I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 333 - 317: Settling the Score

(A big thank you to our reader, Mu En, for the 50,000-point reward. You’re awesome!)

Wang Meng figured that as long as he kept heading in this direction, he would eventually reach the territory of the Saint Cultivators.

Wu Shu was growing more and more furious. ’That little bastard up ahead can really run, and his endurance is unbelievably good. If my Tracking Skill wasn’t so strong, he would’ve actually gotten away. But... it seems the kid can’t tell which way is which; he’s just scurrying around randomly. Otherwise, he really might have escaped.’

Nearly every Sect had an outpost in the Slaughter Space. The weak were hunted down and eliminated, while the strong grew even stronger. However, each Sect’s outpost had its own sphere of influence, separated by vast distances. The Ghost Heart Sect, to which Wu Shu belonged, controlled a radius of ten thousand li.

’I’m not worried about my big score getting away anymore,’ Wu Shu thought. ’I’m worried someone else will stumble upon us. Then I won’t be able to keep it all for myself.’

Wang Meng cultivated as he ran, not wasting a single moment. Only by raising his Life Mark Level could he increase his Elemental Power and run farther. Fortunately, he had diligently practiced the Nourishing Essence Technique, so his recovery speed was much faster than the average person’s.

And so, the two continued their game of cat and mouse. Wu Shu still hadn’t managed to catch Wang Meng. Had it been any other target, Wu Shu would have given up long ago, but the things Wang Meng possessed were simply too tempting to abandon. It was fair to say that if he could strip Wang Meng of everything he had, he could save himself decades of struggle.

Wang Meng’s situation was different. He was actually in no hurry to leave. Wang Meng discovered that the pressure of the chase had pushed his body to its optimal state. His Five Elements Technique was advancing by leaps and bounds. Since his Fire Jade Technique had already broken through, his Five Elements Body instinctively sought Five Elements Balance, allowing him to cultivate the other four elements with twice the result for half the effort. How could Wang Meng pass up such a golden opportunity to cultivate?

He’d never find this kind of life-or-death pressure at the Cultivation Academy. Only someone like Wang Meng would seize an opportunity like this.

Wu Shu had also realized that the little bastard seemed to be playing hide-and-seek with him, which enraged him even more. ’I have to kill him, no matter what. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to live with myself. If this leaves a scar on my psyche, I can forget about ever advancing my Cultivation Technique again.’

This was what Cultivators feared most.

Wang Meng and Wu Shu continued their daily dance. In the Slaughter Space, there were many spatial rifts from which all sorts of Demon Beasts would occasionally emerge. These Demon Beasts were incredibly powerful and violent. In the month or so of dueling with Wu Shu, Wang Meng had run into them many times, and of course, so had Wu Shu.

But Wang Meng had a background in brawling and had mastered the art of taking advantage of chaos. He had clashed with Wu Shu twice. Although he hadn’t managed to hurt Wu Shu, he had escaped unharmed both times. Wu Shu, on the other hand, was growing frustrated. The kid had gone from constantly fleeing to daring to fight back. The most crucial part was that Wu Shu himself had failed to seize his chances. The first time, he had been pinned down by a Demon Beast, which allowed Wang Meng to escape. The second time, Wang Meng had "cheated" his way out of his grasp again. Wu Shu had also noticed a change in Wang Meng; the kid seemed to be getting stronger every day.

In a hidden stone cave, Wang Meng sat cross-legged. He wasn’t running. He could faintly sense that his Cultivation Technique had reached a critical moment. Such times were the most delicate. Wang Meng had been through this twice before. His current life-or-death state was perfect for it. ’If I miss this feeling, who knows when I’ll get another chance to break through.’ He might as well court death to find life. By trapping himself in this cave, Wang Meng had cut off his own escape route. Only by burning his bridges would he have a chance.

At that moment, Wu Shu had already flown to the peak of the mountain above Wang Meng’s cave. The spiritual imprint he had placed on Wang Meng clearly told him that his target was in a cave at the mountain’s base. However, given his past two experiences, Wu Shu wasn’t rushing this time. ’Heaven knows what kind of scheme this kid has cooked up now. I have to make sure this is absolutely foolproof!’

