Zong Ya discovered that the space beneath the tree was empty.
Had the elder who had been there just a moment ago vanished on the spot?
The next second, Zong Ya's pupils contracted slightly.
She felt killing intent rushing toward the back of her head.
By now, Zong Ya was at the mid Golden Core stage, approaching the late stage.
Although she was still no match for an attack from the Nascent Soul Realm, she could escape if she went all out.
She darted aside to evade the elder's attack, then flipped down from the tree trunk.
Pushing off lightly with her toes, she somersaulted through the air, using the greater flexibility of a woman's body to put distance between herself and him.
"Heh, heh... you little thief from the Shu Frontier. Did you think no one in my Golden Wing Sect could see through your Breath-Concealing Pill?"
Under the moonlight, Zong Ya dimly made out the man's features.
There was something familiar about his brow and eyes.
Zong Ya's voice held unmistakable shock. "True... True Person Yuan Yong?"
"Weren't you imprisoned in the Insect Ruins?"
"Did you escape without permission? Aren't you afraid of the Sect Master's punishment?"
At this point, Zong Ya remembered that True Person Yuan Yong had only been sentenced to one year in the Insect Ruins. Counting the time now, his term really did seem to be over.
True Person Yuan Yong's face was vacant and stiff. "What? Do you truly take me for a fool?"
"Your dear junior brother persecuted me until I ended up like this. I lost my son in my twilight years and suffered every torment in those accursed Insect Ruins."
"Do you really think I would simply escape and let all my suffering go to waste?"
"Never. I will train