Chapter 174: Escape
Chapter 174: Escape
In his entire life, Qian Hong had never felt such humiliation.
As the head of the Qian family, he was usually held in high regard, respected, and dignified in his demeanor. But now, he had to crawl through the Earth Fire Array for his low-level Qi Refining disciples, leaving him disheveled and pathetic.
This display of incompetence made him feel utterly disgraced.
Qian Zhongxuan also felt humiliated, but seeing Qian Hong even more embarrassed next to him, he instantly felt a little better.
Qian Hong coughed, forcibly swallowing the blood that surged into his throat, and angrily ordered the Qian family cultivators behind him, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and chase them!"
Hearing this, the Qian family cultivators finally started moving and ran forward in pursuit.
Qian Hong had just breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly felt a surging force behind him. His heart sank, and he turned around to forcefully clash palms with the attacker.
The clash of Foundation Establishment cultivators' spiritual power created a violent vibration, causing numbness in half of Qian Hong's arm. The opponent's spiritual power also seeped into his palm, causing excruciating pain.
Qian Hong stumbled backward for four or five steps before he could stop.
The Qian family cultivators sensed the disturbance and paused, looking back at Qian Hong.
Qian Hong shouted sternly, "Go after the demon hunters! Cut them off from the Spirit Stones! Don't let them get away!"
The Qian family cultivators hesitated for a moment before they started moving again, crossing the mountain path to continue the chase.
Qian Hong's eyes turned icy as he glared at his assailant and said, "Yu Changlin, your audacity knows no bounds! How dare you ambush me?"
"What ambush?" Elder Yu looked confused. "I just wanted to tap your shoulder and greet you, but you countered with a palm strike. You're the despicable one here, suspecting my honest intentions."
"Do you think you can hold off two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Qian family by yourself?" Qian Hong asked coldly.
Qian Zhongxuan stood by Qian Hong's side, his expression guarded.
"What nonsense are you spouting? We agreed that Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't interfere. I'm a man of my word, and I won't go back on my promise," Elder Yu declared confidently.
Qian Hong saw through Elder Yu's thoughts and sneered, "Even if you hold us two Foundation Establishment cultivators back, my Qian family disciples will soon catch up to you. You won't be able to escape even if you grow wings."
"That remains to be seen," Elder Yu said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "We'll talk when they arrive."
Not far ahead, Mo Hua was commanding a dozen or so demon hunters to set up a first-grade Earth Fire Array.
Mo Hua had not used up all the Earth Fire Arrays at once and still had some left in his possession.
"Always keep something in reserve," Elder Yu had taught him.
The previous Earth Fire Array had blocked the main force of the Qian family, exhausted the Foundation Establishment cultivators, and made it easier for Elder Yu to restrain them.
The current Earth Fire Array was meant to frighten them and deter their reckless advance, thus slowing their pursuit.
After experiencing the previous Earth Fire Array, the Qian family cultivators were now aware of the power of a first-grade Earth Fire Array.
And an array capable of injuring Foundation Establishment cultivators was more than enough to strike fear into the hearts of these Qi Refining cultivators from the Qian family.
The dozen or so demon hunters who had stayed behind to cover the retreat continued to retreat while burying Earth Fire Arrays along the path that the Qian family would have to take.
Mo Hua, using the Flowing Water Steps, scurried around, examining the terrain and looking for suitable places to bury the arrays, with Mo Shan following him closely.
Soon, the pursuing Qian family cultivators triggered another Earth Fire Array.
Fire blazed up, spiritual power fluctuated, and with the explosion came the cries of injured cultivators.
"Another Earth Fire Array?!" The Qian family cultivators were filled with suspicion and fear, and they stopped in their tracks once again.
A few leading cultivators had to encourage and entice their companions before the group could continue their pursuit.
However, they didn't get far before another explosion sounded in the distance.
The Qian family cultivators were once again startled and halted their chase. After a moment, they mustered their courage and continued, only to trigger several Earth Fire Arrays in quick succession.
This uncertainty caused hesitation, and their steps unknowingly slowed.
With each step, they were fearful, and with each step taken, they felt fortunate to have survived.
Gradually, all the Qian Family cultivators developed a mental block about the Earth Fire Arrays; their progress became much slower.
Qian Zhuang and the others tried to encourage and threaten, but to no avail.
Their journey was full of stops and starts, and they moved at a snail's pace.
By the time the Qian Family cultivators finally spotted the demon hunters in the distance, the hunters had already left Black Mountain with their bags and boxes filled with Spirit Stones.
As the Qian Family cultivators chased them out of Black Mountain, the demon hunters had already begun entering Tongxian City one after another.
Mo Hua brought up the rear of the demon hunter group and was the last to enter the city.
Before him lay the gates of Tongxian City, and behind him were the hurried and furious cultivators of the Qian Family.
Mo Hua heaved a sigh of relief. After such a long battle and standoff, they had finally succeeded in mining the spirit stones and escaped the Qian Family's pursuit, emerging unscathed.
With the demon hunters safely inside Tongxian City, there was nothing the Qian Family could do, no matter how anxious they were.
Mo Hua came back to his senses and realized that Elder Yu had stood by his side at some point.
Elder Yu's clothes were torn in several places, and he had consumed a considerable amount of spiritual power, but upon seeing that Mo Hua was unharmed, he finally relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, Qian Hong and Qian Zhongxuan also arrived.
Having been held back by Elder Yu along the way, they looked exhausted, but what was even more difficult for them to accept was the scene before their eyes.
The demon hunters were laden with bags, and pairs of them carried boxes, entering Tongxian City safely and openly!
Those bags and boxes were filled with Spirit Stones—the newly mined Spirit Stones that should have belonged to the Qian Family!
Qian Hong's eyes widened with rage.
The Qian Family had spent so much time, so many Spirit Stones, and so many people on this endeavor, only to fail at the last moment and gain nothing.
Qian Hong's appearance was disheveled and pathetic, a far cry from his usual dignified self.
This was the biggest failure he had faced since becoming the head of the family. Overwhelmed with anger and frustration, his face contorted, and he shouted, "Yu Changlin! You old fool! I will never let you get away with this! I will make sure you suffer a thousand cuts and die a slow death!"
"And as for your array master, I will find him and cut him into a thousand pieces to ease my fury!"
Elder Yu was unfazed by Qian Hong's threats. Over the years, he had faced countless threats from the Qian Family. If he had been afraid, he wouldn't have dared to oppose them.
However, he was concerned about Mo Hua and worried that he might be scared by the ordeal.
Elder Yu turned his head to look at Mo Hua and noticed a smile on his face instead of worry or fear. In fact, he seemed to be sneering.
Elder Yu couldn't help but ask, "Why are you smiling?"
Mo Hua blinked and whispered, "The old turtle's shell is cracked."
Elder Yu furrowed his brows, not quite understanding. Then, he looked up and saw Qian Hong, disheveled, with a twisted expression on his face, and it finally dawned on him.
Qian Hong, who usually kept a calm demeanor, had completely lost his composure. With his hair messy and his face covered in dirt, he shouted like a shrew.
In all the years Elder Yu had dealt with him, he had never seen Qian Hong so furious and out of control.
A smile broke out on Elder Yu's face as well, and he shouted back at Qian Hong, "Qian Hong, you old turtle! Now that your shell is cracked, scurry back home and hide your shame!"
(End of Chapter)
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