Break into Pieces and Flee for Your Lives!

Underwater currents were turbulent, and the group hurried along the bottom of the swamp.

Every now and then, fierce Divine Sense would sweep across their heads, each time making everyone's hearts tighten, fearing that they were being hunted down.

Sun Yao's face was deathly pale. The newly acquired Heaven and Earth Qi was churning in her Qi Sea, and she had to devote half of her mental energy to suppressing it, which slowed her down considerably.

Sun Chengzu's right arm was mangled and torn. Although his injury had improved, the residual internal heat continued to ravage his flesh.

The wounds were constantly being burned and new flesh was constantly growing back, causing repeated torment, but he didn't utter a sound, gritting his teeth and following at the front of the group to clear the way.

After wading underwater for a full half hour, the Lord Rat suddenly raised its pointed snout and its whiskers twitched.

"Oh no, people from above are here, at least three groups."

Sun Yao closed her eyes and probed Fang Yi with her Divine Sense--

On the surface of the marshland, hundreds of figures were walking on the waves, rushing towards them. The purple flames of the Grand Purity Sect were the most dazzling. On the left flank was the Vast Righteousness School, and on the right flank were more than a dozen chaotic sword lights.

It's not just those few families, but also disciples from Nascent Soul sects.

There were also a dozen or so groups of cultivators from smaller factions following behind, in small groups of three or five, looking exactly like a pack of wild dogs that had smelled blood.

"There are too many people chasing us."

"If this continues, we're all doomed..."

Liu Qing spoke calmly, but her fingers trembled slightly.

The group and the demons set off together, but now Sun Lin is dead, Shi Mo and Shi Pan are seriously injured, and Sun Chengzu has lost half an arm...

Bi Luo has overdrawn its source of power, and its spiritual energy is nearly exhausted...

This team has lost at least 30% of its fighting strength.

The opposing side, just by roughly scanning their ranks, numbered two to three hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.

There's no escaping it.

Sun Yao opened her eyes.

"Let's split up."

The moment those three words were uttered, everyone underwater was startled.

"Yao Gu, no!" Sun Chengzu exclaimed urgently. Split up, this is to give them a chance to survive. Sun Yao is using herself as bait!

"That's an order!"

"If we go in groups, we'll be too conspicuous. They only need to pinpoint one person's scent to track them down and capture everyone in one fell swoop."

"After they separated, they were unsure who controlled the Heaven and Earth Qi, so they had to divide their forces to pursue them. Dividing their forces meant dividing their strength."

"Everyone will go their own way, without interfering with each other. The exit of the secret realm will reopen in three months, at which time we will meet up outside."

"To get out of here alive is to succeed!"

"As for those who didn't make it out, well, that's all fate..."

Sun Yao spoke with a smile, her words understated, yet they revealed her resolve to die. Sun Lin had already perished in order to help her seize the Heaven and Earth Qi.

She couldn't let these younger generations become her scapegoats forever.

The life and death of a cultivator is inherently like this.

This is a cause and effect unique to her, and she is the one who should understand the reason behind it!

Upon hearing this, Liu Qing nodded slightly and was the first to speak up, "I will lead the people of Azure Light Gate eastward to draw away a group of pursuers for you."

Sun Yao glanced at him, Liu Qing smiled wryly, "True Person Qingshan instructed that this trip will be led by your White Cloud Temple, with my Azure Light Gate providing support."

"Now that I have the Heaven and Earth Qi, I have done what I was supposed to do."

"The rest is up to fate."

"This time, you White Cloud Temple have really screwed us over, but we have to see this through to the end. Our master has given the order, so we will do our utmost."

"However, I hope that after this experience, your White Cloud Temple will take good care of my Azure Light Gate in the future, which will make up for the loss of my uncles, brothers, and fellow disciples on this trip."

He didn't say anything about bravely facing death.

He simply waved his hand, then led the remaining disciples of the Azure Light Gate, swimming eastward into the dark current and disappearing into the darkness.

