Chapter 396 - 242: Fierce Battle (2)

Chapter 396: Chapter 242: Fierce Battle (2)

The letter detailed everything he had encountered, as well as his speculations and plans.

Then, he wandered around the city, deliberately leaving traces so that those secretly tailing him could easily track his whereabouts.

After doing all this, Fang Yue found an inn to stay in and waited quietly.

He knew that a life-or-death struggle was coming, and he had to be fully prepared.

Just as Fang Yue had expected, a black shadow appeared silently outside the city the very next night.

’This guy is so audacious, still daring to wander around near Ganzhou Prefecture City. Heh. Leaving a trail on purpose, trying to lure me to him... Fine, I’ll grant your wish. Let’s see what you’re made of.’

The Black Shadow stood in a forest outside the city. The night completely enveloped his figure, leaving only a pair of eyes, glinting with a cold light, to shine brightly in the darkness.

He gazed toward the city, as if searching for a target.

Of course, he had no intention of dealing with Fang Yue himself.

He would lead the men from the Observatory and the Government Office to hunt down the fugitive, Fang Yue.

The Black Shadow waited quietly in the night, his eyes filled with patience and cunning.

He knew Fang Yue had fallen for his scheme and was now waiting for him to show up.

However, the Black Shadow had no intention of so easily fulfilling Fang Yue’s expectations.

’Hmph, you think I’d come for you myself? Too naive,’ the Black Shadow sneered inwardly.

He glanced back toward the city, then his figure flickered and vanished into the night.

Meanwhile, inside the Government Office of Ganzhou Prefecture City, a squad of officers was assembling urgently.

Their faces were etched with seriousness and tension, for they knew the mission they were about to undertake was no small matter.

"Men, tonight we are hunting the fugitive Fang Yue."

The lead officer shouted, "This man is extremely dangerous and skilled in Martial Arts, so I need all of you to be careful."

The officers responded in unison, then quickly formed up and set out.

Their footsteps sounded exceptionally loud in the quiet night, as if announcing their operation to the entire city. ℯℯ𝑙.

And all of this was meticulously planned by the Black Shadow.

He knew Fang Yue had left a trail in the city to deliberately attract his attention.

But he had no intention of acting personally, instead using the power of the Government Office to deal with Fang Yue.

’Fang Yue, oh Fang Yue, do you really think you can outwit me? Hmph, too naive,’ the Black Shadow sneered in his heart. ’This time, I’ll let you have a taste of what it’s like to be hunted.’

At this moment, Fang Yue was sitting quietly in his room at the inn.

’Just as I thought. This person is exactly as Yun Qing described: exceptionally cunning and cherishes his own life too much to act himself. So, now that the pursuers have left the city, it’s just you left!’

Fang Yue snorted coldly. He quickly changed into a set of night-travel clothes, vaulted out of the inn’s window, and headed once again toward the Observatory in Gongzhou Prefecture.

Fang Yue’s figure moved like a phantom in the night, swiftly and nimbly weaving through the streets of Gongzhou Prefecture.

His target was clear—the Observatory, the most likely place for the Black Shadow to be hiding.

He had to find the Black Shadow as quickly as possible and uncover the truth behind everything.

Before long, Fang Yue arrived at the perimeter of the Observatory.

He scanned his surroundings and noticed that security was not as tight as usual; the number of patrolling guards was significantly lower.

Even so, Fang Yue did not act rashly. Instead, he found a hidden spot and concealed himself.

He waited quietly for an opportunity to infiltrate the Observatory.

After a good while, Fang Yue finally spotted a gap in their patrol.

Taking advantage of the interval as two guards changed shifts, he darted out from the shadows, leaped over, and successfully slipped into the Observatory.

After entering the Observatory, Fang Yue didn’t rush to find the Black Shadow, but first observed his surroundings.

Having been here once before, it was like returning to a familiar place. Fang Yue easily avoided the noticeably fewer guards.

Soon, Fang Yue suddenly felt a sinister, cold aura drifting from ahead.

He immediately slowed his pace warily, cautiously approaching the source of the aura.

Ahead, inside a secret room, the Black Shadow was standing perfectly still.

His back was to Fang Yue, as if he were waiting for something.

Joy surged in Fang Yue’s heart; this was the target he had been looking for.

