Infinite Awakening: My Exp Doubles Everyday novel Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Dangerous Move

The clearing held its breath, still as a painting. No insect chirped, no leaf rustled—a moment of perfect silence before chaos erupted.

In the next heartbeat, the world transformed into an inferno. A massive explosion tore through the clearing, unleashing devastation comparable to a collapsed nuclear reactor. The shockwave ripped trees from their roots, hurling them through the air like matchsticks. Flames devoured everything, leaving nothing untouched as they climbed skyward in a terrible pillar of destruction.

When the firestorm finally subsided, what remained was unrecognizable—a vast, smoldering crater carved deep into the earth where the clearing had once been. At its center lay the Core Formation expert, his body unrecognizable. Half his face had been burned beyond recognition, his left limbs entirely missing, and he was barely conscious.

"What happened? Where am I?" the man’s thoughts swam sluggishly through his pain-clouded mind.

A silhouette appeared above him, blurred by his failing vision. He strained to focus, raising his remaining hand in a feeble gesture.

"Save—" The word died on his lips as a sharp, piercing pain bloomed in his chest. His vision cleared just enough to recognize his executioner—Xiang Yu, driving a sword directly through his heart.

Memory finally flooded back. Before he could escape, the hidden talismans had somehow detonated simultaneously, catching him in their combined fury. "So this is death, huh!" The thought drifted through his fading consciousness. His raised arm fell limply to his side as a strange, peaceful smile crossed what remained of his face. "It doesn’t feel all that bad..." And then darkness claimed him completely.

Xiang Yu collapsed beside the corpse, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He’d made an incredibly dangerous gamble, using his earth qi to trigger all the buried talismans simultaneously. The resulting explosion had been far more devastating than he’d anticipated. Though he’d managed to use the Abyssal Void Flame to absorb the fire itself, he’d forgotten a crucial detail—though the flame could absorb the fire, it didn’t absorb the force of the blast.

His internal organs felt like they’d been put through a meat grinder. Pain radiated through every fiber of his being, but survival instinct overrode his body’s desperate pleas for rest. His eyes snapped open with sudden urgency.

No, he couldn’t afford to rest yet. An explosion of this magnitude would draw attention from miles around. He needed to disappear before investigators arrived at the scene.

"But first..." A pained smile crossed his face despite his agony. "I have to get my money’s worth."

With trembling fingers, Xiang Yu removed the spatial ring from the dead cultivator’s remaining hand. At least the ring had survived the blast intact—unlike when he’d eliminated the Foundation Establishment subordinates earlier, who’d been reduced to less than ash. What a waste that had been.

A Core Formation expert’s spatial ring would undoubtedly contain valuable treasures, but exploration would have to wait. Pushing through his pain, Xiang Yu sluggishly dragged himself toward the spirit spring.

Upon reaching the small cave entrance, he carefully arranged the bushes to conceal the opening before slipping inside. Once through, he methodically replaced the foliage, erasing all traces of his passage. Only after repositioning the massive rock that sealed the inner chamber did he finally allow himself to relax marginally.

The Transcendent Dao Physique truly lived up to its status. Already, he could feel his grievous internal injuries healing—not completely, but enough that his life was no longer in immediate danger. The remaining damage would heal naturally over time, but Xiang Yu couldn’t afford to wait. Investigators would surely arrive soon to examine the site of the explosion.

He approached the spirit spring, noting with satisfaction that it had partially replenished itself. Not fully restored to its previous glory, but sufficient for his needs. Without hesitation, he removed his tattered clothing and immersed himself in the spirit spring.

As he began circulating his energy to accelerate the healing process, Xiang Yu realized that dawn had not yet broken. According to his established routine, this was still the time for mind cultivation. With that thought, he closed his eyes and plunged into the vast expanse of his spiritual sea.

...

Li Yao’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, her grip on her sword unwavering. "Then why are you stopping me from leaving when the sect is under attack?"

"Will you listen to my story first?" the voice replied.

Li Yao remained motionless, her defensive stance unchanged, muscles tensed and ready to react to any threat.

"Don’t worry, your senior brother is still safe," the voice continued.

The mention of Xiang Yu sent a visible jolt through Li Yao’s body. Her expression hardened further, jaw clenching as she demanded, "How do you know about that?"

"It’s just some divination, nothing much," the voice answered dismissively.

Li Yao’s eyes flicked to the side momentarily, "Is what he’s saying true?"

[It is indeed divination, though I wouldn’t trust it much,] the Empress responded within her mind.

Was this a trap after all? The thought flashed through her mind as she struggled against the crushing pressure.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify