Moonlight cascaded like water over the secluded mountain path.
Yuyi hurried forward, an inexplicable unease gnawing at his heart. Four days ago, he had encountered the Blood Fiend Band outside Youming Pass in a brutal battle. Surrounded by over a dozen Demonic Cultivators, he had fought with everything he had to break through. Though he had escaped successfully, he was gravely wounded and his cultivation base severely depleted. Now, with two hours' journey remaining to Zhongzhou City, his only thought was to return quickly and heal his injuries.
Suddenly, a ghostly laugh drifted from ahead.
"Hehehe..."
The laughter was seductive yet chilling, echoing through the night sky like a phantom. Yuyi's figure froze, and he snapped his head up.
Under the moonlight, a red silhouette stood quietly in the middle of the mountain path.
She wore bright red silk robes that gleamed with an eerie luster under the moonlight. The woman's figure was graceful, her face exquisitely beautiful, yet she radiated a suffocating killing intent. Her eyes were blood-red, her lips curved in a half-smile. She was terrifyingly beautiful, yet horrifying beyond measure.
Yuyi's pupils contracted sharply, and an unprecedented panic surged from the depths of his heart.
"Xueji!"
He recognized this woman. The foremost of the Tianyin Pavilion's Ten Great Experts, the most terrifying female killer in the cultivation world. Rumors said she was bloodthirsty by nature, leaving rivers of blood wherever she passed. Countless people had died at her hands. More terrifying still, her techniques were bizarre and unpredictable—even Nascent Soul Realm experts could rarely last more than ten exchanges against her.
Yuyi took a deep breath, struggling to calm his mind. He had never felt such panic before. Even facing the most powerful enemies, he could maintain his composure. But now, facing Xueji, he actually felt fear.
"You recognize me?" Xueji laughed softly, her voice melodious like silver bells yet piercing with cold. "It seems my reputation is quite considerable."
She walked slowly forward, each step seeming to tread upon Yuyi's heart.
"The moon is beautiful tonight. I was thinking of a sister I haven't seen in a long time, and my mood was quite good." Xueji's tone carried a hint of playful reproach. "But you, you've ruined my mood."
Yuyi gripped his Qingfrost Sword tightly, spiritual power rapidly circulating through his body. He knew tonight would not end peacefully.
"Xueji, you and I have no grievances, why must you..."
"No grievances?" Xueji interrupted him, a trace of mockery flashing in her eyes. "In the cultivation world, does killing require a reason? I'm in a bad mood, so I want to kill someone. That is the reason."
Before her words faded, Xueji's figure vanished from where she stood.
Yuyi's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively drew his sword to block.
"Clang!"
A crisp sound rang out. Yuyi felt an enormous force transmit through the blade, his tiger's mouth trembling violently. The Qingfrost Sword nearly slipped from his grasp. Xueji's figure appeared at his side, her right fist striking toward his chest like lightning.
Yuyi wanted to dodge, but Xueji's speed was too fast—so fast he couldn't react at all.
"Bang!"
Xueji's right fist struck Yuyi's chest solidly. Yuyi felt a terrifying force surge into his body, as if his internal organs were about to be shattered. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the mountain wall, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Cough, cough..." Yuyi struggled to prop himself up, the intense pain in his chest making it nearly impossible to breathe. His qi and blood churned violently, his internal organs felt as if they were burning, and every inch of his meridians cried out in agony. He knew he was gravely wounded—at least three ribs were broken.
Xueji walked slowly toward him, her face still wearing that half-smiling expression.
"Your movement technique is not bad, but unfortunately, it falls short before me." She spoke casually. "Your technique is somewhat similar to mine. However, you are too weak."
Yuyi grit his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the agony. He knew that if he didn't fight with everything tonight, he would surely die.
"Quick Sword Art!"
Yuyi roared, and the Qingfrost Sword transformed into a streak of sword light, thrusting directly at Xueji's throat. The sword light was like a rainbow, carrying all his spiritual power and killing intent. This was his fastest sword strike, and his strongest.
A trace of surprise flashed through Xueji's eyes, but it quickly turned to contempt. Her figure flashed like a phantom, evading the sword light while simultaneously striking out with her right palm toward Yuyi's chest.
Yuyi's sword tip barely pierced half an inch into Xueji's left shoulder, but Xueji's right palm had already penetrated through his chest.
"Boom!"
A terrifying force exploded within Yuyi's body, and his body was instantly shattered by the sword qi.
Yuyi's consciousness plunged into darkness, but in the next instant, he abruptly awoke.
