Sister Dōngquè sprinted through the streets, jumping over roofs and walls and past empty stalls. I held onto her as I watched behind us, my eyes widening as I saw a black clad figure chasing after us, getting closer by the second.
How the?! Senior sister is a golden core cultivator, he shouldn't have been able to keep up this easily! I looked back at Sister Dōngquè, beads of sweat falling down her forehead. It was obvious, she was running as fast as she could. So how?
I turned my head to the demonic cultivator; now he was just a few feet behind us. I spotted his expression; it was nothing but calm, like he was just taking a leisurely stroll. That bastard isn't even trying! That pretty face is wasted on a scum like you!
As I was hurling various curses at him in my head, three daggers shot towards us. I fumbled around my waist for my storage bag and take out a protection talisman. Clutching it between my index and middle fingers, I gathered the qi around me and channeled it into the paper. It burned into wisps of flames and materialized a barrier that blocked the incoming daggers, the sharp blade slamming against the translucent wall.
I exhaled a breath I didn't know I held in as I flashed a grin at our pursuer. But it was immediately slapped away as the cultivator swiftly covered the distance between us and threw a punch at the barrier. The shield shattered into a thousand pieces. And like that, my mouth dropped.
What the fu-
Suddenly, Sister Dōngquè made a sharp turn, drawing her spear, blocking another incoming punch, but the impact pushed us back a meter or two. I looked behind me, glaring at that infuriating face. He glared back, his mouth curving in a cocky smile.
You-!
(The latter curses being hurled are so vulgar that they will not be shown. May your imaginations fill in the gaps.)
Then that ******* cracked his knuckles and took a stance. A moment later, he bolted forward, appearing in front of us in seconds. He threw punch after punch, each one faster than the last. I held on as I was thrashed around, as Senior sister blocked and dodged the barrage of attacks with her spear.
Junior Àiyù
I flinched for a moment before glancing at Senior sister.
Yes, Sister Dōngquè?
Use the teleportation talisman and escape. I'll meet with you later.
I opened my mouth to argue, but swallowed my words. Glancing at Senior sister and the devil before us, I nodded in agreement.
Soon, we were backed into the residential district. Senior sister dropped me off her shoulder, tossing the storage bag from her waist to me. I channeled my spiritual power through the bag, overpowering the ownership of the bag before digging through it. I pulled out a teleportation talisman, pinching it between my fingers. I gave Sister Dōngquè a last worried look before activating the talisman.
With a flash of light, I was teleported outside the outer walls of the town. I got up, dusting off the dirt from my tattered clothes, and sprinted into the forest behind me.
Taking out a compass artifact from my storage bag, I followed the path of spiritual energy it created to the next city from here. I'll meet up with Senior sister there and we'll discuss our next move. I closed my eyes for a moment, making a silent prayer for Senior sister before scanning the area ahead. There was nothing unusual, so I pushed forward at full speed. After about an incense time, I stopped by a lake to rest.
I sat by a tree near the shore, viewing the various cuts and gashes all over my body, then to the deep wound on my left shoulder. I slipped off half of my robe to examine it more closely. On the surface, it looked like a messy gash made by a dull blade, but with closer examination, it was a precise cut that aimed between the bones. It was obvious that bastard intended to sever my arm off. Unlucky for him, I'm at the mid-stage of muscle refining, even with his strength, he won't be able to cut off my arm that easily.
I nodded in satisfaction, reaching into my storage to take out a high-grade healing pill. I popped the pill into my mouth and circulated the medicinal power throughout my body. With the pill, my wounds started to quickly close up until it was fully healed, as if the injuries were never there. I stretched my arms, feeling good as new.
I looked to the horizon, seeing the faint glimmer of lights of the city ahead, then checked the compass. If I run at top speed, I'll be able to arrive in the city in an incense time. Stepping onto the dirt path, I sprint toward the city walls in the distance.
———
Just as I guessed, I arrived at the city gates of Nánhǎi in an incense time. As I was running up to the entrance, the guards stationed at the gates halted me in my tracks. I stopped before them, taking out a jade plaque with the sect's insignia. Once I showed them the plaque, they nodded and moved aside to let me through. I gave them a light bow before entering the city.
When I entered, I let my eyes wander around before settling on a familiar path. One of our branch sects should be stationed here, I'll head there to recuperate.
I walked through the bustling streets of Nánhǎi's shopping district, passing shouting merchants and shoppers alike. After a while, I stroll through the quieter residential district until I stop at a gate, a sign above reading Xīngyún Sect. I took out the jade plaque from my storage bag, the plaque shone a light before floating from my hand to pass the gate's entrance, and up the long mountain of stairs ahead. I followed it up the stairs to the top of the peak onto the grounds of Xīngyún Sect.
Once I made it up the mountain, the plaque returned to my hand and I placed back into my storage bag.
"Excuse me!"
I turned to see a man dressed in white robes running towards me. He stopped a few feet away, cupping his hands in a bow.
"Fellow Daoist, what brings a disciple from the main sect here to our Xīngyún Sect?" he asked, staring at my disheveled clothes.
"I will be staying here for a few days, inform the sect leader of my arrival," I explained, nodding back in acknowledgement.
He nodded, "Very well, I will escort you to a room."
With that, I followed him to a vacant room near the huts where the disciples were staying.
"This room is for guests, I hope it is to you're liking," the disciple said, before opening the door.
I stepped inside, the room was spacious enough, clean, and simple in its decor. The Xīngyún Sect truly lives up to its reputation for obstinacy in worldly things.
I turned to the Xīngyún disciple and approved, "This will do."
The disciple nodded, bowing before closing the door. Once I could no longer hear his footsteps, I breathed out a sigh as a wave of exhaustion crashed into me. Wobbling to the bed, I let my body collapse into the white sheets, fatigue and tiredness weighing down on my body. I rolled over, my eyes fixated on the ceiling. I raised my hand to the ceiling, clenching it in a fist, recalling tonight's events.
Black eyes with no light in them, paired with delicate features, and a pale face as if freshly dead.
I won't forget it, and when we meet again, I'll repay the humiliation you caused me tonight by tenfold!
A/N
Hello my lovelies, how was your day? Hope it was well and if not, may the next be full of fortune! Anyways, how did you like the chapter? Exam week is coming in at full force, so please pray for me. To all the other people taking exams at this time, best wishes! T^T