He swiftly drew the Longsword at his side, preparing to take down the Black Shadow in one move.

However, just as he was about to strike, the Black Shadow suddenly spun around, his eyes glinting with a cold light as they locked onto him.

"You really did come. Heh. I won’t let you escape this time." The Black Shadow sounded as if he had long expected Fang Yue’s arrival.

His tone held a hint of smugness, as if everything was under his control.

Fang Yue frowned slightly, knowing his opponent was no simpleton. Still, the Observatory and the imperial court had indeed dispatched experts and pursuers out of the city.

Even if this was a trap, it would still take some time for those men to return and provide backup.

Therefore, he still had a chance.

Fang Yue quickly adjusted his mindset, preparing for a life-or-death duel with the Black Shadow.

"Escape? Hmph, you think I’m afraid of you?" Fang Yue snorted coldly. The Longsword in his hand flashed with a cold light as he stabbed directly at the Black Shadow.

The Black Shadow showed no weakness. With a flicker of his body, he easily dodged Fang Yue’s attack, then countered with a strike of his own, sending a jet of black Sword Qi straight toward Fang Yue.

Fang Yue was prepared. He sidestepped, once again dodging the Black Shadow’s attack.

He then seized the opportunity to launch a series of continuous attacks, trying to force the Black Shadow into a corner.

However, the Black Shadow’s strength was no less than Fang Yue’s. His movements were erratic, appearing now to Fang Yue’s left, now to his right. Each of his attacks was precise, expertly avoiding Fang Yue’s vital points.

And so, the two of them engaged in a fierce battle within the secret room.

Sword Qi crisscrossed, cold light flashed, and their Qi and blood thundered.

Their figures moved rapidly about the secret room, and every collision produced a deafening crash.

The walls of the secret room were sprayed with stone fragments and dust. The entire room shook nonstop, as if it might collapse at any moment.

BANG—

With another violent collision, two figures flew backward, crashing into the corners of the room.

Fang Yue’s chest heaved violently, his breathing heavy. Although he had gained the upper hand in that last exchange, he was still injured.

However, his opponent was in even worse shape.

"How are you this strong?!" The Black Shadow seemed incredulous. In that pure clash of power, he had actually been at a disadvantage.

He had originally believed that if he acted personally, he could certainly subdue Fang Yue. But reality had dealt him a harsh slap in the face, leaving him feeling ashamed and indignant.

The Black Shadow’s heart was filled with shock and resentment. He had never imagined he would suffer a setback at the hands of some unknown upstart. Yet the facts were plain to see: Fang Yue’s strength had truly exceeded his expectations.

He looked down at the wound on his chest, from which blood was slowly seeping, staining his clothes red. It was an injury from the earlier clash with Fang Yue. While not fatal, it was certainly painful enough.

The Black Shadow took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock and fury in his heart. He knew he could no longer underestimate Fang Yue; otherwise, he really would be undone by his own carelessness.

"Hmph, I didn’t expect you to have a trick like that up your sleeve."

The Black Shadow raised his head and looked at Fang Yue coldly. "But do you think you can beat me with just this? Too naive!"

With that, he moved, once again launching an attack on Fang Yue.

This time, his assault was even more fierce and ruthless, as if he wanted to vent all his fury upon Fang Yue.

However, Fang Yue was not intimidated.

He had been through countless life-or-death battles and had long since forged an indomitable will.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his internal injuries, and then swung his Longsword to meet the attack.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The sound of metal colliding echoed endlessly in the secret room as their figures became entangled once more. Sword Qi crisscrossed and cold light flashed, the entire room seemingly transformed into their battlefield.

This round of combat was even more intense and brutal than before, with both sides using their full strength to fight to the death.

The Black Shadow’s figure was as elusive as a phantom, flickering unpredictably. One moment he would appear in front of Fang Yue to attack, the next he would circle behind for a sneak attack.

His attacks were extremely fast and came from incredibly tricky angles, making him a very difficult opponent for Fang Yue.

However, Fang Yue was no slouch either.

Relying on his vast combat experience and superb reflexes, he dodged the Black Shadow’s attacks time and time again.

At the same time, he launched fierce counterattacks, attempting to crush the Black Shadow in one fell swoop.