In the sky, streaks of light occasionally flashed, their formidable presence bearing down like mountains, making it hard for anyone below to breathe. The Naga Mountains were in complete disarray, with countless magical beasts suffering without reason.
"Damn, Haixin is too persistent. It's been three days since that day, and he's still relentlessly chasing us. Who knows when we might get caught by his men?" Hidden in a thicket, Li Yi couldn't help but grind his teeth as he cursed softly while staring at the sky. Beside him, Gong Wushuang took a slight breath and smiled, "You've caused him such a great embarrassment. Even if you didn't have something he desperately wants, Haixin's nature wouldn't allow him to let you go easily."
Li Yi sneered, draping a black robe over himself, "So what if he doesn't let me go? He has to be cautious of Balin and can't act personally. With his Dou Masters under him, I'm not necessarily afraid... Even if I encounter the two servants of Yuehua, I still have a trump card to fight back."
Gong Wushuang sighed softly, "If a fight does break out, do you think Haixin won't sense it?"
"Yes, yes, yes..." Li Yi sighed, "You're right... Looks like we'll continue to move stealthily." Saying this, Li Yi helped Gong Wushuang up, wrapping his arm around her slender waist, and sighed, "Do you really have no strength left?"
Gong Wushuang replied indifferently, "What can I do? Haixin is an Emperor class fighter. That explosion that day damaged my foundation. It's not that I have no strength, but I'm constantly using Dou Qi to recover. If I don't recover quickly, I might lose the chance to recover at all..."
"Lazy thing," Li Yi murmured, "Well... I guess I've gotten used to it these past few days. If you're going to take advantage of me, how could I possibly refuse?" With that, Li Yi lightly stepped, his figure flashing into the thicket like a ghost, continuing towards the edge of the Naga Mountains.
Since assimilating the Dou Qi seed of an Emperor and advancing to the second transformation of the Heavenly Demon, Li Yi's speed and the amount of Dou Qi had increased several times. His speed through the forest likely surpassed most Dou Masters. If it weren't for the occasional peak King class fighters sweeping from above, Li Yi would have already escaped.
As he moved through the bushes without a trace, guided by Gong Wushuang's instructions, it felt like he had a map in his heart, avoiding any unnecessary steps.
"Puff, puff, puff—" Several unlucky magical beasts that blocked their path were easily killed by Li Yi, leaving only charred corpses trembling on the ground. Since Li Yi's Dou Qi had transformed into lightning attribute, its power had indeed increased significantly, making his movements lightning-fast.
After rushing through the forest for half a day, Li Yi's expression suddenly changed, noticing three figures rapidly approaching from behind. "Damn! Has he caught up already? When did they find our trail?" Watching the three figures, Li Yi couldn't help but whisper. Fortunately, none of the figures had Dou Qi wings... There might still be hope. But even three peak King class fighters were too much for Li Yi at his current level, especially with Gong Wushuang as a burden.
"If I'm not mistaken, these three have probably noticed your trail for a while but didn't want to let the Beidou Sect take advantage. They waited until now to make their move... I believe those two Emperors won't notice what's happening here, otherwise, they wouldn't have shown up," The Serpent Venerable's voice sounded lightly.
Li Yi nodded, not looking back, but increased his speed, dashing forward without needing to hide anymore, significantly faster now.
"Sir! I am Ice from the Martial Deity Hall. We are not enemies! Just hand over what you obtained in the Emperor's tomb, and I assure you, Miss won't let you suffer any loss. We're different from the Beidou Sect; we won't rob you!" A gentle laugh followed from behind, filled with elegance, indicating the pursuer was a woman of unparalleled beauty. But under these circumstances, not even the world's most beautiful woman could change the situation.
"Return what I obtained? As if you were the original owners! Even if that dead Emperor came back to life, I wouldn't stop. Are you looking for death?" Li Yi cursed under his breath, pushing his Dou Qi to the limit, each step accompanied by a flash of purple lightning, increasing his speed further.
However, as fast as Li Yi was, the three pursuers were faster, narrowing the gap between them. Despite Li Yi's efforts, the difference in strength between a Fighter and peak King class fighters was significant.
"Damn!" Li Yi cursed, glancing at Gong Wushuang, knowing she couldn't be relied on now.
"Old Coot..." Li Yi called out in his mind.
