Chapter 102: The First Battle of the Dao Embryo

Chapter 102: The First Battle of the Dao Embryo (First Update)

In the wilderness, Fang Junmei had been searching desperately for over two months but still found no trace of the horse. Whether it was because the timing was not right or he had taken the wrong path, he could not tell. The southern mountains were both dry and hot, with heavy humidity that made one feel extremely uncomfortable.

That day, before evening had even fallen, the sky was already thick with dark clouds. Thunder rumbled continuously, signaling an impending mountain storm. The air was oppressively heavy. Fang Junmei looked up at the sky, wiped the sweat from his brow, and decided to end his search early. He descended to the ground, planning to find a place to rest for the night.

Suddenly, a faint rushing sound cut through the air, reaching Fang Junmei’s ears. He turned toward the source and saw, beneath the dark clouds in the distance, a yellow cloud-like figure flying toward him. Atop this yellow cloud was a young man dressed in white. The scene beneath the stormy sky was striking enough to hold one’s gaze.

Fang Junmei did not know this person and noticed he was at the early stage of the Dao Embryo realm. Instinctively, he became wary. The other’s speed was even faster than his own Rainbow Transformation technique. Seeing no way to dodge, Fang Junmei stopped moving.

“Those are some fine eyebrows... So it’s you, kid. Where’s Bifengzi? Did you kill him? Hand him over to me!” The newcomer soon arrived not far from Fang Junmei. Sensing that Fang was only at the late stage of the Mortal Dust realm, he wasted no words and demanded fiercely.

This man was none other than Qi Yu. After leaving Divine Eagle Cliff, Qi Yu had followed the direction given by the shopkeeper surnamed Liu and eventually found the ruins of Gray Stone Village. From the remnants, he sensed something was amiss and suspected that the arson and murders were related to Bifengzi. Since Bifengzi had done such a thing, he must have acquired a large number of Human Tribe Thousand Mechanism Gu from there. The question was, where had he gone?

They searched, and soon they arrived at Golden Light Village. After capturing several mortals and interrogating them casually, they learned about Fang Junmei. Fang’s carelessness was understandable—he neither knew how to change his appearance nor could he kill all the mortals to silence them. It was only a matter of time before someone came looking for Bifengzi at Golden Light Village. Upon further inquiry about Fang’s words, Qi Yu began his search for Fang in the nearby mountains.

Today, he finally found him.

“Are you also from Wanman Mountain?” Fang Junmei asked calmly, neither denying nor affirming. Since his pursuer had found him, he must have been to Golden Light Village; only the intent remained unclear.

“Which righteous sect do you pretend to belong to?” Qi Yu, seeing Fang’s clear and refined features and his fearless demeanor, guessed he must be a cultivator from a major righteous sect.

Fang Junmei smiled faintly, refusing to answer directly and instead countered, “Bifengzi slaughtered a village of mortals and did terrible things. You ask me for him—are you here to shield him? If so, I will report this to my sect and ask the elders of Wanman Mountain for justice for those mortals.”

Qi Yu laughed heartily. “What Bifengzi did is none of my concern. I am his senior brother in the sect. Hearing that my junior brother was captured, it is only right to stand up for him and bring him back. Even if he did unforgivable crimes, punishment should come from our sect elders.” His words twisted a semblance of truth.

He then said, “Hand him over, or don’t blame me for taking action.”

Fang Junmei replied coldly, “I’ve already released him. Where he went, I do not know.”

Fang Junmei despised those who dared to do evil but refused to take responsibility. However, facing a Dao Embryo stage opponent and sensing hostility, there was no need to stubbornly resist.

“I don’t believe you!” Qi Yu snarled and finally struck, no longer willing to waste words. His eyes were filled with ferocity.

“Kid, give me his storage pouch!” Qi Yu shouted again, forming a hand seal. A yellow tornado-like spell surged toward Fang Junmei.

Boom!

The attack was accompanied by thunderclaps. Rain, long brewing in the dark clouds, finally poured down in torrents.

Hearing Qi Yu’s command, Fang Junmei realized the man was not as righteous as he claimed. No longer holding back, he unsheathed his sword, golden light bursting forth, illuminating the gloomy mountain wilderness. With a flick of his sword tip, a violent wind swept forward, clashing against the yellow tornado.

Boom!

With a tremendous explosion, the yellow tornado was torn apart. Fang Junmei had gained the upper hand with this first strike, showing the profound power of his swordsmanship.

“Bone-deep swordsmanship, the Da Yan Wind Cloud Sword Technique?” Qi Yu’s pupils dilated, recognizing not only the swordsmanship but even naming the technique, revealing his keen insight.

