In the vast, dense forest, lush trees obscure nearly half of the sky. Yet, from time to time, one could glimpse flying magic beasts and their bone-chilling, murderous intent as they whizzed by through the gaps in the leaves. High above the immense forest, dozens of flying magic beasts spread out in a circular formation, surrounding a large area of the forest. At this moment, these flying magic beasts were gradually closing in on the center from all directions.
From a thicket, a pair of eyes cautiously peered through the foliage, watching the massive shadows flying overhead. The observer’s brows furrowed tightly. Though he had managed to shake off his pursuers earlier, two legs could never outpace a pair of wings. Therefore, an hour later, the overwhelming flying forces had overtaken him. Fortunately, they did not know his exact location, making it difficult for them to find him immediately.
“Looks like those three old fiends have really gone berserk, starting a thorough search without any regard for effort,” Xiao Yan muttered, shrinking back into the shadows.
“The three Cloudy Mountain Sect elders are quite powerful. They can sense the subtle fluctuations emitted by the energy residue within you more clearly than ordinary people. Although they still cannot pinpoint your exact location, they can sense the general direction,” Elder Pharmacist said gravely. “Now, they are forming a circle around that general area and searching inch by inch from a distance. While this method is rather crude, it’s the only way to quickly find you. Moreover, there aren’t any highly advanced magic beasts in this region. With the three Cloudy Mountain Sect elders’ imposing aura, other beasts won’t pose a significant threat.”
“What should I do? The encirclement is getting smaller. If they continue searching like this, I’ll eventually be trapped,” Xiao Yan frowned, asking mentally.
“Move to a new spot. The area they need to search is too large, and they only have about fifty flying magic beasts. The distance between them is too great. As long as you avoid the positions of those three old fellows and use the cover of the forest, the other Cloudy Mountain Sect disciples won’t easily find you,” Elder Pharmacist pondered. “However, the energy residue within you is always a beacon. Unless it is removed, they will keep tracking you.”
“Can’t it be completely erased?” Xiao Yan asked softly.
“It can, but I’ve mentioned before that erasing the energy residue will cause a strong fluctuation, which will last for some time. When that happens, your location will be fully exposed. To clear the energy trace, you must first get far away from the pursuers. Otherwise, if you’re careless, you might be caught, and that would be disastrous,” Elder Pharmycin said with resignation.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, looking up through the leaves at the nearest flying magic beast. “If so, let’s just play along for now. After dark, their search will become much harder due to the limited visibility. Then, I’ll take the opportunity to break through their encirclement. And then, I’ll need your help to completely remove the energy trace left by Yun Shan. Otherwise, this pursuit will never end.”
“Yes, that’s a good idea.”
“Heh, for now, let’s play a little game with these guys,” Xiao Yan snickered, hugging the tree trunk and sliding down agilely. He then ran swiftly towards a certain direction.
As Xiao Yan moved, a Cloudy Mountain Sect elder in the sky suddenly frowned, exchanging glances with his companions. “The energy trace of the former sect master is getting farther. It seems Xiao Yan has sensed our plan and is running away.”
“Hmph. He thinks he can escape so easily!” The elder with the longest hair sneered, closing his eyes. Moments later, he opened them, his gaze sweeping directly towards the southern part of the forest. He could sense the fluctuation of the energy trace coming from that general direction.
“‘Eagle Division’ listen up! Maintain formation and search towards the south. Keep an eye out for anything moving quickly in the forest,” the elder pointed toward the direction Xiao Yan was fleeing, barking coldly.
“Yes, sir!” came the synchronized response from the sky. A flurry of eagle cries followed as the dozens of flying magic beasts turned sharply, speeding across the forest.
In the forest, Xiao Yan, who was running at breakneck speed, sensed the change. With a sneer, he stopped abruptly, twisting his body and running in a different direction.
