Chapter 232: This Brother is Indeed Fierce!

Chapter 232: This Brother is Indeed Fierce!

Yu Shen Zong, the foremost spiritual sect of Yu Zhou, and one of the three major sects, along with the Su family, one of the five great aristocratic families—no force in Yu Zhou dared to offend these two powerhouses.

Even wandering cultivators wouldn't dare to cause the slightest offense to warriors from these sects. Despite suffering oppression, they could only endure it silently.

Any sign of resistance or retaliation would inevitably lead to death!

To the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, Xu Yan was indeed powerful. However, they represented their respective factions. How dare a mere wandering cultivator defy them?

Who would have thought that Xu Yan would directly take action!

Completely disregarding the forces backing them!

"You're asking for death!"

The Yu Shen Zong executive flew into a rage and raised his hand to attack Xu Yan.

He was a late-stage Little Celestial warrior!

The Su family executive also turned cold, abruptly attacking with a punch that sent a massive fist imprint crashing down like a small mountain!

Although Xu Yan had only reached the Consummate stage of Insight, he had been accumulating his foundation for some time, and his strength was increasing daily. The Xun Feng Sword Intent was also incredibly powerful.

Buzz!

The Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers emerged and instantly enveloped them. The gentle breeze suddenly turned violent, blowing within the mountains and rivers!

In an instant, the Yu Shen Zong executive felt his consciousness shake, as if a gale was blowing through his spiritual sense.

A tearing sensation washed over him.

"Ah!"

He couldn't help but let out a painful cry, and his attack paused.

The sudden sting took him by surprise, and before he could unleash his full power, the sword light had already fallen!

In a battle between strong warriors, life and death were decided in the blink of an eye!

Puchi!

The Yu Shen Zong executive was instantly slain.

Just then, the massive fist imprint crashed down, but Xu Yan moved swiftly, changing his position in an instant and appearing at the Su family executive's side.

A shift in form and position!

Once again, the sword fell.

The sudden death of the Yu Shen Zong executive startled the Su family executive. He didn't even understand why he couldn't block a single sword strike and was killed instantly!

At this moment, he felt a strong sense of danger.

"I am from the Su family. How dare you kill me?"

He roared, his voice harsh but betraying his inner fear.

"To kill you, I need no reason!"

Xu Yan smiled coldly, and his sword fell like thunder, like divine punishment.

Boom!

The Su family executive punched out, and his body moved to escape.

Just then, his spiritual sense felt like it was being blown by a gale, almost tearing it apart. The pain was so intense that his eyes nearly popped out!

"What kind of cultivation technique is this?"

The Su family executive was horrified!

This wasn't the soul suppression of a Refining God Celestial warrior; instead, it seemed to be some bizarre martial art that directly tore at his spiritual sense.

Only now did he understand why the Yu Shen Zong executive had been killed!

The Su family executive's attack became chaotic and scattered due to the pain in his spiritual sense. Even his attempt to flee was abruptly halted.

In this critical moment, the Su family executive frantically circulated the spirit-gathering technique to try and eliminate the tearing sensation in his spiritual sense and resist the bizarre gale assault.

But the sword of thunder had already fallen!

"The Su family will never let you off!"

The Su family executive roared in his final moments.

Puchi!

After killing the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, Xu Yan reached out and grabbed their storage bags. With a surge of sword intent, he turned them into flying ashes!

Yu Xiaolong poked his head out from Xu Yan's sleeve, shocked. "You killed the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family? This is going to cause a huge uproar. Yu Shen Zong and the Su family will definitely not let you off!"

It had been a long time since any wandering cultivator in Yu Zhou dared to kill someone from the three sects or the five great families.

"So what if I killed them? What can Yu Shen Zong and the Su family do?"

Xu Yan wasn't concerned in the slightest.

"You'll be hunted down. Hurry, escape now before it's too late!"

Yu Xiaolong urged, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Who knows, maybe even a Refining God Celestial will come after you!"

Xu Yan remained calm. "So what if it's a Refining God Celestial?"

Indeed, he was no match for a Refining God Celestial warrior, but with his Light Merging with Dust technique, he could avoid detection. As long as he was cautious, even a Refining God Celestial might not be able to find him.

"Hurry, escape now! A Refining God Celestial might not take action lightly, but a Great Celestial warrior definitely will!"

Yu Xiaolong said gravely.

"Just a Great Celestial? That's not a big problem."

Xu Yan frowned slightly; the threat of a Great Celestial warrior wasn't too concerning.

However, he couldn't be careless.

What if he wasn't afraid, but a group of three or five Great Celestials surrounded and attacked him?

Qing Lin City was now off-limits to him, and Xu Yan also felt a sense of urgency. He had to quickly accumulate enough foundation to break through to the Divine Will realm.

Once he reached the Divine Will realm, he would be unmatched below the Refining God Celestial stage!

Even facing a Refining God Celestial, he could escape right under their noses without needing to use the Light Merging with Dust technique to hide!

