Chapter 112: Escape

  The endless mountain range was eerily silent, not a single sound of disturbance to be heard. Countless fierce beasts cowered in their dens, trembling, too afraid to venture out.

  Two figures darted through the landscape like bolts of lightning, running at breakneck speed. Yang Tian had pushed the Eight Desolate Steps to its limit, and though he had already covered thirty miles, he could still feel the energy fluctuations from behind.

  The thought of a War Emperor-level woman going berserk sent shivers down Yang Tian's spine. This was no place to linger. He needed to reach Demon-Suppressing City and lay low for a while.

  "These two are probably on the verge of death, right?" Yang Tian glanced at the two figures inside the Golden Crow Divine Furnace. They had already been on the brink of death, and after being roasted by the furnace's flames, they were now closer to their end.

  *Crack...* Yang Tian snapped off the fingers wearing the spatial rings and held them in his hand, a grin spreading across his face. He quickly stored the rings in his Ancestral Dragon Ring. Members of major clans often left marks on their belongings, and these were core disciples of the Ancient Holy Land—no doubt their rings were no exception.

  As Yang Tian continued his frantic run, his steps suddenly halted, and his expression darkened. He slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on a figure ahead.

  "Yang Tian!" Gu Qi's fists clenched with a series of popping sounds, his face twisted in rage. Seeing Yang Tian unharmed filled him with both fury and humiliation.

  "How's it going? Not enjoying your digging?" Yang Tian spread his hands mockingly, a teasing smile on his face.

  "Shut your mouth!" Gu Qi's eyes flashed with cold fury as he suppressed his anger. His bloodshot eyes bore into Yang Tian, as if he wanted to devour him alive. He had spent an entire day and a half digging, and the thought of it only fueled his rage.

  "You should go check on that old woman. She's about to get herself killed," Yang Tian said with a faint smile, pointing toward the direction of the battle.

  "Old woman..." Gu Qi froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth. He was utterly enraged. The previous generation's Holy Maiden, revered by many in the younger generation, had been called an "old woman" by this brat.

  "You sharp-tongued little brat, come back with me," Gu Qi forced down his anger, a smug smile spreading across his face. If he could bring Yang Tian back, he would receive unimaginable rewards, and all his mistakes would be forgiven.

  "Wait, I have a gift for you. You'll definitely like it," Yang Tian said suddenly, pulling out a bloodied body and hurling it toward Gu Qi.

  As the mangled body flew toward him, Gu Qi was about to strike it down when his pupils suddenly contracted. He stared in disbelief at the blurred face of the corpse.

  "This... this... how is this possible?" Gu Qi was completely stunned. He had lost his composure. If anyone in his team died, he would be held accountable. These were core disciples of the Holy Land, each with highly concentrated bloodlines.

  "Then... Gu Mo isn't..." Gu Qi's head snapped toward the figures battling in the void. He seemed to realize something. The previous Holy Maiden was Gu Mo's aunt, and there were few things that could provoke her. Moreover, the relationship between Gu Mo and the Holy Maiden was... unusual.

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  "Yang Tian... Yang Tian... you deserve to die!" After a moment of silence, Gu Qi suddenly roared. He turned around, only to find the spot where Yang Tian had been standing now empty. His face twisted in frustration.

  Gu Qi let out a furious howl and began chasing aimlessly. If something had really happened to Gu Mo, punishment would be inevitable, and the previous Holy Maiden would likely take her anger out on him.

  After Gu Qi had been gone for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a small river behind where Yang Tian had disappeared rippled, and a few bubbles rose to the surface.

  "Awoo..." Little White leaped out of the water, shaking off the droplets.

  *Splash...* A figure emerged from the river. Yang Tian climbed onto the bank, quickly donned a black robe, and began running toward Demon-Suppressing City.

  The distance to Demon-Suppressing City was a staggering three million miles. If not for Little White's powerful bloodline aura, this journey would have taken five or six days.

  Suddenly, after running a few dozen miles, Yang Tian stopped in his tracks. He darted into a patch of tall grass and crouched down, suppressing his aura completely, not daring to move a muscle.

  At that moment, two figures approached—a young man and woman, both around seventeen or eighteen years old. The young man had an ethereal, scholarly air, while the young woman was elegant and exuded a noble aura.

  "There was someone here just now. Where did they go?" The young man glanced around, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

  The young woman nodded slightly, her beautiful eyes scanning the surroundings. "Do you think it's worth it for our family to send so many people?"

  "Who knows? I heard Yang Tian is engaged to Li Qingxue, and he even stole the soul crystal from Li Hongtao..."

  Their whispered conversation faded as the two figures walked away, leaving only the sound of their voices behind.

  "The Li family is here too. They really think highly of me," Yang Tian muttered as he stood up, his face dark. He stared at the retreating figures. These two were likely peripheral members of the Li family; otherwise, Yang Tian would have been in serious trouble.

  "If the Li family is here, the Yin-Yang Joyous Sect must have gotten wind of it too. I need to get out of here fast, or I'll be in big trouble," Yang Tian thought as he hurried away. The Ten Thousand Mountains were fraught with danger at every turn.

  Yang Tian moved cautiously through the mountains, avoiding numerous pursuers. It wasn't just the Li family and the Joyous Sect—the Ancient Holy Land had also sent many people after him.

  "The Li family!" In a collapsed cave, a figure emerged. A deep wound on his shoulder reached down to the bone, and blood poured out relentlessly.

  He had been detected by a Nascent Transformation expert earlier. Fortunately, he had hidden in time, but the wound on his shoulder was a reminder of how close he had come to death.

  Yang Tian didn't dare to tend to his injuries. He swallowed a few healing pills and continued toward Martial City. After a night of fleeing, his body was riddled with bloody wounds. Thankfully, Little White's keen sense of smell allowed him to detect the presence of others.

  "Woof..." Just as Yang Tian was sprinting at full speed, Little White suddenly ran up to him, letting out a low whine.

  Without hesitation, Yang Tian dove into a patch of tall grass. At that moment, the ground began to tremble. A man riding a massive brown beast approached. The beast was incredibly powerful, its steps cracking the ground beneath it.

  The man's aura was icy, his eyes devoid of emotion as they scanned the surroundings. After a while, a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. He waved his hand, and the surrounding vegetation and rocks were obliterated.

  A brilliant beam of light grazed past Yang Tian, sending a cold sweat down his back. He didn't dare move a muscle. The man before him was far too powerful—likely at the Nascent Transformation level.

  After attacking for a while and finding no one, the man finally gave up and left.

  "The Li family again!" Yang Tian muttered as he emerged from hiding, his face filled with hatred.

  "The Ancient Li Family! The siege you've laid today will be repaid a thousandfold in the future..." Yang Tian clenched his fists, not bothering to tend to his wounds. If not for his exceptionally strong physique, he wouldn't have survived even a few of those attacks.

  A single strike from a powerful cultivator could extinguish one's life force entirely.

  Yang Tian had narrowly escaped numerous assassination attempts, and his body was now utterly exhausted. He was close to Martial City, and in the distance, he could make out the outline of a massive city. The divine runes woven into the void were awe-inspiring, and several chains of runes seemed to resonate with the surrounding energy.