At the same time, deep beneath the Chen family's estate, there was a vast underground palace. In the center was a lake of blood, filled with countless submerged bones.
Around the blood lake, radiant formations shimmered. Numerous members of the Chen family—men, women, old and young—knelt silently in a dense formation. Each one knelt at a node of the formation.
They all remained silent, slashing open their right hands and letting blood drip down, merging into the formation's nodes, their collective blood converging in the center of the blood lake.
In the lake's center sat an old man cross-legged. Though his hair was white, his presence was intimidating without anger. Each breath he took caused the blood lake to boil violently.
Suddenly, the old man's eyes snapped open, a bloody light flashing within.
"What's going on?" His cold voice echoed through the underground palace.
From the nearest ring of kneeling clansmen, a young man spoke in a low voice.
"Ancestor, three outer sect disciples from Lingxi Sect have arrived. They came too suddenly, and this junior was caught unprepared. Fearing interference with the clan's grand plan, I used my puppet body stationed outside, intending to use the formation in tandem with other puppets to kill them. Unfortunately... I failed. I only killed one, and the other two escaped. Also, the disciple we had captured earlier was rescued."
This young man was the very one White Xiaochun and the others had fought.
He was frustrated. Normally, when a Lingxi Sect disciple goes missing, it takes at least half a year for them to be declared lost. Only then would the sect send someone to investigate, which would take roughly nine months to reach Luoxing Mountain Range.
But now, only four months had passed, and disciples had already arrived. Not just him, but the whole Chen family was caught off guard. After all, it was just an outer disciple. The family had revealed no suspicious activity—by all logic, no one should have come this early.
As for Hou Yunfei, had he not discovered the Chen family's secret, they wouldn't have captured him. According to their plan, they only needed half a year more. Once completed, their clan would be free—liberated from the control of Lingxi Sect!
But now, they were just one month short...
"Two outer sect disciples… Hmph. I've already activated the formation and sealed the area. Send someone to kill them immediately. We only need one more month... and all will be done." The old man said calmly, clearly not taking it too seriously, and closed his eyes once more.
The youth took a deep breath and bowed respectfully.
Soon after, seven figures emerged from the Chen family estate. Leading them was that same young man, now revealing his true strength: the eighth level of Qi Condensation.
The others weren't weak either. The lowest among them had the sixth level, and two had the seventh level of Qi Condensation.
"They can't have gotten far. After them!" With killing intent in their eyes, the seven figures flashed into the forest.
Deep in the forest, White Xiaochun and Du Lingfei were supporting the unconscious Hou Yunfei, running as fast as they could. White Xiaochun had tried to summon his flying boat, but the formation in the area not only blocked communication but also disabled the boat.
This made both their expressions turn even grimmer.
In silence, they carried Hou Yunfei, gritting their teeth as they fled.
White Xiaochun's face was pale. His sense of danger had reached its peak. Every inch of his flesh screamed in warning, as if urging him to flee—run now or die here!
This sense of impending death was far stronger than anything he had ever felt—even more intense than when dealing with Feng Yan. At least Feng Yan needed to act secretly, giving White Xiaochun a chance to dodge or counterattack.
But now… White Xiaochun trembled just thinking about the secrets they'd uncovered. He was drenched in cold sweat. With this level of knowledge—an entire cultivation clan's betrayal—the Chen family wouldn't hesitate to silence them completely.
They wouldn't strike from the shadows, but with absolute, overwhelming force.
And chances were, their pursuers were already closing in.
"Damn the Disciplinary Hall! This mission… This was never meant for outer sect disciples!!" White Xiaochun shivered even harder, knowing that the Chen family had a Foundation Establishment elder.
Foundation Establishment... Compared to Qi Condensation, it was like mortals facing cultivators.
He gasped, eyes bloodshot.
"I cultivate... for immortality…" he thought with despair, glancing at the unconscious Hou Yunfei. He couldn't just leave him behind for the sake of speed—he wasn't that kind of person.
Du Lingfei's face was equally pale. Her spiritual energy was running low and couldn't regenerate fast enough. She felt a deep bitterness—this was almost certainly a death mission. If Feng Yan were still alive, his seventh level Qi Condensation might have given them a fighting chance.
