"I never expected a True Immortal to chase us down like a mad dog. But don't worry — he won't be able to do anything to us as long as the spirit liquid holds out." Six Wings opened his eyes upon hearing this and spoke with a hint of hatred.
"That's because your earlier words stung him badly and made him hold a bone-deep grudge against you. That's why he's been chasing us relentlessly," the Ice Phoenix snorted coldly.
"What do you know? If I hadn't used my words to destabilize your mind first, we wouldn't have had the chance to cast the secret technique and open up any distance at all. If it really comes to the worst, we'll have no choice but to leave this continent and head back to Fengyuan first. I refuse to believe he'd follow us all the way to another continent," Six Wings said icily.
"Leaving Xuetian — now that's actually not a bad idea. A True Immortal like him wouldn't have descended to the Xuetian Continent without some pressing matter. Once I flee back to the Fengyuan Continent, he may well think twice about continuing the pursuit," the Ice Phoenix said, her beautiful eyes lighting up at the thought.
"If that's truly how it plays out, so much the better," Six Wings nodded darkly.
The three of them rested for another half day before they dared not remain any longer inside the mountain hollow. They transformed into two streaks of brilliant light and burst out from the small hill, once more setting off on their flight for survival.
But this time, the moment their escape lights began circling through the air, fluctuations suddenly rippled outward from all around. Four faint human figures flickered into existence, radiating an aura of terrifying power.
Six Wings and the Ice Phoenix were startled. They immediately withdrew their escape lights, revealing their naked forms, and halted in midair to study the four newcomers.
All four were dressed differently — two men and two women — and every one of them possessed Mahayana cultivation.
"What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoists? Are you here specifically for me?" Six Wings narrowed his eyes and demanded after finishing his inspection.
"You must be Fellow Daoist Six Wings? If we're not mistaken, then yes — the four of us are indeed here waiting for you," said a green-faced man wearing blood-red robes, his voice carrying an eerie undertone.
"Oh? So you really do recognize me. I don't recall having offended any fellow cultivators of comparable rank in Xuetian," Six Wings said, his expression shifting slightly, though his tone remained icy.
"Don't misunderstand, Fellow Daoist. We haven't come to make trouble for you — we merely wish to ask for a small favor," the green-faced man replied with something between a smile and a smirk.
"A favor! Is this how you go about asking someone for help? And what if I refuse?" Six Wings had already been smoldering with pent-up frustration from being hunted relentlessly. Now, seeing the unmistakably hostile bearing of these four Xuetian Mahayana cultivators, he could no longer contain the sliver of savagery brewing within him. A vicious gleam flashed through his eyes as he barked out his words.
If they couldn't give him a satisfactory answer, he might very well lash out at once.
After all, with his formidable escape arts, even if he couldn't match the four of them working together, carrying the Ice Phoenix and fleeing would still be child's play.
"There's no need for anger, Fellow Daoist Six Wings. The favor we ask not only greatly benefits us — it would also be doing you a tremendous service. Aren't you being chased by someone at this very moment?" the green-faced man's expression didn't change in the slightest. On the contrary, he posed the counter-question with absolute composure.
"What do you mean by that?" A chill ran through Six Wings' heart, and the cruel twist that had appeared on his face vanished without a trace.
"Simply put, what we need you to do is lure the person who's been chasing you to a very specific location. Once he's foolish enough to follow you there, he will never return — that much is guaranteed. Wouldn't that be mutually beneficial?" the green-faced man said mildly.
"You want to ambush him?" Six Wings was genuinely stunned.
"That's correct, we do indeed have such intentions. However, to pull this off, we'll need you two to cooperate," the green-faced man admitted frankly.
The Ice Phoenix, standing to the side, was thoroughly astonished by what she had just heard.
"Do you even know who it is that's been hunting us? You think the four of you are enough?" Six Wings asked with a cold laugh after a moment of wary hesitation.
"Who said only the four of us are involved in this? Heh heh. Regardless of this man's origins — he committed a blood sacrifice of hundreds of millions of living beings on our Xetian soil. Even if he is a True Immortal descended into the mortal realm, he will not leave the Xuetian Continent alive this time," the green-faced man declared, a trace of pride showing on his face.
"Ha ha ha — good, very good. With those words from you, Fellow Daoist, I accept the favor," Six Wings let out a hearty laugh and agreed without hesitation.
The green-faced man found Six Wings' behavior somewhat peculiar, but since the other party had agreed to cooperate, he saw no reason to overthink it. With a flick of his sleeve, a jade slip shot across toward Six Wings.
"Inside is the precise location where you need to lead that fiend. If you can lure him there, his death is absolutely certain. I trust that Fellow Daoist Six Wings will not disappoint us," the green-faced man said meaningfully.
"Rest assured. Even if only for the sake of my own life, I won't let this fail," Six Wings replied calmly, catching the jade slip and regaining his usual composure.
"Excellent. Then we wish you success from the outset, Fellow Daoist. The four of us have urgent matters to attend to, so we'll take our leave now." The green-faced man nodded and clasped his fists in a cupped salute.
Fluctuations surged!
The four Mahayana cultivators vanished from where they stood, just as silently as they had appeared.
Six Wings remained in place without moving, his face consumed by contemplation.