Chapter 144
Chapter 144: A Battle Alone
Wang Jie spent several days wandering nearby, finally encountering a familiar face—Nie Zhou. The man hadn’t changed one bit, and now he was leisurely strolling through the streets with a young lady in tow.
Wang Jie had also seen Feng Wen Cheng a few days ago. However, killing Feng Wen Cheng held little value.
The river was crystal clear, and a small boat glided gently through the water.
Nie Zhou waved, and the boat approached. With one hand holding the young lady, he led her onto the boat while casually draping his arm around her waist, his demeanor carefree.
Wang Jie, holding a paddle, moved from the bow of the boat toward the stern, slowly drawing closer to Nie Zhou.
The moment they brushed past each other, Nie Zhou seemed to sense something. He suddenly pushed the young lady toward Wang Jie and dashed toward the shore. However, Wang Jie was no slower, using the Armor Eight Steps to block Nie Zhou’s path in advance. Raising his eyes, his familiar gaze made Nie Zhou’s pupils contract sharply. “Wang…”
He had barely uttered the word when Wang Jie struck with his finger, unleashing the Starry Finger technique.
The last time, Wang Jie had only made a show of it, but this time, he truly struck.
Countless finger shadows descended, converging in front of Nie Zhou and continuously piercing through him.
One of the Four Alliances, a full-star realm powerhouse with a battle power of ninety thousand, was killed with a single blow, his brain pierced clean through as he slowly collapsed.
His body fell into the river, blood spreading like a crimson stain.
“Ah~~” The young lady screamed, but the people around her remained unaware of what had just occurred. Wang Jie stepped onto the Sword Step and dashed toward the city outskirts, casually pointing at a full-star realm cultivator who had been fishing. The man was instantly erased from existence.
That person was likely a beginner in the full-star realm, so killing him was simple enough.
With a loud crash, the river was struck, and a flying wheel swept through the air. Zong Cheng Ping made his move, but he was still too slow, watching helplessly as Wang Jie escaped.
His gaze fell on Nie Zhou’s body, and he was stunned.
Nie Zhou was no weakling—Lock Path interval full-star realm was among the top five, yet he had died so easily. It must have been that star method.
Why had Wang Jie killed them here? Miao Tai.
Liao Qiu, Feng Wen Cheng, Fu An, and the others quickly gathered.
“Quick, chase him, don’t let him get too far.”
Zong Cheng Ping spoke in a low voice, “He won’t run far. This Lone Peak Gorge is his hunting ground. He plans to turn it around and hunt us.”
Cui Four, uneasy, asked, “Does he really think he can hunt all of us alone?”
“Where’s Miao Tai? He must have told him.” Liao Qiu was furious.
Feng Wen Cheng added, “Whether Miao Tai told him or not doesn’t matter. This battlefield was created for us. Now, it’s about who has more patience—this is a game of life and death.”
Soon after, many full-star realm cultivators began chasing after Wang Jie, moving in the direction he had fled.
Beyond the city, a desolate canyon stretched out, its deep ravines connecting stars like a crescent moon reaching toward the heavens.
This canyon was large enough to bury millions of Blue Star’s inhabitants.
Even full-star realm cultivators would have difficulty destroying it. Not to mention, Lone Peak Gorge didn’t allow any attacks targeting the terrain.
A total of eleven full-star realm cultivators, led by Zong Cheng Ping, arrived at the canyon’s edge. “Fu An, you take five people to the east. Liao Qiu, Feng Wen Cheng, and two others head west. I’ll go alone in the center. We’ll keep no more than half an hour’s distance between us.”
“We’ll report back every incense stick.”
“The canyon is large, but there’s no need to search much. We’re hunting him, but he’s also hunting us.”
“Be careful.”
Fu An, Liao Qiu, and the others exchanged grave glances as they split into three directions, forming a triangle, ensuring they would support each other within a half-hour radius.
Zong Cheng Ping walked alone into the canyon, the flying wheel orbiting in front of him as he gazed into the distance.
Not too far away, Wang Jie sat on a desolate mound, his battle power detector beeping incessantly—just as expected, the full-star realm cultivators were signaling their locations.
With such a vast canyon, it would be nearly impossible to hide. Only the full-star realm cultivators’ public display of their positions could lure Wang Jie into action.
Three directions—two groups of five, and one lone individual—Zong Cheng Ping.
Their distances were neither far nor near.
Were they playing the part of both the prey and the hunter?
Wang Jie focused on the Lone Peak Gorge group. Compared to the other group of five, these five were weaker.
But he didn’t act immediately.
They had surely prepared thoroughly.
He took slow, deliberate steps toward the exact center of the three positions.
As time passed day by day, Wang Jie kept his eyes on the battle power detector’s readings, seeing little change. It was time to take action. If he didn’t, they wouldn’t have a target either.
The hot, dark-red earth and swirling sands filled the canyon. Five people sat back to back, quietly waiting.
Wang Jie observed them from a distance. For the first time, he was this close.
The moment he saw them, he turned around and walked away.
So they were playing this game.
The five people weren’t Lone Peak Gorge’s group at all. Instead, they were Zong Cheng Ping, Liao Qiu, Fu An, and Feng Wen Cheng.
Wang Jie didn’t know how they had manipulated the battle power readings to deceive him, making him think their group was the weakest. They had even disguised themselves with facial-altering devices.
Had he not been able to sense their Qi, he would have already been caught in a deadly trap, surrounded by five masters.
They had calculated that he would target the Lone Peak Gorge group first, and they had gambled on it.
They lost.
Wang Jie directly targeted the other group of five, two of whom he recognized—Cui Four and Qi Sheng. The other three were unfamiliar to him, but that didn’t matter. They were to be killed.
