123 Chapter 122: Prodigy (2/2)
”Oh, so you're a swordsman?”
Lei Yong Chun sneered as he advanced, getting ready to use another Lightning Flash. Against such terrifying power, I could only stand my ground and respond with everything I had. Gathering all my qi and infusing it into the sword, I sucked in a deep breath and swung it, unleashing my most powerful attack.
Heavenly Draconic Meteor Strike!
”?!”
Lei Yong Chun tried to stop when he realized the danger, but he was too late. The black wave of qi engulfed him in an instant and he bellowed in pain. The next instant, his fuming body crashed out of the darj blast, and he staggered to his feet. Blood dripped from several places around his body and he coughed out more from his mouth.
”Fuck!” he snarled, glaring at me. ”I can't believe I got beaten this badly by a kid! I haven't been this humiliated or injured in a while!”
I exhaled, daring to hope that I might just stand a chance of winning this. However, all hopes of that were dashed when Lei Yong Chun raised his hand. To my horror, a massive influx of electric qi surged from his body. Even my Heaven and Earth senses were telling me that this was not an attack I could dodge or withstand.
”Heavenly Tiger Thunder Crash!”
The gigantic tiger slammed into me from above, despite me doing my best to parry it with a sword. Coughing out blood, I crashed onto the ground, convulsing and shuddering as electricity scorched my body from the inside out.
”Idiotic kid. I was only going easy on you. But damn…fuck! I can't believe you actually managed to seriously injure me. You and Ning Xue both!”
”This…this can't be…”
Bai Ning Xue was staring at her first senior in horror, unable to believe what she was seeing. Even after taking successive attacks that would have proven fatal to any other martial artist, Lei Yong Chun was not only still standing, but he was radiating such power.
”Sorry, kid. But I have to eliminate Ning Xue. I might even have to crush you too…you're both too dangerous. There's no telling what sort of monsters you'll grow to if I leave you two like this.”
Lei Yong Chun was staring at us, his body crackling with power. He shook his head ruefully and began approaching a stunned Bai Ning Xue.
”I'll have to hand it to you kids, though. This is probably the first time since the fight with the Heaven and Earth Sect that I've been hurt this badly. But…” he grinned. ”You've got to be deluded if you thought you could win.”
”My objective was never to win,” I whispered before coughing out some blood.
Lei Yong Chun froze and turned his eyes toward me.
”What was that?”
I grinned weakly. ”I told you. I never intended to win. My role was only to buy as much time as possible.”
Lei Yong Chun's expression darkened. ”You bastard…!”
I shrugged and lay on the ground, using the chance to recover my breath. I had been injured severely, but it wasn't as bad as I had failed. All I needed was a little rest and I would be back up on my feet in a minute.
Not that I needed to.
”Reinforcements are here.”
”Damn you!”
Lei Yong Chun glanced up and saw a new group approaching. Teacher Jiao Shi and the other staff had finally arrived. There was no sign of Principal Xiao Zhang…yet. Most likely he was still tied up in the whatever conference where he had to discuss budget plans for his school, but more likely he trusted his teachers to get the job done.
”Surrender, Yong Chun.” Teacher Jiao stepped forward, almost disappearing like a ghost and reappearing in front of him. ”You can't escape.”
Lei Yong Chun laughed at that, despite the blood dribbling from his mouth.
”You think you've caught me just because you have me surrounded and because you outnumber me? Have you forgotten who I am?”
”No. that's why we're taking extra precautions.”
Lei Yong Chun chuckled weakly as he glanced around at the huge number of staff. It wasn't just the teachers. Teacher Cai, Teacher Shu, and many of the teachers I learned under had approached, but they were reinforced by dozens of men in suits and sunglasses.
Why they were wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night, I had no idea. Probably to look cool, and also probably because it was part of their cliché uniform. Also most likely because the artist couldn't be bothered to draw their eyes.
”Well then…” Lei Yong Chun cracked his neck, and then stretched his hands. He beckoned for them to come. ”Let's get this done and over with.”
*
”Huff…huff…”
Lei Yong Chun heaved and puffed as he ran through the forest. Clutching his chest, he suddenly stopped to bend over and throw up a pile of blood.
”Ugh! Kuh!”
Slumping against a tree, he glanced up at the moon, which was barely visible through the canopy of the densely clustered trees.
”Fucking bastards…even after running this far, I almost wasn't able to lose them.”
He closed his eyes, and then smirked.
”Well…even though I'm seriously hurt, it doesn't mean I don't have enough strength to take care of a single kid.”
”…”
”Come out, kid. I know you're there.”
I emerged from the trees and watched the slumped Lei Yong Chun warily. He didn't even bother to sit up straight, just opening his eyes and glancing at me.
”Why are you following me, kid? You have a suicide wish or something?”
”Earlier, you identified my martial arts as Heaven and Earth Formula,” I began. ”How did you know?”
”Ah…I knew it.” Lei Yong Chun clambered to his feet and stared at me. ”I should be the one asking you. How did you learn it?”
