Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

Chapter 1034: Chapter 24: Investigate, Thoroughly Investigate_2

Leaving the underground, just as he returned to the surface, he saw a streak of sword light coming from afar.

The sword light was of a faint purple hue, dotted with starlight — what else could it be if not Shi Liuli’s Flying Sword?

Chen Guanshui recognized the opponent, and his heart skipped a beat as he heard Shi Liuli’s voice:

“Friend up ahead, please wait.”

“Greetings, fellow Daoist.” Chen Guanshui’s acting skills rapidly kicked in as he planned to disguise himself as a Loose Cultivator also exploring this secret realm. He wore an expression of three parts surprise, three parts vigilance, and three parts cold aloofness, hoping to make Shi Liuli take the hint and leave. “I wonder what instruction you have for calling me…”

Then, he saw another streak of crimson sword light swiftly approaching from a distance.

This sight almost scared Chen Guanshui into the abyss: Isn’t that Senior Sister An’s sword light?

Since when has Senior Sister An been mixed up with Liuli Lady?!

Previously, it was easier with one; with two, he’d simply bluff them both together.

However, Senior Sister An had somehow become exceptionally sharp now and had determined that he was Ling Yunpo — there was no way to deceive her anymore.

In such a situation, if Liuli Lady, who was even more clever, saw through the ploy, it would be like stacking an atomic bomb on a hydrogen bomb — double explosive chaos!

Therefore, without thinking, Chen Guanshui turned around, merged himself with his sword, and fled!

Shi Liuli was prepared and cast a Daoist Formula, causing countless stardust hidden below to surge into the sky and sweep back towards the fleeing Chen Guanshui.

But how could Chen Guanshui be so easily caught? He casually flung out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle, executing a spatial shift to leap out of the stardust’s attack range, heading straight for the entrance of the giant tree’s secret realm.

An Zhisu reacted quickly, also merging with her sword to pursue, but her view was obstructed by the stardust covering Chen Guanshui’s figure. She could only force her sword light to pierce through the stardust, then scan with her Divine Sense to confirm his position — in this back and forth, Chen Guanshui gained another lead.

Chen Guanshui fully controlled his sword, rushing to the secret realm’s entrance, about to escape. Suddenly, he was surrounded by countless surging waters from all directions, submerging him entirely from head to toe in an instant.

Waters of the Heavenly River? No, it’s a Formation!

Chen Guanshui quickly realized that Shi Liuli had anticipated his attempt to escape and had set up a Formation at the secret realm entrance to trap his path.

Though he was an Array Master and breaking the Formation was not difficult, it required time.

With Senior Sister An still in hot pursuit, he had no time to stop and break the Formation.

“Ah Jing, help me break the Formation!” he urgently shouted, then, realizing something, hurriedly corrected, “Suming!”

“Sword Master.” The Summoning Sword plunged into the infinite expanse of water ahead and immediately reported, “There’s a space restriction here, making it difficult for me to break it.”

Although the Summoning Sword could cut through anything, if bound by space restrictions and unable to reach the Formation Device, it was futile.

Chen Guanshui was exasperated: Wasn’t Liuli Lady primarily focused on Sword Casting? When did she secretly study formations!

Of course, now was not the time for domestic disputes, so he merely steeled himself internally, clasped his hands together forcefully, and summoned a massive Thunder Dragon.

Tai Xiao Thunder!

The Tai Xiao Thunder, capable of taking the form of a Divine Dragon, was best at large-scale destructive power; wherever it passed, the waters of the Heavenly River were electrocuted into gas, vanishing into thin air.

Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound; it was the hidden Formation Device being shattered by the Tai Xiao Thunder, causing the surrounding torrents to spill away like a broken water tank, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Chen Guanshui wouldn’t linger, decisively controlling his sword to leave.

In just five or six breaths, An Zhisu’s sword light also reached this point, charging out of the secret realm without pause.

Following closely was Shi Liuli, who, controlling her sword, halted at the secret realm entrance.

She wasn’t surprised that her Formation couldn’t trap that scoundrel.

That scoundrel was well-versed in the Five Elements Divine Light; without methods beyond the Five Elements, one couldn’t possibly subdue him.

