Luo Zheng was thrown backward and rolled on the ground.His chest burned.A deep claw mark was clearly visible on his body. Blood slowly flowed out.
He lowered his head and murmured in pain,
"Oh no… this…"
Before he could even stabilize himself—
Another dark shadow attack came.
It almost cut off his left hand.Luo Zheng barely dodged, but the sharp energy still hit him.
He staggered back.His left arm trembled.
He tried to move it, but sharp pain shot through his body.
He knew immediately.
"My left hand… I can't use it."
The injury was too heavy.
At that moment, strange clouds suddenly gathered around his wounds.Soft white clouds wrapped around his chest and left arm.
The pain reduced a little.The injuries slowly healed.But only about one-third.
Luo Zheng looked at the evil cultivator with cold eyes and said,
"This attack feels like a monster's claw. No doubt about it. This man inherited a monster-type inheritance."
He stepped back carefully.The evil cultivator didn't give him time.He charged again.
But this time, Luo Zheng was ready.
In the next moment—
His body vanished.Like fog scattered by wind.The attack hit nothing.
Twenty li away, Luo Zheng appeared again.
He gasped lightly.
"I don't have any strong attack techniques. The best choice is to leave."
He activated the Cloud Merging Footstep again.
But before he could escape far—
A cold aura appeared behind him.His heart skipped."So fast!"The evil cultivator appeared behind him like a ghost.
Luo Zheng turned and blocked the attack barely.
But his wounds became heavier.Blood soaked his clothes.He cursed in his heart,
"What is wrong with my luck? After killing Yang Kai, I keep facing trouble after trouble."
He laughed bitterly."I even read fanfictions. They say after killing Yang Kai, luck becomes good. In real life, it's totally opposite."
The evil cultivator attacked again and again.No pause.No mercy.Luo Zheng suddenly noticed something.
He blocked while thinking,
"From the beginning, this guy looks rushed. Too rushed."
"That means his inheritance technique has time limits."
"The longer the fight, the weaker he becomes."
"And he hasn't fully mastered it yet."
With this thought, Luo Zheng changed his strategy. He stopped trying to counterattack. He only defended. Every time an attack aimed at a vital point, he used the Cloud Merging Footstep to escape.
Slowly—
The evil cultivator's attacks weakened.
But Luo Zheng was also in bad shape.
He was only at the Peak Initial Stage.
His opponent was at Separation and Reunion Stage.Two realms higher.
The spirit stones he saved for life-and-death moments were almost gone.
Luo Zheng clenched his teeth.
"If I survive this, I must find an attack technique."
"If not, I'll create one using clouds."
Suddenly—
The evil cultivator stopped.
Then he laughed.
"It's time for my final blow."
In an instant, his aura exploded.
The weak attacks suddenly became terrifying.
Luo Zheng's pupils shrank.
"Huh?!""You were pretending to be weak?"
The evil cultivator sneered."You guessed it?"
"Yes. This is my deception technique."
"If you hadn't tried to escape at the start, I wouldn't have used it."
Luo Zheng understood everything.
"This guy is a scammer."
"First, he pretended to weaken over time."
"Then, when the enemy lowers their guard—"
"He kills them with full power."
He sighed.
"I fell into your trap."
"But it's a good technique. I underestimated you."
The evil cultivator said coldly,
"Surrender."
"I'll give you a painless death."
Luo Zheng smiled faintly.
"You already won."
"But surrender?"
"Are you sure you can catch me?"
Before the words ended—
His body disappeared again.
"Cloud Merging Technique—"
"Vanishing Air and Fog."
His presence completely vanished.
Like he never existed.
The evil cultivator frowned.
He scanned the surroundings.
Nothing.
"What an insane technique…"
"I, Sun Zenyu, have never seen such a method."
Sun Zenyu stood there.Brown-dark robe. Average face. Average height. Muscular body. Sharp eyes. Age around thirty-five to forty. There was also a deep claw mark on his left arm.
One hundred li away—
Luo Zheng reappeared.
The moment he appeared, his legs gave out.
He fell to the ground heavily.
"Huh… huh…"
He gasped for air like a dying man.
"Almost died…"
"That evil cultivator was too tricky."
He lay on the ground.
Did not try to stand up.
For a long time.
***
Luo Zheng lay on the ground for a long time.
His breathing slowly stabilized.
The pain in his body was still there, but at least it was no longer unbearable.
He slowly sat up.
Every movement caused pain.
His left arm still felt numb.
"The cloud energy helped me survive, but this injury will need time."
He took out the last spirit stone.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then sighed.
"No choice."
He placed it in his palm and started absorbing it slowly.
Thin clouds gathered around his body.
Very thin.
Very weak.
He was only recovering little by little.
After half a day—
His spiritual energy recovered to about half.
His injuries healed a bit more.
But suddenly—
His ears twitched.
Rustling sounds.
Very light.
But not one.
Many.
Luo Zheng frowned.
"This sound…"
His heart sank.
"Beasts."
Before he could stand up—
Low growls echoed from the bushes.
One pair of green eyes appeared.
Then another.
Then many more.
Wolves.Gray fur.Sharp teeth.Their bodies were lean but strong.A wolf group.At least seven.
Luo Zheng cursed inwardly.
"Bad timing."
"I'm only half recovered."
The wolves slowly surrounded him.
They didn't rush.They were waiting.Waiting for weakness.
Luo Zheng stood up slowly.
His legs were still shaking.
He said softly,
"So even beasts want to take advantage of me."
The leading wolf growled.
Then suddenly—
It pounced.
Luo Zheng reacted instantly.
He used Cloud Merging Footstep.
His body shifted slightly.
The wolf missed.
Before it could land—
Luo Zheng clenched his right fist.
Cloud energy wrapped around it.
He punched forward.
Bang!
The wolf's head shattered.
Blood sprayed.
The body fell without a sound.
The other wolves hesitated.
But only for a moment.
They rushed together.
Luo Zheng retreated.
His breathing became heavy.
He dodged one bite.
Blocked another claw with his injured arm.
Pain exploded.But he endured it.
He grabbed a broken tree branch from the ground.He infused cloud energy into it.
The branch hardened.He stabbed forward.
One wolf was pierced through the throat.
It struggled.
Then went limp.
Another wolf jumped from behind.
Luo Zheng rolled on the ground.
Bitterness rose in his throat.
He coughed blood.
But his eyes were cold.
"Since you want my life—"
"Then don't blame me."
He stepped forward suddenly.
Clouds burst around his feet.
He appeared in front of a wolf.
He struck its neck with the branch.
Crack.
The neck snapped.
One by one—
The wolves fell.
Some tried to escape.
But Luo Zheng didn't allow it.
He chased using short cloud steps.
Each step cost him pain.
Each kill cost him strength.
Finally—
Only one wolf remained.
It trembled.
Its eyes showed fear.
It turned and ran.
Luo Zheng stopped.
He didn't chase.
He leaned on a tree.
Blood dripped from his arm.
"Huh… huh…"
After a long while, he muttered,
"Even wolves dare to hunt me now."
He looked at the wolf corpses.
Then looked at the sky.
"This world…"
"Really doesn't give people time to rest."
He slowly sat down again.
This time—
He guarded himself.