Two hours later.
Above the ruins of Southern Heavenly City, Qing Chen and Yan Tong remained locked in a standoff.
The Abyssal Heaven Mirror hovered over Yan Tong's head, its azure light illuminating hundreds of li in a posture of strict defense. Qing Chen floated with his hands behind his back, the Blood River Slaughter Spear lying horizontally before him, and yawned from time to time.
"Azure Abyss Marquis, are you still not leaving?" Yan Tong asked coldly. "Nangong Lie must have fled over a hundred thousand li by now. Even if you wanted to pursue him, you wouldn't know where to start, nor could you catch him. He wouldn't simply run in a straight line and wait for you."
Qing Chen regarded him at leisure. "Mirror Lord Yan, why are you in such a hurry to send me away? This is our first meeting, and opportunities to meet are rare. Wouldn't it be nice to chat a little longer?"
"I have nothing to discuss with you."
"That's not right." Qing Chen shook his head. "You hold the Subordinate Second Rank, and I hold the Subordinate Third Rank. We serve the same court, so how can you say we have nothing to discuss? Perhaps Gouwu Sea will one day qualify for second- and third-rank appointments. We'll be neighbors then. Shouldn't we visit each other more often?"
Yan Tong's expression darkened, and he could not be bothered to respond. Why hadn't he acted like this earlier?
He was in no hurry either. Keeping Qing Chen pinned here was enough.
In another few hours, Nangong Lie would have fled several hundred thousand li. By then, he would be within the coverage of the Inspection Outposts established by the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty along the edges of Gouwu Sea, essentially near Mingzhou