Chapter 401 - 231: Formidable Enemy (2)
"Disperse! All of you!" Lü Zhong ordered the handmaidens.
He then whisked Yu Feng’Er away to Ganquan Cave. After stowing the Gui Water Phoenix Wing Furnace and other small valuables, he entered the core of the Spirit Vein, right next to the escape tunnel he had prepared.
Seeing Yu Feng’Er putting on a brave face, clearly not wanting to worry him, he couldn’t resist patting her on the head. He smiled and comforted her, "Don’t be afraid. By the time they destroy the Grand Array, we’ll be long gone."
’As for the losses, I’ll just recoup them later.’
Since the Fang Family had decided to drop all pretenses, Lü Zhong saw no reason to hold back either.
「Ten minutes later.」
Fang Xiaoyun and his four companions rushed to the scene.
When he saw the escape tunnels, he knew instantly that they had missed their target. His expression, however, barely changed, as if he had anticipated this all along. He calmly plucked a Red Talisman from his Storage Bag.
This was his trump card for this trip.
The Red Talisman was a Mystical Tracing Talisman, a Tier Four Secret Talisman whose value was beyond measure in Spirit Stones. Its effect was similar to the Celestial Secret Skill, allowing it to roughly locate a target’s position once. When paired with a Tier Three Spirit Chasing Talisman, it could track a target with pinpoint accuracy.
But when he activated the Mystical Tracing Talisman, he received no feedback whatsoever.
"How is that possible?" Fang Xiaoyun’s face was a mask of disbelief.
The four companions beside him exchanged glances, clearly not expecting such an outcome.
"Could Lü Zhong have something on him that blocks celestial divination?" one of them realized. But such items were incredibly rare; they shouldn’t be in the possession of a mere Core Formation Cultivator.
"Uncle, what if we change the target..." Fang Hongshang suggested, leaning closer.
According to the Fang Family’s intelligence, Yu Feng’Er, Chairman of the Chengde Commerce Association and Lü Zhong’s Dao Companion, should have been on Ganquan Island as well. Since she was nowhere to be found, she had to be with Lü Zhong.
Changing the target of the Mystical Tracing Talisman might allow them to track the pair.
"Good point!"
Fang Xiaoyun nodded in agreement and immediately cast a Technique Mantra at the Red Talisman. The Mystical Tracing Talisman reacted as expected, but his expression soured. Due to the influence of the first failure, even though the talisman succeeded this time, the search area it indicated was astonishingly vast.
A rough estimate put the radius at three to five thousand miles.
This meant the five of them would have to split up to search; otherwise, they would most likely lose the trail.
’What should I do?’
Years of experience told him that splitting his forces now would be a grave mistake.
Fang Xiaoyun was well aware of Lü Zhong’s strength. While he might not be as powerful as a Master from a Sect, he was certainly outstanding among Loose Cultivator Golden Core Masters.
Aside from himself, if any of the other four encountered Lü Zhong alone, they would almost certainly be defeated.
One wrong move, and they might even be killed.
And yet, Fang Xiaoyun was unwilling to give up.
The reason was simple: the sunk cost was too high.
To orchestrate this move against the Chengde Commerce Association, the Fang Family had already invested and lost nearly a million Spirit Stones. If they couldn’t recoup their losses as planned, the family would likely find itself beset by troubles both internal and external.
Their final fate would be to turn to dust.
The thought of this outcome made Fang Xiaoyun shudder, despite his Late-stage Core Formation Cultivation. ’If that really happens, my hopes of reaching Nascent Soul Formation will be completely dashed!’
’I’ve toiled for hundreds of years, all for the sake of reaching Nascent Soul Formation.’
Fang Xiaoyun decided to take a gamble. He took out a spare Spirit Chasing Talisman and a Defensive Treasure that served as his trump card, then handed them to the Mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, Fang Hongshang, saying,
"Hongshang, you take the Chu and Zhang Family ancestors with you. If you run into Lü Zhong, don’t be rash. The three of you must do everything in your power to hold him off!"
"Uncle, I understand!" Fang Hongshang replied, taking the items and nodding firmly.
The two who had been named voiced their assent in unison.
Their two families’ fates were tied to the Fang Family; if the Fangs fell, they all would. If the Fang Family was destroyed, the Chu and Zhang families wouldn’t fare much better. They might not even be able to maintain their status as Golden Core Clans.
With that, the five of them split into two groups.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Lü Zhong broke out in a cold sweat.
Watching the starlight slowly fade from his body, he instantly guessed that his pursuers had used a Celestial Secret Skill or an item with a similar effect.
Then, he realized they had likely targeted Yu Feng’Er instead.
It wasn’t a difficult conclusion to reach. The odds of them being together were nearly certain. Unless the Fang Family were complete idiots, they would have definitely switched their target.
’Trouble!’
Even so, he didn’t abandon Yu Feng’Er.
Instead, he increased his Escape Speed and flew toward the Bihai Island Group.
He flew through the night.
Early one morning, just as the sky began to pale with the first light of dawn, Lü Zhong’s sharp senses detected a point of light flaring on the horizon. It expanded rapidly, hurtling toward them at extreme speed.
His heart sank. He couldn’t believe that after fleeing for so long, they had still caught up.
’Such incredible Escape Speed... It has to be Fang Xiaoyun, a Late-stage Core Formation cultivator...’ Lü Zhong had little confidence in his ability to fight above his cultivation level, especially against an opponent with such a formidable background.
He was an ancestor of the Fang Family, the number one Cultivation Clan in the Changchun Western Region.
More importantly, Fang Xiaoyun had another Core Formation cultivator with him.
Fighting one against two, defeat was a certainty.
Thus, without a moment’s hesitation, he took Yu Feng’Er and shot away as a streak of light.
The chase lasted for three days and three nights.
Fang Xiaoyun’s Escape Skill was clearly less refined than Lü Zhong’s Meteor Escape. Even though both were carrying another person, their Escape Speeds were nearly identical.
Perhaps realizing he would never catch up, he actually abandoned the person he was carrying.
...
「Half a day later.」
Above the turbulent, deep sea.
Lü Zhong decided it was time to risk it all.
He had the Spirit-Hosted Puppet take Yu Feng’Er to safety, then turned to face the pursuing Fang Xiaoyun.