The Divine Will realm would be a massive boost to his power.

"Let's go find the Earth Spirit Dragon Qi!"

Xu Yan rose into the air and headed straight for the desolate mountains on the border of Yu Zhou, where the Earth Spirit Dragon Qi was located.

...

"Hall Master, the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family are chasing after that proud son of heaven!"

In the Wan Shi Alliance branch, the man who had warned Xu Yan earlier rushed in, looking flustered.

"I'll go there now!"

The Hall Master's face changed, and he immediately grabbed the man and rose into the air, disappearing in an instant.

"We're too late. That proud son of heaven might have already been captured," the middle-aged man sighed.

The Hall Master's eyes narrowed as he observed the battlefield. From the remnants of the battle, it seemed that the fight had ended quickly and hadn't been very intense.

Frowning, he said, "Go to Qing Lin City and investigate. Find out why Yu Shen Zong and the Su family want to capture that boy and what their intentions are."

"Yes, Hall Master!"

The middle-aged man hurried off.

In Qing Lin City, within Lei Yun Pavilion, the bounty on Xu Yan still remained.

However, it was said that a warrior had provided clues about the boy's whereabouts and received a reward.

The executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family had already gone to capture him.

The warriors in Lei Yun Pavilion couldn't help but feel envious. That wandering cultivator had not only received a reward but had also gained favor with Yu Shen Zong and the Su family. If the executives took a liking to him, he might even have a chance to join Yu Shen Zong or the Su family.

Once one became a warrior of a spiritual sect or a great family, even if one were just a low-ranking affiliated warrior, one would still be far superior to a wandering cultivator.

The middle-aged man entered Lei Yun Pavilion and found a few warriors from the Wan Shi Alliance. After a quiet exchange, he was puzzled to find that there was no news of the boy being captured.

Had they not announced it publicly, or had they not captured him yet?

The bounty was still in effect and hadn't been canceled, which meant that the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family hadn't returned yet?

Or perhaps they had taken the boy to another location and hadn't had time to cancel the bounty?

A day later.

Two old men appeared in Lei Yun Pavilion, followed by several warriors with murderous auras.

The hearts of the warriors in the pavilion couldn't help but tremble.

Great Celestial warriors!

Moreover, they were Great Celestials from Yu Shen Zong and the Su family. The few people behind the two Great Celestials were warriors from Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, responsible for pursuing and killing hostile warriors!

The middle-aged man's heart skipped a beat, and a shocking thought occurred to him.

Could it be that the executives of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family had been killed by that boy?

How old was he, yet he could kill executives of a spiritual sect and a great family?

"Anyone who provides information on this man's whereabouts will be rewarded with one million spirit crystals and a bottle of Gathering Spirit Pills. Those who capture him will receive a bottle of Gathering Spirit Pills and a low-grade spiritual artifact." The elder of Yu Shen Zong announced with a deep voice.

In the Lei Yun Pavilion, the crowd of warriors stirred with excitement.

"Those who provide clues and assist in his capture will be given the opportunity to join the outer guard of the Su family." The Su family elder added.

Countless wandering cultivators were instantly stirred to action, eager to seize this rare chance to leave their solitary lives behind and join one of the great families. In an instant, numerous cultivators scattered in search of Xu Yan's whereabouts.

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Yu Zhou within a day.

Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, two formidable powers, were jointly pursuing a solitary cultivator. This event shook the martial arts world of Yu Zhou, causing even more of a stir than the Dai family's pursuit of Wen Yong.

Yu Shen Zong, being the foremost spiritual sect in Yu Zhou and one of the three major sects, and the Su family, one of the five great aristocratic families, their joint pursuit of a solitary cultivator was an unprecedented event in the history of Yu Zhou's martial arts world!

After all, the Dai family was only a second-rate aristocratic family.

Numerous forces within Yu Zhou were curious about Xu Yan's identity and what had prompted Yu Shen Zong and the Su family to pursue him with such fervor.

Soon, various factions and well-informed solitary cultivators learned the reason behind this pursuit.

It was all because of the Qing Tian Jiao Tomb!

The boy had fought the Qing Tian Jiao, which had turned into a corpse demon, and in the end, the Qing Tian Jiao had disappeared. Yu Shen Zong and the Su family were investigating this very incident.

However, the executive they had sent to capture the boy had been killed!

There was no doubt that he had been slain by the boy, which had enraged Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, leading to the issuance of the bounty.

"So that's how it is!" The branch leader of the Wan Shi Alliance suddenly understood.

"This boy has guts, daring to offend the spiritual sect and the aristocratic family. He has the spirit that our Wan Shi Alliance lacks! Find him!"

"Yes, branch leader!"

The Wan Shi Alliance sprang into action, searching for Xu Yan's whereabouts.

However, Xu Yan's identity remained a mystery.

In a certain city, Shen Haizhou muttered to himself, "This brother is indeed fierce. The people of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family show no mercy in their pursuit. He's truly a man who can subdue the Qing Tian Jiao."

