Chapter Seven: The First Battle Against Cultivators — The Final Struggle

“We should leave at once. It’s dangerous to linger here.” Qi spoke solemnly to the black cat. Without waiting for her reply, he hoisted her onto his back and swiftly departed.

“My life is nearing its end; I wish not to accumulate further bloodshed, lest too many sins taint my next life. The greater one’s merit, the better one’s rebirth. But I, Dong, am hardly a saint.” The old man gazed after the pair vanishing into the dense forest, murmuring to himself.

As Qi weaved through the undergrowth, his brow was tightly furrowed. A foreboding sense gnawed at him—a sixth sense he knew well. It had saved him more than once on the battlefield, especially when exhaustion left him vulnerable to ambushes or traps. Now, the sense of danger was more acute than ever.

The black cat lay quietly on Qi’s back. She did not protest with melodramatic words like, “Leave me behind and save yourself, you only killed the bear for my sake, let me bear the consequences.” Though they had only known each other for little more than a day, she trusted Qi’s character deeply; his actions along the way had proven it beyond doubt.

They pressed on in silence until night fell. A meager meal was hastily eaten, then Qi resumed his run, and the black cat once again drifted into sleep.

Night did not slow Qi; on the contrary, it became his shield, allowing him to slip soundlessly and swiftly through the forest. Hours slipped by—one, two, eight, nine—until dawn crept in and fatigue weighed on him. To face an enemy in this condition would be disastrous, especially when that enemy was an immortal.

With this in mind, he quickly scanned the surroundings, found an unremarkable tree, and effortlessly dug a large hole at its base, enough to fit both of them. After carefully disguising the entrance, he gently laid the black cat down and settled in to recover his strength.

Two hours later, Qi’s eyes opened. He was restored to his peak. Seeing the black cat crouched quietly nearby, he smiled slightly. “Are you hungry? Want some rations?”

The black cat shook her head in silence. Qi didn’t press the matter, taking her by the paw as they emerged from the hiding place and continued on their way. An hour after their departure, a stern-faced young man with a cold, sinister air arrived at the spot, led by a small, blue-green kitten.

“Not bad for a mortal, daring to hunt my pet and make me chase this long. Keep tracking them!” the sinister youth commanded the kitten.

He was seething with rage. How dare mere mortals kill his companion? He swore to torment the pair, to vent his fury. The kitten’s blue eyes showed fatigue, but under his command, it had no choice but to continue tracking.

Another day passed. Qi, after two hours of rest, set out again refreshed. Meanwhile, the sinister youth’s face grew darker by the moment. Although a cultivator, he was only at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement; his energy was not limitless. At last, he called a halt, sitting cross-legged to meditate and rest alongside the weary kitten.

When he awoke, he hesitated, then gritted his teeth and drew out a yellow talisman. With a rush of magic, it burst into golden flames and transformed into a dazzling sword of light. Cradling the kitten, he leapt onto the flying sword, vanishing in a streak of gold, moving five times faster than before.

Two hours later, the sense of danger that had faded in Qi’s heart suddenly surged with unprecedented intensity. His expression grew grave. He tried to change direction but to no avail. After a moment’s thought, he stopped at once and set the black cat down.

“Hide in that corner and wait for me. If I don’t return within a day, try to leave on your own,” Qi said calmly.

The black cat gazed at him for a long moment. “All this began because of me. If you don’t return, I fear I won’t make it out alone. So if possible, wait for me along the way. Darkness is my domain.” With that, she turned and slipped into the shadows.

Qi shook his head with a wry smile, retraced his steps two hundred paces, and sat cross-legged on the ground to adjust his state. If escape was impossible, he would fight. He was not without strength.

From the old man before and the fact that his pursuer had taken two days to catch up, it was clear these so-called cultivators could not move mountains and fill seas, at least not yet. Their power was not insurmountable; even his late adversary’s bear had shown as much.

After only a quarter of an hour, a beam of blue light descended. The sinister youth glared at the calm, cross-legged Qi. “Did you kill my Mountain Bear? For a mortal, you have talent, but to us cultivators, you’re less than an ant. That you dared offend me, escape from me, and cost me my life-saving Sword Talisman—I’ll make you beg for death.”

