Volume 5 Chapter 99
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Volume 5 Chapter 99: The Battle of the Strongest, the Strongest Person (Part 1)
Xu Qingfan originally thought about capturing the strong man within the range of "Ronghua Mountain" to ask him many questions. However, he realized that this strong man, being an ordinary person, was likely just an unimportant pawn if someone was indeed targeting him. Even if he managed to capture him, he probably wouldn’t reveal any useful information.
Seeing the big man looking like he was about to leave "Ronghua Mountain," Xu Qingfan felt a stir in his heart. He thought that this big man might be leaving for a reason, perhaps to meet someone who had given him instructions. So, Xu Qingfan gave up the idea of capturing him right then, instead using the "Invisibility Technique" to quietly follow behind the big man.
The big man walked north after leaving "Ronghua Mountain," moving slowly like an ordinary person. Outside "Ronghua Mountain," the place was desolate due to the ravages of disaster. Six years ago, a group of "Beast Madness cultivators" rushed toward "Ronghua Mountain" without any sense, but were easily defeated by the Righteous Alliance. However, the area outside "Ronghua Mountain" was still greatly damaged.
Amidst the desolation, the big man remained relaxed as an ordinary person. Though he had great stamina and did not rest, it was already nightfall and he had only walked about twenty miles.
Watching the big man lie down and fall asleep behind a hill, Xu Qingfan hid his figure and floated silently in the air. As he observed the big man’s chest rising and falling in sleep, he suddenly wondered if he was wasting his time. After all, he was just an ordinary man. Even if there was a plot against him, how much harm could it bring? Moreover, with the big man’s slow pace, he didn’t know how long he would have to follow to find out anything.
After a moment of hesitation, Xu Qingfan decided to be cautious and did not give up. Instead, he sat cross-legged in the air to meditate. After each mission, every team had about ten days of rest, and if the casualties were high, it could be longer. This time, Xu Qingfan’s team had about fifteen days of rest. Since he had nothing else to do anyway, following the big man seemed harmless.
So, Xu Qingfan kept a part of his Divine Sense on the big man while quietly meditating in the air. He didn’t feel any difference from meditating in his own room.
However, as Xu Qingfan’s mind entered a state of emptiness, he did not notice that while the big man was sleeping, he simply turned over casually to find a more comfortable position. In that brief moment when he faced Xu Qingfan’s position in the air, he slightly opened his eyes, revealing a glimmer of thoughtfulness.
The night passed without any events.
The big man woke up very early. Just as the sunlight began to rise on the horizon, he was already packed and continued walking north step by step. Meanwhile, Xu Qingfan patiently slowed his speed in the air, following along at a leisurely pace.
Nothing happened along the way.
And so, the strong man walked slowly, looking for a place to rest and sleep when it got dark, and getting up to continue his journey as soon as it was light. He walked for three days, and Xu Qingfan followed him steadily for three days as well.
In those three days, even though the strong man walked at a slow pace in Xu Qingfan’s eyes, he had unknowingly covered more than a hundred miles.
The distance to "Ronghua Mountain" became even greater.
At that moment, Xu Qingfan finally lost his patience. Although he had nothing to do before his next move, spending time tracking a mere mortal seemed like a waste. With that time, he could at least urge Bai Yu to cultivate better…
Thinking this, Xu Qingfan glanced at the strong man walking slowly northward beneath him and, without hesitation, rushed towards him.
At that moment, the strong man was looking down as he walked when he suddenly heard a gentle yet slightly indifferent voice sound beside him.
"Friend, you seem to be in a hurry. Do you know where you are going? Is there anything I can help you with?"
The strong man looked up to see a cultivator in a blue robe who had suddenly appeared about ten feet in front of him. A green jade pendant hung at his waist, and a crow-like spirit pet was perched on his shoulder. Below each eye, there was a dark red phoenix design and a faint scar. It was Xu Qingfan, who had been following him for three whole days.
Thinking about how this strong man had been asking about him on "Ronghua Mountain," Xu Qingfan smiled slightly and said, "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jiuhua Cultivator Xu Qingfan."
To Xu Qingfan’s surprise, the strong man seemed not at all shocked by Xu Qingfan’s sudden appearance or his introduction. Instead, he silently studied Xu Qingfan.
Seeing the strong man’s expression, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but frown. For some reason, under the deep and lifeless gaze of this strong man, Xu Qingfan felt an unsettling sensation, as if he were a tiny ant being watched by a giant tiger.
Regardless of their skills and identities, this was a natural fear of a lower creature facing a higher one.
As a mere mortal, how could a single glance make a cultivator who had reached the peak of the Real Golden Core Stage feel so uneasy?
Just when Xu Qingfan thought he might be overthinking, he remembered that earlier, when he was discreetly observing this strong man in the teahouse, the strong man seemed to notice him. At that moment, Xu Qingfan thought it might have been a coincidence, but now, looking into the strong man’s deep gaze, he felt it was probably not that simple.
Yet, this strong man showed no signs of Spirit Qi, and his Divine Sense was no stronger than a mortal’s. How could he do that?
With Xu Qingfan’s current level of cultivation, unless someone was a master of the Mahayana Stage, it would be impossible to hide from his detection. However, it seemed unlikely that this strong man was a master of the Mahayana Stage, as such masters were extremely rare in this world. It was unlikely to encounter one, let alone that one would be specifically looking for him.
Could it be that this strong man was a cultivator of the Condensed Core Stage but had some unique cultivation method that allowed him to hide his aura? But why did he feel such a strong sense of unease under the strong man’s gaze?
Xu Qingfan thought quietly to himself that perhaps it was too reckless to secretly follow this strong man without understanding his identity.
And so, because of this strange unease, Xu Qingfan continuously wondered about the identity of the strong man before him, while the strong man quietly watched Xu Qingfan, just as he had at the beginning. After the few words Xu Qingfan had spoken when he first arrived, there was surprisingly mutual silence.
Xu Qingfan was silent because he was guessing the true identity of the strong man before him, and there was also a faint sense of fear and regret. The strong man’s silence, however, was for reasons unknown.
In the midst of this silence, the strong man finally spoke, his voice as soft as when he ordered tea in the tea house. Yet for some reason, when Xu Qingfan heard him speak, the faint panic in his heart became more evident.
What the strong man said left Xu Qingfan utterly astonished.
"Your patience is much better than I expected. I thought you would not be able to help but appear on the first night, or that you would catch me while I was still around ‘Ronghua Mountain.’ I didn’t expect you to follow me for over three days."
Hearing the strong man’s words, Xu Qingfan suppressed the growing panic inside him and slowly asked, "Have you known my movements all along? What methods did you use? Why do I sense you as an ordinary person?"
Unknowingly, Xu Qingfan’s words had taken on a tone of respect.
The strong man merely smiled and said, "I didn’t need to discover anything because I knew you would follow me. The reason you believe I am an ordinary person is simple: I have hidden my presence, and your abilities are far beneath mine."
Originally, Xu Qingfan revealed his identity to shock the strong man, but the strong man’s next words nearly stunned Xu Qingfan.
"That World Defying Sword is in your hands, right?"
As he spoke, the strong man’s deep eyes suddenly shone with a piercing light.
