Chapter 329: Xie Lan: Where are the Elders?
Chapter 329: Xie Lan: Where are the Elders? (Subscribe Now)
In the depths of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, two auras were engaged in a chase, one in pursuit and the other fleeing.
However, it was evident that the aura of the pursuer far exceeded that of the fugitive.
As time passed, the fugitive's aura was slowly waning.
Yet, whenever the pursuer drew close, the fugitive would find a way to slip through the cracks between the myriad spatial layers.
It was akin to a hundred-meter giant chasing an ant, the latter skillfully utilizing the advantages of the terrain to evade capture.
Of course, the chase between two 9th-tier powerhouses across countless spatial layers was far more complex than a simple pursuit within a single space.
Even in the unique environment of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, the more time was wasted, the more spatial layers the stronger party would occupy, leaving the fugitive with increasingly limited options for escape.
Eventually, they would be locked down like a caged bird, their capture only a matter of time.
"It's been two and a half years," Xie Lan murmured, seizing an opportunity to instantaneously shift from one spatial layer to another, once again creating distance between himself and Hunyi.
But it was only a temporary reprieve, as Hunyi caught up again within less than half an hour.
"I can sense that more and more spatial layers are being occupied, leaving me with fewer options to evade," Xie Lan sighed inwardly.
This was the disparity in absolute strength. The number of spatial layers he had access to didn't even reach a million, while Hunyi, as one of the strongest 9th-tier beings of the Tianyu Tribe, a pinnacle race, possessed an astonishing advantage.
He had control over more than thirty million spatial layers! If it weren't for the suppressive effects of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm on all teleportation and movement techniques, and Xie Lan's desperate decision to burn everything, including his spiritual will, to enhance his power, he would have been captured long ago.
Even so, Xie Lan could sense that his endurance was faltering.
Not only was Hunyi close to occupying all nearby spatial layers, but his spiritual will was also nearly exhausted, and he wouldn't be able to maintain this state for much longer.
"Just hold on for another six months," Xie Lan told himself, steeling his resolve as he glanced at the corner of his internal world where Lin Yuan sat with his eyes closed.
He trusted Lin Yuan implicitly. Since Galaxy Star Master had assured him that help would arrive from the 'elders' if they could endure for three years, Xie Lan had not doubted it for a moment.
"I wonder who this elder is that the Galaxy Star Master knows," Xie Lan mused curiously. The teacher of the Galaxy Star Master was Chi Chuan Star Master, an undefeated 8th-tier being.
However, even if Chi Chuan Star Master broke through to the 9th-tier, he would still be far from capable of providing the promised aid. A newly advanced 9th-tier evoluter like him would be no match for Hunyi, the strongest 9th-tier life form of a pinnacle race, and would be defeated in a single move.
Xie Lan himself had only managed to evade capture for so long by burning everything he had, utilizing an ultimate escape technique passed down from one of the strongest human evoluter lineages, and taking advantage of the unique environment of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.
"It's not Chi Chuan Star Master. It must be one of the human civilization's 9th-tier powerhouses who has opened up over twenty million spatial layers," Xie Lan speculated.
This train of thought was his only source of amusement during the relentless pursuit.
To rescue them from Hunyi's grasp, an ordinary 9th-tier human evoluter with a thousand layers of spatial control would not suffice. It would take someone who had opened up at least twenty million spatial layers to restrain Hunyi and buy them the time needed to escape safely.
"Twenty million spatial layers," Xie Lan sighed softly. The longer he stayed at the 9th-tier, the more he realized the immense difficulty of opening up new spatial layers.
Opening spatial layers was merely the outward manifestation of a deeper understanding of the nature of space. Without a profound enough insight, it was impossible to maintain them, and any attempt to force their creation would result in swift collapse.
To be honest, Xie Lan held a certain degree of respect for Hunyi, who had opened up far more than a million spatial layers. He knew firsthand just how challenging that feat was.
At that moment, Hunyi's voice echoed through the void once more.
"Xie Lan, I know you're desperately fleeing to buy time and protect the treasures you've acquired in this secret realm."
"How about this: I promise that if you hand over the Galaxy Star Master, I will let you leave, and you can take with you all the treasures and opportunities you've gained here."
Hunyi continued, "You should know the weight of my promise, Xie Lan. Even though we are from opposing factions, I will honor my word."
Hunyi was growing impatient with the prolonged chase, which threatened to waste several more months.
From the very beginning, his target had been the Galaxy Star Master, or more specifically, this particular clone of the Galaxy Star Master, to settle a grudge from a recent battle.
