Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 27 – Escape

Little Olive City.

A distance of 10 miles simply wasn’t far enough to escape the aftermath of a direct Golden Core level collision. With a loud howl of wind, countless roof tiles were lifted away. Some unlucky individuals were struck in the head, but before they could even curse out loud, an earth-shaking explosion followed, causing them to all fall on their behinds.

A young child stopped crying as he held onto his frightened mother. Looking out at the skies away from the city, a brilliant flood of gold and black collided. This was a scene that was only described in legends. Countless individuals were left stunned and they felt as if great stones were pushing down on their chests, making it hard to breathe.

Zhang Huo’s eyes were filled with admiration even though he couldn’t hide his worry. Beside him, Zhang Zhang had turned pale white. She whispered, “Zhang Huo, is this the strength of cultivators?”

“Zhang Zhang, these are not ordinary cultivators, but people just like Master, powerhouses who have reached the Golden Core Great Dao.” Zhang Huo pursed his lips. Either of the two people fighting were far stronger than his master.

They were at least at the sixth level of Golden Core or above. After stepping into the late Golden Core realm, every being had the ability to condense their own Nascent Soul!

Zhang Zhang’s eyes brightened. “I hope that someday I too can have the qualifications to join such a battle…what a vast and incredible world this is!”

Zhang Huo smiled and nodded. “That day will surely come!” Although he said those words, he still felt sour in his heart. Even though he possessed a decent talent for cultivation, he still couldn’t say whether or not he would one day reach a level where he could interfere in this battle.

This was a Golden Core!

However, these two people didn’t know that Qin Yu, the person who they had decided would always be mud beneath their feet, was actually the person closest to the battlefield. Moreover, he was biding his time, waiting for the chance to strike out.

That was right; Qin Yu hadn’t run away. He withstood the horrifying pressure and retreated further to avoid the shockwaves of the battle. Although he was in a miserable state, he kept his eyes stubbornly locked onto the battlefield.

Ning Ling could erupt with a might capable of contending with a Golden Core; this far exceeded Qin Yu’s expectations. Still, this would definitely require a tremendous price. Otherwise when she was killing Zhu Hai she wouldn’t have needed to struggle so desperately. And, this strength likely didn’t last long. Her pale complexion and the fading golden light around her was the best proof of this.

Once Ning Ling was defeated, Blacksky Demon would absolutely kill him to avoid any possible retaliation. And Qin Yu had no confidence that he could escape being chased down by a Golden Core cultivator.

Of course, that wasn’t the most important reason why he stayed. Deep in his heart, Qin Yu had to admit that he didn’t want to see Ning Ling perish here.

If so, then he could only fight!

He believed in Ning Ling; she definitely had some hidden trump card. As long as a window of opportunity appeared, he would make his move.

A fourth level Foundation Establishment against a sixth level Golden Core, this was a difference as greater as the heavens and earth. As Ning Ling and Blacksky Demon battled each other, neither of them paid any attention to him. But what Blacksky Demon didn’t know was that the little insect he ignored was waiting for him to expose a flaw. Then, that little insect would use his tiny fangs to rip open an artery!

Blacksky Demon’s complexion was calm and his vigilant eyes were a bit more relaxed. Even though this ancient family’s direct descendant possessed a powerful bloodline, the difference in strength would not change. Would the strength she obtained by activating her bloodline exhaust itself soon? Luckily, he had attacked at the best time possible, otherwise if she were able to accumulate more and more of her bloodline strength, killing her would be much more difficult!

Looking at this flawless beauty before him, Blacksky Demon still praised her in his heart. He praised her beauty, praised her great talent and majesty, and regretted that she would die here soon. Like a meteor falling from the heavens with a long and brilliant tail trailing behind it, she would light up the skies for a moment before vanishing.

Only a thin layer of golden light remained around Ning Ling. As it flowed across the surface of her body, it seemed a bit sad and desolate.

Blacksky Demon smiled. “Let’s end this!” He flicked his sleeves and a mass of demonic energy rushed forwards, deeper and colder than before.

