"The pursuer is actually Jiang Heng?"
"A Body Refining Realm martial artist?"
Qi Peng was dumbfounded. In his many years of understanding, the gap in strength between each major realm was like an insurmountable chasm. Therefore, even though he had become the acknowledged number one in the Outer Sect, he had never thought about battling a True Qi Realm martial artist. There was no basis for comparison between the two!
But now, the scene before him made him start to doubt.
"Could it be... that the True Qi Realm isn't as strong as I thought? Or is it that the True Qi Realm of a wandering martial artist is much weaker?"
"Jiang Heng can chase him down, can't I?"
Qi Peng suddenly felt eager to give it a try. He had always been unwilling to be inferior to others, and among his peers, he firmly believed that no one was stronger than him. Especially not someone like Jiang Heng, who was considered a latecomer!
"If Jiang Heng is chasing the enemy while I run away, how will others see me? I want to see if all these disciples have the same abnormal strength as that kid!"
He looked at his junior disciple who was by his side. As expected, the junior disciple was looking at him attentively, waiting for his decision.
"You go hide to the side. I will intercept that person."
Qi Peng made up his mind and, with a swift step, turned into a graceful breeze, heading towards the two figures approaching him.
"Good! Very good!"
Su Li, who was running at full speed, watched as another Outer Sect disciple took the initiative to intercept him. His heart was filled with anger.
"These sect disciples, they all think of me as an easy target!"
"All of them, daring to look down on me, a True Qi Realm expert!"
"I want to see if all these disciples have the same abnormal strength as that kid!"
His heart was filled with frustration and humiliation. He tightened his grip on his long knife and glared at the ugly teenager approaching him.
All the anger, frustration, and unwillingness in his heart transformed into strength. The long knife swept horizontally.
On the other side, Qi Peng swung his sword down.
The sword and the knife clashed!
"Clang!"
Qi Peng's face changed. He felt an unparalleled force surging from the long knife, causing his hands to involuntarily weaken. The long sword in his hand was instantly shattered.
In the empty air, the fierce blade light continued to descend towards his abdomen.
Before the blade even arrived, the sharp blade wind had already made his abdomen ache.
The only thing worth celebrating was that, from the beginning, Qi Peng had reserved some strength for evading and was prepared in case he couldn't match the opponent.
In a hurry, he twisted his body, attempting to dodge the strike.
However, the attack was just too fast!
"Shing!"
The long knife sliced through the abdominal muscles, its blade penetrating deep into the abdomen before making a swift cut. A large amount of blood gushed out, and True Qi instantly invaded his body.
Qi Peng fell to the ground, powerless.
However, Su Li had no time to pay attention to his life or death. After that strike, he continued to charge forward without hesitation. The slight delay in that moment allowed Jiang Heng to get closer.
Jiang Heng's figure was like a raging hurricane, sweeping through. In Qi Peng's vision at that moment, time seemed to elongate. He could clearly see that the mysterious and powerful True Qi Realm martial artist's face was filled with anger.
And perhaps, a trace of urgency?
What was he in a hurry for? Afraid of being caught up by Jiang Heng?
Qi Peng subconsciously had this thought but then saw the figure leave his line of sight. In the next moment, it was Jiang Heng, full of fighting spirit, completely ignoring his presence, swiftly passing by.
"So, in their eyes, I'm just a worthless roadblock, not worth mentioning!"
A bitter smile appeared on Qi Peng's face as he crashed to the ground, losing consciousness.
His follower rushed over and checked his condition. Finding residual traces of True Qi invasion at the wound site, the follower's expression turned grave.
"It really is an intruder at the True Qi Realm."
After feeding Qi Peng a pill, the follower instructed, "Take him aside to rest, and I'll pursue the intruder. After dealing with the intruder, I'll provide further treatment."
The follower leaped away again, landing gracefully beside Qi Peng and heading in the direction of the intruder.
At the same time, he took out a signal flare and decisively released it.
"Whoosh!"
Accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, a small but bright sphere of light shot diagonally into the sky.
In the distance, several other disciples in blue robes shifted their gaze towards the trajectory of the signal flare.
"Something unexpected has happened!"
Several disciples moved simultaneously, following the direction indicated by the signal flare, and quickly headed that way.
Not far from where Jiang Heng and Su Li were, a silent figure followed closely behind. It was Sun, Elder Sun's subordinate, and also Su Li's employer—Lei Song.
At this moment, his face was gloomy.
"Worthless!"
He watched Jiang Heng, who was brimming with combat intent, and a surge of killing intent rose within him.
"A Body Refining Realm strength that can withstand a True Qi Realm Eighth Layer head-on!"
"This person must not be allowed to live!"
He possessed the strength of the third realm of martial arts—the Innate Realm. Currently, within the entire trial area, even the strongest Deputy Sect Leader, Su Qinghe, would have a hard time facing him head-on. In the absence of Su Qinghe's intervention, he was confident that he could sweep the entire area.
However...
"No, I can't act in this situation!"
As an insider working for Elder Sun, Lei Song was well aware that while killing Jiang Heng, a potential threat, was important, it was nowhere near as significant as the Grand Sect Master election that would take place in a year.
He understood Jiang Heng's identity and the deep-seated conflict between Elder Sun and Jiang Heng's parents. If there were any traces of intentional killing of Jiang Heng, regardless of whether it was done by Elder Sun or not, with or without evidence, it would undoubtedly be used as a pretext for attack, affecting the election.
Lei Song restrained his murderous intent and silently retreated. He stared at Jiang Heng's receding figure, which was getting further and further away.
Suddenly...
Lei Song had a strong premonition. If he didn't kill Jiang Heng today, there might never be another chance in the future!
He hesitated for a moment.
The intuition of a strong individual was often not baseless.
But the next moment, he shook his head in self-mockery.
"How is that possible? He's only in the Body Refining Realm!"
"I'm just being too nervous."
"Even if he can defeat someone in the True Qi Realm, so what? When facing someone in the Innate Realm, he'll be helpless. Not to mention there are even stronger Spirit Sea Realm cultivators!"
Lei Song continued to withdraw, gradually disappearing into the forest.
...
"Get lost!"
Su Li shouted angrily. His face darkened as he looked at one of the Dalu Sect disciples who was approaching him. Apart from Jiang Heng chasing from behind, there were disciples from other directions gradually closing in, almost forming an encirclement.
To survive, he had to break through the encirclement and overcome the person blocking his way.
"Die!"
Su Li gathered a large amount of True Qi, channeling it into the long knife in his hand.
Unfortunately, his weapon was just an ordinary one, limited in its capacity to hold True Qi and its amplification of damage.
Apart from that, True Qi enveloped his arms to enhance explosive power, and it surrounded his chest to boost his defense, to trade damage with his opponent. He had to break through immediately!
Otherwise, if there was any delay, he would be completely surrounded by the disciples approaching from different directions. He would also have to face the terrifying youth behind him.
Rush through and live!
Fail to break through, and he would die!