"I understand! I'll assist you for the next part of the journey. We're nearing the edge of the Naga Mountains, and I can't fight recklessly to avoid alerting 'an old friend.' So, running is the only option. And even if we weren't worried about that, we can't afford to be held up now. I've already overdrawn my Dou Qi these past few days; even if I lend you my strength, it won't last long. If possible, avoid fighting!" The Serpent Venerable's voice carried a more serious tone now, acknowledging the delicacy of their current situation. Any misstep could lead to dire consequences, which they could ill afford.
Li Yi sighed, responding in his mind, "Then I'm counting on you..." The Serpent Venerable chuckled softly, "Rest assured!" Immediately, Li Yi felt an intense surge of blood-red Dou Qi emanating from the Yunhuang Ring, swiftly enveloping him. Blood-red Dou Qi wings rapidly unfurled, and Li Yi's form slightly paused before shooting towards the distance at high speed. With the support of the Dou Qi wings, Li Yi's velocity increased manifold, almost evading most obstacles in mid-air, proving to be exceedingly fast. In a breath's time, the gap that had been closing was once again widened, forcing the three pursuing King class fighters to accelerate their pace.
Zong Bing, leading the trio of Kings, showed a slight change in expression, having trailed Li Yi for so long and nearly catching him, only to face this turn of events at the last moment... Zong Bing's companion, Ao Yue, frowned for a moment before saying, "Miss Zong Bing... with this fellow unleashing Emperor class strength, we might not be a match for him. Should we send a message for the Blade Emperor to come..."
Zong Bing smiled lightly, "No need. If he were to stop and fight us, then indeed, we'd need to call for help. But his focus on fleeing shows he doesn't consider himself our match... If I'm not mistaken, his display of Emperor class strength has its limits, perhaps just a bluff. So... continue the chase! I refuse to believe the three of us together can't capture him."
"Chase! Even if we can't retrieve the items, we need to uncover his identity! I don't believe, with the Martial Deity Hall's standing in the Tianfeng Empire, we can't force him to surrender the items!" Ao Yue and Bei Hao exchanged glances, nodding slightly. Having entered the Naga Mountains for treasure, they were committed to sticking together. With Zong Bing having made her stance clear, they couldn't just give up halfway.
"Let's go!" The trio lightly tapped their feet, employing secret techniques to move even faster, rapidly pursuing Li Yi's direction.
Feeling the intensified pursuit from behind, Li Yi glanced back, inhaling sharply, "Damn! Are these people insane? I've already shown Emperor class strength, and they're not afraid? Still chasing to their deaths?"
Gong Wushuang, weakly nestled in Li Yi's arms, chuckled, "Let's not talk about Bei Hao and Ao Yue, who've cultivated to the King class on their own, with firm resolve. As for Zong Bing, her pride and the secret techniques of the Martial Deity Hall give her enough confidence. Together, they might not beat a typical Emperor, but against a half-finished one like you, they have the upper hand. Plus, Zong Bing has another identity giving her more confidence."
"What identity?" Li Yi frowned.
"Martial Deity Hall's White Priestess... not only high in status and power but also able to command most of the Martial Deity Hall's forces nearby. Besides, with the Martial Deity Hall's power in the Tianfeng Empire, dare you offend?"
Gong Wushuang's teasing tone made Li Yi grimace, "It's not about daring to offend, but these priests are odd. I'm supposed to participate in a divine ceremony, how could I possibly make an enemy of them... If..."
"Be careful!" The Serpent Venerable's voice suddenly echoed. Li Yi felt a chill run through him, swiftly twisting in mid-air to pull Gong Wushuang behind him, then fiercely launching a palm strike.
"Ice Burst!" A blood-red Dou Qi whip collided with a massive block of ice. Following a faint shout, the air around them turned chillingly cold, and huge icicles appeared around Li Yi and Gong Wushuang, encasing them. It seemed a single move from Li Yi would cause these icicles to shred them into pieces.
Observing this scene, Li Yi's pupils narrowed. He had always thought Gong Wushuang's ice manipulation was excellent, but to see someone playing it even better was unexpected... and that too, just a King class fighter.
Floating mid-air, Li Yi's gaze fell on a direction, then saw three figures landing on a mountaintop, smiling lightly at each other. "If you hand over the items now, I can still spare your life... Otherwise, offending the Zong family and the Martial Deity Hall, even if you escape now, your life in the Tianfeng Empire will be difficult!"
A calm and serene voice floated over, embodying a tranquil confidence, making the two men behind her seem like mere followers.
"Women... truly a great trouble..." Li Yi sighed softly, his gaze lightly sweeping over Zong Bing, "Fighting here, aren't you afraid Haixin will notice? Even if not worried about that, do you really think... you've got me cornered?"