The Eternal Sin-Chapter 25: Watching the Branch, Ignoring the Trunk.

The battle had reached its most vicious stage.

Golden stalks bent and snapped beneath trampling feet. Muddy water splashed high into the air as techniques clashed without restraint. The air was tainted with dust, blood, and the scent of scorched grain.

Two cultivators stood firm in the spirit field, their auras blazing like twin furnaces.

Both were at the thirteenth layer of Qi Condensation.

One of them wielded a long black spear etched with faint dragon patterns. Each thrust split the air with a shrill cry, spear light forming overlapping shadows that stabbed toward his enemy from every angle.

The other cultivator stood several paces away. Water qi rolled around his body in heavy waves, condensing into blades and whips that lashed forward relentlessly.

Between them staggered a silver devil masked cultivator. The number twelve was carved clearly into his mask.

His right arm was gone. Blood still poured from the torn shoulder, soaking the rice field beneath his feet. He struggled to breathe, his aura unstable and flickering like a dying lamp.

The masked cultivator blocked, retreated, and struggled, but every exchange pushed him closer to collapse. Earth qi gathered beneath his feet again and again, only to be shattered by spear light or eroded by flowing water qi.

’Is this it...? Am I really going to die like this...?’

Despair flooded his heart.

Just as death loomed close enough to taste, a violent burst of wind ripped through the field.

A figure descended.

Silver devil mask.

The number twenty gleamed like distant stars.

Jiang Chen had arrived and did not hesitate for even half a breath. The moment his feet touched the ground, his body blurred forward. Tiger phantoms wrapped tightly around his fists, muscles swelling as bone essence surged.

’Danger!’ The spear wielding cultivator felt his scalp tingle.

Before he could retreat, Jiang Chen was already upon him.

The punch came like a mountain collapsing.

The spear wielding cultivator barely managed to raise his weapon horizontally. The impact shook his entire body. Mud exploded beneath his feet as he was driven backward several steps, his arms numb from the collision.

At the same moment, the water path cultivator reacted, his eyes flashing coldly as his hands moved through rapid seals.

"You’re seeking death!"

Streams of condensed water shot toward Jiang Chen’s back like coiling serpents, sharp enough to pierce steel.

Jiang Chen shouted loudly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Number twelve. You handle him!"

The devil masked cultivator froze for a fraction of a second.

Then he roared as earth qi erupted violently beneath his remaining hand. The ground exploded as stone and soil surged upward, forming a thick earthen dome that swallowed the water path cultivator whole.

Water blades slammed against the earthen shell, shaking it violently, but for the moment, interference was cut off.

Number twelve laughed hoarsely. Blood spilled from beneath his mask as he poured everything he had into attacking the water path cultivator.

For the first time since the battle began, hope burned fiercely in his chest.

"Fucking intruders, you’re courting death!" The spear cultivator cursed viciously and lunged forward, abandoning all restraint.

Spear techniques erupted in rapid succession, each thrust infused with dangerous killing intent. Dragon patterns along the shaft flared brightly, spear shadows layering until they resembled a forest of black steel.

Jiang Chen advanced without fear.

Heavenly Tiger Fist met spear light head on.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each punch shattered multiple spear shadows. Every collision sounded like steel smashing against steel, rippling shockwaves outward.

They fought at close range, exchanging blows that shook the ground.

Even though Jiang Chen was only at the sixth layer of Qi Condensation, with the combination of the Peak stage Myriad Strength Tiger bone essence and the Heavenly Tiger Fist Technique, he could somewhat confidently contend against a thirteenth layer cultivator.

Step by step, unknowingly, their battle moved deeper into the back end of the fields. The rice here grew taller and denser, each stalk as thick as a child’s wrist and packed with spiritual essence. In the distance, flames already danced upward, casting an orange glow through the smoke.

Suddenly, the rice stalks on both sides burst apart. Two silver devil masked cultivators jumped out.

Both bore the number twenty.

"What!?!" The spear cultivator’s eyes widened in shock.

One clone drove a fist straight toward his chest. The other attacked from the side, targeting his ribs. Caught off guard, he barely managed to block one strike with the spear shaft. The second blow landed heavily against his kidney.

Pain detonated through his body. As he spat blood and stumbled sideways, nearly losing his grip on the spear.

The clones pressed forward mercilessly. Golden fists rose and fell without pause, their attacks flowing like a tide that never receded.

Despite the blood staining his lips, the spear cultivator forced himself to calm down. His movements became sharper, years of experience and instinct taking over as he parried and countered, forcing the battle into a deadlock.

The spear wielding cultivator’s mind raced even as he fought. ’These two alone are not enough to kill me. But that troublesome fellow from earlier is hiding. He must be waiting for an opening.’

His gaze flicked constantly across the rice field. ’Hmph. Let the bastard wait. I will act weak and lure him. And when he strikes, I will kill him first!’

