Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

#197: Chasing Lightning Accomplishment

Two years ago, during the Foundation Building stage, the cultivator Liu Fengbo from the Liu Family fled in the midst of battle, causing the whole situation to collapse. Elder Zhuye from Green Bamboo Mountain died on the spot, and Zhujian was severely injured but managed to escape. Liu Fengbo wasn't the first to run away; two loose cultivators had fled before him, and he followed suit. However, this act of desertion left Zhujian, the sole survivor, harboring deep resentment toward Liu Fengbo.

It's understandable for loose cultivators to be unreliable and selfish, but for Liu Family, as allies, to act the same way was highly disappointing, especially considering the enormous cost paid by Green Bamboo Mountain. As a result, the alliance between Green Bamboo Mountain and the Liu Family was on the brink of breaking apart. If not for Zhujian's injuries, he might have gone to teach Liu Fengbo a lesson in person.

Though Liu Family's patriarch, Liu Dahai, didn't say much to his face, Liu Fengbo could sense the disappointment from the patriarch. In an attempt to redeem himself and prove his worth, Liu Fengbo repeatedly provoked conflicts at the Date Spice Oasis over the past two years.

He had become cleverer, mostly engaging in hit-and-run tactics and avoiding direct confrontations. If challenged to a one-on-one duel by Meng Zhang or Shi Weida, he would fight. But if they tried to corner him together, he would immediately flee.

During these one-on-one duels, even if he was slightly at a disadvantage, he would swiftly disengage and avoid prolonged entanglement. Shi Weida grew increasingly frustrated with his tactics, but killing a cautious Foundation Building stage cultivator was no easy task.

Fortunately, Liu Fengbo's havoc was somewhat limited. Even if he ambushed Refining Qi stage cultivators, Meng Zhang and Shi Weiming promptly intervened to stop him.

This time, news arrived that the troublemaker, Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning), was about to cause more chaos. Zhui Dian was incredibly fast and agile, often being the first to spot Liu Fengbo's whereabouts.

Having spent two years at the oasis, Meng Zhang knew that once he returned to Taiyi Sect, Shi Weida alone might not be able to handle Liu Fengbo effectively. Before leaving, Meng Zhang had to find a way to deal with this menace. Even if he couldn't kill him, inflicting significant damage was essential.

Upon receiving Meng Zhang's message, Shi Weida immediately flew outside the oasis to intercept Liu Fengbo, while Meng Zhang took a different direction and employed the Earth Escape Spell to leave the oasis. After making a wide detour outside, Meng Zhang positioned himself behind Liu Fengbo and stealthily hid underground.

Flying in the sky, Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) couldn't see Meng Zhang hidden beneath the ground, but the mystical connection between spirit pet and owner allowed it to fly directly above him. While Meng Zhang remained concealed underground, Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) patrolled the area as commanded.

After several encounters with Liu Fengbo, where he managed to escape each time, Meng Zhang didn't remain idle; instead, he had Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) secretly track him. After multiple attempts, Meng Zhang gained a certain understanding of Liu Fengbo's patterns. Although Liu Fengbo fled in different directions each time, once he was a considerable distance away from Date Spice Oasis, he tended to stay within a roughly fixed area.

Now, Meng Zhang lay in ambush, waiting for Liu Fengbo to pass by. After waiting for over half an hour, he sensed Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) starting to move. Following its direction from beneath the ground, Meng Zhang used the Earth Escape Spell to move towards the target. The speed of burrowing underground was slower than flying in the sky, but with Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) secretly tracking Liu Fengbo from above, Meng Zhang wasn't afraid of losing sight of him. He just needed to follow the pet's movements to locate Liu Fengbo.

After another half hour, Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning) began to slow down. At this point, Meng Zhang had finally caught up from behind. Gradually ascending towards the surface, when he was close to the ground, he activated the Deception Breaking Eye technique to look above.

Meng Zhang scanned the surroundings and spotted Liu Fengbo's figure on a small hill to his right. The young man was seated in a cross-legged position, meditating to replenish his energy and calm his mind. Probably feeling that he had already distanced himself from Date Spice Oasis, Liu Fengbo appeared noticeably relaxed. Of course, being a Foundation Building stage cultivator, he possessed divine consciousness. Even in a relaxed state, his divine consciousness would remain vigilant in times of danger.

Meng Zhang didn't underestimate him, concealing his aura and slowly advancing from underground towards Liu Fengbo's location. In the inheritance he obtained at the Trial Ground, there was knowledge and practical skills related to ambushes, assassinations, and infiltration.

Carefully approaching his target, Meng Zhang stopped just before reaching the critical distance that would trigger Liu Fengbo's alertness. Without hesitation, he leaped out of the ground and lunged towards Liu Fengbo. The first attack, aimed at his target, was the venomous flying sword, the Lifeless Killing Sword, a technique specialized in assassination that Meng Zhang had acquired in the Trial Ground.

In his cultivation journey, Meng Zhang had obtained two sword techniques: the Whirling Willow Sword Art, which he had often used during the Refining Qi stage, and the Lifeless Killing Sword. During the Foundation Building stage, he mainly practiced the Strange and Upright Sword Art from the Purple Gold Sect. The effectiveness of a sword technique not only depended on the cultivator's talent but also on the compatibility with the flying sword used.

The fire-attributed flying sword, Crimson Flame Sword, wasn't suitable for the Lifeless Killing Sword technique, but the Venomous Flying Sword could be used with some difficulty. Liu Fengbo's divine consciousness sensed the impending ambush, but Meng Zhang's speed was too fast for him to fly to the safety of the sky in time.

The Venomous Flying Sword attacked like a lightning-fast python's fang, closing in on Liu Fengbo. Over the past two years, Liu Fengbo had accumulated some combat experience and managed to respond correctly despite the hasty situation. Unable to escape the fight, he chose to face Meng Zhang head-on as the latter pounced on him.

A sudden drop in temperature surrounded the area, frost appearing on the ground, and white mist forming in the air. Liu Fengbo's arms seemed to turn into icy steel as he actively intercepted the Venomous Flying Sword.

In addition to blocking the enemy's flying sword, Liu Fengbo also revealed a hidden trump card. Faced with an inevitable sneak attack, he didn't fear or retreat; instead, he aimed to fight Meng Zhang fiercely. The Ice-Cold True Qi of the Liu Family was well-known and distinctive.

As Meng Zhang approached Liu Fengbo, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave, his body becoming unbearably cold. However, he forcefully resisted the shiver, relying on his Solar True Qi to generate a warm current that quickly restored his body to normal.

Liu Fengbo wore a regretful expression on his face. After the sneak attack, he immediately forced out the natal essence within his body, combining it with the Ice-Cold True Qi. Any cultivator who came into contact with this natal essence would feel a bone-chilling cold, making it hard to suppress shivering. This shiver would cause most of the opponent's true qi to dissipate.

Meng Zhang's body had undergone the baptism of Yin Qi several times, granting him strong resistance to cold. Coupled with his practice of the Very Yang and Very Hard Solar True Qi, he inadvertently evaded the enemy's deadly trick.

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