The Armor Eight Steps appeared in the center of their group. In the stunned gazes of the five, Wang Jie struck fiercely. The Starry Finger descended, and finger shadows enveloped the group.
Zong Cheng Ping couldn’t overpower the Starry Finger, and Nie Zhou had been killed by the finger shadow fusion.
These five were far weaker than Zong Cheng Ping and his team. First, two were eradicated, then a woman, followed by Qi Sheng, who was pierced through by a single finger. Finally, Cui Four was left.
Cui Four begged for mercy, but the finger shadows were merciless.
Three out of the five full-star realm cultivators were dead, two severely injured. Wang Jie landed, overlooking them.
Qi Sheng lay on the ground, unable to believe his eyes. “So this is his star method? The power that forced Zong Cheng Ping to relent? How can a ten-seal cultivator be so strong? If he’s not a Lock Force cultivator, maybe he’s the next Wandering God.”
“We didn’t mean for this to happen,” Cui Four shouted.
Wang Jie’s gaze remained cold. “You didn’t mean it, but you did it. Anyone who threatens my life won’t be spared.”
Cui Four quickly said, “Spare us. Let us occupy Lone Peak Gorge, and next year, the materials from there will still be yours. If you kill us, our sect will send more Lock Force cultivators from the Star Cloud battlefield. You’ll have to fight them too.”
“Any Lock Force cultivators who survive the Star Cloud battlefield, regardless of their strength, are bound to be far better at survival than we are.”
Wang Jie’s heart stirred at the thought. “But if I spare you, you won’t team up with them?”
“By sparing us, our sect may not send reinforcements. If they do, you can kill us then. You have connections in the sect, so you’ll know ahead of time,” Cui Four spat blood.
Wang Jie looked at him deeply, then smiled slightly. “Congratulations, you’ve convinced me.” He turned and walked away.
Cui Four sighed in relief, glancing at Qi Sheng.
Qi Sheng’s face was dark. The gap in strength was too large. No wonder everyone wanted to cultivate the star method.
He wasn’t sure how it compared to Great Star Mountain’s star method.
“Contact the senior.”
Wang Jie moved toward the lone individual’s location. Since he wanted to die, Wang Jie would grant his wish.
Not long after, Zong Cheng Ping’s face turned grim. “He saw through it. Wang Jie went to Cui Four’s side. Three dead, two injured.”
Fu An’s eyelids twitched. “How did he see through it? The disguises were brought by the witch deacon’s people. He shouldn’t have been able to see through it.”
Feng Wen Cheng’s tone was low. “Don’t worry about that now. The only people who can encircle him are us. We need to come up with a plan. If we stay together, he won’t act. But if we split up…”
He didn’t finish, but everyone understood.
Once they split, who could guarantee survival? Even Liao Qiu, with his short temper, wouldn’t dare say so.
They had initially believed that a united Lock Path interval full-star realm group could easily take care of Wang Jie. Who would have thought they’d be outwitted and hunted instead? This person was unattached and hard to deal with.
For a moment, they didn’t know how to proceed.
“Quick, go rescue Qiu Zhao.”
It was too late.
When they arrived at the lone individual’s position, Qiu Zhao had already been heavily injured and fallen to the ground.
Her face was ashen as she sat against the stone wall, staring at Zong Cheng Ping and the others with a weak voice. “He said, ‘Spare us and take a position. He also said, ‘You all are too clever for your own good.’”
Zong Cheng Ping closed his eyes.
Fu An and the others remained silent. It felt as though everything was in their opponent’s hands.
Too clever for their own good? It seemed that way.
Feng Wen Cheng looked into the distance. “The encirclement has failed. He won’t give us a chance for true encirclement. If we scatter, one by one, we’ll die. I’m out.”
Feng Wen Cheng added, “I’m out.”
Fu An shook his head bitterly. “I’m out.”
Liao Qiu, looking at Qiu Zhao’s grievous state, spoke lowly, “I’m out.”
Only Zong Cheng Ping remained.
He raised his hand, the flying wheel spinning in his palm. “You all can leave, but not me.”
Liao Qiu looked at him. “Senior, do you have confidence in facing him alone?”
“No. The move that killed Nie Zhou was more ruthless and sharper than Sword Mastery Heaven. He’s grown stronger. But if I don’t take action, I can’t explain myself to the higher-ups.” As he spoke, he walked deeper into the canyon. “You all leave. He won’t appear here.”
“Let me settle this with him.”
Fu An looked at Zong Cheng Ping as he walked away, then helped Qiu Zhao toward Cui Four and the others.
The encirclement had turned into a joke.
Days later, Wang Jie watched Fu An and the others leave the canyon. He turned his gaze to the distance. Zong Cheng Ping… a battle alone? Very well.
After all, only he still had plenty of materials.
The fierce winds darkened the sky, and yellow sand whipped through the canyon.
Wang Jie and Zong Cheng Ping stood atop separate mountains, facing each other just a hundred meters apart.
“Elder brother, it seems like we meet again after just half a year.”
“Younger brother, your methods are astounding, and your courage even greater. Challenging the entire Lock Path interval alone—impressive.”
“Elder brother overestimates me. I never meant to challenge the entire Lock Path interval. But speaking of methods, your methods are no less impressive. From beginning to end, the combined efforts of the Four Alliances and Lone Peak Gorge were a facade. The real plan to hunt me was yours, wasn’t it?” Wang Jie extended his hand, pointing to the ground beneath them.
At first glance, there was nothing.
But this move made Zong Cheng Ping’s expression shift. He stared at Wang Jie, his eyes narrowing. “The detector couldn’t find him. Due to his race, his natural aura is sealed. His skin can merge with the surrounding environment, making him nearly invisible. To think you noticed him—indeed, you have the ability to probe others’ powers.”