Naked Sword Art

Chapter 473: Evading Fate

Technique Name: [ Ascending Immortal ]

Type: Movement Skill

Realm: Heavenly

1st Level — Floating Leaf, Rushing Tide

Prerequisite: Solid Body & Solid Core realms

A burst of energy that allows the cultivator to accelerate or decelerate with breakneck speed.

2nd Level — Drifting Cloud, Rising Wind

Prerequisite: Profound Body & Profound Spirit realms

Allows precise midair movement and control while falling or rising.

3rd Level — Celestial Step

Prerequisite: Divine Body & Divine Spirit realms

The cultivator moves as if stepping on the sky itself.

4th Level — Ascending Immortal

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Although Xiao Fang couldn’t fly, he could still comfortably execute the [ Ascending Immortal ] technique up to its second level.

He paid no mind to the silver-haired disciple speeding down toward his spear. His only focus now was on the man above — the Heavenly Fate disciple that had casted the [ Clairvoyance ] and [ Great Tide ] techniques on him earlier. If he could eliminate the quiet one first, the silver-haired disciple would be much easier to deal with.

Xiao Fang’s breathing shifted — steady, deliberate.

’I need to slow my descent.’

First Level — [ Floating Leaf, Rushing Tide ].

His body grew light, almost weightless. The pressure of the wind faded as gravity loosened its hold. His movements became sharper, faster — changing direction midair felt effortless.

He drew in another breath.

Second Level — [ Drifting Cloud, Rising Wind ].

In that instant, the air itself began to bend to his will. It was the same technique he had practiced with Xiao Hei — the art of moving freely while falling through the sky.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Enough to fight Yu Liangcheng on his own terms.

’What is that boy doing now?’ the silver-haired man thought, narrowing his eyes at Xiao Fang’s erratic movements through the clouds.

The quiet one had similar thoughts — until realization struck him.

’Am I catching up to him? No... He’s not going for the spear... he’s coming for me.’

With that in mind, Yu Liangcheng quickly prepared himself, and recast his [ Great Tide ] technique, preventing Xiao Fang the ability to summon any of his clones.

Xiao Fang clicked his tongue in annoyance.

He was hoping to get a bit closer before using his [ Solid Clone ] technique a final time to quickly throw him up towards Yu Liangcheng. But he caught on too quickly.

The air roared past as Xiao Fang steadied himself mid-fall, his breathing in sync with the howling wind. The clouds twisted violently around him, glowing faintly with the Qi radiating from his body.

[ Drifting Cloud Rising Wind ]

Xiao Fang moved as if running on air. Every step slowed his descent more and more.

Above, Yu Liangcheng became nervous. He was already extremely limited by what he could do while falling through the sky.

Fighting Xiao Fang head-on wasn’t part of the plan, but as they plummeted toward the earth, it was only a matter of time before they reached the ground. Until then, he just needed to hold Xiao Fang back long enough to regroup with Yu Hanlin.

But Xiao Fang didn’t want to give him that chance.

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Meanwhile, Yu Hanlin finally reached the ground, crashing down with a thunderous boom. The impact carved a deep crater beneath his feet. Though he had tried to soften the fall, the force still rattled his body — it took him a few moments to stand up straight, but he was still far from being completely recovered.

’I need to get that spear,’ he thought grimly.

His gaze locked onto its majestic golden glow in the distance — and there, impaled upon it, lay Yu Shenyi’s body. Hanlin froze for only a heartbeat before setting his jaw. He knew what needed to be done.

But the moment he stepped toward the weapon, a strange sensation washed over him.

"This—"

His vision spun violently. The world tilted. Dropping to his hands and knees, Yu Hanlin clenched his teeth in disbelief.

"Everything’s spinning. Is this an illusion?" he muttered, trying to steady himself. His first thought was that another Black Paradise Sect member had appeared.

He forced himself upright — only to stumble again, dropping to one knee. He steadied his breath, trying to focus, but his senses refused to align.

"What in the world is this technique!?" he roared, his voice echoing through the clearing.

Hidden within [ Stealth ], Xiao Hei grinned. This was the profound realm technique she had learned from her so-called master, Su Yun — an illusionary art that warped balance and perception.

Seizing the moment, she dashed forward, her kick slicing through the air. But Yu Hanlin’s instincts flared — his arm shot up, but Xiao Hei’s kick passed right through his arm.

