Chapter 16: Breathing Earth
Chapter 16: Breathing Earth
“You know nothing! Su Xuan’er possesses the ‘Prophecy of Opportunity’ bloodline, known as ‘the cicada senses the coming autumn wind before it moves’! Her bloodline is one of the rarest keen-blooded lineages in the world. A Mage’s Intuition, as if connected to the heavens and earth!” Yang Kai stood up, the scar on his face reflecting the sunlight, adding to his ferocious aura. “As danger approaches, she might have sensed it and changed her usual routine, taking a side path. The three we sent out are just a precaution.”
“That powerful?” The tall, thin man was dumbstruck. From the start, it had sounded like a tall tale to him. “Are noble family bloodlines really that miraculous?”
“More mysterious and unfathomable than you can imagine! And she’s still young. The elders of the Su family can directly pluck fragments of the future from the river of fate! What does ‘Prophecy of Opportunity’ mean? ‘Foreknowing the Heavenly Secret, steering towards fortune and avoiding calamity’!”
“But with three fewer men on our side, wouldn’t that…” A man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks spoke cautiously, hinting at something.
“Relax,” Yang Kai looked down on these subordinates in his heart. His left hand fingers toyed with his crimson ring. “The raging strength of the Flame Servant within this ‘Spark Ring’ is more than a match for those three good-for-nothings… That woman Su Xuan’er might have good talent, but she’s only been training for two months. How capable could she be?”
The other three thought about it and found it reasonable, nodding in sincere agreement.
Among the four low-tier Elemental Life, Air Servants had the most spell slots, Earth Servants excelled in defense, Dew Servants could heal, while Flame Servants, wielding sacrificial flames, were truly weapons of destruction!
“What about Zhangsun Shenji? Would he seek revenge?” It was the same pointy-faced man again. He wasn’t brave and had many worries.
“Don’t worry. Those noble children are either cowards or too arrogant. They definitely won’t spread the word! Besides, I gave him two characters. Could he even show his face in public?” Yang Kai didn’t care. He remembered something, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
“I thought you, boss, just disliked him and wanted to humiliate him,” the monkey-faced man suddenly understood, flattering with a servile smile. “As expected of the boss, thinking so far ahead!”
Yang Kai pretended to be deep, saying nothing.
Back then, he actually hadn’t thought much. He just saw that face with skin as delicate as a woman’s and felt disgust.
Noble families? Just born into a good womb, wasn’t it?
He recalled the scene when he carved the characters. The boy struggled desperately, roars and screams mingling, tears streaming down. It was truly satisfying!
“Someone’s coming!” Yang Kai grew alert, paused, observed something, then calmed down. “Not from the mountain path, but from below. It’s not Su Xuan’er. Ignore him!”
However, though he had no time to bother, the boy approached directly, coming to them on his own.
“Excuse me, is this the Hyena Gang?” The boy was quite polite, smiling amiably. He took a deep look at Yang Kai’s arm, seeming thoughtful. “Are you Yang Kai?”
“That’s right!” Yang Kai was a full head taller than the boy, looking down at him from above with disdain. “What do you want? Do you have business? Want to hire me? My fees aren’t low…”
“Not hiring, just a small matter,” the boy showed no fear, meeting his gaze directly. He made a very small gesture with his finger, seeming to wear a faint smile. “It’s like this, I have a friend, surnamed Zhangsun, who received your… ‘care’…”
Speak of Cao Cao and he appears? Before he finished, the expressions of the three Hyena Gang members changed drastically. Killing intent surged as they closed in.
“What? What do you want?” Yang Kai didn’t take the boy before him seriously at all. A gesture stopped his men. His face was full of malice and smugness, his expression sinister and repulsive. “I gave him a piece of calligraphy. Why don’t you ask him if he liked it? My own handwritten work. Do you want one too?”
“Good, then I’ve found the right person.” Li Yi nodded.
“Anything else?” Yang Kai looked fierce, laughing loudly. “If not, then scram! I have business to attend to!”
“Oh, nothing major, just,” Li Yi smiled again, his head shaking slightly, gentle as a spring breeze, “I’ve always thought a Sichuan saying was particularly impactful. I really wanted to say it.”
“What saying?” Yang Kai thought the boy before him must have something wrong with his head.
“—Screw your ancestors!”
Li Yi’s expression turned cold. Power erupted suddenly. His left foot stepped forward, his right foot lifted high, and he kicked Yang Kai right in the kidney!
