Chapter 2437: Chapter 2437
Sharman stared blankly at the broken spear in his hand for a long moment.
His gaze shifted to Ye Liuyun, who was clearly immersed in a state of sudden enlightenment. With a resigned shake of his head, Sharman tossed the shattered weapon aside and drew another long spear from his back.
Yet instead of striking at Ye Liuyun’s doppelganger, he positioned himself protectively beside it, standing guard with wary vigilance.
Deep down, Sharman understood the truth all too well. Even before their battle had begun, he had sensed Ye Liuyun’s aura—strong enough to be a worthy opponent. But throughout their fight, Ye Liuyun had never once tapped into the power of heaven and earth or his profound energy. Instead, he had stubbornly relied on sheer physical endurance and the essence of his blade techniques to counter every attack.
This alone made it clear: Ye Liuyun had been using him to hone his swordsmanship. At first, Sharman had burned with indignation, convinced that Ye Liuyun was looking down on him. But even after exhausting his own energy reserves, he still hadn’t managed to defeat the man.
And so, Ye Liuyun had ignited an intense curiosity within him.
When Ye Liuyun openly revealed his identity, Sharman found himself even more convinced that this was someone worth befriending—at the very least, a man of unshakable integrity. In the treacherous world of martial cultivation, where deceit was the norm, such candidness was rare.
The moment his spear had been severed by Ye Liuyun’s blade, Sharman knew he had lost—not just in skill, but in the speed of his growth. While Ye Liuyun had sharpened his sword intent through their battle, Sharman’s own strength had not advanced as swiftly.
Yet despite his defeat, he felt no bitterness. Ye Liuyun had won fairly, with honor. If anything, Sharman now saw him as a benchmark to surpass—a challenge that would drive him forward rather than break his spirit.
That was why, when Ye Liuyun entered this state of enlightenment, Sharman chose to stand guard rather than seize the opportunity to strike. Such underhanded tactics were beneath him.
Still, protecting someone in such a vulnerable state was no easy task—especially in such a perilous environment.
He took out his defensive treasure and enveloped Ye Liuyun within its protective barrier, leaving himself with only the shield on his armor for defense.
Yet, danger would not spare them so easily. The roaming beasts soon caught sight of Sharman.
With no chance to flee, Sharman had no choice but to endure their relentless attacks. No sooner had he slain one beast than another appeared. The perils of this death march were endless, and Sharman couldn’t leave Ye Liuyun’s side. Exhausted and with little time to rest, he stubbornly held his ground.
But beasts were the lesser threat—the real danger came from men.
Two soldiers, clad in the same commander’s garb, spotted Sharman and began closing in.
It was clear they had noticed Ye Liuyun in his state of enlightenment, and a weary Sharman was hardly an obstacle.
"Sharman, long time no see!"
Yet the two hesitated, wary enough not to strike immediately.
At the sight of them, Sharman groaned inwardly. He stole a glance at Ye Liuyun, still lost in his trance, and sighed internally, *"Of all the times to have an epiphany!"*
Clutching a crystal in his hand, he absorbed its energy as best he could while straightening his posture, adopting an air of disdain. "Zhou Tong, Liang Yuan—what brings you two together?"
"Hah, just a happy coincidence. And what are *you* up to?" Zhou Tong replied casually, probing for weakness.
"Can’t you see I’m guarding my friend?" Sharman snapped impatiently.
Under normal circumstances, neither man would have dared provoke him. But now, with the odds in their favor and no rules to restrain them, they lingered despite their unease.
Following Sharman’s words, their gazes shifted to Ye Liuyun.
"So he’s in enlightenment?" Liang Yuan asked, feigning ignorance.
"Stating the obvious, aren’t you? Even a fool could see that! Get lost, both of you—stop getting in my way!" Sharman didn’t mince words, shooing them away without a hint of courtesy.
"Come on, we’re all soldiers here. In a dangerous place like this, we should stick together. Guarding him alone must be tough—we can help! Right, Liang Yuan?" Zhou Tong argued slyly, throwing a glance at his companion.
"Exactly! Helping each other out is only right!" Liang Yuan chimed in with a grin.
Watching the two of them loitering with smirks on their faces, Sharman grew even more anxious. Their intentions were written all over their expressions.
If they stayed, they’d undoubtedly ambush him the moment he engaged the beast. The only reason they hadn’t struck yet was their fear that he might still put up a fight.
"So, you two are dead set on sticking around?" Sharman didn’t hesitate, his tone laced with threat. If they refused to leave, he’d have to drive them off immediately.
But his remaining energy was running low, and he wasn’t entirely confident he could take them both on.
Zhou Tong noticed Sharman tightening his grip on his spear and knew he was preparing to strike. Quickly, he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy there! If you don’t want our help, we’ll just be on our way!"
Liang Yuan, however, sensed Sharman’s rising aura and was tempted to join Zhou Tong in attacking him right then.
"Let’s go, let’s go!" Zhou Tong insisted, forcibly dragging Liang Yuan away.
Only after they had left did Sharman allow himself a small sigh of relief.
"What was that for? The two of us couldn’t handle him alone?" Liang Yuan fumed as soon as they were out of earshot, sending Zhou Tong a telepathic message.
Zhou Tong chuckled. "Why risk a direct fight? What if he’s got enough strength to take us down with him? Let’s hang back and see how he fares. When he’s worn out, we’ll finish him off without breaking a sweat."
"Besides, he’s stuck guarding someone—he won’t leave. We’ll keep an eye on him from a distance. There’s nothing he can do about it."
"Good! That could work. That arrogant bastard’s been asking for it—finally, we get to teach him a lesson!" Liang Yuan agreed readily.
So the two of them didn’t go far before stopping, openly keeping an eye on Sharman.
Sharman quickly guessed their intentions. But he merely glanced at Ye Liuyun before tightening his grip on his spear.
"I’ll do my best to protect you. But whether you live or die—that’s up to fate now."
He muttered the words under his breath and steadied himself for battle.
Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun’s blade intent surged relentlessly, growing so overwhelming that even Sharman could feel its oppressive force radiating from him.
Sharman knew better than to interrupt at such a critical moment. He’d have to hold out until the last possible second before disturbing him.
Soon enough, two wild wolves locked onto Sharman.
"Damn it, two of them!" Sharman cursed under his breath but had no choice—he raised his spear and charged forward to meet them.
Yet the moment he engaged, Zhou Tong and Liang Yuan, watching from a distance, immediately noticed his dwindling energy reserves. Sharman was clearly conserving his strength, biding his time for a counterattack.
"Tch, still trying to act tough? He won’t last much longer!" Zhou Tong sneered, a smug grin spreading across his face.
