Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 252: Encountering a Novice

This was like a mantis hunting a cicada while a sparrow waited in the background. Perhaps that person didn’t even know Chu Tianyu was still following them, and from the situation, it seemed he was also spying on those guys.

Chu Tianyu hadn’t had a single moment of rest these past few days. By day, he had to act like a playboy, indulging in parties and occasional trouble. At night, he would wear a mask and stay in their courtyard all night, listening to them drink, chat, and talk about women…

Finally, that night, Chu Tianyu saw the light of day after enduring the wait. Those guys were finally taking action, and from their conversation, it seemed they were going to meet some Lord Qin.

To Chu Tianyu’s surprise, there was another person in the courtyard that night. Dressed in black clothes and wearing a mask, Chu Tianyu immediately felt a sense that they might be working together.

Sure enough, after that person arrived, ignoring whether there were any secret agents or not, they went straight to a spot near the window to hide. Watching the entire operation, Chu Tianyu shook his head in disbelief—this guy was clearly a novice. If it weren’t for Chu Tianyu having taken care of those three guards beforehand, this kid would likely have fallen into someone else’s trap by now.

If that were all, it would have been fine, but what frustrated Chu Tianyu even more was how lucky this kid was. How could he happen to encounter their operation on his first day? Chu Tianyu himself had been spying for days, and with the same level of surveillance, the difference in “treatment” was simply too great.

So, he followed the guy all the way. The man’s cultivation level surprised Chu Tianyu greatly. He too possessed the energy of heaven and earth; his breathing was like the rhythm of the universe, full of harmony and naturalness. Around him, icy cold energy radiated, but unless one had Chu Tianyu’s level of cultivation, it would be impossible to detect it. This made Chu Tianyu’s opinion of him even higher.

Because this kind of icy essence from heaven and earth was like an illusionary flame, reaching a limit in nature. As the saying goes, extremes lead to reversals. When cold reaches its extreme, it becomes impossible to feel or sense, but if one isn’t careful, it can silently invade and harm others unseen.

That man had reached such a realm!

“Third brother, stop talking nonsense! Lord Qin, I’m sorry, we’re just people from the countryside with no rules when speaking—please be understanding! By the way, we were sent here by our superiors to follow your instructions. Just give us orders if there’s anything to do!” said the leading senior brother in a steady tone.

“Hmm, this task is quite tricky; otherwise, we wouldn’t have to involve you all…”

As Lord Qin spoke, he suddenly stopped, his expression changing abruptly. He then shouted loudly, “Who’s there? Come out!”

At his words, the shadow hidden beneath the launch tower immediately dashed off in another direction…

The shadow’s reaction left Lord Qin stunned as well. He hadn’t expected that a casual shout for safety would actually reveal the person lurking there.

Chu Tianyu felt sorrow—not because that person had been exposed by a lie, but for himself. He had waited so long for this opportunity, hoping to get new clues, only to have it ruined by that guy. All those days he had stayed up instead of sleeping in the warm beds with Nianran, Zi Yi, Feifei, and the others—just to wait outside in the cold—only to see all his efforts go to waste. How tragic!

That guy was definitely a novice too. Why hide behind a launch tower? It made it easy to get exposed, and he couldn’t keep an eye on what was happening on the rooftop. For example, Lord Qin’s sudden shout wasn’t even directed at the launch tower…

While Chu Tianyu was sighing in frustration, Lord Qin’s group also reacted quickly, chasing after the shadow’s direction. Now they were actually being tracked—what a huge loss of face!

Although they spoke rudely, they did have some skills. In just a few moments, they rushed after the shadow. Their formation wasn’t chaotic but more like a character “character “person”,” ensuring they covered the main direction while preventing the pursued person from suddenly changing course.

Lord Qin followed behind them calmly, as if handling the situation effortlessly. Chu Tianyu had no better choice but to follow from afar, sensing their presence.