Yu Hanlin’s eyes widened for a moment, but before a thought could cross his mind, he felt it... It was Xiao Hei’s foot striking his face. Hanlin skidded across the ground for several meters before he could regain his balance, Xiao Hei was already upon him.

[ Misdirection ]

Yu Hanlin could tell there was some trick to her movements, but he didn’t intend to waste time figuring it out. Summoning his Heavenly Fate Shield, he braced himself, then a sharp crack sounded as Xiao Hei’s hand struck the golden barrier — a spot she wasn’t really aiming for.

Xiao Hei blinked at the odd nature of his shield.

Yu Hanlin was preparing to strike her back when he suddenly remembered that there were two distinct presences he sensed earlier.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Xun Wei’s [ Stealth ] faded as her silhouette stepped silently into his field of view.

’There!’

Hanlin whipped around, striking out with his arm — but it passed cleanly through her body, dispersing the image like smoke.

[ Mimic ]

The real Xun Wei slipped beneath his arm, her cold, expressionless face illuminated by the flicker of his golden aura. She moved like a shadow cutting through moonlight, her medium-length hair covering half her face as it flowed beautifully in the air.

Then — a flash of silver.

Her blade carved across his side, the strike sharp enough to draw a gasp from him. Blood splattered against the ground, though his tempered body absorbed most of the impact.

"Tch!" Hanlin hissed, twisting with a burst of Divine Qi.

Another golden shield materialized on his other arm, intercepting her follow-up slash with a deafening clang. Sparks scattered through the air as steel met radiant force.

Then — a sudden, sharp pain flared across his back.

He stiffened. Behind him, Xun Wei’s [ Shadow Clone ] had struck, its blade driving toward his heart. But her sword bit only an inch deep before stopping cold against the unyielding resilience of his tempered Divine Body.

"You illusionists are nothing but pests," he snarled. "Don’t get in my way!"

A golden sigil flared to life behind him, destroying Xun Wei’s [ Shadow Clone ].

[ Divination Art: Heaven’s Reprisal ]

In the next instant, two concentrated blasts of Qi erupted from Yu Hanlin, detonating like cannon fire and hurling both women backward through a storm of dust and debris.

Xiao Hei landed hard, skidding back several paces before wiping the blood from her lip. She glanced toward Xun Wei and smirked.

"Hey, Wei... think we can take him?"

Xun Wei’s eyes were razor-sharp, her tone cold as steel. She didn’t answer right away. When she finally spoke, her words cut through the tension like a blade.

"No. We wait for Fang."

"Hmph, you’re no fun," Xiao Hei scoffed, her aura suddenly flaring as she turned attention back to Hanlin.

Yu Hanlin’s brows furrowed.

He could feel it — that Divine Realm pressure surging from Xiao Hei. But what truly unsettled him was that it felt identical to Xiao Fang’s.

’It seems like the dizziness I’m feeling is coming from her...’ he thought warily.

As much as he wanted to deal with Xiao Hei first, there was something about Xun Wei that made him feel as if he couldn’t afford to take his eyes off her.

’She is only in the Core realm...’ he thought.

Yu Hanlin tried standing again as he adjusted his senses.

’They’re nothing but pests,’ he thought bitterly, forcing himself to stand. His body groaned in protest — every muscle still aching from the brutal impact of his fall.

Suddenly, he felt the sting from the cut on his hip, and it made his jaw tighten. To be wounded by a Core Realm cultivator at his level was something he hadn’t thought possible.

’If she were in the Profound Realm instead... I might already be dead,’ he admitted to himself, unease creeping into his chest.

Yu Hanlin’s gaze lingered on Xun Wei.

Something was off — as if he were missing something obvious, something standing right before him yet utterly beyond his comprehension.

The unease gnawed at him until, suddenly, his eyes widened in realization.

"That can’t be—"

Earlier, his Heavenly Fate Sigil had struck both women... Yet while Xiao Hei staggered back, blood trailing from her lip, Xun Wei stood completely unharmed.

Impossible. A core realm cultivator, unharmed by the power of his sigil. The only way that could happen was if—

His mind raced, trying to find an explanation.

"Did she..." Yu Hanlin whispered in disbelief, "...evade the power of fate?"