In the northwestern Sun Moon Empire, a majestic mountain towered over an endless expanse of primeval forest.
Tap, tap, tap. Rustle, rustle. Footsteps, colliding branches, trembling leaves, ragged breaths, robes whipping through the air...
A sudden clamor shattered the stillness of the night.
Beneath a full moon, two dark figures raced one after the other across the treetops, treading on moonlight and plunging through the night.
Moonlight fell upon them, revealing two aged faces.
The one speeding ahead was an old man past fifty, dressed in black robes, his face weathered by the years.
Close behind him was another old man.
He wore yellowish-brown robes with grease-stained sleeves and held a red wine gourd.
Compared with the immaculate old man ahead, who remained unflushed, unruffled, and spotless despite his swift flight, he looked far more bedraggled.
His clothes were torn and covered in dust, his hair disheveled, his face flushed scarlet. Sweat streamed down his cheeks as he panted heavily.
Five or six hideous wounds slowly seeped blood, and his movements through the trees were feeble, as though he might collapse at any moment.
"Cough... Sect Master Zhong... Zhongli Wu, let's... let's rest. They shouldn't be able to chase us this far. I... I can't hold on much longer."
As the old man leaped through the forest, he narrowed his eyes and discreetly scanned his surroundings. Suddenly spotting a clearing ahead, his eyes lit up. He drew a breath and called out haltingly.
Can't hold on?
I think you can't hold yourself back anymore!
The marker above your head spells it out perfectly clearly!
Zhongli Wu glanced back at the old man, sneering inwardly.
``` [Name: Xuan Zi]
[Martial Soul: Godly Taotie Bull]
[Title: Taotie Douluo]
[Level: Level 98]
[Identity: Sea God Pavilion elder]
[Status: Minor injuries]
[Sins: Steeped in