Chapter 226: The unknown Mist [4]

Chapter 226: 226: The unknown Mist [4]

Xu Liang carried the unconscious Lin Zhaowen over his shoulder and led the remaining Xu Family members through the mist.

Every step felt heavier than the last, and their weakened bodies were already reaching their limits.

"Keep moving," Xu Liang urged as he struggled to maintain his pace. "We’re almost there, once we get out of here alive, let’s make sure we have a drink together!"

The others nodded weakly and followed him, knowing that returning toward Azure Willow City would only bring them closer to the enemy they had just escaped from.

They continued running for several moments before one of the Xu Family members suddenly stopped.

Xu Liang noticed and immediately turned around, his expression becoming anxious as he called out, "What are you doing? Keep moving!"

The man stood there trembling, his face pale from the effects of the mist as he looked toward the unconscious Lin Zhaowen on Xu Liang’s shoulder.

"Xu Liang," he said with a weak smile, "please tell the young miss that I love her."

Xu Liang’s eyes widened as he immediately understood what the man intended to do. "Wait!"

But before Xu Liang or anyone else could stop him, the man abruptly turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction.

"Stop!" Xu Liang shouted as he reached out with one hand, but the man was already running away.

He deliberately made as much noise as possible, kicking branches aside and stomping heavily against the ground as he fled deeper into the mist.

"Come and get me!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I’m right here!"

The sound of his voice echoed through the forest, drawing the attention of the pursuing Peng cultivators.

Xu Liang clenched his teeth as he watched the man’s figure disappear into the mist, his grip tightening around Zhaowen’s body.

He remained silent for a moment before turning his head away and forcing himself to move again.

"We can’t let his sacrifice be meaningless," he said hoarsely as he continued toward Violet Log City. "Everyone, keep moving."

But that wasn’t the last time that happened, as they drew closer and closer to Violet Log City, the Xu Family’s numbers continued to dwindle until only three remained.

By this time, one question had already begun weighing on each of their hearts.

Was all of this really worth it?

None of them dared to ask the question aloud, because they already knew what the others would say.

Yet after running for more than a day without proper rest, with their bodies weakened by the mist and their spiritual qi nearly exhausted, even the strongest resolve could begin to crack.

Their legs had long since stopped feeling like their own. Every step required conscious effort, and their breathing had become rough and uneven.

They were exhausted beyond measure, yet they could not stop. Their eyes burned with sleep, their bodies desperately begging for rest, but closing their eyes even for a moment could mean never opening them again.

There was no time to dwell on it, however.

The moment they slowed down, the people behind them would catch up.

Xu Liang continued carrying the unconscious Zhaowen, his shoulders trembling from exhaustion as he forced himself forward.

Then, suddenly, Xu Zi stopped.

Xu Liang took several more steps before realizing she was no longer behind him. He immediately turned around and saw her standing quietly in the middle of the mist.

"Xu Zi, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Xu Zi looked at him and smiled.

There was no fear in her expression anymore, only exhaustion.

"This is as far as I’ll go," she said softly, her voice barely carrying through the mist. "I’m tired now."

She lowered her gaze for a moment before looking at the unconscious Zhaowen.

"I want to go rest with my brothers and sisters."

Xu Liang’s expression changed as he immediately understood what she meant.

"Xu Zi, don’t—"

Before he could finish, she turned around and walked toward the opposite direction.

Xu Liang reached out with his free hand, but his trembling body could no longer move fast enough to stop her.

"Go," Xu Zi called back with a faint smile. "Take the kid with you."

She continued walking into the mist, and Xu Liang stood frozen in place as her figure slowly disappeared.

Before he could take another step, the remaining Xu cultivator placed a hand firmly on his shoulder and said, "Stop. I’m staying with Xu Zi as well. We’re too tired to keep going, and I don’t think either of us has much strength left."

Xu Liang turned toward him with disbelief written across his exhausted face.

"But—"

"I said go!" the man shouted roughly, his voice carrying through the mist. "Can’t you hear me? The Xu Family is our top priority. You have to make sure that kid survives. He is the key to our family’s survival."

Xu Liang’s lips trembled as he stared at the man.

The man gave him a tired smile before turning around and walking toward Xu Zi.

"Take care of him, Xu Liang."

Xu Liang watched the two figures slowly heading into the mist, his legs refusing to move as grief overwhelmed what little strength he had left.

He lowered his head and looked at the unconscious Zhaowen resting against his shoulder.

His hands tightened around the boy as a deep sense of regret filled his heart.

"I shouldn’t have led everyone out of that village," Xu Liang said in a trembling voice, his eyes reddening as tears finally gathered in them. "If I had stayed behind, none of this would have happened."

Just then a dull, heavy object suddenly rolled across the ground, scraping against the dirt before coming to a stop near Xu Liang’s feet.

Xu Liang froze, the other two Xu cultivators turned around at the same time, their exhausted expressions immediately tightening as a familiar voice emerged from the mist.

"You’re right, you should have stayed in that village. Then I wouldn’t have had to chase you all the way here."

The three Xu cultivators stared into the mist as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

Peng Tianyuan walked toward them with his hands behind his back, his expression calm and almost amused.

Then Xu Liang’s eyes dropped to the object lying at his feet, and his entire body stiffened.

It was a human head, of one he recognized the face of.

"Lin Qingshan..."

The name escaped his lips in disbelief.

Lin Qingshan had been nothing more than an ordinary mortal who managed an inn in Hollowshade Village.

When the Xu Family had nowhere else to go, he had opened his doors to them and given them food, shelter, and a place to recover.

Now his head had been thrown onto the ground like a worthless object.

Xu Liang’s breathing became heavier as he stared at the lifeless face.

Peng Tianyuan glanced down at the head and casually remarked, "He was kind enough to hide your identity from us, so I decided to thank him properly."

Xu Liang’s hands began to tremble.

The two Xu cultivators beside him stared at Peng Tianyuan in horror, their already weakened bodies instinctively retreating a step.

Peng Tianyuan smiled as he looked at the three of them.

"Now," he said, "where were you planning to run?"