Chapter 545 - 545: Senior Brothers, Is There a Problem?

Despite the trio's disdain, Zheng Tianrong, though furious, didn't dare say much.

His group of over a dozen people combined was likely no match for these three.

With the arrival of three more Level 9 Martial Spirits, Chu Qingyun's expression turned grim.

He might consider fighting a single Level 9 Martial Spirit; even if he couldn't win, he was confident he could escape.

But four was a completely different story.

Besieged by four Level 9 Martial Spirits and over a dozen Level 8 and Level 7 Martial Spirits, he might not even be able to escape unscathed.

"I suppose you're all here for my Sect Token. But there's only one. Even if you manage to snatch it, who will it belong to?"

Chu Qingyun spoke, subtly taking two steps toward the lava pit without betraying his intentions.

"Hah! Don't try that clumsy trick on us, kid. It doesn't matter who gets the Token—you're dying first!"

Chen Yi, one of the three Level 9 Martial Spirits, sneered.

Zheng Tianrong quickly chimed in, "That's right! No matter what, we kill Chu Qingyun first!"

But despite their words, they remained wary of one another.

Zheng Tianrong's group was particularly on edge. Being the weaker party, they feared a sudden attack from Chen Yi and his companions.

"Iron Wire Ten-Star Vine!"

"Flame Martial Soul!"

Just then, Chu Qingyun suddenly unleashed his Martial Soul.

A Martial Soul Illusion of an Iron Wire Ten-Star Vine, wreathed in flames, instantly materialized behind him.

Without a moment's pause, ten Flame Vines shot out, plunged into the nearby lava pit, and then whipped out, flinging torrents of scorching lava at the people surrounding him on three sides.

'Damn it, the kid's making a run for it!'

Everyone's heart lurched. They immediately unleashed their Primordial Power to block the splattering lava.

Seizing the opportunity, Chu Qingyun took a great leap into the massive lava pit.

Just before he touched the lava, Primordial Power erupted from beneath his feet. Propelled by these explosive bursts, Chu Qingyun bounded across toward the other side of the pit with a series of thunderous booms.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Yi and the other two Level 9 Martial Spirits followed suit, copying Chu Qingyun's method to give chase.

Zheng Tianrong gritted his teeth. "After him!" He led his men onto the lava pit.

Over a dozen high-level Martial Spirits used the same method to traverse the pit.

Instantly, a vast area of the lava pit was thrown into turmoil.

Within the boiling magma, disturbed Molten Beasts shot up from the depths of the pit.

Ahead of Chu Qingyun, a Molten Beast whipped its tail and leaped from the lava, opening its maw to spew a jet of magma at him.

"You're courting death!"

"Thunder Sword!"

Chu Qingyun let out a cold cry and swung his sword.

A bolt of violent thunder left his blade, instantly scattering the stream of magma before viciously slamming into the Molten Beast.

Under the bombardment of the violent Thunder, the lava on the Molten Beast's body rapidly disintegrated.

It shrieked miserably as it fell back and sank into the magma.

As Chu Qingyun fought off the Molten Beast, his pursuers were not spared. They, too, were constantly assailed by the creatures.

The ones that leaped out to spit magma were easy enough to handle.

The real trouble came from the Molten Beasts that hid beneath the surface, striking suddenly with sharp claws and teeth.

The Molten Beasts could hide perfectly in the magma, making their surprise attacks impossible to defend against.

Even Chu Qingyun was thrown into a frenzy by them.

But after being ambushed twice, Chu Qingyun devised a countermeasure.

He would detonate as much Primordial Power as possible beneath his feet, blasting away the magma to prevent the Molten Beasts from hiding there.

This allowed him to detect them slightly earlier, giving him a precious extra moment to react.

Chu Qingyun had entered first, so he faced the fewest Molten Beasts.

Furthermore, his powerful Spiritual Sense, combined with the aid of ten incredibly agile Flame Vines, allowed him to cross the pit faster than anyone else.

The Level 9 and Level 8 Martial Spirits behind him were powerful enough to handle the Molten Beasts' attacks with ease.

The Level 7 Martial Spirits were the unluckiest of the lot.

Although the Molten Beasts were only at the Earth Spirit Realm, the lava pit was their home turf, and they held an absolute numerical advantage.

The lava pit wasn't that large; it took Chu Qingyun less than thirty seconds to cross from one end to the other.

The ones behind him were in a much sorrier state, but even they made it across in under a minute.

Yet, in that short minute, a full four Level 7 Martial Spirits had fallen into the pit!

The slightest mistake, a moment's delay caused by a Molten Beast, and swarms of the creatures would leap from the pit, overwhelming them and dragging them down to be instantly consumed by the magma.

In terms of sheer speed, Chu Qingyun was still no match for the Level 9 Martial Spirits.

So, upon exiting the lava pit, Chu Qingyun scanned his surroundings and immediately spotted a low, rocky hill that could conceal him.

Without a shred of hesitation, Chu Qingyun activated his Hidden Qi Technique, erupted with his full speed, and vanished in a flash, reappearing behind the rocky hill.

"Thousand-faced Martial Soul, Thousand-Faced Illusion Body!"

Concealed by the rocky hill, Chu Qingyun immediately used his Thousand-faced Martial Soul. The space around him seemed to warp, and in the blink of an eye, he had taken on the appearance of a Level 6 Martial Spirit he had once seen in the Outer Sect Trading District.

His clothes, appearance, height, build, and even his aura were a perfect match.

After giving himself a once-over, Chu Qingyun grinned.

Then, instead of fleeing, he turned and began to stroll unhurriedly back toward the lava pit.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH…

A series of whooshes cut through the air.

In less than thirty seconds, Chen Yi, the other two Level 9 Martial Spirits, Zheng Tianrong, and the rest had all pursued him past the low, rocky hill.

And, of course, they saw the person Chu Qingyun had become after using his Thousand-faced Martial Soul.

Chu Qingyun had changed his appearance in the blink of an eye. This, of course, left them utterly baffled, and they quickly surrounded him.

"Er, Senior Brothers... can I help you?"

Chu Qingyun asked, his face a mask of confusion and nervousness, his posture wary.

He looked exactly like someone who was confused and nervous about being suddenly surrounded, not at all like a fugitive on the run.

After all, Chu Qingyun had weathered many storms; he certainly had the composure for something like this.