73: Chapter 74 Unexpected Disaster

Hundreds of miles away from Baili Mountain, a white figure was flying wretchedly along the mountain ridge.

The youth was draped in a white robe scorched with several burn marks from lightning and fire, his hair crown was askew, and there was blood at the corner of his lips.

The spiritual light of the Wind-Riding Talisman beneath his feet had long since dimmed, leaving only a precarious, pale-green trail of flames barely supporting his form.

Even so, he dared not pause for even a moment, only gritting his teeth as he fled forward.

Three thin jade plaques orbited around him.

The jade plaques were only the size of a palm, cyan-gray in color, and engraved with Sanyuan star patterns.

Whenever the spells from behind caught up, the three jade plaques would spin on their own, manifesting layers upon layers of wind barrier shields to barely block the lightning and Talisman light.

No matter how extraordinary this precious treasure was, it could not withstand the relentless pursuit of the two Cultivators behind him.

A bolt of lightning crashed down with a roar.

The outermost jade plaque beside the youth jolted violently, and the wind barrier exploded with a vast expanse of cyan light.

His entire body was jolted several yards forward, blood and Qi churned in his chest, and he choked out a mouthful of blood.

"Kid, stop running!"

A tall, thin Cultivator behind him pursued on the wind and laughed aloud: "Obediently return with the two of us, and you might suffer less physical pain!"

The other, a short and stocky figure, held a lightning Talisman in his palm and sneered upon hearing this: "Running further is useless; the only place nearby is the desolate Baili Mountain, and it's not like you don't know that place."

"The Qi-locking phenomenon left behind by a Purple Mansion battle has yet to dissipate, and the Spiritual Qi in the mountain is so thin that not even a pig can live there."

"If you go there, you will struggle to even maintain flight; isn't that just courting death?"

The two were thinking of ways to shake the youth's resolve, while their hands were not idle.

Seeing that it was difficult to break through the protective Sanyuan Wind-Listening Plaques for the moment, they changed tactics, repeatedly using Talismans and spells to seal off his path on both sides, constantly driving the youth toward Baili Mountain.

The youth naturally saw this, but he had no other path.

To his left was a steep stone wall, to his right were two lightning Talismans sealing the way, and the presence of the two Cultivators behind him was drawing closer and closer.

The glaring white desolate mountain ahead had become the only dead end he could crash into at the moment.

"Could it be that I, Wen Zhibai, am truly going to die in this desolate wilderness today?"

The youth cursed through gritted teeth, a hint of despair emerging in his eyes.

His name was Wen Zhibai, and he came from the Wen Family, a Qi Refining Family on the east side of Guli Circuit.

The Wen Family had for generations dealt in Talisman correspondence and Wind Heron message delivery, and could be considered a powerful Qi Refining Family.

But not long ago, upon returning from being out, he saw the Family territory in chaos, flames soaring to the sky, Wind Herons dead all over the ground, and his clansmen slaughtered and scattered.

He happened to run into the murderers.

Under heavy injury, the Clan Chief Wen Henian forcibly sent him out of the encirclement and shoved the Family's guarding treasure, the Sanyuan Wind-Listening Plaque, into his hands, while he himself was besieged and killed by those few people, unable to even utter a final word in the end.

Wen Zhibai had fled all the way to this place, with the two people still biting at his heels.

He was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, and being able to hold on until now was entirely thanks to the protection of the Sanyuan Wind-Listening Plaque.

If not for these three jade plaques blocking the majority of the spells for him, he would have long since had his protective spiritual light shattered by those two on the first night and died on the mountain road.

But no matter how good a protective treasure was, it still required magic power to support it.

Wen Zhibai fished out another Medicinal Pill from his Storage Pouch and stuffed it into his mouth.

The Spiritual Qi released by the Medicinal Pill surged into his Meridians, instead causing a tearing, bloating pain in his Dantian.

He did not know how many Qi-replenishing pills he had swallowed along this journey; his Dantian had long since reached its limit.

If he continued to replenish like this, before those two behind him could catch up, his own Qi channels would be ruptured by the spiritual power first.

Wen Zhibai looked toward Baili Mountain ahead.

The mountain's color was pale, covered in white stones everywhere, looking from afar like a pile of ashes left after being scorched by heavenly fire.

It was rumored that this mountain was left behind by a Purple Mansion Cultivator's battle; the Qi-locking phenomenon had not dissipated for many years, ordinary grass could barely grow, the Spiritual Qi was shallow, and not even ordinary monsters were willing to stay here for long.

The further he flew forward, the more he could feel the surrounding Spiritual Qi thinning.

The spiritual light of the Wind-Riding Talisman beneath his feet was visibly dimmer, and the wind patterns on the three jade plaques beside him were also spinning slower.

