This battle lasted an entire day. Its brutality was too horrific to watch. Severed limbs were scattered across the ground in countless numbers, and flesh and blood were everywhere.
It was the most brutal fight Ye Chu had ever faced. Even with the Green Lotus protecting him, he spat blood continuously. His body was covered in countless cuts, drenched in blood, both his own and that of his enemies.
No previous battle had been as exhausting as this one. Ye Chu narrowly avoided having his vital points pierced several times. It was a terrifying clash, and by the end, Ye Chu was nearly drained of all his strength.
Numerous cultivators surrounded him, their eyes filled with cold killing intent, determined to completely eradicate Ye Chu.
Those who occasionally witnessed the scene could not help but sigh. They thought that while Ye Chu was undoubtedly powerful, he would ultimately fail to escape the Path of Heavenly Prodigies. No one could ever make it out of this place.
“What a pity…”
Amid the sighs of many, everyone waited for Ye Chu to fall. At the same time, many secretly tensed their muscles, thinking that if the sacred fluid ended up in someone else’s hands, they could try to seize it for themselves.
“Boom…”
Another fierce collision occurred. All eyes snapped towards it, wondering if Ye Chu had been severely injured. Instead, they saw a youth spitting blood. Harnessing the explosive force of the impact, he leapt onto the city wall and shot away. He moved with lightning speed, instantly clearing the city walls.
Watching as he vanished into the mountain range after a few swift bounds, the onlookers exchanged glances.
“He… he actually escaped under such a coordinated siege?”
Countless people stared wide-eyed in the direction Ye Chu had fled. They were utterly dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open wide enough to swallow an egg.
The results of this battle soon spread. The guardians had suffered heavy casualties. Out of twelve kings, four were slain, three were critically wounded, and the others all bore injuries.
This outcome caused an uproar, shattering everyone’s expectations far beyond previous estimates. Such a formidable formation had not only failed to stop his escape, but it had also forced the Path of Heavenly Prodigies to pay a devastating price.
“What a monster!”
No other word crossed their minds. Only that one remained.
…
Ji Die was currently in the eighteenth city. The sacred fluid had caused her some trouble, but it was manageable. Along the way, however, she heard countless legends about Ye Chu. As each new report reached her, it shook her deeply, leaving visible astonishment on her stunningly beautiful face. She knew Ye Chu’s cultivation realm well, yet fighting his way through like this made him terrifyingly strong. It was hard to believe he was merely a cultivator who had just reached the king realm.
Ji Die had thought she already held Ye Chu in high regard, but when the results from the first city reached her ears, her mind went numb. She recalled boasting that she could easily defeat Ye Chu within ten moves. Given the combat power he was now displaying, could she really defeat him in ten moves?
Thinking of their one year agreement, Ji Die suddenly felt a surge of urgency. It was true that Ye Chu had only just broken through to the king realm, but how much had these continuous battles refined him? After fighting his way through all this, he had likely transformed to a terrifying degree.
His comprehension of the Dao and his intent must have been honed to near perfection.
Realising this, Ji Die felt even more pressure. In terms of cultivating the Dao and intent, she did not hold a significant lead over him. Having forged himself through trials of blood, fire, life, and death, he might have already surpassed her by now.
“I absolutely cannot let you win!” Ji Die bit down on her teeth, leaving deep indentations on her cherry red lips. She remembered her own words. She had once declared that if Ye Chu could defeat her, she would lie on the bed and let him take his fill.
Back then, Ye Chu had failed, and she had dismissed it as a passing cloud. But if it happened again, given his current prowess, would she be able to escape?
Ji Die felt that perhaps she too would need to walk her own path!
…
Ye Chu naturally had no idea of the impact he was having on Ji Die. At this moment, he was hidden deep within the mountain range, tending to his injuries.
The battle at the first city had been far too brutal. He was left covered in wounds, his blood and qi churning violently. If he had not harnessed murderous aura to counter a final strike, and then used that explosive force to shoot away, he would likely have fallen there.
Even so, his injuries were still severe. Fortunately, his journey of slaughter had yielded many valuable spoils, including supreme healing treasures. With the aid of the Demonic Spirit Flying Bamboo, he only needed time to recover fully.
Moreover, while the Chaos Green Qi could not directly heal wounds, it had a remarkably potent nourishing effect on his body. Ye Chu had fought his way forward with barely any pauses, entirely sustained by the nourishing properties of the Chaos Green Qi.
Ever since reaching the king realm, he had tempered the Green Lotus with the Chaos Green Qi. This allowed the nourishing energy to permeate his body more deeply, leaving his sea of qi brimming with vitality.
…
While Ye Chu was recovering, the guardians of the Path of Heavenly Prodigies could not endure such a crushing humiliation. The twelve kings and other cultivators who still retained combat strength set off in pursuit, heading towards the direction Ye Chu had fled.
Witnesses of this scene clicked their tongues in amazement. “It seems Ye Chu will still find it difficult to escape. Although one cannot turn back after entering the first city, the journey to reach it covers an extremely long distance that still falls within the boundaries of the Path of Heavenly Prodigies.”
“Tsk tsk, for Ye Chu to make it out, he will have to fight at least one more battle. They are definitely blocking the entrance to the path now!”
…
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The Path of Heavenly Prodigies seemed to return to a quiet state. Ye Chu did not appear again, and the guardians ceased their active deployments.
“Could Ye Chu have died from his severe injuries?”
“Highly unlikely. For a figure like Ye Chu, I believe he would die fighting, but I do not believe he would succumb to wounds.”
“He is probably healing. His injuries must be serious. After that battle in the first city, he might have been on the brink of death even as he fled.”
“…”
The crowd continued to speculate, but in a courtyard not far from the entrance, Zhu Fengcheng had just lain down when he suddenly sat up. He stared in shock at the youth who had somehow entered his room unnoticed and exclaimed, “Senior Brother Ye Chu!”
Zhu Fengcheng had also heard the legends about Ye Chu, and his blood had boiled with excitement upon hearing them. Thinking back to when Ye Chu first entered the path and they had provoked him, he could not help but shudder.
“I need you to do something for me!” Ye Chu cut straight to the point without any pleasantries. He pulled out a token from Qingmi Mountain, stared directly at Zhu Fengcheng, and said, “I am ordering you with this token. You must accomplish this!”
Seeing Ye Chu speak with such gravity, Zhu Fengcheng’s expression turned serious. “Please give your orders, senior brother!”
Ye Chu did not elaborate. He brought out all the blood he had seized along the path, pushed it towards Zhu Fengcheng, and said, “Take these items to Wuxin Peak for me and give them to Xixi. You have not yet entered the first city, so you can still turn back along the path without breaking its rules. Keep the Qingmi Mountain token. You can use it to request aid from the Qingmi Mountain forces. You must deliver this safely.”
“Senior Brother Ye Chu, you…” Zhu Fengcheng looked at the jade vials before him and tried to speak. But Ye Chu interrupted him. “Do not delay. Send them away today.”
Ye Chu’s voice was icy cold, making Zhu Fengcheng shiver. He quickly scrambled to his feet and said, “Rest assured, senior brother. Even if I die, I will deliver them to Qingmi Mountain. However, senior brother, you have already come this far. Why do you not…”
“There are still people waiting for me, waiting for me to walk right into their trap so they can kill me.” Ye Chu said calmly. “In that case, let us see how they plan to do it!”
“Senior brother…” Zhu Fengcheng gasped in horror, looking up at Ye Chu, but Ye Chu had already left the room. If not for the thick smell of blood filling the space and the numerous jade vials, Zhu Fengcheng would have thought he was dreaming.