This Formation was intended to continuously produce Heavenly River waters, meant to use “quantity” to counteract the “quality” of the Five Elements Divine Light, aiming not to completely trap him but to delay him for some time… she just hadn’t expected it to be broken so quickly.

After pondering for a moment, she casually drew a hexagram.

“Hmm? The hexagram suggests… how can it be Thunder Method?”

According to the hexagram, the scoundrel used not the Five Elements Divine Light to break the Formation, but some sort of Thunder Method, Thunder Attribute Magical Treasure, or Flying Sword.

The Thunder Method is inherently unmatched in its ferocity, not fearing water environments, thus with a broad sweep, it can destroy the formation’s device, naturally faster than relying on the “Five Elements Transformation” of the five-colored divine light.

But when did that bastard secretly master the Thunder Method?

Shi Liuli was annoyed and angry inside but knew that she couldn’t confront him, only suppressing her frustration and following him out of the secret realm with sword control.

Circling around, she saw An Zhisu’s sword light had returned.

Shi Liuli knew she was certainly empty-handed, opening her mouth to say:

“It’s not surprising that we couldn’t trap him due to his many divine skills.”

“If we blindly pursue him, without any assurance of capturing him, it will only result in him escaping time and again… Do you still plan to chase him in vain?”

An Zhisu remained silent for a while before asking strangely:

“Weren’t you unwilling to help me find Qing Heng? Why are you giving me advice now?”

Shi Liuli paused, not explaining, merely saying:

“You don’t need to worry about my actions. If you don’t want me involved, then I’ll leave now.”

An Zhisu raised her eyebrows, feeling slightly displeased inside, but realizing that without the expertise in art calculation from the Dong You elder, she’d be searching for her junior brother like finding a needle in the ocean, even less reliable.

So she swallowed her pride and said:

“What should we do next?”

“It’s like an unfair gamble,” Shi Liuli explained, “You don’t even know what chips he holds, how can you fight him decisively?”

“I need to figure some things out first, once I have certainty, I’ll come to find you.”

“How can I be sure you’ll really come to find me then?” An Zhisu asked doubtfully.

“You’ve seen it,” Shi Liuli said straightforwardly, “With my current power, I’m not his match… I’m skilled in art calculation and device creation, but actual combat is not my strength.”

“If I don’t rely on your strength, even if I find him again, how can I capture him?”

“Indeed,” An Zhisu understood and remarked, “Given your power, you’d probably be killed by him in a single encounter.”

That bastard wouldn’t want to kill me… Shi Liuli held back her inner grumble and patiently said:

“You need my abilities in art calculation, and I need your strength in swordsmanship, we’re mutually beneficial.”

Of course, only until we find that bastard. She silently added in her heart.

“Alright,” An Zhisu replied coldly, “Then go do your business. After it’s done, come find me.”

“And you?” Shi Liuli asked.

“I’m going to find him,” An Zhisu answered.

Although lacking art calculation skills, she’d rather wander aimlessly worldwide, waiting for her strange intuition to surface again, than stay dryly waiting at Shushan.

Seeing her decision, Shi Liuli didn’t stop her, only bidding farewell and leaving.

Returning from Xiangxi to the East Sea, arriving at Penglai took several days. It was only upon landing at the Heavenly Craft Workshop that Shi Liuli learned Elder Qiong Ying from Kunlun had been waiting for her there for several days.

“Why has she come to visit?” Shi Liuli calmly asked.

“Supposedly to request a hexagram,” Liang Ruohua replied.

“Requesting a hexagram…” Shi Liuli rubbed her brow.

Being skilled in art calculation often brought peers seeking hexagrams from her; if she acceded to every request, sword casting wouldn’t happen, and she’d spend all twelve hours daily tossing copper coins!

Not to mention, she now must investigate that bastard’s background, with no time to sell favors.

But she had heard of Qiong Ying’s name. According to rumors, after Changgeng left, she’s Kunlun’s next successor as sect leader, seemingly not to be offended, requiring careful consideration.

Speaking of which, when that bastard betrayed the sect, there was Shushan’s Tai Yin Sword Master leaving their sect without a trace, Kunlun then announced Changgeng’s departure to stand alone… Why does it seem like the Orthodox Sect’s heroes are bundling issues at the same time?

Source: .com, updated by novlove.com

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