It was already dusk on the second day. Bai Xiaochun and the other two were still dashing through the wilderness at top speed, occasionally pulling out their message jade slips in an attempt to contact their sect. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not reach anyone. Their anxiety grew, but there was nothing they could do.
Fortunately, they had enough medicinal pills. The storage pouches of the seven Chen Clan members Bai Xiaochun had slain contained a decent amount. Though not as refined as the ones from the Spirit Stream Sect, they were better than nothing.
With the help of these pills, Du Lingfei and Hou Yunfei were able to push down their injuries and keep moving alongside Bai Xiaochun as night fell.
The entire way, Bai Xiaochun was terrified—every rustling leaf or gust of wind made cold sweat break out on his back. His nerves were stretched taut, his eyes bloodshot, and the constant aching of his wounds had him gritting his teeth with every step.
The pain wasn't unbearable—far from the torment he endured cultivating the *Undying Longevity Technique*. But that was pain for the sake of cultivation. Now, with his flesh ripped open and blood caking his skin, he worried his injuries would worsen and threaten his life. He couldn't help but wear a bitter, pained expression.
Under normal circumstances, Du Lingfei would have looked at him with disdain, but now her attitude had completely changed. Her gaze had softened, and she stayed close to Bai Xiaochun, gently comforting him.
> "It's okay, Junior Brother Bai. Don't be afraid. These wounds may look bad, but they're not life-threatening."
> "Hold still—I'll apply some ointment…"
Watching Bai Xiaochun flinch from pain, Du Lingfei even let out a light chuckle despite the danger. In that laugh was a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite explain.
She knew Bai Xiaochun was afraid of death. But that only made her more deeply moved by the moment he had come back to help. In her heart, he now seemed like a man of incredible courage—far more than others could ever show.
In her eyes, that courage had forged an unforgettable, iron-blooded figure.
With Du Lingfei's gentle care, Bai Xiaochun couldn't help but feel proud.
> "Seems like my reckless bravery paid off," he thought smugly. "Little beauty Du Lingfei is actually being so sweet to me."
Hou Yunfei also smiled faintly as he watched them. Despite their dire escape, a trace of warmth lingered in this brief moment of togetherness. Relying on each other for survival had brought the three of them even closer.
> "If we ever make it back to the sect—Junior Brother Bai, Junior Sister Du—I will never forget this debt," Hou Yunfei said solemnly.
> "If we can return…"
> Du Lingfei's eyes showed a longing, but it was quickly replaced by a sigh. She glanced at Bai Xiaochun, her heart heavy. She knew that the chance of the three of them making it back alive… was painfully slim.
Bai Xiaochun fell silent.
Time passed. Two more days went by. The trio barely rested, rushing forward with all their strength. They continued trying their message slips again and again, but to no avail.
Hou Yunfei's injuries worsened, and Du Lingfei's face grew increasingly pale. Exhaustion and wounds wore their spirits down to the bone.
> "It's a shame we can't hide and rest. We must get a message to the sect as soon as possible," Hou Yunfei sighed. "According to my calculations, the Chen Clan's ritual must be close to completion. Once it is, that Foundation Establishment ancestor of theirs will appear personally. If that happens, no matter how well we hide, we'll be doomed."
Just then, Bai Xiaochun's expression changed. He yanked Hou Yunfei and Du Lingfei into a nearby mountain hollow and crouched down quickly.
Hou and Du both fell silent instantly.
Moments later, a streak of blood-colored mist whooshed across the sky. Inside it was a Chen Clan cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Condensation, scanning the area below. Thankfully, Bai Xiaochun had reacted just in time, and the Chen clansman did not linger, soon flying off into the distance.
Bai Xiaochun's heart pounded furiously. His eyes, already bloodshot, now burned with stress. He knew he couldn't attack unless he was absolutely sure he could kill in one blow. Otherwise, more Chen clan members would swarm in shortly after.
> "They're catching up…" Du Lingfei sighed inwardly. She looked at Bai Xiaochun, hesitated, then opened her mouth to speak—but Bai Xiaochun pulled her forward again, sprinting ahead.
Their journey grew quieter and more grim. The world around them seemed to press down, as if death itself was looming larger and heavier, threatening to crush them.
> "We still have hope!" Hou Yunfei suddenly said.
> "The Chen Clan's old ancestor may be a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator, but even his formation can't be boundless. I once saw my Hou Clan's ancestor create a formation that stretched a thousand miles—and that was only with pre-prepared nodes."
> "So even if the Chen Clan's old ancestor is stronger, it can't be much more than a thousand miles!" Du Lingfei's eyes lit up.
> "Exactly. The farther we get from the Chen Clan, the better our chance of using the message slips successfully. Once we get a message out to the sect—we'll be saved!" Hou Yunfei's voice was firm.
