Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect
Chapter 154 - 153: Blocking the Road

Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Blocking the Road

"Ping Ping Ping!"

"Senior, you clearly said earlier that if I break your spell with one strike, you would concede and surrender. At your age, don’t renege on your promise!"

"Duang Duang Duang!"

"What a joke! I said you could strike once, but I never said I’d only set one spell! Come on, show me you can break another! If you can’t, that means I win!"

"Clang Clang Clang!"

"Hmph! You old bearded thief! Silly old man! You’re untrustworthy! Shameless!"

"Guang Guang Guang!"

"Hey, I’m shameless, I’m shameless, I’m shameless! Come hit me, hit me, hit me! Nyah nyah nyah!"

Tie Dan was at a loss too. He usually let his sword do the talking, cutting without a word. But this old man was just stronger, and his techniques countered Tie Dan’s, leaving him helpless.

At this moment, the trees were still growing, and a small forest had already sprouted on the flying boat’s deck. Tie Dan waved his treasure sword, chasing the old man who dodged between the branches. Occasionally, the old man would evade a thrust with an escape skill, even having enough time to pinch a formula and set up an array, seizing control of the flying boat in mere moments, steering it below the clouds toward a forest down the mountain.

Well, he really did hijack the boat and take it hostage.

Tie Dan was at his wits’ end, the old man’s escape skill was unique, somewhat like the Ice River Escape, allowing him to flutter among special terrains like forests, picking flowers and riding leaves, shifting like a phantom with virtually no energy spent, making him impossible to chase.

And Tie Dan had to swing his broadsword, building force to break these Purple Mist True Qi-imbued trees. Yet, his cutting couldn’t keep up with the trees’ growth. That Purple Mist True Qi was endless, relentless, never-stopping. Tie Dan’s wild hacking was utterly useless, while the old man laughed and hooted around him.

Seeing even Xuanming Divine Gang Qi was ineffective, Tie Dan naturally switched to Red Evil Sword Qi, smearing his blade until it flowed with flames, creating a Fire Blade to burn the trees.

Using Dao Fire to burn trees was naturally efficient, but with Tie Dan’s insufficient cultivation in Red Evil Escape, he could only sustain a Fire Blade, barely slowing the trees’ regrowth, achieving very little.

Moreover, that old man turned out to be a crazed environmentalist. Upon seeing Tie Dan burn his trees, he got so angry that he broke a branch, rushed with a swift escape, and wildly thwacked Tie Dan with a barrage of whipping strikes!

Though mere branches couldn’t shatter Tie Dan’s Dao Body and Sword Bone, the branches were infused with pure Purple Mist True Qi, dealing internal injuries and blocking acupuncture points, causing Tie Dan’s Dao Breath to churn within his organs, nearly causing his True Qi to reverse flow and inflict severe harm!

Without True Qi to defend himself, and with all his attributes focused on attack, Tie Dan couldn’t withstand the repeated blows from a Nascent Soul cultivator. The old man seemed not to have deadly intentions, merely intent on robbing without murder. Despite taking a few hits, they weren’t lethal.

But this forced him to stop focusing on the fire, compelled to turn and counterattack, wielding his treasure sword to intercept the branches.

Then the old man just slipped away...

Hey, just playing with you! I’ll lash you if you start a fire! Chase me, and I’ll flee! Nyah nyah nyah!

Tie Dan gritted his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing he could do.

Though these minor injuries weren’t much, the Blood Jade Technique healed but didn’t reduce pain, and taking a beating for nothing was fuming.

The most ridiculous part was that others were just watching!

Yeah, after quite a while of entanglement, the women in the cabin leaned out of the windows to watch.

Tie Dan’s ripped Daoist robe revealed his taut back muscles, sculpted like marble. His wheat-colored skin bore whip marks, soaked with sweat, tensed and stretched in the swirling hot wind.

Shi Gui said, "His rear is quite perky..."

Xiao Baoqin, Xing Yuanzhi, and Lord Xiao nodded in agreement.

Tie Dan was truly speechless.

The old man’s forest array needed a Dao Fire System magic treasure to break. He lacked the means, but the others might not be so helpless.

Xiao Baoqin undoubtedly had magic treasures to spare, and Xing Yuanzhi had a Snow Mountain Palace Candlestick as well.

Everyone was on the same boat, yet if either of them extended a hand, lit a fire, burned a little, Tie Dan wouldn’t have fought so bitterly, and this round would be resolved. But who expected them to just watch the show from afar, as if it had nothing to do with them?

