Winning Gambit

Haoran pressed forward through the forest with the rest of their troops, using his spiritual sense to stay on the look out for the formation key. He wasn't an expert in formations, but he could at least suss out the key of a formation as elementary, as this.

Or so he thought, at least. He'd already destroyed three keys as they marched along, but the illusion showed no signs of dispersing. There weren't any kinds of formations that had more than one key, were there?

There was also something odd, about all this... and looking beside him at Lanfen, he realized what it was. She was oddly quiet, looking down as if she were thinking about something, and he nudged her slightly to get her attention.

"You okay? You're rather complaint-free, right now."

"Oh, stuff it," she said with a scowl, though her thoughtful gaze never left the ground.

"... I was just wondering who would win, between that brat and the boss."

Now it was Haoran's turn to look thoughtful.

"Hm. And who would you like to win? I distinctly remember someone saying she'd 'kill that brat', the next time she saw him."

Lanfen clicked her tongue and turned away, staying silent, for a moment. She spoke up after a while, though, looking back at Haoran with a sideways glance.

"... Things were a lot better when that asshole Gao Shun wasn't around. Do you think we could take him down, if we went back and helped?"

Haoran shook his head with a wry smile, though he couldn't help but share her sentiment.

Before Gao Shun had come and taken over the mountains, he and Lanfen had operated as a pair of highwaymen, holding up travelers and merchant caravans and taking what spoils they wanted. Of course, it wasn't as if their hands were free of blood; there were many who resisted, after all.

But things took a turn when Gao Shun came and put down his iron fist. He gathered all the bandits who would submit underneath him to commit atrocities in his name, while all those who resisted were given a swift, and rather dull, death.

He and Lanfen were obviously part of the former, though they chafed under his command, and even they thought he took things too far. Haoran missed the days where he could roam free with Lanfen, and just take what he pleased...

"I doubt we could even find our way back, in this illusion. And even if we could, Gao Shun would just kill us, instantly. I suppose we'll simply have to pray for the kid's victory?" he said with an amused smile.

"... Damn it."

Lanfen could only kick at a nearby bush, grumbling all the while.

--

"Kgh!"

Ryker grit his teeth as he felt the sword qi cut through his skin, sending spikes of pain through his arms as he did his best to defend himself. The soft armor and bracers he had received from the system were almost torn to shreds, and even his jacket, which was enchanted to be cut-resistant and self-repairing, was riddled in holes and tears, unable to repair itself fast enough.

"What's wrong? Where's all that energy from before, fool?"

Gao Shun floated leisurely in the air above him, wearing a malicious smile even as his eyes shone coldly. Ryker just stubbornly spit out some blood, wiping his mouth and responding with a grin of his own.

"Heh, and what about you? Doesn't seem like you can finish me off, can you?"

Although this was the worst beating he'd taken since coming to this world, he'd honestly had worse.

Still, ten minutes had already passed, and his opponent had yet to reveal any openings; they were similar in terms of power and speed, with Gao Shun holding a slight edge in both, but he overwhelmed Ryker with his sword technique. Casually parrying all of his strikes, dodging with only the slightest effort, and able to seamlessly counter in between it all... If Ryker were to guess, he'd say Gao Shun was just playing with him.

But he supposed that was for the best. As long as his opponent kept underestimating him...

Gao Shun just frowned when he heard Ryker's provocations, snorting derisively. Was this fool really taking pride in not dying instantly?

Though, he had to admit the peasant was more persistent than he had expected; even after being sliced open by multiple sword strikes, he still showed no signs of dropping. And despite his own immaculate swordplay, he was unable to land a decisive blow.

All this... while his opponent was still in the Foundation Establishment realm...

"... Hmph."

Suddenly, he dove, bringing his blade down towards Ryker with an astounding speed. His attack came so quickly that Ryker didn't even have time to dodge, instead just barely managing to deflect the attack with his staff, the sword qi infused within the strike managing to cut into even the hard metal of the Sturdy Iron Cudgel.

But even though he managed to block, the force behind the blow was staggering enough to send Ryker tumbling across the ground, traces of sword qi cutting into him and scattering even more of his blood every which way.

"You're good, I'll give you that," Gao Shun started to say, his previously relaxed demeanor starting to slip, replaced by a trace of greed in his stare, "A Foundation Establishment cultivator able to hold his own against someone in the Nascent Soul Realm? You'd certainly make waves, even back in the Central Continent."

Ryker hurriedly rolled up into a standing position, the taste of blood still permeating his tongue, but he'd hardly gotten to his feet before Gao Shun was in his face again, the tip of his blade mere centimeters away from Ryker's throat.

