Eight Trigrams Seal

"Hoh? So it's revenge that you want, then?" Elder Shi said, stroking his beard in amusement.

{Wow! Who knew we'd have a development, like this!} Bestie exclaimed excitedly.

[Ryker's parents obviously have nothing to do with it,] Mini C said in his usual monotone.

'Haha, yeah, I'm just messing with him to buy some time,' Ryker thought, though on the surface, his face was cold as ice. Mini C had sent out a message to Luo Shuchang earlier indicating their location, and he should be on his way, if he wasn't already here.

"Well then, I don't know what happened with your parents, but I'm willing to entertain your whims, if you wish," Elder Shi went on with an arrogant expression.

He really didn't know what this young man was talking about, but he didn't particularly care, either. As an elder, he knew the sect was involved in some shady dealings. Although he didn't know what happened to this youth's parents, he could guess well enough.

Adding the fact that this young man should be the one responsible for killing Elder Chen and pushing all of these bothersome tasks onto him, he honestly couldn't wait to beat this brat to death!

"You'll regret underestimating me," Ryker said, narrowing his eyes in (mock) anger. He'd just gotten a message back from Luo Shuchang that he was in position; the countdown had started.

"Hmph. Leave us, patriarch. I'll take care of this whelp," Elder Shi said to Li Deming. The Li family patriarch just nodded fearfully and left the room, as a faint, shimmering screen of light covered the walls, the noises of the amphitheater outside suddenly going quiet.

"An isolation barrier," Elder Shi explained, helpfully, "It wouldn't do for me to be found out here, after all."

Ryker just nodded, though inwardly he was pumping his fists in triumph. It looked like this old man was fine with staying here, for the time being.

[...This could be troublesome,] Mini C chimed in, [We're trapped in this space, and I'm not sure how we could break this barrier, myself. Let's hope your lookalike will be able to make good on his end of the plan.]

'Uh, true. Let's keep this guy talking a bit more, then,' Ryker thought, as he began to speak.

"Why did you do it? They were just simple farmers, and yet you Great Void scum took everything from them!" Ryker shouted with gusto, stalling for time. Elder Shi simply sneered again, taking out his own weapon: a long, flexible sword inlaid with cryptic runes and inscriptions.

"Like I said, boy, I have no idea what you're talking about. But if I had to give an answer, then I'd say: why shouldn't we take what we want? The only justice in this world is power!"

Ryker only tightened his grip on his sword, a hateful glare on his face. Of course, this was all just an act...

'Wow, these guys really are assholes, though,' he idly thought to himself. Were they really so scummy that he wouldn't even deny they would do something like this?

"Now, I have a question for you," Elder Shi went on with an arrogant smile.

"Do you really think you'll be able to defeat me?"

"I won't know until I try!" Ryker shouted in response, but hesitated, seemingly shrinking back at Elder Shi's intimidation.

"...I can see you're not confident. Let me make a deal with you, then."

Elder Shi strode over to where Ryker was standing in the center of the room, giving him a condescending look, though the effect was somewhat diminished since he had to look up at him. Ryker just backed away a few steps, keeping Elder Shi just within range of his sword.

"I'm curious about how you were able to kill Elder Chen with your Foundation Establishment cultivation. Tell me your secrets, and I'll talk to our sect leader about showing you leniency. I'll even give you a chance to join our sect; someone able to defeat a Nascent Soul realm expert like you would of course be welcome."

Elder Shi smiled confidently as he saw Ryker hesitate further. There was a long pause while he seemed to think over Elder Shi's offer, which made the old man smile even more broadly.

'Hahaha, though of course, we'll just execute you as soon as you get to our sect,' he thought to himself, his smile growing more wicked, 'Agonize over your decision, while you can!'

To reiterate, Ryker was still just stalling for time.

'How's it going, Shuchang?' he thought, relying on Mini C to get his message through.

- Initial setup is complete, though I'll need a few more minutes to activate the formation. You're doing great in there, keep him talking, - came Luo Shuchang's response.

Ryker nodded his head as if coming to a decision, and he looked at Elder Shi with a suspicious glare, before speaking.

"...You say I'll be able to join the sect?" he asked tentatively, lowering his sword slightly.

"Hmhm, yes, and I'll even make it so you can join as an inner disciple. I'm sure the benefits will satisfy you," Elder Shi said, the smile overtaking his face as he stroked his beard.

"What kind of benefits are we talking about, here?"

"Hm? Well, you'll enjoy a large stipend of resources every month, and gain access to a number of exclusive facilities..."

