"Clang, clang, clang!!"
Ji Li darted forward, his eyes filled with determination, quickly engaging Li Daochen in combat!
"Ji Li..."
Wen Rou shouted painfully, then hesitated no longer, immediately carrying Mu Jinyu on her back, turning with Jian Ruyan to run down Tianlan Peak!
One minute later.
"Boom!!"
"Plop!"
Ji Li was sent flying by a sword strike from Li Daochen, heavily smashing into the courtyard wall, violently coughing up crimson blood, his head tilting to the side as he passed out.
"You wretched girl, you dare try to stop me!"
Li Daochen furiously struck Ji Li aside with a sword, his face a bit displeased.
After all, with his Seventh Layer Divine Transformation Realm strength, he had been held up by Ji Li, a mere Sixth Layer Divine Transformation Realm fledgling, for an entire minute.
To him, this was an utter humiliation.
After injuring Ji Li, Li Daochen didn't spare her a glance, hurrying to chase the over a minute head start of Wen Rou and Jian Ruyan.
The elder who instructed him warned clearly that if they succeeded, there'd be great merit, but should Mu Jinyu escape, he would face obliteration, and the entire Heavenly Sword Faction could very well be annihilated!
Li Daochen believed the elder wasn't merely trying to scare him, hence he definitely wouldn't let Wen Rou take Mu Jinyu away!
Luckily, it was only a minute; Wen Rou and Jian Ruyan shouldn't have gotten too far.
Moreover, with the battle now raging, the mountain gate was likely sealed, they'd probably find it hard to escape the Heavenly Sword Mountain Range.
"You won't escape!"
While tracking Jian Ruyan and Wen Rou's trail, Li Daochen murmured coldly, eyes filled with icy malice.
...
Wen Rou and Jian Ruyan, carrying Mu Jinyu, hid behind a fake mountain, exerting all their effort to perform the Concealment Art Mu Jinyu taught them, completely masking their cultivation, even erasing any trace of life force.
When Li Daochen arrived near them, scanning inch by inch with his divine sense, they sensed it, their bodies trembling slightly, terrified of being discovered.
Fortuitously, Mu Jinyu's Concealment Art was indeed extraordinary; although Li Daochen's divine sense swept over them, it seemed oblivious, as if they had merged with the fake mountain, passing them by, continuing downward.
"Phew..."
Once Li Daochen left, Jian Ruyan and Wen Rou exhaled deeply.
Wen Rou looked troubled, whispered, "That guy caught up, no clue how Ji Li's doing."
Speaking, she anxiously glanced at Mu Jinyu, leaning against her shoulder, sleeping serenely, a pure, infant-like smile at his lips deepened her worries.
"Maybe, should we not run and just hide here?"
Wen Rou suggested quietly.
She thought, carrying Mu Jinyu around might easily bump into others, increasing the chance of detection.
Since this Concealment Art was so marvelous, better hide here until the battle between the Blood Sword Sect and Heavenly Sword Faction ends, then leave quietly.
"No, we must hurry and go."
Jian Ruyan shook her head, "Li Daochen didn't find us because he's too weak, aided by our Concealment Art masking Jinyu. But the Blood Sword Sect's Great Elder, possessing the Fourth Layer of the Fanxu Realm, if he comes searching, relying solely on us won't fully hide Jinyu's life force, leading to discovery!"
"Staying here is more dangerous!"
"We must hurry and leave."
Jian Ruyan explained and led the way out.
Wen Rou, hearing Jian Ruyan's explanation, realized her previous thought was indeed naive, quickly shouldered Mu Jinyu, chasing Jian Ruyan!
...
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
"Plop!!"
"Ah!!"
In the high skies, amidst fierce booms and blood-spitting cries, the battle between the two factions skewed into a one-sided affair.
The Heavenly Sword Faction stood no chance against the Blood Sword Sect, whose members consumed the Blood Demon Life-Reducing Pill!
The gap was simply too vast!
Even with the Heavenly Sword Faction holding the terrain advantage, activating the Mountain Protection Array for defense and attacks, they faced overwhelming foes.
