Chapter 7: Two Talismans
"Fairy Yu, hand over the jade slip!" Chu Tianhu, fearing delays might spawn变数, set Lin Yi aside for now, urging Fairy Yu to hurry. Only with the slip in hand could he rest easy.
"Don't—" Lin Yi yelped, panicking. He knew that once she surrendered the slip, neither of them would have leverage left. Chu Tianhu might keep his vow, but the other three? They'd never let her go.
"Courting death!"
Lin Yi got only two words out before Old Mo, closest to him, whipped a hand. A spell crackled to life, slamming into Lin Yi's back.
"Pfft!" Blood sprayed from his mouth. His eyes fluttered shut, and he crumpled, "unconscious."
Fairy Yu's beautiful eyes flickered with doubt. "You *swear* I'll leave unharmed after giving you the slip?"
"Fairy Yu, I swore by the Dao—would I lie?" Chu Tianhu's face hardened, feigning anger.
"Fine. Tell those three to step back, clear a path. Then I'll give you the slip." She sensed something amiss but couldn't pinpoint it. Still, caution won out—she added a small demand.
"Step aside," Chu Tianhu ordered without hesitation. With Fairy Yu so wounded, he was confident he could chase her down even if she fled a hundred zhang.
"Now may I have the slip?" Chu Tianhu pressed.
"No." Fairy Yu refused flatly.
"Hm? Do you mean to renege?" Chu Tianhu's face darkened.
"Of course not. But I must ensure my safety first." She paused, thinking.
"What more do you want?" Chu Tianhu snapped, impatience edging his voice.
The other three glowered, too. Were it not for the slip's importance, Old Mo and the green-robed man would've pounced long ago, taking her by force to vent their frustration.
"I'll give you the slip once I'm fifty zhang away," Fairy Yu said coldly.
"Very well. I agree." Chu Tianhu nodded.
Fairy Yu pulled a few pills from her storage bag, popped them into her mouth, then began retreating—dragging her feet, buying time for the medicine to take effect.
Chu Tianhu and the others, desperate to secure the slip, let her stall.
Fifty zhang was a short distance, but she stretched it to the length of an incense stick. By then, the pills had dissolved, her dantian's spiritual energy edging back.
Suddenly, Fairy Yu lashed out—flinging the jade slip in the opposite direction. With a *whoosh*, she channeled her remaining energy, vanishing from sight.
"Chase her!" Old Mo roared, sprinting after her. The cold man and green-robed修士 (cultivator) followed, hot on her heels.
"You… shameless!" Fairy Yu's愤怒的尖叫 (angry shriek) echoed from afar.
Chu Tianhu lunged, channeling spiritual energy to yank the slip toward him. By the time he landed, it was in his hand: snow-white, covered in intricate runes, with a circle at its center holding two crossed tiny swords.
His eyes lit up, greed plain on his face. After a moment's gloating, he stashed it and turned back—ready to kill Lin Yi.
*BOOM!*
A thunderous crash erupted as Chu Tianhu barely reacted, throwing up a palm to meet a sudden, powerful strike.
"Dammit… that didn't even hurt you?" Lin Yi stumbled back two steps, eyes wide, muttering in shock.
Chu Tianhu reeled five or six steps before steadying himself, dispelling the inner energy Lin Yi had slammed into him. Had he not been caught off guard, a measly Qi Refining Stage 1 runt would never have forced him back so far.
"Good. Very good. You *asked* for this!" Chu Tianhu ground out, barely containing his rage.
"Asked for it? Heh, we'll see." Lin Yi's grin turned sinister.
In truth, Lin Yi had woken long ago—playing dead, biding his time. Now, with the other three gone, only Chu Tianhu remained. He knew escape was impossible; Chu Tianhu was faster. His only shot? Cripple Chu Tianhu, or die trying.
He'd never dared hope to survive against such a foe. But Old Mo's spell had shown him a glimmer.
That spell, powered by spiritual energy, had knocked him out—yet as it hit, the Flesh Transmutation technique had stirred on its own, absorbing the spell's force and converting it into power to temper his muscles.
*The Five-Spirits Scripture can do this?* Excitement had surged, confidence ballooning. Suddenly, facing a man he'd once feared felt manageable—even daring.
"Just a Stage 1 runt, and you think you stand a chance? Bragging won't save you." Chu Tianhu sneered, hands flying through seals. *Shu-shu-shu*—thick, green vines burst from his sleeves, coiling toward Lin Yi.
"Ha! Come on!" Lin Yi laughed, channeling Flesh Transmutation. He let the wood-attributed vines slam into him, while inner energy flooded his palms. He struck out at Chu Tianhu, inching closer with each step.
Chu Tianhu frowned at Lin Yi's lack of闪避 but kept going—vines slamming, wrapping, constricting.
Yet Lin Yi danced around the worst of it, dodging coils by a hair's breadth. The vines'狂暴的 (violent) wood energy surged into him, only to be swallowed by Flesh Transmutation, fueling his muscle tempering.
Moments later—
"Not good!"
Lin Yi and Chu Tianhu gasped in unison.
*"He's unharmed? The wood energy does nothing?"* Chu Tianhu's face soured. He cut the spell short.
The vines vanished.
Lin Yi, inwardly relieved, had been debating retreat. The wood energy was too much—his Stage 1 cultivation and fledgling Flesh Transmutation couldn't absorb it fast enough. His body felt ready to burst.
*The scripture isn't invincible. It can only吞噬 (devour) energy from those slightly stronger. And if they hit me hard enough to knock me out… a quick slash to the neck, and I'm dead. Even gods can't survive decapitation.*
Thankfully, Chu Tianhu had stopped. Lin Yi's technique went into overdrive,消化 (digesting) the剩余的 (remaining) wood energy. He'd closed to within a zhang of Chu Tianhu.
Retreating now would signal fear—and Chu Tianhu, ruthless as he was, would strike. This close, with Chu Tianhu off-balance, Lin Yi couldn't waste the chance.
Against a far stronger cultivator, mortal martial arts stood little chance. So he reached for his last resort.
"Dammit… you forced this." Lin Yi's eyes turned cold,狠厉 (fierce).
He slapped his storage bag—two talismans appeared in his palm. One was crisscrossed with cracks, clearly on its last legs.
At the sight—especially the intact one—Chu Tianhu's face drained to green. Regret stabbed him. He should've killed Lin Yi earlier, not underestimated him.
*"Damned brat—how does he have an Explosive Flame Talisman?"*
Thoughts raced, but his hands moved. A wooden sword—covered in runes—materialized in his grip.
Lin Yi acted faster. He activated the cracked talisman, flinging it at Chu Tianhu.
In a flash, a金光闪闪的 (golden) warrior appeared between them. At Lin Yi's command, it roared and charged, attacking Chu Tianhu like a mad beast.
Lin Yi had bought this Mighty Warrior Talisman from a stall—its last use, a lifeline. Now, with death looming, he held nothing back. And if the others returned? He was doomed.
But if this talisman let his plan work? It would be worth it.
Lin Yi's heart thudded with anticipation.