The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

Chapter 159: Stalked

“So you guys finally decided to leave the city, huh?” an unfamiliar man’s voice resounded clearly from above the trio. It sent shivers down their spines as the newcomer unleashed their aura at the same time.

Under this pressure, it became a herculean task for Li Lang to just turn around and look up at the intruder standing on their vehicle.

A Foundation Establishment expert, and not a weak one either! Could it be a rogue demonic cultivator?

“Senior, I’m not sure if you have the right people. We are simple members of The Orchid Covenant,” Li Lang proclaimed while unpinning his badge from his belt for the man to see.

He wanted to ensure he knew they were demonic cultivators, so they wouldn’t become sustenance for some demonic cultivation technique.

“Hmm, I don’t really care where you’re from. Even if you’re from Nightmoon Valley, we would’ve still come. In fact, my brother is dealing with whoever is driving that pitch-black Skyrunner right now.”

His words made the trio to grimace. It meant whoever their assailants were, this attack was targeted, and they had been monitoring them, too. It made the possibility of talking their way out of this way more unlikely.

Li Lang had been hoping their assailant was a simple demonic cultivator as they usually were in a weak mental state if succumbed to their inner demons. He was confident of getting away, if that was all they encountered. If the perpetrators were acting with a purpose, it meant they were sound in mind and able to resist what he had prepared.

He exchanged a quick look with his two companions through the window before glancing up at the man on their roof. His mind raced as he thought up a plan. While his means weren’t enough to allow them to escape entirely, it was still enough to give them a chance at survival.

As if the assailant could read his mind, he wasted no time and swiftly appeared right beside Li Lang. He stood straight as a rod, standing on the edge of the driver’s seat. He then poked his head through the window to inspect its interior, leaving his side open to Li Lang without a care.

“Hmm, I guess they’re not here. Oh well, you don’t always get what you want. Maybe you three can help me have a good time instead.”

It was at this moment the three young men decided to act. They all tapped into their space ring at the same time, materializing several talismans in their hand. They quickly activated them all at once.

However, the Foundation Establishment cultivator had a reaction time that couldn’t be underestimated. Just as Li Lang got his talismans off, he felt a sharp pain in his left hand. Before he could realize what happened, the effects of the talisman came into effect. Smoke engulfed them while the three boys disappeared from their assailant’s sight. At the same time, Li Lang deactivated the effects of the warding talisman, making the attacker lose track of them.

The man didn’t seem to mind as he nonchalantly remained on the Skyrunner.

“Oh, concealing talisman? I wonder what other goodies are in here? I guess I’ll have to find out once this game of hide-and-seek is over. I’d like to gamble that you have enough in here to reimburse me for the fee to crack it open.”

He wore a wide smile as he held up a space ring to the sun before looking down at all the greenery below him.

Meanwhile, Li Lang was free falling down into the forest below. Thankfully, they hadn’t been flying too high. Combined with the physique of someone in the late stages of Energy Gathering, dedicating their energy to defense, he was able to land without serious injuries. The fall had still knocked the wind out of him, but it strangely produced no sound thanks to the talisman.

Shit, shit, shit. I have to act fast. First, I have to regroup with Long Yi and Wei Ping! And—ouch! Is my finger broken?

He glanced down when he felt a sharp pain upon trying to move his left hand. His index finger was unresponsive, limping down listlessly. It made his heart skip a beat. Not because of the injury, but because it was the finger where he wore his space ring on.

This… is pretty bad, isn’t it?

Thanks to the convenience of a space ring, Li Lang placed most of his belongings in it. That included the Recovery Pills he needed to heal from his injury, talismans to keep up the concealment, and all his other items.

Forget finding Wei Ping and Long Yi. At this rate, that guy will find me!

The sense of urgency within Li Lang began climbing up rapidly. He glanced around at all the trees and bushes surrounding him and began running toward the thickest part of it. He only ran for a dozen seconds before he abruptly came to a halt.