Wu Shu didn’t hurry. He slowly descended, silently scanning his surroundings. There was no unusual movement. After such a long pursuit, Wu Shu rarely showed this much patience. He had come to understand Wang Meng a little. Aside from a shabby sword, the kid didn’t seem to have any other Magical Artifacts, which was a bit of a disappointment for Wu Shu. A disciple from a major Sect should have either a defensive or an offensive Magical Artifact. This kid was resilient, but he was sorely lacking in that department.

’Even so,’ he thought, ’as long as I get that Essence of Fire, it will be enough.’

Soon, a smile spread across Wu Shu’s face, because standing guard at the cave entrance was that Little Flame.

Little Flame was vigilantly watching its surroundings when it suddenly sensed something amiss. The three tufts of flame on its head, like a radar, detected the danger and pointed in Wu Shu’s direction. Wu Shu hadn’t intended to hide his presence anyway.

The moment Little Flame saw Wu Shu, it immediately scurried back into the cave. Wu Shu landed and walked to the entrance but didn’t rush in. He didn’t know what the Saint Cultivator kid was up to inside. ’Even though he’s a Saint Cultivator, that little bastard has plenty of dirty tricks up his sleeve.’

"Kid, you have nowhere left to run! Get out here, and I’ll leave you an intact corpse!"

Wu Shu’s bow was already aimed at the cave entrance.

There was no movement from within. At this moment, Wang Meng was in deep meditation, completely lost in his own world. He knew very well that Wu Shu was right outside. Life and death would be decided in an instant.

’Old Moo’s consciousness once mentioned a very important point: a Cultivator must have a sense of crisis. You must feel fear to become strong!’

Only those who feel fear can become stronger. Of course, if that fear isn’t controlled, it becomes cowardice.

Strong fluctuations of Elemental Power emanated from the cave. Wu Shu’s expression kept changing. Five Elements Flame... Earth of the Five Elements... Metal of the Five Elements... Water of the Five Elements... Wood of the Five Elements. He could sense every single one of them. What was most peculiar was that each type of power was incredibly pure, as if five Cultivators of exceptional talent were using their Cultivation Techniques simultaneously. But Wu Shu knew there was only one person inside.

Wu Shu was bewildered. ’What time is it for this? How can that kid still be in the mood to practice his Cultivation Technique?’

’Impossible. This can’t be coming from that Saint Cultivator kid. It’s most likely a Magical Artifact. He’s using some kind of Magical Artifact!’

Whatever he was doing, Wu Shu wasn’t going to wait any longer. Elemental Power flared from the longbow in his hands as he began to bombard the cave entrance. Even if he brought the whole mountain down, he couldn’t let the kid get out of there alive.

BOOM... BOOM... BOOM...

Arrow after arrow blasted into the cave. The mountain shook, the ground quaked, and shattered rock filled the air.

Little Flame stayed by Wang Meng’s side. As rocks constantly fell from the ceiling, Little Flame leaped about, spewing flames to help Wang Meng block the falling debris.

However, although Little Flame’s quality was extremely high, its power was limited. After a short struggle, its flames weakened. A huge boulder came crashing down, sending Little Flame flying.

Wang Meng’s entire focus was on the Pentagram Array. His power had gathered and was continuously condensing. The power from his Godhood was also being injected through the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array. Wang Meng was a man who dared to risk it all. Succeed or die trying. He channeled all his power in one great push—either break through or perish!

After bombarding for a while, Wu Shu stopped. There was no longer any sound from inside. Wu Shu cautiously entered. He didn’t get far before he saw Wang Meng and Little Flame on the ground.

Little Flame lay on the ground, its belly heaving. Seeing Wu Shu enter, it struggled to its feet and stood protectively in front of Wang Meng.

Wu Shu couldn’t help but laugh out loud. ’That little bastard actually had the nerve to practice his technique at a time like this. But this Essence of Fire is truly intelligent, knowing to protect its master. Although my Cultivation Technique isn’t based on the Five Elements Flame, if I present this to the Sect Leader, it would be a huge merit. If properly nurtured, this Essence of Fire could become a Divine Beast Level existence. A top-tier Divine Beast is no weaker than a Great Perfection master.’

