Chapter 84: No Way Out

"Ryan..." Jake’s voice was heavy, his throat tightening as tears welled up in his eyes.

He had never expected Ryan to risk his life to save him.

Even knowing that he would have to face so many Origin Spirit Realm experts from the Sterling Family, Ryan had still come.

Jake firmly etched this friendship into his heart.

"Jake, calm down and remember everything I’m about to tell you."

Ryan sharply interrupted him before he could say anything more.

He pulled an exquisite brocade pouch from his spatial ring, tucked it into Jake’s waistband, then quickly fed him a Low Grade Tier 1 Healing Pill.

His words came rapidly, leaving no room for hesitation.

"This brocade pouch contains thirty Low Grade Origin Stones. Once you return to the city, take your family and buy all the essential daily necessities.

"There’s also a Winters Doorplate inside. It can be used to open a mansion. You’ll know where it is once you activate it. That mansion will be your refuge.

"After that, I’ll cast a concealment spell on you. For the next two hours, no one will be able to see you. I’ll use Spider Silk to send you away.

"No matter what you encounter, hear, or see next, remember one thing. Run!

"Run as fast as you can! Run for your life! Get back to the city, hide inside the mansion, and wait for me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ryan didn’t wait for Jake’s response.

He formed a Spider Blade with his hand and swiftly cut through the thick ropes binding Jake’s ankles.

Then he extended his right palm.

Massive amounts of snow-white Spider Silk shot out, wrapping tightly around Jake’s waist and limbs. At the same time, Mira swiftly cast the concealment spell over him.

Ryan immediately activated his Overlord Body Bloodline.

With immense strength surging through his right arm, he grabbed the Spider Silk and hurled Jake toward Ashfall City with all his might.

SWISH!

Jake’s concealed figure shot through the air like a massive boulder, completely unable to control his own movements.

Bound tightly by Ryan’s Spider Silk, he flew in a high arc for more than thirty meters.

Just as he began to descend and was about to crash into the ground, Ryan suddenly flicked his palm.

The Spider Silk immediately exerted a gentle supporting force, slowing Jake’s fall.

At the same time, Ryan rapidly withdrew the power of his Overlord Body Bloodline.

As his Bloodline power was completely retracted, the Spider Silk detached itself from Jake’s body.

Countless slender strands of snow-white silk swayed wildly through the air before rapidly retracting into Ryan’s palm like a swarm of tiny white snakes.

Ryan had originally intended to grab Jake and escape together.

However, the burst state of the Devouring World Art couldn’t be maintained for much longer.

Although he had unexpectedly absorbed some energy during his two close-quarters clashes with his enemies, slightly extending the duration of the burst state, the consumption was still terrifying.

Once his strength was completely exhausted, he might not even be able to protect himself.

More importantly, he couldn’t leave with Jake under the current circumstances.

If he tried to escape together with Jake, Gareth would undoubtedly pursue them relentlessly.

Once Ryan was exhausted, there was a high possibility that neither of them would escape.

That would simply mean sacrificing two lives instead of one.

Gareth’s target was Ryan.

As long as Ryan remained behind, Gareth probably wouldn’t waste time pursuing an ordinary civilian who was fleeing.

Therefore, Ryan had no choice but to stay.

He had to delay Gareth for as long as possible.

Ideally, he would hold him back until the Hundred Mile Fragrance took effect.

Hundred Mile Fragrance was only a Top Grade Tier 2 treasure, not the much more potent Tier 3 version, so it would naturally require some time to attract a large number of exotic beasts.

The longer Ryan delayed, the farther the exotic scent would spread.

And the farther it spread, the more exotic beasts would eventually arrive.

He had to desperately hold Gareth back.

The longer, the better.

If he was lucky, he might even be able to kill Gareth with the help of the incoming exotic beasts.

Meanwhile, thanks to the soft supporting force Ryan had provided earlier, Jake only tumbled across the ground several times after landing. He didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

SWISH!

