Chapter 53: -53- You really think you can run from me?

Chapter 53: -53- You really think you can run from me? Yanchi's sneer deepened as he watched the group struggle against the misty white formation. "You have no shot in hell at breaking this formation set down by my master. Calmly accept your deaths," he declared, his voice dripping with condescension as he drew a spear that gleamed ominously in the dim light. Beside him, he unfurled a small formation flag and thrust it into the ground with a confident motion.

[Human - Qi Cultivation: Peak Revolving Core - Body Cultivation: Peak Revolving Core]

Silas' brows furrowed, instantly recognizing the formidable challenge that lay before them. Yanchi was no ordinary cultivator. Both his qi and body cultivation were at the peak of Revolving Core, meaning the strength and durability of his body had reached terrifying levels. Even if they managed to cut off his head, his ability to regenerate from a single drop of blood would make him nearly impossible to kill without completely erasing every trace of him.

'This won't be easy,' Silas thought grimly.

Yanchi smirked and, with a quick flick of his hand, hurled a small, unassuming bottle at the group. It shattered upon hitting the ground in front of them, releasing a thick, dark green cloud of poison that spread rapidly, enveloping everyone in its toxic haze.

"Shit!" Kai growled, instinctively leaping back. The poison crept into the air, invading their lungs before anyone could react.

Immediately, Thea stumbled, her hand clutching her throat as she gasped, "I... I feel terrible... something's wrong."

Nebula's feline eyes widened in alarm as she staggered back. "Damn it, this poison... It's affecting me, too. I'll survive, but I won't be able to fight like this."

Red, too, was coughing heavily, his normally composed demeanor faltering. "This is bad... I can't... it's too strong."

Silas, realizing the severity of the situation, acted quickly. "Don't resist," he commanded sharply. Without waiting for them to argue, he activated his estate treasure, drawing Thea, Red, and Nebula into the protective space within.

Yanchi chuckled, watching the scene unfold. "Revolving Core Qi Refiners collapse immediately upon inhaling this poison, but it looks like each of you are fiendgod practitioners. Regardless, they are now out of this fight... I don't know how you two can easily withstand this poison, but it doesn't matter... I'll first kill you two, and then the others will quickly follow you."

Silas remained composed, his eyes flicking to Kai. "You good?"

Kai flexed his claws, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Barely felt it. Let me fight this bastard, Silas. It's been too long since I had a decent fight," Kai begged, his voice practically vibrating with anticipation. seaʀᴄh thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Silas gave him a slow nod. "I'll let you take the lead, but I'll be watching. The moment things go south..."

Kai scoffed, his grin widening. "Like I'd need help taking down this chump. Watch and learn."

Yanchi's smirk faltered, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. "Arrogant brat," he muttered. "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

Kai, for now, remained in his small-sized form, but his presence loomed large. Shadows seemed to cling to his fur as his Lesser Dao of Darkness and Lesser Dao of Shadow Movement activated. His eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger as he darted forward, faster than Yanchi expected.

"Shing!"

Yanchi barely had time to react as Kai's claws raked across his spear, sending sparks flying. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, but Yanchi held firm, spinning his spear to deflect the attack before countering with a powerful thrust toward Kai's midsection.

"Bang!"

Kai swatted the spear aside, grinning. "You'll have to do better than that," he taunted.

Yanchi snarled, his pride wounded. He hadn't expected such raw power from such a small form. "You beast! I'll make you regret mocking me!" With a flick of his wrist, Yanchi activated the formation he had prepared. Runes on the ground lit up, and from the earth sprang a dozen ethereal spears, all crackling with deadly qi.

The spears surged toward Kai, their points gleaming with lethal energy.

"Shing!" "Shing!"

Kai dodged with overwhelming speed, his small form weaving through the spears as if he were a shadow himself. His Lesser Dao of Shadow Movement made it seem like he was slipping between dimensions, avoiding the spears with ease. However, Yanchi wasn't done. With a roar, he charged forward, unleashing a barrage of strikes with his spear in tandem with the ethereal spears from the formation.

"Bang!" "Shing!" "Bang!"

The clash of weapon against claw echoed through the air as the two exchanged blows. Despite Kai's small size, his claws were fast and brutal, each swipe leaving deep gashes in the earth. His strikes were so precise that Yanchi barely had time to react before another was coming.

Kai grinned, flicking his wrist as he sent shadows coiling toward Yanchi, disrupting his formation briefly. "You think this is my full power?" Kai mocked as he effortlessly avoided another spear thrust. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

Yanchi's frustration mounted. No matter how much power he poured into his formation and his attacks, Kai seemed to keep up effortlessly, taunting him with every dodge and counter.

"You beast!" Yanchi hissed. "Let's see how you handle this!" With a snarl, Yanchi enlarged the spear, gathering more qi into it, then slammed it toward Kai with the weight of a mountain.

Kai leaped to the side, but this time, as the spear struck the ground, the force sent tremors rippling through the earth. Kai stumbled slightly, his movements interrupted for just a second. Yanchi grinned savagely at the sight.

But Kai was quicker. Without warning, his small form darted in close, and as Yanchi prepared to block, Kai's paw grew in size--enlarged just enough to slam into Yanchi's side with thunderous force.

"Bang!"

With a growl of frustration, Yanchi reached into his robes and produced another small bottle--a last-resort poison given to him by his master. His hand trembled for a moment as he considered the consequences. Even he, a Peak Revolving Core Body Refiner, could barely withstand the effects of this poison. It was meant to be used only in the direst of situations.

But he was out of options.

"I didn't want to waste this on a bunch of nobodies, but you leave me no choice!" Yanchi snarled. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he smashed the bottle to the ground.

The air around them instantly thickened with a dense, sickly green fog, far more potent than the previous poison. The poison spread like wildfire, seeping into the ground and rising in noxious waves, filling the battlefield with its deadly aura.

Even Yanchi stepped back, covering his nose and mouth, trying to avoid the brunt of the poison. "This poison was crafted by my master himself," he spat. "Even a Peak Revolving Core Body Refiner would struggle to survive its touch! Let's see you handle this!"

After fighting Kai, he quickly discovered that Kai was likely not even at early Revolving Core in his body cultivation. This poison should easily deal with both of them.

The poison cloud enveloped both Kai and Silas, the air so toxic that the ground itself began to sizzle and corrode.

Yanchi grinned in vicious satisfaction as the cloud engulfed his foes. But as the green mist cleared, his smirk quickly faded.

Kai stood in his small form, completely unaffected, with his claws crackling with dark energy. Silas, too, stood unscathed, his eyes glowing with a cold, predatory light. Both of them stared Yanchi down as if the poison hadn't touched them at all.

Yanchi blinked in disbelief. "Impossible..." he muttered. "How are you both still standing?"

Kai wiped a stray bit of dust from his shoulder and grinned. "Is this supposed to be a threat? You should know better than to waste our time with weak poisons."

Yanchi's eyes widened in terror. His master's most potent poison had failed, and now he was completely out of options. His arrogance turned into desperation as fear began to set in.

Kai's grin only widened. "I've had my fun," he said, flexing his claws. "But now, it's time to end this."

Yanchi's heart raced. Without warning, he turned and bolted, dashing toward the edge of the clearing with the intent of fleeing. "My master will save me! You'll all regret this!" he shouted as he crushed a jade talisman at his waist meant to alert his master that he was in life-threatening danger, and a moment later, he used a Dao seal meant for defense.

But Kai's laughter echoed across the battlefield. "You really think you can run from me?"