Inside the crumbling temple, the oil lamp sputtered—its dim golden glow warping shadows across blood-stained walls. The stench of last night's Zhao Family massacre hung thick, mixing with the mold of rotting wood. Lin Che leaned against the cold stone, Lin Ying curled safely in his arms. She slept soundly, warm breath fanning his neck; moonlight washed her small, once-sickly face, and her long eyelashes rested like delicate butterfly wings on her lids. This quiet was a death sentence—they were running out of time.
[Emergency Alert: Zhao Tianxiong (Early Foundation Establishment Realm) closing in—8 minutes to arrival!]
[Option A: Teleportation Array (Drains 100% spiritual energy → 24-hour deep weakness; combat power ≤ Early Body Tempering Realm—barely able to stand, let alone fight.)]
[Option B: Bai Qi's Slaughter God Phantom (Costs 1000 Killing Intent points → 12-hour weakness; combat power ≈ Mid Body Tempering Realm—only basic physical attacks work.)]
Lin Che brushed a wisp of hair from Lin Ying's forehead. The distant pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator bore down like a mountain, throbbing in his already damaged meridians. Option A was suicide—24 hours of helplessness meant Lin Ying would die. Option B was a gamble, but it was the only one he had. At least he could still fight to protect her.
"Choose B," Lin Che muttered silently, his resolve unwavering. "12 hours is safer. I can guard Ying."
[Exchange confirmed! Activating Slaughter God Phantom... Current Killing Intent: 1580 → 580 points remaining. Gauge half-full.]
[Activation successful! Bai Qi's Slaughter God Phantom descends!]
Scarlet murderous aura erupted like a volcano, tearing through the temple roof. A hundred-meter-tall phantom loomed—tattered blood armor, rusted longsword, and thousands of wailing vengeful spirits swirling around it. The crushing pressure of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator swept a hundred miles, twisting the air with sheer dread. Beasts dropped to their bellies, birds exploded into the sky, and even the earth trembled. This was the power of a war god's echo.
Zhao Tianxiong streaked in on cyan spiritual light, eyes blazing with hatred—he'd come to raze the temple and kill Lin Che. But the Nascent Soul pressure slammed into him like a sledgehammer, smashing his aura and dropping him to his knees, blood gushing from his mouth. "N-Nascent Soul Sovereign! Spare me! I didn't know you guarded this place—I beg for mercy!"
Nascent Soul vs. Foundation Establishment—there was no contest. Revenge forgotten, Zhao Tianxiong scrambled away on all fours, dirt and leaves caking his robes. He vanished into the mountains in seconds, so terrified he forgot he could fly.
[Phantom dissipating. Side effect activated: 12-hour weakness period (11h47m remaining). Spiritual energy: 18%. Meridians damaged 37%—multiple cracks. Meditate NOW to avoid permanent injury!]
A violent backlash tore through Lin Che's body. His face blanched, blood oozing from his seven orifices, and his meridians screamed—as if skewered by thousands of red-hot needles. He bit his tongue until it bleed to stay awake, clamped Lin Ying to his chest, and stumbled toward the secret passage behind the Buddha statue—the original owner's old hiding spot. Narrow, damp, and barely wide enough to bend over, its walls were draped in spiderwebs, rat droppings littering the ground, and a foul mold stench burning his nose. It was disgusting, but it was their only escape.
"You little bastard! You tricked me!" Zhao Tianxiong's roar shook leaves from the trees—he'd seen through the phantom ruse. His voice dripped with venom, cold enough to freeze blood. "When I catch you, I'll grind your bones to dust and scatter your ashes!"
[Zhao Tianxiong is doubling back! ETA 7 minutes! