CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 402 ESCAPE_1

"Take this chance!"

Zi Yun True Immortal seized the opportunity to push Ling Chen out of the crowd, directly to the mountain gate.

"Quick, go!"

With a single palm strike, Shangguan Hong repelled two Elders of the Divine Intent Sect, clearing a path for Ling Chen.

"Take care!"

Ling Chen cupped his fists to Shangguan Hong and Zi Yun True Immortal, then turned and darted down the mountain.

Trying to escape?

Shentu Yan, who had not yet made a move, finally revealed a cold smirk, a chill flashing in his eyes.

With a swift movement, he shot off in the direction Ling Chen had fled.

"Don’t even think about it!"

Zi Yun True Immortal and Shangguan Hong attacked simultaneously, a palm and a sword strike aimed at Shentu Yan.

"Earth Abyss Palm!"

Shentu Yan’s palm suddenly splayed open. An immensely powerful True Qi gathered wildly in his hand before he unleashed it with a thunderous blast.

As the palm struck, the very wind and clouds seemed to stir.

BANG!

With a deafening collision, Shangguan Hong and Zi Yun True Immortal were both sent flying backward, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.

Having repelled the two, Shentu Yan didn’t press the attack further. Instead, he leaped and rushed down the mountain, clearly in pursuit of Ling Chen.

...

After leaving the summit, Ling Chen sped down the mountain, not daring to pause for even a moment.

However, he soon sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching from behind.

Shentu Yan!

Ling Chen took a deep breath. He was certain Shentu Yan wouldn’t let him live to see another day. After all, he was the only person who had witnessed Shentu Yan’s true, hypocritical nature.

If Shentu Yan killed him, no one else would ever know his true face.

Liu Xiling was a member of the Saint Witch Religion; no one in the Righteous Martial World would believe her words.

As a Top Sky Apex Strong, Shentu Yan was far faster than Ling Chen. In what felt like mere blinks of an eye, he had caught up.

"Hmph!"

A murderous glint flashed in Shentu Yan’s eyes. He abruptly raised his palm and, with a finger, stabbed out through the air. The attack tore through the space, shooting toward Ling Chen’s back.

At the critical moment, Ling Chen swung the Thunder Shadow Sword behind him, managing to block the force of Shentu Yan’s finger attack.

CLANG!

Sparks flew. Ling Chen felt a tremor in his hand, and his entire body jolted. A massive force sent him flying into the bushes ahead.

Thorny vines scraped against him, tearing his clothes and leaving bloody gashes on his skin.

He dodged it?

Shentu Yan was startled. He hadn’t expected Ling Chen to react so quickly, actually managing to block his attack in the nick of time with such a clever maneuver.

Unfazed by the miss, Shentu Yan wasn’t in a rush. In his eyes, Ling Chen’s strength was insignificant. There was no way he could escape his grasp.

With a tap of his foot, Shentu Yan once again closed the distance, now less than thirty meters from Ling Chen. Then, he launched another finger attack through the air.

The finger-force shot towards Ling Chen’s back like a meteor.

Sensing the danger in advance, Ling Chen spun around, his body leaning back sharply. The Thunder Shadow Sword whirled at high speed, protecting his body as the meteor-like finger-force slammed into it.

SPURT!

The sword qi was deflected, but Ling Chen himself was sent flying backward by the impact, coughing up blood.

Ling Chen felt his internal organs churn violently. The power gap is too vast! He’s a Top Sky Apex Strong, after all. Killing a mere First Realm Grandmaster like me would be effortless for him!

"You tenacious little roach! You’ve actually made me attack again and again. It’s a miracle you’re still alive. But no matter what, today you die!"

Shentu Yan’s face was contorted with savagery, his viciousness laid bare. Where was the slightest hint of his former benevolent and refined demeanor?

Again and again? Ling Chen detected something amiss in those words. Could it be that this guy has tried to ambush me before?

"Die!"

Shentu Yan’s figure flashed, seemingly appearing out of thin air in front of Ling Chen. Then, a Black Poison Blade materialized from his sleeve, swiftly slashing towards Ling Chen’s neck.

Ling Chen abruptly tried to halt his momentum, but it was too late. He couldn’t stop in time and was about to be struck by Shentu Yan’s oncoming Black Poison Blade. Damn it!

Just at this critical juncture, a black shadow suddenly flickered through the night, appearing before Ling Chen. The black shadow shot out a hand and caught the Black Poison Blade between its fingers.

What?

Seeing his attack so easily caught, Shentu Yan was greatly astonished. He knew better than anyone how powerful his attack was. Yet, this person before him had managed to catch his Black Poison Blade with their bare hand—and succeeded. That’s terrifying.

CRACK!

The black shadow’s fingers suddenly clenched, snapping the Black Poison Blade in two!

BOOM!

Before Shentu Yan could even process his shock, a palm struck his chest. He was sent flying, crashing into the forest and snapping two large trees in half.

Ling Chen’s pupils constricted as he watched the formidable Shentu Yan being so effortlessly thrown. So strong! This is too terrifying! Someone as powerful as Shentu Yan was sent flying with a single move, completely defenseless!

"Go!"

The black shadow had no intention of targeting Shentu Yan further. After sending him flying, it abruptly grabbed Ling Chen, and with a flicker of its form, vanished on the spot.

Just then, Shentu Yan struggled out from the bushes, thoroughly disheveled. When he saw that Ling Chen was gone from where he had stood, his expression rapidly turned grim.

"Damn it! The brat actually escaped!"

Shentu Yan slammed his palm into a nearby boulder, shattering it into dust.

Who on earth was that person just now? Their strength is easily comparable to Ling Tianyu back in the day. Shentu Yan’s eyes flickered with uncertainty as he tried to guess the black shadow’s identity.

Individuals of that caliber were few and far between in the Jianghu. Even if they existed, they were elusive hidden Experts who had long since vanished from the Jianghu.

For such legendary figures, reputation was no longer important; only their Cultivation mattered.

Why would an Expert of this level appear here and save that brat Ling Chen?

A trace of hesitation appeared in Shentu Yan’s eyes as he debated whether to pursue them. The black shadow’s strength made him extremely wary.

"Never mind. You might escape today, but you can’t escape forever. Kid, I’ll make it so there’s no place for you in the entire Martial World. Let’s see which dark corner you can hide in then," Shentu Yan sneered. Ling Chen might be a threat now, but not a major one. In the future, Ling Chen would pose no threat to him at all.

With the Void Emperor’s royal decree in hand, and the full cauldron of Breaking Sky Spirit Liquid he had obtained from killing Xu Feihong, Shentu Yan’s domination of the Martial World was only a matter of time.

"Hahaha... After so many years of painstaking effort, I, Shentu Yan, am finally about to become the Martial Arts Supreme!"

Laughing boisterously at the sky, Shentu Yan then turned and sped back towards the Divine Intent Sect.