In the green bamboo grove outside the city.
Cao Jinxing walked faster and faster. The nine people trailing far behind him noticed something was wrong.
"Has he spotted us? Is he trying to run?"
"He knows Demonic Shadow Doppelganger. If he really wanted to run, it would be easier somewhere crowded."
"Then what is he..."
"Reinforcements! Could he have reinforcements outside the city? Is he luring us over?"
"Hiss!"
"Let's strike!"
"No. He knows Heaven and Earth Great Shift. The Holy Maiden and the Dharma King explicitly ordered us not to act rashly. They've already gone to fetch a treasure to deal with him!"
"All that for one Xiantian?"
"The Holy Maiden died at his hands. The Raging Fire and Flood Banner Envoys, both Tongyou experts, were injured by their own attacks when he used Heaven and Earth Great Shift. What do you think?"
"Then we..."
"No! He's disappeared!"
The telepathic exchange suddenly changed. All nine were startled and hurriedly focused their gazes ahead. The figure striding along had vanished!
The three Tongyou experts leading them hurriedly sent instructions for everyone to group up and stay on guard. Their opponent might be trying to pick them off one by one. They could not let him succeed!
But before they could form up, a powerful surge of Ice-Cold True Qi suddenly shot skyward from the center of the bamboo grove. A freezing wind swept through the entire grove!
True qi surged. Someone was forcing a breakthrough!
"Th-this...!"
"There's no one else in the grove! Is Cao Jinxing breaking through? His true qi is still climbing rapidly. He's reached Xiantian ninth layer!"
"Heavens! Did... did he consume some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?"
"Whatever it was, this is a good opportunity! The slightest lapse during a breakthrough can cause cultivation deviation. He's