Sage Art: Great Fireball

Lin Chuan drew a deep breath and spat straight at the nine people before him. The violent crimson flames instantly became a massive fireball more than three meters in diameter, rolling through the already narrow cave passage.

"This is... a spell... How is this possible?!"

"Damn it, aren't you only able to cast spells once you reach Foundation Establishment Stage? Just what level of cultivation does this guy have?!"

"It's over! Run..."

Seeing Lin Chuan unleash a spell, the nine of them lost all will to resist and turned to flee!

But no matter how fast they ran, how could they outrun the Great Fireball Technique that had already been unleashed?

The scorching flames swallowed their figures in an instant. Miserable screams rose one after another, but not a single person ever emerged from the terrifying blaze.

The Uchiha Clan's basic ninjutsu had finally shone with dazzling brilliance in this otherworld that did not belong to Naruto. The technique most often used in the original story, yet one that had never burned anyone to death, had finally claimed its first victims.

Even Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi, behind Lin Chuan, were affected by the searing heat. This wasn't merely the Great Fireball Technique, but the Sage Art: Great Fireball Technique, every bit as powerful as—and even more so than—the one Uchiha Itachi had used the first time!

After the flames passed, almost nothing remained of the bodies on the ground. They had been reduced almost entirely to ash.

Pfft!

After unleashing this sage art, Lin Chuan spat out a mouthful of blood. He could no longer hold on, and his body slowly went limp. In his final moments, he only felt Qin Lang rush over and catch him.

"Get me out of here, quickly! Someone's coming!"

Lin Chuan spoke with the last of his strength. He had seen it while using the Byakugan. Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi's earlier fight with those people had already alerted many others, who were now heading this way. If they didn't leave, they would have to face a siege by numerous cultivators.

"Let's go!" Qin Lang summoned all his strength to carry Lin Chuan on his back, then fled with Bu Lianshi through another lava passage.

The passages here were as numerous as a maze. Without Lin Chuan's Byakugan to guide them, there was no way they could find an exit in a short time. They could only find somewhere hidden to lie low first, then make other plans.

Qin Lang had little spiritual energy left. After fighting for so long, even with their excellent talent and rapid recovery, they couldn't replenish their spiritual power as quickly as they spent it—especially after using their protective treasures.

Bu Lianshi, who had been responsible for defense, was in even worse shape. Her cultivation was lower than Qin Lang's, and though her bronze mirror treasure had decent defensive power, she had already been injured in her first clash with Wu Hai. It was a miracle she had held on this long.

The three of them had truly reached the end of their rope. If they encountered another situation like the one just now, there would be no point fighting—they could simply wait to die.

After running for about a kilometer, Qin Lang felt as if his legs were filled with lead. Every step was a challenge to his limits, but he gritted his teeth and kept going. He would never give up before the very last moment.

As they rounded a bend, a trio appeared before them, and Qin Lang's heart sank to the bottom.

"Two at the third level of Qi Refining Stage, and one at the second!" Bu Lianshi quickly judged their opponents' cultivation levels, but a bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Before, they wouldn't have feared opponents like these at all. But now, the three of them were at the end of their strength. They didn't have the energy to fight back.

"Use the last of our spiritual energy and break through!" Qin Lang said gravely. It was their last resort.

"Mm!" Bu Lianshi nodded.

They both surged forward at once, reaching their top speed as they charged toward the trio like a dying flame flaring up one last time.

"Hm? This group isn't weak, but they seem injured. Should we strike?"

"They should have plenty of Spirit Cores and Crimson Flame Lotus on them. This is a great opportunity. Kill them!"

The three opponents barely hesitated before deciding to attack. In this cruel world, where people devoured one another without leaving so much as a bone, you either killed others or waited to be killed. Everyone—even children—had lost all trace of innocence.

Thud! Thud!...

When the trio's fists and feet struck Qin Lang, he made no attempt to resist or defend himself. He forced himself to keep going and charged straight through them, while Bu Lianshi ran beside him, using her own body to block the attacks aimed at Lin Chuan.

Blood seeped from the corners of both their mouths at the same time. This was their final gamble.

"Damn it, they got away! After them!"

The three hadn't expected them to charge through so recklessly. By the time they recovered from their surprise, Qin Lang and the others had already broken past them.

"About three hundred meters more and we'll reach that place. Lin Chuan found it with his Byakugan—a hidden spot where Crimson Flame Lotus grows. Once we get there, we'll be safe. We have to hold on!" Qin Lang repeated to himself. His mind was already growing hazy; only sheer determination kept him going.

But as if Heaven were playing a cruel joke on them, when they rounded another bend, they again saw three people standing in the middle of the passage. And these three weren't strangers—they were Han Qing and his companions, the ones who had nearly come to blows with Lin Chuan earlier.

"It's them..." Han Qing recognized Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi the instant he saw them. Then he noticed Lin Chuan, unconscious on Qin Lang's back.

"Are they all injured? And he's so badly hurt he's unconscious. What on earth did they run into...?" Han Qing's brows knit slightly.

"Should we attack?" one of the people beside Han Qing asked gravely. This was a good opportunity. Qin Lang had taken so many of their Spirit Cores; he must have plenty of other valuable things on him too.

"Wait..." Han Qing hadn't finished speaking when he saw the three people appear again at the far end of the cave. Their intentions were obvious; it was clear at a glance that they were pursuing Lin Chuan and the others.

"Someone else is chasing them. Two at the third level of Qi Refining Stage and one at the second. They're forcing them to run for their lives despite that level of cultivation. Did they encounter some powerful enemy?" Han Qing's thoughts raced, his expression turning solemn.

"Move! Help that white-haired boy hold off his pursuers!" Han Qing's gaze sharpened as he finally made his decision.

"But..."

"There's no 'but.' That white-haired boy's strength is unfathomable. Don't assume that just because he's unconscious, we can definitely kill him. One wrong move and we'll all die!" Han Qing said gravely. A pair of blood-red eyes, unforgettable even now, rose in his mind. "Trust me. Saving him will be far more worthwhile than killing him!"

With that, Han Qing charged forward, straight toward Qin Lang and the others.

Seeing Han Qing rush toward them, Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi nearly despaired. But as he drew close, Han Qing didn't attack them. Instead, he called out in a low voice, "Get out of here! I'll deal with the people behind you!"