"What is going on!?"

"How is it dangerous here? There is a smoke barrier, and demon beasts generally do not disturb this place. If we leave, we must enter the black of night. Junior Brother Ning, surely you do not need a reminder from your Senior Brother of how perilous the night is?"

Shao Hong spoke with a grave expression.

"Junior Brother Ning, stay calm. Do not be impatient. Let us wait for Ling Tian to emerge so we may deliberate on this together."

"Do not wait. Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan have already been executed by me."

Ning Fan said decisively.

"Ah!?"

Shao Hong was stunned, a look of profound shock and suspicion flashing in his eyes.

Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan were finished off by Ning Fan?

What kind of situation was this!?

"Sigh."

Ning Fan shrugged his shoulders, concisely relaying the actions of Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan to Shao Hong and Bai Ran. Upon hearing the truth, the two widened their eyes in disbelief.

They exchanged glances, seeing the same incredulity reflected in one another.

Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan had secretly colluded with Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao, plotting against Ning Fan and nearly succeeding in their design.

It was truly terrifying.

Without Ning Fan's intervention, the duo might well have turned their attention to Shao Hong and the others. Shao Hong and Bai Ran knew their own limitations-they lacked Ning Fan's prowess. Had they been targeted instead, their demise would have been certain. They felt a profound sense of fortune.

Ning Fan had weathered the blow for them.

"Junior Brother Ning, we understand. But is fleeing now not somewhat overly cautious? It is deep in the night; Senior Brother Ji and his partner may not necessarily pursue us."

"All possibilities can be discussed tomorrow."

Shao Hong spoke after a moment of deliberation.

Moving by night carried too many variables. If possible, he preferred to wait until daylight, as both advancing and retreating would be far more manageable.

"I only offer a suggestion. Senior Brother Shao is free to remain here. Besides, that pair of curs has no grievance with you."

"My words are finished. We shall depart first."

"Let us go."

Ning Fan did not press further. He pulled Yun Qingyao's hand, preparing to retreat further into the wilderness. Staying here was simply not a viable path.

For all he knew, Ling Tian and Li Xiaonuan had already revealed the camp's location to Ji Wuxi and his partner. Waiting here invited the risk of being caught like a turtle in a jar.

Ning Fan would not gamble.

"Wait."

As Shao Hong wavered, Bai Ran suddenly interjected, her expression stern.

"Junior Brother Ning, we are willing to travel with you."

"Husband, let us go."

"Wife..."

Shao Hong remained undecided. He looked at Bai Ran, and after meeting her gaze for a breath's time, he reached his own resolution.

"Let us go, Junior Brother Ning."

"Mm."

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao had not yet stepped out of the illuminated area. The others immediately followed, and the four of them vanished into the darkness.

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao took the lead, with Shao Hong and Bai Ran following close behind.

At first, Ning Fan moved steadily backward.

But as they progressed,

Ning Fan chose a path that would circle toward the mountain.

His reasoning was simple-

True escape did not solve the fundamental problem. If one could not prevail, one could not prevail; to turn the tide, one had to increase their strength.

Dual cultivation!!!

Yet this required resources. Even though the Ninth Elder had compensated him with two thousand Spirit Stones, more than a thousand had already been consumed in their previous sessions.

Barely half remained.

Counting the demon cores harvested from the Qingbai, they could sustain at most two more sessions. To achieve a major breakthrough in realm-to possess the power to contend with Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao-he had to reach the Profound Extreme Realm. With his current stores, this was impossible.

Unless he reached the spirit vein!!

Only by utilizing the spirit vein for dual cultivation could he hope to complete his breakthrough.

Running away did not solve the problem.

Crisis-a time of peril, yet often one that conceals opportunity!!

This spirit vein.

He had to reach it!

"Boom--"

Just as Ning Fan and his companions circled back toward the periphery of their original camp, a massive explosion erupted.

"What!?"

Shao Hong's spirit jolted. He looked toward the source of the blast and was left dumbfounded. A cloud of crimson fire rose where their camp had been, staining the heavens red.

It was a martial technique!

Their former camp had been struck!

"Hiss--"

Realizing this, Shao Hong drew a sharp breath, his heart seized by lingering fear and a sense of profound luck.

How fortunate.

After his hesitation, he had ultimately chosen to follow Ning Fan. Had he and Bai Ran remained, that strike would have surely obliterated them.

That crimson fire was no mere testing move-it was a killing blow meant to claim lives. To have endured such an attack unprepared would have meant death or, at best, grievous injury!!

"..."

Shao Hong's knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists, a surge of righteous indignation welling within him.

Their pursuers surely knew that aside from Ning Fan, he and his dao partner were at the camp. Yet they had struck with such ruthless disregard.

Clearly,

They cared nothing for the lives of Shao Hong and his beloved!

"The sky is brightening."

Ning Fan murmured to himself.

At this moment,

The heavens were already paling to the color of a fish belly, and visibility increased with every passing second. By circling around, they were now less than half a li from the base of the mountain. Once they ascended the peak, it would be as if a fish had entered the vast sea, or a bird had taken to the limitless sky.

"Go!"

Ning Fan shouted, his pace quickening.

Soon,

They arrived at the foot of the mountain, where a winding path lay before them.

"Junior Brother Ning."

"This is the path leading to the spirit vein."

Shao Hong said.

A spirit vein would not sprout legs and flee; the route was fixed.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Ning Fan frowned.

Suddenly,

He sensed something amiss and looked warily toward the surroundings. Almost in that same heartbeat, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air, and a frigid glint shot toward him.

"Dodge!"

Ning Fan shoved Yun Qingyao aside and lunged out of the way himself. A keen arrow grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody streak upon his skin. Had he been but a half-beat slower, the bolt would have pierced his skull!

"Who is there!?"

Shao Hong bellowed.

Before his voice had faded, two figures emerged from the nearby brush-a man and a woman. The man held a longbow in his grasp.

He was clearly the one who had loosed the arrow.

"Jiang Zheng, is it you!?"

Shao Hong exclaimed, recognizing the man.

Jiang Zheng and Zou Ling'er.

This pair was one of the five dao couples serving under Ji Wuxi and Lin Yao. Their strength sat firmly at the Half-Step Profound Extreme Realm!!

"..."

Ning Fan showed no shock at the appearance of his foes.

It was simple enough.

There was only one route from the base of the mountain to the spirit vein; naturally, their enemies would dispatch scouts to intercept them there. Encountering Ji Wuxi's lackeys was expected-it would have been more concerning had they not appeared.

Ning Fan eyed Jiang Zheng and Zou Ling'er coldly.

Two Half-Step Profound Extreme Realm cultivators.

They could be killed!

Yet, just as Ning Fan surged forward, intent on a lethal strike, a voice sounded from not far behind them-

"Oh?"

"Instead of remaining at the camp, you chose to circle around and ascend the mountain?"

"Not bad."

"It was the correct choice. It granted you a few more hours of life."

"But it ends here."

"..."

Ning Fan heard the voice and slowly turned back.

Two figures.

Unknown to them, they had blocked their path of retreat.