Chapter 890: Stealing, Killing, and Quitting While One’s Ahead!
When Lu Zhou heard Yi Yao’s voice, there was no huge fluctuation in his heartbeat.
Based on Yi Yao’s earlier battle, Lu Zhou could tell there was a wide gap between activating two and five Birth Charts. Therefore, it would not be too surprising if his presence was discovered earlier. However, he did not expect Yi Yao to be so cautious.
Lu Zhou asked, “You’ve discovered my presence since earlier?”
“No,” Yao Yi shook his head and replied honestly, “Guiding marks have always been important, and I’ve always been cautious when dealing with things.”
Yi Yao really had a way of doing things.
However, this proved that the extraordinary power was really reliable.
Lu Zhou asked again, “Is Jiang Xiaosheng one of you?”
Yi Yao did not answer this question. Instead, he said, “It seems like you overheard everything. Since you’re able to avoid my detection, your cultivation base must be profound.”
“It’s average,” Lu Zhou answered frankly. In front of someone with five Birth Charts, he really had nothing to brag about.
Yi Yao asked, “What’s your purpose in coming here?”
“To look for BIrth Chart Beasts.”
Yi Yao nodded. “Unfortunately, I’ve already killed the Birth Chart Beasts.”
Although Lu Zhou already knew the answer, he asked, “The Birth Chart Beasts in the red lotus domain are all monopolized by you?”
“Yes, but it’s to protect the red lotus domain. When there’s a certain number of Birth Chart Beasts, they’ll precipitate a beast tide and the appearance of powerful beast kings. Whether it’s a Birth Chart Beast or a beast king, we’ll deal with it.”
Lu Zhou took a deep breath before he shook his head.
Yi Yao asked, “Do you have a suggestion?”
Lu Zhou said, “There was a hunter who liked to eat wolf meat. One day, the hunter discovered that sheep could attract wolves. Therefore, he sent people to watch and protect the flock of sheep, waiting idly for the opportunity to arrive. The people didn’t even need to feed the sheep; the sheep could survive very well on their own.”
Yi Yao interjected, “It’s an interesting metaphor, but you’re not a sheep.”
Lu Zhou continued to say, “One day, the flock of sheep discovered they could become wolves by eating wolves. Alas, that would pose a threat to the hunter; in the end, the hunter had no choice but to keep the wolves away from the sheep.”
Yi Yao nodded. “However, there would always be a few cunning sheep that managed to turn into wolves. In the end, the hunter had to get rid of them to ensure his safety.”
It was as silent as a graveyard at this moment.
Yi Yao stared unblinkingly at Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou returned Yi Yao’s gaze and asked, “So… you want to get rid of me?”
“Naturally, there are exceptions to everything. Not all sheep turn into wolves. There are some that directly become… hunters…”
“Hmm?”
“Jiang Xiaosheng is too weak and stupid. He’s not suitable to be our liaison in the red lotus domain,” Yi Yao replied.
Lu Zhou asked skeptically, “You want me to take over Jiang Xiaosheng’s position?”
“That’s right.”
“What are the benefits?”
“I’ll allow you to be a hunter and even give you the best weapon in the world,” Yi Yao said, “However, there’s no free lunch in this world. You’ll naturally have to give as much as you get. Before anything else, you have to take this,” Yi Yao said as he brought a dark purple crystal out.
The crystal had a strange energy around it.
Lu Zhou asked, puzzled, “What’s this?”
“This thing will enter your Dantian’s sea of Qi. As long as you don’t go against the will of the Black Tower Council, we won’t trigger its effect. Otherwise, it’ll make you wish you’re dead,” Yi Yao said before he tossed the dark purple crystal to Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou caught the dark purple crystal. As soon as his hand came in contact with it, his entire body felt boiling hot. His instincts told him the crystal must have come from some special fierce beast.
“Take it,” Yi Yao said in a tone that brooked no arguments.
Lu Zhou pressed on the crystal lightly.
Crack!
