Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse-Chapter 229: X

The gap between Magus refining Body and Innate Magus Stage was truly immense.

One represented the mundane, while the other transcended it. It was akin to a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, undergoing a qualitative transformation—a sublimation of life itself.

Even someone as strong as Aizen, a renowned expert on the Human Rankings, could only flee when facing an innate-level opponent. And at this moment, the nearly fatal sense of danger weighing on his heart was growing stronger.

Aizen's spiritual perception, though not as refined as an innate expert's, was no less potent than Lother's. Because of this, he could faintly sense the murderous intent emanating from Lother . As that ominous pressure intensified, Aizen realized with unnerving clarity that his pursuer was closing in.

This foe was unquestionably stronger than Lother, likely a late-stage Diamond Stage expert. Such a figure would be more than capable of exerting the overwhelming pressure Aizen now felt.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"I can't keep dragging this out. He's definitely locked onto my trail. I must block his sensory lock on my aura," Aizen thought as he swam through the turbulent waters, his mind racing.

Advanced spiritual perception, akin to a sixth sense, allowed powerful cultivators to track their targets across great distances, sometimes even over hundreds of miles. While this pursuer likely lacked that level of power, his tracking skills were formidable enough to make escape incredibly difficult.

To break the connection, Aizen needed an unconventional method.

"There's nothing else here—no suitable materials for array formation. My only option is to set up a Golden Water Microcosmic Array to temporarily block his aura detection…"

Aizen quickly devised a plan to save himself.

By employing a mystical gate formation, he could alter the local magnetic field, obscuring his presence and severing the connection his pursuer relied on. This would cause the enemy to lose track of him, buying precious time.

This demonstrated the versatility of mystical gate formations—they weren't just for aiding cultivation but could also serve as defensive and offensive tools.

Aizen regretted not learning more array techniques back in Great Plain City. If he had mastered additional formations, he would have more options now. As it stood, the Golden Water Microcosmic Array was his only feasible choice for temporary protection.

This small-scale formation would alter the magnetic field in the area for a short time, masking his aura. However, Aizen knew that such a rudimentary formation couldn't fool a sharp opponent for long. Eventually, the enemy would sense the anomaly in the magnetic field and deduce his location.

At best, it would buy him two hours—four if he was lucky. This delay was just enough for him to survive until the activity shop refreshed again in five hours. If the Great Rejuvenation Pill appeared, he could immediately disperse his internal energy, cultivate the Nine Moon Nine Sun Art, and use the pill to break through to the innate stage.

Making up his mind, Aizen stopped running. He slipped into a crack in the rocky wall of the underground river, drawing both the narrow blade at his waist and the Cold Moon Sabre strapped to his back.

He inserted the two razor-sharp blades into the rock in positions dictated by the formation and submerged himself in the water, pressing his hands and feet against the walls to form a posture mirroring the crossed arrangement of the blades.

The water rippled around him, reflecting the cold glint of the sabres, their eerie light cutting through the darkness.

This created a unique interplay of metal and water—referred to as Golden Water Flow in Qimen formations.

In formation theory, metal generates water, symbolizing the creation of life and the microcosm of the universe. Though this was just a simplified version of such a grand concept, and Aizen lacked proper array materials, he improvised by using his own body and the sabres. The blades embodied the killing intent of metal, while the water represented softness and benevolence.

The interplay of the two—death and life—created a balance, forming the Golden Water Microcosmic Array.

This array served as a barrier to obscure Aizen's aura from Lother. But it wasn't without its risks. The pursuer might still discern the peculiarities of the area and pinpoint his location.

For now, Aizen could only bet everything on this formation and the activity shop's next refresh, his life hanging by a thread.

The Subtle Change in the Magnetic Field

The magnetic field around the area shifted subtly as Aizen completed the Golden Water Microcosmic Array. His aura, now concealed within the interplay of slaughter and gentleness, vanished entirely.