”That's none of your business.”
No sooner were the words out of my mouth when Lei Yong Chun struck me with his arm. I just barely managed to parry it and block his lightning, but his other fist came, and despite anticipating it with my Heavenly Flow and Earthly Steps, I couldn't dodge in time. Instead, I was forced to parry it, and Lei Yong Chun effortlessly blasted me with Thunder Break, undoing my defense.
”Ugh!”
I staggered back, and Lei Yong Chun kicked me to the ground. I managed to duck that, but the edge of his foot grazed my temple and blood flew. I crashed to the ground, feeling winded, and Lei Chun Long stomped on me to prevent me from getting up.
”I'll ask you again. How did you learn Heaven and Earth Formula?”
”I learned it from studying the resources that Wu Ling Academy provided. I managed to piece them together and come up with a workable version.”
”Cut that bullshit.” Lei Yong Chun exerted more force on my head as he shifted the weight to his foot. ”You know as well as I do that your Heaven and Earth Formula wasn't pieced together from anything Wu Ling Academy managed to retrieve. Your techniques are far too perfect.”
”They're not,” I muttered bitterly. Lei Yong Chun laughed.
”Sure, you've some way to go before you can consider yourself as having mastered them, but nonetheless, the form and techniques are otherwise excellent copies of the original. Which can't be possible unless you learn the original from somewhere.”
”You won't believe me if I told you,” I grumbled.
”Try me.” the weight increased again. I gritted my teeth.
”I was taught by a ghost.”
”…”
”I told you that you wouldn't believe me.”
”No, actually, I do.”
”…huh?”
I blinked and struggled to turn my head to glance up at Lei Yong Chun. He was looking pretty thoughtful.
”I mean, Nascent Soul Stage practitioners have the ability to preserve their spirits even if their physical bodies are destroyed. Tian Mo was certainly powerful enough to do so, and leave a lingering trace that existed long enough for him to impart the basics to you.”
He then grinned.
”Besides, it's a standard cliché in all xianxia stories. Whether it's Coiling Dragon, Against the Gods, or Battle Through the Heavens, Douluo Dalu II: Jue Shi Tang Men or even Wu Dong Qian Kun, the protagonists always gets taught by the ghost of his master. In fact, I'm an idiot for not realizing that!”
He slapped his forehead and chuckled.
”…”
I couldn't help but feel like an idiot.
”Seeing that you didn't deny it, then you're most definitely a disciple of the Heaven and Earth Sect.” he lifted his foot. I blinked in surprise, and then slowly crawled to my feet, staring at him in astonishment.
”You…”
”Ah, don't worry. If you're a disciple of the Heaven and Earth Sect, you'll eventually join my side, sooner or later.”
”Huh?” I scowled incredulously. Lei Yong Chun shrugged.
”You do know how your sect was destroyed and how your master was killed, right?” he jabbed a thumb back at the direction where the academy was. ”The Martial Arts Alliance is responsible for everything.”
”I thought you're working for the Martial Arts Alliance,” I grumbled, puzzled. Wasn't he helping the Martial Arts Alliance rein in or eliminate Wu Ling Academy altogether because of the artificial qi? Then why was he talking as if we were having a common cause against the Martial Arts Alliance.
”Don't be naïve. You think the Martial Arts Alliance will stop at eliminating Wu Ling Academy?” Lei Yong Chun snorted. ”While I agree with them that artificial qi is an abomination, and that we have to stop Xiao Zhang's attempts to become a god at all costs, I'm not blind to their corruption. The Martial Arts Alliance will stop at nothing to secure their power. After they exterminate Wu Ling Academy, they will turn toward the other sects who are trying to be independent from them.”
”…”
I wasn't sure I believed him, but Lei Yong Chun continued.
”For example, the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect…”
”What?!”
”Why? Why are you so shocked? The Nine-Tailed Fox Sect has always been autonomous, relying on their reputation in high-quality spirit armaments to increase their wealth. The Alliance has begun to feel uncomfortable about them increasing their power and influence, yet maintaining their independence.”
He then caught my pale expression and somewhat understood.
”Ah…perhaps you're one of those secondary disciples…who joined the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect as a second sect to learn their Spirit Engraving and smithing techniques?” he nodded in approval. ”That will be a good way of covering up your secret as a Heaven and Earth Sect disciple.”
That was never my intention, but there was no point convincing Lei Yong Chun the truth. I merely stared at him.
”As a sign of goodwill, let me give you a small hint.” Lowering his voice, Lei Yong Chun placed a hand on my shoulder and grinned. ”If you want to advance your Heaven and Earth Formula further, you would do well to check out the nine Spirit Engraved Pillars.”
”What do you mean?” I gaped at Lei Yong Chun incredulously. ”What does the Spirit Engraved Pillars have to do with Heaven and Earth Formula?”
”Well, that…” Lei Yong Chun's grin widened. ”…is for you to find out yourself, kid.”