Chapter 288 - 116: Transaction, Strike While the Iron Is Hot, So Thoughtful of You

"To have a cultivation level below the Sixth Realm, yet manage to flee all the way from Yangchun City to here, right under my nose... You have reason to be proud."

"Tell me your origins, and I might grant you a quick death."

The cliff trembled as a sky full of radiant runes bloomed. Countless ancient trees snapped, kicking up clouds of dust that filled the air.

A terrifying power surged through the Void, making the very air tremble. The great mountains all around began to shake, and leaves rained down from the trees.

Duke Wei, who had pursued her all the way from Yangchun City, wore an expression of pure indifference on his old, fair-skinned face.

He stood suspended in mid-air, his robes whipping about him.

A deathly silence fell over the surrounding mountains. All the beasts were terrified, cowering before the vast, ocean-like, terrifying aura.

Ahead of him, a slender figure enveloped in a radiant glow fled rapidly, weaving through the mountains.

Her once-sallow face was now ashen. Traces of blood stained the corners of her mouth, and she coughed up more as she fled. Her injuries were severe.

’I can’t shake this guy...’

Song Youwei clenched her teeth. She had vastly underestimated the old eunuch’s power.

Her opponent was definitely a master with one foot already in the Eighth Realm.

Such strength placed him among the absolute top masters in the entire Great Xia Dynasty, someone who could look down upon all living beings.

And yet, he was living in seclusion in Yangchun City, protecting Qi Qingxuan.

Jiang Lan had warned her to be extremely careful and not to let her guard down, but she hadn’t taken it seriously, thinking her only task was to stall for time.

Even if he was in the Seventh Realm, she believed that with her many Magical Artifacts and trump cards, she could have held out for a long time.

But who could have known the old eunuch’s power would be so terrifying? She had regretted her arrogance the moment he made his move.

In the process of tearing through his domain to escape Yangchun City, she had already used up many of her trump cards, including the Blood Spirit Treasure Pearl that Jiang Lan had given her.

Unfortunately, the few Blood Puppets she summoned were turned into a mist of blood with a single casual strike from the old eunuch, lasting only for a moment.

In the face of absolute power, all her trump cards and tactics seemed pathetically weak.

She was only at the Fifth Realm. By using a Secret Technique, she could temporarily elevate her power to the Sixth Realm, but even then, she could only barely survive a few moves from the old eunuch.

If not for her many techniques and trump cards, she never would have escaped Yangchun City. It also helped that the old eunuch wasn’t trying to kill her outright, instead choosing to tail her and pressure her into revealing her origins.

"Now that we’re away from Yangchun City, I have no reason to hold back. Run all you like, little girl. Let’s see how much longer you can keep it up."

"Confess your origins now, and maybe I’ll make it less painful for you later."

Duke Wei followed behind at an unhurried pace, like a phantom. His indifferent eyes held a hint of cruel amusement, like a cat toying with a mouse.

In his eyes, Song Youwei’s talent and strength were impressive. To have reached such a level at her age made her a genius the likes of which hadn’t been seen in centuries.

He reckoned that among her peers in the current generation, very few could be her match.

This made him all the more curious about Song Youwei’s origins. Her skills were eclectic, yet she hadn’t displayed a unique Cultivation Technique belonging to any known Immortal Sect Influence.

He wouldn’t be able to rest easy until he found out which power had started paying attention to Qi Qingxuan.

"Old eunuch, you’re tailing me like a vengeful ghost. If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with."

Up ahead, the fleeing Song Youwei came to a stop. Her face was colorless, but her expression was icy cold.

She could feel her life force rapidly draining away. Even if she continued to flee, it wouldn’t be long before the old eunuch caught her.

Fortunately, when she escaped Yangchun City, she had fled in the opposite direction of the Qi Family’s party, so she wouldn’t jeopardize Jiang Lan’s plan.

Now, her only hope was that Jiang Lan wouldn’t betray her, too. Otherwise, she would surely meet her end here today.

’But then again, who knows? After all, I do know some of his secrets...’

Numerous thoughts flashed through her mind.

Song Youwei stopped in mid-air. Her hands formed an incantation seal. As her dress and black hair fluttered, streams of light emerged one after another, rising around her.

They were ancient Runes, brilliant and dazzling. A phantom image began to form within them, looking like divine wings, or perhaps a Blood Phoenix. The cry of a phoenix rang out, shaking the very heavens.

With a low cry, a torrent of crimson light surged forth. The Blood Phoenix spread its wings and lunged at Duke Wei.

At the same time, another phantasm appeared beside her. An ancient Fierce Bird shrieked as its divine form manifested like a gout of flame, illuminating her slender arms until they glowed with a crystalline translucence.

"This little girl certainly has a lot of tricks."

"However, the gap in our cultivation is far too great. You are a long way from being able to hurt me."

Duke Wei drifted forward through the air, hands clasped behind his back. As he watched Song Youwei’s killing move approach, he narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke with indifference.

If Song Youwei were truly at the Sixth Realm, he admitted, this might have been somewhat troublesome.

As it stood, however, this was nothing more than the final struggle of a cornered beast.

As Duke Wei finished speaking, a radiant glow appeared behind him. Runes flickered to life, and the Heaven and Earth Void Qi condensed, forming a simple, ancient Great Seal. The seal emanated a profound weight, as if possessing the gravity of heaven and earth, powerful enough to awe all of creation.

Having served the former Emperor for many years, although he was no Emperor himself, he had become imbued with a trace of Dragon Energy.

The Great Seal magnified in an instant. Its terrifying aura caused the Void to vibrate so violently that faint cracks began to appear. The great mountains shook as if in an earthquake, threatening to collapse at any moment.