"Pfft!"
The earth-yellow talisman in Yu Chengbo's fingers ignited without fire and crumbled to ash in an instant.
A blinding light burst forth, transforming in midair into a brilliant yellow canopy, enveloping the Lieyang Sect cultivators. Threads of spiritual energy cascaded down from the canopy's edges, mysterious and awe-inspiring.
By then, the green vortex had also fully formed. It radiated an overwhelming pressure that made the faces of the newer Foundation Establishment cultivators like Qi Feiyun turn pale. Instinctively, they raised their magical tools to shield themselves.
Boom... Hwaaa!
The vortex roared as it descended, colliding with the golden canopy. In that instant, clouds surged in all directions, and the spiritual artifacts clashing at the center of the battlefield were forcibly separated and returned to their owners.
Immediately after, the spiritual energy storm caused by the battle began rapidly shrinking under the influence of two third-tier talismans. When it finally compressed to its limit, it exploded with a deafening roar.
The sonic blast was so sharp that everyone present had to shut off their hearing to protect themselves.
Despite their efforts, two early Foundation Establishment disciples from the Lieyang Sect became dazed, their ears bleeding. If not for Mao Wuwei's quick intervention to stabilize their souls, their three spirits and seven souls might have scattered completely.
As the blast faded, invisible and piercing astral winds swept across the battlefield, colorless, formless, and inescapable, throwing the Lieyang Sect into chaos.
"Now's our chance to split up!"
Taking advantage of the disorder, Song Xianyun gave Song Changsheng a forceful push, activating the Fleetfoot Talisman on his chest. In a flash, Song Changsheng turned into a streak of dazzling light, speeding toward Luoxia City.
After sending him off, Song Xianyun did not retreat. He remained to buy more time for Song Changsheng's escape. Quickly popping a pill to recover his energy, he pulled out his last two top-tier second-grade offensive talismans.
These kinds of talismans were extremely rare; each one used meant depleting the family's hard-earned foundation. But Song Xianyun couldn't afford to be frugal now and threw them both without hesitation:
A Rain of Fire Talisman
A Soul-Cleaving Talisman
Unfortunately, both Yu Chengbo and Mao Wuwei were on high alert. They quickly countered the attacks with their spiritual artifacts, minimizing the impact to nothing more than some spiritual energy loss.
Glancing at the dissipating astral winds, Song Xianyun sighed quietly. Realizing the tide could no longer be turned, he channeled all his spiritual power into the flying vessel and broke away at full speed.
By the time the chaotic winds cleared, the disheveled Lieyang Sect cultivators could only glimpse the faint streak left behind by the escaping vessel.
"Damn it! The blast hit our side directly! They didn't suffer a thing, and now they've split up, what do we do?"
Another elder, He Beishui, snapped angrily.
All eyes turned toward Yu Chengbo, the one in charge of the operation.
Yu's expression shifted rapidly before he finally clenched his jaw and made a decision:
"That brat has grown far too fast in just a few years. We can't afford to ignore him anymore.
The Azure Sky White Jade Pill must not be lost, and that boy must die!"
"I'll go after Song Xianyun with Mao and He.
Liu Yunfeng, you take Qi Feiyun and the others to eliminate Song Changsheng. I'm granting you command over all nearby disciples, scouts, and sentries. Do whatever it takes to sever his head before he reaches Luoxia City!"
"If nothing else, trap him and wear him down!"
Liu Yunfeng was stunned at first, but when he heard he'd been granted command over local forces, his heart leapt with joy. He bowed quickly and shouted:
"I will give it everything I have!"
Just as he was about to lead the team to give chase, Yu Chengbo stopped him again:
"That brat has a high-grade spiritual artifact; it's no joke.
Take my Net of Heaven's Restraint with you. Even if you can't kill him, you can trap him."
Spiritual tools are semi-sentient; with the owner's permission, others can use them even without refining, though they won't be able to draw out their full power, it'll still be more than enough to handle Song Changsheng's artifact.
When Liu Yunfeng received the Net of Heaven's Restraint, his hands trembled with excitement. This was a top-tier spiritual tool; there were only a few in the entire Lieyang Sect.
With his background and status, he'd normally never get close to such a treasure.
Qi Feiyun and the others were green with envy, their eyes practically glowing, but they understood that even if they had the spiritual artifact, it would be useless to them. With their current strength, they wouldn't even be able to activate it.
Only after thoroughly preparing Liu Yunfeng and his group did Yu Chengbo feel reassured enough to lead Mao Wuwei and the others in pursuit of Song Xianyun.