He had been saving his greatest strength for this killing strike!

Ning Ling’s gloomy eyes suddenly lit up. As the black demonic energy reflected in her pupils, a blinding light shot out. She lifted her hands, her ten fingers flying up and down like butterflies. She pinched out a mystical law formula and the temperature within the world began to rise at an alarming speed!

Blacksky Demon’s expression changed. With only time to roar, he was submerged in golden flames. The flames ravaged his body, leaping all around him. But in the end, he was still able to erupt with the ruthlessness of a demonic cultivator. He didn’t bring back his energy to defend himself but drove it forwards instead, his demeanor becoming fierce and more violent.

Ning Ling weakly waved her hand. This strike seemed to exhaust all of her strength. The last dregs of light that surrounded her shattered. She spat out a mouthful of blood that was mixed with a bit of gold, and then she flew backwards, her face deathly pale.

Bang –

The golden flames were torn apart by a giant invisible hand. Blacksky Demon was burned all over his body and his amazing aura had been reduced to its lowest point. But, his eyes gleamed with a cruel killing intent. He roared out loud, “Die!”

He lifted his hand and black demonic energy rapidly condensed. But just as he was about to attack, a chill rose up from the depths of his heart, making him feel as if he had fallen into an icy lake. Without time to think, he instinctually shouted out and stimulated the demonic energy within his body to the limit, forming a thick layer around him.

In the next moment, the black Corpse Sealing Nail steadfastly split apart his defensive demonic energy and stabbed into his chest.

“Ahhh!” Blacksky Demon cried out in pain. His weakened aura quickly dropped again, nearly falling off from the Golden Core level.

The demonic weapon Corpse Sealing Nail possessed the most terrifying killing ability against demonic cultivators; this could be called one of the greatest ironies of all.

Disappointment flashed in Qin Yu’s eyes, but his movements didn’t stop. He rushed out, grabbed Ning Ling, and fled, his high speed creating a gray wavy dragon on the ground. Even though the Corpse Sealing Nail was left behind, he didn’t give it another thought as he fled.

Behind him, Blacksky Demon shouted out in hate and anger. “Junior, I will tear you to pieces!”

Demonic energy gushed out around him. A Golden Core was still a Golden Core. Although he had been weakened to the extreme, his speed was still incredible.

Blacksky Demon’s face was twisted in rage. He never imagined that coming out here himself, he would actually be left in such a distressed state by two juniors.

In particular, that boy. He would definitely kill him!

At this time, Qin Yu came to screeching stop. Spirit Stab erupted without reservation and he chopped out a Vorpal Edge with his hand. Without time to defend, Blacksky Demon had to withstand the full might of this Spirit Stab. Even though he was a Golden Core cultivator, he still felt pain in his forehead and the demonic energy around him paused for a moment.

Puff –

The Vorpal Edge pierced through the demonic energy and struck Blacksky Demon between the eyebrows. It tore apart his flesh to reveal his bloody skull.

“JUNIOR!!”

Blacksky Demon turned insane. With a head covered with fresh blood, he glared at Qin Yu as if he wanted to devour him alive.

Qin Yu had already turned and began running away without hesitation. He crossed a thousand feet in just several breaths as he dashed into the mountain forest.

Bang –

Demon energy burst out, causing the ground to crack apart. Blacksky Demon chased forwards, causing trees to crash down wherever he went and the ground to be smashed apart!

Qin Yu bitterly smiled. A Golden Core cultivator was indeed difficult to kill. When he killed Hei Nu it had been a combination of circumstances that had allowed him to achieve such a ridiculous result. But now, his current abilities were too lacking.

Racing forwards and keeping low to the ground, he pushed Gale Step to its limits. However, he was only a fourth level Foundation Establishment cultivator and carrying Ning Ling who had lost her ability to move also restricted his movements. It was natural for the rumbling behind him to approach closer and closer.

But he couldn’t care about these things too much.

Qin Yu shouted, “Open your mouth!”