“Damn it… That cunning guy changed his position again!” One of the Cloudy Mountain Sect elders, who had noticed the change, cursed angrily, his face turning grim.
The elder, with white hair and obviously the oldest, glared at the northern direction, his lips twitching. He took a deep breath and said ominously, “Follow him closely. I don’t believe his injured body can last long. If he wants to run, I’ll wear him out until he collapses!”
As he spoke, the flying formations adjusted their positions, once again heading towards where Xiao Yan had changed his direction. However, Xiao Yan soon changed his position again.
“Follow him!” the white-haired elder roared, his face grim.
High above the vast forest, the flying formations performed a show-like spectacle, constantly changing their flight paths. But if one looked closely, it was clear they were circling around a specific area.
This game of cat and mouse continued from afternoon until sunset, when both sides began to slow down due to exhaustion. They remained stationary, as if in silent agreement.
Xiao Yan leaned against a tree, panting heavily, sweat rolling down his face. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Running at such a high speed nonstop for an entire afternoon would have been impossible without the support of elixirs, even for a Great Battle Master. Fortunately, after a day of running, the Cloudy Mountain Sect’s flying magic beasts were also exhausted.
“The sky is finally darkening.” Glancing at the setting sun, Xiao Yan sighed with relief. He carefully observed the flying formations in the distant sky, frowning. Even if they were tired, it was odd for them to do nothing. Had they given up?
“Forget it. Whatever they’re planning, once it’s fully dark, I’ll see how they can track me,” Xiao Yan sneered, taking a Rejuvenation Pill from his storage ring and swallowing it. Closing his eyes, he felt the warm medicinal energy restoring his weary muscles.
The sun slowly set, and finally, under Xiao Yan’s anticipation, it disappeared below the horizon. The forest plunged into complete darkness. As the darkness descended, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, standing up. He looked at the flying formations still hovering in the sky, frowning. With a sneer, he leaped down and rushed towards the weakest point of the encirclement.
As Xiao Yan moved, the flying formations in the sky stirred slightly. Clearly, they sensed the energy trace moving away.
“Elders?” someone on a nearby flying magic beast hurriedly asked.
“Maintain the encirclement. Everyone stay put,” the white-haired elder ordered coldly. “This time, I’ll see how he escapes!”
“Understood…”
Xiao Yan flashed through the darkness, occasionally glancing back at the sky. There, a group of dark shadows still hovered, showing no signs of movement.
“What are these guys up to?” Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed. Just as he decided to ignore them, his expression changed. He stopped, his gaze fixed on a fast-approaching streak of light in the night sky.
“This aura… a Battle Emperor… Damn it, they were waiting for reinforcements,” Xiao Yan realized, cursing. He ducked into a shadow, concealing his presence to the utmost, eyes fixed on the incoming light.
The streak of light halted in front of the three Cloudy Mountain Sect elders, the brilliance fading to reveal a graceful, noble, and beautiful woman.
“Sect Master!” Everyone, including the elders, bowed respectfully upon her appearance.
Upon hearing the title, it was clear that the woman was none other than the current Sect Master of Cloudy Mountain Sect, Yun Yun!
“Hmm,” Yun Yun acknowledged coolly, her eyes scanning the dark forest below. A complex expression crossed her face as she recalled the cold, handsome youth.
“So, they were waiting for her…” Xiao Yan’s fists clenched in the darkness, muttering sarcastically.
“Sect Master, Xiao Yan killed our disciples, and his crime is unforgivable. The energy trace within him, no matter how well he suppresses it, cannot escape detection by you, who share the same energy attribute as the former Sect Master. Please, Sect Master, draw out the energy trace within him!” the white-haired elder stepped forward, speaking solemnly.
Yun Yun’s body trembled slightly. She fell silent, then closed her eyes.
As Yun Yun remained silent, the entire world seemed to hold its breath, all eyes fixed on her. This time, whether Xiao Yan would be exposed depended entirely on this woman’s decision.
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