Chapter 290: Heavy Casualties

　　Siao Shi lowered her voice, “If they can’t find us, they will leave on their own.”

　　Chu Li answered, “We have to retrieve your hair.”

　　“There are two of them and you’re only one!” Siao Shi disputed, “If Prince An sent them here, you won’t be able to defeat them!”

　　After killing the three Grandmasters earlier, Prince An sent more men but this time only two. It was obvious these two were sufficient to take down Chu Li.

　　More so that old monk who was equipped with All-Seeing divine power. He was an important character that could not afford any loss. Hence, it was either that old monk or that silver-bearded elder who was dangerous, and the higher chances would be that both of them were equally dangerous and Chu Li could not even defeat one.

　　Chu Li slightly raised his head.

　　He carefully sized out and found a degree of peculiarity. He smiled as he shook his head.

　　Siao Shi whispered, “That old monk is odd, do not go near him!”

　　Chu Li smiled, “Alright then, just wait a while.”

　　The old monk held this strain of hair while he was lost in his thoughts. He seemed absent-minded. There was a possibility that this could be a trap.

　　Using the hair as bait and his state of at loss to heighten the lure, someone who couldn’t stand his ground would have already charged ahead.

　　Survival of the sneakiest. These old folks should not be looked down upon.

　　Just look at that white-bearded elder. He seemed to be pacing around impatiently, restlessly moving about. Zooming in on his face, his eyes were glistening as if he was in a rush and enraged.

　　Chu Li’s Omniscient Mirror inspected every detail and could see through people’s hearts. After all these years, he was aware of the connection between their hearts and faces.

　　He didn’t even have to use the Omniscient Mirror to be able to tell that this elder was a seasoned actor. His eyes played a part and were enough to fool the majority.

　　He took one glance at Siao Shi, “Who would have known young lady possessed such intelligence.”

　　To be able to maintain cool-headedness and deducted with such details under such circumstances was no ordinary person.

　　“I have the free time to read some books, ponder about things and people,” Siao Shi lightly dabbed through, “It’s no wits.”

　　Chu Li added, “After entering the Imperial Residence of Prince An, you’ll need this sort of wits.”

　　“If we ever get there,” Siao Shi remarked.

　　She felt it was difficult to enter the Imperial Residence. Even if she did, she may lose her precious life in no time. She could tell Prince An’s level of influence from this duo. The House of High Duke did not even have such level of masters!

　　She muttered, “Who is that old fella?”

　　Chu Li remained silent, flipping through the hundred over Grandmasters in the martial arts world in his head, searching for one who is similar to him.

　　His face suddenly darkened. He uttered, “It may be Gu Yue from Feng Huang Mountain.”

　　“Feng Huang Mountain?” Siao Shi snorted, “Feng Huang Mountain has pledged allegiance to Prince An?”

　　“Most likely,” Chu Li sighed.

　　Feng Huang Mountain which was a first rank faction together with Snow Lunar Pavilion and Green Hill has participated in the war for the throne. The other factions would be joining in the bandwagon and those pledging under Prince An may not only be Feng Huang Mountain.

　　Siao Shi softly snickered, “Prince An really mobilized a huge number of people just for a weak young lady.”

　　“He dares not take lightly anything to do with the House of High Duke,” Chu Li answered.

　　As the two of them exchanged words, the old monk and Gu Yue exchanged a glance and slowly walked away.

　　Chu Li still remained his position.

　　Judging from the reflection of the Omniscient Mirror, after traveling for a quarter kilometer, the duo suddenly turned back and hid behind a tree.

　　Chu Li was up against the both of them and the challenge was patience.

　　——

　　Four hours later, Chu Li realized Siao Shi’s expression changed as she fidgeted.

　　He swayed his head over for a look.

　　Siao Shi’s cheeks reddened as she rolled her eyes at him.

　　Chu Li felt it was out of the blue and checked on his Omniscient Mirror. The air became slightly awkward in an instance.

　　He coughed, “I’ll head out for a bit.”

　　“Wait!” Siao Shi immediately exclaimed, “If you get out, you’ll end up dead!”

　　Chu Li explained, “I have ways to return to the inn and lure them away. You stay here and don’t move. Whatever you do, do not move past the three-meter radius.”

　　He fretted over the fact he wasn’t considerate enough to think of this. He should have built the formation larger.