Chu Tianyu’s judgment was correct—that shadow was indeed a novice. He hadn’t fled toward the busy areas but instead chose remote places, thinking the lonelier the place, the better his chances of escaping. But obviously, he was wrong…

In no time, the lack of obstacles and proper cover left the man in black completely exposed to the pursuer’s view. Although the distance hadn’t shortened much, trying to escape was nothing but delusion. Moreover, Qin Ye’s group was clearly experienced; as they pursued him, they kept shouting angrily and throwing hidden weapons to put pressure on him and disrupt his movements. Soon, the distance between the two sides narrowed significantly. It seemed the man ahead realized his whereabouts had been exposed and that he couldn’t just give up easily. So he chose a secluded place, stopped, turned around, and prepared to fight back.

When Qin Ye and his group arrived, they didn’t attack immediately but scanned the surroundings warily, as if checking for ambushes. Though the man in black said nothing—his face was covered, so no expression could be seen—he showed a hint of disdain in his eyes…

“Who are you, daring to eavesdrop on our conversation…?” After confirming there was no danger, Qin Ye snapped at the man in black. But before he could finish speaking, the man in black gathered his energy in his hands and pushed fiercely at him. Qin Ye felt a bone-chilling coldness rush toward him and shuddered. Realizing the strength of that force, he quickly stepped back several yards.

Seeing their enemy attack silently yet with such ferocity, indicating strong cultivation, the brothers also became cautious. They generated a layer of black aura around themselves, raising their energy to the highest level. The eldest brother then threw a punch, carrying immense force, which collided with the man’s icy aura.

A loud crash sounded. The man in black staggered slightly, while the eldest brother stepped back dramatically, his punching arm trembling, covered in white frost. His expression changed instantly, and he warned, “Be careful! He also possesses the power of heaven and earth. Stop holding back—activate the Nether Realm and form a formation!”

At his words, the brothers quickly took their positions according to the directions of heaven and earth, releasing their black aura to form a realm surrounded by darkness, with the man in black becoming the target.

The man was indeed a novice, standing there motionless, waiting for others to set up the formation and use their powers, without realizing he should seize the opportunity to attack individually or stop their teamwork.

Even Chu Tianyu, who was watching from afar, couldn’t help but shake his head repeatedly. No matter how skilled one might be, there’s no need to be so arrogant as to force the enemy to take a risky move. Such people are either overly arrogant, overly confident, or simply fools!

Sure enough, as those few stabilized their formation, a combined attack erupted instantly. With their combined strength, the dark energy surrounding them seemed to come to life, coiling like a giant serpent and rushing toward the man in black.

The man in black was indeed arrogant enough to not even try to avoid it. Instead, he conjured a layer of white mist and charged headlong at the dark energy.

As soon as the two massive forces collided, it became clear which was stronger. No matter how skilled the man in black was, he couldn’t withstand the combined attack of those few. Moreover, those people were also extremely powerful, possessing unique skills and even a kind of cosmic energy that even Chu Tianyu couldn’t comprehend.

So, in an instant, the man was sent flying backward and crashed violently into a large tree behind him. As the tree broke, he was rebounded back, falling to the ground with a thud and remaining motionless. It seemed he was either dead or severely injured.

However, even though they had fought hard, those brothers-in-arms weren’t unscathed either. Their vital energy surged. If it weren’t for their teamwork, they probably wouldn’t have been able to match that man in a one-on-one fight. Thinking of this, they felt a wave of fear. If not for the man’s overconfidence in his own skills, fighting them alone, the outcome of today’s battle would have been uncertain. Even if he won, it would have been a tough fight.

Despite their fear, the result was satisfying. After regaining their breath, they saw that the man in black was still lying motionless on the ground, likely too badly injured to move. Curious, they approached to see who this masked man really was, given his formidable strength.

But just as they got closer, they suddenly felt a chill in the air. Before they could react, the man in black shot up abruptly. His hands conjured white light, and waves of cold energy shot like ice arrows at those approaching him.

After launching the ambush, he didn’t wait to see the results. He raised his hands again, directing waves of cold energy at himself, while stomping hard on the ground and shooting forward in an instant.

Before he could even lift off, a dark shadow descended from above with a fierce gust of wind. He felt an overwhelming force envelop his entire body instantly, and between his collarbones, another force tightly constrained him, preventing him from making any further moves and leaving him completely helpless, as if in just a breath.