Song Xianyun's flying vessel far exceeded the speed of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, but Yu Chengbo's team had come well-prepared. Mao Wuwei summoned a giant beast hide, and as the group stepped onto it, it transformed into a streak of blazing light, speeding after Song Xianyun.
...
Meanwhile, Song Changsheng was using Flickering Shadows to travel with astonishing speed. With the aid of the Fleetfoot Talisman, his pace became truly terrifying, so fast that he had to keep a spiritual shield around his body to withstand the force of the wind.
He was still tens of thousands of li away from Luoxia City. Even with his current speed, it would take several days to reach it, and during that time, he could only rely on himself.
"I didn't expect the Lieyang Sect to be this well-prepared. Even a third-tier talisman failed to land a decisive blow…"
Song Changsheng clenched his fists, a trace of frustration in his heart.
Had the enemy not used the third-tier Profound Earth Yellow Talisman, then Song Xianyun's Heaven's Astral Wind Talisman would have at least taken down one or two enemies. In the end, it merely caused them some minor trouble.
"I wonder if Grandpa Twenty-One managed to escape…"
Worry flashed in his eyes. Song Xianyun carried the greatest risk; not only was he the highly respected Grand Elder of the clan, but he also had the Azure Sky White Jade Pill on him. He was undoubtedly the Lieyang Sect's top priority.
But worrying was useless. Right now, Song Changsheng could only focus on getting back to Luoxia City as quickly as possible.
...
Elsewhere, Liu Yunfeng and his team had lost Song Changsheng's trail. He quickly pulled out the jade token left by Yu Chengbo and began frantically issuing commands.
Every scout in the region received the same order: Find Song Changsheng.
The Lieyang Sect had been laying its roots in the border provinces for many years, and its network of spies was vast. Within an hour, someone had located Song Changsheng and reported back to Liu Yunfeng.
"How is he moving so fast?"
Liu Yunfeng frowned as he looked over the intel. In such a short time, the target had already appeared thousands of li away.
"Senior Brother Liu, he must've used a talisman like the Fleetfoot Talisman. We can't let him get away, Elder Yu gave strict orders!"
Qi Feiyun jumped in, anxious.
Liu Yunfeng's expression darkened. Qi Feiyun was right; if Song Changsheng escaped, the punishment from the sect would be severe.
Just last time, he had joined the Fifth Elder in trying to capture the demonic cultivator Dong Tianxie, but they'd been ambushed and not only lost Dong Tianxie, but even the Fifth Elder Zhang Ruochen had died. The sect was already deeply displeased with him.
If he failed again…
Just the thought of the consequences made Liu Yunfeng shiver.
So, gritting his teeth, he pulled out a top-tier second-grade Windwalk Talisman. In terms of speed boost, it was on par with the Fleetfoot Talisman, but it came at a steep price. It was his last-resort life-saving treasure—but now, he had no choice but to use it!
As dusk fell over the endless forests, Song Changsheng, exhausted from flying all day, landed on a hidden hill.
Even though he was thoroughly worn out, he remained on high alert. After carefully checking for danger, he pulled out a set of formation flags and set up a basic concealment formation.
This formation blended seamlessly with the environment and masked his aura. Even if someone walked right by, it would be hard for them to notice.
But cultivators had endless tricks, and nothing was guaranteed. Not daring to waste time, Song Changsheng swallowed a pill and began meditating to recover spiritual energy.
Though his fight with the Lieyang Sect hadn't lasted long, he'd continuously channeled a high-grade spiritual artifact, which was taxing. On top of that, the Fleetfoot Talisman had nearly drained him dry, forcing him to stop and recover.
Fortunately, he had memorized the aura of his pursuers. He knew they weren't here yet. His Ten-Thousand-Mile Tracking Art wasn't just good for tracking people; it was also great for detecting enemies.
Night deepened, and Liu Yunfeng's group finally arrived.
"Are you sure he's here?"
Liu Yunfeng questioned one of the scouts who had been tracking Song Changsheng.
"Reporting, Uncle-Master. I saw him descend into this forest, but my cultivation is too low, so I didn't dare get close. So I can't confirm if he's still here."
The scout dared not make any guarantees; he was only a Qi Refining cultivator. A Foundation Establishment expert could easily evade his surveillance.
"Well, let's find out then, shall we?"
Qi Feiyun's eyes gleamed with malice.
Liu Yunfeng exchanged looks with the others and nodded. The group began unleashing wide-area spells, bombarding the forest indiscriminately.
Upon the hill, watching the colorful flurry of spells flying through the air, Song Changsheng's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Just these guys? The Lieyang Sect is underestimating me."