"What about food and housing?"

"Erm, of course disciples are provided three meals a day, and inner disciples are given their own room..."

"Are there any pretty women?"

"...That's really not important, right now..."

"And how about--"

"Enough!" Elder Shi shouted with a livid expression, but soon afterwards cleared his throat, returning to his previously calm self.

"Will you be giving up your secrets, or not? This discussion won't continue until you've held up your end of the bargain!" he said, sternly.

"Hm..."

Ryker rubbed his chin and paused again, as if in thought, making Elder Shi's eyebrow twitch in frustration.

'Would you hurry and make up your mind, already?!' he shouted in his head, but as he did, he felt a slight hint of spiritual energy from outside of his isolation barrier, causing his intuition to scream out with a sense of danger.

"...Are you simply stalling for time, right now?" he asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Ryker just looked at him with the stony expression he'd been wearing the whole time, before slowly breaking out into his usual, mischievous grin.

"Cat's out of the bag, huh?" he said, placing a hand on his hip and leisurely leaning to one side.

"You..."

Elder Shi's fist shook with anger, his lip curling into a fierce snarl, baring his teeth.

"You brat!"

He roared as he swung his sword-whip towards Ryker's neck, who dodged clear to the other side of the room, using the wall to shoot back and lash out with an attack of his own. The old man quickly pulled out a dagger in his other hand to parry the strike, eyes widening in shock at Ryker's speed.

"Haha, too slow!" Ryker said, jumping back and kicking a chair at the elder with alarming accuracy. All Elder Shi could do was knock the chair away before Ryker was back in his face, slashing at his torso with abandon.

He quickly jumped back and tried to swing his sword-whip again, but the long, flexible blade got caught up in the walls as it sliced through them, giving Ryker enough time to close within a range where his weapon was ineffective.

"Damn it!" he shouted, furiously thrusting his dagger to keep Ryker at bay. Although its range was rather short, bursts of blade-like qi shot out from the dagger, forcing Ryker to dodge them as he looked for an opening to attack, himself.

"Phew, you're pretty good, old man!"

Ryker ducked and dove all over the place, though never straying too far out of range, lest Elder Shi get enough distance to employ his main weapon.

"You damn punk!"

Elder Shi, for his part, tried desperately to create some distance, but this infuriating brat just stuck to him like glue. If it weren't for the fact he was trying not to make a commotion, he'd burst through these damn walls and show him just what it meant to mess with an elder of the Great Void Sect!

- Two more minutes, Ryker! - Luo Shuchang's voice sounded in Ryker's head, and he pressed his assault more fervently, pushing his Profound Wind Walking Technique to the utmost as he weaved around Elder Shi's dagger and harried him with his Snow-Rimed Sword.

'Shit, not good!'

Elder Shi's expression grew worse as more of that dangerous spiritual energy leaked through his barrier, giving him a clearer sense of how dreadful it was.

Whatever this brat was preparing, it was something huge!

Gritting his teeth, Elder Shi made up his mind, dispelling his isolation barrier and bolting for the door.

"Shit, he's running!" Ryker cried out, leaping to tackle the old man, but Elder Shi just smashed the hilt of his dagger into his face, wriggling out of his grasp.

Luo Shuchang, who had been observing from just outside the room, cursed and chanted under his breath, activating the formation prematurely. Although the effects would be greatly diminished, it could still give them the chance they needed to capture him!

"Eight Trigrams Sealing Formation!" he shouted, palm slamming down onto the activation circle. A bright light enveloped the room, before that light condensed underneath Elder Shi's feet and shot upwards like a geyser.

"Krrgh!"

Elder Shi was hit by a wave of pain in his meridians as the light engulfed him, though he shook it off and continued fleeing out the door. He caught a glimpse of Luo Shuchang as he passed, seeing the knocked out guards as well as Li Deming, nearby, and cursed inwardly, wondering how he hadn't sensed this other young man, before.

Even though his isolation barrier prevented him from sensing the outside world, somewhat, this young man was in the Soul Wandering realm, and right outside the barrier, at that! Was he really that skilled at hiding his aura?

"Ryker, after him!" Luo Shuchang shouted, panting from the backlash at having forced the formation's activation, but Ryker was already hot on Elder Shi's heels, pushing his qi to the limit as he poured it all into his movement technique.

"Got it, Twin! Try and keep up!" he shouted back over his shoulder, chasing the old man through the confused amphitheater workers in his pursuit. The chase was on!