Chapter 220: A Thousand-Mile Journey

Chapter 220 -162: A Thousand-Mile Journey

The man in black’s reason for leaving was simple. The return journey spanned thousands of miles, and any point along it could become Chen Xiaorong’s grave, so he was in no hurry. Besides, he wasn’t confident he could escape unscathed if all three of them attacked him at once.

In fact, everyone knew that as long as Chen Xiaorong was alive, she possessed a final trump card—one that would take her enemy down with her. The man in black’s goal was to force her to play that card, leaving her completely spent.

The two of them ran swiftly, covering hundreds of kilometers in just a few hours. But this was no straight path; it involved cresting several thousand-meter-high mountains that were difficult to go around. Even though they hadn’t taken any detours, Zhao Zuo was not satisfied with their progress.

The enemy hadn’t reappeared, yet the threat hung over their heads like a sharp blade.

As evening approached, Shen Yunjiao set Chen Xiaorong down, letting her rest against a tree trunk. She then took out the Demon Cultivator’s corpse and rapidly devoured the Flesh and Blood Spiritual Power within to restore her spent stamina and Mana. Zhao Zuo also quickly sat down to recover his strength, leaving Chen Xiaorong to keep watch for the time being.

A gentle breeze blew, and the leaves rustled, like a soft melody played by nature. The sun was gradually setting, its afterglow dyeing the dusk sky a fiery red, as if the clouds, kissed by the setting sun, were burning in the west.

The sunset’s afterglow spilled across the land, as if bathing everything in an orange halo. The gentle breeze brushed against their faces, bringing with it a pleasant coolness that felt both comfortable and serene.

Yet, this peaceful and serene environment didn’t allow Zhao Zuo to relax his guard in the slightest. After all, an enemy who could launch a surprise attack at any moment was lurking in the shadows.

About half an hour later, Zhao Zuo took some charcoal-grilled Demon Beast jerky he had prepared himself from his Storage Bag, popped it in his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed.

This jerky was made from the dehydrated, roasted hind leg meat of a Wind Attribute, ox-shaped Demon Beast. It had a rich flavor and could quickly restore one’s stamina. Paired with a Spirit Revitalizing Pill to restore his Mana, just half an hour of rest was enough for him to return to his peak condition.

“Want some?” Zhao Zuo asked, waving the jerky in front of the two of them.

“No, thanks. I’m not hungry yet.”

“I’ll take a few strips.”

Chen Xiaorong shook her head and refused, but Shen Yunjiao unabashedly took the jerky, tearing off large bites and chewing heartily. It was also Demon Beast jerky, but the kind Zhao Zuo made was far more delicious.

“Let’s get back on the road,” Zhao Zuo said. He intended to travel day and night, hoping to return to the Moyun Sect’s territory as soon as possible. Only then would they be truly safe.

“This mask isn’t very useful. The one from the Demon Path guiding the hunt is a Foundation Establishment Powerhouse.” Shen Yunjiao removed the Hundred-Change Mask from her face and handed it back to Zhao Zuo. Along the way, she had already felt several fleeting pulses of Divine Thought.

The faint malice within those pulses confirmed for her that it was a Demon Path Foundation Establishment expert. Moreover, she believed that her own master… was also hidden nearby, protecting her.

“In that case, he won’t attack us directly, will he?” Zhao Zuo asked, a little puzzled.

“He won’t. Not unless he’s prepared to die for it,” Chen Xiaorong explained. “The rules between the Righteous and Demonic Path aren’t just a verbal agreement. They’re bound by a Heavenly Dao Contract. If it’s violated, the Golden Core Powerhouses on both sides will suffer a severe backlash.”

“I see. So there’s still a glimmer of hope,” Zhao Zuo said in a low voice. The three Demon Path sects wanting Chen Xiaorong dead should have been a death sentence, but now they could only dispatch disciples in the Qi Cultivation Stage to land the finishing blow. This was their path to survival in the current predicament.

Furthermore, the Clear Heart Jade could repair damaged Meridians. With time, Chen Xiaorong was bound to recover her basic mobility. At that point, they might even be able to take down the enemy themselves.

As they ran, Zhao Zuo constantly dedicated a portion of his attention to thinking about how to adjust their plan. The situation could change at any moment, and their strategy would need to be patched up accordingly.

The three of them ran for another few hundred kilometers as the night deepened. Traces of Demon Beast activity became much more apparent, and on several occasions, they nearly collided head-on with them. The auras of two of these Demon Beasts had clearly reached One Tier, High Level. If the three of them hadn’t all been coated in Beast-Repelling Powder, their presence would have surely been exposed.

At night, the Demon Beasts were the true masters of this mountain range.

“We can’t go on like this. If we get into a fight with a Demon Beast, we’ll easily create an opening,” Zhao Zuo said, stopping on a thick tree branch and signaling for Shen Yunjiao to halt as well.

“Alright. I’ll create a burrow.”

With Chen Xiaorong on her back, Shen Yunjiao landed on the ground from the branch. Her hands formed a seal, and the earth before her parted, revealing a tunnel that extended underground. Up on the branch, Zhao Zuo drew his Black Flame Saber and kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings.

After a dozen or so seconds, Zhao Zuo received the signal, leaped down from the branch, and entered the pitch-black cavern. Behind him, the earth roiled and sealed the only entrance shut, leaving just a few small air vents.

Once inside the cavern, Zhao Zuo began to help Shen Yunjiao set up warning traps and place easily triggered Talismans around the walls, preparing for any possible attack.

“Let’s rest here tonight,” Zhao Zuo said.

“Alright. You two had a hard time traveling. Why don’t I take the night watch?”

Chen Xiaorong sat cross-legged on the ground. In the lamplight, she was as beautiful as a fairy from a painting. The flecks of blood and dirt on her only added a fragile, tragic sort of beauty. She had lost some of her otherworldly Immortal Qi of Transcendence, and gained a more human aura in its place.