No, I can’t outrun a Foundation Establishment cultivator in just the few minutes the concealing talisman gives me. I need help. Whether it be from Wei Ping, Long Yi, or a passerby.

Li Lang quickly placed a hand on a tree and began invoking his heavenly fire. The Primordial Star Fire within him responded to his calls and immediately began enveloping the tree. Under his control, the bluish-white light flared up, engulfing a large section of the trunk before fading as quickly as it appeared, leaving a normal orange-red fire to burn in its place.

Repeating the same thing on other trees, Li Lang successfully set fire to a small part of the forest. Smoke began rising up, acting as a signal to everyone nearby.

Before Li Lang could relax, the ground beneath him quaked and the earth around him flew up up into the sky. It was followed by a loud sound, like an explosion. He was knocked forward but managed to keep running by using his hands for support.

Glancing back, he made it just in time to see a large boulder floating up toward the lone cultivator hovering in the air. It then suddenly accelerated, catapulting it toward the burning trees.

Well, of course, this is also giving away my position.

Having done everything he could, he kept running further into the forest. It was too predictable to go toward Polarity City, and it was too far in the first place for him to reach on foot.

While on the run, he continued to try his hardest to think up a plan.

The only other items on him were a few red crystals he tucked into his shoe for emergencies. Everything else had been lost in the space ring.

Like that, he soon became helpless as the effects of the concealment talisman faded. He was exposed alone in a forest filled with vicious Qi beasts. While he still had the foliage to hide under, it didn’t help if he came within range of his assailant’s Qi sense.

The only thing he could do was wait and hope. Hope that someone had seen his smoke signal or he could at least rendezvous with his companions so he could use another concealment talisman to gain more distance.

Hmm, Wei Ping and Long Yi may not know I lost my space ring, though. They may be doing as we had agreed upon, lying low and meeting up back in the last city we were in later.

With a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator searching around, Li Lang’s time was quickly dwindling. It would be foolish of him to try to reach out with his Qi sense, so he didn’t even know how close his hunter was.

For better or worse, the suspense didn’t last long. The sound of hearty laughter soon reached Li Lang’s ears.

“Hahaha. It seems I already found you! Is it because you’re missing this?” the man said, hovering in the air, looking down on his newfound prey.

He provocatively held out a space ring and wore it on his middle finger. However, Li Lang didn’t give him the reaction he wanted because that was the last thing he cared about right now. He was more worried about how to get out safely from this situation.

The more he thought about it, the less likely he believed his chances of getting away alone were, so he unleashed his Primordial Star Fire without any restraint. The area around him quickly caught on fire, but it wasn’t particularly hot in Li Lang’s vicinity.

The point was to simply create a spectacle so even those in the distance could see.

“Oh, a heavenly fire? Interesting. We can play a nice and long game, then. Let’s see if your pet fire is willing to submit to me instead?”

Just as the attacker was about to act, smoke suddenly gushed out from Li Lang, swiftly obscuring the area even further. Gases from the burning trees and from his Qi art were enough to force mortals to run lest they breathe in too much smoke.

However, the attacker wasn’t a mortal. He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his body simply shone within the smoke. A thin coating of Qi protected his clothes from contacting any of the gases, and he could breathe just fine. In fact, he could even keep track of Li Lang as he ran. The smoke was entirely useless against him.

A sword instantly materialized in his hand, and he slashed upward. Instead of sending out any Qi attacks, the ground beneath trembled before sharp pillars of earth burst out, reaching so high in the air it almost reached its user. In the aftermath of the chaotic scene, Li Lang could be seen lying on the ground, coughing up all the dust he breathed in.

“Any other tricks? Or shall we proceed to play with your fire now?”

The man slowly descended and Li Lang could only helplessly look up at him. That was until he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, he didn’t hide his surprise well enough. The assailant instantly caught on and turned around to check out what he had seen.

Instead of saying anything, he ascended back into the air at a rapid pace, with his sword tightly gripped in one hand. Both he and Li Lang had the same question going through their minds.

Who is it?