"This is a great opportunity. If I can help him out of this predicament, we will surely forge a bond." Shen Haizhou rejoiced and quickly mobilized the Shen family's intelligence network to search for Xu Yan's whereabouts.

"If I'm not mistaken, this brother should be trying to escape from Yu Zhou, most likely through the Mang Mountains." Shen Haizhou speculated.

The Mang Mountains on the border of Yu Zhou were a common route for fugitive solitary cultivators.

Once inside the Mang Mountains, one could use the terrain to evade pursuit, greatly increasing their chances of escaping Yu Zhou.

Although the solitary cultivators knew that Yu Shen Zong and the aristocratic families would definitely search the Mang Mountains, there were few other options.

The Mang Mountains offered the best chance of escape.

Moreover, the mountains stretched for thousands of miles, making it impossible for the spiritual sects and aristocratic families to guard every inch of the terrain.

Shen Haizhou set off for the Mang Mountains, his heart thrilled with anticipation. "I have a feeling that this brother is an extraordinary figure, just like the Blood Demon of old!"

Xu Yan continued on his way, heading straight for the Mang Mountains.

"I have a feeling things might get troublesome. Yu Shen Zong and the Su family may be waiting for you in the Mang Mountains!" Yu Xiaolong worriedly said.

"How would they know that I'm going to the Mang Mountains?" Xu Yan frowned.

"The Mang Mountains are a well-known escape route for solitary cultivators who have offended the spiritual sects and aristocratic families. It's the most likely path you'd take," Yu Xiaolong explained helplessly.

Xu Yan's frown deepened. "Will the Earth Spirit Dragon Qi in the Mang Mountains be easy to find? What if I'm discovered?"

"The Mang Mountains are vast. It won't be easy for them to find you. As long as you can enter the mountains, you should be fine," Yu Xiaolong reassured him.

"Getting into the Mang Mountains won't be a problem," Xu Yan said confidently.

Suddenly, his expression changed as he turned his head towards a figure in the distance.

There, a warrior held a scroll and seemed to be comparing it to Xu Yan's appearance as he studied it.

"Quick, kill him!" Yu Xiaolong urged.

Without needing to be told twice, Xu Yan's sword flashed, and the warrior was instantly slain. Judging from his attire, he seemed to be from a third-rate aristocratic family.

Xu Yan snatched the scroll from the fallen warrior's hand. The painting depicted a handsome man with a sword across his chest.

"Very well, Yu Shen Zong and Su family, I will remember you!" Xu Yan said coldly.

With a surge of true essence, the scroll turned to ashes.

Xu Yan paused, realizing that he couldn't afford to be so high-profile. Flying through the air would make him an easy target.

Descending from the sky, Xu Yan changed his clothes and manipulated his true essence to alter his facial muscles, changing his appearance.

"Your attempt to change your appearance won't fool anyone," Yu Xiaolong remarked.

"Unless they come close to inspect, they won't notice," Xu Yan smiled faintly.

As long as they didn't scrutinize him up close, no one would detect that he had altered his appearance.

Next, he activated the Light Merging with Dust technique, altering his aura to blend with his surroundings.

Yu Xiaolong was perplexed. He coiled around Xu Yan's wrist and sensed that Xu Yan's aura had changed somehow, but he didn't think much of it.

"Let's go. We must reach the Mang Mountains as soon as possible," Xu Yan said, feeling a sense of urgency. The Conduit Opening realm was simply too weak.

Now that he was being hunted by Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, he had to break through to the Divine Will realm as soon as possible. Only then would he truly have the confidence to face the pursuit of these two powerful forces.

Moreover, once he reached the Divine Will realm, the Xun Feng Sword Intent would undergo a transformation, becoming even more powerful. Even the soul of a Refining God Celestial warrior might not be able to withstand it!

The Divine Will realm was a hurdle. Once surpassed, some profound martial arts techniques would truly unlock their full potential.

Xu Yan traveled through the mountains and forests at a steady pace.

Whoosh!

A Great Celestial warrior flew by in the sky above, searching for any signs of Xu Yan.

Thanks to the Light Merging with Dust technique, the warrior failed to detect Xu Yan, who appeared to be nothing more than a piece of wood next to a large tree.

Over the next few days, more Great Celestial warriors continued their relentless pursuit.

"Yu Shen Zong and the Su family are indeed formidable. One Great Celestial warrior after another is sent after me. They truly value me highly," Xu Yan marveled.

Was all this just because he had killed two of their executives?

"Perhaps it's not just because I killed their people, but also because of the Qing Tian Jiao," Xu Yan mused.

As he continued towards the Mang Mountains, more warriors came to search for him. Xu Yan had no choice but to veer off the main path and venture into the wilderness, seeking refuge in the dense mountains and forests.

Suddenly, Xu Yan's expression changed.

He reached into his sleeve and grabbed Yu Xiaolong by the neck, instantly hiding himself within a thicket of thorns and bushes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end