*Swish, swish, swish—!*
The poisoned crossbow bolts tore through the air, carrying a low, deathly howl. Like a swarm of locusts, they instantly blanketed the narrow sky above the mountain pass exit. The azure poison glow flickered ominously in the dim light, clearly no ordinary ammunition—it was enough to threaten the protective spiritual light of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"Watch out for the bolts!" Third Senior Sister Liu Yun shouted sharply. Her wrist flicked rapidly, and the long sword in her hand transformed into a dense curtain of light, impenetrable as water, deflecting and knocking away the poisoned bolts aimed at her, Senior Brother, and Xiao Qi. The clashing of blade edges against bolt tips produced a continuous, crisp clinking sound, sparks flying everywhere.
Meanwhile, Zhao Tiezhu, who was leading the way, became the primary target of the rain of bolts. He roared repeatedly as a tawny-yellow light flickered violently over his body. The protective *gangqi* formed by pushing the *Vajra Demon-Subduing Divine Ability* to its limit groaned under such dense barrage, as if overwhelmed. Several exceptionally powerful bolts pierced through weak spots in his protective aura and thudded heavily into his shoulders, back, and arms—*thump, thump*!
The azure poison instantly spread along the wounds, attempting to corrode his blood and qi. Zhao Tiezhu grunted, a hint of black aura flashing across his face. But instead of slowing down, he used the sting of pain to fuel even more狂暴 blood and qi, swinging his fists like windmills and blasting apart the remaining *Hundred Ghosts Soul-Locking Mist* ahead, along with several demonic shadows hiding within it!
"Charge out!" Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng supported Xiao Qi with one hand while forming hand seals and chanting with the other. A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, temporarily blocking some of the bolts from the flank and buying the team a precious moment to catch their breath.
Like cornered beasts, the four of them erupted with all their remaining potential and, against the dense barrage of bolts and demonic mist, narrowly managed to burst out of the mountain pass.
But the pursuers behind them were already closing in!
Without needing to look back, the cold, clinging spiritual sense of their pursuers had already locked onto them. Led by Elder Feng, nearly twenty figures exuding sinister demonic energy were racing toward them from the direction of the Demon Mark Valley like the wind. Elder Feng's face was ashen, his eyes burning with shame and fury—clearly still brooding over being suppressed by Madam Su earlier and allowing Xiao Qi and the others to escape. In addition to his original disciples, several more demonic cultivators with even more obscure auras and wearing different attire had joined him, evidently reinforcements from nearby strongholds.
"Split up! We're too big a target!" Senior Brother made the decisive call, sending an urgent telepathic message. "Liu Yun and I will draw away the main force! Tiezhu, take Xiao Qi down the small western path—the forest there is dense and good for hiding! We'll meet up at Blackwater Ravine thirty *li* from here!"
This was the only way to increase their chances of survival. Xiao Qi was in terrible condition, the weakest link in the group, and also the Shadow Snake Pavilion's primary target. His safety had to be prioritized.
"Senior Brother! Third Senior Sister!" Xiao Qi cried out urgently. He didn't want his fellow disciples to risk drawing away the powerful enemies because of him.
"Enough talk! Go!" Third Senior Sister Liu Yun turned back and glared at him. Her gaze was still sharp, but carried an undeniable resolve. "Protecting yourself is the greatest help you can give us!" With that, she exchanged a look with Senior Brother. The two of them simultaneously turned and charged toward the oncoming pursuers! Sword light flashed, tawny-yellow spiritual energy erupted, and instantly the attention of most of the pursuers was diverted.
"Go!" Zhao Tiezhu's eyes turned bloodshot. He knew this was no time to hesitate. He hoisted Xiao Qi back onto his shoulders, furiously burning his blood and qi despite the toxin's erosion, and strode forward like an enraged rhinoceros, charging into the rugged, vegetation-choked mountain path on the west side.
