Arrrrgh really rough week for me. Lost some important things but looks like its gonna be good. Really warm weather today, gonna go run outside before coming back to write more ;p
"Faster!" Lineir urged to himself as he flared his wings like a swimmer uses his arms to breaststroke through water. His legs rhythmically kicked into the ground and he used each step to blast forwards hundreds of meters. If there was an object in his way he smashed it away. If there was an obstacle, he vaulted over it. The only thing stopping him now was not the Gods or even the Jin clan, but himself. Every step he had to increase his natural pace if he was to make it before the ancestor level existences caught up to him. Fortunately, they had taken the time to ceremonially assemble their entire army. Then Lineir had surprised them by collapsing the tunnel and taking a roundabout route. If he had directly fled Snowfall Citadel for Star Stream Lake he almost certainly would have been intercepted midway. By going through the tunnels he had gained precious time and now had a huge head start!
Flicker...smash...tac!
With every movement he gripped the earth and air to propel himself forwards! Always forwards. His experience in the Second Trial in the monastery had prepared him well for this. Lineir possessed an undying willpower to keep walking. No matter the cost, no matter how much he lost, his Dao of survival was unbreakable. Even if his mind was mentally broken, he would never stop so long as his body could continue, and even if it couldn't he would still try! This was his unique strength and it was one which conveyed different benefits than even talent and constitution could give.
"Rogue!!! I found you at last! I'd like to see where you will run now!" A furious cry sounded as the 3 ancestors of the Jin Clan suddenly appeared on the horizon.
"Damn, that was faster than I expected!" Lineir looked over his shoulders to see his pursuers and was stricken by sudden panic as the whirling snowflakes were swept over him from the force of the ancestor's voice!
WHOOOSH!!!!
He immediately exploded his wings with renewed flames accelerating to neck-breaking speeds! However....
Tak Tak Tak
The space around him suddenly began to constrict and congeal as if he was trying to fly through water. Around him the snowflakes continued to fall normally but a 4 by 4 meter cube was slowed around him as the world came to a halt inside the three ancestor's combined Domain!
"Huh? Your cultivation boundary is obscured from my eyes...as if you are not part of the Heaven's and earth. How deviant is your path...even still, the power released is only at the initial Divine Realm? Are you messing with us??" The red coated ancestor's eyes widened. Either this rogue cultivator was extremely powerful and simply masking his cultivation with a secret technique or the one they had been chasing this entire time had indeed only just entered the Divine Realm of cultivation recently!
"There's no way someone who just entered the Divine Realm level could have destroyed the Snowfall Citadel's walls. Brothers, we must be cautious, there is a good chance this is some twisted old fart's game, he may be an incalculable existence!" The other two ancestor's glanced at the red coated ancestor and tacitly agreed hanging back using only their Domains.
"A chance!" Lineir's eyes gleamed as he activated one of his new trump cards!
Madness Rain Domain!!
Shua Shua Shua!!!!!!
Pouring rain convalesced from the foreboding snow clouds and ignored the freezing cold, falling in their original liquid forms. As the rain touched the invisible frozen cube of space holding Lineir in place it was as if it was acid melting the frozen space. Wherever the drops fell they carved through the ancestor's domains as if they were nothing and the snowflakes inside began to swirl once more as Lineir regained his freedom!
KACHA!!
He burst free and continued to desperately flee flapping his Phoenix Flame wings!
"He broke free with that strange Domain. But why does he continue to flee? If it was really a truly some old fart playing a game with us three brothers wouldn't he have simply broken free with a casual movement, why bother using a Domain? Hanji, I think you may have been mistaken, it really does appear to be an initial Divine Realm rogue cultivator! To us gentlemen who are a half step into the Celestial Realm what threat could he be to us!" The old white strongman who had been watching closely said and Hanji Jin had to admit he had a point.
"Very well, I concur, let us catch him if that's the case, but stay cautious! I once ran into an old geezer who had a truly twisted mind. This may all be a game..." He said cautiously as he extended his hand as if to grasp Lineir. Of course, if Lineir could hear their conversation he would have laughed himself silly. A twisted elder him? Hah! He had been chased by older cultivators his whole life. At the rate he was going he doubted if he would ever reach old age. It was only because of the peculiar properties of the Madness Rain Domain that he had been able to so easily escape their Domains which they had cultivated for generations!
Hissssss!!
Phoooosh!
Roaaaarr!!!
The three ancestors utilized their powers. The red coated man unleashed his Red Desolate Python, Jisha, who spat a molten red ball of poisonous magma, the wizened old man unleashed a raging wind and the strongman, with muscles bulging, struck out with a flaming fist.
Desolate Python Magma Ball!
Gale of the Hells!
Self Immolation Fist!
These attacks crossed the space between Lineir and the ancestors with exceedingly fast speed and were about to reach him. However...the Madness Rain Domain which had been gently dripping in a circle around Lineir suddenly expanded out!
Shua Shua Shua SHUA SHUA SHUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
The rain began to pour as it expanded and from the sky thunder rumbled as charged electricity filled the atmosphere! Suddenly as a huge peal of thunder clapped through the sky, there was a flash of crimson red and before the ancestor's eyes, a second later Lineir had disappeared and their attacks exploded upon empty air!
"What was that red flash? Did my eyes deceive me? Where did he go?" The ancestors were astonished as Lineir reappeared kilometers ahead! He was visible exhausted and his Phoenix Flame wings began to peter out as the flames receded leaving only bones. However, he had a victorious smile on his face. As he gently retracted and dispelled his wings his feet touched down on the ice of Star Stream Lake.
"A secret escape technique? But how could the secret technique of an initial Divine Realm cultivator escape all three of our attacks? Or perhaps true space time control of the highest level. Is he really an initial Divine Realm cultivator? Or is he someone at the Celestial Realm? He looks completely drained afterwards. It's 99% a secret escape technique which let's the user escape at a high cost. Screw it, I've gotten too cautious after years in seclusion." The red coated ancestor thought to himself. After all, if he let the chance to study a secret escape technique which could evade the attacks of three ancestor level figures who were on the verge of breaking through to the next realm go, then what right did he have to call himself a cultivator?
"Brothers, I believe he has used a secret escape technique of the highest order. Perhaps this has something to do with how he destroyed the walls of Snowfall Citadel. Look at him, he's at his limit. Even still, I propose we compromise just in case he really is an old fart in disguise. We shall wait for the rest of our forces to arrive in a few breaths of time. When they do we shall all attack en masse! If this does turn south we can always escape in the confusion!" The red coated ancestor said and the others nodded in affirmation as they cautiously trailed Lineir who was appearing to walk deeper on the ice of Star Stream Lake with great difficulty.
"Hmph? Why are they waiting to attack? Ahhhh I see. They're afraid and waiting for reinforcements. I was feigning weakness so I suppose they're right. But no matter, this gives me time to really get into the center of Star Stream Lake. When they enter...there will be no escape!"
Lineir's eyes turned serpentine as a hint of ruthless killing intent emerged. His tongue flickered as he grew impatient. He was tired of running. His trap had been set and the rats had wandered on its cusp. All that was left was for them to take the bait!