In front of the stone gate, five people stood, seemingly intending to enter the inherited land. The gate slowly opened, and a figure with white hair, Bai Tian, stepped out. His eyes sharply scanned the five people, yet a bitter smile was etched on his face. Without wasting time, Bai Tian immediately turned and ran, for among the five, two had already reached the Spiritual Sea Realm, and he knew that facing them without injury was nearly impossible.
In the midst of his escape, Bai Tian quickly separated the two at the Spiritual Sea Realm, using agile movements and cunning strategies to prevent them from cooperating. After successfully creating distance, he looked back at the three others. Among them, one was at the Spiritual Sea Realm, while the remaining two were still at the Elementary stage.
Bai Tian and the young man at the Spiritual Sea Realm locked eyes, their auras vibrating intensely, causing the air around them to whistle and leaves to swirl. Without warning, Bai Tian surged forward at lightning speed, his body like a white mist piercing through the trees. Every movement of his hands left trails of light, slicing the air with a sharp whistling sound.
The young man raised his palms, channeling his spiritual energy to form a shimmering blue shield. The initial clash created a shockwave that toppled several trees and cracked the ground. Bai Tian spun his body and kicked into the air, generating a whirl of light that spun like a razor-sharp sword. The young man retreated, but the vortex of light exerted immense pressure, forcing him to defend with all his strength.
Bai Tian seized the momentum, leaping high, and dove toward the young man. In a spinning motion, his hands emitted bursts of blazing white aura, attacking from three directions at once. The young man tried to block, but the explosion of light struck the ground around him, forming a small crater and sending dust flying.
The battle became increasingly brutal. Both opponents moved at nearly invisible speeds, each strike producing flashes of light and bursts of energy that tore through the forest. Bai Tian suddenly vanished from view, appearing behind the young man with a close-range strike, then spun his body, channeling spiritual aura through his arms. The young man had no choice but to block with all his might, but Bai Tian's pressure was so overwhelming that he was thrown into a massive tree, cracking its trunk.
Bai Tian gave no respite, continuously pressing the attack. His body spun, cutting through the air at incredible speed, leaving behind layered trails of white and blue light. Each strike was like a mini-storm, hitting the opponent from all directions. The young man tried to counter with a massive blue dragon energy blast from his hands, but Bai Tian dodged with spectacular leaps, and the blast destroyed the ground behind him, leaving a small smoking valley.
Finally, Bai Tian spotted a small gap in his opponent's defense. With a high leap and rapid spin, he channeled all his spiritual aura into the tip of his sword. The strike pierced the young man's shield, sending a white-and-blue explosion into the sky, destroying stones and trees around them. The young man collapsed, gasping, his left hand severed, his body trembling from the overwhelming energy.
Bai Tian looked at the fallen young man, breathing heavily, his body trembling from exhaustion.
Yet, his eyes caught movements in the distance: the two previously separated opponents were rapidly approaching. Awareness of this made Bai Tian tense.
"If I face them all at once… I won't survive," he thought.
The young man, still trying to rise, glared at Bai Tian with burning eyes.
"Bastard… you won't get away just like that!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the forest.
Bai Tian furrowed his brows, a faint bitter smile on his lips.
"We'll see… I have no intention of dying today," he replied coldly, then slowly retreated, adjusting his distance.
As he withdrew, his eyes caught something glowing in the young man's left hand—a ring emitting a soft, mysterious aura. Without hesitation, Bai Tian leaped, quickly snatching the ring.
"Eh?! What are you doing?!" the young man exclaimed in shock, trying to comprehend, but Bai Tian had already taken the ring skillfully.
Bai Tian stepped back a few paces, staring sharply at the young man.
"Now I have something that can help me… and you have to accept the fact that I'll leave first," he said.
The young man glared furiously, shouting,"Don't think you can survive with that! I'll chase you till your last breath!"
Bai Tian leaned forward, his breathing gradually more controlled despite his body nearing its limit."Heh… let's see who's faster," he muttered, then ran through the forest with extraordinary speed. Each step left a faint trail of light, and the two remaining pursuers carefully closed the distance.
Bai Tian ran through the forest, leaves flying around him, while the two pursuers approached. His breath was heavy, his body nearing exhaustion, yet the ring in his hand vibrated gently, emitting a soft light that both calmed and strengthened him.
"This ring… is attracting energy?" Bai Tian thought, channeling a bit of his spiritual aura into the ring. Instantly, he smiled as if discovering a wonderful surprise.
One of the pursuers shouted,"Bastard! Don't think you can run forever! Return that ring!"
Bai Tian glanced back briefly, his smile thin but sharp.
"I'm not just running… I'll give you a gift," he replied, then suddenly leaped onto a large stone in his path. When his foot touched the rock, a small energy explosion propelled the pursuers back several steps.
The young man at the Spiritual Sea Realm, who was half-conscious from their previous fight, stared at Bai Tian with wide eyes.
"That… that ring… go chase it?" he muttered.
After a grueling and risky pursuit, Bai Tian felt his body nearing its limit. Breath ragged, sweat pouring, every step heavier than the last. Yet, his eyes remained alert, aware that the two pursuers were still behind, trying to close the distance.
"Almost there… don't give up now…" Bai Tian whispered to himself, channeling the remaining spiritual energy into his legs and arms. The ring in his hand vibrated gently, emitting a faint glow that granted him a bit of extra strength.
With one final powerful leap, Bai Tian broke through the edge of the forest. Trees receded behind him, and the shadows of his pursuers began to be swallowed by the thick foliage. However, his body was too exhausted to sustain all the remaining energy.
Without hesitation, Bai Tian leaped toward an open mud pool ahead. His body touched the cold mud, sinking most of his body into it. The mud absorbed part of the pressure and energy radiating from him, giving Bai Tian temporary relief.
He drew a long breath, his body trembling from exhaustion. His eyes scanned the forest, where the silhouettes of his pursuers had stopped at the edge, hesitant to face the uncertain and slippery terrain.
"Hahaha… finally, a moment to breathe…" Bai Tian muttered softly, though a faint smile on his face revealed his extreme fatigue. The cold mud became a temporary refuge, giving him time to recover, feeling the flow of energy from the ring in his hand once more.
He closed his eyes briefly, realizing one crucial fact: though he had escaped, this battle was only the beginning, and this ring might be the key to facing even greater dangers ahead.