Yun Jinnian nodded and retreated with Chu Yu, while Momo and her group also protected them.
The two groups quickly engaged in battle. The five great elders had a clear target: they wanted Yun Jinnian, so all their subordinates rushed towards Yun Jinnian’s side.
"Escort His Highness to safety!" Momo’s voice rang out.
Chu Yu also left the Tian Mountain Snow Lotus behind, carrying Yun Jinnian on his back and running quickly.
The five great elders didn’t bother with anyone else and were solely focused on pursuing Chu Yu and Yun Jinnian.
Amidst the howling cold wind, Chu Yu ran swiftly with Yun Jinnian on his back, but the five great elders were truly formidable. Momo and the others could hardly hold them off for long, and they were injured to boot.
At that moment, they realized that compared to those who had practiced martial arts for years, they were hardly worth mentioning.
Now, it was only Chu Yu carrying Yun Jinnian. However, the five great elders were quickly closing in.
Chu Yu placed Yun Jinnian behind a hillside to shelter from the wind, "Jinnian, those people are following too closely. I can’t take the risk of bringing you with me. I’ll lead them away first. You run in the opposite direction I’m going. Momo and the others will come to find you!"
As he spoke, Chu Yu took off his cloak and also removed Yun Jinnian’s cloak, draped them over himself to appear as if he were carrying someone, and ran in another direction.
"Big Brother Chu, be careful!" Yun Jinnian called out softly.
Upon hearing this, Chu Yu stopped in his tracks, turned back for a glance at Yun Jinnian, and in that look, there was tenderness and thousands of unspoken words. Without saying anything, he continued to run forwards.
Yun Jinnian’s eyes suddenly grew red, "Big Brother Chu!"
If she could return safely this time, she would definitely agree to his proposal!
Yet, she did not dare to hesitate and, wearing Chu Yu’s cloak, she ran in the opposite direction.
The five great elders chased after Chu Yu for a while before they realized something was amiss.
Chu Yu stood in place and laughed heartily, "You bunch of old fools!"
The five great elders were reluctant to entangle with Chu Yu and intended to search for Yun Jinnian right away, but Chu Yu wasn’t about to let them leave.
He immediately lunged at them, one against five.
Chu Yu’s own martial arts were formidable, but the five great elders were not weak, and soon Chu Yu found himself at a disadvantage.
"Shall we kill him?" the Elder of Wood asked.
"No, capture him!" announced the Elder of Metal, and they poisoned Chu Yu.
Chu Yu fully understood what they wanted to do, and he felt both hatred and rage.
Had he known, he would have fled.
Even though his body was in extreme pain, Chu Yu did not back down and started to laugh.
As long as Jinnian was safe, what did it matter if he suffered a bit!
Yun Jinnian ran swiftly, the wind and snow cold. The snow quickly covered the footsteps she left behind.
She ran aimlessly, not even sure where she was.
But fearing that she might be pursued, Yun Jinnian did not dare to hesitate. She tripped, tumbled, and rolled down.
Though the cauldron was small, it hurt considerably.
Fortunately, it was all snow, so the fall wasn’t that painful. Yun Jinnian rubbed her waist as she got up, with the world around her engulfed in a blinding snowstorm, not knowing where to go.
In that moment, Yun Jinnian felt fear and terror.
She feared dying of cold in these mountains, not finding any way out. She still had so much left undone, she hadn’t yet waited for Momo...
"Yun Jinnian, you can definitely make it out. You can!"
Yun Jinnian said to herself, exhaled a few breaths, opened her pouch, took out the Spiritual Poisonous Insect that was sleeping in the small cauldron, woke it up, and said gently, "Little thing, we’re lost. Can you lead me out of here, please?"