Chapter 87 - 67 : The Chase (1)

Chapter 87: Chapter 67 : The Chase (1)

Ethan almost found it amusing. The man couldn’t possibly be unaware of the difference between them. Yet there he stood, blocking the path with that confident grin. Either he was stupid, or he had become too comfortable relying on the people behind him.

Ethan’s gaze briefly shifted past him toward the two Qi Refining cultivators still sitting on their spirit horses.

Ah.

So that was it.

The man wasn’t confident because he thought he could beat Ethan. He was confident because he believed he didn’t need to. Ethan’s thoughts lingered on it for another moment before the leader spoke again.

"We’re not trying to make trouble."

His tone was almost friendly, the words delivered with an easy sincerity that made it sound as though he genuinely believed there was nothing threatening about six armed cultivators stopping someone on a deserted road.

"We just want to confirm something."

Ethan remained silent.

"Take off the hood," the leader said. "If you’re not the person we’re looking for, you can go."

Ethan remained still for a moment.

The offer sounded simple enough, but there was something different in the leader’s voice now. The casual tone from earlier was gone. He was no longer asking out of curiosity.

Ethan looked at him from beneath the shadow of his hood.

"And if I am?"

The leader’s eyes sharpened.

For a brief moment, neither side spoke. The men behind him shifted slightly on their horses, their hands settling closer to their weapons.

The leader’s voice was quieter when he answered.

"Then we’ll talk."

Ethan’s gaze moved across the group once more. He didn’t like the way that sounded.

Ethan almost sighed.

There it was.

He had expected the conversation to reach this point sooner or later. The friendly tone, the questions, the talk about trouble in the region, it had all been leading here. He looked at the men around him, then back at the leader. At least now, they were being a little more honest about it.

The leader urged his spirit horse forward, closing the distance between them.

"Come on. Don’t make this difficult."

Ethan’s fingers rested lightly near the hilt of his short dao.

"I’m going to continue on my way."

The leader glanced at the men beside him before giving a small nod.

"Help him."

Two Body Tempering cultivators moved forward, forcing Ethan to step back. When one reached for his shoulder, Ethan shifted sideways, letting the man’s hand pass harmlessly through the space where he had been. At the same moment, Ethan kicked a loose stone from the road.

It struck the nearest horse.

The horse jerked sideways, startling another nearby horse into pulling hard against its reins. The men cursed as they struggled to bring the animals under control, but Ethan was already moving.

He shot forward in a blur, his feet barely seeming to touch the road as he covered the distance in an instant. The darkness swallowed his figure almost as soon as he moved, leaving the men only a fleeting glimpse of him disappearing down the road.

"He’s getting away!"

The men finally brought their horses under control and kicked them forward.

Ethan glanced back.

The horses were already giving chase. Their speed was impressive, but Ethan knew he couldn’t simply outrun them forever on foot. He pushed his body harder and accelerated into the darkness.

Trees rushed past on both sides as Ethan moved deeper into the night, the pounding of hooves following close behind. He glanced back. The spirit horses were still keeping pace. The open road gave the spirit horses plenty of room to run, allowing them to make full use of their strength. Though Ethan had already begun to pull ahead. They weren’t fast enough to match him completely, but they were close enough to remain a problem.

His brows drew together.

He could outrun them for now, but the road stretched ahead with little to offer him. If he kept running like this, they would remain on his trail. Ethan’s eyes moved toward the forest ahead. Perhaps there was a better way to shake them.

A sharp movement came from behind.

Ethan turned his head.

A sharp movement came from behind.

Ethan turned his head.

The lean cultivator beside the leader finally moved, pulling his hand from his sleeve as Qi gathered around his fingers. The air around his hand began to stir, sending a few loose leaves skittering across the road.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

The cultivator swept his hand forward. A thin arc of wind tore through the darkness, cutting through the air toward Ethan with a sharp whistle.

Ethan shifted sideways, and the wind blade passed close enough for him to feel the force of it before striking a tree behind him. Wood splintered from the impact. Ethan glanced at the damaged trunk as a few pieces of bark fell to the ground.

So this was one way Qi could be used.

The leader urged his spirit horse closer, closing the distance as he drew the blade from his waist. A faint glow gathered along its edge as Qi flowed into the weapon. Ethan noticed the change and shifted his footing.

The leader swung.

The blade cut through the space where Ethan had been a moment earlier, forcing him to move aside before the attack could reach him.

The leader cursed under his breath. "Damn it. He’s too fast."

Ethan’s eyes flicked toward the glowing blade as the leader pulled it back for another strike. The Qi gathered along its edge was impossible to miss.

’So Qi could be used to strengthen weapons as well.’ Ethan kept the thought in mind as he shifted his footing.

A javelin suddenly flew from behind. Ethan heard it and ducked. The weapon passed over his head and disappeared into the trees.

Another followed.

Ethan moved between two trees, forcing the horses to slow slightly as they followed him into the narrower path. But the riders quickly urged them forward again, their hooves pounding against the ground as they tried to close the distance.

Ethan glanced back. The riders were slowly closing the distance, their horses gaining ground whenever the path widened. He pushed himself faster, but the sound of hooves remained close behind.

"Keep him in sight!"

Ethan gained several steps. Behind him, one of the men shouted.

"Don’t let him get away!"

One of the men shouted from behind him.

"How fast is this bastard?"

Ethan ignored them at first. Their attacks were too weak to pose any real threat, barely grazing him whenever he failed to move completely out of the way.

But that was the problem.

Even if the attacks couldn’t hurt him, they still forced him to pay attention. Every few moments, he had to keep track of the cultivators behind him, watch for their movements, or listen for another projectile cutting through the air.

The longer it continued, the more irritating it became. He couldn’t simply move at full speed and ignore them. Every few moments, he had to keep track of the cultivators behind him, watch for their movements, or listen for another projectile cutting through the air.

And the longer it continued, the more it began to wear on him. His body was still fine, but he was growing tired of having to keep watching them, listening for their attacks, and adjusting his movements every few moments. He could have been using that time to travel, rest, or simply move without having to worry about someone constantly trying to interfere with him.

Ethan glanced up at the moon. It had climbed high above the trees now, its pale light filtering through the branches as he continued along the road. He had been running for hours, yet the men were still behind him, clinging to his trail like a pack of hunting dogs that refused to let their prey escape. No matter how much distance he put between them, they kept coming.

Another shout came from behind him.

"Stop running!"

Ethan couldn’t help but find it ridiculous. They were the ones chasing him, yet they were shouting at him as though he were the one refusing to leave them alone. He shook his head slightly and continued running.

For a while, the only sounds were his footsteps, the pounding of hooves, and the occasional rustle of leaves as the group forced their way through the forest behind him. Then the torrent of taunts began, breaking through the quiet of the night as one of the men shouted from behind.

"What’s the matter, blood demon?"

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"You were brave enough to drain those villagers, weren’t you?"

His expression hardened. Ethan understood exactly what they were doing. The words were meant to provoke him, to stir his emotions and distract him from the chase. He knew the tactic, even if he had no intention of falling for it. Or rather, he knew what they thought they were talking about.

Another voice followed.

"Maybe he’s saving his strength. Wouldn’t want to run out of blood before he finds another village."

Laughter broke out behind him, and Ethan’s fingers tightened slightly around the hilt of his short dao. He knew they were trying to get a reaction out of him, but he refused to give them one. Without looking back, he continued running as their voices carried through the night.