　　He fixed up the formation to be this small to conserve his energy and also due to the pressing time that refrained him from arranging a larger formation.

　　Siao Shi frowned and she fixed her gaze on him.

　　Chu Li smiled as he waved his arm, disappearing in a flash before her.

　　She widened her eyes. Chu Li did not appear outside and there was no activity with the duo. He must have hidden from them.

　　She let out a long sigh and couldn’t hold it in any longer. She quickly sought out a bushy area to squat.

　　She hadn’t squat for long before he heard a long howl coming from the direction of the Horse Racing Town. She could tell it belonged to Chu Li.

　　She comprehended Chu Li’s intention. He was luring them away so that she herself could leave without confronting them and escape unscathed.

　　It was a shame that the best laid-out plans of mice and men went astray. The two sneaky men divided and conquered. Gu Yue of Feng Huang Mountain stayed put and was on a watch out while the old monk levitated away. Under the moonlight, his head was blindly gleaming.

　　——

　　Chu Li stood on top of a roof and watched as the old monk slowly levitated over. He sighed and frowned. This was not going to be an easy task.

　　“Could you be Almsgiver Chu?” The old monk held in single palm position as he asked. He bore a friendly face and a warm smile.

　　Chu Li nodded.

　　“That’s great!” The old monk’s smile widened and appeared behind him in a blink of an eye with one palm to his back.

　　Chu Li activated the Omniscient Mirror and saw this move clearly. The old monk’s shadow remained at its original place while his true self had already made it behind him.

　　He could see all these clearly but could not react.

　　The old monk’s movement was so quick, it surpassed the speed of Chu Li’s physical reaction.

　　Struck by a thought, the Sentient Menace self-circulated.

　　“Howl!” A large creature’s roar was heard from the palm of the old monk.

　　Chu Li had never heard of this howling. His body released a purple gold radiance and blocked the emaciated palm. The radiance instantly collapsed, and the emaciated palm laid his mark on his back.

　　He was blown over fifty meters and collided with the wall of the opposite street.

　　“Bang!” His body was completely immersed into the wall.

　　Just as he struggled to leave the scene, the emaciated palm laid another mark.

　　“Howl!” The large beast roared again. Chu Li’s body radiated the purple gold brilliance which once again collapsed under the emaciated palm. He was knocked out of the wall by this palm.

　　The wall now had a big hole. It was the size of Chu Li’s body.

　　With the pressure of the palm coming from his back and the front of his body pressing against the wall, Chu Li’s face was badly mangled to the point that his bones were starting to show.

　　He used the Omniscient Mirror to check his body and let out a sigh of relief.

　　The white robe he put on was without a scratch. It went head to head with the unrivaled palm, protecting his body from the wall scaling.

　　He couldn’t bother with anything else. He held in organ splitting pain and varnished, appearing half a kilometer away.

　　“Spurt!” He involuntarily lifted his head to spit blood out. His whole body went limp as he collapsed in a sitting position. He wanted to doze off.

　　The state of feebleness was constantly engulfing him.

　　It was as though he immersed in the deep sea and the waters were freezing cold.

　　This cold not only did not awaken him but plunged him further into dreamland, enveloping him together with feebleness.

　　He fought back the sleepiness and cold sensation and had spiritual energy surging from every direction.

　　“Almsgiver Chu!” The old monk showed up in his Imminent Skyline, appearing in a blink of an eye. His shadow remained in front of him while his true self had already made its way to his back.

　　Chu Li was prepared the moment he turned up and had since initiated the Imminent Skyline.

　　“Howl!” Another beasty roar came out form the old monk’s palm. It seemed as though a large creature hid within the emaciated palm.

　　This attack was a blank. The old monk’s smile widened and ever more unruffled as he disappeared out of sight.

　　Chu Li’s flash appeared in the woods, his figure bolting like a lightning.

　　The spiritual energy that was coming from everywhere was half healing his ripping body while the other half was pushing the Imminent Skyline to dash away from the old monk’s pursue.

　　“Hehehe…, Almsgiver Chu!” The old monk appeared behind him.

　　Chu Li’s Omniscient Mirror was triggered and once there was an oscillation in space, he flung his arm, a swish of chilly gleam shot the old monk’s throat. He gathered all his strength for this one strike.