But now he was gone. She herself was stuck at the fifth level, and White Xiaochun… she had no faith in someone so afraid of death.
"To think my first mission would be my last." Du Lingfei let out a bitter laugh but clenched her teeth—she wouldn't give up. She took out a pill and swallowed it. Looking at the pale, trembling White Xiaochun beside her, she sighed and tossed him a bottle of pills.
"Junior Brother White, make sure to keep your spiritual energy up."
White Xiaochun was momentarily stunned, then silently accepted the bottle, opened it, and swallowed a pill. Then, remembering something, he retrieved two more bottles from Feng Yan's storage pouch.
"Senior Brother Feng had pills too." He said, handing one to Du Lingfei.
She accepted it without a word. The two continued their frantic escape, eventually reaching the spot where they had found Hou Yunfei's jade slip. Looking at the familiar tree, Du Lingfei sighed inwardly.
But there was no room for regret now. They kept running, but Du Lingfei's speed gradually slowed. White Xiaochun, growing anxious, grabbed her arm and dragged her along with Hou Yunfei.
She noticed this and instinctively tried to shake free, but upon seeing his terrified expression, she sighed again and let him lead her.
At that moment, Hou Yunfei stirred. Slowly, he opened his eyes, weariness in his gaze.
"Junior Brother White… To think we'd meet again here, after all these years." Hou Yunfei gave a bitter smile at the sight of White Xiaochun and Du Lingfei.
Du Lingfei hurriedly offered him a pill.
"Senior Brother Hou…"
White Xiaochun also looked at him and sighed.
"There's still hope. The Chen family slaughtered mortals and harvested bones and blood for their own gain. That Foundation Establishment ancestor is performing the Reverse Blood Ritual and won't leave the formation. Besides, the entire family is bound by the formation—so the number chasing us must be limited!
Even though communication is blocked, if we get far enough, we'll be able to send word. And a rebellion this serious—once the sect hears of it—they'll send reinforcements immediately!"
With a determined glint in his eyes, Hou Yunfei swallowed the pill and no longer needed White Xiaochun's support. He bit down and ran forward with the other two.
Their speed increased slightly, and soon they could see the edge of Luoxing Mountain Range. Breaking through the forest, Du Lingfei immediately tried using her jade slip to contact the sect, but her face turned even paler as she shook her head bitterly.
"It's still not working…"
White Xiaochun's heart sank. Hou Yunfei remained silent.
They said nothing and continued to flee. But suddenly—
A sharp whistle echoed behind them. In the blink of an eye, seven figures burst from the forest.
At the front was the eighth-level Qi Condensation youth—Chen Yue.
"I told you before… you can't escape! Remember this—the one who kills you is Chen Yue!"
"Kill them!" he ordered coldly.
Each Chen family cultivator took out their magical weapons, eyes gleaming murderously as they rushed forward.
White Xiaochun and the others turned pale, gritted their teeth, and sped up.
Chen Yue sneered. With a wave of his sleeve, a purple skull emerged, growing rapidly in the wind until it was half a zhang wide. With a sinister laugh, it shot toward them, exploding just as it got close.
BOOM!
The shockwave split the trio apart. Du Lingfei and Hou Yunfei were forced to a halt and immediately surrounded.
White Xiaochun, already the fastest, had only been slowed down by carrying them. Now freed, his speed exploded like never before. In a flash, he was dozens of zhang away—and getting faster.
Even Chen Yue and the others were briefly stunned.
"He runs fast. Kill these two first, then chase him!" Chen Yue said coldly.
Killing intent surged as the Chen family launched their attack.
Du Lingfei spat blood, barely holding on, her body covered in wounds. Surrounded, she knew death was imminent. Watching White Xiaochun flee in the distance, she gave a bitter smile.
She had long known he feared death. Though her emotions were complicated, above all, she felt despair.
"Junior Brother White… I hope you make it out alive…" Du Lingfei muttered, sending her sword flying with her last strength. Fresh blood sprayed again as she wavered.
Hou Yunfei also gave a bitter smile, eyes flashing with resolve. He let out a roar—his spirit energy nearly gone—but he refused to give up. Even if he died, he would take some enemies with him… and buy White Xiaochun more time to escape.