The Falling-Out

Old Wang risked life and limb hunting demon beasts and gathering herbs in the mountains, yet at most he earned ten Spirit Stones a month.

He was old, lazy, slippery, and not particularly capable. No one wanted to take him along.

His life had been hard these past two years, and he had developed a taste for the flirtatious, sexy female cultivators in the taverns. He'd thrown all the Spirit Stones he'd saved in his younger days at them.

He'd had a bit too much to drink at the tavern today. When he got into a dispute with someone over selling Deer Antler Powder, he'd been outmatched and beaten badly. He'd nearly lost his life.

Old Wang had come to see Gao Xian intending to vent his anger and throw his weight around, forcing Gao Xian to give him more Deer Antler Powder.

Instead, Old Wang realized Gao Xian was all bark and no bite. He couldn't help laughing. A timid little fellow like this was easy to handle!

He'd been a fool before, letting this brat scare him!

Then Old Wang noticed the pile of Foundation Strengthening Pills on Gao Xian's table. Only then did he realize just how much fat there was to be squeezed from this kid!

How could Old Wang pass up such a juicy piece of meat laid right in front of him?

"Kid, I got beaten up because I was selling Deer Antler Powder!"

Old Wang pointed at his bruised, swollen cheek. "I almost went blind! Take a good look!"

In the dim glow of the charcoal fire, Old Wang's swollen, distorted face looked especially vicious. The greed and ferocity gleaming in his eyes made Gao Xian's heart race. Is this old lecher here to rob me? Or to kill me and rob me?

"This is all because of you!"

Old Wang walked over to the table and casually picked up a still-warm Foundation Strengthening Pill, swallowing it.

A surge of pure, hot energy rushed straight to Old Wang's brow, invigorating him and clearing his head. Even his throbbing cheek felt much better.

Foundation Strengthening Pills strengthened bones and sinews, tempered the blood and qi, and nourished the body to fortify its foundation. They couldn't heal injuries, but they were well suited to someone in Old Wang's condition.

Satisfied after confirming the pill's efficacy, Old Wang swept all the Foundation Strengthening Pills into the medicine box on the table.

He sneered at Gao Xian. "These pills are payment for treating my injuries."

Seeing Old Wang's ferocious expression, Gao Xian didn't dare say a word.

His opponent was in a highly unstable state. Refusing him could trigger a danger that would be difficult to control.

Old Wang was at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining and had plenty of combat experience. If they fought for real, Gao Xian had little chance of winning.

Besides, these Foundation Strengthening Pills all belonged to Shopkeeper Zhu. The old bastard could take them if he wanted; Shopkeeper Zhu would settle the score with him. There was no need for Gao Xian to stick his neck out!

He had the Wind and Moon Mirror. He'd grow stronger soon enough. Once he was powerful, he could settle the score with Old Wang!

They said that taking a step back opened up a vast horizon, and enduring a moment of anger brought Wind Calm Waves Still.

Gao Xian tried to comfort himself with those words, but they couldn't smooth away the anger bottled up inside him.

Old Wang had been feeling smug. Gao Xian had made him a few Spirit Stones, and now he'd taken it all back with interest.

But then he noticed Gao Xian's pursed lips and sullen gaze. The kid was obviously holding a grudge!

Old Wang suddenly remembered something. This kid worked with Shopkeeper Zhu from the medicine shop. These Foundation Strengthening Pills must belong to the shop.

Shopkeeper Zhu was with the Lianyun Sect, and the entire Flying Horse Market belonged to the Lianyun Sect. Bullying Gao Xian was no problem, but if he provoked Shopkeeper Zhu, he'd be lying dead in the street by tomorrow.

Old Wang's heart lurched. The box of Foundation Strengthening Pills in his hands suddenly felt scalding hot.

He swallowed and hesitated, wondering whether he should put the pills down and say a few soothing words to Gao Xian to smooth things over.

"I've lived fifty years and ended up like a dog. Now I'm supposed to bow my head to some brat? To hell with that—kill him!"

