Chapter 2145 - A Guilty Conscience

Before the old hunchback’s voice had even finished echoing through the air, three more figures appeared in different places deep within the void. Every last one of them had an aura terrifying beyond measure!

When Yi Daoxuan saw this, his brow furrowed slightly. He shifted positions and led Su Yi straight ahead.

“All you need to do is watch. Leave everything else to me,” transmitted Yi Daoxuan. A perfectly round sword curtain surged forth and enveloped Su Yi.

At the same time, the two of them ripped through the air and charged explosively.

“Want to run? You’re too late!” The old hunchback appeared out of nowhere, blocking their path. He raised his black cane and swung it ruthlessly.

Yi Daoxuan didn’t even look at it. One slash, and he forced the old hunchback back.

But at the same time, the old man’s companions charged Yi Daoxuan from both sides in a sudden pincer attack.

Boom!

A dragon formed out of divine flames shook its head, waved its tail, and whooshed forward.

It was the work of a man in white. When he swung his fiery fan, it manifested an enormous dragon out of divine flames!

“Go!” said their other companion, a woman in rainbow raiment. She summoned a colorful flower basket, and as it spun in the air, countless flower petals manifested out of the Laws.

Every petal was as beautiful as could be, but the moment they landed on someone, they dealt enough damage to kill even a Master God.

“Die!”

An extraordinarily tall, valiant man gripped a white bone hammer and struck with all his might, crushing even the void. His ferocious power was terrifying to behold.

Yi Daoxuan instantly found himself surrounded!

But his expression didn’t even shift. The only difference was that his sword intent surged forth as if on fire. He suddenly charged ahead and slashed. He was like a mountain in motion, and his sword descended like the firmament crushing the world below!

It was just one strike, but it broke three enemies’ joint pincer attack!

A deafening impact rang out, then swept outward mixed with appalling divine radiance.

Three powerful foes were forced back. All of them looked stricken. Yi Daoxuan, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to lead Su Yi away and charge into the distance.

“He’s burning the power of his Dao Imprint just to keep fighting! He won’t last long!” shouted the old hunchback. “Chase him!”

All four of them attacked with all their might, each faster than the one before.

Meanwhile, Yi Daoxuan fled with all his might, but his expression was as calm as ever.

Indeed, Su Yi could sense that when Yi Daoxuan broke through the enemies’ encirclement, he severely depleted his Dao Imprint’s energy reserves. But it seemed that Yi Daoxuan didn’t care.

“In life, I was chased countless times,” Yi Daoxuan said out of nowhere. “The longest chase went on for a full nine hundred years. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve found myself in danger and with my life hanging by a thread. A pursuit like this one is nothing to me.”

Su Yi was briefly stunned. “The River Lord told me a little about you.”

Yi Daoxuan’s steely features shifted slightly. “He... must have warned you to be on guard against my attempts to take over your body and replace you.”

“That is correct,” said Su Yi.

“In the past, I really might have done that,” Yi Daoxuan admitted in an equally fortright manner. “I made far too many bitter enemies in life, and overcame far too many difficulties and setbacks, but before I could resolve my grudges, I met with disaster. How could I not be bitter?”

“But what about now?” asked Su Yi.

“There’s no need,” said Yi Daoxuan.

Boom!

Dazzling, resplendent divine flames surged forth, transforming into an enormous net that descended from the heavens.

Yi Daoxuan didn’t even look at it. He just swung his sword and shattered the enormous, fiery net.

The net was the work of the man in white, and it was extraordinarily terrifying. But it was as if Yi Daoxuan had long since sensed it. He struck before it arrived, cleaving right through it.

“That guy is called Jiao Mu. He’s pursued me many times, but it seems that even though I’ve reincarnated several times since I last saw him, he hasn’t improved in the slightest.” Yo Daoxuan shook his head.

The white-robed man, Jiao Mu, glowered at this evaluation.

Su Yi could tell that Yi Daoxuan knew his enemies like the back of his hand. That was how he managed to stay so calm and composed even while fleeing for his life!

“Why do you say there’s no longer any need to replace me?” asked Su Yi.

“Two reasons,” said Yi Daoxuan without even pausing to think. “First, your Dao of the Sword is far, far beyond mine. Second, my unwillingness comes from my unresolved grudges and enmities, but now, you’ve already been swept into them. I have a guilty conscience. How could I try to take over your body now? It would be unfair to you.”

He spoke openly and forthrightly. Su Yi nodded along.

Kcch!

Suddenly, a swath of resplendent flower petals surged forth and fell like rain, blanketing the entire area to intercept them on all sides. This was the work of the woman in rainbow raiment. She’d used an unparalleled divine ability to surround Su Yi and Yi Daoxuan completely.

But before she could celebrate her success, Yi Daoxuan raised his sword and cleaved through the barrier of flower petals.

As a rain of light scattered, Yi Daoxuan led Su Yi away once more.

Su Yi noticed that Yi Daoxuan had exhausted yet another large portion of his Dao Imprint’s power. If things went on like this... he wouldn’t last much longer!