Wen Zhibai's heart sank little by little.

Just at this moment, he suddenly discovered that the depths of Baili Mountain did not seem entirely desolate.

Between those white stones, there were vaguely the outlines of a few dwellings.

It was just that, separated by the Formation and the Qi-locking terrain, it was not seen clearly, floating in the heart of the mountain like a mirage; if one did not look carefully, one would almost think it was an illusion caused by the sunlight.

Someone.

There was actually someone in Baili Mountain.

Wen Zhibai's heart jolted, and regardless of whether this would offend the Cultivator in the mountain, he immediately raised his Qi and shouted: "Is there a Fellow Daoist in Baili Mountain who can assist!"

"I am a direct descendant of the Chengtian Sect, and today I am being pursued by demonic Cultivators; I ask for a Fellow Daoist's assistance!"

When these words were shouted out, even Wen Zhibai himself felt ashamed.

He was naturally not any direct descendant of the Chengtian Sect.

He was merely a disciple of the Wen Family, a Qi Refining Family from Dongling.

If he reported his true name, the Cultivator in the mountain would likely not even open the door.

But if he pulled out the banner of the Chengtian Sect, perhaps the nearby Cultivator would be somewhat wary and come out to ask a question; even if it was just to mediate for a moment, it could give him a glimmer of a chance to catch his breath.

As for whether he would be exposed later, Wen Zhibai could no longer care about that much.

"If the Fellow Daoist is willing to assist, I will definitely repay you with spiritual resources and Magical Artifacts afterwards!"

Baili Mountain was silent.

There was no response.

The two pursuers behind him heard his nonsensical words, were stunned at first, and then both sneered.

"A direct descendant of the Chengtian Sect?"

The short, stocky Cultivator mocked: "Does your Wen Family even deserve that?"

The tall, thin Cultivator's expression was gloomy, evidently unwilling to let him continue shouting.

He raised his hand and fired a bolt of lightning, aiming straight for Wen Zhibai's back.

The Sanyuan Wind-Listening Plaque spun again, barely blocking the lightning.

Wen Zhibai, however, was jolted, his figure sinking, and he was about to crash into the outer Formation of Baili Mountain.

There was still no response from the mountain.

He steeled his heart.

If he broke the rules, he broke the rules; it was still better than being caught by the two behind him to be tortured and have his soul searched.

Wen Zhibai gritted his teeth and urged his last bit of magic power, diving straight into Baili Mountain.

Just as he was about to crash into the layer of Formation light in the mountain, a cyan shadow suddenly swept out from his side.

Wen Zhibai only felt his collar tighten.

The next instant, he was lifted by the back of his neck and, like tossing an unruly wild cat, was thrown directly from mid-air to the foot of the mountain to the side.

He rolled twice on the ground, the Sanyuan Wind-Listening Plaque hastily protecting his body, which prevented him from crashing headfirst into the rocks.

When he wretchedly raised his head, he saw a young female Cultivator standing in front of the mountain path.

The woman was dressed in plain-colored robes, her features cold and clear, and her entire person was stained with a touch of the drizzling rain from the mountain.

She did not look very old, but her magic power was profound; the youth could not even see through her true cultivation level.

It was Jiang Yuhe.

Her expression was calm on the surface, but she was quite displeased in her heart.

If it weren't for this youth being so shameless, opening his mouth to claim he was a direct descendant of the Chengtian Sect and charging headfirst into the Baili Mountain Formation, she would not have wanted to meddle in this troublesome matter.

Now, too many secrets had been hoarded within Baili Mountain, and they absolutely could not be shown to outsiders.

If she really let this youth break through the Formation and see the reality within the mountain, it would be a big problem instead.

Wen Zhibai climbed up from the ground, and just as he was about to speak, he saw Jiang Yuhe glance at him from the side.

He immediately swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

The two Cultivators behind him had already pursued to the front of the mountain.

They first glanced at Wen Zhibai, who had been thrown to the side, and then looked Jiang Yuhe up and down.

Seeing that she was extremely young, they first relaxed half a point, but then sensed that her Qi presence was not shallow, especially with the mountain's Formation vaguely harmonizing with her, so they dared not act rashly.

The tall, thin Cultivator stepped forward, slightly cupped his hands in a salute, his voice carrying pressure.

"Fellow Daoist, do not be deceived by this person."

"This youth is merely an evil Cultivator who stole our Family's guarding treasure and killed and injured our clansmen, which is why we have pursued him here."

"Just now he claimed to be a direct descendant of the Chengtian Sect, which is even more nonsensical."

The short, stocky Cultivator also said in a deep voice: "This matter originally has nothing to do with your Family; it is best if you hand the person over to the two of us to handle, and do not let a little thief full of lies ruin the relationship between our two families."