Chapter 213

Not long after the four departed, Eastern Wilderness reinforcements arrived.

Three Eastern Wilderness cultivators, all at the twelfth level of Gathering Qi, stood at the scene.

When they saw the Eastern Wilderness traitor’s untriggered spiritual treasure in his sleeve, their eyes filled with suspicion.

This spiritual treasure could be activated almost instantly. Even if suspected, he should have been able to trigger it.

Unless one possibility was true.

Tiger-Chasing had known he was a traitor. After completing the assassination, they eliminated him in a sudden strike.

"They turned our plan against us and killed two birds with one stone. Tiger-Chasing knew his identity. Do we still pursue?" the man on the left asked.

"Pursue. Why wouldn’t we?" said the Eastern Wilderness cultivator with the highest combat strength in the center. "We have our own intelligence and plans. Don’t forget our true objective."

"True. We can’t let the white deer’s death be in vain."

Their figures blurred and vanished as they gave chase.

Due to the vast gap in cultivation levels, the three Eastern Wilderness cultivators caught up in less than half an hour, spotting the Tiger-Chasing team.

However, by taking the shortcut Zhao Qi had suggested, they’d already exited the Eastern Wilderness frontline and entered the battle zone earlier.

"Ahead lies the battle zone."

"Kill them! We’ll force that person out!"

Whoosh—

The three performed incantation seals. Beams of light erupted, streaking toward the four.

"Get behind me."

Yang Lingshu skidded to a halt, pivoted, and shielded the others behind him.

His lips moved silently, and his body technique robe glowed golden, expanding to envelop all four.

Clang! Clang!—

Crack!

The beams either ricocheted off or exploded against the robe, failing to breach its defenses.

"What is that? A supreme Gathering Qi spiritual treasure!" one cried out. The other two gaped in astonishment.

They launched several more assaults, but the golden robe remained unscathed.

Yang Lingshu steadied the robe’s energy, sheltering the three as they retreated toward the Tiger-Chasing frontline.

This robe had been bestowed by Tiger-Chasing’s Master of the Virtual Sword himself. It was a spiritual treasure from his early cultivation days, highly resistant to techniques and peerless in defense.

Unless the three Eastern Wilderness cultivators unleashed more powerful attacks, they could only watch the four escape.

Realizing this, they abandoned restraint and summoned their Spirit Projections.

With the enhancements of the twelfth level Gathering Qi and the Spiritual Manipulation method, even this top-tier Gathering Qi robe couldn’t withstand the assault.

But by now, Yang Lingshu had already stalled enough time.

The instant three individuals summoned their Spirit Projections, a dark dragon shadow lunged from the shadows.

With just a single contact, two were devoured along with their projections.

The remaining man showed no panic upon seeing his comrades die. Instead, when Xiao Yize made his move, his face lit up with wild excitement.

Without waiting for the black wooden roaming dragon’s attack, he drew a dagger and sliced off his own head.

Whoosh!

Blood sprayed like a fountain as a humanoid figure coalesced within the crimson mist – an emaciated old cultivator radiating deathly aura, appearing near his life’s end.

Initially feeble, red light suddenly glowed from his abdomen. His sunken eyes flashed, his aura bursting beyond twelfth level Gathering Qi’s limits.

Xiao Yize narrowed his eyes, recognizing the truth – this was a blood elixir cultivator!

Such practitioners refined living flesh to forge blood elixirs in their dantians, gaining combat strength surpassing Gathering Qi at the cost of lifespan. This forbidden practice in Tiger-Chasing still thrived in parts of Eastern Wilderness. Though boosting power, it doomed users to never achieve Condensing Essence.

"Kekeke… Finally caught you! Killing you here will earn me the prince’s grand reward!"

Transforming into crimson mist, he charged at Xiao Yize.

"Tch."

Xiao Yize smirked, eyes turning pitch-black. Did this blood elixir fool think himself invincible below Condensing Essence?

As the black wooden roaming dragon coiled around him, Xiao Yize lunged forward. Their clash continued for dozens of exchanges, neither gaining advantage.

Suddenly, two Spirit Projection-bearing figures emerged from Eastern Wilderness frontline. Ignoring the fighters, they pursued Yang Lingshu’s group.

Xiao Yize’s gaze chilled, but the blood elixir cultivator doggedly entangled him. "Heh… I’m staking my life here. You’re going nowhere!"

The old cultivator intensified his attacks, missing the pity in Xiao Yize’s eyes. This pawn truly believed killing Xiao Yize would bring the prince’s promised reward, unaware he was mere bait in larger schemes.

The Spiritual Manipulation cultivators overwhelmed Yang Lingshu’s group. Their robe reverted to normal form, leaving four lives hanging by a thread.

"Eastern Wilderness villains! Cease your rampage!"

A thunderous shout shook the air as two water technique needles struck down. They shattered the attackers’ projections before piercing their skulls.

A blue-robed figure materialized. "Master! It’s Elder Wang!" Lv Fangxuan cried joyfully.

Yang Lingshu recognized Wanhuamen’s high elder Wang Kaiwei from their post-tournament meeting. "Elder Wang! Senior Brother Xiao remains trapped!"

"Leave it to me!"

Elder Wang dissolved into mist, flying toward the duelists. "Yize! I’m coming!"

He conjured thousands of water needles from true essence, hurling them downward. Just as Lv Fangxuan’s group relaxed, confusion struck – Elder Wang’s attack clearly targeted Xiao Yize too!

Yang Lingshu sighed softly. The first rat eager to kill Xiao Yize turned out to be their own sect’s elder.