Temporary Alliance (Please Bookmark, Please Vote)

Ling Pengyun, fleeing for his life, sensed the demonic cultivator pursuing him from behind and felt utterly helpless.

Fortunately, while that demonic cultivator was fighting the Wen Clan cultivators, I put some distance between us. He should be about five li behind me. There is still some hope of escape. I only hope the Qi Training Late Stage expert the Wen Clan cultivator mentioned, stationed at Cloud Mist Market, can arrive in time!

If not, once that demonic cultivator catches up... I can only use that thing! Ling Pengyun's expression hardened slightly as he made up his mind.

Not long after.

As Ling Pengyun passed through a dense forest along the road back to Cloud Mist Market, a route he had to take.

He spotted a burly cultivator charging toward him from ahead, seemingly another wandering cultivator passing through. With good intentions, he used the Sound Amplification Technique to warn the man loudly, lest he lose his life to the demonic cultivator for nothing.

"Fellow Daoist ahead, do not proceed any farther! A vicious demonic cultivator riding a flying boat is pursuing me several li behind. Hurry and flee toward Cloud Mist Market; perhaps you can escape this calamity!"

This burly wandering cultivator was none other than Shen Hu, who had followed Ling Pengyun from Cloud Mist Market. Ling Pengyun, however, did not know this and assumed he was merely a passing wandering cultivator.

Hearing this, Shen Hu paused slightly. Seeing Ling Pengyun, who had originally departed from Cloud Mist Market, now rushing back toward it, he grew suspicious of this strange behavior.

He cast the Aura Observation Technique and looked toward the dense woods behind Ling Pengyun, yet he saw none of the "demonic cultivator" Ling Pengyun had mentioned—not even a shadow.

Shen Hu had spent half his life wandering the Cultivation World. Though his doubts now deepened, when he considered the spiritual items on Ling Pengyun's person, worth several hundred spirit stones, the suspicion in his heart immediately vanished.

One haul like this is worth more than several years of earnings!

Shen Hu's expression gradually turned feverish. Having made up his mind, he no longer bothered with such concerns.

Little did he know that Ling Pengyun's warning had been entirely true.

The demonic cultivator was simply too far away, and he was still within the dense forest, his figure obscured by countless enormous trees. Naturally, he was difficult to spot.

Shen Hu started forward again. This time, he directly drew out a Golden Flying Sword and, while charging ahead, sent it straight at Ling Pengyun, who was rushing toward him along the same path.

Seeing the unknown wandering cultivator suddenly attack him, Ling Pengyun cursed inwardly. What the hell is this?

I kindly warned him. Fine if he doesn't run, but now he wants to kill me?

With the Golden Flying Sword bearing down on him, Ling Pengyun could only slap his Storage Bag and pull out the Black Iron Shield. Gripping it tightly in his left hand, he raised it before himself.

Clang! The Golden Flying Sword struck the Black Iron Shield with the sharp sound of metal colliding.

Though the flying sword was blocked by the Black Iron Shield, the force of its impact traveled into Ling Pengyun's left arm.

To keep his left arm from being snapped by the tremendous force, Ling Pengyun had no choice but to halt his charge and retreat several steps to bleed off the impact.

Ling Pengyun glared angrily at the burly wandering cultivator, Shen Hu, who was charging at him with killing intent, and cursed, "There really is a demonic cultivator! If you want to die, I have no intention of keeping you company!"

Shen Hu had long since been blinded by greed. The prey he had pursued for hundreds of li was right before his eyes, and he had no intention of giving it up. The corners of his lips curled upward in a cruel smile. Casually slapping his Storage Bag, he summoned an inconspicuous, extremely slender needle and flicked it toward Ling Pengyun in the distance, intending to kill him with a sneak attack.

However, Shen Hu had clearly underestimated the strength of Ling Pengyun's divine sense. Ling Pengyun had already noticed the instant Shen Hu launched that long needle.

Long needles excelled at piercing armor, and Ling Pengyun was deeply wary of it.

