CHAPTER 453: FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE, SEEK LIFE IN THE FACE OF DEATH

"More than just formidable!"

Hearing the question from Nie Qianqiu beside him, Ran Xing looked back with lingering fear, relieved to see that the woman in black had not pursued them. Nevertheless, he didn’t dare to stop his hurried steps.

"Crown Prince, you should know that I come from the Middle Three Realms, but the feeling that woman gave me is that even in the Middle Three Realms, I’m afraid there are few who can match her!"

Ran Xing finally offered an explanation, and his words instantly turned Nie Qianqiu’s face deathly pale, realizing the implications they carried.

"Could it be that she’s a Heavenly Rank Third Realm expert?"

After the shock subsided, Nie Qianqiu exclaimed in disbelief, perhaps not even realizing the incredulity in his voice.

Although Nie Qianqiu had never been to the Middle Three Realms, he was not entirely unfamiliar with them, thanks to having someone like Ran Xing around and being born into the Lingtian Royal Family.

Nie Qianqiu knew that the Middle Three Realms were far beyond the Lower Five Realms like the Hidden Dragon Continent. There, Earth Rank Third Realm warriors were commonplace, and even Heavenly Rank experts were occasionally seen.

But why would such a formidable woman appear in the small Lingtian Empire on the Hidden Dragon Continent? Nie Qianqiu couldn’t figure it out and wanted to inform his father, the King, of this news as soon as possible to prepare for whatever came next.

Nie Qianqiu wasn’t sure whether he had offended the woman in black, and if his actions incurred her wrath upon the Lingtian Empire, the entire Lingtian Royal Family and Nie clan might not withstand the fury of such a powerful being.

"That’s not what I meant!"

Ran Xing, hailing from the Middle Three Realms and knowing more about certain matters, suddenly interjected, "That woman might not necessarily have reached the Heavenly Rank Third Realm, but those methods – even in the Middle Three Realms I’ve never heard of them before. I suspect... she comes from a higher Plane!"

"A higher Plane? You mean... the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud?!"

Nie Qianqiu’s face turned even paler upon hearing this, and he only knew of the supreme Plane mentioned from some ancient texts.

The Nine-layered Dragon Cloud is a higher Plane than the Middle Three Realms, rumored to be the supreme Plane of the entire Nine Dragons Continent. There, Heavenly Rank experts are as common as dogs, Holy Rank experts roam the streets, and Earth Rank Third Realm Cultivators might be as insignificant as ants.

To Nie Qianqiu, even the thought of such a Plane was unimaginable. His only wish was to make a name for himself at the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference and possibly be noticed by a powerful Sect from the Middle Three Realms, which could bring glory to the entire Lingtian Empire.

But now, a woman in black who appeared out of nowhere might actually come from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. At this moment, Nie Qianqiu felt as if his legs were giving out, wishing he could flee back to the safety of the Lingtian Palace immediately.

"Such power..."

Meanwhile, Ran Xing was also engulfed by a storm of emotion. Being from the Middle Three Realms, he maintained his composure better than Nie Qianqiu, but precisely for that reason, he felt even more awe for the woman.

Just a shout had caused him, a Cultivator half a step into Earth Rank Third Realm, to suffer serious injuries, and it even contained the Power of Soul. Such methods were utterly unfathomable.

According to Ran Xing’s knowledge, even some Meridian Masters who had reached the Heavenly Rank might not possess such terrifying Soul Power. Such bizarre methods, other than the higher Plane, the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, were unlikely to exist elsewhere.

Leaving aside these two fleeing like dogs with their tails between their legs, in the dense forest of the mountains, Yun Xiao faced a life-or-death situation. It was uncertain whether he would escape this calamity.

......

In the quiet of the night, a boy in simple attire, his energy somewhat wilted, and a woman in black with eyes like stars, faced each other in a long silence.

"Hand over the Blood Moon Jade and end yourself!"

Time passed, and just when Yun Xiao felt the atmosphere in the forest was about to become unbearably tense, the woman in black finally spoke, her voice laced with unmistakable murderous intent.

At this point, Yun Xiao instead calmed down. The Power of Ancestor Vein within him was retracted, and even the Golden Snake Worm quietly returned within his body.

Because Yun Xiao understood that against such an expert, an expert who could wound a Cultivator not far from Earth Rank with a single word, any struggle was futile.

Even Spirit Vein Realm Cultivators like Yu Qian and Ran Xing were no match for her, and Yun Xiao believed that no matter how many tricks he had up his sleeve, he could not escape from the woman in black.

But to simply obey and end himself as she dictated was not something Yun Xiao could reconcile with. He sat down with a thud, panting heavily before speaking.