If it had been Zhen Baiyu, she might have already charged in to help...

Ah, comparing yourself to others can kill...

"There’s a flaw!"

The old man suddenly used an escape skill, flashing out from the branches, a branch darting toward Tie Dan’s Dantian!

Opportunity!

Tie Dan’s eyes hardened, knowing he had no help, and continuing would yield no chance, he had to use a deadly move!

He deliberately exposed a flaw! Leaving an opening, letting a branch strike in! Preparing to risk his life for a chance! To unleash the Red Vein Pupil Sword in a fatal burst!

Yet, surprisingly, his fierce gaze was detected by the tree-planting old man! The branch tip nearly touched his abs but then swiftly withdrew with an escape move! Leaving Tie Dan grasping at air with his all-out lunge!

"Whoa whoa! That was close, that was close! Kid, you’re quite ruthless! Too much killing intent, too much!"

The old man hid behind a tree trunk, exaggeratedly patting his chest.

Tie Dan hadn’t expected this old rascal to be so cunning, giving no opportunity at all, now he was out of moves.

The Red Vein Pupil Sword’s sword light was his highest damage trump card, but it required a hit to work, and the old man’s Purple Mist Escape Technique was already at mastery level, his escape shadow shifting seamlessly, leaving no trace. Unless he captured such a moment to forcibly pin him down for a mutual kill, he couldn’t even land a hit...

Mystic Sect old dog, truly strong.

Tie Dan saw this and lowered his sword, stopping his chase and tree-burning, with a flick, casting a silver light.

"Watch out for the hidden weapon!"

The old man raised a hand to catch it, looked at the ’hidden weapon’, and grinned,

"Why, not playing anymore?"

It was indeed the Soldier Repelling Coin from Wangwu Mountain.

Alright, you’re impressive, I’ve paid the toll.

Tie Dan said with a cold face,

"When I form a Nascent Soul, I won’t necessarily lose to you."

The old man shook his head,

"Humph, when you form a Nascent Soul, I’ll have reached Divinity Transformation, you still won’t beat me."

Then he tossed the Soldier Repelling Coin back.

Tie Dan frowned,

"What, you really want to see blood?"

At this point, both of them were clear about each other’s identities, without saying it outright.

Now that Tie Dan had conceded by offering the Soldier Repelling Coin, who knew the other wouldn’t accept it?

The old man waved his hand, making the trees shake, obscuring the outside view, then sat on a tree trunk and said,

"I already own a Nine-character Blade, I don’t need yours. I’m still missing a Spiritual Essence Immortal Mushroom for Divinity Transformation, do you have it?"

Damn, there’s no way Tie Dan could have something at the Divinity Transformation level, he was still lacking gold essence for his Golden Core Realm Body Refinement...

But with that said, he understood,

"I promised to escort them back to Lanling in exchange for an Immortal Pill to extend life and change fate. Since senior is also after Heavenly Materials and Treasures, why not..."

"Hey! You fool!"

The old man rolled his eyes at him,

"Why make it so complicated! That means you have to protect them all the way, shield them from disasters and calamities, and safely deliver them to receive the treasure! If anything goes wrong along the way, they’ll resent you for failing to protect them, and you’ll owe them karma, working hard for no gain! How stupid is that!

It’s better to just rob! Beat them up, then make them pay ransom! Fair trade, clear and straightforward, most convenient!"

Tie Dan was taken aback,

"Is that really okay? No karma entanglement?"

The old man smirked,

"Why not, as long as your fists are hard enough and your skills are strong, kill off those fools who would sell their lives for a bit of gold and silver tribute as guards and protectors, and after capturing them, you can do whatever you want!"

Tie Dan was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling his thoughts open up...

The old man, seeing his realization, nodded and smiled,

"You’re teachable. Rest assured, since you’ve already promised them, I won’t interfere.

Later, I’ll cut off a few fingers and dig out a pair of eyeballs for you to send to Lanling, no worry of them not paying up.

Then you bring back the Lingzhi I need, and we can exchange it for her."

Tie Dan was speechless,

"This... Senior isn’t joking, right..."

The old man’s face darkened,

"What, do you think I’m joking with you?

The Xiao Family has wealth across the four seas, seizing all the blessings of heaven and earth, gathering all the treasures of the world, blocking my path!

My Divinity Transformation’s opportunity lies in this matter, I must succeed even if I have to wipe out their entire clan!

If they haven’t delivered what I want within seven days, I’ll peel their descendants and graft them into trees!

I want to see if they reproduce faster, or if my trees grow faster!"