Chapter 336 - 259: Rescue 2

’But I don’t know if his body can hold on that long.’

Meanwhile.

Stunned by Yuan Tianhao’s devastating blow, the Neon masters stood frozen. They could only watch as his figure disappeared over the valley’s edge before they finally regained their mobility.

"After him! We can’t let him get away alive!"

Mitsuro gritted his teeth, and the other three restricted-level masters shot to their feet. Their injuries were not severe. Four of the more powerful Masters from the Twenty-Eight Celestial Emperors, whose injuries were also manageable, joined the four restricted-level masters in the chase.

At the same time, in a shadowy corner on the other side of the valley.

A barely discernible figure lurked in the shadows, watching the direction the others had gone.

’He actually survived? Quite the character...’

A low, androgynous murmur came from the shadows.

Suddenly, the shadow trembled violently, and the figure staggered, collapsing to the ground. Their entire body convulsed as if they were enduring immense pain.

After a long moment, the tremors subsided. The figure rose to their feet again, seemingly back to normal.

’After all these years, you still haunt me...’

’But it won’t be long now. Soon, you’ll disappear completely...’

The figure whispered once more, then vanished without a trace.

...

...

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!

Twelve figures, including Zhao Xuanqi and Wang Sea, tore through the mountain forest, heading south at incredible speed.

A hundred kilometers was a great distance, but for top-tier masters, it was a journey of only half an hour if they ran at full tilt, heedless of the cost to their Physical Ability. The real question was whether Yuan Tianhao could hold on for that long.

Not all the masters from Beichuan County Town had been deployed. The situation in Fulong Valley was still unclear, and they had to guard against the enemy trying to lure the tiger from its mountain. Thus, a portion of their forces remained to defend the town.

The reinforcements included two of the Eight Kings: Shenxiao Army Commander Chi Zhenyun and Yunling Army Commander Xie Yunhe.

The Shenxiao Army Commander, Chi Zhenyun, was tall and powerfully built, with a resolute face and features so sharp they could have been carved from stone. A striking purple lightning-bolt mark was branded between his brows. He was currently wreathed in violet electricity, a phenomenon that seemed to be a product of his own bio-current overloading. Stimulated by the arcs of lightning, his Physical Ability was as immense as a Ghost God’s, and his speed was as swift as a thunderbolt.

The Yunling Army Commander, Xie Yunhe, was of medium build with a goatee. His body was incredibly light, as if weightless. He used the power of a Ghost God to influence the air itself, turning the wind from a source of resistance into a force that propelled him forward. His speed was even a fraction faster than Chi Zhenyun’s.

Not far from the two Commanders was Zhao Xuanqi. His body moved like a Wandering Dragon, spine undulating as his limbs unleashed force with a strange, beautiful coordination. His speed was in no way inferior to Chi Zhenyun’s or Xie Yunhe’s. Furthermore, over this long, grueling sprint, while even the two Commanders showed faint signs of fatigue, Zhao Xuanqi’s complexion remained unchanged and his breathing was perfectly steady, showcasing his incredibly profound Physical Ability.

What was most impressive was that Zhao Xuanqi had caught up from behind. The situation had been so urgent that the masters had assembled in the South Suburb and departed immediately, without waiting for Zhao Xuanqi and Wang Sea. He had closed the distance and caught up to them on his own.

That alone was enough to tell them that Zhao Xuanqi’s Physical Ability and bodily strength were absolutely on par with one of the Eight Kings.

It seemed the rumors circulating in the Divine Land about him being the Ninth Monarch were not baseless after all.

The three of them led the charge, leaving the other masters more than a thousand meters behind. The strain of the all-out sprint was even more pronounced on the faces of those who trailed.

Among the group that followed were five of the Sixteen Generals, several of whom Zhao Xuanqi had met before.

For instance, there was Yin Wood Thunder, Bi Celestial Mansion; Celestial Sparrow Song Lan; and Feathered Spirit Qi Hongxuan.

As they ran, everyone focused, conserving their energy. They didn’t speak or interact, saving every bit of their Physical Ability.

After all, a great battle likely lay ahead, and every ounce of their Physical Ability would be crucial.

