Speedy Growth

Clang!

Wu Di tried to kick Sheng Tian, only to be pushed back. Before he could react, Sheng Tian had already disappeared from his original spot.

Whoosh!

With fluid movements akin to that of a snake, Sheng Tian ended up behind Wu Di and attempted to stab him in the back.

Clang!

At the last moment, Wu Di twisted his body and deflected the sword. Seeing his attempt fail, Sheng Tian immediately made distance.

Despite being quite relaxed, Wu Di was in fact very pleased with Sheng Tian's progress. He now incorporated movement techniques into his fighting style, becoming much more refined than before.

'If he were to fight that woman again, I doubt he would be in a disadvantage like before'

Swish!

Wu Di jumped back just in time to avoid a sword strike that aimed to pierce his chest.

'His eyes have also changed, becoming focused and less readable'

He tried to stab an opening in Sheng Tian's defenses, only to be pushed back by the flat edge of his blade.

"However, that won't be enough to kill me"

Swish!

However, instead of cutting off Sheng Tian's head as he had initially expected, Wu Di felt nothing but air.

Pu!

"Huh-?!"

Wu Di looked down slowly to see...

Sheng Tian, alive and well, holding a sword that pierced through his chest. He grinned, "You were saying?"

Swish!

In one swift motion, Sheng Tian pulled out his sword. Blood seeped out the wound on Wu Di's chest like an unending river.

His heart had been pierced.

The old man smiled despite the pain and forced out a few words, "Not... bad-"

Thump!

The grassland, the sky, and even their bodies started disappearing into motes of light.

...

"Gasp!"

Sheng Tian opened his eyes and was met with a bare stone cave. The lamps had long since gone out and he sunk considerably deep into the mattress he was on. Checking the hourglass, Sheng Tian estimated that around 5 days have passed.

While Wu Di's mental world did not have a day night cycle, Sheng Tian felt that he spent much more time there than 5 days.

"1 day in my mental world is 5 days in the real world"

Wu Di's spirit came out of his sea of consciousness and floated before Sheng Tian, "You've spent around 25 days in there"

Whoosh!

With a small burst of qi, all the dust around Sheng Tian was cleared away. He then stood up and stretched out his limbs, "What a fraudulent ability, to be able to isolate oneself and change the flow of time"

Wu Di nodded, "It is indeed a powerful ability, though I have yet to master control over time thus, I can not use it often or I'll have no energy to keep myself from dissipating"

Sheng Tian clenched his fist and punched the wall opposite to him with all his strength.

Crash!

A powerful force was sent across the stone room. The lamps and hourglass that were set down fell and shattered.

Whoosh!

Right before the force hit the wall however, it dissipated into the air without warning.

Wu Di nodded in satisfaction, "Your control over your power has reached new heights in such a short amount of time"

Sheng Tian smirked, "I'm more satisfied that I managed to return that kick"

When Sheng Tian mentioned the kick, Wu Di's spirit shivered slightly. That was not an experience that he wanted to go through next time.

'Seems like I need to do something about that the next time'

Then, as if he'd received enlightenment, Wu Di smiled sinisterly, 'Don't be too happy about your victory. Once I can use my mental world again, I'll make sure you won't be psychologically unscathed'

Sheng Tian eyed Wu Di cautiously. While he couldn't hear his thoughts, Sheng Tian knew that his devious master was up to no good, especially with that smile.

"Whatever"

Bang!

The stone wall which Sheng Tian had placed broke and revealed the morning sun.

Wu Di floated along as Sheng Tian walked out of the little cave he had dug, "What is your plan now?"

Sheng Tian used his All Seeing Eyes and saw several disciples of the Sky Sword Sect confronting those of the Everlasting Temple. The situation didn't look good and auras were rising.

"Well, first I'll break up whatever the fuck is happening down there. Then I'll see if I can find anything about White Crane and his death"

Whoosh!

Wu Di hid himself back into Sheng Tian's sea of consciousness as he flew down to check out the situation.

...

"-and what are you going to do? The strongest person in the Sky Sword Sect is in seclusion, and we all know that it might take months for one to get out"

An ordinary looking young man with sky blue hair grit his teeth while his friends held him back. Being only at the third level of Foundation, the trio couldn't really do anything to the group from the Everlasting Temple, who were around the fifth level.

The group from the Everlasting Temple had been harassing the other sects for the past 3 days, and now they've set sights on the Sky Sword Sect once they heard that Sheng Tian had gone into seclusion.

The young man shook off his friends and stepped forward, eyes blazing with killing intent, "I challenge you to a life and death duel!"

His friends quickly tried to dissuade him, "You can't!"

The young men from the Everlasting Temple raised their eyebrows before bursting into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha! You're only at the third level of Foundation! What the hell can you even do?! Ha ha ha ha!-"

Weng!

""Pu!""

Out of nowhere, a powerful aura swept forth and pressed down on the 4 monks of the temple. They all spat out blood in unison as the oppressive foreign aura wrecked their meridian channels.

"For someone with such a low cultivation base, you sure got guts to issue a life and death battle"

The trio turned around to see the origin of the foreign aura.

"Senior Sheng Tian!"