Before Ning Ling could respond, Qin Yu barbarically stuffed a handful of pills into her mouth. Her eyes revealed a moment of anger before she was stunned. An unbelievable amount of medicinal efficacy began circulating through her body, transforming into spiritual strength and restoring her dried up magic power.

Even with her status, she had only experienced this degree of medicinal efficacy once before. It was many years ago when an Elder gave her a treasured Marrow Washing Pill. Although the effects were different, the diffusion of medicinal efficacy through her body was the same.

Ning Ling’s thoughts shook. She looked deeply at Qin Yu before closing her eyes and focusing on absorbing it.

But at this time, Qin Yu didn’t have the time to think about such things. As he saw her expression change, he swallowed several pills himself.

Bang –

A powerful medicinal efficacy erupted within him and his magic power began to storm upwards. His speed increased by ten times over as he created a series of afterimages and blazed deep into the complex forest terrain.

This erupting magic power was a method of exchanging speed at a steep price; it was a taboo ability of the Gale Step. Not just that, but this sort of loss couldn’t be sustained for long, and more importantly it put a strain on the body that exceeded a cultivator’s limits. Once or twice might be possible, but to do it more than that would cause horrifying damage to the body.

Qin Yu was aware of this, but he didn’t hesitate in choosing to use this ability. He needed to grasp for as much time as possible to allow Ning Ling to restore her strength. And, after over a year of tempering his body and eating countless pills, he was confident in the intensity of his body.

Blacksky Demon’s face was filled with cruelty. He wasn’t worried that Qin Yu had used a taboo method to temporarily increase the distance between them. This sort of action was no different than satisfying one’s thirst with poison. Soon, Qin Yu would vomit blood and fall to the ground incapacitated, then he would be able to do whatever he wanted to him!

But as more time passed, Blacksky Demon’s complexion became increasingly confused. This confusion mixed with anger, shock, and eventually disbelief. According to his estimates, the boy should have already fallen to the ground in agonizing pain, but he was still aggressively racing forwards without the tiniest hint of slowing.

This bastard! Where did you get so much magic power and such a powerful mortal body!?

Blacksky Demon cursed out loud in his heart.

Ning Ling opened her eyes. As she saw the pale yet calm face that was close to her own, her eyes turned blank. Before she could speak, several more pills were forced into her mouth. The pure number made it hard for her to swallow.

“Senior-apprentice Sister Ning, I cannot last much longer. You must restore your strength as soon as possible or we’re both going to die here!”

The deep and bass sound left Ning Ling startled. It was then that she discovered Qin Yu’s eyes were bloodshot and red lines had begun to appear on his pale face; this was because the tiny blood vessels in his face couldn’t withstand the pressure and had begun to rupture all over. As Ning Ling imagined the horrifying pain he must be enduring beneath that calm exterior, she felt pain swell up in her heart. She forcefully chewed the pills and closed her eyes to digest them.

An hour later, she opened her eyes once more and a divine light flashed from them. As for Qin Yu who was holding her, his blood had nearly soaked his robes red. As he saw her wake up, he revealed a faint smile but then violently spat out a mouthful of blood as his consciousness darkened around him.

Ning Ling grabbed him instead, anxiously shouting, “Junior-apprentice brother, are you alright?”

Qin Yu forcefully prevented himself from falling unconscious. He took out another handful of pills and swallowed them. “Hurry and run!”

A white cloud formed beneath Ning Ling. Gathering the two of them, the white cloud howled into the distance. However, after this magic tool had been shattered in the previous exchange, even though it could regenerate itself it still couldn’t display its original strength so soon. They were unable to flee the cruel aura behind them.

Two ahead and one behind, both sides did their best to race into the depths of the forest!

Deep sounds thundered outwards. The entire forest was stirred into chaos with countless birds and beasts fleeing in all directions, all of them panicked to the extreme. During this time, Blacksky Demon’s aura gradually became further away. Although it was still locked onto them, this was still a good sign that they would soon be able to safely escape.

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