> "A thousand miles… at our speed, that's still eight or nine days away…"
> Bai Xiaochun muttered, biting his lip and pressing onward.
Along the way, they continued hiding and dodging. Several times, they came across Chen Clan patrols, but every time, Bai Xiaochun's uncanny sensitivity to danger led them to safety.
But this intense mental focus—combined with their nonstop flight and the burden of supporting the other two—drained Bai Xiaochun rapidly. His face turned paler by the day.
Hou Yunfei and Du Lingfei's injuries worsened too. Their speed slowed until eventually, Bai Xiaochun was practically dragging them both forward.
He became even more cautious. Changing direction frequently, he avoided several near-misses. After another three days passed, the group stumbled into a mountain valley.
They hadn't gone far when Bai Xiaochun suddenly froze. His instincts screamed danger. Without hesitation, he pulled the others behind a large boulder.
But they were a second too late.
With a deafening *whoosh*, a streak of white light shot from the sky and slammed into the boulder, blasting it into rubble. Hou Yunfei coughed blood; Du Lingfei's lips were stained crimson.
A cold voice echoed down from above.
> "So *this* is where you're hiding."
Floating in the air was a Chen Clan disciple at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, standing atop a blood mist. In one hand, he held a mirror; with the other, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a jade slip, preparing to send a message.
> "We can't let him send the signal!"
> Hou Yunfei cried out in panic. Du Lingfei, pale-faced, forced herself to summon her flying sword.
But before either could act, Bai Xiaochun—already retreating—trembled, his face white, his eyes bloodshot. Gritting his teeth hard, he stomped on the ground behind him.
*Boom!*
The earth cracked under his foot. He shot forward like a comet, becoming a streak of light.
Just as the Chen Clan cultivator was about to send the message, Bai Xiaochun was upon him. The man's expression changed; he didn't have time to send the signal. He tried to retreat and raised the mirror, which flashed—launching several beams of white light at Bai Xiaochun.
But Bai Xiaochun didn't dodge at all. The beams struck his body directly—but he powered through the pain, forcing himself forward. In the next instant, he was face-to-face with his foe. His fingers glowed black as he clamped them around the man's throat and squeezed hard.
> **Bone-Locking Grip!**
*Crunch!*
The Chen Clan cultivator's eyes widened. Blood gushed from his mouth as his life was snuffed out. He never got the chance to send the message.
Bai Xiaochun's mouth bled as well. He snatched the enemy's pouch and staggered back to Du Lingfei. His body nearly collapsed—but he bit his tongue and pushed through.
> "Let's go!"
> He grabbed both Du Lingfei and Hou Yunfei.
> "Let me go!" Hou Yunfei shouted suddenly.
> "You two go on—without me you'll move much faster."
He looked at Bai Xiaochun and Du Lingfei, speaking with firm resolve.
> "Junior Brother Bai, you—"
> Du Lingfei stared deeply at Bai Xiaochun. She had wanted to say this same thing days ago, but just as she opened her mouth—
> "*Shut up!*"
> Bai Xiaochun roared. "I'm the most scared of dying out of all of us—and even I'm fighting with everything I've got! Don't make my sacrifice worthless. If we go, we go *together!*"
He didn't let either of them speak further, pulling them onward with all his strength. Both fell silent, but in their hearts, they were deeply moved.
Bai Xiaochun became even more cautious, constantly altering their course. Again and again, they evaded pursuit. Three more days passed.
At dusk, lightning split the sky. Thick clouds gathered, and rain began to fall—heavy, cold raindrops pelting the earth in sheets. The chill spread quickly.
Hou Yunfei and Du Lingfei both shivered, the cold worsening their condition. Bai Xiaochun's heart sank. He knew they wouldn't survive the cold much longer, so he found a cave and lit a fire.
Blocking the cave entrance so the fire's glow wouldn't escape, Bai Xiaochun sat cross-legged, watching the other two.
The fire crackled. Its warmth slowly pushed back the cold. Du Lingfei and Hou Yunfei's faces regained some color, though they were still deathly pale.
The three of them sat silently in the cave, all staring into the flames, weary to the core.
> "Three more days," Bai Xiaochun suddenly said. "And we'll be out of the thousand-mile radius. Haha… When we get back to the sect and report what we did—how do you think they'll reward us?"
He laughed, breaking the silence.
Du Lingfei looked at him gently.
Hou Yunfei tried to smile—but when he opened his mouth, blood gushed out. His face paled even further, and he swayed dangerously.
Their pills had all been used up during the past few days.
Bai Xiaochun immediately stood, about to go help him—when his expression suddenly changed. He swept his sleeve forward and placed himself in front of the two just as—
*Boom!*
The stones blocking the entrance to the cave were suddenly blasted open by a powerful force from outside!