Qi opened his eyes and rose, his gaze steady. With a powerful stomp, he launched himself like a cannonball, and in a flash, stood before the youth, his fist driving straight at the man’s heart.

“Courting death!” the youth roared, neither dodging nor retreating. He chanted under his breath, and a shield of light flared before him. Fist met barrier with a deafening roar and the sound of shattering porcelain.

The young man’s face twitched; instinctively, he slapped his storage pouch, producing a tortoise-shell shield that blocked Qi’s strike. Though he withstood the blow, the impact forced him back several steps before he could steady himself. He regarded Qi with newfound respect.

“No wonder you killed my Mountain Bear. Your strength could rival its own—born with supernatural power, are you? But mortals are mortals. Opposing a cultivator is delusion. Accept your fate!” he shouted, brows drawn tight.

Qi exhaled, shifting into a fighting stance, gathering his strength, and once more drove his fist at the man’s heart.

“Hmph!” The youth, thrice ignored, snorted in fury. He formed a hand seal and tapped his shield, which gleamed darkly. Qi’s fist crashed into it with a boom, but this time, the shield held firm and Qi was forced back three steps by the recoil.

Seizing the chance, the youth muttered a spell, and a fiery serpent, over a yard long, hissed and lunged at the unsteady Qi.

Though briefly off-balance, Qi dodged in time, leaving the fire serpent to strike at empty air. Before he could relax, the serpent twisted and struck again. Caught off guard, he flung a red flash that pierced the serpent’s head, and it vanished into smoke.

The youth was stunned. He hadn’t seen what the red flash was—its speed was uncanny. In the cultivation world, strange things were not unheard of; there were instances of cultivators being slain by mortals, especially martial artists during the Qi Refinement stage.

Now, both paused, each weighing their strengths and weaknesses, considering their next moves.

From their exchange, Qi realized his usual attacks could not break the tortoise shield—even his throwing knives might not suffice. Only his Rainbow Strikes might stand a chance, though even that was uncertain. As for the opponent’s attacks, while potent and unpredictable, Qi’s speed allowed him to evade them.

With this, Qi formed a plan. His advantages lay in strength, speed, and endurance. If brute force failed, he would wear down his foe, biding his time for a decisive blow.

Qi began to move, drawing the youth’s attention, circling faster and faster. Whenever the youth let down his guard, Qi would hurl pebbles like bullets.

Simple, yet effective. The distance rendered many of the youth’s attacks useless, and when the youth advanced, Qi retreated. The youth grew agitated and furious, finally unleashing his signature flying sword—but Qi dodged with ease, retaliating with more stones, further vexing his adversary.

Realizing he might be bested by a mere mortal, the youth reluctantly slapped his storage pouch and retrieved a blue talisman.

Though both were talismans, this one was clearly superior to the previous sword talisman. It was the high-grade spell “Pear Blossom Ice Needles,” a rare area-of-effect technique, given by a senior for emergencies. Used to buy time for escape, it was usually paired with the sword talisman. Yet here he was, squandering both on a mortal—he was burning with murderous rage.

Qi moved even farther away, keeping fifteen yards between them. His stone attacks became more ferocious, battering the shield until its glow dimmed.

Yet the youth pressed on, pouring mana into the talisman and hurling it toward Qi. In an instant, it became hundreds of icy needles, too fast to see, blanketing the area.

Qi’s face changed. The speed of the ice needles far surpassed the stone spikes of the bear. At the critical moment, his pupils flashed silver, his steps shifting unpredictably, and nine flying knives danced in his hands, clanging against the needles.

The youth’s triumphant sneer froze. “Impossible!” he muttered. The mortal ant who should have been dead yet lived. Though Qi’s body was pierced in many places, his head and heart remained untouched.

The youth was shaken—this was a high-level spell, lethal even to him. Yet a mortal had survived it.

“I’ll finish this. Take my final blow!” While the youth was still reeling, neglecting his sword, Qi erupted forward with even greater speed, his sleeve flicking as he accelerated toward his foe.