Without a second thought, Six Wings flicked his wide sleeve. A wave of cold light immediately swept out, pulling the Ice Phoenix to his side. A spray of white, misty cold air appeared, spitting out a translucent, round pearl. With a roll on the ground, he transformed into an Eight-Winged Giant Centipede that bored straight through the mountain's belly, becoming a white streak that fled into the distance.
After about the time it takes to eat a meal, a tearing sound broke through the sky at the horizon. A young man in black robes appeared, stepping upon seven-colored clouds.
Though his wide sleeves billowed and his movements seemed leisurely, his escape speed was by no means slow. After a few flickers, he had strangely arrived above the small mountain.
The black-robed youth first swept an expressionless gaze over the small mountain below. A hint of a cold smile suddenly surfaced on his face. He tapped one foot lightly, and the seven-colored clouds beneath him instantly tore through the sky again, shooting off in pursuit.
The direction he chased was unmistakably the one Six Wings and the others had taken earlier.
This True Immortal from the Immortal World seemed to truly possess a method to track Six Wings and the Ice Phoenix's whereabouts. Even after such a long interval, he could follow with absolute precision, without error.
Thus, a chase ensued between the black-robed youth and Six Wings with the Ice Phoenix.
Under Six Wings' use of life-preserving escape arts, though their speeds were worlds apart, no matter how far the latter stretched the distance, the black-roached youth would always catch up after a few days, unhurriedly and calmly. It was like a maggot clinging to bone, or a cat toying with a mouse.
Six Wings was naturally furious and alarmed, but no matter how he inspected his own body and the Ice Phoenix's inside and out, he found not a single trace of anything unusual. Only then did he realize he had ultimately underestimated the abilities of those from the Immortal World.
Left with no choice, he could only grit his teeth and expend the newly refined Plain Yin Star Qi continuously, fleeing onward with the Ice Phoenix.
Three months later, just as Six Wings was finally starting to falter under the relentless pursuit, the black-roached youth suddenly vanished silently from behind, not reappearing for several days.
Six Wings and the Ice Phoenix were overjoyed, both thinking they had finally shaken off their pursuer. They hurriedly found a secluded spot and slowly began recovering the true essence within their bodies.
However, half a month later, when the black-roached youth reappeared in the vicinity, Six Wings and the Ice Phoenix could only secretly curse their bitter fate as they once more embarked on a desperate flight.
...
On the Blood Sky Continent, within a secret grand hall of the Helian Merchant Alliance's headquarters, Bi Ying, the Blood Sky branch's person-in-charge, sat behind a purple wood table. His expression was somber as he gazed at a jade slip he had just received.
A moment later, he finally finished reading the entire jade slip. He placed it on the table and lightly clapped his hands together with a soft *pa*.
Instantly, a gentle breeze swirled before the wooden table. A blurred figure flickered into existence and immediately bowed deeply to Bi Ying.
"What happened? Daoist Yan Yu actually fell and perished, yet it took you all so long to report this matter to me," Bi Ying asked calmly.
"Reporting to the superior. Senior Yan Yu met up with two other Mahayana seniors that day before venturing deep into the Qiyun Mountain Range to investigate the population disappearances in the Eight Kingdoms and Nineteen Sects. After being gone for several months, a message was finally sent saying they had traced the location of the suspected perpetrator. But after that, no further communication was received. Later, the Mingshe Clan and our Alliance sent people carrying the three seniors' life plates back into the Qiyun Mountain Range to search. No sooner had they ventured a short distance than all three life plates shattered simultaneously. Only then did they know the three seniors had perished, though it remained unclear what means had been used to conceal it."
"The investigators spent another month or so before finding some residual aura of the three seniors in a secluded location. From the traces left nearby, it seemed the three seniors had fought fiercely before simultaneously perishing there at the hands of a single opponent. This matter is of extreme importance, and the investigators dared not be negligent. After verifying all information was correct through this back-and-forth, they finally dared transmit the news to you, superior," the blurred figure explained in a deep voice, seeming thoroughly acquainted with every detail of the affair.
"To be able to conceal the Heavenly Secrets of the life plates, even if the duration seems not very long, is somewhat inconceivable. At the very least, in all my long years, I have never heard of anything similar occurring. Though Yan Yu Daoist and the others were only average Mahayana existences, to be able to slay all three of them single-handedly, among all the famous old monsters of the entire Blood Sky, the number could likely be counted on two hands. Apart from me, none of the other Elders in our Alliance could accomplish this. It seems the one conducting the blood sacrifices on the Eight Kingdoms and Nineteen Sects is indeed a supreme fiend," Bi Ying said, rubbing his chin, a cold gleam flickering in his eyes.
"If this fiend had only blood-sacrificed the nations and sects within the Qiyun Mountain Range, that would be one thing. With cultivation so terrifying, even after committing such a colossal act, most ordinary factions would likely not dare seek revenge. However, I've just received another report. This fiend brazenly appeared in the Great Dragon Kingdom half a month ago. Using a manifested, boundless River of Blood, he once again swept up the entire population of that kingdom along with dozens of its smaller and medium-sized sects, turning all living beings into bloodwater and sucking them into the River of Blood. With this, factions like the Blood Bone Gate can no longer sit idly by. It is said that these past few days, these factions have been in frequent contact, apparently planning to dispatch some Mahayana Elders to form a Demon-Slaying Alliance to specifically hunt down this fiend. Furthermore, I have also received letters from the relevant factions, similarly requesting our Alliance to join," the blurred figure recounted in detail.
"A Demon-Slaying Alliance? The Blood Bone Gate and those other super-sects are finally intervening. It seems this matter has truly escalated. Very well. Our Alliance does not need to wade too deeply into these troubled waters for now, but we cannot show absolutely no response either. How about this: have Elder Jun make a trip and participate in this Demon-Slaying Alliance. However, he must absolutely not confront the fiend directly; preserving his own life must be the priority. Our Alliance has already suffered considerable loss with the passing of Daoist Yan Yu," Bi Ying pondered for a moment before finally coming to a decision.
"Yes. I will go and inform Elder Jun Yimeng at once." The blurred figure raised no objection whatsoever to Bi Ying's command and bowed in acceptance.