At that moment, however, the crimson giant fireball was already less than three meters away from Ryan.

Feeling the terrifying heat approaching from behind, Ryan’s expression changed.

He suddenly turned his head.

The giant fireball had yet to reach him, but its terrifying heat was already crashing toward him like an enormous flaming furnace.

The skin and hair on his left shoulder began to shrivel and melt.

A charred smell instantly filled the air.

Ryan’s face paled.

He immediately tried to forcefully flash away while simultaneously flicking his right arm to the side, intending to use Spider Silk Swing to escape.

But then, a terrifying sense of weakness and exhaustion suddenly surged through his body.

It felt as though ten thousand tons of shackles had suddenly descended upon him, completely binding his body and interrupting his movements.

Ryan’s pupils constricted.

His expression became horrified.

His fingers trembled.

His palm was completely empty.

Not even a single strand of Spider Silk emerged.

His Origin Energy was exhausted.

The Devouring World Power rapidly withdrew into the Swallowing World Pearl near his Origin Energy Sea.

In an instant, Ryan felt as though every ounce of strength had been drained from his body.

"Oh no..."

He had never expected that immediately after saving Jake, his Origin Energy would be completely depleted.

Horror filled Ryan’s face.

His legs suddenly gave out.

He collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Enduring the terrifying weakness coursing through his body, Ryan struggled to raise his wrist and desperately urged his Origin Energy Sea.

At the very last moment, he finally managed to squeeze out a faint trace of Origin Energy.

It was incredibly weak, but it was just enough to activate his spatial ring.

Ryan’s face was deathly pale.

He quickly took out a Low Grade Origin Stone and pressed it against his palm, furiously absorbing the Origin Energy contained within it.

Strands of Origin Energy flowed into his body like a thin stream.

Only then did the severe depletion of his Origin Energy Sea begin to improve slightly.

Ryan immediately hunched over like a shrimp.

He desperately activated his Overlord Body Bloodline, forcing the difficult-to-condense Overlord Body Origin Energy toward his back.

He intended to use his body to withstand the terrifying attack.

At that moment, the effects of the healing pill finally allowed Jake to recover enough strength to move.

After tumbling several times across the ground, he slowly pushed himself upright.

Apart from his twisted arms, which had yet to fully recover, most of his other injuries were already minor and had largely healed under the powerful effects of the ranked pill.

But when Jake saw the terrifying giant fireball rapidly approaching Ryan, his eyes immediately filled with tears.

His completely concealed figure trembled.

"Ryan..."

His heart felt as though it had been stabbed.

The pain was almost unbearable.

Yet Jake knew that staying behind would only turn him into a burden.

He remembered Ryan’s earlier instructions.

He couldn’t hesitate.

If he stayed, all of Ryan’s efforts would be wasted.

Gritting his teeth, Jake turned around and began running toward Ashfall City with all his strength.

The concealment spell was remarkably effective.

Even if a Bloodline Fighter looked directly at Jake or swept the surrounding area with Mental Awareness, they wouldn’t be able to see him.

At most, they would only vaguely sense something resembling a silent breeze passing through the air.

Fortunately, the Sterling Family had no deep-seated grudge against Jake.

Their original intention had merely been to provoke Ryan and force him into a passive position where they could manipulate him.

That was why they had casually twisted Jake’s arms without seriously injuring his legs.

Under the effects of the Tier 1 Healing Pill, most of Jake’s minor injuries had already recovered.

His arms, however, were another matter.

The pill had only stopped the bleeding and alleviated some of the pain. It was incapable of fully repairing dislocated bones, torn muscles, or broken limbs.

Even so, his injured arms didn’t significantly affect his running speed.

At worst, he couldn’t swing his arms properly, causing his balance to suffer.

His movements were somewhat awkward, and he stumbled occasionally, but he could still run quickly.

He had to.

Because behind him.

SWISH!

The terrifying crimson giant fireball finally crashed into Ryan.