The majority of the hidden forces were intimidated by Chen Nan’s might.
Slicing through cultivators at the Tenth Level of Tao was as easy as reaching into a bag; such a being with defying power is not someone just anybody can provoke.
Sensing that his recent methods had indeed played a deterrent role, Chen Nan didn’t linger and swiftly sprinted into the distance. As for Qing Ying, he could only think of ways to contact her once he escaped the encirclement in the woods.
Chuliang City was originally rather remote, with mountains extending for dozens of miles to the east. Chen Nan deployed qinggong and dashed forward about 500 meters, thinking he had escaped the blockade, but unexpectedly, a figure emerged from the forest ahead, stepping on treetops to block his path.
The figure was a middle-aged man, also a martial artist like Chen Nan, only that the aura emitted from his body was stronger than Chen Nan’s.
This was an Earth Master!
When he was thirty meters from the opponent, Chen Nan halted his steps.
Gazing at the middle-aged man ahead, Chen Nan secretly activated the Jie Character Secret Technique. Facing such a formidable opponent, even if he triggered four times the strength, it was uncertain if he could escape.
After all, between the Control Realm and Earth Penetration Realm, there was an insurmountable chasm.
It was even correct to say this was a watershed in cultivation realms.
Some people are amazingly talented in their youth, reaching the Tenth Level of Tao at a young age, yet unable to enter the Earth Penetration Realm for the rest of their lives.
The gap between the Tenth Level of Tao and Earth Penetrating First Layer Heaven is like a tremendous chasm; crossing it means a vast world full of freedom, unable to cross means being stuck forever with no advancement.
Although Chen Nan can easily slay cultivators at the Tenth Level of Tao now, he was completely unsure in the face of this strong adversary of Earth Penetration Realm.
"You’re indeed a genius, bringing glory to our lineage of martial artists. You have an unlimited future, I don’t want to kill you, leave the Jade Seal and go," the middle-aged man said, looking calmly at Chen Nan.
Chen Nan shook his head and said, "I must take the Jade Seal."
"In that case, you can’t blame me for bullying the weak," the middle-aged man said lightly as his figure flashed close to Chen Nan, his hands clawing towards Chen Nan’s neck.
Chen Nan tried to use the Jie Character Secret to trigger four times the strength, but time was insufficient, only managing to trigger triple strength, and he slashed the Demon Sword down towards the middle-aged man’s hand.
The sword light shattered, and Chen Nan felt a numbness in his arm as he flew backward.
The middle-aged man pursued closely at a swift pace, rolling Gang Qi in his palm, striking down towards Chen Nan’s head.
Three Elements Return to One!
Chen Nan had no power to resist, unleashing an ultimate killing move in a frenzy.
The Gang Qi in the middle-aged man’s palm dissipated, and his pursuing body halted, while Chen Nan was sent plunging downward by vast force, ultimately crashing onto the ground with a "bang," a trickle of blood oozing from his mouth, and inner strength rampaging through his veins.
Although he only had triple strength now, Three Elements Return to One was an ultimate killing move, but unexpectedly he couldn’t block the middle-aged man’s casual palm strike.
"Why make this needless sacrifice, surrender the Jade Seal, and I’ll spare your life," the middle-aged man said indifferently, standing on a branch above Chen Nan.
Chen Nan planted the Demon Sword into the ground, suddenly stood and leaped up, landing on a tree twenty meters away from the middle-aged man: "Come get the Jade Seal yourself, I, Chen Nan, don’t need anyone’s pardon."
"You truly aren’t afraid of death."
The middle-aged man grinned coldly, lifting his left hand as an inner strength condensed in his palm: "Asking you for the last time, will you hand over the Jade Seal?"
Chen Nan pointed the Demon Sword towards the heavens fearlessly: "Scaring your dad?"
The middle-aged man’s face turned cold, furious, he slammed directly: "Hell with it!"
