Not long after Song Changsheng left, a white-haired old man strolled out of the dense forest.
The old man had the hair of a crane and the face of a child. He wore a gray robe covered in patches and looked utterly unkempt, with a messy mop of hair atop his head. If not for the ancient longsword on his back, he would have been no different from an old beggar over seventy on the street.
Zhu Yiqun's eyes widened, and he cried out in delight, "Old Master, when did you get here?"
Mo Zhexian scratched his temples and chuckled. "This old man arrived when that kid in Sunset City was dealing with the Blood Demon."
"What? So you were just standing here watching? Can't you be a little more reliable, Rotten Old Man?" Zhu Yiqun shouted unhappily.
"Heh, the brat is getting loud now. Hurry up and tidy up, then come back with this old man."
Night fell. A bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its pure white radiance, with countless stars scattered around it as adornments, dazzling and brilliant.
Under the moonlight, an earthen yellow rainbow light streaked swiftly past, startling countless flying birds.
Suddenly, a cold light shot out from a nearby mountain hollow. The rapidly flying rainbow light was immediately intercepted, revealing Wang Wanzhou and Song Changsheng.
"Who goes there? How dare you block this old man's path!" Wang Wanzhou's white brows stood on end as he bellowed toward the mountain hollow below.
"Wang Wanzhou, leave Song Changsheng behind, and we will let you go." Two Rainbow Lights immediately shot out from the mountain hollow, hovering to Wang Wanzhou's left and right.
"Cheng Yufei, Du Huating, your Earth Fire Sect truly has no shame. You actually sent two Foundation Establishment Cultivators after a junior. Aren't you afraid people will laugh their teeth out?"
Wang Wanzhou swept his tiger-like gaze over the two of them and spoke mockingly.
"Senior Wang, this matter has nothing to do with you. Why must you involve yourself? Your Wang Clan has already shed so much blood for the Song Clan. No matter how great the favor, it should have been repaid by now. Leave at once." Du Huating tucked his hands into his sleeves, his eyelids drooping as he spoke calmly.
"Du, your master was this old man's defeated subordinate back then. What, do you think you are stronger than your master?"
"I naturally have not yet reached Master's cultivation realm. But today, my senior brother and I have arrived together. You cannot protect him. You are already old." Du Huating calmly watched Wang Wanzhou, while faint lightning flickered at his side.
Song Changsheng's expression darkened like water. He had not expected the Earth Fire Sect to want his life so badly. Not only had Cheng Yufei, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, come, but even the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Town Guardian Elder of Liuyun Market had arrived.
"Child, today's matter is indeed rather troublesome. Although this old man does not fear these two, once a melee begins, I will not be able to look after you. In a moment, this old man will hold them back. You must escape quickly."
While openly confronting the two men, Wang Wanzhou secretly transmitted his voice to Song Changsheng through divine sense.
"Thank You For your help, Senior." Song Changsheng took a deep breath. There was no other way. With his cultivation, if he were caught up in a Foundation Establishment Cultivator Battle, it would surely be a situation of ten deaths and no life.
"Martial Brother, why waste so many words on him? You and I have followed him for so long after he left the Market. If we delay any longer, that person from the Li Clan will notice."
Cheng Yufei looked at Song Changsheng, who was shielded behind Wang Wanzhou, his eyes filled with coldness. No matter what, Song Changsheng had to die today. Ling Province could not have a second Song Xianming!
"Alas, forgive me!"
Du Huating sighed softly. Dazzling purple lightning suddenly erupted from his entire body, countless electric arcs leaping across his surface as though he were bathing in thunder, a sight that shook the soul.
"Come, fight!" Wang Wanzhou showed no fear. He brought out a Seven-Colored Glazed Mirror, which reflected multicolored brilliance across the pitch-black night sky.
Heavenly Fire Meteor Technique
Cheng Yufei formed a magic incantation with his hands. A layer of firelight immediately spread through the sky, and meteors formed from spiritual power descended trailing long flames, like the calamity of the world's end.
"Bzzzz—"
The Glazed Mirror suddenly expanded dozens of times, sheltering the two beneath it. The "meteors" crashed down upon it with booming roars, sending ripples spreading across its surface.
"Crackle!"
A chain condensed from lightning lashed over from below at an angle, carrying the sound of crackling electric arcs.
Wang Wanzhou's beard and hair flared outward, like a furious male lion. He stretched out his left hand, forming an illusory giant hand of spiritual power that seized the chain in one grasp.
One against two, Wang Wanzhou did not fall into the slightest disadvantage. But Song Changsheng behind him was having a hard time. Enduring the pressure unleashed by three Foundation Establishment Cultivators at once, he found it difficult even to breathe for a moment.
"Now, go!"
Once the two were drawn into the battle situation, Wang Wanzhou wrapped Song Changsheng in spiritual power and hurled him directly toward the distant place, then turned to face the two alone.
When Cheng Yufei saw Song Changsheng flee, not only did he not stop him, a smile of a scheme succeeding even appeared on his face.
A bad feeling immediately rose from the bottom of Wang Wanzhou's heart. He roared, "You did this on purpose?"
"Senior Wang, naturally we will not violate the rules by attacking a junior. We only came today to hold you back. Let the juniors settle the matter between juniors themselves."
Standing amid the thunderstorm, Du Huating spoke without the slightest trace of emotion.
"Shameless scoundrels." Wang Wanzhou glared furiously. What juniors settling things among themselves? They had clearly laid an ambush ahead.
"Hmph, just stay here and trade a few moves with us. That boy is as good as dead." Cheng Yufei sneered coldly. Since he had chosen to act against Song Changsheng, he had naturally planned everything carefully. He had accounted not only for Wang Wanzhou, but even for the Song Clan.
Before dawn, no one would come to disturb them. During this period, it was enough for Song Changsheng to die several times over!
"Bastards."
Wang Wanzhou flew into a rage and once again fought fiercely against the two...
Song Changsheng was wrapped in spiritual power and flew through the air for several miles before landing in the dense forest. Feeling the spiritual power fluctuations coming from behind him, worry appeared in his eyes.
Although Wang Wanzhou was powerful, he was old after all, with insufficient vitality and blood. Against those two, he might not necessarily gain an advantage.
I have to return to the Market as quickly as possible. He understood clearly that remaining here would only hold Wang Wanzhou back.
After determining his direction, Song Changsheng sped toward Liuyun Market.
The scenery around him rushed backward, but Song Changsheng gradually noticed that something was wrong. He seemed to be going in circles.
His steps abruptly halted as he focused and looked around. Suddenly, a thick vine stabbed diagonally toward him from an extremely concealed direction.
He swiftly brought out the Water Element Shield to block it, then quickly shifted sideways. The next moment, a sharp earthen spike thrust out from where he had just been standing. Had he hesitated in the slightest, he would already have been pierced straight through.
Retrieving the Water Element Shield to guard his side, Song Changsheng called aloud to the surroundings, "May I ask which fellow cultivator has set up this Earth-Wood Universe Formation here? Could you show yourself for a meeting?"
His voice echoed through the great formation, but the only response was even more vines and earthen spikes...
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