A Deadly Ambush!

After resting for a moment, Xiao An twisted his right shoulder, feeling a tingling and numb sensation in his bones.

His spiritual power was less than 30% of its peak. Although the wisp of Earth Dao Heaven and Earth Qi in his dantian could greatly enhance his combat strength, each time he used it, the damage to his meridians would increase.

Meanwhile, there was another wisp hidden deep within the Dantian...

He obtained it by chance from a dilapidated ancient formation on the outer perimeter; it was a wisp of Yin-Attribute Heaven and Earth Qi), and he had never revealed this to anyone.

If the news gets out, the number of cultivators chasing him will probably increase by more than ten times!

"No, I need to find somewhere to hide and recover first..."

"Only by surviving can we hope to turn the tide; he absolutely cannot die like this."

Xiao An used his escape technique, staying close to the ground, and quickly sped away into the distance. He didn't know what lay ahead, but it was at least safer than what lay behind.

Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Thirty miles north of Strewn Stone Ridge a dry riverbed covered with pebbles.

The seven Demon Beast had been lying in wait here for a whole day.

"They've arrived."

The Lord Rat's whiskers twitched suddenly, and a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy was rapidly approaching from the south, moving at an extremely fast speed and exuding a powerful aura.

It must be Xiao An!

The Lord Rat transmitted a message to all sides, then completely held its breath and remained motionless.

As Xiao An swept across the riverbed, his steps suddenly faltered.

His senses are extremely sharp.

For a swordsman, the ability to detect killing intent is an instinct ingrained in their bones. When he passed over that pebble beach just now, he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

But I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong.

It's too quiet.

In theory, a terrain like the Strewn Stone Ridge would attract small Demon Beast, but within a radius of several miles, birds and beasts have vanished, vegetation has withered, and there is not a trace of life.

Either a large Demon Beast is lurking there, driving away all the living creatures in the vicinity.

Or--

Xiao An abruptly stopped, his Qingfeng held horizontally in front of his chest.

But the moment he stopped, Bai Ling.

An invisible spiritual wave spread out from the pile of rocks, colorless and odorless, heading straight for Xiao An's sea of consciousness.

The illusions of the White Fox Clan don't rely on tricks of deception; instead, they act directly on the soul, causing the target to experience a cognitive bias for an instant.

Xiao An felt a buzzing in his head, and the scene before his eyes blurred for a very brief moment.

Just this one moment.

The ground beneath their feet cracked open.

The Lord Rat burst out of the soil; though small in size, it moved with astonishing speed.

With its sharp beak open, it bit down on Xiao An's ankle. This was no ordinary bite; the Lord Rat's fangs were infused with wind elemental power, like two invisible knives that shattered the protective aura around the ankle and embedded themselves directly into the flesh and bone.

"Brute!"

Xiao An let out a low shout, and with a flash of sword light, he slashed at the Lord Rat.

How could the Lord Rat dare to take his sword head-on?

The fangs on its ankles loosened, and its entire body burrowed back into the ground, as fast and slippery as an eel entering water...

But with that bite and block, Xiao An lost the initiative.

On both sides of the riverbed, the vine seeds buried by Bi Luo burst forth at the same moment.

Dozens of thick, green Qing Teng grew wildly from the cracks in the rocks, intertwining and forming a wooden prison over ten feet high, completely sealing off an area of thirty feet in radius.

The vines were covered with barbs and oozed a dark green sap, a paralyzing toxin specially concocted by Bi Luo. Once it came into contact with the vines, the flow of spiritual energy would be slowed down.

"The art of controlling wood?"

Xiao An's expression changed slightly, and he immediately swung his sword to strike.

Wherever Qingfeng green blade passed, it was incomparably sharp. With each gust of Sword Gang energy, more than ten vines snapped in two. Yet, green sap splattered from the cuts, and new vines grew from the broken ends.

While its speed can't match that of Bi Luo at its peak, it's still quite formidable and troublesome.

Unwilling to linger there, he leaped and smashed through the top of the wooden cell, using the opportunity to escape.

Just then, a muffled clap of thunder exploded overhead.

Lei Nu, seemingly out of nowhere, had already leaped into the air, carrying endless lightning, and crashed into the earth like a Lei Qiong!

"I am the storm!"

Lei Nu furiously, and the enormous phantom of the Lightning Bear illuminated the heavens and the earth. Lightning illuminated the entire riverbed, and sand and stones flew everywhere as Frenzied Thunder descended upon the world!

Xiao An looked surprised, with no way to avoid it.

His expression darkened, and with his left hand he formed a sword incantation. The Sword Gang on the Qingfeng surged to five zhang (approximately 10 meters) and slashed down from above!

The Sword Gang clashed with the Lightning Bear.

With a deafening roar, the shockwave swept in all directions, sending debris flying like a rain of arrows.

Lei Nu was thrown off balance by the recoil, tumbling several times in the air before regaining his footing. Xiao An, on the other hand, was infused with the power of lightning, causing half of his body to go numb. He was then forcefully knocked away and embedded in the ground.

When he finally managed to escape, his right leg was completely useless.

The Lord Rat's bite shattered his ankle, and a fine, wisp of wind repeatedly tore at the wound, preventing it from healing.

Before he could even regain his footing, a murderous intent erupted from the side.

That was Xiong Shan. The black bear silently charged out from the side of the riverbed, its four legs moving like a moving hill.

Seeing this, Xiao An parried with his sword.

Xiong Shan slammed his palm against the spine of the sword, the metallic clang causing his hand to crack. Xiao An gritted his teeth, steadied himself, and with a twist of his sword, the tip pierced Xiong Shan's throat...

The sword tip had barely pierced the flesh an inch when Xiong Shan's muscles and bones clamped the blade shut.

Its terrifying physical strength was able to withstand his sword strikes, making its defense one of the strongest!

Xiong Shan grunted, but did not retreat.

Instead, it pressed forward, its two bear paws grabbing Xiao Chenyuan's sword arm from either side, holding it tightly, trying to outmuscle him.

"Court death."

Xiao An activated the Earth Dao Heaven and Earth Qi.

A powerful, earthy-yellow spiritual energy surged from the Qi Sea and flowed into the sword.

Qingfeng a hum, Qingfeng's weight increased several times over, breaking free from Xiong Shan's restraints and sweeping out!

This sword struck Xiong Shan's chest, tearing his skin and flesh, and sending blood flying everywhere!

Xiong Shan roared in pain and was forced to retreat several steps.

But his sword strike had drawn upon the Heaven and Earth Qi and earth, causing a sharp pain in his dantian, and several more meridians were torn apart...

"What a powerful sword..."

The Lei Huan's voice came from the side and behind.

He had already circled behind Xiao Chenyuan, his claws crackling with lightning.

Shuang Yu then flanked from the other side, his icy aura condensing into a layer of frost armor covering his body, and white frost forming on the ground beneath his feet.

Surrounded on three sides.

Add to that the approaching Lei Nu, the Lord Rat that could emerge at any moment, and Bi Luo and Bai Ling blocking their retreat...

Seven Foundation Establishment stage demons trapped Xiao An here.

Xiao An looked around, and his expression finally changed.

It's not fear.

Rather, it is a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble.

"Fine!" he rasped, his Qingfeng held horizontally in front of him. "I've been running for five days and five nights, and I've been chased for five days and five nights."

"Unexpectedly, in the end, I died at the hands of a group of Demon Beast."

"Alright."

He raised his sword, its Sword Edge pointing to the sky.

"Let's go then!"