Seeing the overwhelming Gang Qi surging forth, Chen Nan was prepared to fight to the death, but at this moment, a seven-colored radiant light shot skyward from the forest, cutting towards the middle-aged man’s hand power.
"Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens!"
This was Qing Ying’s voice.
Her body rose against the sky, enshrouded in seven-colored radiant light that gathered into a phoenix shape, colliding with the middle-aged man’s hand power.
The Gang Qi dissipated, instantly shredding surrounding leaves, scattering them into the air.
Qing Ying’s Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens was overwhelmed, and the residual hand power of the middle-aged man struck her, causing blood to splatter from her mouth as she flew backward.
Chen Nan dashed forward, catching her mid-flight: "How are you?"
"I’m temporarily not dying."
Qing Ying wiped the blood from her mouth, glanced at the bloodied Chen Nan, puzzled: "How did it end up , don’t tell me all those corpses are your masterpiece."
Chen Nan glanced at her also stained clothing, shrugged, and said: "You? Ran into trouble on the way?"
"Encountered a few old enemies, almost lost my life there," Qing Ying explained, glancing at Chen Nan and drawing away, saying annoyedly, "Enough hugging, let go if you’ve hugged enough."
Chen Nan sighed: "About to die, let me savor the feeling of holding a beauty again."
"Hell with it, exploiting your aunty even now," Qing Ying pushed him away, looking toward the approaching middle-aged man.
Her Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens was much like Chen Nan’s Three Elements Return to One, an ultimate killing move explosive at the cost of enormous inner strength, yet unexpectedly even such a move couldn’t resist the Earth Master’s power.
Chen Nan was quite helpless at Qing Ying’s self-proclaimed aunty address.
At this moment, the middle-aged man attacked again, his unrivaled Earth-penetrating Gang Qi seemingly splitting heaven and earth, sweeping towards the two of them with a thunderous presence.
Chen Nan glanced at Qing Ying, and the two unleashed their strongest ultimate kills once more—
Three Elements Return to One!
Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens!
The two utmost powers sweeping the Control Realm blasted forth, causing even the middle-aged man’s face to change slightly.
However, it was still insufficient to threaten him.
Pitch-black demonic Qi and seven-colored radiant light converged, erupted with tremendous power to rival an Earth Master, akin to a muffled thunder resounding above, a rampant energy storm swept in all directions, shattering all trees within ten meters.
This move left both sides neck and neck, but the middle-aged man immediately launched another attack.
After the last strike, Chen Nan and Qing Ying had exhausted a great deal of inner strength and couldn’t perform another utmost ultimate kill.
Their protective Gang Qi exploded, and their bodies were sent flying back over two hundred meters, crashing into the forest while vomiting blood.
"Damn it, this old pervert."
Chen Nan clutched his chest, feeling as though his organs were about to shatter.
Qing Ying propped herself with one hand on the ground, wiped the blood from her mouth, and said: "Regretting not having your junior sister here now, only your Yin Yang Fusion technique can counter such old perverts."
"You seem to know quite a bit, but I don’t regret it, she’s not here, at least she’s safe now," Chen Nan replied.
"Love is truly complicated."
Qing Ying shook her head with a bitter smile, yet before she finished speaking, the middle-aged man came attacking again, slamming down a palm.
With their current strength, they were powerless to resist.
Chen Nan decided fiercely to use Heavenly Reversal Demon Technique. Though he would die too, he could at least save Qing Ying, but just as he was about to reverse Heavenly Reversal Demon Technique—
Silver Bell Rope-like white silk ribbon flew over, entwining around Chen Nan’s waist.
Chen Nan reacted, realizing his junior sister had arrived, he quickly grabbed Qing Ying’s hand and pulled the Silver Bell Rope with the other hand, sending them both flying skyward, dodging the middle-aged man’s attack.
(Brothers and sisters, asking for monthly tickets, end of the month, if not voted they’ll clear next month.)