A short while ago, they had faintly sensed a strange aura in the distance, one that seemed connected to Yuan Tianhao. But it had vanished just as quickly, increasing their anxiety.

If Yuan Tianhao fell in this ambush, there was no telling how the entire situation in the Divine Land would change.

"Something’s up ahead!"

Chi Zhenyun suddenly roared, his pupils contracting. He could already faintly sense several blazing auras a few kilometers away, growing stronger and closer by the second.

The group pushed themselves even faster. Soon, they spotted a one-armed figure sprinting frantically toward them. Tucked under his remaining arm was a tall, blood-soaked body.

Several terrifying auras, thick with killing intent, followed close behind, rapidly closing the distance.

Azure Dragon Star, Meng Dongtai!

The group quickly recognized the one-armed man. A tremor went through them as they realized who the bloody figure in Meng Dongtai’s arms must be...

"Everyone! The Neon pursuers are right behind me! I need backup, now!"

When Meng Dongtai saw them, a look of immense relief and joy spread across his blood-streaked face as he screamed.

VMM!!

Just then, a beam of light shot out from the distance, crossing nearly a hundred meters in an instant to strike at the running Meng Dongtai.

Aurora Mitsuro was now in range!

"How dare you!"

A flash of purple lightning flared in Chi Zhenyun’s eyes as he thrust out his palm. A serpent of violet thunder shot forth, colliding with the beam of light.

However, the violet lightning failed to shatter the beam. Instead, the beam sliced through it and continued on, grazing Meng Dongtai’s thigh.

Chi Zhenyun’s expression changed drastically.

RRRIP!

The muscles of Meng Dongtai’s thigh were sliced open. He staggered and went tumbling to the ground.

BOOM!!

Then, a terrifying aura materialized into a towering humanoid figure. Oono Bonan had made his move. Unleashing the full power of his Primordial Qi, the figure’s arm stretched across dozens of meters, slamming down toward the spot where Meng Dongtai and Yuan Tianhao had fallen, intending to obliterate them both with a single palm strike.

SWOOSH!!

At that instant, from among the leading three, the Yunling Army Commander, Xie Yunhe, vanished. Ripples spread through the air where he’d been. Only after he disappeared did the terrifying sonic boom follow, his instantaneous burst of speed having seemingly broken the sound barrier.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside Meng Dongtai. His arms began to vibrate intensely as he unleashed the signature high-frequency attack from the Cloud Feather Sect’s Secret Transmission. Channeling the power of a Ghost God, he made the magnetic field, his Gang Qi, and his Force all resonate in a violent shudder. The air produced a piercing shriek, like the sound of a million birds taking flight from a forest in a panic.

Myriad Birds Take Flight!

Innumerable strikes merged into a single, continuous slash, aimed at the giant palm of qi in the sky.

Unexpectedly, the Force interwoven within the qi palm was incredibly solid. Countless slash marks appeared on its surface, but it refused to dissipate. It continued its descent, and though its power was diminished, the erupting force still knocked Xie Yunhe back half a step.

In that brief exchange, both Chi Zhenyun and Xie Yunhe had been put on the back foot.

And just then.

SHING!!

A figure seemed to materialize from thin air. In the moonlight, Xie Yunhe caught a fleeting glimpse of a pair of sword-shaped earrings glinting brightly.

The next moment, his body and Spirit felt as if they were frozen solid. It wasn’t just him; every living creature within a ten-meter radius was the same. Even Chi Zhenyun, some distance away, felt his Spirit seize up, caught in the technique’s influence.

One of the Three Saints, Shinkawa Yue of the Wheel of Time, had made her move!

The coordination between the three of them was flawless!

Three restricted-level masters, attacking in concert. Even injured, their combined strength was more than enough to suppress the two Commanders!

’The power of such a Spiritual Secret Technique...’

A look of horror filled his eyes.

He watched as Xie Yunhe fell into danger, but he was powerless to intervene in time.

SWOOSH!!

Yet in that same instant, a figure, seemingly unaffected, exploded into motion. Like a Wandering Dragon, like a Divine Bird, he lunged forward. A silver light erupted, and with a beastly roar, the form of a Qilin materialized, blocking the path between Shinkawa Yue and Xie Yunhe!