Pursuit! Counter-Kill! Reverse Hunt!

Night owls wailed mournfully; the wind howled. Shrouded in an earthy yellow spiritual glow, Tu Shan pursued at unimaginable speed, tracking his spiritual sense. Earth Escape Art! This second-tier Five Elements escape art allowed a cultivator to briefly blend into the stray earth-attribute spiritual qi drifting through heaven and earth. In this way, resistance was drastically reduced while fleeing or pursuing. Moreover, that earth-attribute spiritual qi would even aid his momentum. Deep within the earth and soil, his speed was faster still. Ever since mastering this technique through a stroke of luck, Tu Shan's life as a rogue cultivator had truly been carefree and leisurely. From time to time, he would rob and plunder to amass abundant resources, purchase spirit pills, and seek out secluded spots for bitter cultivation. Nor did he fear being hunted. When unleashed, even during his Qi Refinement stage, the Earth Escape Art could propel him over ten zhang in a single bound. Upon reaching Foundation Establishment, the effect multiplied several times over, easily covering dozens of zhang at a stretch. It was almost like shrinking the ground to an inch. The only drawback was its hefty consumption of spiritual power. It could not be sustained for long. "No need to sustain it. I only have to catch up to Danchenzi and stall him until Wang Haichao arrives." "Caught him!" His eyes flashed, and Tu Shan burst forth from the earth. The moment he emerged, he unleashed an immediate attack. A small seal expanded rapidly, smashing upward from below. It was as though heaven and earth had inverted! Yet what met his eyes was Luo Chen waiting with utter composure, a cold sneer playing across his lips. What is he smiling at? Just as Tu Shan's doubt flared, Luo Chen moved. His hands crossed, and a ten-zhang-tall, earthy yellow mountain abruptly coalesced. Crashing down from above, it smashed into the seal. The instant they collided, they locked into a stalemate. Luo Chen tapped his foot lightly atop the mountain peak; colossal strength surged, and with a rumbling roar, the small seal was forced downward. Seizing the opening, Luo Chen spat out a sword pellet, bursting with brilliant golden light. Countless sword rays swept toward Tu Shan. Tu Shan had no time to worry about his Chongfan Seal. In a panic, he mobilized a defensive dharma artifact to block the incoming golden glare. He can wield a sword pellet? Could he be a Jade Cauldron sword cultivator? Amid his shock and doubt, a massive flying iron shield wrapped tightly around him. Clang! Outside the giant shield, sword rays showered down, ringing out in a barrage of clangs and clatters. Yet at least he had weathered the most perilous moment. "Danchenzi, surrender! Fellow Daoist Wang will be here any moment!" Just as smugness crept onto his face, the corner of his eye caught sight of a shadowy blur. "Huh?" In the instant of his bewilderment, the shadow pounced like a phantom, phasing straight through the Flying Giant Iron Shield. "Roar!" "What is this—" Chilling, morbidly frigid, inhuman. Before Tu Shan could process his dread, the shadow shot straight through him. Then, it crouched on the ground, cradling something in its hands and devouring it voraciously. Thud! Thud! Deprived of their master's control, the Chongfan Seal and the Flying Giant Iron Shield dropped heavily to the ground. The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched into a smirk. Looking down at the limp, lifeless corpse on the ground, he said, "Aren't you a brave one? You actually dared to chase after me all by yourself." Luo Chen reached out and beckoned. The small seal, iron shield, Tu Shan's storage bag, and even the undamaged dharma robe flew into his grasp. Glancing over them, Luo Chen couldn't help but shake his head. The iron shield was rather rubbish, merely of high grade. Under the onslaught of his sword pellet, it was already on the verge of destruction. The small seal, on the other hand, was quite remarkable—carved with several spell formations, making it a supreme-grade dharma artifact. For someone freshly stepped into Foundation Establishment, this net worth might still pass muster. Yet before Luo Chen, it was next to nothing. Although he had seemed to be overtaken, he had already laid down the Soul Refining Banner ahead of time. Xiao Hei had long since been summoned and kept lurking in concealment. All