Chapter 16: Barrier

He had been played like a pawn in the palm of the black-robed elder without even realizing it. Having been schemed against repeatedly, if not for this incredibly mysterious mist shroud, he likely would not have escaped this time; the elder would have devoured his primordial spirit.

Having escaped the crisis through a stroke of luck, Lu Xiaotian was overjoyed. He had no time to ponder the origin of the mist shroud; if it could help him escape, it was a gift from heaven. It seemed his life was not meant to end here. At the same time, Lu Xiaotian harbored an intense hatred for the black-robed elder, and he immediately began to mock and provoke him, driving the elder into a fit of screaming rage.

"Kid, don't get cocky! Do you think a mere mist shroud can stop me? You're dreaming! Fine then, I shall show you my true methods!"

The black-robed elder's primordial spirit was barely a zhang away from the mist shroud. After shouting a few insults and letting out a cold sneer, he drifted back over ten zhang.

Lu Xiaotian's expression changed. He was well aware of the elder's prowess; this old monster possessed many immortal spells, especially that golden flying sword, which could split mountains and crush rocks as if they were nothing. He could easily carve out a cultivation cave with it. The mist shroud before him looked thin and did not appear particularly sturdy. However, Lu Xiaotian was helpless against the current peril; even if he wanted to flee, his speed could not match that of the black-robed elder.

"Fireball Technique!" Following the elder's incantations, several small, flaming fireballs appeared in succession, slamming into the mist shroud.

Lu Xiaotian's heart jolted. Just as he prepared to flee, he suddenly realized that although the fireballs looked powerful and erupted in a series of booming explosions, the defensive shroud formed by the mist did not move an inch. His racing heart immediately settled. With this experience, he remembered that when he had woken up at the cliffside, what he recalled was not a dream, but a mysterious, unknown phenomenon discovered within his primordial spirit.

"Old man, it seems your spells aren't much to look at!"

"Don't be so smug! I still have a vast array of spells left!" the black-robed elder's primordial spirit bellowed. "Golden Spear Technique!"

*Bang! Bang!* Over a dozen golden spearheads shot toward the mist shroud, striking it and creating countless golden fragments. Yet, the nearly transparent mist shroud remained motionless, without even a single white speck appearing on its surface.

"Wind Blade!"

"Earth Spike Technique!"

"Water Arrow Technique!"

After a series of crackling explosions, the black-robed elder let out a miserable cry. "Ah! Why have I fallen back to the eleventh level of Qi Refinement!"

Lu Xiaotian was now completely at ease. He noticed that the form representing the black-robed elder had dimmed significantly and appeared more transparent than before. It turned out that casting spells in a primordial spirit state caused one's strength to diminish.

If this old monster continued like this, he might soon drop to the first level of Qi Refinement. Thus, Lu Xiaotian stepped forward, shouting provocations through the mist shroud, "Old man, why can't you hit me anymore? Keep fighting! I'm right here."

"You brat, cease your arrogance!" The black-robed elder was so enraged he felt as if he might ascend to heaven or descend to hell. However, having spent his life scheming against other cultivators, he would not fall for Lu Xiaotian's bait so easily. He quickly regained his composure and said, "Kid, there's no need to provoke me. I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice; how could I fall for your tricks?"

*Truly an old fox,* Lu Xiaotian cursed inwardly. He couldn't win in a fight, and the elder wouldn't take the bait when provoked verbally. He was truly difficult to deal with. Fortunately, the elder couldn't break through, otherwise, things would be very complicated.

"You won't fall for it? Fine then. Since you can't hit me anyway, and you can't get out of here once you've arrived, you might as well stay here for the rest of your life."

"Do you know where this place is? Is there a way in or out? Tell your master, and all our past grievances shall be wiped clean. Haven't you always wanted to learn my spells? I will teach them all to you later," the black-robed elder said, his eyes flickering as his soul drifted in the air, looking at Lu Xiaotian with a complex expression.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You tricked me once, and now you want me to fall for it a second time? I suspect the moment you are released will be my end."

Lu Xiaotian snorted coldly. This old fox was cunning and experienced, far beyond what a mere child like him could comprehend. There were likely methods he couldn't even imagine. After all, aside from practicing the *Primordial Chaos Sutra*, he knew nothing of immortal spells. His lucky escape from the elder's clutches was not due to his own skill, but pure luck. If the black-robed elder were given another chance, he might not be so fortunate a second time.

"Will it not suffice if your master swears an oath? I beg you, let me out!" the black-robed elder pleaded mournfully.

"You should prepare to stay in here forever," Lu Xiaotian said with satisfaction. Ignoring the man, he drifted further away. He remembered that last time, he had passed through a barrier, his divine sense had gone dark, and then he had left this place.

As Lu Xiaotian flew further away and observed closely, he realized that this barrier had a faint greenish tint and was circular, resembling a massive, magnified green fruit. Within this membrane-like barrier floated a piece of land. Upon closer inspection, Lu Xiaotian found that the terrain of this land was somewhat similar to the topography of the canyon.

Lu Xiaotian felt a bit puzzled. He had only swallowed a single green fruit, yet it looked as if he had swallowed an entire canyon.

"Hey! Hey! Don't go!" the black-robed elder shouted frantically, but Lu Xiaotian's figure had already vanished from sight. He let out a cry of pure hatred. "You brat! Enjoy your triumph while it lasts! If you can get out, it means there must be a way. If I find the way out, I will make you wish you were dead!"

*Hiss—*

A pain like a thousand needles pricking his body made Lu Xiaotian gasp. This was the effect of the Soul-Locking Soup the black-robed elder had mentioned. Lu Xiaotian opened his eyes to find the black-robed elder's body standing before him, a hand pressed firmly against his crown. His heart skipped a beat; seeing that old face, he felt a primal fear, but the face, withered like old tree bark, was devoid of all life.

This must be because the elder's primordial spirit had not returned to his body; what stood before him was merely a physical corpse. *To think I'm afraid of a mere corpse without divine sense, I really am pathetic,* Lu Xiaotian mocked himself with a smile, moving the elder's hated hand away from his head.

"All those schemes and malicious intentions... I didn't expect you to have a day like this." Seeing the black-robed elder standing there like a wooden stake, Lu Xiaotian's courage grew.

Several small black pouches hung from the elder's waist. Lu Xiaotian remembered that these pouches seemed to have storage functions, as the elder often placed things in them and retrieved them later. Realizing that the elder's belongings were likely in these pouches, Lu Xiaotian became excited. The elder was a suspicious man and likely kept most of his treasures on his person rather than in his cave.

However, in his memory, the elder usually only carried one black pouch, yet there were four now, which was strange. But more pouches meant more loot. Since these things now belonged to him, Lu Xiaotian carefully removed the pouches.

There was also a jade gourd at the elder's waist; he knew this was specifically used to hold the Little Green Ants, so he naturally claimed it as well.

"Right, and the old man's golden flying sword." Lu Xiaotian suddenly remembered the scene where the small golden sword had flown out of the elder's sleeve when he was opening his cave.

He impatiently flipped open the elder's sleeves, but they were empty. Frustrated, Lu Xiaotian searched the entire body but could find no sign of the golden sword.

*Could it be hidden in one of the storage pouches?* he wondered. That was the only logical explanation. Glancing at the elder's body, a thought struck him. He pushed the corpse into the Soul-Locking Soup within the wooden bucket and added more water until the head was submerged. Since the Soul-Locking Soup prevented the primordial spirit from passing through it, even if the elder managed to escape later, he would never be able to return to this body. It was a fitting revenge for the previous attack!