Three days passed slowly since the large group entered the desert. Ruri and Loeus were the only ones training in the sandstorms. After the days passed, Langrum and Almin noticed that the whale was intentionally taking longer routes and avoiding creating a too large camp, setting up a small tent at night as if holding back.
During the night, the whale finally spoke after the thirty deadweights were sleeping safely. "It seems they’ve finally decided to act. Almin, let’s go. Ruri and Langrum, stay and protect everyone," he said, turning and leaving the small structure.
Almin followed the whale, thinking deeply. When they were at a safe distance from the others, the whale spoke. "There are five scouts with exactly the same cultivation level as yours."
Almin felt a chill for a moment and clenched his fists. The whale then continued. "You’re having a hard time mastering the laws of the earth and generating electricity. Now is a good challenge; you’ll only be able to kill them if you combine electric speed with your firepower. If you fail, you’ll die. There’s no turning back."
Almin took a deep breath of the freezing air in the desert that night. In the next second, the pair was surrounded by five shadows; then, the whale’s message echoed in Almin’s mind. ’You saw the potential of combining fire laws with electricity when we escaped from that beast before reaching the village. To get back to the city again with everyone, this combination will be essential, so give it your best.’
Almin nodded and drew a black spear. The five elders approached slowly until one of them began to speak. "It seems that finally..."
The elder was in the middle of his classic intimidation speech when he was abruptly interrupted, feeling the earth beneath him shaking. Suddenly, all five felt a gravitational force closing in on them, making their bodies as heavy as steel. It was the Gravitational Domain, a technique recently created by Alm and Bruno.
Whoosh!
The wind howled, carrying with it dark flames that exploded toward all the shadows. Almin, agile and determined, lunged forward, thrusting with his spear as all five elders felt the proximity of death. None of the five hesitated and unleashed all the Qi they possessed, breaking free from the force of the Gravitational Domain, causing a powerful wave of Qi to spread.
In the next second, the shadow of four wings appeared on Almin’s back, and his spear was enveloped in a thin layer of black flames. Masterfully, he hurled it like a cutting arrow, slicing through the air with its swift trajectory. The spear, now an extension of his will, advanced with a deadly determination. The sound of flesh being pierced echoed, leaving the other shadows momentarily stunned.
One of them was brutally pierced, but being cultivators of the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, they wouldn’t succumb so easily. However, the spear suddenly trembled, and a burst of black fire erupted into the sky. In just a second, the screams of pain and agony from that shadow echoed.
Bruno, from afar, praised, ’It’s true black fire, not just something that looks like it. It looks a bit like the technique Langrum taught us, but it is not the same thing.’
All the shadows were at the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, still not having formed a core. All their Qi were concentrated in the meridians, and when they released their energy with full force, a gap opened in their defenses. The spear didn’t have the power to kill them directly, but when it pierced and the black flame ignited, it invaded their bodies, casting a sinister curse. While the other four shadows remained stunned, Almin pulled out another spear and advanced, completing the end of the target.
It all lasted five seconds, and one of them was easily killed, completely shattering their sense of mortality and superiority. In that second, everyone focused completely, and the shadow covering them dissipated.
They all had old appearances, cultivators from the Vital Yin Sect trapped in the late Foundation Establishment Realm. They were unable to break through; by the rules of the sects, they would have to be in the Core Formation to become true and important elders. Therefore, they had an extremely low status and were perfect to be used by others to chase the whale.
Almin pulled the spear from the fallen old man’s body and turned to the remaining four. The element of surprise was gone, and none of them would underestimate him anymore. In that second, Almin snorted, and runes of earth and fire emerged around him; then he advanced.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The whale observed from a distance as Almin attacked with everything, facing the four cultivators who defended and counterattacked, trying to hit him. In the last moment, Almin managed to dodge; his instinct was his greatest defense. With each thrust from Almin and his spear, the fire runes ignited, and the earth runes trembled in an attempt to generate electricity.
’He doesn’t have our bloodline. It must be very complex and almost impossible to do that.’ Bruno commented mentally.
’Ruri managed to create a small electric spark once. It’s not impossible, and he has a much higher cultivation than her.’ Alm said dryly.
The fight unfolded for minutes, and the four cultivators, aware that the whale was the most formidable force among them, internally thanked for his inactivity. They focused entirely on Almin, knowing there was no possibility of escape. It was a matter of dying fighting or dying upon returning to the sect for having fled.
In a short time, the four experienced cultivators adapted to the battle, finally managing to land the first blow. Almin’s blood began to stain the desert sands, and in less than a minute, he had been cut and pierced several times. His eyes began to lose their brightness, but at the critical moment, the earth runes joined in three groups, and an electric current finally emerged.
Alm and Bruno, watching satisfied, nodded as they saw Almin’s strategy unfold. He had created a different method of using the earth runes to achieve the same goal.
’He may not have as much talent as Ruri, but under the pressure of death, he manages to surpass his limits.’ Alm commented mentally, while Bruno laughed. Almin was exactly like them in the past. Talents? Putting oneself in desperate situations had always been the best way to train. Advance or die, that was the fundamental lesson they all shared. Alm and Bruno had never really had talent themselves, so they understood Almin the most.
Almin continued to be injured, but now his speed had increased significantly, and gradually, he also managed to inflict damage on the four opponents. However, Almin was only one, and the four cultivators began to attack calculatedly, dividing the damage received and wearing down the warrior’s endurance. When Almin was in his last breaths, and the Qi of the four was quite depleted, the fire runes and electricity finally merged explosively.
New n𝙤vel chapters are published on freeweɓnøvel.com.
BOOM!
The violent and deadly sound echoed, startling everyone who was safe awake. In the center of the battle, the sand mist slowly settled, revealing Almin as the sole survivor, completely injured and breathing heavily. He looked at the whale, who waved back, then, exhausted, passed out.
The whale approached with slow steps, but they didn’t help Almin; they only requested Ruri to assist him. Quickly, all five bodies of the cultivators were taken into the inventory before Alm and Bruno focused on them.
’Great, the memory lock level is much simpler since they’re not elders. They gave us a nice gift.’ Bruno said excitedly, and they concentrated on reading everything they could from the five.
Almin had already been taken, and everyone was resting while the whale sat in the same place. When morning arrived, they opened their eyes sharply.
’Are you insane? We’re going to have a massive target on our backs!’ Alm spoke mentally.
Bruno sighed. Within the recent memories of one of the cultivators, he clearly saw a very intense investigation into that elder who was selling her weapons. An order to attack her and uncover her source was being discussed among the high elders.
’We can’t put others in danger because of us. We have to make it look like we found the weapons, or she’ll end up dead.’ Bruno replied.
Alm then grumbled. ’That useless woman. She was so confident in doing everything safely that one of the elders she sold to and whom she called trustworthy betrayed her.’
’Evil cultivators are not trustworthy, and she certainly isn’t either. Well, at least we received another important piece of information. Besides, we have an interesting place to go.’ Bruno said lightly.