he needed to do was unleash an overwhelming strike to stun Tu Shan, giving Xiao Hei the opening to strike. On the surface, two Foundation Establishment cultivators were pursuing Luo Chen. In reality, Luo Chen and a ghost general comparable to Foundation Establishment had exploited a window of time to gang up on Tu Shan. "And thus, the hunter becomes the hunted!" Luo Chen snapped his head up, looking straight ahead. Wang Haichao skidded to a sudden halt, staring at Luo Chen with uncertainty and alarm. "An instant kill?!" "Gang Leader Wang, why stand so far away? Why not come closer and catch up on old times?" Luo Chen strode toward Wang Haichao in steps that looked leisurely but were terrifyingly swift. A gentle breeze gathered, whipping into a raging gale in an instant. With the Great Perfection Carefree Wind Riding bolstering him and golden light swirling around, sword rays flickered from the tip of his weapon. Seeing this, Wang Haichao shuddered. He stepped back, one stride after another. "Luo Chen, surely this is a misunderstanding!" "A misunderstanding?" Luo Chen gave a faint smile, which twisted into a ferocious scowl. "To hell with your misunderstanding!" He jabbed his fingers like a blade, and the sword pellet burst with thousands of sword rays, sweeping across heaven and earth. Its speed was staggering. "Do you truly think I fear you?!" Wang Haichao snorted coldly and swung his sword backhanded, unleashing crashing azure waves like a stormy sea striking the shore. The blisteringly fast sword rays ground to a halt beneath the surging tiers of waves, gradually dissolving away. I am not a true sword cultivator after all, unable to push the sword pellet to its utmost limit. Were a real sword cultivator here, they could likely condense the sword rays into a single blade in an instant, cleaving the waves and parting the surf. Luo Chen sighed with regret inwardly. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, he wiped away every shred of the sword strike's residual wake. Droplets glistening with spiritual qi drifted down like a falling curtain. His gaze sharpened. Behind the veil of mist, Wang Haichao, having failed to gain an advantage, had chosen to flee frantically back the way he came instead of pressing forward. Wang Haichao was gripped by sheer terror. Luo Chen's prowess completely exceeded his imagination. To think he could obliterate Tu Shan in the blink of an eye! I thought he had only let a second-tier exploding ape escape, but who knew he had subdued a ghost general as well! The Soul Refining Banner—isn't that the dharma artifact Li Da secretly forged? Could it be that during the three years he vanished in closed-door cultivation, he entered the Ghost City? No wonder Li Da disappeared without a trace. I thought he had left Dahe Market, never expecting Luo Chen killed him and seized his treasures... Countless thoughts flooded his mind. Wang Haichao no longer harbored any desire to fight Luo Chen. Faced with the man and ghost fighting in tandem, he stood no chance of victory. Moreover, the burst of speed Luo Chen had displayed earlier was far too great; if locked in a bitter struggle, he feared he wouldn't even have a chance to flee. He planned to retreat first, regroup with Huo Hu, and then deal with Luo Chen. Surely, with Huo Hu's Foundation Establishment cultivation and magic treasure in hand, he had already finished off Wang Yuan! Just as these thoughts ran through his mind, an intense premonition of danger struck his heart. Halting abruptly, he enveloped himself in a defensive barrier of light. Roar! Roar! Roar! Deep, guttural roars exploded beside his ears. Three massive dragon heads crashed violently against the protective light barrier with lightning speed. Bang! Bang! Bang! The three azure flood dragons were instantly hurled back hundreds of meters by the tremendous recoil. Even their forms shrank by more than half. Wang Haichao looked around. Nine azure flood dragons were circling above, below, and on every side, penning him securely in their midst. From behind, a figure soared in like a great roc riding the wind. With a single leap, he landed atop the head of the rearmost flood dragon manifested from spiritual qi. "Tsk, tsk. A fine defensive dharma artifact—it even comes with a recoil shock." Wang Haichao took a deep breath, gripping his blue supreme-grade flying sword. Just when had Luo Chen laid this ambush? The question was no