As for Xie Lan, Hunyi had never considered him a threat.
If they hadn't been within the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, Hunyi's superior strength would have made this pursuit unnecessary.
"Hahahaha! You bird people think you can drive a wedge between me and the Galaxy Star Master?" Xie Lan's voice rang out, unaffected by Hunyi's offer.
As an evoluter of the human civilization, Xie Lan was well aware of where his loyalties lay.
The greatest crisis he faced at the moment was the potential loss of this clone and the treasures he had acquired in the secret realm.
To hand over the Galaxy Star Master? Aside from the betrayal of his entire civilization, the mere thought of doing so was absurd to Xie Lan, given the immense potential and talent the Galaxy Star Master had already displayed.
On the contrary, dying alongside the Galaxy Star Master in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm would only serve to strengthen the bond between them.
"Very well," Hunyi said, no longer bothering with persuasion. "If that's your decision, then prepare to leave this clone behind." Having spent over two years in pursuit, Hunyi had transmitted his voice on multiple occasions, only to be mocked by Xie Lan each time.
"The escape techniques of the Void Evolution Path truly live up to their reputation," Hunyi said, his expression turning slightly solemn as he accelerated his occupation of the surrounding spatial layers.
The Void Evolution Path was the very path that Xie Lan had walked, one of the nine ultimate evolution paths known to human civilization.
At the pinnacle of this path stood the Void God, one of the nine ultimate powerhouses of human civilization.
While the Void God might not possess the same level of destructive power as the Summer Venerated or the Ancient Might, their command over the void was unparalleled among the nine ultimate powerhouses.
Within human civilization, the evolution path with the most practitioners was the one walked by the nine ultimate powerhouses.
Although all nine ultimate evolution paths had produced their pinnacle beings, the vast majority of human evoluters had no aspirations or capabilities to challenge those heights.
In their eyes, the ultimate evolution paths were refined, complete, and nearly perfect. If one had the qualifications to walk the path of an ultimate evolution, who would choose any other route?
Xie Lan's talent in the domain of space was exceptional, and he possessed a unique spatial attribute in his constitution, allowing him to wield the escape techniques of the Void Evolution Path to their fullest potential, thus prolonging his flight from Hunyi.
The pursuit and attempted murder of one of the strongest ninth-tier life forms by Hunyi, the most powerful ninth-tier being of the Tianyu Tribe, had naturally attracted the attention of other ninth-tier powerhouses in the vicinity.
"Is that Hunyi of the Tianyu Tribe? The one hailed as the foremost ninth-tier expert of their generation? Who's he chasing?"
"That, you wouldn't know. The one being pursued is the ninth-tier evoluter of Human Civilization, Xie Lan. However, Hunyi's target isn't Xie Lan but the Galaxy Star Master traveling with him."
"Galaxy Star Master? The unparalleled genius of Human Civilization who recently caused the Tianyu Tribe to lose face in battle? The youngest ninth-tier expert in the history of Human Civilization?"
"Indeed."
Nearby ninth-tier powerhouses watched with interest, as Hunyi's pursuit was far from discreet, and the spatial fluctuations it caused were easily noticeable.
"The Galaxy Star Master is being chased?"
Some of the ninth-tier aliens with amicable relations towards Human Civilization had their hearts stirred. Rescuing the Galaxy Star Master now would undoubtedly earn them the goodwill of this unparalleled genius of Human Civilization.
But unfortunately...
The one chasing the Galaxy Star Master was Hunyi, and even if some ninth-tier aliens wanted to curry favor with Lin Yuan and Human Civilization, they lacked the strength to hold off Hunyi.
In the vast universe, Human Civilization was one of the pinnacle races, an absolute behemoth. It had its enemies, but also its allies.
In addition to the grand alliance established by Human Civilization itself, there were still many races that didn't want to offend them and even sought to be on good terms.
"Hahaha, Hunyi has been chasing Xie Lan for more than two years now. The Galaxy Star Master should be hiding in Xie Lan's inner world. It's said that Xie Lan cultivates the Void Evolution Path, and it's truly impressive, just as rumored."
"Being chased for over two years, the Galaxy Star Master is truly miserable!"
"I wonder what the Galaxy Star Master is holding out for. Xie Lan has managed to drag it out this long, he must have used secret arts that affect his main body. Paying such a price, could it be that there's a special ninth-tier expert from Human Civilization on the way?"
"I haven't heard of any ninth-tier humans nearby."
Numerous ninth-tier aliens, separated by different spatial layers, chatted with keen interest. Both the pursuer and the pursued were extremely famous.