The Lord Rat approached Sun Yao and pointed its sharp snout. "Xiao Yao'er, don't feel too burdened, come with us."

"The ancestor values you highly; he can't bear to see you die..."

Sun Yao smiled and shook her head slightly.

"I know you are a magnanimous man, but this time, I don't want to implicate you all again. If I can return alive this time, Yao will definitely stay by your side and serve you."

"Let's go, Rat Master. Shi Pan and Shi Mo are already seriously injured. If they die, the Ancestor will be even more heartbroken..."

"It's not just me, they were also raised by our ancestors from childhood..."

The Lord Rat turned to look at the demonic Demon Beast, including Kuang Dou, Lei Nu, Shi Mo, and Shi Pan, sighed slightly, and finally looked at the group of demons:

"You heard everything?"

"Go your own way, don't stick together. Three months in this secret realm is enough for us to find a cave to lick our wounds."

"Shi Mo and Shi Pan, you two are the most seriously injured. Find a secluded place to hide and don't wander off, lest you betray Xiao Yao'er's good intentions."

Shi Mo nodded slightly, which was taken as agreement.

After Shi Pan was pulled from the water by Sun Chengzu, he didn't utter a sound. He limped along with his hind legs, and most of his flesh was burned...

As Sun Yao's spirit beast, he still had some feelings for Sun Yao.

Despite Sun Yao's apparent resolve to face death, he ultimately chose silence. Everyone has their own destiny and their own path.

At this moment, Sun Yao also extracted the Heaven and Earth Qi from her body.

He sealed it in a jade bottle and presented it to Shi Pan, saying:

"Shi Pan, I may die, but the Heaven and Earth Qi is hard-won, so I entrust it to you for safekeeping. If I return alive, I will retrieve it then."

"If I do not return, then I will place this wisp of Heaven and Earth Qi into the sect's Blessed Land land, so as to continue the foundation of my sect's Cloud Dao Blessed Land."

"Okay, take care."

Shi Pan agreed, swallowed the jade bottle in one gulp, sealed it in his stomach, and completely suppressed its aura...

Then, the two giant bears, Shi Pan Shi Mo, exchanged a glance, and one after the other, dived into the deepest part of the swamp and disappeared.

Bi Luo leaned on a vine cane, his face as white as gold.

I'll go south.

Bi Luo spoke, her voice so weak it was almost inaudible. "The backlash from my bloodline Divine Ability is too severe; I won't have any combat strength for a while."

"Let's go further away, so as not to be a burden to everyone."

After saying that, he wrapped his cloak tighter, and with a swift movement, he swam away underwater.

The demons dispersed.

Kuang Dou headed north, Lei Nu rushed west, Xiong Shan and Shuang Yu south and north respectively, while Bai Ling and Lei Huan swam towards the edge of the swamp...

In the end, only Sun Yao, Sun Chengzu, Sun Qiyan, Lu Xun, the Two Heroes of the Zhao Clan, and the Three Heroes of the Yun Clan remained, a total of nine people.

"You all go too."

Sun Yao glanced at everyone. "Nobody follow anyone else, everyone walks alone."

Sun Chengzu opened his mouth, as if to say something, but was silenced by a look from Sun Yao.

"Chengzu, you've ruined half your hand, don't try to be a hero."

"Lu Xun, your cultivation level is the lowest. Find a corner to hide in. You have good talent; this is just a training exercise. Don't jeopardize your future."

"The Zhao Household, the Yun family, you can each rely on your own abilities..."

After saying that, Sun Yao stopped looking at anyone, activated her spiritual power, transformed into a streak of water light, and disappeared into the undercurrents at the bottom of the swamp.

After a few moments of silence, everyone clasped their hands in greeting and then went their separate ways.

Nine figures, in nine directions.

No one said anything polite like "take care." After decades of cultivation, none of those who have reached this point are pretentious.

Only those who survive have the right to be sentimental.

Only by surviving can one find the path to enlightenment!