But Yi Daoxuan didn’t care. He continued, entirely unperturbed, “That woman is called Gu Huaxian, the Ancient Flower Immortal. She’s the most crafty and insidious of the group. A long time ago, I suffered badly at her hands, and she’s taken the lives of many of my friends and family...”

Here, he fell silent. Even though his expression remained steely and calm, Su Yi could see that he was in low spirits, as if he were recalling something heart-wrenchingly painful.

A little while passed before Yi Daoxuan continued. “If you run into her again, or encounter her disciples or grand-disciples, you must be careful. But... Oh well, there’s no real need for me to tell you all this. Once you’ve fused with my Dao Imprint, you’ll understand everything. I’m really sorry about this. I... have a guilty conscience.”

He looked apologetic once more. Su Yi could sense how bad Yi Daoxuan felt about implicating him.

He could also tell that Yi Daoxuan was a taciturn sort, a man of few words. However, he’d shared a lot with Su Yi as they fled. All of this was an expression of Yi Daoxuan’s guilt!

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “The two of us are ultimately the same person. We just lived completely different lives, that’s all. I’ll naturally end your unresolved grudges and enmities in the future, one by one.”

He paused for a moment, then added, “Helping you is no different from helping myself, so you needn’t feel guilty.”

After a moment’s silence, Yi Daoxuan nodded. His expression relaxed in apparent relief. “Alright.”

Thud!!

Suddenly, a spatial windstorm swept outward. Countless illusory, demonic figures floated within it, teeth bared and claws waving about like mad as they attacked Su Yi and Yi Daoxuan in a frenzy.

Yi Daoxuan’s brow furrowed, and he swung the Sword of the Nine Hells through the air.

Kaboom!!

Wherever his sword qi passed, space split and fell apart, and the countless illusory demonic gods dissipated.

“Things can’t go on like this, said the tall, stalwart man with a frown. “Why not use our trump cards to resolve this quickly?”

The woman in rainbow raiment, Gu Huaxian, shook her head slightly. “The longer we drag this out, the more advantageous it is for us, don’t you think?”

The man in white, Jiao Mu, said coldly, “Don’t tell me you want to experience Yi Daoxuan’s last-ditch effort firsthand?”

The old hunchback and the tall, stalwart man instantly looked stricken.

A long, long time ago, they 'd succeeded in their final pursuit of Yi Daoxuan, but although they had killed him, his death throes dealt massive damage. Two of their fellows had been killed on the spot!

The others hadn't gotten off lightly, either. Some had lost their physical bodies entirely, while still others suffered irreparable Dao Wounds.

The old hunchback and the tall, stalwart man had paid a price too. Even now, that pain was carved deep in their bones. The old hunchback’s soul had been almost destroyed, while the stalwart man’s physical body had been almost blasted to bits!

“But what if he escapes? What do we do then?” the stalwart man couldn’t help but ask.

Yi Daoxuan was a troublesome opponent. A long time ago, they’d joined forces in a bid to kill him countless times over, only for Yi Daoxuan to flee every time. He was an incomparably difficult opponent.

“That won’t happen this time!” Gu Huaxian said with conviction. “That Yi Daoxuan is just a Dao Imprint, that’s all. Sooner or later, he’ll dissipate. When that happens, Su Yi will lose Yi Daoxuan’s protection, and he’ll be no more than a fish on the chopping block!”

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

With that, she raised her hand and unleashed an unparalleled divine ability. “But of course, that’s on the precondition that we can take Yi Daoxuan down!”

It flew after the distant Yi Daoxuan with explosive force.

Boom!

He blocked this strike, too.

However, Gu Huaxian, Jiao Mu, and the others could clearly sense that Yi Daoxuan’s Dao Imprint had burned through another portion of its power.

Their spirits soared.

Time slipped by. Soon, the chase had continued for a full hour.

Yi Daoxuan forged ahead with all his might. No matter what attacks and attempts at interception he encountered, he neutralized everything in his path.

Although he continuously expended his energy, from beginning to end, he never lost heart or showed any sign of anxiety.

He was terrifyingly calm. It was just as the River Lord had said; Yi Daoxuan had faced far too much bitterness and adversity. He was as wretched as a dog who’d lost its master.

But it was these very difficulties that let him temper such an extraordinarily firm Dao Heart!

As they fled, Su Yi got to witness this firsthand.

“Aren’t you worried?” Yi Daoxuan asked suddenly. “What if the power of my Dao Imprint runs out? How will you face these powerful enemies then?”

He’d sensed that Su Yi had remained calm this entire time, never once showing any sign of panic. He obviously wasn’t faking it, either.

“I still have a few cards left,” Su Yi said casually. “If I go all out, I might well be able to break free.”

Yi Daoxuan inclined his head. “That would be best.”

When he looked at Su Yi, he felt as if he’d found someone much like himself. Su Yi was so calm that it seemed the heavens could crumble around him and he wouldn’t even bat an eye. That wasn’t something just anyone could match!

“What about you? Are you on the verge of running out of power?” asked Su Yi.

After fleeing all this time, Yi Daoxuan’s figure was starting to turn indistinct and ethereal. It seemed he might pop like a soap bubble at a moment’s notice.

Yi Daoxuan said nothing. Instead, he stopped in place and whipped around to face the enemies hot on their heels.