Chapter 80
Chapter 80 - Against an Innate Expert
“Someone from Anesas?”
Ye Hao recognized Bai Ruo's thick Anesas accent.
“Correct.”
“Why have you sought me out?” Ye Hao asked gravely.
“Lan Zhongtian told me you possess a Hidden Book,” Bai Ruo said, eyeing Ye Hao with avarice. “I was doubtful of Lan Zhongtian's words at first, but now I'm inclined to believe him.”
“Lan Zhongtian?” Ye Hao was taken aback.
“Lan Zhongtian has always been untrustworthy. It appears you've been misled by him.”
“If you wanted to confront me, you could have done so directly. Why involve this innocent girl?” Ye Hao regained his composure and gestured towards the unconscious Bai Hehua.
“I was concerned you might be at the Innate Realm. If so, our previous battle could have drained some of your strength, right?” Bai Ruo stated matter-of-factly. “As for the girl, her life is of no consequence to me.”
“You're despicable.” Ye Hao glared at Bai Ruo, enunciating each word with contempt.
Ye Hao discerned Bai Ruo's callous disregard for the lives of ordinary people from his words.
“You should be more concerned with your own survival,” Bai Ruo retorted, charging at Ye Hao.
Before Bai Ruo could close the distance, Ye Hao felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.
This was an intangible might.
Anyone too weak would have already collapsed under such a force.
Ye Hao's cultivation was on the verge of breaking through to the first level of Body Refining. Once he made the breakthrough, he could easily defeat even an Innate master. At present, he possessed the capability to contend with an Innate master.
Their hands met with a resounding crash, as two distinct forces clashed at the point of contact.
Bai Ruo's strength was supple yet formidable, while Ye Hao's was solid and imperious.
Bai Ruo staggered backward several steps before coming to a halt, eyeing Ye Hao with a mix of shock and uncertainty. “Have you attained the Innate level?”
Ye Hao offered no reply. Instead, he lunged at Bai Ruo with the ferocity of a roc.
Bai Ruo was instantly engulfed by the enveloping force, sending a shiver through his very soul.
“What is this power?” The force seemed even more formidable than Bai Ruo's.
“Take this hit.” Ye Hao's strikes were broad and forceful, straightforward and brutal.
With a thud, Bai Ruo staggered backward once more.
“Come at me again.” Ye Hao declared with a bold spirit.
The level of vital spirit was significantly superior to that of the vital spirit; otherwise, Ye Hao would not dare to engage in such direct confrontation.
Furthermore, as Ye Hao fought, the battle memories of the black dragon flooded in, and with time, his combat prowess only grew more formidable.
However, Ye Hao's expression began to shift as the vital spirit within him neared depletion.
Bai Ruo appeared to be overpowered, yet his aura remained unscattered.
“Slow down.” Ye Hao realized he could no longer afford to wait. Upon activating his ability to decelerate, he found his speed had inexplicably tripled!
Ye Hao was well aware that the ability to slow down was, in essence, a means to reduce a cultivator's reaction time. Utilizing this ability drained his mental energy.
With his focus at its peak and his mental energy rapidly depleting, his capacity to decelerate was significantly diminished. Ye Hao recognized that as his cultivation level rose, the enhancement from his deceleration ability would cease.
But for now, tripling the speed was sufficient.
With a loud smack, Ye Hao's palm connected with Bai Ruo's chest, leaving Bai Ruo utterly astounded.
He coughed up blood and collapsed.
Without a moment's delay, Ye Hao charged at Bai Ruo once again, intent on seizing the chance to end his life.
But as Ye Hao closed in, a fleeting blue glimmer caught his eye. Despite his desperate evasion, he was grazed by an arrow shot from Bai Ruo's sleeve.
Standing with a ghostly pallor, Bai Ruo declared, “The poison from my arrow has entered your system. Should you dare to channel your vital spirit, the toxin will rush straight to your heart.”
“Really?” Ye Hao advanced swiftly, aiming a slap at Bai Ruo's head.
A flicker of sheer terror crossed Bai Ruo's eyes.
As Ye Hao's hand nearly made contact, a sudden dizziness overtook him. His hand veered off course, striking Bai Ruo's shoulder instead.
Bai Ruo coughed up another mouthful of blood, struggling to her feet before fleeing.
She was terrified.
Ye Hao was fighting her with everything he had.
Bai Ruo feared that if she kept fighting Ye Hao, they might both end up dead.
Watching Bai Ruo's retreating figure, Ye Hao's eyes were icy.
The dizziness in his head grew more intense, so he sat down cross-legged without delay. He tried circulating his vital spirit repeatedly, but it seemed to have little effect.
However, as the dizziness peaked, it began to subside. Ye Hao understood that his body, reformed by the Divine Blood, was now kicking in.
Ye Hao had the confidence to strike again because he was aware of the transformation his body had undergone with the Divine Blood.
Through the black dragon's memories, Ye Hao knew that the middle-aged man who had given him the Divine Blood was a legendary immortal.
A single drop of Divine Blood was incredibly valuable.
Thus, this drop could easily neutralize the poison.
About half an hour later, Ye Hao saw several soldiers in camouflage arrive. He didn't resist any longer and passed out, knowing that his recovery would accelerate while unconscious.
Ye Hao and Bai Hehua were urgently taken to the hospital.
During the transport, both Bai Hehua and Ye Hao regained consciousness.
Bai Hehua, looking at the nurse beside her, asked, “Am I not dead?”
“You're not dead.”
“I survived a fall from such a high cliff?” Bai Hehua was incredulous.
“I saved you,” Ye Hao, lying next to her, interjected.
For a moment, Bai Hehua was at a loss for words.
Finally breaking the silence, Bai Hehua asked, “Why did you jump off the cliff to save me?”
“If a cat or a dog had fallen, I would have saved them too. Humans are no different,” Ye Hao replied with a roll of his eyes.
“Are you trying to provoke me?” Bai Hehua said, puffing up with annoyance.
“You've called me scum before.”
Bai Hehua opened her mouth to argue but found herself speechless. After a pause, she simply said, “Thank you.”
Ye Hao smiled and began to ponder the ambush by Bai Ruo.
“Lan Zhongtian,” Ye Hao's eyes gleamed with a piercing chill.
He didn't believe Bai Ruo would deceive him in this matter.
Yet, Ye Hao found it unbearable that Lan Zhongtian would disregard Lan Qingqing's life just to gain Bai Ruo's support.
Lan Zhongtian was truly ruthless!
With this in mind, Ye Hao resolved to advance to the first layer of Body Refining as quickly as possible.
Once he attained the first layer, he would be able to cultivate Divine Power.
Divine Power was a privilege of cultivators alone.
Ye Hao was confident that he could defeat an Innate master once he reached the first layer of Body Refining, not because his cultivation level was significantly superior, but because the techniques he had mastered far surpassed those of an Innate master.
Ye Hao was determined to ascend to the Innate realm with all haste.
Then, the thought of the spirit stone struck him!
Previously, he had been too frugal to use the spirit stone, but now he was ready to harness its power.