Chapter 102: The Desolate Mountain

Yin Tianfang frowned slightly as he sensed the several auras trailing behind him. Before entering the exchange, he had donned a peculiar cloak that rendered his spiritual sense undetectable, ensuring that his pursuers should have had no way of identifying him.

The fact that he was now being tracked suggested that they must have followed him the moment he stepped out of the room, locking onto his presence.

Yin Tianfang pushed his speed to the absolute limit, covering dozens of miles in an instant. In the distance, rolling mountains stretched out, lush with vegetation, and he plunged into the sea of trees, weaving rapidly through the dense forest.

As he surged through the quiet woods, he startled countless birds and beasts. Sensing the pursuers drawing closer, his expression grew increasingly grim.

With a flicker of thought, he slapped his storage bag. Magical artifacts flew out one by one, which he then strategically planted in concealed spots all around him. Every few paces, he would bury an artifact underground or hide one among the thick foliage. After traveling several more miles, he came to a halt behind a sturdy tree trunk and extended his spiritual sense.

Before long, the sound of wind being rent apart echoed through the forest. Two streaks of light flashed in, following the path Yin Tianfang had taken.

Cold light glinted in Yin Tianfang’s eyes as he watched the two men approach. He had never seen them before and held no grudges against them. However, since they had chosen to hunt him, he would show no mercy, regardless of their intentions.

He formed a seal with his hands. A sword ray erupted from beneath the ground, shooting straight toward the pair. The brilliant glow of the blade instantly illuminated the dim woods. The two men paused; though surprised, they were not panicked. With a swift movement, they shifted several meters to the side, narrowly evading the ambush.

"Hmph, a mere parlor trick!" one of them sneered. His sharp gaze swept the surroundings as he shouted coldly, "Since you can manipulate flying swords, you must not have gone far. Why not show yourself?"

"Boom!" The only response was a deafening roar as the flying sword detonated. Countless fragments sprayed outward, and a terrifying shockwave instantly engulfed the pair.

Their expressions changed drastically. They quickly formed seals, surrounding themselves with layers of light barriers. Countless shards slammed against the shields; the first layer shattered almost immediately, followed by the second and the third. By the time the final barrier remained, the storm had begun to subside.

The two men looked pale, their eyes filled with lingering fear. Had their cultivation not already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and had they not been battle-hardened veterans, they would have perished right then and there.

"You cowardly, shameless rat! If you have the guts, come out and face us!" After the initial shock passed, their fear turned to rage. They scanned their surroundings, shouting fiercely.

Boom!

Yet, this time, they were met with an even greater barrage of flying swords. The sword light was dazzling, and sword energy churned through the jungle. Under the onslaught of countless blades, thick trees collapsed, reduced to splinters.

A razor-sharp blast of sword energy condensed into a massive beam, striking the final light barrier with devastating force.

"Boom!"

The barrier shattered instantly. A terrifying storm swept across a radius of several miles, leaving nothing in its wake; even a layer of soil was scraped from the ground.

Pfft!

The two figures were sent flying back in a wretched state. They coughed up large mouthfuls of blood in mid-air before slamming into the ground, carving out deep trenches as they skidded hundreds of meters before finally coming to a halt.

Whoosh!

A streak of purple light flickered in the void, lunging straight at them. It pierced through their chests, inflicting grievous wounds but stopping just short of killing them instantly.

Two powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment experts had been stripped of their ability to fight in a matter of moments. Black flames surged forward, transforming into a ferocious black demonic dragon several yards long that coiled around them. Their bodies withered at a visible rate—a horrifying sight.

Finally, ensnared by the dragon, the two were reduced to ash by the scorching black demonic fire. The dragon roared, emitting a formidable aura. Faint, crimson hues began to flicker along the edges of its black body.

Yin Tianfang raised his hand, and the demonic dragon condensed back into black flames, then into a black ring that returned to his finger. Simultaneously, the purple fragments flew back into his grasp.

"This is the price for daring to follow me," his cold voice echoed through the jungle. Infused with spiritual power, the words carried far into the distance, growing louder until they reverberated in the sky like thunder.

Several streaks of light darted into the forest, but upon seeing the ashes of the two late-stage Foundation Establishment experts and hearing the lingering, chilling words of Yin Tianfang, their expressions shifted. They hesitated for a moment while looking in the direction where Yin Tianfang had vanished, before ultimately choosing to turn back, filled with reluctance.

Their lives were what mattered most; without their lives, no matter how many treasures they possessed, they would eventually belong to someone else. They were still young and would have many more opportunities. Once their cultivation reached a higher level, what treasure could they not obtain? It was not worth clashing with such a murderous force now. The two late-stage experts were a stark warning of what could happen.

With a flash, they each departed in different directions. Shortly after they left, an old man arrived at breakneck speed. He hovered above the spot where the two experts had died, cast a glance at the ashes, and then looked toward the horizon. After a moment of hesitation, he resumed the pursuit.

The old man had reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, only one step away from the Golden Core realm, but his lifespan was nearing its end. The others had time to wait for their own destiny, but he did not. Therefore, he would not give up, no matter what.

In the world of cultivation, any expert who reached the Foundation Establishment stage was bound to have a firm resolve and act with decisiveness; otherwise, they could not have survived in such a cruel and competitive world.

Thus, even though the old man had sensed that Yin Tianfang’s cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, he did not immediately intercept him. Every cultivator had their own trump cards for survival.

He was the strongest of all, yet he stayed at the very back, intending to see all of Yin Tianfang’s tricks first. When the time came, with his Great Perfection cultivation, Yin Tianfang would be nothing more than a lamb for the slaughter in his eyes.

The old man pushed his speed to the limit, moving much faster than before. Within moments, Yin Tianfang’s figure appeared in the distance.

Though Yin Tianfang was moving at his absolute fastest, he was no match for the speed of a Great Perfection expert. Sensing the aura trailing him, his heart grew heavy.

They had long since left the forest. Before him lay a barren mountain range, filled with jagged rocks and devoid of any vegetation. As far as the eye could see, there was only rubble and desolation.

In the distance, a faint mist began to swirl, and the entire barren landscape was eerily, deathly silent.