He swiftly drew a Water Shield Talisman from his Storage Bag and activated it.

This talisman was not meant to block the incoming needle, but to defend against the Golden Flying Sword that had been continually attacking him.

Freeing up the Black Iron Shield, he held it horizontally before him and blocked the incoming flying needle.

Ding! The long needle struck the Black Iron Shield with a crisp ring.

Though the needle was blocked, it truly deserved its reputation as a weapon that pierced protective force.

Even the Black Iron Shield, comparable to a First Rank Middle Grade defensive artifact, was left with a small dent by that needle.

Yet Ling Pengyun, who had blocked the blow, showed no joy. There might be wolves before him, but behind him lurked an even more terrifying tiger and leopard.

If he allowed this burly wandering cultivator to hold him up, the demonic cultivator behind him would surely catch up.

Then the situation would become dangerous.

But he would not be the only one shouldering that danger.

"Today, a battle with that demonic cultivator cannot be avoided. When he catches up, I would like to see what this wandering cultivator does then."

Ling Pengyun sneered.

When the wandering cultivator Shen Hu had heard about the demonic cultivator earlier, he had frozen in place. Ling Pengyun had seen it clearly. Evidently, this man was not the demonic cultivator's accomplice; he simply did not believe him.

Or perhaps this wandering cultivator was one of those Heretical Cultivators who made a living by robbing travelers and had taken a liking to him, a fat sheep.

Ling Pengyun did not wish to make an enemy of this wandering cultivator, but that did not mean he was a lamb waiting for slaughter. Naturally, he would not surrender without resistance.

He exerted force with his left hand and flung the Black Iron Shield hard, sending the needle embedded in it flying away. Then he slapped his Storage Bag, drew out the Black Iron Sword, and launched it to entangle the Golden Flying Sword attacking the Water Shield.

Though Shen Hu was at the Qi Training Sixth Layer and stronger than Ling Pengyun, it was difficult for either side to determine victory in a short time. Their flying swords merely tangled and clashed against one another.

During this exchange, the demonic cultivator, originally several li away from Ling Pengyun, caught up.

When he saw that Ling Pengyun, whom he had been pursuing, was fighting another cultivator and had been held back, delight rose in his heart.

"I never expected an unexpected harvest!" The demonic cultivator looked at Shen Hu and revealed a cruel smile.

At the same time, Shen Hu, who was fiercely battling Ling Pengyun, also saw a figure emerge from the dense forest behind Ling Pengyun. Alarmed, he used the Aura Observation Technique. The flying boat beneath that figure's feet and the long banner clutched in his hand both exuded wisps of demonic qi, and Shen Hu cried out in shock.

"A Demonic Item Flying Boat, a demonic banner? A demonic cultivator?"

Hearing the commotion, Ling Pengyun sneered. "I thought you weren't afraid of demonic cultivators."

At those words, Shen Hu's face immediately burned with heat, and shame surged through him. Though he was furious, he did not dare to strike a killing blow at Ling Pengyun now.

"Fellow Daoist, my actions just now were truly rash. I hope you will not hold them against me. That demonic cultivator has a Demonic Item Flying Boat and is already very close to us. Even if we flee separately, I fear we will still be caught. How about... we join forces and give it a try?" As a wandering cultivator who made his living by ambushing and killing others, Shen Hu had naturally guessed something of the pursuing demonic cultivator's strength and immediately made his decision.

If this demonic cultivator were weak, why would Ling Pengyun, whose strength was not much lower than his own, be fleeing? Moreover, the demonic cultivator rode a Demonic Item Flying Boat and wielded a demonic banner. One glance was enough to tell he was a formidable fighter.

The demonic cultivator was less than one li away. If they fled outright, their chances of survival would be slim; they would surely be picked off one by one.

But if one person could hold the demonic cultivator back for a while...

"Heh... fine!" Ling Pengyun had long guessed the wandering cultivator would act this way. He gave two cold laughs and agreed.

Under such circumstances, forming an alliance was indeed the only option.