Against Zhou Yun of the Fifth Layer Fanxu Realm, Xie Yuan immediately fell behind, eventually being forcefully struck, spewing blood as he was sent flying, smashing down a mountain peak!
Xie Yuan ended embedded in the ground, his life force extremely weak, like a candle flickering in the wind.
Zhou Yun, seeing this, didn't bother diving underground to finish off Xie Yuan.
He scanned the field with a sneer, watching Heavenly Sword Faction elders crushed by Blood Sword Sect elders, coldly laughed, "Your Great Elder is beaten, why not surrender yet? Still resisting futilely?!"
Upon hearing Zhou Yun, Heavenly Sword Faction elders, who fought desperately without much awareness of others' battles, tentatively surveyed around, finding indeed no sign of Xie Yuan.
All turned pale, losing their will to resist.
"We surrender!"
Then, many elders of the Heavenly Sword Faction stopped fighting in despair.
Meanwhile, some chose battle to the end, but with freed-up Blood Sword Sect elders, they were quickly subdued!
"Now, where is Mu Jinyu?"
Zhou Yun, eyes chilling, stared at the heavily injured Xie Chenkun, demanded.
"Huh huh..."
Xie Chenkun chuckled coldly, spat blood, sneered, "The Great Elder just told you, Jinyu left the Heavenly Sword Faction to join the Hidden Dragon Conference in Dayan Dynasty..."
"Humph, don't joke, he stole the Blood Essence Crystal, wouldn't he stay and cultivate instead of heading to the Hidden Dragon Conference? With his First Layer Fanxu Realm strength, going there's courting death!"
Zhou Yun didn't believe Xie Chenkun, especially noting Xie Chenkun's evasive gaze during his speech. He knew Mu Jinyu must still be in Heavenly Sword Faction!
"Refusal, huh? Then when I find Mu Jinyu, I'll torture him to death in front of you!"
Saying, Zhou Yun prepared to extend his divine sense, searching Sword Mountain for Mu Jinyu!
"I know where Mu Jinyu is!"
At this moment, a Heavenly Sword Faction elder, unharmed, one of the first to surrender, raised his hand high.
"Hmm?!"
Xie Chenkun turned abruptly, glaring at him, eyes filled with intense warning.
This elder, also a Supreme Elder in the Heavenly Sword Faction, Wei Ziping's master, named Wu Dayong!
Wu Dayong shrunk his neck instinctively, intimidated by Xie Chenkun's warning glare.
Zhou Yun noticed, laughed heartily, "Alright, speak up, I'll spare you and allow you to join the Blood Sword Sect!"
"Alright, alright..."
Wu Dayong immediately showed a flattering smile, like a dog trying to please its master.
"Dare you!"
Xie Chenkun shouted angrily.
"Boom!"
Before he could finish, Zhou Yun waved a hand, a powerful pressure silenced him.
Wu Dayong sighed relief, surveyed Xie Chenkun and his furious peers with disdain, sneered:
"Mu Jinyu took the Blood Essence Crystal for himself, leaving us to shoulder risks and fight, where's the fairness in that? If you're willing to serve him, I refuse!"
He was already unhappy with Mu Jinyu overshadowing Wei Ziping, definitely unwilling to sacrifice himself for Mu Jinyu!
Thus, during the battle with Blood Sword Sect, Wu Dayong slacked off, barely contributing!
During surrendering, he was the first to comply.
Mocking his peers, Wu Dayong saw Zhou Yun's displeasure, quickly showed an obsequious smile, disclosed Mu Jinyu's reckless attempt to cultivate a secret technique, becoming an imbecile.
Then, he patted his chest, laughing, "However, I realized when you attacked, Mu Jinyu's companion would try to flee, so I had people keep watch, intercept them if they attempt escape!"
Wu Dayong's words startled Xie Chenkun, who thought Wen Rou and Jian Ruyan had taken Mu Jinyu safely out, now glared with hatred at Wu Dayong!
"Hahaha..."
Zhou Yun delighted, said, "Excellent, upon finding the brat, you'll be greatly rewarded!"
"Lead us to his place!"