Bai Cheng sat beneath a great tree, his wounded left hand swaddled haphazardly in rent cloth. Blood oozed through to stain his sleeve, and the ache, though dull, kept him jumpy. Fang, his dog, lay at his side, lifting his head periodically to survey the forest as if sensing danger.
"I can't afford to lose more blood," Bai Cheng said quietly, fixing the bandage. He was very tired, but he couldn't think about it right now. "Few more to go," he whispered to himself, aware that the other rogue cultivators would be looking for him.
Fang's ears stood up, and the dog growled softly.
"What is it, boy?" Bai Cheng asked, looking around the forest.
Suddenly, the ground shook under him. Trees moved wildly as cracks spread through the ground. Bai Cheng got up quickly, his dog barking loudly. "An earthquake? No… this is something different!" Bai Cheng said, getting ready to defend himself.
With a loud crack, sharp pieces of earth shot up from the ground, just missing Bai Cheng as he rolled away. More spikes came after that, making him keep moving.
"Looks like I've got company," Bai Cheng said through gritted teeth, his heart racing.
From the shaking ground came a tall man with a smirk that showed he was very confident.
His body had scars, and his fists had a thin layer of rocky energy that looked shiny in the dimming sunlight.
"So, you're the lowlife who has been bothering us," Bo Qiang said, sounding rough and teasing. He cracked his knuckles, and it sounded like big rocks hitting each other.
"They told me you were annoying, but I didn't think I'd have to face a half-dead kid."
Bai Cheng smiled a little even though he was hurt. "Half-dead? That's nice of you. I still have enough energy to run faster than your slow spikes."
Bo Qiang laughed, his deep voice sounding like the rumble of the earth. "Do you think you can escape, boy? The ground obeys me. I am Bo Qiang, the Rockbreaker, and you are on my battlefield!"
Bai Cheng's smile faded as Bo Qiang stomped on the ground. With a roar, Earth Spikes shot up in a deadly pattern, blocking Bai Cheng's way to escape.
"I don't have time for this," Bai Cheng said quietly, moving to the left to dodge a spike that almost hit him.
"You're fast," Bo Qiang said, "but let's see how long you can keep escaping!" He lifted his hands, and walls of rock came up, trapping Bai Cheng from all sides.
"This guy's got too much control," Bai Cheng thought, analyzing his opponent's movements.
"I can't get away like I did with the others. I have to take him head-on."
Bai Cheng activated Fierce Shadow Step, his form blurring as he dashed toward Bo Qiang. In an instant, he closed the distance and aimed a strike at his opponent's side.
But Bo Qiang smiled and crossed his arms. A thick layer of rock-like armor formed around him, easily stopping Bai Cheng's attack.
"Good attempt, kid," Bo Qiang said, throwing a big punch. Bai Cheng just managed to duck under it, feeling the air move as the fist nearly hit his head.
"That armor… It's like hitting a mountain," Bai Cheng said quietly, jumping back.
Bo Qiang stomped the ground again, creating a shockwave that almost knocked Bai Cheng over. "It's Rock Armor, boy! You can't break it with your weak human fists."
"Guess I'll have to aim somewhere else," Bai Cheng replied, pretending to be confident even though sweat was forming on his forehead.
Bo Qiang smiled slyly and raised both hands. "I will show you something special, kid. You are lucky—you will be the first to see this and the last to regret it."
The ground under him shook strongly, and a large shape started to rise. Mud and stone came together to form a big, human-like figure with bright red eyes.
"A golem?!" Bai Cheng shouted, his jaw tightening.
"Meet Earth Titan, my ultimate technique," Bo Qiang said, pride evident in his voice. "It's slow, but one hit is all it takes to turn you into a pancake."
The Earth Titan roared, its guttural sound shaking the forest. Its massive fists slammed into the ground, sending tremors that made Bai Cheng stumble.
For a moment, Bai Cheng stopped moving, really shocked by how big the creature was. "How can I fight something like that?" he whispered.
Bo Qiang laughed. "You don't, kid. You run—if you can."
But instead of being scared, Bai Cheng felt a strong sense of determination. "If I run, I die. If I fight like a fool, I die. I guess I'll have to think carefully."
Bai Cheng again activated his Fierce Shadow Step as the Earth Titan approached him, quickly sidestepping the spikes and walls Bo Qiang seemed to keep producing. The giant's falling fist was just a foot from Bai Cheng as it ground the tree in two.
"Come on, think!" Bai Cheng said to himself, avoiding another hit. His hurt hand ached, and he felt weak. "I need to use its size against it. If I can trick it into losing its balance…"
He looked at Bo Qiang and shouted, "Is that thing meant to scare us? It looks like it will break if I sneeze on it!"
Bo Qiang's smile disappeared. "You talk too much!"
The Earth Titan moved forward quickly, its huge fist coming down again. This time, Bai Cheng slipped under it, and the force made a small hole in the ground. "There!" Bai Cheng thought, seeing that the Titan was slow to get back up because of its weight. He smiled and ran toward the nearest tree, climbing it quickly even though he was hurt. "What are you doing up there, kid?" Bo Qiang teased.
"Just enjoying the view," Bai Cheng said back.
From his spot, Bai Cheng started to throw small rocks at the Titan, trying to hit its glowing eyes. Even though his hits did not hurt it, they annoyed the creature enough to make it roar and swipe at him, shaking the tree hard.
"Gotcha," Bai Cheng quietly said, his mind racing. "If I can get it to hit something strong enough…"
The Earth Titan's massive fist swung toward Bai Cheng's tree. Just in time, Bai Cheng sprang toward a nearby branch, and the Titan's attack split the trunk in two. The creature stumbled, its balance lost.
This was his chance! Bai Cheng thought to himself, his heart racing with excitement as he prepared to execute his daring plan.
But before he could make his next move, Bo Qiang smirked. "You're clever, kid. Too bad it won't save you."
The Earth began to rumble again, and Bai Cheng's eyes widened in shock as spikes erupted around his perch, leaving him with nowhere to run.
"Let's see how smart you are now!" Bo Qiang bellowed, his laughter echoing through the forest.