Chapter 192 When the Enemy Advances, I Retreat; When the Enemy Becomes Weary, I Strike

Both Xiao Chen and Zuoqiu Ze exhausted their True Energy in making sure they were flying at their top speed. Nearly an hour later, the fair weather abruptly darkened and a mountain range enveloped in dark clouds came into sight.

Xiao Chen landed on the fringe of the mountain range to catch his breath. He put away the Phoenix's Wings on his back. When he turned around, he saw that Zuoqiu Ze had caught up to him. He chuckled and said, "You're pretty brave, aren't you? You dare to stand up to me alone until now."

Zuoqiu Ze sneered. "Naturally, I've investigated you thoroughly before hunting you down. I know you possess a set of incredibly powerful Devilish Skills but every time you use them, you'll suffer great harm. More importantly, you'll be the one to die if you can't kill me within a certain period of time."

He was, of course, right. It was true that Xiao Chen dared not rashly use the Immolation Spell of the Three Elements and Heaven's Talisman. This place was still within the range of Zuoqiu family's power. Even if he used Heaven's Talisman, he still wasn't a match for the Nascent Soul Realm cultivator in that family.

"I don't need to use it to defeat you."

Zuoqiu Ze narrowed his eyes. He suddenly realized that even though he was a Core Forming Realm cultivator, he had to consume elixirs to replenish his True Energy while chasing after Xiao Chen. Why was it different for Xiao Chen? It didn't make sense even if he had a flying magic treasure aiding him.

It was at this moment that he noticed 12 faint white radiances flowing on his body. He couldn't help gasping in shock. Instantly, his gaze turned burning hot.

"You possess 12 complete Spiritual Meridians? Haha! Thanks for the free Spiritual Meridians!"

Zuoqiu Ze was now both surprised and overjoyed. To him, Xiao Chen himself was a treasure. Not only did the latter own a mystical flying magic treasure and strange cultivation methods, but he also possessed 12 complete Spiritual Meridians. If he got his hands on those Spiritual Meridians and refined them, he would certainly break through to the last-stage Core Forming Realm within a year.

When that happened, no one in the Zuoqiu family would be able to look down on him. Thinking about this made Zuoqiu Ze even more agitated. He pointed with his left hand and shot a white light from his fingertip. Xiao Chen's figure blurred as he dragged Murong Xian'er aside to dodge the attack. Following a thumping sound, the light crushed a large tree behind him.

"Hehe, what a speedy reaction!" Zuoqiu Ze sneered. Just as he was about to use his sword, he detected a white radiance flying toward him. It was too late for him to dodge, but a seal talisman suddenly flew from his bosom. In the air, the seal talisman transformed into a Barrier and helped him block the ambushing white radiance.

Though shocked, Zuoqiu Ze narrowed his eyes to get a better look. When he saw that it was a white sword coated in Immortal Qi from ancient times, he became startled. If not for his grandfather's amulet, the sword would have long injured him.

Simultaneously, his gaze began to burn hot with envy. Even though his Dark Soul Sword was powerful, it ultimately owed its strength to his great-grandfather's powers in it. Once its existing power was exhausted, it would become no different from ordinary swords. The white flying sword in front of him, on the other hand, was an actual ancient treasure.

Xiao Chen scoffed on the inside after noticing that Zuoqiu Ze began to covet his Unsullied Immortal Sword as well. This man was truly a piece of trash that could only depend on his treasure. Immediately, Xiao Chen waved his Unsullied Sword. With a sneer, he pulled Murong Xian'er and dashed into the woods.

Zuoqiu Ze's anger flared when he saw that Xiao Chen was looking down on him. His figure blurred out of sight as he chased after them.

Despite not seeing sunlight all year round, the trees in this forest nonetheless towered over everything. In fact, the dense forest was rather frightening. The wilted leaves piled up high enough to form a thick layer on the ground and the air was permeated by the pungent smell of decay. Moreover, there were also pupils emanating a green glint in the darkness.

Xiao Chen traveled by foot, pulling Murong Xian'er with him, for quite some time. Then, he saw a thin layer of mist shrouding the area up ahead, making it impossible for him to see the end of the woods. If it wasn't the work of a goblin or a monster, then it was surely the miasma of this forest.

It seemed that this place was undoubtedly the Changyin Mountain Range. It was only now that Xiao Chen understood why ordinary folks wouldn't dare to come here. Even cultivators who possessed extraordinary skills wouldn't come here for no good reason. Never mind the dangerously venomous bugs that crawled all over this place. Just breathing in the miasma here for a moment too long would damage one's cultivation or even take one's life.

