"Formation Master?" A voice sounded above Wang Lin.
It was a man wearing yellow robes and had his eyes covered with a grey cloth. Around him, several swords drifted in silent orbit, their blades gleaming faintly as they traced a perfect circle. Each rotation carried a subtle hum, weaving together into an unseen barrier that distorted the air, as though the very space around him bowed to the will of his blades.
"Tier Three Sword Cultivator?" Wang Lin said, his face grim.
Having so many swords following around him showed he had great control over Qi and also had a considerable amount of Qi. Not to mention that he could detect him in his Gaia Escape Formation.
"Wang Lin, I've heard of you. I didn't expect to be the one to deal with you though." The man said with a light chuckle and raised his right hand, taking the massive sword from out of the ground.
"Join the Yellow Moon, and I might spare your life." The man said.
Wang Lin sneered at his words, "Join the Yellow Moon? Why don't you just ask me to kill myself? Don't think I don't know what your shitty organization is. And don't think I don't know it was your people who slaughtered my family ten years ago!"
The sword cultivator smiled noncomically, and replied, "So what? That's how the world worked tens of thousands of years ago, and still functions like that now. The dog chases the cat, and the lamb follows the herd. You're just a part of the herd that broke off the main pack, and thinks he can make a difference."
The man raised his sword high, its edge gleaming as it cleaved downward toward Wang Lin. Yet before the strike could land, the earth shuddered, and a wall of mud burst upward from the ground, solidifying into a barrier between blade and flesh. The impact rang out like a drumbeat; steel meeting soil with crushing force. The recoil hurled the man backward through the air, his robes snapping in the wind, but the circling swords behind him whirled into motion, steadying his body and halting his fall before he could crash.
"Oh? Now how did you do that without your little brush?" The man asked, fixing his swords.
"Do you think your Yellow Moon organization fully understood everything back then?" Wang Lin said, mocking the sword cultivator with a heavy breath.
Using that technique of creating formations by using the earth as ink is quite taxing on the body and Qi.
"I guess you don't." Wang Lin continued to mock as he silently recovered some Qi. After all, you're just some mice for the Leaf Empire now."
The sword cultivator shrugged his shoulders, not caring for his words.
"Like I said, the dog chases the cat. We're simply chasing after the empire for money to scare the cat, being the Maple Empire. Do you think that the Leaf Empire has some hold over us or something? The Yellow Moon spans over three planets, while this empire barely spans over one."
He then pointed his sword at Wang Lin.
"Do you have anything else up your sleeves? As your time is running out. Not to mention beating me, my squad should be coming over any time now to do clean up work of the Maple Empire." The sword cultivator said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, yeah I do. Next time don't let someone build up Qi, especially when they're proficient in escape techniques." Wang Lin said, and suddenly his body descended into the ground, just like how his Gaia Escape Formation works.
"Hmm, I can't sense his Qi?" The sword cultivator said in surprise.
"Looks like he'll get away this time." He said to himself as three more people appeared in front of him.
"Sir Dong, is everything done?" One man in the same yellow robes as the sword cultivator asked.
"Hmm, I even gained some more information about the Boon realm. That kid Wang Lin still has a couple of secrets up his sleeves." The sword cultivator said.
"Sir Dong, you didn't capture him?" One asked confusingly.
"Why should I? If we capture him he'd surely commit suicide and destroy his own soul. Might as well see his strengths and weaknesses first and give his information out to the others. He's quite proficient at escape and formation techniques, and should be a second tier formation master. To capture him without him destroying any information about the Boon realm, we must have a spiritual cultivator that can search souls on the spot, or I'm afraid our bosses won't spare us when our only lead suddenly vanishes. Remember, his life is more important, capturing him will only cause a loss we cannot afford."
The three of them nodded repeatedly. The sword cultivator's words were really a life saver for them. They'd try to capture him alive and use some techniques to seal him to stop him from killing himself, but it turns out they thought too simply.
"Yes, Sir Dong! We'll remember your words deeply in our hearts." One man said and took a step forward and bowed.
The sword cultivator shook his head, "It's all for the past."
The three of them froze, and nodded their heads.
"It's all for the past!"
Meanwhile the four of them pledge their loyalty to their organization, Wang Lin was deep underground. He didn't use the Gaia Escape Formation, but the Gaia Shell Formation. This formation allows the user to bury themself closer to the planet's core, using it as a shell for protection.
Wang Lin couldn't go too deep into the ground as he'll die due to pressure and heat of the planet, but it was enough to evade the gaze of the sword cultivator that was hunting him down.
Wang Lin still had no clue that they actually didn't want to kill him, but would willingly let him go. Of course they'd act like they'd have a tough fight and then secretly track him when he thought he was safe. This is one of the regrets of the sword cultivator.
He thought the person he was attacking was an elemental cultivator cultivating the earth element, so he dug up the mole trying to escape. Who would've thought it was a Formation Master that the organization was looking for. If he knew it was Wang Lin, he would've abandoned his previous mission and contacted his boss to send a spiritual or soul cultivator while he watched Wang Lin from the dark.
But gathering information was enough, and he could claim some credit as he reports back to the headquarters.
Time ticked by, and a couple of hours have passed since the attack of the Yellow Moon sect. Wang Lin was still hiding in the earth, as it didn't require any Qi to stay in place. This might seem powerful, but the limitation of moving is a big risk if the enemy knew his formation, meaning they could just stay in place and call for back up waiting for the little rat to come out of his hole.
They should be gone now right? That sword cultivator probably thinks I used some formation as before but with more Qi to propel myself farther. He also has his own mission to complete, and can't be completely fixated on me, right?
Wang Lin kept hesitating whether to go out or, but a sudden voice sounded in his head, shocking him.
It's safe.
"Who's there?" Wang Lin asked in fright, but he couldn't see anything but dirt and rock.
Don't worry, I don't want to harm you. At night, at the tenth moon, meditate and you'll understand.
Wang Lin paused. This voice had a hit of majesty to it, and sounded human yet demon.
"You were the person who was watching me beforehand, right?" Wang Lin asked, remembering a gaze on him before the fight broke out.
The voice didn't say anything immediately, but the slight pause showed its surprise.
Quite sharp. Yes, it was me who was watching you.
The voice confirmed his suspicions, causing a bit of relief in Wang Lin's heart.
He knew someone looked at him before, and if he didn't find out who it was, he wouldn't be able to sleep.
"I'll trust you with this once." Wang Lin said, and came out of the earth.