Chapter 334: Reunion of Old Friends

Tan Hao fled with all his might, but the disparity in cultivation was too great—he was easily caught up by the masked man.

Whoosh!

A gust of force surged from behind, swift and thunderous.

Tan Hao's heart pounded in terror, but he dared not pause. In his panic, he hastily summoned a shield artifact and flung it backward.

Clang!

A crisp metallic clang echoed through the air.

The masked man’s flying sword effortlessly struck the shield aside. With only a slight pause, the sword light flickered again, continuing its relentless pursuit.

One artifact after another was thrown out by Tan Hao, but all were either knocked away or destroyed by the flying sword. The distance between them did not widen; instead, it grew ever closer.

"Keep running! Let’s see how far you can go..."

The masked man’s mocking voice rang in Tan Hao's ears, now frighteningly close.

Having been deceived and led on a wild goose chase for so long, the masked man’s anger burned fiercely. With a cat-toying-with-a-mouse mentality, he intended to torment Tan Hao to ease his frustration.

A fierce glint flashed across Tan Hao’s face. Suddenly, his evasion light came to an abrupt halt, and he spun around abruptly, flinging out a stack of spirit talismans with a swift motion of his hand.

A resounding dragon roar filled the air.

Sealed within the talismans were identical spells, and as the spirit talismans shattered, a dozen crystalline ice dragons materialized out of thin air, roaring furiously at the sky.

With menacing fangs and claws, they lunged at the masked man in a coordinated assault, forming a formidable formation intent on tearing him apart.

However, the masked man remained composed. He had expected such tricks and was well-prepared. With a few agile flickers of his figure, he weaved effortlessly through the oncoming ice dragons. His flying sword danced around him, slashing out streaks of sharp sword qi, each strike precisely targeting the dragons' weak spots.

With a series of explosive sounds and helpless roars, one ice dragon after another was decapitated, their bodies shattering into countless icy fragments that fluttered down like snowflakes.

It was a breathtaking sight, like a snowstorm on a winter's night.

Yet Tan Hao had no heart to admire the scene. His last resort had been effortlessly neutralized by the masked man, failing to inflict even the slightest injury.

This was the stark difference between the Qi Refining Realm and the Foundation Building Realm.

Without powerful artifacts, talismans, or profound cultivation arts, he could not bridge the gap.

Tan Hao no longer resisted in vain. He lifted his gaze, staring southwest, as though his eyes could pierce through the boundless swamp and see his cave dwelling—and the one person waiting for him inside.

The Serenity Pill had been obtained, but he would never be able to deliver it.

From the moment he resolved to enter the Ancient Immortal Battlefield with only his Qi Refining Realm cultivation, Tan Hao had foreseen this day would come.

Without reaching the Foundation Building Realm, survival in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield meant living in constant fear.

Over the years, the mask had saved him countless times, deceiving enemies and allowing him to escape peril in this treacherous land. But the mask was not omnipotent, and the day had finally arrived.

Yet, there was no despair in Tan Hao’s eyes. Instead, there was a sense of relief and liberation.

With a deep sigh, he murmured softly, "Little Jie, I’ll go ahead and pave the way for you..."

In his right hand, he clutched a dagger—his final contingency.

The world of immortal cultivation had countless cruel means of torment, some of which were the most excruciating punishments imaginable. The mere thought of them sent chills down his spine. He could feel the masked man’s hatred toward him; he would rather kill himself than fall into the masked man's hands.

Otherwise, he would face a fate worse than death.

Tan Hao had long prepared himself for this.

Just as he was about to raise his arm, a sudden, piercing scream echoed from within the swirling ice fragments ahead.

The scream belonged to none other than the masked man!

Tan Hao’s movement froze, his face a mixture of shock and confusion. He knew all too well that his spirit talismans could never force such a cry from the masked man, unless...

Puff!

A slender, emerald-green spiritual sword shot out from the icy mist, trailing a spray of fresh blood.

The warm blood instantly froze upon contact with the ice shards, transforming into a crimson frost that scattered in all directions. The agile flying sword flicked gracefully in the air before swiftly reversing its trajectory.

The next moment...

Bang!

The ancient tree beside him trembled violently.

The flying sword carried a lifeless corpse, pinning it firmly to the tree trunk.

A thin layer of frost had already formed over the corpse, yet the two sword wounds on its chest remained vividly crimson.

The masked man’s eyes were wide open, unable to close, still filled with shock and panic. Clearly, he had realized the ambush too late to put up any resistance before being slain by the spiritual sword.

This was precisely the first supernatural ability of the

Primordial Spirit Sword Nourishment

—the power to strike swiftly and silently.

The masked man, believing himself to be in complete control as he toyed with Tan Hao, had never considered the possibility of a hidden predator lurking in the shadows. Caught unaware by the ebony sword at such close range, he met his untimely demise.

Against opponents of the same cultivation realm, opportunities to launch a surprise attack with the ebony sword were rare, but against cultivators of lower realms, this supernatural ability was extraordinarily effective.

There was no need to use talisman astras or the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions.

Plop!

With a disdainful flick, the ebony sword discarded the masked man’s corpse into the swamp. Wrapped in sword qi, the Mustard Seed Pouch flew back into the air and landed neatly in its master’s hand.

The swamp’s rotting sludge quickly swallowed and corroded the body, leaving no trace behind.

A figure emerged from behind an ancient tree, retrieving the spiritual sword and casually inspecting the Mustard Seed Pouch. With a slight shake of the head, the figure tucked it away and lifted their gaze toward Tan Hao.

From being on the brink of death to the masked man’s sudden assassination, the situation had undergone an astonishing reversal. Tan Hao now fully understood—he had stumbled into a conflict between rival predators.

His face was a mixture of shock and uncertainty, unable to determine whether this turn of events was a blessing or a curse.

The one who had effortlessly killed the masked man was undeniably more powerful.

Either the masked man or this mysterious figure could end his life just as easily. However, unlike the masked man, this person had not struck him down immediately—perhaps there was a glimmer of hope.

Feeling the person's gaze piercing through the hood and settling on him, Tan Hao’s heart clenched. Without hesitation, he presented his Mustard Seed Pouch with both hands and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life. I have nothing of value to repay your kindness, but I humbly offer my meager possessions. I hope you can accept them."

A long silence followed. The Mustard Seed Pouch remained untouched in his hands.

The mysterious figure stood still, showing no intention of taking the pouch or harming him.

This prolonged silence filled Tan Hao with unbearable anxiety.

Qin Sang gazed at Tan Hao thoughtfully for a while. Finally, he reached up and removed his hood, revealing his true face. He spoke calmly, "Tan Hao, it has been many years. Do you still recognize an old friend?"

Tan Hao was stunned upon hearing the familiar voice. He snapped his head up and stared at Qin Sang’s face.

At first, his eyes were clouded with confusion, but as memories from the past surfaced, recognition dawned. After all, Qin Sang’s appearance had not changed much from decades ago.

"You are... Qin..."

Tan Hao raised a trembling hand and pointed at Qin Sang, his voice filled with disbelief.

Qin Sang nodded, his expression tinged with emotion. "It’s been decades since we parted. I never expected we would meet again today. Brother Tan, I trust you have been well."