Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 672 - 605 Fluids

The Ice Spear that penetrated the Ink Silk Clone continuously emitted Frozen Air, spreading over the lake’s surface like a thin mist.

So fast.

Previously, Xi Yangyu had first released Telekinesis, creating invisible three-way channels into which he pushed high-pressure airflow.

The airflow spun rapidly inside one channel, forming a vortex. Due to differing flow rates, this vortex separated into inner and outer currents. The faster inner current drove the outer one, rapidly transferring and partitioning heat energy in the process.

A conical obstacle at the pipeline’s exit allowed the hot air to escape quickly, while the cold airflow, due to increased pressure, was forcefully pumped out from the other end of the channel as a jet stream.

Hundreds of such three-way channels produced an airflow far below freezing. Sprayed onto the lake’s surface, this airflow rapidly formed ice crystals, which then coalesced into the long spear.

Throughout this entire process, Xi Yangyu had only used the most basic Mind Study techniques, yet his precision in wielding Telekinesis was masterful, reaching a pinnacle of skill.

Comparatively, accelerating and enhancing the Ice Spear to pierce the Mo Si defense was less astonishing.

While Li Ang marveled at Xi Yangyu’s proficiency in Mind Study, Xi Yangyu was equally astonished by the true nature of the Ink Silk Clone.

Are these... Fine Gold wires? No, not quite.

Through the wound, he could clearly see threads within the Ink Silk Clone’s body surging, bypassing the Ice Spear, and rapidly healing. More flexible than Fine Gold, tougher than Mystic Iron. Its Spiritual Energy conductivity far surpasses any other material; a mere injection of Spiritual Power accelerates healing...

Xi Yangyu’s expression suddenly changed. He said solemnly, "No wonder the ’Skull-interrupted Sword’ trigram I cast for you was not wrong. You indeed lack Cultivation Talent. It was these threads! They formed a Spirit Vein in your skull, allowing you to cheat your way into the Academic Palace!"

I’ve been discovered.

The numerous arms on Li Ang’s back stretched out, grabbed the Ice Spears embedded in his body, and forcefully snapped them.

It felt like snapping an ice pop in half.

"You truly are insane."

Xi Yangyu’s eyelids twitched as he shouted, "Letting a demon invade your mind—do you realize what that means? Every decision you make, every thought you have, could have been instilled by the demon. No one who integrates so deeply with a demon ever meets a good end."

"A good end? That might be too much of a luxury."

Li Ang sighed and shook his head. If not for Mo Si, I wouldn’t have entered the Academic Palace. Ya Jiu, who later traced the clues to me, would certainly have silenced me. Even if Ya Jiu hadn’t killed me, I would have died cluelessly in the subsequent upheaval in Chang’an, a victim of the Chaotic Wind.

"I only want to live a stable life..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Ang stomped heavily on the lakebed. Sharp, porcupine-like quills sprouted from the back of his streamlined humanoid silhouette, and he shot towards Xi Yangyu like a lightning bolt.

Xi Yangyu squinted, raised his palm, and pushed forward, releasing powerful Telekinesis.

SWOOSH—

The spikes on Li Ang’s back bristled, acting as antennae to monitor the surrounding flow of Spiritual Power to their utmost capacity.

This was a new skill he had mastered from the battle in the Dream Morphing Illusion.

Each spike acted like radar, emitting faint Telekinesis. Based on the feedback, it gathered information such as the target’s distance, speed, bearing, and altitude. It could also detect the trajectories of an enemy’s Telekinesis.

It was an advanced version of the foundational Mind Study technique, ’Square.’

I see it, the flow of the Mind...

The humanoid silhouette contorted rapidly, slithering like a snake to narrowly evade the descending Telekinesis, and continued to close the distance to Xi Yangyu.

He can see Mind Power?

Xi Yangyu, after all, was the Mind Study Master at the Academic Palace. By observing Li Ang’s movements, he roughly deduced the principle.

