The cavern trembled as a roaring explosion erupted between them. Heat seared the air, and a thick wall of black smoke billowed upward, obscuring Xitu's form entirely. Lu Fan's eyes narrowed as he activated his Spiritual Sense, probing through the choking haze.
Surprise flickered across his face when he detected Xitu still alive—surrounded by a faint aura of qi that hovered like an invisible shield. He furrowed his brow in surprise, 'How did he survive?'
Lu Fan watched with renewed interest, waiting for the smoke to thin.
A minute passed before the gloom finally cleared. Xitu's silhouette emerged with a shimmering cocoon of golden Qi. The barrier wrapped him from head to toe like a suit of radiant armor, its surface rippling with residual energy. But its glow was a bit duller as the earlier strike had drained some of its power.
Lu Fan recognized the barrier immediately: a Mid Rank, Excellent Grade defensive talisman called the Golden Armor. But where had Xitu obtained it? He had already secured all of Xitu's belongings.
He wondered if Xitu had any more tricks up his sleeves but quickly abandoned the notion. Xitu's cultivation was too weak. His body couldn't handle the pressure of high-level defensive talismans, and he couldn't control high-level offensive talismans skillfully either. At his realm, Xitu could only use 2 or 3 before reaching his limit.
Lu Fan stepped forward, hand resting on the hilt of his saber.
"A Golden Armor Talisman? You think that can save you? My blade will shatter it in 2 swings," he mocked.
Xitu didn't answer and walked heavily to the doorway, his expression grim.
Once there, he asked, "Why must you strike to kill? Are you trying to force this into a life-and-death battle? I've already made a big concession. Why not let me go?"
A cruel smile crept across Lu Fan's lips.
"First, the only one leaving here alive will be me. Second, don't be so naive. You really think I'd let you go just so you could run back and report this to the Floating Cloud Sect?"
He raised his saber, its steel glinting with blue Qi.
"At least you're not wasting time trying to run. That saves me some effort. The door's locked anyway. You can't escape even if you want to. Come on, make the first move. A Qi Foundation senior like me won't bully a Vein Opening junior like you."
Xitu bristled at the insult, but his face remained impassive. However, it was all a pretense. He started the conversation earlier to buy time. As they spoke, he moved back into the room. While Lu Fan boasted arrogantly, Xitu inched closer to the wooden table in the corner. Something he had prepared was hidden there.
Seeing that Lu Fan hadn't moved yet, Xitu suddenly dashed forward. His hand grabbed the corner of the table as his foot slammed into one of its legs. A loud crack split the air as the leg snapped, splinters scattering across the stone floor.
It turned out that when Lu Fan left, Xitu had already made preparations. He had been kicking the wooden table leg repeatedly until the joint connecting the surface and the leg was weakened—but not completely broken. The material was very dense and sturdy, but luckily the table was old and worn. After a long effort, he finally weakened it enough.
He left it as it was, fearing that hiding the broken table leg in his clothes would arouse Lu Fan's suspicion.
Lu Fan's mouth twisted in amusement. "You really think a broken table leg will help against me—a Qi Foundation cultivator?" His tone dripped with scorn.
Xitu remained silent, a flame of resolve glowed in his dark eyes.
He knew the difference between them. A Qi Foundation cultivator had more Qi and better control over it, allowing them to cast high-level spells faster. They also had Spiritual Sense to help aim their spells and track Xitu. So fighting from a distance or playing hide and seek was a foolish choice.
Still, Qi Foundation cultivators weren't physically much stronger or faster than those at the Vein Opening stage. Because of this, Xitu stuck to the fighting plan he had decided on before Lu Fan returned. It was called the 'all-in strategy': he would rely on his talisman and engage Lu Fan in close combat.
He raised the jagged wooden stick, its tip splinter-sharp. "You forced me into this," he growled.
Then Xitu let out a resounding battle cry and charged at Lu Fan.
He swung the broken table leg overhead in a brutal arc aimed at Lu Fan's head. But Lu Fan, seasoned in battle, remained unfazed by the charge. He tilted his head just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow, then spun his saber in a clean, vicious slash toward Xitu's neck. The steel hissed through the air, seeking flesh.
The blade struck the glowing golden barrier instead, sending a shockwave rippling across its surface. Light flared brightly for a moment before dimming as energy drained from the talisman. Lu Fan's grip trembled from the recoil, and he stepped back, a wince crossing his face as pain bit into his right hand. Xitu felt a sharp jolt shoot through his neck where the barrier absorbed the impact, but he ignored the sting and pressed forward.
With a savage thrust, Xitu thrust the wooden stick toward Lu Fan's chest. Lu Fan hopped backward, avoiding the makeshift sword, then launched a sudden kick aimed at Xitu's hip. Xitu twisted his waist sharply to dodge the blow.
He dared not take any more hits. He could feel the barrier flickering, its glow dimmed by half. Only 2 or 3 more clean strikes and it would shatter completely. The thought sent a chill through his veins. He raised the broken table leg defensively, bracing for the next attack.
Lu Fan closed in relentlessly, each slash of his saber so close that Xitu could feel the rush of wind. He tried to dodge, barely managing to parry some of the blows. Sweat mixed with dust on his brow as he staggered back 3 steps, his chest heaving for breath.
Lu Fan held his blade high behind his neck in a relaxed pose, then let out a scornful laugh. "Already out of breath?" he mocked.