longer important. The other man certainly wouldn't answer him. Fixing his glare on the figure perched atop the dragon, Wang Haichao said coldly, "Do you truly intend to exterminate me to the last?" "What else did you expect?" Luo Chen sneered. Raising his hands slightly into empty air, he cast incantation after incantation. As an alchemist, his wealth was inherently far greater than that of most cultivators. Having survived numerous fierce battles, he had selectively integrated various spoils into his arsenal. Among these dharma artifacts, the one Luo Chen was most accustomed to using was the sword pellet—swift, responsive, moving in a flash. The most powerful was the Soul Refining Banner. Not because the banner itself was extraordinary, but because it housed the second-tier ghost general, Xiao Hei. However, a ghost general was no easy thing to command. Having just devoured Tu Shan's Foundation Establishment divine soul, it could not be mobilized at the moment. In truth, this was also because Luo Chen was not yet fully adept with the Soul Refining Banner. Had he ordered Xiao Hei beforehand not to feast on souls during combat, this wouldn't have happened. Besides the sword pellet and the Soul Refining Banner, Luo Chen possessed another dharma artifact of exceptional might. During his Qi Refinement stage, its power had been constrained by his cultivation, unable to be fully unleashed. Yet after reaching Foundation Establishment, this artifact had caught up and surpassed others, leaping to become one of his primary trump cards. The Azure Musk Flood Dragon Gathering Banner! Once infused with sufficient spiritual power, this supreme-grade dharma artifact could summon multiple spiritual qi flood dragons and spew azure musk poisonous scent. In another's hands, its might would be unremarkable. Yet Luo Chen possessed the Great Perfection Attraction Art. For a single dharma artifact, it merely made handling more effortless and fluid. Yet once the Azure Musk Flood Dragon Gathering Banner summoned the flood dragons, it took on the coordinated effect of a set of artifacts. Thus, its true potential was only fully unleashed today. As Luo Chen continuously formed seals, the three flood dragons that had shrunk from the recoil of Wang Haichao's defensive artifact were replenished with spiritual qi in an instant, restoring their immense forms. The nine azure musk flood dragons instantly became nimble and spirited, swimming and coiling slowly around Wang Haichao. At this sight, Wang Haichao's heart froze in dread. Today, he feared he was trapped in a bitter, uphill struggle! Yet he would never surrender without a fight! Surging with spiritual power, the flying sword in his hand burst with azure brilliance. Watching this from a distance, Luo Chen remained calm and untroubled. He tapped his finger. "Go!" A spiritual qi flood dragon lunged forward, baring its fangs. This was merely a probing strike. Behind it, seven flood dragons whipped their heads and tails, closing in one after another. "Sever!" Wang Haichao barked sharply, slashing out a sweep of sword light. Wherever it passed, the first spiritual dragon was obliterated instantly. The second, the third... Of the eight lunging flood dragons, five vanished in a heartbeat. Only three remained, slamming against him. Hum... A ringing hum sounded as a protective barrier manifested once more, repelling the three dragons dozens of feet away. "Luo Chen, did you think—" Just as Wang Haichao began to feel smug, several more flood dragons emerged from the surrounding void, extending their talons and thrusting their draconic heads forward. Inexhaustible spiritual qi, endlessly regenerating. It was truly a supreme-grade dharma artifact! Wang Haichao abandoned any clinging hope for luck, focusing his mind fully to confront dragon after dragon hurtling toward him. Isn't this just a contest of spiritual power?! He was at the third level of Foundation Establishment; his spiritual power far exceeded Luo Chen's second level. He refused to believe that Luo Chen could sustain pushing a supreme-grade dharma artifact to its absolute limit longer than he could hold out. Flying swords consumed far less spiritual power than banner-type artifacts. The spiritual qi flood dragons surged forward wave after wave. The light of the flying sword flared continuously. What began as a fierce clash seemed poised to devolve into a pure war of attrition of their respective