A storm was brewing. At dusk, a crimson cloud bank could be seen in the distance. The chilly autumn wind swept up leaves suspended in the air. It was a beautiful scene, like the night before, but today it was torn apart by two figures swiftly streaking across the sky, leaving sharp trails in their wake.
Meng Hao, in the lead, had a starry glint in his eyes. After reaching the seventh layer of Qi Condensation, he could maintain flight on his flying sword for more than half an incense stick's worth of time. Even so, he couldn't escape Shangguan Xiu.
He hadn't been able to touch the ground the entire time, exerting all his strength to flee forward. Moreover, he needed to reach the middle of a mountain slope to continue his escape.
Shangguan Xiu pursued relentlessly from behind. He was determined not to let his opponent escape again. Otherwise, even though the State of Zhao was not large, if his opponent got away, it would be very difficult for him to find him.
Moreover, he had great ambitions. At this crucial moment, regarding the mysterious treasures on Meng Hao's person, even though he didn't know their effects, he trusted his own judgment and was resolved to obtain them.
"Meng Hao, you won't escape this time! This old man's ambition lies in the Southern Domain. If it weren't for my unwillingness back then, my cultivation would have already reached Foundation Establishment. In front of this old man, an ant like you is destined to be used by me to accumulate Foundation Establishment."
Shangguan Xiu was at the ninth layer of Qi Condensation, just a step away from Foundation Establishment. Even so, he was still inferior to a true Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even though he was in the same major realm as Meng Hao, he was two layers higher in cultivation, which made his speed extremely fast. Furthermore, he was an elder of the Reliance Sect, possessing far more advanced magical artifacts than Meng Hao.
For example, this talisman. Before it circled him, there was a roaring wind, and an extraordinary aura. From his sleeve, a shattered jade slip flew out, transforming into a blue mist that condensed into a blue vase more than half a person tall, heading straight for Meng Hao.
Meng Hao's eyes flashed. He slapped his storage bag with his right hand, and ten flying swords immediately flew out towards the treasure vase. In an instant, they collided. The ten flying swords immediately exploded, their shattered fragments scattering in all directions. The treasure vase was also shaken and dissipated, but Shangguan Xiu's speed increased like lightning. He shot past the shattered vase, closing in on Meng Hao even further.
At this moment, Meng Hao abruptly turned around. He formed a hand seal with both hands and pointed forward. A total of three Wind Blades appeared, but they didn't aim at Shangguan Xiu. Instead, they spread out in all directions, gently wrapping around Meng Hao's fingers. The three Wind Blades spun powerfully, forming a suction force that drew the scattered fragments of the flying swords into the vortex.
With a loud bang, the sound echoed, but Meng Hao, far away, didn't look back. Behind him, vortices appeared all around Shangguan Xiu. He stepped out forcefully, his eyes filled with rage, his clothes quite tattered.
"He actually reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation!"
Shangguan Xiu stared at Meng Hao in the distance, taking a step to continue his pursuit, but with more caution. He knew Meng Hao was cunning and resourceful, and he couldn't be careless; he had to give his all.
Thinking of Meng Hao's trick using the small flying sword fragments just now, Shangguan Xiu's heart trembled. If Meng Hao's cultivation hadn't been insufficient, if he had had the same cultivation as him, that move, even if it couldn't kill him, would have injured him.
"So young, yet so sinister! The flying swords exploding earlier was just a feint. Damnable!"
Shangguan Xiu accelerated, transforming into a streak of rainbow light as he pursued Meng Hao.
One in front, one behind, as dusk faded and night descended, the moon high above cast its light, as if watching their figures.
Meng Hao's face darkened. He occasionally swallowed demon cores. If not for his breakthrough to the seventh level during his Dao enlightenment in the North Sea, he might have been in more peril than safety. Even at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, if he couldn't escape Shangguan Xiu's pursuit, he would still be in great danger.
"Sooner or later, there will be a day when I will personally stab this person to death!"
Meng Hao thought of the strange enmity between himself and the other party, all born from the other party's greed, which had troubled him repeatedly.
Seeing Shangguan Xiu relentlessly pursuing him from behind, Meng Hao gritted his teeth. As his flying sword dissipated, he dropped straight to the ground, heading towards the desolate mountains in the distance. This was not the direction of the Reliance Sect, but rather the eastern side of the Great Green Mountain, where mountains stretched endlessly, leading directly to the central plains and the capital city of the Zhao State.
This area was mountainous, extending beyond the desolate mountains surrounding the Reliance Sect. This was the most important mountain range in the Zhao State, known as the Protectorate Mountains. From a distance, its limits were unseen, and under the night sky, it resembled a long dragon in deep slumber, its towering peaks connected one after another.
Meng Hao lowered his head and instantly entered the Protectorate Mountains, continuing deeper. In these past three years, this was not the first time Meng Hao had been hunted. That battle in the Black Mountains had taught Meng Hao how to grasp the situation, and now he swiftly flew into the desolate mountains.
Shangguan Xiu's speed did not decrease. No matter where Meng Hao tried to hide, he was determined to pursue him to the end. He had already decided to kill Meng Hao and seize his treasures, but he also understood that he didn't have much time. The hidden spiritual herb he had cultivated was due for harvest. If he delayed, once the herb withered, it would be a devastating blow to his grand plans for the future.
However, Shangguan Xiu thought that killing Meng Hao would take at most a day or two, which wouldn't delay him too much. So, at this moment, without hesitation, he instantly chased into the desolate mountains.
At the same time that Meng Hao and Shangguan Xiu entered the Protectorate Mountains of the Zhao State, several thousand miles away within the Protectorate Mountains, there was a towering peak that pierced through the clouds.
This peak seemed to touch the sky. From afar, one could see pure white snow on its upper slopes. This mountain was much larger than ordinary mountains, especially at its summit, where faint rays of light emanated, as if the entire peak was surrounded by flowing water.
To the right of this peak was another tall mountain, its summit flattened into a circular plaza. At this moment, nearly a hundred cultivators dressed in white robes stood on the plaza.
Most of these individuals were young, the youngest barely eleven or twelve, the oldest only seventeen or eighteen. Both male and female, their expressions showed nervousness and anticipation, along with a hint of the arrogance of those with cultivation.
Among them, there was no shortage of cultivators at the seventh or eighth layers of Qi Condensation, and some even at the ninth layer. The weakest were still at the fifth or sixth layers of Qi Condensation. Such a group of young disciples would be difficult for any sect in the entire Zhao State to possess. A sect that could have such disciples must be a somewhat large great sect in the Southern Region.