He had originally planned to leave when he sensed their presence, but when he discovered it was only these few, his mindset shifted.
One late Foundation Establishment and three early Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Was that powerful? Sure enough, to rank among the top four forces in Lingzhou.
But not strong enough to kill him.
A late Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Been there, done that.
Right now, not only did he still have a Slaughter God's Flying Dagger, but also a third-tier attack talisman.
More than enough to deal with these fools.
Watching their silhouettes draw closer, Song Changsheng's smile deepened.
"Let the hunt begin."
Activating his Breath Concealment Technique, Song Changsheng carefully suppressed his aura and silently approached a short Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This man had the weakest presence among the group if Song struck from the shadows, he'd either be dead or completely crippled!
Huang Liqun had no idea that danger was looming. He was casually casting Fireball Technique, flinging fireballs everywhere. With no new reports from other scouts, the chances of Song Changsheng being in this area were high, making it worth their time to search thoroughly.
At that moment, Song was less than twenty zhang (about 60 meters) away from Huang Liqun, a distance a Foundation cultivator could close in an instant.
"Seal of Overturned Waters Suppress!"
Seizing the moment as his target released another spell, Song suddenly lunged out of hiding, summoning the giant seal he had obtained from Cheng Yufei and hurling it straight at Huang Liqun's head.
The sudden attack left Huang stunned. At such close range, he hadn't even had time to react.
Crack!
Just before the Seal of Overturned Waters came crashing down, a jade pendant at Huang's waist shattered of its own accord. A faint blue shield enveloped him.
The giant seal smashed into the shield, which shattered instantly, but it had done its job, giving Huang a split second to react. He quickly summoned a triangular shield just in time to block the killing blow.
"Enemy attack!"
Still shaken, Huang Liqun let out a loud cry. Sensing the commotion, Liu Yunfeng and the others immediately converged on the scene.
Having missed his strike, Song Changsheng swiftly pulled back, retreating at high speed.
"Hahaha! Song Changsheng, let's see where you can run this time!"
Liu Yunfeng laughed gleefully and summoned the Net of Heaven's Restraint, rapidly expanding it to seal the surrounding area.
Seeing the massive net expanding across the sky, Song Changsheng's expression darkened. He immediately summoned the Lu Wu Bell to counter it. The two high-grade spiritual artifacts clashed, and Song instantly lost one of his key advantages.
Now, the encirclement was complete. The four Foundation cultivators positioned themselves at the cardinal directions, their combined auras forming a crushing force that bore down on Song Changsheng like a storm.
"You still dare to ambush us? Song Changsheng, I don't know whether to call you bold or just plain suicidal."
Qi Feiyun sneered coldly, surrounded by flying swords.
Yet Song Changsheng stood tall, fearless, his eyes burning with battle intent. The Seal of Overturned Waters hovered above his head, the Soul-Slaying Gourd at his waist, clad in Xuantian Battle Armor, standing upon the Ink Jade Lotus Platform, and holding the Water-Cleaving Spear in his hand. He radiated an unshakable fighting spirit.
"A cornered beast fights the fiercest! Brothers, let's suppress him!"
Liu Yunfeng shouted, a flicker of greed flashing in his eyes as the four closed in together.
"Suppress!"
The giant seal glowed with inky light as it slammed toward Huang Liqun once more.
"Kill!"
With a mighty roar, Song Changsheng thrust his spear forward, blood energy surging around him like a tide. The tip of his spear bloomed with a storm of spear shadows, surging straight for Liu Yunfeng.
"You've got guts!"
Liu Yunfeng's eyes bulged as he summoned a jet-black iron ruler, a mid-grade spiritual artifact. With a swing, all the spear shadows reversed mid-air and were shattered.
But Song Changsheng smoothly parried and twisted his wrist, using the momentum to swing his spear toward Qi Feiyun, who was trying to flank him.
Just then, a sly-looking Foundation cultivator tossed a golden rope at Song, trying to bind him.
Without even turning his head, Song smashed his fist into the rope. Blood Qi roared like thunder, and the rope was blasted away, leaving the cultivator's eyes bulging in disbelief.
Suddenly, Qi Feiyun charged again, and Song met him head-on, their weapons clashing furiously.
As the battle raged on, Song had already exchanged dozens of blows with all four. Yet even while outnumbered, he didn't falter. The longer the fight lasted, the stronger he seemed, causing Liu Yunfeng and the others to grow increasingly alarmed.
"We can't drag this out any longer. Brothers form the Minor Four Symbols Battle Formation!"
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