The Programmer Cultivator

Qu Wenbai, however, closed his eyes to sense his surroundings, then looked directly toward Zhang Deming. Zhang Deming was also looking at Qu Wenbai, their gazes clashing in mid-air.

"Kid, with the Celestial Heart Altar suppressing this place, I’d like to see you try to run this time!" Qu Wenbai said with a cruel smile.

"Heh, is that so, old ghost? I don’t believe I was the one screaming and running for his life last time," Zhang Deming replied, his expression icy.

Qu Wenbai’s expression turned frigid. "Hmph. This time, the Celestial Heart Altar has suppressed the area and blocked all Dao Mark transmissions. No elder is going to pop out and save you now!

If you don’t want to suffer the agony of Soul Extraction and Soul Refining after I capture you, then obediently hand over the Celestial Heart Treasure Box. Who knows? If I’m happy enough, I might just grant you a quick end."

Zhang Deming’s expression remained unchanged. He chuckled mockingly and said, "Is that right? Is that crappy little box so important? Oh, and by the way, do you even remember how to open it anymore?"

Qu Wenbai froze, and his face instantly turned black as night. "You dare to spy on my memories!"

They were both practitioners of Heart Spirit Techniques, so after a brief pause, Qu Wenbai knew exactly what Zhang Deming was referring to. The only Soul Injury he had suffered since breaking his seal was the one inflicted by Elder Huang.

’For him to say that, his elder must have peeked into my memories.’

Zhang Deming had only said it to test the waters, but seeing Qu Wenbai’s reaction, he was taken aback. ’Judging by how he’s acting, were his memories of the Celestial Heart Treasure Box really stripped away back then?’

’On second thought, it makes sense. I was in a super-enhanced state back then, and I landed a critical hit amplified by my Blessed Fortune. With fate being guided by Blessed Fortune, this outcome was only natural.’

Qu Wenbai wasted no more words with Zhang Deming. His form dissolved into a cloud of black mist that lunged toward him.

Wings materialized on Zhang Deming’s back, and he rapidly retreated. However, his opponent seemed even faster, pouncing after him in hot pursuit.

"Rune Technique: Vine Body Incarnation!"

On the verge of being caught, Zhang Deming’s body trembled slightly, leaving a Substitute behind as he himself transformed into countless motes of Spiritual Light, like Spirit Species, and scattered to the side.

SIZZLE...

The black mist enveloped the Vine Technique Substitute, letting out a strange noise. In a mere moment, it had devoured the Substitute completely.

The black mist paused for a moment before Qu Wenbai’s figure condensed out of it once more. His brow furrowed slightly as he held out his palm. Countless thread-like streams of water gathered from the air, coalescing into a grayish-black orb of water in his hand.

Technique: Heavy Water Burst!

The black water erupted in his palm and vanished without a trace, sending a peculiar ripple spreading outward.

Zhang Deming, who was using Concealment, faltered. Amid a flicker of Spiritual Light, his figure reappeared.

"You’ve cultivated your Techniques well, but what a pity your Cultivation is too low," Qu Wenbai remarked as Zhang Deming reappeared.

Zhang Deming stared back at him, his brow furrowed. ’Should I fight, or just retreat?’

’With Qin Shizhong acting as my signal station, this blockade doesn’t really affect me. I could fight.’

’But in this situation, even if I could beat Qu Wenbai, there’s no way I could take on four or five Three Talents Great Cultivators, not to mention that mysterious Celestial Heart Altar.’

’So, if I’m not going to gain anything from fighting—if I’m just going to wear myself out in a tough battle only to flee in the end—then there’s no reason to engage at all.’

’If it weren’t for those Monks from Xuande Temple, for Huixin, and for other possibilities, I would have been long gone by now.’

While he hesitated, he continued to dodge Qu Wenbai’s attacks. It was taxing, but he was barely managing to cope. After a few more moments of this, Qu Wenbai seemed to grow tired of Zhang Deming’s slippery tactics.

Unable to catch him, Qu Wenbai’s expression twisted in anger. His body writhed, transforming into a massive, abnormally tall dark figure wearing a tattered Cloak.

Rune Technique: Ghost Water Soul!

The dark figure ripped the ragged Cloak from its body and hurled it at Zhang Deming.

Zhang Deming dodged again with rapid movements, but this time, the Cloak remained locked onto him. Even when he used a Substitute or concealed himself by transforming into Spirit Species, the Cloak would always find him and lock on instantly.

After several dodges, the Cloak was just about to plaster itself onto him.

Helpless, Zhang Deming could only stop in his tracks. Countless emerald Vine threads rapidly wove themselves into a Jade Ball, encasing him completely. Layer upon layer of defenses were swiftly erected.

At that moment, the tattered black Cloak draped itself over the Jade Stone-like ball.

Zhang Deming instantly felt his entire body grow heavy. As the Jade Ball corroded, the Spiritual Power within him was consumed at a rapid rate.

Feeling his Spiritual Power drain away, Zhang Deming frowned. ’At this rate, I won’t be able to hold out long enough.’

’They’re here!’

Just as he was hesitating and about to make a move, Zhang Deming paused, his actions ceasing.

Transformed into a tall, dark figure, Qu Wenbai stood his ground, controlling the Cloak to engage Zhang Deming in a battle of attrition.

In truth, no matter how slippery Zhang Deming was, without some kind of power-up, he only possessed Duality Cultivation. Qu Wenbai, on the other hand, was a Peak of Three Talents Great Cultivator. He had countless ways to win, many of which wouldn’t have taken nearly this long.

Although they had been fighting for less than two minutes, considering the vast gap in their Cultivation levels, it was already an eternity.

The only reason he had done so was because he wanted to capture his opponent alive to ask about the entity backing him. That was why he had chosen this method. His other, quicker techniques were far too decisive—that was simply the nature of his skills.