Zhou Chun and Luo Qingni, having left the shores of Muli Lake, were preparing to retrace their steps back along the route they had come.
But just as they had flown a few hundred miles out, they spotted a large number of Multi-Winged Clan Mages heading en masse toward Muli Lake, and their own figures were naturally spotted as well.
On the spot, four or five high-ranking Multi-Winged Clan Mages, leading twenty to thirty mid-level Mages, started to pursue them.
The Multi-Winged Clan was naturally capable of flight, and their Mages were also very fast in the air, mastering numerous spells that could enhance their flying speed.
Therefore, even with the advantage of distance, Zhou Chun and his companion were never able to shake off the Mages in pursuit.
"Taoist Friend Zhang, this is not going to work; we should split up and escape, then regroup later in Tianyuan Immortal City!"
After escaping for a while, Luo Qingni clenched her teeth and was the first to propose the idea of parting ways to Zhou Chun.
It wasn't that having two targets made them too noticeable, but rather that she had another method to shake off the pursuers.
However, her method was only effective for her alone; she could not take Zhou Chun with her.
Therefore, instead of waiting until later when they would be forced to part ways, it was better to take the initiative to propose splitting up, which would look much better.
Of course, this also depended on Zhou Chun getting the hint and knowing to step down gracefully.
And Zhou Chun was indeed a perceptive person, one who would not turn down a face-saving out.
He quickly responded, "Alright, then we shall meet again in Tianyuan Immortal City!"
With those words, he immediately changed direction and flew toward Muli Lake.
He knew that the Multi-Winged Clan was adept at flying but not water, so he planned to use the water environment to shake off the pursuers, then find an opportunity to return to the Great Zhou Kingdom.
However, as they separated to flee, Zhou Chun glanced at Luo Qingni to see how she would manage to shake off her pursuers.
He hadn't intended to look, but once he did, he fell silent.
No sooner had they split up than Luo Qingni swiftly descended to the ground, and then with a flash of blue-green spiritual light, she vanished from the spot.
When she appeared again, she was already more than a dozen miles away.
She continued repeating this process, vanishing from Zhou Chun's sight altogether within a mere few breaths.
"Wood Escape Technique, eh? No wonder she was so confident!"
Zhou Chun murmured to himself, resolving his doubts.
The Five Elements Escaping Technique, mastering any one of these would grant a powerful ability to preserve one's life.
But truly perfecting the Five Elements Escaping Technique was incredibly difficult, and even the relatively easier Wood Escape Technique and Water Escape Technique usually required a Cultivation Level of at least the Purple Mansion Phase to master.
For one to successfully cultivate these techniques during the Purple Mansion Phase, not only required extremely high natural aptitude and comprehension, but also the top-level Cultivation Techniques of the same element.
Like Zhou Chun, his Golden Cauldron Profound Art also contained secret techniques for cultivating Metal Escape Technique in the supplementary texts.
But among the Five Elements Escaping Technique, Metal Escape Technique and Fire Escape Technique were the hardest to master, with Metal Escape Technique's speed even on par with Wind Escape Technique and Thunder Escape Technique.
Zhou Chun wouldn't dream of perfecting this kind of Escape Technique divine skill unless his Cultivation Level reached the Purple Mansion Late Stage.
And even then, upon reaching the Purple Mansion Late Stage, he probably would not spend a great deal time to cultivate this kind of Escape Technique.
Why would he not prioritize Core Formation with that effort?
After forming the Golden Core, going back to cultivate the Metal Escape Technique would undoubtedly be much less difficult.
Since Luo Qingni had cultivated the Wood Escape Technique to the extent of moving over a dozen miles at once, unless a Great Mage personally intervened, it would be virtually impossible to catch her.
Zhou Chun even suspected that even if a Great Mage did take personal action, they might not be able to truly capture her.
One should not underestimate the resources of an Alchemy Master!
If Luo Qingni were to suddenly produce several Fourth Grade Talismans, Zhou Chun would not be surprised.
Otherwise, why hadn't he taken advantage of knowing that Luo Qingni possessed the Five Elements Spirit Fruit, or her identity as an Alchemy Master with undoubtedly considerable wealth, and the fact that she knew many of his secrets, to eliminate her previously?
It wasn't for lack of wanting, but for inability to do so!
Had he rashly made a move without being able to eliminate her, he would have made a formidable enemy for himself, making it even harder to get by in the Great Zhou Kingdom in the future.
Rather than that, it was better to befriend others and win for himself and his clan the friendship of a future Golden Core Stage Alchemy Master.
Now, having seen Luo Qingni's adept escape, Zhou Chun felt no further concern and immediately focused all his energy on invoking the "Flowing Light Golden Rainbow" secret technique to escape.
When it came to long-distance travel, he was inferior to no one, given that he did not hesitate to absorb nature's spiritual energy outside to restore his Mana.
After a chase spanning several hundred miles, Zhou Chun turned and twisted his path, finding himself back above Muli Lake.
Seeing the sunlight casting a silvery white brilliance on the surface of the water, he did not hesitate in the slightest and plunged straight into it.
Upon entering the water, Zhou Chun released the Thunder Flood Dragon Baibai and let Baibai take him toward the deeper parts of the lake's heart.
Upon reaching the lake surface, the Multi-Winged Clan Mages, facing the choppy, sparkling waters, could only look at each other with gloomy expressions.
After consulting amongst themselves, several Mages released some water-diving Demon Beasts from their Spirit Beast Pouches, commanding them to dive in search of Zhou Chun's whereabouts.
But the residual scent of the Thunder Flood Dragon Baibai in the water scared the Demon Beasts so much that they scarcely touched the water before retreating to the surface, refusing to dive again despite their masters' commands.
This situation left the group of Multi-Winged Clan Mages both surprised and helpless.