spiritual powers. However, after barely half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Wang Haichao's expression changed. The spiritual power within his body felt as though it had congealed, entirely unresponsive to his call. Even with his concentration peaked, he felt a stiff, grating obstruction. With every breath, faint wisps of musk lingered around his nostrils. Poison! "Despicable!" Luo Chen's brow twitched. Found out, have you? "Right back at you!" He stamped a foot. The spiritual qi flood dragon beneath his feet, which had remained motionless until now, abruptly dispersed. A vast cloud of azure musk poisonous scent billowed forth without the slightest concealment. At the same time, the eight remaining flood dragons detonated in unison. Boom! Raging spiritual power ripples detonated violently. Luo Chen reached out and caught the Azure Musk Flood Dragon Gathering Banner as it dropped from the white clouds above into his hand. A glance showed several cracks running across it, teetering on the verge of ruin. In this battle, Luo Chen had driven this supreme-grade artifact to its absolute limits. The dragons' endless regeneration, dying and being reborn again and again, had cost far more than mere spiritual power. However! Under an assault of this magnitude, Wang Haichao was surely in no better shape! Stowing the near-ruined Azure Musk Flood Dragon Gathering Banner, Luo Chen released his sword pellet, which morphed into a greatsword gripped firmly in his hand. The simultaneous detonation of eight flood dragons unleashed terrifying destruction. Dust and smoke billowed everywhere as flashes of azure light expanded repeatedly, only to be crushed back down again and again. Until at last, they vanished without a trace. "Dead?" Just as Luo Chen prepared to follow up with another strike, a scorching surge of spiritual power violently erupted from within the smoke and dust. A fiery red sword qi tore through the haze, cleaving heaven and earth as it barreled forward! "A magic treasure?" "It's the Mystic Fire Sword!" Luo Chen's expression shifted slightly. Amid the smoke, Wang Haichao was a wretched sight. His beard and hair were burned away entirely, leaving his scalp bald and bare. A tortoise shell before him was now riddled with cracks. This supreme-grade defensive artifact—an exotic artifact, no less—was ruined! He had no time to mourn it. He gripped a fiery red flying sword with both hands, its searing heat scorching the flesh from his hands until ghastly white bone was exposed. "What a pity that I've had this magic treasure for too short a time and failed to properly refine it. I can only bring out a third of its might." "Even so, this third should be enough to severely wound Luo Chen!" Muttering to himself, he peered out through the smoke. The next moment, he froze in utter disbelief. Through the shroud of smoke and dust, a silhouette charged directly toward him without making the slightest move to dodge. The incoming crimson sword qi slashed relentlessly toward him. This was a strike unleashed by desperately mobilizing every ounce of spiritual power he could muster, costing him both hands in the process! Yet Luo Chen didn't even attempt to dodge. His gaze was cold and piercing, staring right through the smoke to lock onto him. How dared he be so arrogant?! While Wang Haichao reeled in shock, a black chess piece abruptly flew out from Luo Chen's body. A black halo diffused outward. The moment the Mystic Fire strike touched the black halo, it dissolved inch by inch, as though it had never existed at all. "Ghost Spirit Valley... Mi Shuhua... Lanke chess piece..." Whoosh! The golden greatsword swept past, and Wang Haichao's head went flying into the air. Luo Chen gave a muffled grunt and slammed a palm strike toward the headless corpse from afar. Mountain-Cleaving Stele-Shattering Palm! Boom! The corpse abruptly shattered into countless pulverized fragments. With a wave of his hand, the storage bag and the Mystic Fire Sword flew into his grasp. Gripping the Mystic Fire Sword, which still radiated searing heat and bore stains of blood, Luo Chen exhaled a breath of turbid air. "He had it for only a few days, yet managed to refine it enough to barely activate it." "Huo Hu must have had a hand in that!" Huo Hu! Uttering that name, Luo Chen hesitated no longer and sprang into the air. Soaring upward like a great roc, he bolted straight toward Gaoling Plain!