Chen Lin and the others flew low over the ground, choosing secluded routes through mountains and forests. Before long, they had covered more than thirty li.
The route Madam White Bone chose was not the shortest, straightest path. Instead, she intended to skirt Chu Country and enter the sea from the direction of the Dark Yin Sect.
This took them away from the location marked on the Sea Chart Luo Qinglan had given him, but Chen Lin said nothing and had no intention of leaving the group to act alone.
Their most pressing task was to break through the Prayer Cult's blockade. Only by staying alive would they have the chance to consider anything else.
Soon, the group flew another few dozen li and reached the edge of Chu Country.
But their luck ended there. They had just flown out of a mountain hollow when they encountered a pursuing force from the Prayer Cult, more than twice their number.
At its head stood a towering Blood-Colored Figure, radiating a terrifying evil aura. Merely brushing against that aura made Chen Lin's heart grow restless and his blood churn, as though he might lose all reason and tear everything before him to pieces.
The sensation was all too familiar. It was exactly like having the blood spirit invade his body in the Ancient Temple at Maple Leaf Lake, only countless times stronger!
Chen Lin hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique, using Buddhist power to purge the abnormalities within him.
Just as he returned to normal, he felt a rush of wind behind his head. He immediately shifted half a zhang sideways, evading the figure lunging at him from behind.
A sidelong glance revealed that the attacker was one of Madam White Bone's male favorites. In fact, they had met once before: he was