He found himself standing in the plaza of Zhongzhou City, surrounded by familiar buildings and people. His body was completely intact, and the intense pain in his chest had vanished.
Protective Talisman!
Yuyi finally remembered that he carried a Protective Talisman. This talisman could teleport its holder to the nearest Rebirth Formation upon death, restoring all qi and blood and spiritual power. But the cost was that the talisman would be consumed, and the pain of death would remain vividly in memory.
The agony of that palm piercing through his chest remained fresh in Yuyi's memory. If not for the Protective Talisman, he would truly be dead now.
Yuyi dared not delay, immediately employing the Cloud-Soaring Step to rush toward the north gate. He dared not return to the Nitian Alliance headquarters—Xueji would surely pursue. He had to flee, as far as possible.
Sure enough, just three breaths later, Xueji's figure appeared in the plaza. She looked around and quickly locked onto Yuyi's position.
"Trying to run?" Xueji sneered, her figure flashing like lightning as she pursued.
Yuyi twisted and turned through the streets, trying to shake off Xueji. The buildings on either side flew past, but he had no time to pay attention. No matter how he changed direction, Xueji always followed close behind, maintaining a distance of about thirty meters.
Yuyi was secretly alarmed. His Cloud-Soaring Step was a supreme technique of the Xuantian Sect, extremely fast—ordinary cultivators couldn't catch up at all. But Xueji's movement technique was no slower than his. This was the first time he had encountered someone with comparable speed.
"Cloud-Soaring Step!"
Yuyi employed the Cloud-Soaring Step, his figure leaping over the city wall like a flying bird. He looked back to see Xueji floating over the wall like cotton, her speed undiminished.
Yuyi's heart sank. He knew he had met a true opponent.
The two figures, one gray and one red, moved rapidly through forests, mountain paths, and rivers. Xueji's movement technique was no inferior to Yuyi's across lakes, rivers, and cliffs—she even excelled in some terrains.
Yuyi abandoned the idea of shaking off Xueji. Their movement techniques were evenly matched, so escaping was nearly impossible. His only hope was to gamble that the Xuantian Sect's mental method had greater endurance than Xueji's.
Time passed minute by minute.
A day passed, and Yuyi was still running at full speed.
A night passed, and Yuyi was still running at full speed.
Two days passed, and Yuyi was still running at full speed.
Yuyi's face and hands were covered in bloody scratches from thorns, and his robes were torn to shreds by branches. His spiritual power was nearly exhausted, his Dantian empty, his meridians parched. Every step felt like walking on knife points, yet he grit his teeth and persisted.
Xueji was similarly covered in sweat, her face slightly pale. Her spiritual power was also rapidly depleting, but the killing intent in her eyes grew ever more intense.
"When I catch you, I'll make you suffer the torment of the Illusory Sound Soul-Seizing Seal before killing you!" Xueji's voice came from behind, filled with rage.
Yuyi didn't look back, only continued running.
"You said that yesterday," he replied, forcing himself to speak through his weakness.
Xueji snorted coldly and increased her speed.
Three days passed, four days passed.
Yuyi's body was nearly exhausted, every step like walking on knife points. But he dared not stop. As long as there was the slightest chance, he would persist in living. His only hope was to last longer than Xueji before collapsing.
On the fifth day at dusk, the sunset's afterglow bathed the earth, dyeing the sky blood-red.
Yuyi saw the desert ahead.
That was the Youming Desert, one of the most dangerous forbidden lands in the Nine Provinces Cultivation World. Legend said the desert was filled with quicksand traps and various terrifying demonic beasts. But now, Yuyi saw hope.
In the desert, spiritual power consumption would accelerate. But the Xuantian Sect's mental method was renowned for its endurance. Yuyi gambled that his stamina was greater than Xueji's.
He didn't hesitate, charging straight into the desert.
Xueji followed close behind, but her face was deathly pale. Her spiritual power was nearly exhausted, her breathing rapid, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, yet the determination in her eyes remained undiminished.
"Yuyi!" Xueji's voice was filled with anger. "You can't escape!"
Yuyi didn't answer, only continued running deeper into the desert. The night wind carried scorching heat, sand grains stinging his face. The air was filled with the scent of dry dust. He knew this pursuit wasn't over yet. But he also knew that as long as he had a single breath left, he would never give up.
The sunset gradually sank below the horizon, and night was about to fall over the desert.
Two figures, one gray and one red, continued their chase through the desert, running toward the unknown.