Just behind the mountain?
Chen Nan felt a surge of surprise, "Finally caught up."
Ye Yiyi blinked and reminded, "Big Brother Senior Brother, you can let me down now, right? Do you still plan to carry me to recover the treasure?"
Chen Nan scratched his head and put her down, then released the acupoints he had sealed.
After the acupoints were released, Ye Yiyi, instead of pouting her mouth and calling Chen Nan "stinky Senior Brother" as usual, stared at him blankly for a while.
"What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?" Chen Nan asked, touching his face in confusion.
"No, Senior Brother, let’s hurry over. Let’s chase down the treasure first before anything else!" Ye Yiyi shifted her gaze and smiled towards the other side of the mountain.
In her heart, she thought: Big Brother Senior Brother, you’re such a fool, carrying me for so far because you were afraid that I’d exhaust my True Qi...
Chen Nan, unaware of her thoughts, nodded, "Alright, we must recover the treasure! That way, we can clear up the mystery of your origin."
The two of them used their Qinggong, and within a few breaths, they had reached the last mountain peak.
However, just as they had taken cover, they heard "bang bang, thud thud" noises of a fight coming from the mountainside not far away.
The trees in the forest were too dense; they could only hear the noises but couldn’t see the actual situation. After exchanging a glance, they nodded at each other and drifted silently toward the foot of the mountain.
After passing the last cluster of trees, Chen Nan and Ye Yiyi saw the scene before them.
It was a small clearing by the river. Not far away was the turbulent border river, and in the center of the clearing, three black-clad men at the Second Level of Taoist Master Realm were being attacked by a swarm of fierce blood-sucking bats.
Logically speaking, the combined strength of three Second-Level Taoist Masters was absolutely formidable, so much so that Chen Nan would find it difficult to contend with them without the Heavenly Punishment Demon Sword.
Yet such a formidable combination was being trapped in the center by a swarm of blood-sucking bats.
The bats were as large as washbasins, their bodies blood red, and their sharp fangs completely bared as if they were demons eager to devour humans.
Although the three black-clad individuals from the Master Realm unleashed their power dominantly with each strike, able to take the life of a blood-sucking bat, the sheer number of these bats was overwhelming, making them impossible to exterminate.
By the time Chen Nan and Ye Yiyi arrived, the feet of the three black-clad men were piled up with a thick layer of bat carcasses, and blood flowed like rivers on the small ground, a scene of extreme carnage.
Even with heavy casualties, the blood-sucking bats still fearlessly and continuously lunged towards the three men.
Blood-sucking bats flew in from all directions, and one of the black-clad men on the left couldn’t dodge in time. A bat pounced on his back, immediately screaming in agony. Red-eyed, he grabbed the bat and tore it in half with his bare hands.
But in the blink of an eye, the once robust and killing aura-filled Taoist Master’s face flashed a shade of abnormal pallor. The previously ferocious momentum of his attacks had also started to falter.
Surprise flashed in Chen Nan’s eyes.
These blood-sucking bats were far from simply being fearless; their fangs could actually directly suck away a human’s life essence!
No wonder even Masters of the Taoist Realm could not withstand these frenzied creatures!
At that moment, the black-clad man whose life essence had been partially sucked away, slowed in his movements and was once again pounced on by a bat, this time its fangs piercing directly into his temple.
A shrill scream echoed as the man stumbled backwards several steps, then fell to the ground, slumping down.
No sooner had he fallen than more blood-sucking bats swarmed over him, drowning him in an endless pile of bats.
Ye Yiyi saw this terrifying scene and a hint of shock appeared in her eyes. She whispered to Chen Nan, "These bats are too powerful, they can actually absorb life essence."
Chen Nan nodded, "Let’s not go over just yet. Wait until all three of them are dead and then we can retrieve the treasures."
Ye Yiyi naturally wouldn’t object to Chen Nan’s suggestion and nodded without any sympathy, "These people were considered martial artists, yet they died at the mouths of a group of bats. I wonder what they are thinking now."
"I don’t know what they’re thinking, but I feel pretty good, anyway."
Chen Nan took out a cigarette, ready to watch the tigers fight from the safety of the mountain, but saw Ye Yiyi watching him without blinking, "Brother Chen, could you smoke less, please? It’s bad for your health."
If it had been anyone else, Chen Nan would certainly have argued back, but facing his junior sister’s pure and spotless gaze, he could only sheepishly throw away the cigarette.
Five minutes later, the second man in black was accidentally bitten by a bat. Soon, he followed the footsteps of his companion, his body completely covered by a pile of frenzied bats.
Watching the swarm of bats feasting on the blood of his brother, the last black-clad martial artist howled desperately, "Fourth brother!"
Hearing this furious shout, the shadow-shrouded Fourth Brother struggled and roared, "Forget about me, hurry and get away with the treasure. If you, Sixth Brother, can’t escape in the end, throw the treasure into the river!"
Hearing what Fourth Brother said, Chen Nan was shocked and a hint of anger appeared on his face.
These bastards, they actually want to throw the treasures into the river? That’s completely self-defeating!
The waters of the great border river were fierce, with waves more than fifty meters wide surging high above one another. If the treasures fell into the water, even if Ye Yiyi could sense their approximate location, it would be difficult to retrieve them.
Moreover, according to the Sky Team’s intelligence, there was a mighty Fierce Beast in the river. Attempting to enter the river was akin to seeking death.
Thinking this, Chen Nan stood up, "No, we can’t let them throw the treasure into the river!"
Ye Yiyi nodded, "Shall we kill our way over now and take back the treasure?"
Chen Nan held out his hand to stop Ye Yiyi and said, "To kill for treasures, my intervention alone is enough. You stay here and cover for me."
Having said that, without waiting for Ye Yiyi to speak, he suddenly lunged out, "You punk, hand over the treasures quickly!"
Seeing Chen Nan burst out from the woods, the last man in black was startled, and then while fending off the bats, he laughed madly, "I thought some great master was coming, but it turns out it’s just a Qi Dao Realm trash. So, you’re in such a hurry to die?"
Before his words fell, Chen Nan stomped on the ground.
With the Heavenly Punishment Demon Sword in hand, he executed the Slaughter God Seven Steps, moving through the void with steps light as a feather, and descended upon the black-clad man from above.
Seeing Chen Nan take to the air, the black-clad man’s expression suddenly changed.
Could it be that this man is not a mere martial artist, but a cultivating Taoist Master who has concealed his strength?
Otherwise, how could he possibly control flight in the skies?
At that moment, huge waves churned in the heart of the black-clad man.
Already cornered by the blood-sucking bats, and now witnessing a cultivator of legend appear, he didn’t bother to discern the fluctuations of Chen Nan’s True Qi and directly took out the treasure, bellowing madly, "You little bastard, you will never get this treasure!"
With that, he was about to throw the treasure into the middle of the river.