"I've decided. I'll have your secrets, and show those fools back home just who is more wretched!"

However, before the blade could pierce his neck, Ryker's aura suddenly skyrocketed, and he instantly disappeared and reappeared behind Gao Shun with the Void Crossing Steps.

['Borrowing' from Luo Shuchang,] came Mini C's voice in his head, and Ryker grinned as he brought his staff down on Gao Shun's head.

'Close one! Nice, Mini C!'

Gao Shun froze for only a moment before his spiritual sense picked up on Ryker's presence behind him, and he quickly dodged to the side. He was a hair too slow, however, and Ryker's staff struck down on his shoulder heavily, causing him to grunt in pain.

'What the hell? A spatial movement technique?!'

His thoughts were interrupted by another incoming strike, and this time, Gao Shun was forced to spin around and take a step back, raising his sword to ward off the blow.

How had this buffoon suddenly become so fast? And was he holding back on using that spatial movement technique, this whole time?

['Borrowing' countdown started; 9 minutes and 54 seconds, left.]

Ryker grinned as he kept up his assault, his attacks coming out faster and faster as he pushed Gao Shun to the defensive. He would intermittently use the Void Crossing Steps to teleport and switch up his attack angle, as well, but after his initial surprise attack, Gao Shun seemed to have wised up to this, using his superior technique to defend himself from all sides.

It was only thanks to his technique that he was able to block or evade the first dozen blows, but when he attempted to dodge the next, a sudden pain in the meridians near his shoulder caused him to stumble, and he found his feet swept out from under him by the Sturdy Iron Cudgel before Ryker kicked him in the stomach, sending him tumbling across the ground.

'What the hell is this?!'

He looked up at Ryker with a fierce glare even as Ryker rushed forward, intent on finishing things off.

This was no longer the same opponent he'd been casually slicing apart a few moments ago; How had this peasant managed to humiliate him, like this?!

With a roar of defiance, Gao Shun met Ryker blow for blow, their weapons creating sparks as they clashed against each other. At the same time, he focused on the strange energy that was now invading his meridians, tightening his control on his qi flow and suppressing the foreign sensation.

He had been curious as to what sort of force Ryker had been using in conjunction with qi, but he didn't expect it to have a qi suppressing effect, such as this.

Ryker grit his teeth as he pressed his assault, but he was slowly getting pushed back now that the surpise from his initial burst of power was passing. His blood flew every which way as Gao Shun's blade sliced into him, finding gaps in his defenses even with his increased speed.

Still, he stubbornly held on, forcing Gao Shun to fight for every injury he inflicted. He had to draw it out to the very last minute of 'borrowing', and push Gao Shun to the limits of his stamina!

Their exchange lasted for several minutes, before both parties broke away with a final, ringing clash, landing on opposite sides of the clearing that had once contained an abundance of trees, all leveled in their battle. They were both out of breath, at this point, panting and heaving with sweat dripping down their faces.

"You bastard... how is your cultivation suddenly in the Soul Wandering realm?" Gao Shun spat out, to which Ryker just grinned cheekily, shrugging his shoulders.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Gao Shun snarled in frustration before charging with abandon, while Ryker simply held his ground, letting out a deep breath as he prepared his winning gambit.

'Activate the FDC!' he shouted in his head, grip tightening on the Sturdy Iron Cudgel.

[Activating Ferocious Dao Charm... 1 minute and 22 seconds left on 'Borrowing'...]

Feeling the power surging through him, Ryker met Gao Shun's charge with his own strikes, and so their exchange began, once more. However, Gao Shun felt things were different, this time, as Ryker's blows became heavier and heavier as the exchange went on.

"Here comes the finisher!"

Ryker cried out as he went for one final thrust of his staff, unleashing the pent up power of the Ferocious Dao Charm as he did.

Gao Shun grmaced, feeling a terrifying power from Ryker's strike; he had to block this attack, no matter what!

He used his sword to try and sweep the staff to the side and dodge, but as soon as he touched his blade to the staff, the staff and Ryker disappeared, his sword touching nothing but thin air. He frantically tried to use his spiritual sense to ascertain Ryker's location after he teleported, but his senses were telling him that Ryker was... right in front of him...?

Ryker's shadowy figure briefly flashed before his eyes as a blade thrust toward his stomach, and his moment of hesitation cost him his opportunity to block or get out of the way. Gao Shun cried out in agony as the Snow-Rimed Sword pierced his abdomen, the stored up energy of the Ferocious Dao Charm exploding within his body and wreaking havoc.

'The illusion array!'