They were happy to watch the drama unfold.
Hunyi, needless to say, was renowned throughout the ninth-tier circles, and while the Galaxy Star Master was only newly ninth-tier, the talent he had displayed, coupled with the prestige of Human Civilization, also made him the center of attention.
On the other side of the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.
A human evoluter clad in purple robes continuously shuttled through countless spatial layers.
His speed was extremely fast, and with each leap, nearly forty million spatial layers were affected.
This purple-robed evoluter was named Duo Ke, having opened up thirty-nine million spatial layers, he was the strongest ninth-tier life form of Human Civilization in this era.
"Just hold on a little longer. Once I arrive, I'll definitely make that Hunyi pay a price!"
Duo Ke was heading towards the region where Hunyi was located.
As the strongest ninth-tier beings of two great pinnacle races, Duo Ke and Hunyi often clashed, and Duo Ke, having opened up more spatial layers, naturally held the advantage in their battles.
Ever since he learned of Hunyi's pursuit of the Galaxy Star Master over two years ago, he had rushed over at top speed.
Normally, it would be impossible to rush over in three years, as the Xuanhuang Secret Realm suppressed all forms of instantaneous movement, forcing everyone to fly slowly. When Duo Ke received the news, he had been very far from Hunyi's location.
"Hunyi, if you dare to kill this clone of the Galaxy Star Master, none of the Tianyu Tribe's ninth-tiers will leave this secret realm alive."
Duo Ke thought to himself.
Usually, special ninth-tier experts like them wouldn't go out of their way to hunt down other ninth-tier aliens when they entered the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.
It was a waste of time, and since the Xuanhuang Secret Realm wasn't the outside world, traveling long distances required slow flight. Moreover, the realm only opened once every hundred years.
Who would give up on all the opportunities within the realm just to chase down another ninth-tier alien?
But Hunyi dared to actively pursue an unparalleled genius of Human Civilization. This was a line that couldn't be crossed, and Duo Ke was willing to give up on the realm's opportunities to counter Hunyi's actions.
Deep within the countless spatial layers.
Mado Walker also watched the distant pursuit.
Hunyi had been chasing Xie Lan and the Galaxy Star Master for over two years, and Mado Walker had rushed over as well after receiving the news.
"The Galaxy Star Master is really unlucky."
Mado Walker thought to himself. He had already reminded the Galaxy Star Master, so the latter would definitely try to avoid Hunyi as much as possible.
The Xuanhuang Secret Realm was a unique environment. Even if Hunyi learned of the Galaxy Star Master's location at one moment, by the next, the latter would likely have disappeared.
Unless the two happened to run into each other.
"But Old Ancestor truly values the Galaxy Star Master, going so far as to let me use that trump card to stop Hunyi and save the Galaxy Star Master."
Mado Walker shook his head slightly.
As the most outstanding offspring of the Ancient God Old Ancestor, Mado Walker was deeply favored. This time, upon entering the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, he had been bestowed a lifesaving trump card.
Once this trump card was activated, even special ninth-tier experts who had opened up fifty million or eighty million spatial layers would be trapped for a moment.
"Old Ancestor said not to use the trump card to save the Galaxy Star Master directly, but to wait until the last critical moment, when he's about to be captured by Hunyi, and then make a move. That way, we'll gain the Galaxy Star Master's utmost gratitude."
Mado Walker recalled the Ancient God Old Ancestor's instructions and felt they made sense.
"It's almost time." Mado Walker continued to observe for a while and noticed that Xie Lan's attempts to break free were gradually slowing down. His expression turned solemn as he prepared to activate the lifesaving trump card at the critical moment.
Within Xie Lan's inner world.
Lin Yuan quietly opened his eyes.
"Back."
Lin Yuan's eyes were profound, and the thousand years he had spent in the world of the gods seemed to flash by like a dream.
Swoosh!
Sensing Lin Yuan's movements, Xie Lan immediately descended in the form of a consciousness clone and appeared in the distance.
"Brother Xie Lan." Lin Yuan's face broke into a smile. Xie Lan's perseverance had been crucial to the perfect conclusion of this journey.
Otherwise, Lin Yuan would have had to end the journey prematurely or abandon this clone in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.
Either choice would have resulted in significant losses.
"Galaxy Star Master." Xie Lan's aura was low, but he still forcibly mustered his spirits.
After exchanging a few words, Xie Lan cautiously asked, "Galaxy Star Master, has that elder you mentioned arrived?"
"Elder?" Lin Yuan glanced at Xie Lan.
(End of Chapter)
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