The dark purple crystal was not solid; it had cracked open like an empty peanut sh.e.l.l. Wisps of purple smoke escaped from the broken crystal before Lu Zhou tossed the shattered crystal into the lava.
When Lu Zhou broke the crystal, he had seen the change in Yi Yao’s expression. Yi Yao’s face that was like tree bark had instantly twisted into an unsightly expression. Nevertheless, Lu Zhou said indifferently, “It’s a pity that I’m used to being free. In this world, only others obey me; I’ve never obeyed anyone.”
Yi Yao sensed the change in Lu Zhou’s aura immediately. “It seems like the cunning sheep did not just become a cunning wolf, but it has become a cunning hunter as well! Nevertheless, you’re only seeking death!”
Buzz!
A Five Chart Thousand Realms Whirling avatar towered in the air as the astrolabe spun at its back.
Lu Zhou raised his hand immediately and launched a palm seal.
The Great Seal of Fearlessness.
Lu Zhou used half of his extraordinary power in this seal.
Yi Yao’s expression darkened upon seeing this. “Blue?”
Yi Yao leaped back. At the same time, his 500-foot Thousand Realms Whirling avatar suddenly did a 180-degree spin, using the astrolabe to block the blue palm seal.
Boom!
The astrolabe creaked, and it looked dented.
Yi Yao controlled his avatar and made it turn around. Alas, his astrolabe had dimmed. He asked with a frown, “You’re not from the red lotus domain?”
Lu Zhou was not quite satisfied with his extraordinary power. With his Thousand Realms Whirling cultivation base and half of his extraordinary power, he could have killed Chi Yao in an instant. He did not expect Yi Yao would be unharmed even after his astrolabe was dented. He wondered if he really had to flee.
Nevertheless, despite his inner thoughts, Lu Zhou’s expression was without a ripple as he asked rhetorically, “When did I say I’m from the red lotus domain?”
Yi Yao’s expression turned grave immediately. “Another hunter has found the hunter and wants the flock of sheep to himself?”
Inwardly, Yi Yao thought to himself, ‘This old man’s cultivation base is unfathomable. Since he’s able to avoid detection from me, his cultivation base is very likely higher than mine. I’ve been too careless; I must think of a way to escape!’
Yi Yao was vexed that he was so careless this time. He even went so far as to chat with this expert for such a long time!
Lu Zhou said, “If that’s what you think, I won’t refute it.”
A hint of fear flitted across Yi Yao’s face. He told himself not to panic. If push came to shove, he would just have to give his all in one strike and think of a way to escape after that! Subsequently, he said warily, “Senior, don’t you think your actions are too unscrupulous?”
“I don’t know you; why is there a need to talk about scruples?” Lu Zhou shook his head.
“Senior, are you really going to brazenly commit daylight robbery?” Yi Yao manifested his Thousand Realms Whirling avatar immediately. At the same time, he thought to himself, ‘No matter what, I can’t lose my momentum!’
“So what if I am?” Lu Zhou raised his voice. Inwardly, he was also thinking that he could not lose his momentum!
Buzz!
The black astrolabe lit up and spun again.
At the same time, Yi Yao seized the opportunity and suddenly mobilized the thirty-six triangles on the Birth Disk.
In just a second, the Birth Disk lit up. As a result, the five corresponding zones for the Birth Charts on the astrolabe began to flash with black light.
Lu Zhou did not say anything and pushed his hand out at top speed. The remaining half of his extraordinary power surged out immediately.
Yi Yao’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly flashed backward as beams of light from his Birth Charts shot out.
Boom!
Lu Zhou continued to advance after his extraordinary power blocked four beams of light from Yi Yao’s Birth Charts. However, when he lifted his head, he saw another beam of light shooting toward him.
“Avatar!’
Buzz!
A 350-foot avatar appeared in front of Lu Zhou immediately. Following that, his astrolabe moved forward and blocked Yi Yao’s Birth Chart attack.
Boom!