"Miss, even if I am to die, let me die with some clarity. Who are you, exactly?"

Resigned to his fate, Yun Xiao boldly asked. He had a hunch that this girl might have something to do with the tall, thin old man who had exterminated the Shang Family back then.

The blood-red crescent mark on his palm was still exuding a scorching aura. If he could learn some truths before his death, then he would die with his eyes closed in peace.

"Facing death and still oblivious!"

The black-clothed woman frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with Yun Xiao’s lethargic demeanor, but she didn’t explain further. Instead, she reached out her hand and smacked straight towards Yun Xiao’s head.

Seeing this, Yun Xiao was shocked. Just now, he had witnessed this woman pierce Yu Qian to death with her umbrella and injure Ran Xing with a word. If her palm landed on his head, probably not even a Daluo Golden Immortal could save him.

Swoosh...

For some reason, Yun Xiao’s body didn’t move but abruptly shifted a foot to the side, causing the black-clothed woman’s lethal strike to miss and not take his life.

"Eh?"

Seeing this, the black-clothed woman couldn’t help but let out a sound of surprise, because she was confident that even some cultivators who had reached the Earth Rank Third Realm might not be able to dodge that strike. How did this kid manage it?

The Zombie Body Technique displayed by Yun Xiao at this moment was rare in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. Although this woman had an extraordinary background, she had never seen it, and was caught off guard, allowing him to escape a calamity.

But Yun Xiao, who had dodged a strike, was still far from safe. The black-clothed woman was merely slightly surprised. Then, her jade-like palm, which even in the dark night emitted a white light, came down towards his head again.

"Not good!"

This time, Yun Xiao felt that his body couldn’t move at all, except for his slightly warm right palm.

At this critical moment, Yun Xiao could only struggle one last time. The only part of his body that could move was his right palm, and with a thought, the power of the Ancestor Vein in his right arm was instantly activated.

Originally, only his right palm could move, but after the power of the Ancestor Vein was activated, it seemed that his entire right arm broke free from its binding. In a split-second decision, Yun Xiao suddenly raised his right arm, hoping to make a final struggle.

However, Yun Xiao knew in his heart that with the black-clothed woman’s strength, his forced block was probably useless. In the next moment, perhaps both his right arm and head would be smashed to pieces.

Yet, what happened next not only left Yun Xiao inexplicably thrilled, but also left the black-clothed woman completely baffled. Just what had happened to this kid, who was only in the Early Stage of the Meridian Union Realm?

Swoosh...

Just as the black-clothed woman was about to smash Yun Xiao’s arm and head together, a blood-red light suddenly burst forth from the crescent-shaped mark on his right palm.

When this blood-red light burst forth, Yun Xiao saw clearly that a deep black light also emerged from the palm of the black-clothed woman’s hand coming towards him.

With the light of this red and black glow, Yun Xiao could see that there was a black star-shaped mark in the woman’s right palm, and he also noticed that this star-shaped mark looked somewhat familiar.

It was the same mark he had seen on the back of the hand of the tall, skinny elder leading the enemies during the Shang Family annihilation battle, except that was on the back of the hand, while the woman before him had it on her palm.

At this critical juncture, without time to think further, as the blood-red light from his palm and the black light from the woman’s palm appeared, something magical happened.

Whoosh...

Somehow, just as the red and black light touched, the black-clothed woman was suddenly repelled more than a dozen yards away.

Seeing this, Yun Xiao was overjoyed. He knew this was a perfect chance for him, and the only chance. Without pondering what had happened with the two rays of light, he immediately turned his gaze in a certain direction.

"Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion!"

Yun Xiao shouted, and immediately, a gust of wind stirred within the dense forest of the mountain, as a colossal beast rushed over.

Swish!

Yun Xiao, enduring the severe internal injuries, took a deep breath and leaped onto the back of the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion, then, as the latter flapped violently, they soared into the sky.

It turned out that after the black-clothed woman used the umbrella to stab Yu Qian to death, the Mystical Dragon Entangling Silk Net he deployed lost human control and naturally could no longer restrain the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion.

The Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion needed time to break free from the Mystical Dragon Entangling Silk Net, but finally, at this critical moment, it arrived in front of Yun Xiao. With this Flying Beast Pulse Demon present, perhaps Yun Xiao could seize this opportunity to escape with his life.

The mountain wind howled, and a huge shadow rose into the sky. In just a few breaths, it was dozens of yards off the ground, and the black-clothed woman looking up had a face full of gritted teeth, but her eyes were filled with an indescribable strange light, exuding confidence and mystery!