The Programmer Cultivator

The instant the elder charged, Feng Mingyou was the fastest to react. As combat erupted, he ignored everything else and simply raised his hands. An illusory teacup appeared in one hand and a stream of water in the other.

"I have a tea, called: Augment!"

"I have a tea, called: Rapid Speed!"

"I have a tea, called: Protection!"

...

He rattled off several buffs in one go. Only after he finished did the Human Ape Elder charge up to them.

Steam rose from the teacup, and he immediately retreated. The moment he sensed the attack’s intensity, he knew he was once again completely out of his league.

That was why he had chosen to cast all his buffs at once and then quickly fall back. He couldn’t help much, but at the very least, he didn’t want to be a burden.

Beside him, Tong Hou made the same choice as Feng Mingyou, retreating backward.

However, Feng Mingyou retreated from the combat entirely, disappearing to hide somewhere. Tong Hou only created some distance, intending to wait for an opportunity to properly assist Nangong Cheng.

As the two men retreated, the Human Ape Elder shot forward and slammed a fist into the Lotus Shield. The Shield shuddered, and shockingly, fine cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.

Nangong Cheng’s expression shifted drastically. "Power Techniques?" he exclaimed in astonishment. "Why can this Martial Artist use a Power Technique?"

The Human Ape Elder ignored Nangong Cheng. Its eyes flashing with madness, it changed direction and charged toward Tong Hou.

"Holy shit! Why do every one of these Martial Artists keep coming after me?!"

Both Tong Hou and Nangong Cheng froze for a moment. The Human Ape Elder was clearly mindless, but its very lack of reason was what made the problem so starkly obvious.

If a sane Martial Artist was relentlessly chasing him, one might chalk it up to a problem with his personality.

But for the Human Ape Elder, in its current state, to ignore Nangong Cheng right in front of it and make a beeline for Tong Hou—that clearly couldn’t be an issue of personality.

This turn of events left Tong Hou visibly stunned for a second, followed by a wave of inexplicable exasperation. To this day, he still had no idea why these Martial Artists were so fixated on him.

In fact, it wasn’t until this very moment that he was certain. ’These Martial Artists are deliberately targeting me. It’s not the same random aggression they show others. When given a choice, I’m always their first priority.’

Seeing this, Nangong Cheng was also momentarily taken aback. His eyes flickered, and he tentatively chanted, "Lotus leaves meet the sky, endless and vast!"

On the Human Ape Elder’s path toward Tong Hou, clusters of lotus leaves abruptly materialized, not only blocking its way but also obscuring its vision.

"ROAR..."

The Human Ape Elder let out a furious roar. The strange aura around its body surged as it began to mutate even further. It swiped its claws at the lotus leaves, tearing them all to shreds.

Then, without a second glance, it continued its charge toward Tong Hou, completely ignoring Nangong Cheng who was attacking it from the side.

A glint flashed in Nangong Cheng’s eyes. Seeing Tong Hou prepare to engage the charging Human Ape Elder, he quickly began casting.

"Let it be told: A Blessing of Rapid Speed!"

"Let it be told: Lotus Protection!"

Lotus flowers bloomed beneath Tong Hou’s feet, and a transparent Shield materialized around his body. He felt his entire being grow lighter.

He turned to Nangong Cheng in confusion. ’Why is he giving me all these powerful buffs? If I use my Dao, I won’t need any of this! Nangong Cheng should know that!’

’If he was going to buff me, he should have focused on increasing my Cultivation or Spiritual Power. Speed and protection? Once I establish my Trapped Position, what use are these? Are the flowers blooming under my feet just for decoration?’

Meeting Tong Hou’s confused gaze, Nangong Cheng said one quick word: "Kite!"

Tong Hou faltered for a second. Nangong Cheng’s word was brief, but combined with the buffs he’d just received and the Human Ape Elder’s condition, he instantly understood the man’s intent.

Without another word, lotuses blooming with every step, he followed a unique Chess Path that materialized beneath him. He began to sprint and weave through the surrounding buildings at incredible speed.

The Human Ape Elder, its eyes filled with madness, mindlessly gave chase. It pulverized the already dilapidated buildings along its path into dust, yet it couldn’t catch Tong Hou.

However, the creature’s immense power granted it considerable speed. Tong Hou, dodging and weaving, could only rely on the surrounding architecture to keep his distance.

In a straight-line sprint, even with the buffs from both Nangong Cheng and Feng Mingyou, Tong Hou wasn’t necessarily faster than the Human Ape Elder.

Meanwhile, after buffing Tong Hou, Nangong Cheng extended one hand and made a grasping motion in the air.

A Gavel appeared in his hand, and the small storybook floating before him dissolved into a stream of light that flowed into the Gavel.

Gripping the Gavel, his entire aura surged. He faced the Human Ape Elder chasing Tong Hou and threw it.

"Come as a raging gale, depart as a falling mountain! Technique: Mountain-Overturning Strike!"

As he threw the Gavel, it transformed into a stream of light, hurtling toward the Human Ape Elder with the crushing weight of a mountain.

Though the Human Ape Elder was mindless, a shred of its instinct for self-preservation remained.

The instant the Gavel—now a stream of light accompanied by the phantom image of a mountain—was about to slam into it, the creature instinctively spun around. It crossed its arms before its chest, as if preparing to use some strange Martial Technique.

Meanwhile, Tong Hou, who had been the object of its chase, was having a perilous time dodging. However, the Shield from Nangong Cheng constantly protected him, providing a degree of security. Thus, even as he dodged, he kept a close eye on the unfolding battle.