He first cast a protective True Qi on him and Xian'er before walking deeper into the forest. It took them about 15 minutes to walk out of the miasma-shrouded part of the woods. Their subsequent path seemed to become more and more curious.

Zuoqiu Ze chased after them all the way to the miasma-shrouded woods. There, he gradually stopped in his tracks. Crossing this poisonous forest was equivalent to truly entering the Changyin Mountain Range. In the past, his grandfather had repeatedly warned him not to enter this place. Even with the many unnatural phenomena taking place in the mountain range, no one from the Zuoqiu family stepped foot there.

It wasn't because the depths of the mountain range were filled with unknown creatures. The truth was that there seemed to be a terrifying curse there. Rumors had it that many people died in this mountain range during the great war of the Archean Eon, including highly-skilled Immortals.

The build-up of resentment gradually formed a maleficent grand formation, resulting in dark clouds over the mountain range all year round. Those who touched the maleficent energy would transform into grieving spirits roaming the area. They could only reincarnate after finding a scapegoat.

Even though these rumors sounded outrageous, fewer and fewer cultivators entered the mountain range. Fewer still came out alive. Zuoqiu Ze was feeling uncertain but he was fixated on Xiao Chen's treasures. More importantly, if he returned empty-handed this time, he would surely incur mockery from others.

Thinking of this, he clenched his teeth and steeled his will to kill Xiao Chen. He immediately placed protective True Qi on himself and entered the poisonous forest.

Four hours later, Xiao Chen arrived at a wilted forest. He shuttled back and forth the forest in every direction, placing countless Nine Yang Extreme Heat Formations. Murong Xian'er, using her formation proficiency, helped him conceal the formations' power fluctuation.

After completing all these, they looked at each other and broke out into smiles. It was as if they weren't currently being hunted down. Murong Xian'er stuck out her tongue at him. "That's enough. The bad guy is on his way, you know? Let's leave now, Brother Xiao Chen!" They immediately fled far away.

It didn't take Zuoqiu Ze long to arrive at the wilted forest. The golden brocade that he was wearing was torn in quite a few places. Resentment colored his expression. In the past four hours, he had exchanged blows with Xiao Chen a few times. Each time, Xiao Chen would show up out of nowhere to ambush him and then run away with his strange footwork. This annoyed him immensely.

Holding his Dark Soul Sword, he cautiously entered the wilted forest. He picked up pace after making sure that Xiao Chen wasn't hiding here. Unexpectedly, before he could go far, a loud explosion resounded and the forest instantly combusted into flames. A wave of burning-hot Qi swept in his direction.

He made a backward flip in his shock. However, he stepped on something after landing on the ground, prompting a great force to break out from underneath. This time, the outbreak of power instantly sent him flying. Were it not for his several protective magic treasures, he would have been bombed until he was bruised and bloody.

The explosions resounded one after another, creating countless pits on the ground of the wilted forest. Zuoqiu Ze might have magic treasures and talismans protecting him, but he was nonetheless reduced to a pathetic state this time. Even though he didn't suffer severe injuries, his face was scorched black and his golden brocade was in tatters after all those explosions.

"B*stard! Don't let me catch you or I swear I'll skin you alive!" Zuoqiu Ze was shaking with resentment. He had never been played for a fool in this manner in his entire life. Now, he wanted nothing more than to torment and kill Xiao Chen.

He also noticed that the girl with Xiao Chen had abundant spirit energy despite her apparent lack of cultivation. The girl must have concealed all the formations to prevent him from detecting them.

"D*mn it! Girl, I'll be sure to teach you a good lesson after catching you!" His voice reverberated in the deserted valley, lingering for a long time.

In the distant, Xiao Chen and Murong Xian'er burst into laughter after hearing the noise coming from behind them. She blinked her large eyes and asked, "Brother Xiao, what does he mean by 'teaching me a good lesson'?"

Xiao Chen knocked lightly on her forehead. "Forget that. Let's go! We can't let him catch up to us!" Zuoqiu Ze possessed too many treasures and talismans. They must not be caught in a direct confrontation.

Murong Xian'er rubbed her forehead and said to herself, "Oh, alright then. I'll ask Sister Yan when we get back."

Thus, they began running again. Less than an hour later, they arrived at the bottom of a particular mountain where a clear spring gradually turned into a brook as it flowed downward. The water was limpid and cool. They refreshed themselves with a few sips of the spring water. An idea hit Xiao Chen and he placed a Nine Yang Extreme Heat Formation in the water.

Murong Xian'er burst into laughter and cast a spell in a well-practiced manner to conceal the energy fluctuation of the formation. They then returned to the shore and ran toward a boulder concealed behind the plants, feeling like they had done something naughty.