Lu Zhou successfully blocked Yi Yao’s attack, but the impact sent him flying back dozens of feet. At the same time, he praised Yi Yao inwardly. ‘As expected of an expert with five Birth Charts!’
Unfortunately, Lu Zhou had exposed his avatar. This meant that Yi Yao was likely to fight him to the end now.
On the other hand, although Yi Yao had fired four beams of light at full strength, they failed to stop the blue palm seal.
Bang!
The blue palm seal landed on Yi Yao’s avatar.
A thunderous noise rang from the avatar as Yi Yao, whose face was flushed, grunted. At this time, his astrolabe had gone dark; there was no light at all. When he looked up, his eyes widened when he saw Lu Zhou’s avatar.
350 feet?
Two Birth Charts?
A golden Thousand Realms Whirling avatar?
Yi Yao roared inwardly, ‘What the h.e.l.l is going on?! Is he posturing all this time?! Are the blue palm seals some kind of special technique?!’
Outwardly, Yi Yao did not say a word. He flew into the center of his avatar before he charged toward Lu Zhou with his Thousand Realms Whirling avatar.
Lu Zhou frowned slightly as he lifted his head to have a look. The Deadly Strike Card was already in his hand. Following that, he flashed into his Thousand Realms Whirling avatar.
The golden Birth Charts lit up immediately.
Bang! Bang!
Two beams of light landed on the body of Yi Yao’s avatar.
Yi Yao grunted; his energy and blood qi roiled surged in his body. Despite that, his face lit up with joy as he exclaimed, “As expected, you only have two Birth Charts!”
All of a sudden, the black Thousand Realms Whirling avatar exploded with black energy.
Lu Zhou crushed the Deadly Strike Card without saying a word. In an instant, a vortex appeared in his palm, and he pushed it out toward Yi Yao.
“The same move is useless against me,” Yi Yao said as he lifted his hand up.
Unlike the blue Great Seal of Fearlessness, this time it was a golden Seal of Fearlessness.
Crack!
It did not look powerful at all, but when the golden palm seal collided with Yi Yao’s outward-facing palm, it broke his arm immediately!
Yi Yao cried out in pain. Chills ran up his spine and his hair stood on end as he saw the golden Great Seal of Fearlessness continued to advance. The palm seal pushed against his face and body.
Boom!
The destructive force from the golden palm seal tore Yi Yao’s robes and shattered the bones in his body. At this time, the black Thousand Realms Whirling avatar shrank and became one with Yi Yao.
Meanwhile, the shockwave from the powerful collision destroyed one of the stone walls. The lava surged and splashed up in the air, creating a red curtain in midair.
“Despicable!” Yi Yao spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward. ‘As it turns out, he tricked me into attacking him first! I was careless again!’
Yi Yao, whose robes had been torn by the force of the palm seal, could only watch helplessly as the Birth Chart Heart flew out.
Lu Zhou reached out and grabbed the Birth Chart Heart before he quickly retreated. Since he did not hear the system notify him of Yi Yao’s death, the only thing left to do was run. No, he did not mean run; what he meant was the only thing left to do was to quit while he was ahead.
Yi Yao shared the same thought as Lu Zhou. Not only did the palm seal cause him to lose a life heart, but it also easily broke one of his arms and shattered the bones in his body. Faced with such a powerful opponent, the only thing left to do was run! After a beat, he rejoiced inwardly when he discovered that Lu Zhou did not chase after him. He quickly flashed away with his Thousand Realms Whirling avatar.
“Ding! Destroyed a Birth Chart. Reward: 6,000 merit points. No domain bonus for destroying Birth Charts. Thousand Realms cultivators have their own ways of killing opponents.”
Upon receiving this notification, Lu Zhou instinctively raised his head. From afar, he saw the originally five Birth Charts on the black astrolabe had now turned into four Birth Charts.
‘One Birth Chart equals one additional life?’
However, when he recalled Yi Yao’s cautious way of doing things, he no longer dwelled on this. He hurriedly turned around and left! It was best to quit while he was ahead!