BUTTERFLIES (Arc 2&3; The Undefeatable Class 192)

Chapter 74: Facing the Shadow Clone Teenager

  I quickly pulled out a bum-short (a mini, jean pair of shorts that was only half a lap long) and wore a transparent singlet. I didn't need to wet my clothes, so this was my only option. After all, the person had already seen my nakedness, what would it hurt to show him or her this much. Yes, it would probably be the last thing they'd be seeing, because the grave was their only option now.
  As swiftly as possible, I put on the shorts and singlet before using true essence to throw myself out of the water and into the air.
  ‘Woosh!’
  From my aerial view (and my unreined cultivation's spiritual consciousness), I picked the perpetrators almost immediately. My mouth curved into a smile. To think they were only two. Whoever sent just two people to kill me had made the worst mistake in their lives by underestimating me. From mid-air, a bow and arrow receptacle materialised before me. I quickly slipped the arrow receptacle over my shoulders and picked out four arrows simultaneously.
  My duo target were masked like ninjas, and they also acted swiftly. They'd just shot out an arrow each, the moment they spotted me in the sky.
  I sent out two arrows to knock off the incoming arrows, while the other two were aiming at them. I quickly calculated their next movements and sent out four more arrows to block their escape routes.
  ‘Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...’
  Sounds of my piercing arrow (all imbued with my true essence) covered the once peaceful sky.
  Although all these seemed outstretched, in fact, only three seconds had passed.
  The duo were very fast and nimble, still, they couldn't get over every single arrow, as they both had their hands scarred one way or the other. As I free fell, Roy materialised under my will, and got me in time to chase over the tall boys. Yes, they were boys. None had the bodily structure of mature men. This realisation even angered me the more. Some teenage boys stared at me while I bathed?! You're all so dead!
  Roy was fast, and its mind worked as one with mine, so its movements in mid-air were in resonance to my series of piercing arrows.
  ‘Fuuuun, fuuuun, fuuuun!’
  I smirked as I watched them finally fall hard against the bushy mountain side. They were ninjas, so I was actually impressed with myself for being able to outbeat them. However, they'd carefully relied on their physical strength, so as not to reveal their cultivation level.
  Fallen, one of the boys' eyebrows displayed surprise, while the other boy seemed to have faded after being shot. This remaining boy immediately pushed himself into the air, dashing outward in an attempt to run. Using my movement technique, I deterred him immediately, only for him to exclaim in a loud voice.
  “Shadow Clones!”
  Another replica of the boy appeared. It was only then that I understood something. The other boy, earlier, who'd disintegrated after my shot, was actually from this single person. This person's ability was the same as Tang. This person's own body was the only one that could bleed, his clones were only surreal and nothing but materialised shadows. I didn't notice before, due to the fact that they hid underneath a thick shade. Three more shadow clones materialised in place of the clone I'd killed which left the main body suddenly puking out blood. The injury was just superficial.
  I smiled. I understood that making clones, one had to separate one's mind into different fragment so that one could independently control all movements and actions of their clones. So I wasn't afraid the person would go far. He may need some time to heal his injuries, and killing more of his clones would cause additional injuries, albeit meagre.
  ‘Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!’ I killed all clones effortlessly. In fact, due to the disarrayed mind of the main body, the clones were actually acting clumsily and mainly acted on instincts... which was supposed to be a wonderful ability of the clones, but were rendered useless.
  With my spiritual consciousness, I could tell just where the main body was. After taking my time with the clones, I caught up with the main body with just two large steps of my feet. He was hurt, and was trying to recuperate while walking. However, it appeared that his cultivation method was one of those random ones cultivators use from the streets. It wasn't half as good as the Eccentric Heavens cultivation method... not to even mention my United Heavens'!
  With my bow infused with true essence, I struck the back of his head with both my hands, causing him to wallow into the dirt from the earth. His nose began to bleed.
  “Hey, turn around and look at me. You like seeing girls bath, right? Well, why do you cower to turn around now?”
  He struggled to stand up but was kicked into a tree bark. I carried an arrow and shot his right arm. Even without true essence, I was a magnificent archer... one could only imagine what I could do with true essence attached.
  Just as I predicted, he quickly turned around, out of instincts... falling right into my plan. Turning around caused him to face me, and the arrow to pierce his left shoulder. His sensitivity was quick, but his response wasn't quicker than my arrow.
  “Arrgh!” he cried.
  His voice told me he was definitely about two to three years older than me. I catwalked to the tree and removed his mask. It was a boy with a rosy lip, pointed nose and a smug look on his face as he stared at me. He involuntarily let his eyes run down to my chest... too bad I noticed it. With a slap from my hardel, three bloodied teeth flew out of his mouth.
  “Who sent you to me?”
  His brows furrowed and he said, “I'll tell you if you'd let me go.”
  My Eye of Insight suddenly unreined itself, and the boy was frightened by the sight of streaks of lights shining across my eyes.
  “Speak!” I ordered angrily.
  He suddenly looked left and right before saying, “Come closer.”
  I walked closer to him and kept my aura burning around me, causing the boy to be breathless. He was facing a true Meditation realm cultivator... wasn't that suicide?
  On getting very close to his face, he suddenly stretched out his free hand and gripped my left breast with all his cultivation strength.
  “Bastard!” I screamed, punching his face with rage, at that caprice moment, causing him and the tree he was glued to, to disintegrate into nothing but smithereens. My knees fell on the floor in exhaustion and pain. That fool! Blood was plastered all over my clothes, and tears flowed down my cheeks as I was in pain.
  This was the first time I'd actually killed a real person. I couldn't help but retch continuously until I'd turned out all my meals from three days ago. After regaining myself, I knew I shouldn't let my guards down. Who knew just how many of his kinds were lurking about! Really... the world of cultivators was not safe. It was covered by lurking dangers, behind the shadows.
  This was one of my first real life lessons. Nowhere was safe. At least, except the academy for now...
  I went to the riverbank and washed up quickly and cautiously, before changing into a new set of clothes. The bracelet on my wrist suddenly glowed and gave my heart and mind a moment of ease and tranquility, till I was able to make a rational decision on how to move next.
  In order to compensate my used arrows, I took the arrow receptacle of the Shadow Clone teenager plus the one his clone had carried before, supplying me with just enough for future moments like this.
  I ran away from the rural area into the Jade City where I immediately disguised myself into the blue-haired girl I'd created three days ago, at the Fist Practice. I didn't bring Roy out, but brought out Little Wolfy instead. All of these were carried out within the cover of a busy market, and so I was sure that if I had someone still trailing behind me, then that one would surely loose track of me. Not even in the academy, there was none who knew about my copper-fur wolf. Cross-checking my direction, I continued my journey towards the Blazing Sun City.