wounded doesn't affect your foundation is beyond dumb to me you just advances at the worst time in a terrible state for little gain instead of maximizing your gains when advancing 6. how when all of the above happens that they still dominate and punch over their cultivation is stupid to a insanely big degree tell me who gets stronger the one who advances fully prepared with all things like elixirs to boost their foundations and strength gained or the stupid who does it when wounded in the midst of battle because it might help you fight a stronger opponent is this not exceedingly stupid tell me im wrong here gladly :P from what we heard from liu feng he was not in a good state after advancing and he was spent not rejuvenated :P i hope you holy mouse don't to much trope overshadow your great story just for the funny or insane parts of standard xianxia story thats what i like from your it feel actually real with time advancing between realms and that yea fighting above you weight is really hard and only if your opponent is underestimating you or are really bad at their techniques and advanced only by help of elixirs instead of hard work and diligence :) ps: hope this is not a story where destiny and fate are absolute and still have a possibility of change and freedom of choice that while the protag have immense fortune and misfortune can still be killed if he does stupid enough things to warrant it like the jade beauty is doing now she is killing outer and inner disciples left and right tell me is 1 qi two star gonna be worth more than a hundred outer disciple and 10 inner disciple sure she is strong but is only one person its a waste of resources and manpower lost for 1 strong person at her level cant be worth more than she plans to kill or has killed already i mean her vs all of them in a straight up fight she would lose and going around assassinating all of them and succeeding think about how all of those disciples were sent here on missions to recruit if the jade beauty did succeed she has just made enemies of all the elders sending their people and no friends who would be friends with her if her first thought to impress the higher ups in the sect is to wipe everybody on a recruitment mission for the sect and disrupt the mission is not gonna make anything but an enemy of the sect...
Melon
Jade beauty isn't gonna die. So many chapters were spent building up the mystery surrounding her and the protagonist that it would be out of place for her to die right now imo.
Valderan
The jade beauty in stories almost always has more current skill than the protagonist (our red haired lad in this case.) they work hard and oodles of talent but also a ton of backing from their sect or clan or family or whatever. That way when the protagonist surpasses them using nothing but grit and mud it's all the more impressive and the jade beauty is so overcome that she offers a vagina based apology for the sin of doubting them. Anyways, our man doesn't need the kind of heat that would drop on him for being involved with her death because it would be huge.
Noob
The council has consorted… the jade beauty must die! Tftc
BZD
Kill the Jade Beauty and loot her corpse! Still her cultivation roots! Embrace the nerd and become a mad scientist.
MaliMi
I agree with the previous comments. It would be nice for the jade beauty to die.
BlissForgotten
Im guessing shes the ex-fiance of the red headed MC with the spiritual elder.
Boyo
And by slaughtered I mean dead
Boyo
I actually really hope the jade beauty gets slaughtered by Song Song. That would be such a pleasant twist to the Xianxia genre
TheLost
this girl radiates important character hopefully they can kill her before random proteganist nonsense saves her
AjiTae
As it should be.:)
Vante
Damn our boy is a genuinely good person I hope as the story continues he gains the strength to actually save others in the middle of a crisis like he failed to do with that boy.
Sly Lyon
The part where he uses somebody's body as a shield is really morbid. holy.
