Chapter Ninety-Nine, Invisibility Talisman

"Oh? Brother Yang, it seems someone is tailing you. Let me drag him out." As Cangyuan was discussing the Spirit Condensation Pill with Yang Xiao, he suddenly changed the subject. With a swift movement, he slashed his palm toward the air behind Yang Xiao. A massive surge of spiritual energy, sharp as a guillotine, cut directly toward the empty space behind him.

Suddenly, the air behind Yang Xiao rippled violently, and a figure emerged. It was the same triangular-eyed cultivator who had competed with Yang Xiao for the intermediate-grade space stone and the shapeshifting stone at the Treasure Pavilion auction. Faced with Cangyuan’s ferocious strike, the man had no choice but to reveal himself. He gripped a small shield, which emitted a brilliant blue light to parry the incoming attack.

"So it is you, Su Li. What’s the matter? Did you follow Brother Yang here because you failed to secure the space stone and shapeshifting stone at the auction? Are you planning to kill and loot?" It was clear that Cangyuan knew this man.

"Cangyuan, don't think that just because your cultivation is higher, you can spout nonsense. I have no such intentions! I was merely curious about the identity of this young cultivator, so I followed him," Su Li argued, trying to justify his actions.

"You know perfectly well why you are here. If you didn't have malicious intent, why use a low-down trick like a Concealment Talisman? If my spiritual sense hadn't been keen, I might not have discovered you. If you had launched a sneak attack on Brother Yang, who would have known? Brother Yang, don't you agree?" Cangyuan turned to ask Yang Xiao, clearly demonstrating both concern and a desire to curry favor, hoping to make Yang Xiao owe him a debt of gratitude.

"Brother Cangyuan is right. This man is clearly harboring ill intentions. I am grateful to you for dragging him out; otherwise, I might have been in real danger. By the way, Brother Cangyuan, you seem to know this man. What is his background?" Yang Xiao asked.

In truth, Yang Xiao had known about the tailing since he left Huayun City. His own spiritual sense was formidable, and he had detected the follower early on. Since the pursuer only had the cultivation of the second or third stage of Qi Condensation—much like his own—Yang Xiao had not been overly concerned. While he remained vigilant, he had seen no need to expose the man. He had planned to deal with him after parting ways with Cangyuan. However, since Cangyuan had already exposed him, Yang Xiao was naturally curious about the man's identity and motives.

"This Su Li is the leader of the Sun-Yang Gang, a small group in Huayun City. He is obsessed with refining magical artifacts. He must have followed you, Brother Yang, to get his hands on the space stone and the shapeshifting stone you possess. But now that I have discovered him, I will certainly put a stop to it. I cannot allow such a petty villain to harm you," Cangyuan declared righteously.

"I see. Thank you again, Brother Cangyuan, for your intervention," Yang Xiao said, cupping his hands in gratitude. Regardless of Cangyuan’s hidden motives, his righteous stance suggested he was a man of principle who would not commit heinous acts.

"Cangyuan, don't think you can suppress me with your cultivation; I'm not buying it. If I want to leave today, can you really stop me?" Su Li was indignant. He had only been tracking Yang Xiao, and it had nothing to do with Cangyuan. Cangyuan’s interference was infuriating. While he knew Cangyuan’s cultivation was superior and he couldn't win in a direct confrontation, he believed he could escape if he chose to.

"Su Li, since you've come, do you really think it will be that easy to leave? Let me show you the power of my Gale Qi Technique." Cangyuan had no intention of letting him go. He unleashed his wind-attribute technique, the Gale Qi. With his mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivation, the technique manifested several giant rocs in the air, which dove toward Su Li with piercing shrieks.

Seeing the power of the technique, Su Li’s heart sank. He knew Cangyuan was attacking with ruthless intent and that he had to defend with everything he had. Fortunately, his shield was a potent spiritual artifact. Sensing the danger, Su Li channeled his energy into the shield and even spat out a mouthful of blood to empower it. The blue light intensified, forming the silhouette of a massive mysterious turtle in front of the shield. The creature’s eyes were half-open, and it stood like a mountain, shielding Su Li completely. No matter how many times Cangyuan’s attacks struck, the turtle remained unbroken.

"Su Li, I didn't expect you to have such a remarkable artifact. No wonder you were so arrogant." Only then did Cangyuan realize he couldn't easily break through the defense. Of course, he had many other techniques he hadn't used, but since the target of the pursuit was Yang Xiao, he saw no reason to make a lifelong enemy of Su Li. He was unwilling to exhaust too many of his own resources for Yang Xiao’s sake.

Seeing an opening, Su Li sneered, "I told you that you couldn't keep me here, didn't I? Do you realize how powerful I am now? If I want to leave, do you have any other way to stop me? If not, I shall take my leave. We shall meet again." He prepared to retreat.

"Leaving so easily? That’s impossible. You must pay a price for tailing me." Yang Xiao saw that Cangyuan was at a stalemate, but he was not about to let Su Li go. Letting him walk away would make Yang Xiao look weak and might encourage Su Li to bother him again in the future. He had to exert pressure to show that he was not someone to be trifled with.

As he spoke, Yang Xiao flicked his wrist. The Dragon-Snake Sword flew out, instantly multiplying into thousands of flying swords, surrounding Su Li completely.

This time, Yang Xiao would not give him any chance to escape.