Fleeing into Ghost Forest

Dawn light was faint, and white mist filled the air.

Shrouded in the hazy morning fog, five li from the courtyard where the Blood Tree Stump stood, lay a three-way junction of fertile fields, narrow valley crevices, and deep forest.

Holding Guo Shiwen hostage, Li Hai cautiously surveyed his surroundings while glancing at Guo Huaijin in the distance. With a smile, he called out:

"Old Dog Guo, this is the outermost edge of that Qian Family Fortress territory you mentioned, right?"

Facing Li Hai's question, Guo Huaijin answered coldly:

"This used to be Qian Family Fort. Now it is called Guo Family Fort. Mm... as long as you follow the mountain wall into the woods ahead and keep heading inward, then cross Zhalong Mountain and continue onward, you will escape alive."

As he spoke, the dozens of household guards behind him kept their muskets raised, glaring fiercely at Li Hai as though they would open fire at any moment.

Yet Li Hai was not overly afraid. He still wore a smile, though killing intent blazed from the depths of his eyes.

He had already made up his mind. So long as he escaped alive, every last one of these people... would die.

At the same time, Li Hai did not entirely believe Guo Huaijin's earlier words.

That old dog looked downright sinister.

For all he knew, the end of the forest before him was not a path to survival at all, but a bottomless cliff.

As for why these people were able to carry guns now, and why their numbers had increased so greatly—

It was because Guo Huaijin had only reluctantly agreed to the second of the two demands Li Hai had made earlier.

As for the first demand, even though Li Hai repeatedly threatened Guo Shiwen's safety, Guo Huaijin merely sneered again and again, showing no intention of agreeing.

Clearly, that old fox was gambling with his life.

He was betting his grandson's life that Li Hai would not dare go all the way and perish together with him.

"Oh my, Old Master Guo~"

Feeling the killing intent radiating directly from the old man, Li Hai said with a grin, "Look at that expression of yours, like you want to slaughter my entire family. It is truly terrifying.

At the end of the day, we have neither old grudges nor recent enmity between us. Why make things so bitter and grave?

How about this? You and your men retreat thirty zhang. I will retreat thirty zhang as well, then put your grandson down. After that, you and I can go our separate ways. How does that sound?"

"Ha—"

Guo Huaijin sneered. "You crippled one of my grandson's hands, and you still want reconciliation? Are you joking at a time like this?

Hmph, stop spouting so much nonsense. Release Shiwen at once. I keep my word—I guarantee you a way out alive."

Li Hai looked at the dozens of guns aimed at him. He did not believe a single word of Old Dog Guo's grand-sounding claims.

He dared say that the instant he released Guo Shiwen, the musket balls would come flying at him.

"No choice."

Li Hai muttered inwardly, In the end, I still have to take a risk and gamble on it.

After thinking for several seconds, a cold smile suddenly spread across his face. Through the hazy morning mist between the fields, he shouted at Guo Huaijin from afar:

"Old Dog Guo, since you want to play dirty, then I will play along. Let your precious darling grandson... travel with me a little farther."

With that, Li Hai abruptly activated his supernatural ability—Blood Devouring Burning Heart.

Thump—

It was as if a bomb had exploded inside him. Li Hai's heart suddenly began pounding wildly.

The crimson blood coursing through the countless vessels in his limbs and body churned and surged like boiling water.

As these abnormal changes arose within him, his entire body abruptly turned red and scorching hot.

Amid a series of crackling bursts from his muscles and bones, his frame rapidly swelled by a full size.

At a glance, Li Hai stood within the thin mist like some crimson demon, enough to make one's scalp crawl.

Just as these changes appeared, Li Hai shot toward the dense Ghost Forest at his side and rear like an arrow released from the bow.

He was far too fast. So fast that Guo Huaijin and his group could not react at all. The Musket Squad did not dare fire immediately either, for fear of accidentally killing Guo Shiwen.

"You brat!"

Guo Huaijin was the first to react. With an angry roar, he chased after him like a hunting tiger, leaving afterimages in his wake.

Yet after taking only a few steps to the edge of the forest, he forcibly stopped. His face showed hesitation and wariness as he stood still.

"That little beast moved so swiftly just now, and his body grew so large. Especially his aura..."

Guo Huaijin's thick brows furrowed deeply. "It vaguely feels as though it is about to surpass the Force-Body Circulation realm. Could it be... that he broke through in the midst of battle? Mm... no, no, that cannot be."

He shook his head repeatedly. "How could Li, that little thief, happen to break through at such a perfect moment? He must have used some secret technique."

The more Guo Huaijin thought about it, the less he dared enter the woods.

Though they were in the same realm and he possessed ample combat experience, against the young and vigorous Li Hai, an old and weakened man like him was ultimately at a disadvantage.

Guo Huaijin had already realized this after exchanging a blow with Li Hai earlier.

Especially since this Li fellow seemed to possess some crooked, wicked art. Coupled with the year-round yin mist in this Ghost Forest and... certain hidden reasons, Guo Huaijin dared not rashly enter.

"Master."

At that moment, Steward Liu stepped forward and asked softly, "What should we do next? Should we summon the other Musket Squads from the fort, have them come here, and search the forest?"

"No."

Guo Huaijin said grimly, "Though this Ghost Forest is not boundlessly vast, and sheer valley cliffs surround it on all sides with no way out, there are even... fierce ghosts hidden within.

But it is covered in thick fog all year round, without a trace of light. If the Musket Squad rushes in, they may very well fall into that little thief Li's trap.

Should we suffer heavy losses, and should the other forts learn of this, it would be greatly detrimental to our Guo Family Fort..."

That was right. Guo Huaijin had lied just now.

At the end of this silent Ghost Forest, there was no escape route at all—only towering valley cliffs on every side.

And within it, there were supposedly... evil ghosts.

"Then..."

Steward Liu hesitated. "What about Young Master Shiwen...?"

"Ahh~~"

Guo Huaijin let out a long sigh toward the sky. "Have the Musket Squad guard this Three-Fork Junction tightly. If that little thief Li has not appeared after a while..."

His expression turned ruthless as he said coldly, "Set fire to the forest and force him out!"

Within the shadowy forest—

Swish~ Swish~ Swish~

Deep within Ghost Forest, where dense fog blocked out all daylight, Li Hai kicked off tree trunks, his body a crimson blur. Like a fire monkey, he constantly darted through the lush canopy and branches.

After continuing like this for some time, only when he felt the strain had grown too great did he finally stop, halting the operation of Blood Devouring Burning Heart as well.