Zhang Xing was terribly nervous as he flew through the wind, but he could clearly feel that Zuo Youxian was even more nervous. The man kept looking back and adjusting his true qi. Clearly, that reckless middle-aged man put no less pressure on Zuo Youxian than Zuo Youxian put on him.
Sure enough, although Zuo Youxian had flown off first, he could not shake his pursuer. The distance between them shrank almost visibly. Before long, roughly seventeen or eighteen li out from Huanshui Estuary, Zuo Youxian's true qi visibly began to flag, and the middle-aged man easily caught up behind him. Then the man swept his long saber through the air, sending a fierce gust tinged with pale-yellow true qi slicing toward them. Zuo Youxian could only dodge in disarray, swinging Zhang Xing to one side as a shield.
By then, Zhang Xing could no longer even shout, yet his mind was exceptionally clear. He understood why Bai Yousi had invited this man instead of coming herself-although the man was rather thickheaded, neither Sima Zheng, Bai Yousi, nor Heluo Huaibao came anywhere close to his speed, much less Zuo Youxian, who was dragging Zhang Xing along.
Considering the characteristics of core-condensing experts-their shamelessly effective protective true qi against weaker opponents, and their ability to run when they could not beat stronger ones-this man was practically their nemesis. He feared neither pursuit nor flight!
To put it bluntly, if Zhang Xing survived this, he would have to thank Bai Yousi for looking after him. Thinking about it this way, that towering woman must have learned from the Flowing Cloud Crane incident and specifically invited an expert suited to the task.
If only he were not in Zuo Youxian's hands.
As Zhang Xing's thoughts wandered, Zuo Youxian suddenly turned around again, dragging