Little Flame spat out a stream of fire. Wu Shu chuckled and with a light flick, extinguished the flame. ’A young Divine Beast is undoubtedly the most wonderful prize. Easy to tame.’

Wu Shu aimed his bow at Wang Meng’s head. "Die!"

WHOOSH...

An explosive arrow shot straight for Wang Meng’s head. VMMMM...

The arrow suddenly stopped just inches from Wang Meng’s forehead. Elemental Power erupted from Wang Meng’s body.

Wang Meng’s tightly shut eyes snapped open. He grabbed the arrow in front of his forehead, and as Elemental Power surged into it, the arrow instantly turned to dust.

He placed Little Flame on his shoulder and looked coolly at Wu Shu. "What a shame. You missed your last chance."

Wu Shu stared at Wang Meng, dumbfounded. "This is impossible... How could this happen...?"

Wang Meng looked at his own hands. He himself was surprised, but not shocked. His Life Mark had shot up by ten levels, and his Sea of Fate had also changed. The Five Elements now filled his Life Marks. It was a wondrous transformation. Though he didn’t yet know the full effects, Wang Meng knew one thing: he had become stronger. Much stronger.

"Hmph, you’re only at the thirtieth level or so. Don’t get ahead of yourself!"

The moment Wu Shu’s words fell, Wang Meng’s figure vanished. Wu Shu’s eyes narrowed as he dodged simultaneously.

The two of them shifted sideways toward the cave entrance, and Wang Meng’s attack missed.

Wu Shu grew vigilant. ’I couldn’t even clearly see my opponent’s movements just now. If this kid isn’t killed, he’ll become a huge threat.’

"This is a nice bow. It has a strong Earth Attribute. It’s a real waste for you to be using it."

Wu Shu’s heart suddenly jolted. Only then did he realize that his bow was now in Wang Meng’s hands.

"Go to hell!" He abruptly threw out a string of dark objects—Thunder Bombs.

These were practically a standard Hidden Weapon for Demon Cultivators. As he threw the Thunder Bombs, Wu Shu shot backward, creating a diversion.

After witnessing Wang Meng’s speed, Wu Shu had given up on any other ideas. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing was the best option.

As he sped through the forest, Wu Shu was truly regretting it to his core. ’How could this have happened? It’s only been a short time, yet the kid has become this strong. It’s like seeing a ghost in broad daylight.’

Suddenly, Wu Shu’s figure froze. Wang Meng and Little Flame were standing before him, smiling.

"In such a hurry? Rushing to get reincarnated?" Wang Meng chuckled. The third stage of his Five Elements Technique was complete, and he just so happened to need a sparring partner.

"Kid, I let you live and you’re not even grateful..."

"I say, Grand Master Wu, stop playing games. Unleash your strongest power and fight with all you have. You might still have a slim chance of survival!"

Wang Meng felt the endless Elemental Power flooding his Life Marks. Having just broken through, his power was swelling. The Wu Shu before him should be able to withstand it.

Kill!

Following Wang Meng’s roar, Little Flame instantly darted far away, hiding in a tree and clapping. With a ten-level increase, Wang Meng’s Curved Sword Qi was completely different when he unleashed it again. It was a surging torrent, its aura even more astonishing.

SLASH... SLASH... WHOOSH

Having lost his bow, Wu Shu could only dodge. But the thought had barely formed in his mind before his body was swept over by the Sword Qi.

He couldn’t keep up with the speed of the Magic at all.

In a flash, Wang Meng appeared in front of Wu Shu.

(Recommending a Xianxia novel, "Immortal Mountain": An immense Immortal Mountain is hidden within a tiny jade pendant, an ancestral heirloom passed down through Gao Feng’s family for generations. When Gao Feng enters the mountain, he discovers that with each level he ascends, he finds fortuitous encounters and ultimate treasures, with countless unheard-of benefits. He wants to know what scenery awaits on the next level, so Gao Feng strives onward, wanting to climb ever higher to see the peak... Book ID 2472188.) (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly passes on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)