Behind them, the sounds of battle cries and clashing spells suddenly intensified. Xiao Qi lay on Zhao Tiezhu's back, clenching his teeth so hard that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood. He didn't dare look back, but he could clearly sense the two familiar auras clashing fiercely against enemies several times their number, retreating while fighting, trying to lure the enemy in the opposite direction. Every violent burst of energy made his heart tighten painfully.
Zhao Tiezhu said nothing, just ran with desperate effort. His heavy breathing sounded like a worn-out bellows; sweat mixed with dark red blood from his wounds soaked his clothes. The azure toxin spread like a spiderweb beneath his skin, bringing searing pain and bouts of dizziness. But relying on his body-cultivator's formidable willpower and tough physique, he stubbornly pushed on, hardly slowing down at all.
However, the Shadow Snake Pavilion's pursuit did not relent. Although most of the pursuers had been drawn away by Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister, two figures with cold auras and eerie movement techniques clung to them like ghosts, clearly elites sent specifically to hunt down the "Source Seed."
Both of these men were at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage. One excelled at controlling poisonous insects—countless colorful, fast-moving poisonous bees and moths constantly harassed them from the shadows of the forest. The other was proficient in shadow-stealth, launching deadly strikes from impossible angles, the cold gleam of his dagger always grazing past Zhao Tiezhu's vital points.
Zhao Tiezhu had to carry Xiao Qi on his back, deal with these pervasive attacks, and resist the spread of the toxin in his body. The situation was precarious. His movements began to slow, and his protective aura grew dimmer.
"Brother Tiezhu, put me down! Go on your own!" Xiao Qi looked at the fresh, bone-deep wounds on Zhao Tiezhu's back and the deepening black aura, and shouted hoarsely. He didn't want to drag anyone else down.
"Bullshit!" Zhao Tiezhu didn't even look back. He roared and threw a backhanded punch, smashing a crimson poisonous bee that was trying to bite Xiao Qi's neck into pulp. "I, Zhao Tiezhu, promised to keep you safe, and I will never abandon you!"
His stubbornness and loyalty, at this moment, felt so heavy—and yet so admirable.
Just then, the shadow-stealth assassin seized another opportunity. Merging into the wind, he appeared silently at Zhao Tiezhu's rear flank, his poisoned dagger aimed straight at the back of his heart, a single point of cold light!
The angle was tricky, the timing vicious. Zhao Tiezhu's previous strength was spent, and new strength had not yet arisen. It seemed impossible to dodge!
Xiao Qi's pupils contracted sharply. An overwhelming wave of regret and helplessness nearly consumed him. Was someone going to die for him again?
At the critical moment, Zhao Tiezhu suddenly twisted his body, using his left shoulder blade to meet the dagger!
*Schlick!*
The dagger sank deep into flesh and bone, and the azure poison instantly flooded in.
Zhao Tiezhu let out a painful grunt, but using the force of the impact, his right leg whipped back like a steel flail!
*Thump!* The shadow assassin clearly hadn't expected such fearless desperation. The leg, loaded with tremendous force, struck him square in the chest and abdomen. He spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, crashing through several small trees.
But Zhao Tiezhu paid a heavy price. His left shoulder was nearly crippled, and the toxin spread faster. He stumbled, nearly falling with Xiao Qi.
"Brother Tiezhu!" Xiao Qi cried out.
"It's nothing… not dead yet!" Veins bulged on Zhao Tiezhu's forehead, black aura suffusing his face, yet he still forced himself to stand steady and continue running. Only his speed inevitably slowed.
Meanwhile, the shadow assassin who had been knocked back, along with the insect-controlling cultivator, once again doggedly gave chase, their eyes cold, filled with the determination to kill.
Worse still, from a distance, the sounds of battle from Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister's direction seemed to be fading… Had they managed to break free, or…
Xiao Qi dared not think further. An unprecedented sense of tragedy and despair enveloped the two fugitives. Pursuers at their heels, casualties already incurred, the road ahead uncertain—where was hope?