"After him!"
Several sharp cries rang out. The instant Xu Yang disappeared into the Mountain Woods, several people on the road suddenly pulled black cloths over their faces and pursued him into the Mountain Woods. "You two, we brothers have our eyes on Xu Yang. Pick someone else."
One of them suddenly spoke. Two separate groups had targeted Xu Yang at once.
"You should get lost instead, unless you want us to finish you off first."
The other group spoke, both men releasing the aura of astral qi minor accomplishment.
The first speaker's pupils contracted, and he immediately slunk away.
He had also reached astral qi minor accomplishment, but his companion had not.
"At least you know what's good for you!"
Withdrawing his aura, the man in blue raced through the forest like an agile leopard.
"Brother Wang, are we just robbing him, or killing him too?" His companion leaped after him.
"We can't leave a genius alive," the man called Brother Wang said. "Even if he only squeezed into the top ten by luck, leaving him alive would invite disaster. If he grows stronger later, he'll certainly investigate us."
"Understood!" his companion said.
They were also disciples of the Violet Sun Gate. Once they attacked, Xu Yang would remember their auras and might very well identify them later.
"Get lost!"
Suddenly, a thunderous shout exploded beside their ears, making the Mountain Woods seem to shake.
"Astral qi mastery!"
Both men looked back in shock. A figure radiating powerful astral qi hurtled toward them from behind, whipping up fierce winds wherever he passed. His crushing pressure spread through the forest like a tide.
The man wore a bamboo hat and face covering. Most striking of all was the cage he carried, which held a squealing white mouse that seemed to