Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Over the vast desert, the stars and moon hung high, while the east was already faintly turning white.

A massive cloud of dust, like a whirlwind, billowed up behind a distant figure.

Watching Lu the Third charge over the horizon, even someone who didn’t know him could tell they were witnessing a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Xie Yuan watched the overwhelmingly powerful Lu the Third, and his heart sank. His gaze swept over his companions, and he saw that their faces were all deathly pale.

This time, Xie Yuan felt no confidence at all.

In previous crises, Xie Yuan had always remained calm. After all, against anyone short of a Grandmaster—even an expert at the Qi Blood Third Transformation—he dared to rely on his unique Cultivation Technique to hold his ground for a time.

But facing Lu the Third, his only option was to flee.

Xie Yuan gritted his teeth. ’The safest strategy is probably to use the Celestial Concealment Skill and leave right now.’

’Although trying to conceal my tracks and sneak away on this open desert, right under Lu the Third’s nose, is risky and would likely expose my true identity...’

’...my Celestial Concealment Skill at the Minor Success stage should be able to deceive a Grandmaster. Compared to any other method, this probably offers the highest chance of escape.’

And yet, even if he could escape, Xie Yuan didn’t want to.

His companions were beside him. They had come to save him. ’If I abandon them so easily, what kind of man would I be? What would be the point of practicing my Martial Dao?’

’I can’t give up unless it’s the absolute last resort. There has to be another way. At the very least, I have to try and think of one.’

As Xie Yuan’s mind raced, his companions began to panic amongst themselves.

"It’s a Grandmaster! It’s Lu the Third!"

"What do we do? There’s no way we can escape."

"Should we reveal our identities? He’s always been pragmatic."

"That might be too risky. He seems to have a secret hidden here, and we..."

"Then what should we do!"

Xie Yuan scanned their surroundings. All escape routes were blocked, and the Lu father and son were closing in fast. There was no more time to hesitate.

’Our only choice is to head back to the basin. Maybe we can find a way out there.’

’If that fails, then at the last moment, the chaos there might help me escape...’

He didn’t want it to come to that, but if the worst truly came to pass, Xie Yuan would have no choice but to save himself and seek revenge another day.

"This way! We’ll head back and try to hold them off!"

Xie Yuan barked, decisively yanking his horse’s reins to lead them in a new direction.

His fellow disciples were at their wits’ end, and even Huang Yifeng seemed lost. Seeing the usually slow-witted Zhang Shan take the initiative, they froze for a second before subconsciously blurting out:

"What are you doing! That’s the way back..."

"Every path is a death trap! We have to find life in the jaws of death!"

Xie Yuan was blunt. This was no time to worry about exposing himself or breaking character.

’As long as I survive, I can explain everything later. If I die, it’s all over.’

The others heard him and, seeing the logic in his words, hastily spurred their horses to follow.

The bandits hadn’t expected them to turn back. The pursuers had been fanning out to cut them off, leaving the path directly behind them somewhat clear.

The bandits were stunned for a moment, then sneered. This played right into their hands. Although there were fewer pursuers in this direction, a large number of bandits still surrounded the ruins. By heading this way, the group was like fish swimming into a net. They might not be caught immediately, but all the bandits had to do was wait for them to get inside before pulling the drawstring tight.

The five of them galloped wildly, pursued by a large contingent of bandits. Farther back, Lu the Third and his son closed in from two different directions, kicking up a storm of dust across the pre-dawn desert.

However, the two experts were closing the distance at an astonishing rate. They gradually outpaced the galloping horses, closing in right behind the five riders.

The basin was just ahead, but the sound of air being torn apart behind them grew ever closer. Then, Lu the Third’s icy roar reached their ears.

"Halt! Stop now, and I might consider leaving your corpses intact. Take another step, and I’ll flay you alive, rip out your tendons, and tear you to a million pieces!

"I have always kept my peace with your Sword Sect, but you worthless brats dared to provoke me and ruin my grand plan! This is an insult I cannot swallow! I will slaughter every last one of you, strip you naked, and hang you from the gates of Oasis City to dry in the sun!"

Lu the Third’s unending curses drained the color from Lin Zhen’s face, while the others also turned deathly pale.

The bandit chieftain was clearly enraged; even losing Mu Chaoyun’s trail hadn’t made him this furious.

He had received word from his son and rushed over at top speed, only to find the area in ruins.

But after searching the entire area, he couldn’t find the perpetrator, Xie Yuan. He was driven into a furious rage and could only vent his anger on the troublesome Sword Sect disciples who had appeared—

He never would have guessed that his anger was, in fact, perfectly aimed.

Xie Yuan and his companions didn’t dare look back. They could only feel an immense, almost tangible pressure closing in from behind, growing stronger and stronger. Even the horses beneath them were growing weak in the legs.

To an animal, the undisguised aura of a Grandmaster was like that of a predator, powerful enough to make it collapse to the ground and whimper in terror.

’I’m afraid we’re not going to make it...’

Xie Yuan closed his eyes for a moment, his heart heavy.

’Lu the Third...’

He muttered the name to himself. A strange light flickered in his eyes as he prepared to use the Celestial Concealment Skill to hide his presence, intending to crash into the bandits on their flank and escape in the ensuing chaos.

But just then, an incredibly shrill whistle tore through the air from behind them. It sounded like a sharp object piercing the air at an unimaginable speed, heading straight for Xie Yuan and his group.

The sound had barely registered before it was upon them, giving Xie Yuan no time to react. His expression changed drastically.

’Does Lu the Third throw his weapons?’

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a powerful force struck him from behind, sending him flying.

Yet, the force was surprisingly gentle. It carried the five from the Sword Sect and set them down steadily on the ground. They rolled to their feet, completely unscathed.

The group stood stunned for a moment, then quickly turned to look back. Lu the Third was right in front of them, but he had come to a halt, a grim expression on his face.