"Bam-"

"Bam-"

Accompanied by two dull thuds, Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao were dropped to the ground. Ling Tian and his companion no longer bothered to check if they were conscious, their movements callous and rough.

"Senior Brother Ji, Senior Sister Lin."

"We have brought them to you as promised. Do not forget what you owe us, hehe."

Ling Tian's voice echoed in the night.

Ning Fan felt a jolt of surprise.

Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao!?

He had truly not expected this.

The masterminds were none other than these two. Ning Fan had never crossed paths with them; why would they target him and Yun Qingyao?

It was truly bizarre.

"Tch."

"What is this? Why is this person covered in so many wounds? How disappointing."

Lin Yao clicked her tongue, casting a look of disdain at Ning Fan.

"It could not be helped."

"Do not be fooled by his status as a newly inducted disciple. His strength is formidable. If not for Xiao Nuan's cunning-using a Profound-grade treasure as bait to lure him into the night, then having the Demon Beast maul him first-we likely could not have brought them here."

Ling Tian explained.

"How formidable can a new disciple be?"

Lin Yao scoffed.

"Nan Li nearly died at his hands!"

Ling Tian dropped this bombshell.

"What!?"

Lin Yao's expression shifted to shock.

Nan Li was one of the most outstanding talents among the previous batch of disciples. She had not expected him to fall to Ning Fan.

"It seems the rumors are true. Ning Fan and his Dao partner possess dual cultivation physiques."

"This time," Ji Wuxi said with a faint smile, "we are in for a treat."

"This woman is mine; Ning Fan is yours. We shall dual cultivate with them first to taste the quality of their essences. If they truly possess special physiques, keeping them as our personal captives would be a fine arrangement."

Ling Tian was slightly stunned by these words.

Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao were quite liberal with their arrangements, seemingly content to pursue their own interests separately.

Some Daoist pairs were like this. Lacking true affection, they were merely cold machines for dual cultivation; so long as they gained benefits, they would share their partners without hesitation.

Lin Yao stepped forward, eyeing Ning Fan with distaste. It was not his features she minded, but the crusts of dried blood and his tattered robes.

"Clean him up," she commanded. "Get the blood off his body."

"As you wish."

"No trouble at all."

Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan scrambled to obey. While they had never acted as servants for such a purpose, the prospect of their reward made the task worth doing.

They bent over, reaching to tear away the blood-soaked fabric from Ning Fan's body.

At that very moment, Ning Fan-who had been feigning unconsciousness-snapped his eyes open, a piercing brilliance within them. Gone was any sign of weakness.

"Boom-"

"Boom-"

Catching them entirely off guard, Ning Fan slammed a punch into each of their chests. Without a shred of defense, they took the full, brutal impact.

"Pfft!"

They spat blood, their breastbones audibly shattering as they caved inward. Their bodies were sent hurtling backward, and after a few violent shudders on the ground, all signs of life vanished.

"What!?"

Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao were stunned. Neither had anticipated such a sudden eruption of power. In that split second of hesitation, Ning Fan moved.

He vanished, reappearing directly before Lin Yao.

"Slap-"

His palm struck her face, sending her reeling in a daze.

"Bitch."

"You dare covet my body? Look at yourself-are you even worthy?" Ning Fan sneered.

This woman actually thought to use him as an object?

Absurd!

"Aaaaaah!"

Lin Yao let out a piercing shriek of rage. But before she could retaliate, Ning Fan had already surged back to reach Yun Qingyao.

"Courting death!"

Ji Wuxi would not stand by. He swung his fist, unleashing a strike toward the closing Ning Fan.

"Dragon Snake Evolution Hand!"

Ning Fan's spiritual energy surged, channeling his Yellow-grade middle-rank martial technique. But as their fists collided, an overwhelming force erupted from Ji Wuxi, sending Ning Fan flying back.

Ning Fan used the momentum of the blow to retreat further, catching Yun Qingyao to stabilize them both.

"Run!" Ning Fan commanded.

They could not win!

Ji Wuxi was the top-ranked disciple of the previous batch for a reason; his strength far surpassed that of Nan Li. As a true practitioner of the Profound Extreme Realm, he was simply too far ahead.

Ning Fan was no match for him, especially with Lin Yao as well.

"Husband, be careful."

Yun Qingyao braced him. She understood immediately that they had to escape; staying meant certain death.

With a few swift movements, they vanished into the darkness. The night, which had once been their trap, now served as their perfect shroud.

Lin Yao lunged forward to pursue, but Ji Wuxi reached out and blocked her path.

"Do not rush. It is too dark for an effective chase. Besides, we have more pressing matters."

He flipped his palm, producing a communication jade slip, and infused it with spiritual energy.

"Fang Qi, Liu Yu, Jiang Zheng."

"Take your partners and descend the mountain immediately. Hunt down Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao. Capture them alive if possible, but execute them if necessary."

As he issued the order, Lin Yao's lips curled into a vicious smile. With three pairs of disciples hunting them, Ning Fan had no chance of survival, no matter how heaven-defying his skills might be.

"Brother Ji is wise."

"They are not worth our effort. The spiritual vein is what matters. We must reach it at once."

Lin Yao turned her gaze toward the mountain.

That was where the prize lay.

Meanwhile, in the darkness, Ning Fan dragged Yun Qingyao through the woods, fleeing frantically toward their encampment. They did not dare pause, despite the lack of immediate pursuit.

What had taken them an hour to traverse earlier, they crossed in less than a quarter of an hour.

"What is happening?"

Their arrival disturbed the peace of the camp. Shao Hong and Bai Ran stumbled out of their tents, startled by the noise.

They stood stunned, staring at the return of Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao.

"Junior Brother Ning, you!"

Shao Hong was bewildered. Ning Fan had been on the brink of death earlier-how was he now full of vitality? And where were Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan?

"Senior Brother Shao."

Ning Fan ignored his questions, shouting, "Run!"