Lin Taichu stood at the outlet of the drainage ditch, watching the murky water flow into the moat outside the city. His brow gradually relaxed.
He bent down to inspect the soil along the bank but found no fresh bloodstains. The demonic aura in the air had also become exceedingly faint, nearly blending into the surroundings.
"Captain, should we keep chasing?" Zhao Hu asked between ragged breaths, his forehead covered in sweat.
Half an hour of continuous pursuit had left the team exhausted, especially after weaving through narrow alleys and damp ditch banks, which had drained much of their strength.
Lin Taichu straightened and shook his head. "No need to pursue." He pointed toward Black Wind Ridge across the moat. "Once the water flowed into the moat, the trail was cut off.
"He was injured, so he would surely head for the Blood Demon Sect's stronghold. The terrain of Black Wind Ridge is complicated. If we pursue recklessly, we'll only put ourselves at a disadvantage."
Qian Ming was unwilling to accept it. "We're just letting him escape? That guy is a Nascent Soul elder. Letting a tiger return to the mountains will bring endless trouble."
"Our mission was to defend the armory, and that objective has now been achieved."
Lin Taichu said solemnly, "Pursuing a Nascent Soul cultivator isn't our specialty. Forcing the pursuit would only cause more casualties. The urgent matter is to report this to the Commander and have him deploy more elite forces to hunt them down."
He glanced at the sky. The east was already beginning to pale. "Daybreak is here. The Blood Demon Sect's operation should be temporarily over. Let's return to the Barracks to rest and compile this battle report."
Though everyone felt some regret, they knew Lin Taichu was right. They put away