Wei Zhong found himself surrounded by the dilapidated ruins of a palace complex. Scattered tiles, crumbled walls, and heaps of rubble bore silent witness to the relentless erosion of time.
Just as he was about to resume his flight, the Second-Tier Magic Sword pursuing him from behind drew closer.
Wei Zhong turned and clashed his own magic sword against it, sacrificing its destruction to block the attack. The broken First-Tier Magic Artifacts scattered around him were beyond repair, and fixing them would only leave clues. Better to destroy them here and now.
He wondered what technique the Azurewood Sect disciple behind him was using. His pursuit speed rivaled even Wei Zhong's Grandmaster-level Cloud Soaring Technique.
Sigh, the Cloud Soaring Technique's tier is still too low. Once I escape, I must upgrade it to Grand Master or even Peerless.
And that Azurewood Sect disciple with the white robes and paper fan... how much does he resemble the legendary Second True Disciple, Lu Yibin?
Long before Luo Mingyan's Foundation Establishment banquet, Wei Zhong had thoroughly investigated the Azurewood Sect's seven True Inheritance disciples.
These seven were undoubtedly prodigies, achieving Foundation Establishment at remarkably young ages. The Azurewood Sect considered them prime candidates for Core Formation, granting them profound cultivation techniques and even crafting custom Second-Tier Magic Artifacts for them. Their combat prowess completely overwhelmed their peers.
Lu Yibin had achieved Foundation Establishment over thirty years ago. How could he possibly enter the Clear River Secret Realm, which restricted cultivation bases to the Qi Refining stage?
Wait, he's only at the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, just like me.
Could he be suppressing his cultivation base?
Hmph, that's entirely possible. With a Spirit Stone Mine in this Secret Realm, even if I were a high-ranking member of the Azurewood Sect, I'd dispatch a powerful expert to ensure the mining operation's security.
In less than two breaths, Wei Zhong understood the caliber of the opponent he faced. He could already feel the oppressive aura emanating from the Second True Disciple.
Wei Zhong grabbed a handful of magic tool fragments and hurled them into the mine tunnel.
Flying Throwing Technique - Grandmaster-level (67%)
A meteor shower erupted in the sky as spiritual energy-infused fragments rained down with explosive force.
The overwhelming barrage caught even Lu Yibin, who had just emerged from the tunnel, off guard.
His white robe billowed like an inflated balloon, transforming into a massive cloak that enveloped him completely.
The magic tool fragments struck the voluminous fabric like raindrops on a taut canvas, leaving only faint dents and negligible stains.
Another Second-Tier Magic Robe, Wei Zhong thought, his eye twitching.
"His equipment is far superior. There's no point in fighting."
Wei Zhong grabbed another fragment of a magic tool, leaped into the dilapidated palace complex, and vanished into the maze of decaying structures.
As the lingering energy dissipated, Lu Yibin reluctantly lowered the defenses of his magic robe, his expression grim.
The intruder had vanished from sight, but Lu Yibin could faintly sense his aura receding deeper into the ruins, gradually fading until it was almost imperceptible.
Lu Yibin sheathed his magic sword, indecision clouding his face.
News of the Spirit Stone Mine's discovery had leaked, but mining operations continued below. Rushing after the thief now risked exposing the mine to opportunistic Loose Cultivators. Moreover, the intruder might have accomplices, using him as bait to draw Lu Yibin away and create an opening for their own plans.
His sect had charged him with securing the mining operations and concealing the Spirit Stone Mine's existence unless absolutely necessary. With the secret now compromised, prioritizing the mine's security remained paramount.
After a moment's contemplation, Lu Yibin decided to return.
He glanced at his magic robe, now riddled with dense, black scorch marks—evidence of partial damage. Though the damage was purely cosmetic and didn't diminish its defensive capabilities, the sight of it nonetheless startled and infuriated him.
"What kind of technique was that? Some kind of spell? How could such an absurd spell exist? I've never seen anything like it, not even from Junior Sister Lin, who's from my own sect."
Lu Yibin searched for the projectiles that had attacked him, but all he found in the nearby dirt and rubble were grains of an unidentified metal.
He gently pinched a grain between his fingers, and it crumbled into black ash. How could such fragile material possibly damage his Second-Tier Magic Robe?
"Hmph!"
Lu Yibin snorted coldly, etching Wei Zhong's face into his memory before turning back into the mine. Next time we meet, I won't let him escape.
Inside the mineral vein, the Azurewood Sect disciples swarmed around Lu Yibin as he returned.
"Senior Brother Lu!"
...
Noticing the black scorch marks on his robe, the disciples assumed he had engaged in a fierce battle with the intruder, one where he hadn't held a decisive advantage. They speculated about what kind of formidable opponent could push Lu Yibin, the sect's True Inheritance disciple, to such straits.
Lu Yibin paid no heed to their thoughts. With a dismissive wave, he declared, "I've driven off the intruder. Resume mining operations immediately, and increase guard patrols. Don't let enemies slip past you unnoticed."
"Yes!"
No one dared to provoke Senior Brother Lu at this moment. With a wave of his hand, the junior disciples were quickly assigned their tasks by their respective senior brothers, and the mining operations resumed smoothly.
Lu Yibin returned to his usual spot within the mineral vein, settling into a meditative posture to calm and regulate his qi.
His suppressed cultivation base, which allowed him to enter this Secret Realm, relied entirely on a peculiar artifact issued by the sect.
This artifact could suppress his Foundation Establishment cultivation to the peak of Qi Refining, granting him the full power expected of a Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivator.
However, the suppression was fragile. If he exerted himself too frequently, his true Foundation Establishment cultivation might break free, revealing his true strength and leading to his immediate expulsion from the Secret Realm. Such a failure was unacceptable to Lu Yibin's pride.
After a brief mental cleanse, Lu Yibin closed his eyes and began adjusting his qi.
Finally giving up, Wei Zhong hid deep within the palace, feeling the enemy's aura recede. He breathed a sigh of relief.
His Grandmaster-level Flying Throwing Technique was still potent, but its effectiveness was severely limited within the mine, where the surrounding rocks easily obstructed his projectiles.
In contrast, his opponent's Second-Tier Magic Sword faced no such limitations. Its overwhelming power could effortlessly shatter most rock formations, making a direct confrontation within the mine suicidal for Wei Zhong.
That's why he waited until exiting the mine to launch his counterattack, unleashing a relentless barrage that briefly overwhelmed the True Inheritance disciple.
However, his opponent had been overly cautious. He didn't need to unleash the full power of his Second-Tier Magic Robe. Simply using his Flying Sword to guard vital points would have been enough to withstand the assault and launch a counterattack.
He's not just afraid of losing his life—he's terrified of Loose Cultivators stealing his sect's resources.
The Spirit Stone Mine was far more important to him than chasing Wei Zhong. This was likely one of the reasons he abandoned the pursuit.
Recalling the dazzling spiritual light within the mine that had nearly blinded him, Wei Zhong felt his heart ache.
Damn it! All those spirit stones... the Azurewood Sect is going to plunder them all!
Wei Zhong's chest tightened with unbearable anguish.