Old Wang had spent years hunting demon beasts in the mountains. He'd done more than his share of killing and looting, and now his bloodlust surged. Without the slightest hesitation, he drew his sword and attacked.

Old Wang's swordsmanship was polished. He was at the fifth level of Qi Refining, with strong bones and muscles, and he'd also opened the heart and lung apertures.

Now his spiritual power surged through his body, his blood racing. It swelled the wrinkles in his skin smooth, leaving him ruddy and even a little straighter. He looked as if he'd grown thirty years younger in an instant.

Gao Xian saw that something was wrong, but before he could react, Old Wang's sword was already upon him.

At this critical moment, extreme tension emptied Gao Xian's mind. But Sister Lan, deep between his brows, appeared of her own accord and formed a tight spiritual connection with him.

In Gao Xian's eyes, Old Wang's movements seemed to slow tenfold.

Old Wang used the motion of drawing his sword to gather force, slashing diagonally upward from Gao Xian's abdomen toward his chest.

The sword moved so fast that its icy blade still trembled and quivered in the air.

Gao Xian saw Old Wang's movements clearly, but his body was stiff and sluggish, unable to react.

He instinctively held his breath, but his heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to burst.

The sharp blade cut from Gao Xian's lower abdomen to his chest, leaving a long gash in his blue daoist robe.

Fortunately, the faint yellow light conjured by the Golden Body Talisman was tough enough to stop the blade from cutting deeper.

Gao Xian's heart loosened with relief. He'd thought he was dead just then, but the Golden Body Talisman had come through.

"A Golden Body Talisman!"

Old Wang was experienced and immediately realized that Gao Xian had used a talisman to protect himself.

He was a little surprised, unsure when the kid had activated it. But a low-grade talisman like that wouldn't withstand more than a few strikes!

A cruel smile spread across Old Wang's face. He changed his sword stroke into a thrust and fiercely drove the blade at Gao Xian's chest.

The Golden Body Talisman activated again, blocking the blade. The force of the thrust made the sword bend sharply in Old Wang's hand.

Old Wang didn't care. The yellow light around Gao Xian had already dimmed considerably. If he kept thrusting, he'd eventually pierce straight through the kid!

With Sister Lan's support, Gao Xian saw Old Wang as if he were moving in slow motion, and his own thoughts had sped up just as much.

After facing death once, Gao Xian actually calmed down.

It was obvious that if he waited, he'd die. He had to take a chance!

There wasn't enough time to cast a spell. Gao Xian instinctively grabbed the bent blade and shoved it aside.

Protected by the Golden Body Talisman, his palm wasn't cut by the blade.

The quick, nimble speed of the Lightning Dragon Hand was also fully unleashed.

Old Wang froze. He hadn't expected Gao Xian to grab his sword with his bare hand—and actually catch it.

But with his combat experience, he instinctively twisted his wrist and yanked the sword back. Gao Xian had hold of the blade, and he had hold of the hilt. Even if Gao Xian were ten times stronger, he couldn't wrest the sword away.

And Gao Xian was nowhere near as strong as he was.

Gao Xian knew that too. As soon as he shoved the blade aside, he raised his left hand and barked, "Quick!"

Sister Lan, deep between his brows, simultaneously formed a hand seal and chanted a spell, resonating with the magical bracer on his left wrist.

The array runes hidden inside the bracer activated, converting spiritual power into force that sent the White Plum Needles shooting from the raised grooves.

Gao Xian was only six feet from Old Wang, and his raised hand was barely more than three feet away.

Old Wang sensed something was wrong and hurriedly dodged backward, but they were too close. He couldn't get out of the way.

Four flashes of cold light struck Old Wang in the chest, but failed to pierce into his body.

Gao Xian saw it clearly. The three-inch-long White Plum Needles had gone barely an inch into the flesh, leaving their two-inch tails flailing against Old Wang's daoist robe.

He was astonished. Even the White Plum Needles couldn't pierce Old Wang's body?

The needles were so fine that an inch of penetration meant they'd barely broken the skin.

Gao Xian had thought he could settle things with one strike, but the result was far beyond what he'd expected. He screamed inwardly, Damn it, the profiteering bastard ripped me off...