Chapter 77: Pursuit

The cyan-robed young man surnamed Ye raised both hands above his head and abruptly swung them outward.

Thirty-two golden flying swords rapidly spun around him, forming vortex-like barriers in front of his body. The powerful airflow pushed his form back several hundred zhang once more, creating distance from Jiuyou.

Jiuyou's expression remained unchanged.

In his view, this cyan-robed young man might have some extraordinary qualities, and those thirty-two golden flying swords were indeed fine artifacts. But ultimately, he was only an Early Nascent Soul cultivator.

Jiuyou's mind stirred.

Overwhelming cyan chains shrouded half the sky in frost, sweeping down toward the cyan-robed young man.

The young man's expression turned serious as he raised his hand and tossed out a golden talisman. The talisman floated in the air, then suddenly transformed into a massive wall hundreds of zhang wide, blocking in front of him.

Countless Nine Nether Soul-Chaining Chains crashed against the golden giant wall all at once, producing a clamor of metallic collisions.

For a moment, that golden giant wall actually managed to block Jiuyou's attack.

The cyan-robed young man staggered, his brows tightly furrowed as cyan light flared brightly in his hand, increasing his magical power output.

Jiuyou's eyes flickered with surprise, then he let out a cold snort.

"A mere Early Nascent Soul dares to act arrogant?"

Before his words faded, his entire body shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring, charging directly at the golden giant wall. His figure spun in midair as he raised a hand in summoning.

Countless cyan chains at his side twisted and wove together, transforming into massive azure-black chains that exuded a terrifying aura, slamming violently against the golden wall.

Boom—!

The explosion shook heaven and earth, sending terrifying shockwaves spreading outward. Even the nearby Nascent Soul cultivators were pushed back several steps in the air by the blast, staring in shock.

The smoke and dust cleared.

The golden wall now flickered like a dying candle in the wind, its spiritual light dim as it slowly dissipated. Waves of chilling cold rose from the center of the explosion, freezing the air into fine frost patterns.

Jiuyou looked at the golden wall he had completely destroyed, smiled calmly, and with a surge of deep azure light in his eyes, charged straight through the dense cold air, locking onto that cyan-robed figure.

The young man now had a deathly pale face, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, clearly heavily injured.

Just as Jiuyou locked onto him.

A flash of determination crossed the young man's eyes as he gritted his teeth. His entire body was enveloped in a blood-red light, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a blood-red line and vanished from the spot.

Surprise flickered in Jiuyou's eyes.

He hadn't expected the other party to possess such a swift divine ability. Fortunately, his Divine Sense had been firmly locked onto the young man the entire time, or he might have truly lost him.

The next instant, a hundred li away, a blood-red light flashed. The figure of the young man surnamed Ye abruptly appeared within it, then transformed into a streak of cyan light, fleeing into the distance at great speed.

"Trying to run? This Ancestor hasn't agreed yet."

Jiuyou's voice was cold, faint gray light shimmering on his body. The Sky Wind Robe was already draped over him, and he turned into a gray-cyan streak of light, chasing directly after him.

Although the young man had used some unknown technique to instantly escape a hundred li away, and his escape speed was incredibly fast, no weaker than an ordinary Mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.

But with the support of the Sky Wind Robe, Jiuyou's flight technique was not far inferior to that of a Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator. In just a few blinks and breaths, he was firmly on the young man's tail.

The distance between them grew closer and closer.

Jiuyou's Divine Sense remained locked on the young man, and he was about to strike.

The young man glanced back at Jiuyou, who was relentlessly pursuing him, and felt the terrifying icy cold aura, causing his pupils to constrict in fear. He formed hand seals again, and the cyan streak of light was suddenly enveloped in a blood-red glow. In an instant, he transformed into a blood-red flash, appearing a hundred li away.

However, his figure wobbled in the air a few times, clearly indicating that using this flight technique was extremely draining for him.

"What strange escape technique is this? But it seems to take a heavy toll on this brat. I wonder, with such incredible speed, how many more times can you use it?"

A playful curiosity rose in Jiuyou's heart.

In his eyes, he had already regarded the other party's flight technique divine ability as his own trophy.

He now had the Hundred-Mile Inch Hairpin in his possession, but although that ancient relic was incredibly powerful, its consumption was also immense. Even a Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator might not be able to use it many times. Combined with the Sky Wind Robe, he was confident that even if a Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator pursued him, he could survive.

But if he could also seize this young man's flight technique, he would gain another escape secret method. Perhaps this young man's flight technique would be more cost-effective, serving as another life-saving measure. Naturally, he had to use this brat for a good experiment.

With that thought, Jiuyou once again manipulated the Sky Wind Robe to its full flight power and quickly gave chase.

In just a few breaths, he was firmly tailing the young man again.

He raised his hand and fired a Nether Capital Ghostfire, forcing the young man to clumsily dodge. Seeing Jiuyou chasing again, the young man had no choice but to use that instantaneous blood escape technique once more.

