Chapter 384 - 236: Interception (2)
This allowed him to dart about like a phantom in battle, launching swift, successive attacks that were impossible to fully defend against.
The man in black robes flickered rapidly around Fang Yue, each movement leaving behind an afterimage, as if several men were attacking all at once.
His legs were like two streaks of black lightning, carving mysterious trajectories across the ground as they viciously attacked Fang Yue with a ferocious aura.
Faced with the man’s phantom-like figure and rapid-fire attacks, Fang Yue felt not a trace of panic.
He knew that against such an opponent, the slightest misstep could cause him to fall into the enemy’s rhythm, losing any chance to counterattack.
Therefore, he maintained his composure, carefully observing the man’s attack patterns and movements, searching for an opening.
The robed man’s attacks seemed chaotic and random, but they actually possessed a profound, underlying rhythm.
Every action, every movement, seemed to follow a predetermined path, as if he were performing a silent dance.
Although Fang Yue could now discern the pattern, his opponent was too fast—so fast that he couldn’t seize any of the openings.
The man in black robes was like a black specter, darting around Fang Yue. His wind-swift figure and incomparably fierce attacks seemed poised to devour Fang Yue completely.
However, Fang Yue did not panic.
He knew all too well that to lose one’s composure was to have already lost half the battle.
He guarded his mind and focused entirely on defense.
When the man in black robes saw that Fang Yue could remain calm under his assault, he couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.
He had assumed his speed and attack power would be enough to defeat Fang Yue quickly.
But he never expected the man to actually hold on!
’Damn it! This kid must have used that Luck Jade Token!’
The man in black robes roared inwardly, attributing all of Fang Yue’s current performance to the Luck Jade Token.
The wonders of luck couldn’t directly raise one’s Cultivation Realm, but they could improve a person’s fortune.
At critical moments, this good fortune could often turn peril into safety, or even defeat into victory.
The more the man in black robes fought, the more alarmed he became. He found that he was still unable to take down Fang Yue.
This made him start to feel anxious.
’What Cultivation Realm am I at? And now I’m being held up by a punk who’s still wet behind the ears! If word of this got out, it would be a complete joke!’
"Kid, you’ve successfully pissed me off!"
The man in black robes suddenly roared, then his figure flashed and vanished on the spot.
Fang Yue’s brows furrowed slightly. He could feel the man’s presence suddenly disappear, as if he had melted into the air itself.
He knew this was some sort of Secret Technique the man possessed, one that allowed him to conceal his form and aura for a short time to launch a sneak attack.
However, Fang Yue was not afraid.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Fang Yue felt a sharp presence rushing at him from behind.
He smiled to himself, then shifted his body slightly to the side, dodging the robed man’s attack.
At the same time, he threw a punch, smashing it directly toward the man’s concealed position.
"BANG!"
With a dull thud, the man in black robes was forced to reappear.
He looked at Fang Yue in surprise, seemingly not expecting that his opponent could discover his location.
"How could you find me!" This time, the man in black robes didn’t attack immediately, instead staring at Fang Yue with shock and suspicion.
Fang Yue gave a faint smile. He didn’t answer directly, but said slowly:
"Your Concealing Secret Technique is indeed brilliant; it made it almost impossible for me to sense your aura and form. However, your speed slowed down."
Hearing this, the man in black robes’ expression changed slightly.
He had always been extremely confident in his Concealing Secret Technique; one could even say it was one of the abilities he was most proud of.
It was true that his speed decreased while concealed, but at that point, almost no one could detect his tracks. Quite a few Martial Artists had been successfully ambushed by him this way.
Even some Martial Artists with slightly higher cultivation than him had suffered greatly at his hands when caught unprepared.
As for those whose Cultivation Realm was lower than his, not a single one had ever escaped this move.
And now, Fang Yue had even managed to seize the opportunity to counterattack.
How could he not be shocked!
The man in black robes stared at Fang Yue, his shock beyond words.
He believed his Concealing Secret Technique was ranked among the best in the world.
Countless experts had fallen to this move, yet the young man before him had not only seen through his Secret Technique with ease but had also counterattacked in such a short time.
"You... How did you do it?" the robed man couldn’t help but ask. He was desperate to know the answer.
"You want to know? I’m not going to tell you!" Seeing the robed man’s eyes, full of confusion and longing, the corners of Fang Yue’s mouth lifted slightly.
For him, watching his enemy’s frustration was a pleasure in itself.
The man in black robes gritted his teeth in anger, but there was nothing he could do. He knew that since Fang Yue was unwilling to say, asking again would be useless.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage in his heart.
The next moment, he did not continue his attack on Fang Yue. Instead, he gave him one last, deep look, then turned and left.
Using the Secret Technique had taken a great toll on him, and if he were to continue fighting, he feared he might not be able to defeat his opponent anyway.
Fang Yue watched the man’s retreating back but did not give chase.
After all, even though his strength had increased, he was still too evenly matched with his opponent.
Watching the robed man’s back recede into the distance, Fang Yue understood that while he hadn’t lost this confrontation, he hadn’t gained much of an advantage either.
The man’s strength was truly formidable, especially that phantom-like Concealing Secret Technique, which forced Fang Yue to remain vigilant.
He knew that the man’s retreat this time did not mean he was giving up for good.
𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶
This Tributor of the Great Wei dynasty, this Expert of Shape-Shifting, would absolutely not give up so easily.
Once the man’s figure had completely disappeared from sight, the powerful aura around Fang Yue rapidly deflated.
He spat out a mouthful of dark blood, and his face turned pale.
Although he had appeared calm and collected in front of the man in black robes, even managing to counterattack, in reality, he had used up most of his Primordial Qi and even suffered some minor injuries.
~~~~~~
「Yuanzhou Prefecture, Yuanzhou City.」
After being injured, Fang Yue did not immediately leave the bounds of Yuanzhou Prefecture. Instead, he returned to Yuanzhou City.
Fang Yue had his reasons for returning to Yuanzhou City.
As the heart of Yuanzhou Prefecture, Yuanzhou City was exceptionally prosperous.
Shops lined both sides of the streets, which teemed with an endless stream of pedestrians. A dazzling array of goods was on display, showcasing the city’s prosperity and vitality.
As Fang Yue walked through the city, he paid little attention to the bustling scenery around him.
His gaze was deep and solemn, as if he were contemplating some important matter.
He hadn’t returned to Yuanzhou City for sightseeing or shopping; he had a much more important purpose.
He knew that although he had successfully repelled the man in black robes, his opponent’s strength was not to be underestimated.
Moreover, Fang Yue was puzzled. The man in black robes was a Tributor of the Great Wei dynasty and an Expert of Shape-Shifting; for him to have located Fang Yue so precisely, there must be some unknown secret at play.
If he didn’t solve this problem, he feared that the next time his opponent came for him, the man would be fully prepared.
Fang Yue knew he had to figure out how the man in black robes was tracking him, and quickly.
Otherwise, the rest of his journey would become exceptionally difficult.
After returning to Yuanzhou City, Fang Yue didn’t act immediately.
He rented a courtyard to stay in. After a simple meal, he went to his room, sat cross-legged in meditation, and began to regulate the Primordial Qi in his body.
After a period of cultivation, he had recovered seventy to eighty percent of his Primordial Qi, and the color returned to his face.
Then, he began to mentally map out his next steps.
’On my way back, I hardly entered any cities and stuck to deserted paths. How did he find me?’