C11 I Am Hunting Him!

Yu Long watched the female cultivator flee, feeling even more fearful. Seeing the situation was beyond saving, he reluctantly bowed his head, a picture of resigned submission.

“Go on, kneel. Or are you going to break your word? Remember, this is a duel to the death. If you don’t kneel, killing you would be perfectly justified, don’t you think?” Ho Liao said to Yu Long, his eyes filled with amusement.

As a seasoned rogue cultivator, Yu Long knew the art of survival well. Despite considering himself a legitimate practitioner, he understood that without a real sect to back him, survival meant knowing when to stand down. This was the way for those without support.

Faced with the choice between humiliation and survival, Yu Long chose the latter without hesitation. The city of Qeydiff was abuzz with the news: the once-revered master of Fatebinder Hall was being punished in the street. Even in the dead of night, curious onlookers gathered.

Cheng and his companions looked at Ho Liao with newfound respect in their eyes.

Yet, Ho Liao suddenly felt a sense of boredom with it all. A small city like Qeydiff, a minor hall like Fatebinder, and a few rogue cultivators—everything seemed so insignificant. He longed for something grander, something vast and boundless. In comparison, the small world of Qeydiff and Fatebinder Hall felt utterly dull.

After briefly greeting the others, Ho Liao left Fatebinder Hall without hesitation.

At dawn, a swift horse galloped down the open road, carrying none other than Ho Liao. Fresh from his first victory as a cultivator, he was still riding the high of success. The dull confines of Qeydiff couldn't dampen his excitement.

As for how long Yu Long would kneel, Ho Liao had no interest in finding out. It was clear that Yu Long, having been thoroughly humiliated, wouldn't dare show his face at Fatebinder Hall in Qeydiff again.

Caught up in his exhilaration, Ho Liao urged his horse to speed up, not paying attention to where the road led. The horse, equally spirited, picked up the pace. As the sun began to rise, a flash of lightning suddenly appeared not far ahead. At first, Ho Liao thought he was seeing things, but then another bolt struck directly in front of him.

A lazy voice drawled, "Didn't you see my lightning? Keep going, and you're asking for trouble."

Ho Liao had no choice but to rein in his horse and look ahead, only to find no one there. Frustrated, he called out, "Who are you, and why are you blocking my way?"

"The road's closed. The Flying Cloud Sect is hunting here. You can't pass. Force your way through, and you'll die!" The voice turned icy with the final words.

Ho Liao thought to himself, "Flying Cloud Sect is really overbearing." Just as he was about to respond, he heard another raspy voice say, "Hey, look at that kid. He's got a bulging pack on his back, stuffed with what looks like silver ingots. Have you ever seen a cultivator like that? Bet he's never even seen a real cultivator!"

As soon as the words were out, a group of people burst into laughter. It seemed there was more than one disciple from the Flying Cloud Sect hiding nearby.

The truth was, Ho Liao's pack was indeed filled with silver, given to him by his sister, A-Chou. Each ingot weighed about 50 ounces. Ho Liao didn't know that cultivators rarely carried gold or silver, nor did they often eat at regular restaurants. They usually carried pills like Vitality Elixirs and Strengthening Pills to replenish their energy and fortify their bodies. Among cultivators, the common currency was spirit stones, and gold and silver were as worthless as dirt.

The Book Spirit intended to train Ho Liao as its own disciple, so it didn't teach him the typical ways of the sects. It wanted him to forge his own path, learning many things on his own.

Although Ho Liao didn't understand why he was being mocked, he was furious. No one could ridicule the care his sister, A-Chou, showed him. That was his untouchable spot!

The Book Spirit couldn't resist stirring the pot, whispering in Ho Liao's mind, "Kid, these Flying Cloud Sect disciples are mocking you. Don't embarrass me—show them what you're made of!"

The Book Spirit wasn't trying to cause trouble on purpose. Opportunities for independent cultivators to train were rare. They didn't have practice arenas or fellow disciples to spar with, and there were no trial grounds to venture into for adventure. What they lacked most was the chance to make a name for themselves.

So, when such an opportunity arose, seizing it with a fierce battle was the kind of training chance an independent cultivator needed to grab.

With his mentor's encouragement, Ho Liao responded confidently, "Flying Cloud Sect, just a branch of the Burningbrand Sect. Even Burningbrand is only a mid-tier sect in Cegleania. What makes you frogs in a well so arrogant?"

Ho Liao's sharp words insulted not only the Flying Cloud Sect but also their main sect, Burningbrand, stirring up a hornet's nest. Suddenly, five young men and two young women, all dressed in robes adorned with flying cloud motifs, appeared before him as if out of thin air.

"Kid, don't let them scare you. They just used invisibility charms earlier, and now they've removed them!" the Book Spirit explained in Ho Liao's mind, revealing the truth behind the Flying Cloud Sect disciples' sudden appearance, ensuring Ho Liao wouldn't doubt himself.

Still, Ho Liao was secretly amazed. The resources available to sect disciples were indeed beyond the reach of independent cultivators.

The leading disciple of the Flying Cloud Sect was tall and striking, with a certain delicate beauty that was almost feminine. He looked at Ho Liao coldly and said, "Kid, you're pretty arrogant! You know we're hunting here, and yet you provoke us like this. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"Yeah, interrupting our hunt means you could die a thousand times over!" another disciple, short and stout, chimed in with a gruff voice.

"He's just a rogue cultivator. We should just kill him outright. Why bother talking, Brother East?" a petite female cultivator remarked icily, her gaze fixed on Ho Liao.

"Alright, I'll handle this!" said a young man of average build, following up on the female cultivator's words. Suddenly, he opened his hand and threw a shiny orb that sped toward Ho Liao with incredible speed.

Ho Liao didn't know what the orb was, but he was sure it was deadly. Not daring to be careless, he quickly released a burst of sword energy to intercept it. The moment the sword energy touched the orb, it exploded, releasing a flash of lightning accompanied by a thunderous roar.

"Damn it," Ho Liao cursed under his breath. This group had too many tricks up their sleeves. If he let them keep attacking, he'd be forced to defend himself until he was exhausted. With twelve energy points to manage, he'd be vulnerable once they were depleted. He had to strike first!

Resolving to act, Ho Liao didn't wait for them to make another move. He launched his sword energy at the Flying Cloud Sect disciple who had attacked first. The disciple hadn't expected Ho Liao to neutralize his lightning orb so easily, nor did he anticipate such a swift counterattack. In a hurry, he conjured a black shield out of thin air to block the assault.

With a thunderous explosion, the sword's energy shattered the shield into pieces. The fragments struck the Flying Cloud Sect disciple, leaving his face, chest, and abdomen riddled with over a dozen bloody wounds. He was instantly transformed into a bloodied figure. The remaining shards injured two other men and one woman from the Flying Cloud Sect.