Thus, a scene unfolded above the Azure Immortal Valley:

Two streaks of light, one gray-cyan and one blood-cyan, engaged in a chase through the air, occasionally clashing, but the blood-cyan figure was constantly battered and bruised. After several exchanges, he could only flee desperately, yet the gray-cyan figure remained firmly on his tail.

The two streaks of light weaved above the entire valley, leaving chaos and surging energy waves wherever they passed. In an instant, the two figures disappeared into the distant horizon.

Half an incense stick later, Jiuyou sensed that the young man's aura had dropped to its limit, his streak of light flickering in and out. Jiuyou let out a cold laugh.

"Enough. This old man is done playing with you."

As his voice fell, the Hundred-Mile Inch Hairpin above Jiuyou's head glowed with spiritual light. In an instant, he transformed into a milky white radiance and vanished into the void.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before the young man.

The Golden Sun Heavenly Mountain flew out from his sleeve, carrying undisguised, heavy killing intent as it smashed violently toward the young man.

The young man's face was ashen, his eyes filled with utter despair. He desperately channeled the last remnants of his magical power, trying to resist, but how could this top-tier ancient relic, the Golden Sun Heavenly Mountain, be blocked by him in his current state?

Boom—!

A golden radiance pierced through the young man's chest.

His physical body shattered like porcelain. Just as his Nascent Soul flew out from the fragmented flesh, Jiuyou raised his hand in summoning, the Nether Capital Gate opened, and a powerful pulling force dragged the other party's Nascent Soul into the gate.

The young man's aura vanished completely.

Jiuyou raised his hand and collected the young man's Storage Pouch into his sleeve. He casually gathered the thirty-two golden flying swords, swept his Divine Sense over to confirm nothing was left behind, and then turned around.

Behind him, the young man's corpse fell from the sky, swallowed by the chaotic battle below.

Jiuyou couldn't be bothered to spare it another glance as he transformed into a streak of light and sped back toward the Azure Immortal Valley battlefield.

At this moment, the chaotic battle in Azure Immortal Valley was still ongoing.

The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Lingchuan coalition were still unaware that their strongest member, the young man surnamed Ye, had already fallen, and they continued fighting desperately. Although Jiuyou had left the Abyssal Sea side, the remaining Nascent Soul cultivators were still struggling to hold on, with both sides locked in a stalemate.

Jiuyou's figure descended from the sky like a cyan meteor.

Without the slightest pause, he charged straight toward the nearest Lingchuan Early Nascent Soul cultivator.

That cultivator was locked in fierce battle with an Abyssal Sea comrade when he suddenly felt a bone-piercing cold aura behind him. He turned his head and his pupils constricted.

The Golden Sun Heavenly Mountain was already before his face.

Boom—!

One strike, instant death. The Nascent Soul fled out, only to be devoured by the Nether Capital Gate.

Another Lingchuan Nascent Soul cultivator saw this, his expression changing drastically as he turned and fled.

Jiuyou let out a cold snort. Nether Capital Ghostfire condensed in his palm, and a beam of deep blue light shot out, piercing through the cultivator's chest.

In just a few breaths, two Early Nascent Soul cultivators had fallen one after another.

The Lingchuan coalition's morale collapsed, their will to fight shattered, and they scattered in all directions, fleeing chaotically.

The Abyssal Sea cultivators' spirits soared, taking advantage of the rout to slaughter the fleeing enemies to the last.

The Blood Withered old monk's face was pale as he cupped his hands toward Jiuyou from a distance, his voice full of gratitude.

"Friend Jiuyou, this humble monk will forever remember your life-saving grace."

Jiuyou waved his hand, too lazy for pleasantries.

"We are allies. Such a trivial matter requires no further words."

The other Abyssal Sea Nascent Soul cultivators also came forward to thank him, their expressions carrying more reverence than before.

The strength Jiuyou had just displayed far exceeded their expectations.

This old demon's methods were truly terrifying.

When news spread back to the coalition headquarters, the Abyssal Sea high command greatly praised Jiuyou's achievements. The Three Alliance Council recorded his merits on the spot, bestowing a large quantity of Spirit Stones and spiritual materials. Jiuyou's reputation soared within the coalition like never before.

And when the Lingchuan coalition learned of this, they naturally listed Jiuyou as one of their top primary enemies.

That night.

Within the Temporary Cave Dwelling in the Thousand Gorge Mountain Range.

Jiuyou sat cross-legged, his breathing and circulation fully restored. Before him lay the Storage Pouch seized from the young man surnamed Ye.

He raised his hand and wiped it clean, erasing the residual Spiritual Mark at the pouch's opening, then extended his Divine Sense inside.

Spiritual light flickered as items emerged one by one before him.

Spirit Stones, medicinal pills, spiritual materials... and a few jade slips.