Li Ang’s own Cultivation was currently at the Initial Stage of the Cloud Patrol Realm, approaching the Middle Rank. The physical strength of the Ink Silk Clone was at the Perfect stage of an Innate Martial Artist, equivalent to a High-Order Cultivator of the Cloud Patrol Realm on other Dao Paths.

He was only a step away from becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Unfortunately, the Ink Silk Clone could not utilize the rich and varied Qi Blood Martial Skills of Body Refining Martial Artists. Besides, even a Martial Arts Grandmaster would be at a disadvantage against a Telekinesis Master of the same realm...

Xi Yangyu sneered inwardly and abruptly clenched his fist, unleashing the same move he had used against the Radiant Crossbow’s light orb in the Mountain Master’s study earlier.

A Telekinesis Sphere, ten meters in diameter, instantly materialized, enveloping Li Ang and the surrounding lake water.

"Rise!"

Xi Yangyu heaved his fist upward, lifting the spherical barrier from the water’s surface, denying Li Ang any purchase from the lakebed. Simultaneously, he tightened his grip, causing the sphere to rapidly contract.

His back spikes can detect the flow of Telekinesis? Then I’ll use this crude and simple method, leaving no room to dodge!

THUD—

Trapped within the sphere, Li Ang punched out, but the increasingly thick Telekinesis Sphere didn’t budge. Instead, the arms made of Mo Si exploded.

Moreover, sharp telekinetic spikes continuously materialized within the barrier, tearing at the Ink Silk Clone.

Unable to scan for weak spots.

Li Ang took half a step back. The Telekinesis Sphere above his head was shrinking rapidly; its diameter was now only three meters. It would soon crush the Ink Silk Clone into paste.

Even if Mo Si could regenerate, in this area, devoid of Spiritual Energy replenishment, he would be at an absolute disadvantage in a war of attrition due to his smaller reserves of Spiritual Energy.

The energy consumption from firing the Radiant Crossbow is too great, and the confined space could lead to self-injury. As for Dragon Fall... Xi Yangyu probably doesn’t know this weapon exists. It must be kept as a trump card.

Then I can only rely on myself.

Determination flashed in Li Ang’s eyes. The arms of the humanoid silhouette melted and reformed into a massive Crossbow Arrow—or rather, a battering ram.

The amount of Mo Si was limited. This battering ram consumed so much of it that the humanoid silhouette continuously shrank, regressing to the size of a child—just small enough to avoid the increasingly low dome above.

Li Ang shifted half a step back, steadying his center of gravity amidst the relentless tearing of telekinetic spikes, and took aim.

BOOM!

The massive Crossbow Arrow formed from his arms slammed into the Telekinesis Sphere, unleashing a violent tremor.

Since the Telekinesis Sphere was completely transparent, the giant Crossbow Arrow appeared to be embedded in an invisible wall. Its tip fractured and twisted, and its shaft bent and warped.

However, at the very tip of the arrowhead, a minuscule droplet of pitch-black liquid managed to penetrate to the outside of the Telekinesis Sphere.

Breached.

A flash of cold light pierced Li Ang’s eyes. His entire form dissolved on the spot, transforming into a liquid stream of Mo Si. This stream shot out through the hollow core of the Crossbow Arrow, escaping the Telekinesis Sphere.

The entire process happened in the blink of an eye. Even though Xi Yangyu hastily reacted, using the first Telekinesis Sphere as a foundation to form a second one in an attempt to trap Li Ang again, Li Ang, using his spike radar, had already detected this intention. He broke free from the Telekinesis range and closed the distance between them to within ten paces.

Treading the cold lake water, Li Ang seemed to hear again the words of Xue Che, the Body Study Division Master, from when he had first entered the Academic Palace, describing the combat styles of various Dao Paths:

"...Mystical Techniques devastate heaven and earth, talismanic books suppress mountains and rivers, sword control shatters all defenses, Telekinesis is illusory and traceless. But once the distance is narrowed to within ten or a hundred paces, it becomes the domain of the Martial Artist."