The air around Bai Cheng grew thick with the leaden weight of an impending death as chunks of rock slammed into the trees he leaped between. The Earth Golem, that towering, hulking mass of animated stone, swung its massive arms to uproot the trees and set shockwaves quivering through the ground.
Meanwhile, Bo Qiang stood a good distance from Bai Cheng and raised spikes of earth with a swift wrist rotation. They emerged in random patterns, waiting to impale Bai Cheng if he did anything wrong. What was once a peaceful forest looked like a war zone.
Bai Cheng leaped onto another branch, his movements purely instinctual.
"Are you scared yet, boy?" Bo Qiang shouted, sounding mean. "You're just putting off what will happen."
Bai Cheng clenched his teeth, sweat running down his face. "Scared? Of what? Your big rock monster or your slow attacks?" he yelled back, a smile appearing on his lips even with the trouble around him.
His taunt worked. Bo Qiang's face twisted in anger. "We'll see how cocky you are when you're buried six feet under!"
Bai Cheng moved around quickly to stay safe, but the constant attacks were making him tired. A loud noise sounded as an earth spike touched his shoulder, making a small hole in his shirt. He flinched and held the fabric tightly.
"Getting close, old man," Bai Cheng shouted, leaping to another branch. "But close isn't good enough!"
Bo Qiang growled in frustration, and his palms shone with earthy energy. He let out a roar, slapping into the ground with both palms, and created a wave of spikes dashing forward like a sharp tsunami.
Bai Cheng had to jump even higher to avoid the spikes. As he landed on another branch, the Earth Golem's huge hand hit the tree beneath him, sending pieces flying. Bai Cheng grabbed a nearby vine and swung himself to safety just in time.
"All that stone armor and you're still too slow!" Bai Cheng shouted, making fun of him. "Are you sure you're not fighting in slow motion?"
Bo Qiang's eyes were full of anger. He hit the ground again, creating bigger spikes, their tips shining dangerously. "You talk too much for a dead man!"
Bai Cheng landed on a strong branch, panting. He knew he couldn't keep going like this for much longer. Bo Qiang wasn't just randomly attacking him—his moves were becoming more precise, blocking out. And the Golem's powerful hits were getting closer.
He glanced at the Earth Golem, its movements slow but very strong. The massive creature was unpredictable, swinging its stone fists with enough power to crush entire trees.
"I can't keep dodging both forever," Bai Cheng muttered to himself. "Time to level the playing field."
Bai Cheng spotted a cluster of shattered rock spikes embedded in the ground nearby. He smirked. "Let's see how you handle your own medicine, Bo Qiang."
In a quick move, he jumped off his branch and dove towards the group. He rolled to make his landing easier, picked up a piece of broken stone, and threw it hard at Bo Qiang. The stone hit Bo Qiang's chest, causing him to stagger. "You little pest!" Bo Qiang shouted, hitting the ground to make a protective layer of strong stone armor around his body.
The armor gleamed in the sunlight, thick and impenetrable, but Bai Cheng noticed its flaw immediately—Bo Qiang's movements became slower.
"Wow," Bai Cheng said, feigning awe. "You're even slower than the Golem now! Is this your final form?"
Bo Qiang growled but didn't respond, his fists glowing with Qi as he prepared his next attack.
Bai Cheng looked at the Golem, then at his loyal dog, who had been hiding in the bushes, waiting for a signal. He whistled loudly, a sound that was heard above the noise. The dog sat up and started barking, running toward the Golem. The creature turned its huge head, its empty eyes glowing softly. With a deep sound, it began to move slowly after the barking dog, completely focused on it.
"Good boy," Bai Cheng whispered, feeling his heart beat fast. "Just keep it busy for a little while longer."
Bo Qiang looked at what was happening, squinting. "What are you doing, kid?"
Bai Cheng shrugged and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Oh, not much. Just making things fair."
"You think your small dog can stop that Golem?" Bo Qiang mocked, moving closer. His heavy, armored steps made the ground shake a little.
Bai Cheng smiled. "No, but it can hold its attention long enough for me to handle you."
Bo Qiang's face changed with anger, and he lifted his arms, readying another attack. "You will regret saying that, boy!"
With the increasing spikes summoned by Bo Qiang, Bai Cheng began dashing ahead of him and made the most of the uneven ground. He was zigzagging through the growing rocks, too erratically to be predicted by Bo Qiang.
Bai Cheng reached another pile of debris, picked up a rock, and threw it at Bo Qiang's face.
The cultivator hit it away with a growl, but this distraction let Bai Cheng jump onto a nearby tree. From his higher spot, Bai Cheng yelled, "Catch me if you can!"
Bo Qiang roared, slamming the ground to create a stone platform beneath his feet, raising himself to Bai Cheng's level. "You're not escaping this time!"
As the platform rose, Bai Cheng's smirk faded slightly. "Great. Now he's learning. Just what I needed."
He glanced toward his dog, who was still leading the Golem deeper into the forest. "Hang in there, buddy. I'll join you soon."
Bai Cheng's mind was racing as he prepared for the next phase of his plan. Bo Qiang was closing in, his stone armor glinting in the sunlight. The Earth Golem's roars echoed in the distance, a reminder of the ever-present danger.
Taking a deep breath, Bai Cheng steadied himself. "Time to finish this phase and move to the next."
Chapter Ending: Bo Qiang rushes forward, fists glowing with earth Qi; beside him, Bai Cheng readies for the next round.