A Fierce Battle

"Hm? This kid didn't take the bait?!" Seeing that Su Shi'er not only failed to approach but even fled without hesitation, the Youth in Silk Scarf's eye twitched as a surge of energy burst from his body.

"Rip!"

Under the impact of the energy, the trap turned to dust.

Before his feet even touched the ground, a gust of wind swept him up, carrying him forward at even greater speed.

In the blink of an eye, he caught up to Su Shi'er.

"Kid, let's see where you can run today!" The Youth in Silk Scarf's face darkened as he followed behind Su Shi'er, forming hand seals.

"Entanglement Technique! Go!"

With his words, a rustling sound arose. Five or six vines slithered like snakes, rapidly spreading across the ground.

Caught off guard, Su Shi'er was tripped by two vines. Losing his balance, he pitched forward, about to fall.

"Not good!"

Fortunately, he had martial skill. Twisting his waist, he performed a side somersault and steadied himself.

But the moment he landed, the vines climbed from his ankles upward, binding him like a giant zongzi in an instant.

"Martial Brother, what's the meaning of this? We have no grudges between us, do we?!" Su Shi'er secretly circulated his energy, poking his head out to size up the pursuing Youth in Silk Scarf.

"True, no grudges. But what about you setting a trap to harm me?" The Youth in Silk Scarf crossed his arms over his sword, sneering as he approached.

"Martial Brother, you're wronging me. This is my first time here—how could I have set a trap for you?" Su Shi'er said with a grin.

"Oh? Then why did you run when I was caught in the trap?" The Youth in Silk Scarf's face darkened, his cold gaze sweeping over Su Shi'er.

"Martial Brother, you're joking! That little trap couldn't possibly hold you! I ran because I suddenly remembered some urgent business. The Sect Manual clearly states that disciples are strictly forbidden from private fights and mutual slaughter."

Su Shi'er said with a smile. Breaking free from these vines was no trouble for him.

But this man had followed him all the way here, clearly with ill intent. He wanted to know why.

"Sect rules? Hmph! I have no time to waste words with you. If you want to live, hand over all your Qi Gathering Pills." The Youth in Silk Scarf said coldly, his eyes fixed on Su Shi'er with a murderous glare.

Came for the Qi Gathering Pills?

Su Shi'er's heart skipped a beat, and the image of that Female cultivator surnamed Chu flashed through his mind. He knew full well this was tied to her.

"Martial Brother, you've got the wrong person! Only seniors at Qi Refining Stage Six and above have Qi Gathering Pills. How could a rookie like me at Stage Four have any?" Taking a deep breath, he said with a smile, not intending to admit it.

"Is that so? Then you have no reason to live." The Youth in Silk Scarf's gaze turned icy, killing intent flashing in his eyes.

He formed hand seals, and true essence surged in the air.

Then, the temperature in the area shot up, and a fire crow the size of a head appeared before him.

"Wait! Don't be hasty! I do have a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills! If you let me go, I'll hand it over!" Su Shi'er said quickly, watching the man with alarm. This fire crow was far more powerful than the fireball he could summon with his Fire Control Technique.

He knew the gap in strength was too wide. To win, he had to take a risky gamble.

"Hmph, you'd better not try any tricks. Otherwise, I guarantee you'll die horribly!" The Youth in Silk Scarf snorted, controlling the fire crow to keep Su Shi'er in check with one hand while using the other to undo some of the vines binding him.

Confident in his superior Mana, he wasn't afraid of Su Shi'er pulling anything.

"The Qi Gathering Pills are in this bottle. Please accept them, Martial Brother." Once his hands were free, Su Shi'er promptly pulled a porcelain bottle from his chest and tossed it over.

That bottle contained no pills—he had stuffed a first-grade mid-grade Flame Burst Talisman inside beforehand.

He had made no fewer than five such bottles, just for emergencies.

The Youth in Silk Scarf caught the bottle and was about to inspect it when a whistling wind suddenly reached his ears.

"Wind Calling! Go!"

The moment Su Shi'er threw the bottle, his brows lifted, and he unhesitatingly activated a Wind Calling Technique.

A fierce gale howled in, blowing directly at the fire crow hovering before the Youth in Silk Scarf. The flames surged back with the wind, rushing toward the man who had cast the technique.

"Hmph! You're asking for death!" The Youth in Silk Scarf had been on guard against Su Shi'er. Seeing this, he sneered and tossed out a Rain Condensing Talisman.

A flash of water-blue light appeared, and rain fell from the sky, precisely dousing the oncoming flames.

Easily countering Su Shi'er's ambush, his eyes gleamed coldly as he prepared to strike again.

But just then, a violent energy gathered in his palm.

"Not good! A Flame Burst Talisman?!" The Youth in Silk Scarf's face changed as he realized the bottle in his hand held no Qi Gathering Pills—only a Flame Burst Talisman!

He had guarded against everything, but when Su Shi'er launched his sneak attack, he focused entirely on him, never expecting this trick.

Without a second thought, he hurried to throw the bottle away. At such close range, even a low-grade talisman could deal significant damage, let alone a mid-grade one.

But it was too late. The moment the bottle left his hand, it exploded with a bang.

"Boom!"

A streak of fire shot into the sky, directly engulfing him.

"Ah~ you bastard, I... I'll kill you!" The flames crackled and burned, igniting the withered branches and leaves on the ground, turning them into a sea of fire from which the Youth in Silk Scarf's miserable screams emerged.

This time, Su Shi'er had thoroughly tricked him!

"It worked!"

Su Shi'er's face lit up with joy. His pupils contracted as a Fire Crow appeared in his palm, which he slapped onto the vines binding his legs. The vines burst into flames on contact.

The next moment, he broke free, a fierce glint in his eyes. He decisively activated Shadowless Illusionary Steps and threw an Eight-Level Eight Trigram Fist at his opponent.

Strike while the iron is hot, and finish the job—Su Shi'er understood this principle well.

"Not good!" But the moment he rushed to his opponent's side, he sensed an imminent crisis.

The next second, the Youth in Silk Scarf's furious roar erupted from within the flames.

"Kid, do you think a single Flame Burst Talisman can seriously injure me? Today, let me teach you a lesson. Let you know just how unwise it is to oppose a sword cultivator."

Su Shi'er's pupils sharply contracted, his expression shifting instantly, but before he could react—

Two beams of sword light, interwoven into a cross shape, burst forth from the flames. The sword light was swift and vicious, radiating a fierce killing intent with the power to snatch souls and claim lives.

Su Shi'er inwardly cried out in alarm, but at such close range, dodging was already impossible. He silently lamented his misfortune, yet his hands moved without the slightest hesitation.

Without a moment's thought, he reached into his bosom. A Level 1 Top-grade Defense Talisman would be enough to block such an attack.

But when he pulled out the talisman, his expression changed once more. The talisman in his hand was no Level 1 Top-grade Defense Talisman—it was clearly just an ordinary Level 1 Mid-grade Defense Talisman.