Eight or nine miles away, Lother halted abruptly in the water, his expression darkening. His bone structure cracked and expanded, his torso swelling as his spine jutted outward, transforming him into the likeness of a massive sea turtle. He floated effortlessly in the rushing current, immune to its force.

"His aura vanished so suddenly? Strange… I was so close. Could he have been swept into another branch of the underground river, too far for me to sense?" Lother pondered, his brows furrowed.

He resumed swimming in the last direction his senses had detected Aizen. Over an hour passed, and he had traveled nearly twenty miles, approaching the end of the underground river.

"Still no sign of his aura…"

A wave of irritation surged through Lother . It felt as if something was obstructing his spiritual perception—like opening one's eyes only to find them covered by a cloth, rendering the outside world invisible.

"Could it be… he used an array to block my senses?"

Realization dawned on Lother , though understanding this didn't make the task of finding the array any simpler.

"Crack!"

Lother 's form shifted again as he accelerated, meticulously scanning for any disturbances in the magnetic field. Detecting the subtle fluctuations of a mystical gate array required exceptional skill and focus.

Back in the crevice, Aizen's eyes snapped open. The ominous sense of danger had returned, pressing heavily on his heart.

"So fast."

Sliding down from his position, he swiftly retrieved the narrow blade and the Cold Moon Sabre. Without hesitation, he dove into the water, breaking the array as he left.

Five miles away, Lother's sharp eyes flashed. His expression shifted as he felt Aizen's aura suddenly reappear within range.

"Trying to run?"

For someone like Lother , five miles was a trivial distance. Even in the water, it would take him no more than twenty minutes to close the gap with his full speed. For Aizen, despite his best efforts, twenty minutes of swimming would only take him two or three miles further. Lother's aquatic speed was far superior, thanks to his transformed physique.

Half an hour later, Aizen could feel the terrifying pressure behind him growing more intense. The suffocating sensation of impending doom pressed on his chest.

"Boom!"

A massive burst of white energy erupted through the water, slicing across a distance of over a hundred meters toward Aizen. Startled, he narrowly dodged, feeling the violent force churn the water around him as it tore past, dissipating several dozen meters ahead.

It was a terrifyingly powerful attack.

On land, delivering such a strike capable of injuring someone at a distance of a hundred steps wasn't unheard of, even for Aizen as a near-innate expert. But to execute such an attack within turbulent water was an entirely different matter—it was an extraordinary feat.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of water explosions rippled outward, as if an enormous net of energy was being cast toward Aizen. The sheer power of the energy waves stunned him.

One strand of energy slammed into his back, and Aizen's muscles reflexively contracted like a startled cat. He countered with a burst of internal energy, but the clash left his body trembling violently. His internal energy, being fundamentally different from the innate true qi of his opponent, was no match. It was as if he had been struck by a colossal hammer.

Were it not for the Cold Moon Sabre strapped to his back absorbing some of the impact, the strike might have inflicted serious internal injuries.

"So this… this is the power of a late-stage Diamond Realm warrior?" Aizen muttered to himself, shaken.

The pursuit wasn't over, and the pressure from Lother was mounting. Aizen's options were running out as the deadly chase continued.

A series of water explosions rippled outward, as if an enormous net of energy was being cast toward Aizen. The sheer power of the energy waves stunned him.

One strand of energy slammed into his back, and Aizen's muscles reflexively contracted like a startled cat. He countered with a burst of internal energy, but the clash left his body trembling violently. His internal energy, being fundamentally different from the innate true qi of his opponent, was no match. It was as if he had been struck by a colossal hammer.

Were it not for the Cold Moon Sabre strapped to his back absorbing some of the impact, the strike might have inflicted serious internal injuries.

"So this… this is the power of a late-stage Diamond Realm warrior?" Aizen muttered to himself, shaken.

The pursuit wasn't over, and the pressure from Lother was mounting. Aizen's options were running out as the deadly chase continued.