When Ying Chong saw the direction Zhang Yu's escaping light had taken, he was first startled, then his expression shifted slightly as he guessed Zhang Yu's true intention.
There had originally been plenty of golden sand blocking the direction of Fierce Radiance, but after Zhang Yu's earlier back-and-forth maneuvers had dragged it about, it had been shifted elsewhere and thinned considerably. To Zhang Yu, protected by Clear Vault Aura, it was practically nonexistent; he could pass through it with ease.
Naturally, Ying Chong did not wish to let Zhang Yu escape so easily, yet he did not continue wielding the Azure Spirit Heavenly Branch to obstruct him as he had before. Just as Zhang Yu had expected, his magical power had indeed been greatly depleted during that bout of shifting and sealing.
What Zhang Yu had considered, he had considered as well. He feared that forcing an obstruction might instead leave a gap in his own defenses, allowing Zhang Yu to turn back and kill him. Thus, he calmly refrained from making another move.
As Zhang Yu flew onward, he kept his sword at the ready. If Ying Chong revealed a flaw, he would seize the opening and strike. But seeing that Ying Chong remained motionless for a long while, he knew the man had already taken precautions.
Still, this was just as well. With no obstruction ahead, he could rush toward Fierce Radiance at greater speed. Once he reached that place, it would be impossible for Ying Chong to retain the advantage he had held earlier.
The farther forward he went, the more he felt the pressure on him ease. Yet the Fierce Radiance ahead grew ever more intense, forcing him to mobilize even more Clear Vault Aura to shield himself.
After an unknown length of time, he suddenly