“Ugh! You…”
Yang Kai grunted. He truly couldn’t imagine how such a great force could burst forth from the boy’s thin, small frame.
His sturdy body was lifted off the ground for a moment, kicked over completely!
Naturally, he didn’t know that although Li Yi was a Mage, he had consumed many rare treasures. It didn’t show on the surface, but his physical fitness far surpassed ordinary people.
“You’re looking for death! ‘Gale’, kill him!”
Yang Kai propped himself up with his arms, his face filled with rage. He whistled, and a huge azure-golden shadow descended from the sky, carrying wind and thunder.
Eagle striking the sky!
…
“Huh? Why are there only these few ugly weaklings? Where’s Yang Kai? Could he be on the side path? What a pain…”
The trees rustled. On the main road, Yan Zhao stood with his arms crossed, tilting his head, looking askance at the three men before him, his face annoyed.
On the surface, he had agreed with Li Yi, but he came alone to Black Peak ahead of time.
—Li Yi having that intention was enough. No need to demand too much.
He thought to himself.
He just didn’t know that Li Yi had also seen through his plan. One took the side path, the other the main road. Both came to Black Peak.
“Who are you?” Among the three, a man with a tattooed face acted arrogantly, swaying his shoulders mysteriously. “Looking for our boss, what—”
His voice stopped abruptly without warning, like a rooster with its throat cut!
Boom!
A loud noise. The tattooed man’s head was grabbed by a hand that seemed to blot out the sky and was slammed heavily into the ground.
The terrifying force stirred up billowing dust from the impact!
In an instant, the tattooed man’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
The scene was utterly shocking!
“You, you’re looking for death!”
“Dare to mess with our Hyena Gang? I’ll kill you!”
After a moment of silence, the remaining two men, one blustering to hide his fear, the other in a towering rage.
Though their emotions differed, their actions were completely synchronized. Their hands moved constantly, Magic Gestures fluttering like butterflies, elements swirling between their fingers, condensing into form.
Four Mana Missiles instantly condensed, green glows dancing up and down, whizzing with piercing shrieks!
At close range, the tattooed man would also be caught in the blast, but at this point, who cared?
Bang!
The green glows flew unhindered, landing on Yan Zhao’s body one after another, exploding!
Green waves of energy fissioned, spreading outwards. The violent force toppled trees and sent deadwood flying everywhere!
“Ah!”
The tattooed man was caught by the residual force. Even though unconscious, he let out a shrill scream.
Is this guy an idiot? He didn’t even use a protective spell?
The two men were overjoyed.
But immediately after, a scene that filled them with despair unfolded before their eyes.
The dust settled. Yan Zhao still stood tall. His clothes were torn in many places, large patches of his skin even smoking, but there were only very faint burn marks.
The exposed parts revealed yellowish-brown patterns like tattoos, but they weren’t tattoos; they were naturally occurring.
“Monster, monster!” One of them noticed something, exclaiming in shock. “Look at those patterns, that’s earth…”
“You mean,” the other’s eyes shifted, also noticing something, “this man is of the Breathing Earth…”
Their expressions were filled with indescribable terror.
Yan Zhao remained unmoved. He spread his five fingers, pushed forward, and slowly uttered four words: “Thorns of the Earth!”
Instantly, dozens of terrifying stone thorns, like a forest of spears, seemed to awaken from hibernation, sprouting madly, tearing the earth apart!
Yan Zhao turned. Behind him was a forest of stone thorns. Crimson blood dripped from their pointed tips.
…
“You are… Yan Zhao? I’ve heard of you. You caused quite a stir in Molten Rock Valley! Taking on twenty alone? Or thirty?” A clear, cold voice sounded. “However, you stole my opponent. I’m not happy about that.”
“Su Xuan’er?” Yan Zhao turned. He saw a pair of deep, violet-blue eyes. “Yang Kai and I have some unfinished business. First come, first served. He’s mine.”
“But he came looking for me. He should be mine!” Su Xuan’er wouldn’t listen to that, saying coldly.
Yan Zhao shook his head. A real man, why argue with a woman? Immediately, he headed quickly towards the side path.
Su Xuan’er gave a light snort through her nose and followed closely.
Yang Kai knew about her bloodline but misjudged her personality. With her combative nature, she would only seek battle; how would she avoid it?
But neither of them knew their wishes would not be granted.