As the fight continued, the spear cultivator deliberately slowed his reactions.

But there was no response from Jiang Chen.

The spear cultivator was undeterred by Jiang Chen’s lack of action. As he began to put on an act of exhaustion, showing more flaws in the battle. Even going as far as to allow shallow wounds to appear across his body.

All the while, his senses scanned the rice fields constantly. ’Come out quickly, you scheming rat. I know you are hiding somewhere.’

Minutes continued to pass.

The clones attacked relentlessly, and sweat soaked the spear cultivator’s forehead. The spiritual essence in his dantian was being drained steadily.

’Why is he not attacking?’ He frowned deeply, unease creeping into his heart.

Abruptly, he exposed a larger opening, taking a heavier blow to his shoulder.

"Ughh."

Still nothing.

Suddenly, a rice stalk swayed unnaturally.

"There!" The spear cultivator’s eyes lit up. With a furious roar, he unleashed his deadliest spear technique.

Dragon Piercing Spear!

A dozen shadows burst from the spear, mysteriously merging into a single thick beam before erupting forward.

The beam easily tore through stalk after stalk, clearing a ten meter straight line.

But there was no Jiang Chen.

Only a finger sized insect lay twitching on the ground, its translucent wings charred black as it suffocated in the smoke.

An Iron Winged Locust.

A low grade pest that devoured spirit rice.

’This is...’

Disappointment flared instantly, followed by fury.

’Where is that thief? Did he seriously run away?’

Then realization struck like thunder.

He stared at the insect trembling on the ground, poisoned by the thick smoke rolling through the field.

These particularl type of insects were a constant menace to spirit farmers and were normally exterminated using smoke during controlled burns.

The spear cultivator’s head snapped up.

He finally looked around.

Orange flames had surrounded him from every direction, devouring the spirit field in a roaring tide.

And he stood at the center of this blazing inferno.

Sweat poured down his face.

’Shit, shit, shit! I was so focused on the enemy before me that I forgot the larger picture!’

Understanding crashed down like a hammer.

’Curses. I thought I saw through their plan, but I was the fool dancing to their tune all along.’ His gaze snapped back to the two masked cultivators who continued attacking without the slightest concern for the approaching fire.

’Suicidal maniacs! They are using their own lives to drag me down with them.’ He cursed them in his heart.

What he did not know was that they were only clones. Had he known that, he would never have fallen this deeply into Jiang Chen’s scheme.

Panic surged.

With no intention of continuing the fight, the spear cultivator turned and ran.

The two clones blocked his path immediately, their attacks growing even more savage.

"Get lost!" He roared, unleashing his full power. The spear immediately pierced straight through the abdomen of the clone standing before him.

Without sparing it another look, he twisted and attacked the second clone. Dozens of spear strikes rained down from head to toe.

Puff~

The second clone shattered into smoke.

"Huh..? Smoke? Where’s the blood?" The spear cultivator was stunned.

Then a chill surged up his spine.

He tried to turn, but a punch slammed into his back and hurled him forward like a ragdoll, blood bursting from his mouth as his organs shifted within him, while his body crashed and skidded violently across the ground.

Behind him, the first clone was still barely standing. A massive puncture in its abdomen leaked spiritual essence rapidly. Cracks spread across its body as it raised its arm.

With its remaining strength, it hurled the spear cultivator’s storage pouch far away from the burning fields.

Then the clone disintegrated completely.

The spear cultivator staggered upright, eyes bloodshot and wild. Ignoring his horrible injuries, he rushed toward the pouch.

He shouted in his mind, ’This must be the way out!’

He believed that wholeheartedly.

’Since the pouch was thrown this way, then the cultivator from before must be there as well. This is my only chance. I must make it!’

Flames greedily licked at his robes as he ran at full power. His lungs burned from the smoke and his vision got blurry. But hope drove him onward.

Then the heat intensified.

Fire surrounded him even tighter than before.

"Noo! I was tricked again!" He screamed in rage and despair, vomiting blood.

He slashed wildly at the flames, attempting to carve a path. He tried to return the way he came.

But that road was burning.

In the end, the inferno swallowed him whole.

His painfilled screams cut through the night before being drowned in fire, flesh sizzling and skin peeling like a chicken in a roasting pit, organs shriveling under the heat as spirit rice popped and burned around him, until at last he was reduced to nothing more than blackened bones and ash scattered across the ruined fields.

Outside the sea of flames, Jiang Chen stepped from the smoke.

He had caught the storage pouch and stored it away. Then began hurriedly walking to a nearby well and poured a bucket of cold water over himself. Steam rose around his body as the heat dissipated.

He glanced toward the direction where the other two cultivators were still fighting.

A faint curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

The night was young.

There was still some killing to be done.