Chapter 249 – Diverting The Trouble Away

The one-eyed man burst into maniacal laughter. “

Hahaha!

I’ll let you play with the Tyrant Bear!”

Ye Feng shot forward like lightning, weaving through the crowd and plunging into the cave. The others lunged at him the moment they saw his speed.

Though Ye Feng tried his hardest, several blades still grazed him. He narrowed his eyes, radiating killing intent. But this was not the time to fight. Borrowing the force of their strikes, he hurled himself deeper into the cave.

Boom!

Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes and exhaled, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes as he glared at the enraged bear, which was still swinging its paws angrily.

A flash of purple light flared beneath Li Guanqi’s feet, leaving only a fading afterimage in his place.

As the afterimage faded, the Tyrant Bear’s head flew high into the air.

A murmur came from beneath his hood. “Annihilation Slash!”

Boom!

Purple sword light cleaved down, felling every ancient tree within a dozen zhang. The thunderous crashes rang in every ear. The hunters turned to look, and what they saw shook them to the core: the five-zhang-tall bear collapsed lifeless to the ground.

And the black-cloaked figure who’d slain the bear was charging at them, sword in hand.

Powerful vital force surged through Li Guanqi as he advanced. Just as the crowd braced to strike back, another cloaked figure shot out from the cave. Ye Feng’s voice rang in Li Guanqi’s mind, trembling with excitement. “Boss, let’s go! I’ve got it!”

Li Guanqi no longer held back. The cloak on his back tore apart as a one-zhang-wide pair of feathered wings unfurled.

The Thunder Wings beat furiously, propelling him to full speed. In the blink of an eye, he was before Ye Feng, seizing him before the two vanished into the depths of the forest.

It happened so fast that the hunters had no time to react. Ye Feng had already seized the Purple Sun Immortal Fruit, and Li Guanqi had spirited him away.

Only when they shook off their shock did the hunters give chase, launching after them with every technique they could muster.

Li Guanqi looked gravely at the crowd chasing behind him.

Li Guanqi glanced back at the crowd in grim silence. No matter how strong the two of them were, dozens of Golden Core Realm cultivators were no easy match.

“Boss!” Ye Feng cried. “Five! We’ve got five fruits!”

Li Guanqi did not even need to think. “Eat! Hurry!”

Ye Feng pulled a small tree from his pouch, as tall as a man. Five egg-sized fruits glowed enticingly on its branches.

He carefully cut the fruits from the branch with a jade knife. He handed one to Li Guanqi and kept another for himself, then stored the remaining fruits in his storage pouch. They both bit into the sweet flesh simultaneously.

A single Purple Sun Immortal Fruit was equal to ten years of cultivation. However, no one could take more than one in a lifetime—the second would do nothing.

Li Guanqi consumed the fruit, and it felt like a raging fire had started in his dantian. A searing torrent of energy spread through him. Even with his endurance, a groan escaped his throat.

Ye Feng, carried in Li Guanqi’s arms, fared worse. His face flushed crimson as he writhed in agony, growling through clenched teeth. His hands flailed, tearing his cloak, and his gaze went blank.

Divine consciousness surged through Li Guanqi as he roared, “Stay with me! Guard your Tianling[1] acupoint!”

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Ye Feng stiffened. Slowly, his empty gaze regained focus. Unable to assume his usual cultivation posture, he closed his eyes and forced himself into cultivation. The energy inside him raged uncontrollably. If he failed to refine it now, it would tear his body apart.

“Stop! Bastards! You dare eat the Purple Sun Immortal Fruit?!”

“Brothers! Kill them! There are three left!”

“Attack!”

“

Hmmph!

Even dragons and tigers need to lie low in a place like the Hell Mountains!”

The people pursuing them sped up. Many of them used talismans for a speed boost, and a few even employed secret techniques to go faster.

Li Guanqi’s own face had turned scarlet. He frowned at Ye Feng’s shut eyes. If the situation dragged on, they would die eventually.

Li Guanqi’s speed advantage was fading fast. Despite the Thunder Wings, the gap between them and their pursuers was narrowing. He had underestimated them. At first, he thought the Thunder Wings would give him an edge over even Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. However, the rogue cultivators pursuing them had more tricks than he’d imagined, even though they roamed the streets all year.

Agony wracked him as the raging energy coursed through his body. With no chance to guide it, it ran wild, and he didn’t have the time to refine it.

What do I do now...

Cold sweat streamed down his face. The pressure was nearly as dire as when they had faced Cao Yan’s assassin. Escaping alive would be very difficult.

A sweep of his divine consciousness revealed thirty-one pursuers—at least ten hunting parties still on their trail.

One Purple Sun Immortal Fruit was worth a fortune beyond measure. And he had three. The gangsters pursuing them wouldn’t give up easily.

Ye Feng’s aura skyrocketed and quickly reached the peak of the mid Golden Core Realm, even showing signs of rising to greater heights.

Li Guanqi considered his choices, sword in hand, thoughts flying. He needed to buy time. If he could just hold on long enough, until Ye Feng had his breakthrough... he'd give the Thunder Wings to Ye Feng. That would free him up to manage the energy within his own body.

With his usual cultivation speed, he could break through in a short time.

And once he reached the tenth level of the Golden Core Realm, he would have nothing to fear. But their enemies were relentless, giving them no chance to breathe.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

He twisted and darted through the air as hidden weapons and daggers whistled past his ears.

Li Guanqi’s face deepened to a dangerous crimson, and his vital force grew even more violent. If this continued, his veins wouldn’t be able to withstand the strain.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the snarling one-eyed man. And suddenly, an idea struck him.

1. The Tianling (天灵) is located at the crown of the head. ☜