“Little brother, hold your strike for now!” Qi Yu dodged Fang’s attack and shouted, “Since you are a disciple of the Peach Blossom Sword Sect, you must not be hypocritical. If my junior brother truly committed heinous crimes and you killed him, so be it. Just give me his relics, and this matter will be settled.”

Qi Yu’s mind raced swiftly. A Mortal Dust late-stage cultivator with bone-deep swordsmanship must be an important figure in his sect. Killing such a person arbitrarily would cause a huge uproar, and Qi Yu was not even sure if he could defeat him. What he truly sought was the Human Tribe Thousand Mechanism Gu. If he could get it, he preferred to avoid a fight.

He then added, “Little brother, you don’t know, Bifengzi also has a younger sister, our junior sister. I want his relics as a memento for her.”

Fang Junmei snorted coldly. He saw through Qi Yu’s cunning nature and had no intention of trusting him. Handing those things over could only lead to more mischief. The battle resumed amidst the brewing storm.

“Kid, if you persist, don’t blame me for forgetting our sect ties. Don’t think we of Wanman Mountain fear your Peach Blossom Sword Sect,” Qi Yu warned, his eyes flashing with menace once more.

Fang Junmei remained silent. Qi Yu, growing furious, struck again with greater resolve. His fingertips flicked, releasing a burst of jade-green finger light accompanied by sharp, ghostly wails.

“If it were Long Jinyi, I might fear him more, but you can’t scare me!” Qi Yu unleashed the unique spells of Wanman Mountain with ease.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Under the darkened sky, thunder roared and lightning flashed, illuminating the golden and white figures weaving through the rain-soaked wilderness clearly.

Qi Yu’s spells emitted multicolored mist so toxic that even a drop of rain turning to white smoke upon contact testified to its lethality.

Fang Junmei’s breathing was cut off, but his golden bell shield activated. Relying on the Three Breaths Divine Stone’s aid, he dodged swiftly like a phantom, his senses heightened to detect every move of his opponent.

Soon, the earth-yellow divine light surrounding Qi Yu flickered like a dying ember in the wind. Had it not been a special spell reserved for Dao Embryo cultivators of Wanman Mountain, it would have shattered under Fang’s sword strike, injuring him severely.

Fang’s golden bell shield was riddled with holes from corrosion but held fast. A sweep of his sword dispersed the poisonous mist.

Each displayed their skills: Qi Yu’s expertise with toxic fog was formidable, beyond ordinary defenses; Fang’s powerful techniques were all at the Dao Embryo level.

Fang’s gaze sharpened as he gauged his own combat strength.

Ordinary early-stage Dao Embryo cultivators could be matched or even defeated, but without targeted countermeasures, killing someone like Qi Yu would be difficult.

Unbeknownst to Fang, even some mid-stage Dao Embryo cultivators within Wanman Mountain dared not provoke Qi Yu lightly. Qi Yu, in turn, was astonished by Fang’s seemingly untouchable skills.

“When did the Peach Blossom Sword Sect produce such a formidable youth? Luckily, his realm is still below mine, or today I might have lost!” Qi Yu thought.

The battle stalemated, clearly unfavorable to Fang Junmei, whose spiritual perception and magical power were far inferior.

Suddenly, with a loud boom, Fang repelled Qi Yu with a sword strike, spun sharply, and used the Rainbow Transformation technique to flee toward the distance.

Qi Yu assessed the situation and laughed, “Think you can run?”

Yellow clouds swirled beneath his feet as he gave chase.

In the stormy evening mountains, the two raced through the wilderness—one golden, one yellow—flying swiftly.

As an inner disciple of Wanman Mountain, Qi Yu’s agility and magical power matched Fang’s. Soon, he closed the gap.

Fang, drenched by rain and looking somewhat disheveled, remained composed. He raised a hand, drew out an Earth Escape Shuttle, and dove into the ground.

Qi Yu’s pupils contracted. Though Fang vanished underground, his speed did not increase noticeably. He relaxed slightly.

“I may lack an Earth Escape Shuttle, but as an earth-element cultivator, how could I not know the Earth Escape technique?” Qi Yu sneered inwardly and also burrowed into the soil, pursuing Fang relentlessly, determined not to rest until he obtained the Human Tribe Thousand Mechanism Gu. What he intended to do with it remained a mystery.

Fang paid no attention, continuing his escape. His eyes glinted with sharp resolve as he silently recalled every plant and tree in the nearby mountains where he had searched for the horse, seeking a chance to break free or even to kill his pursuer.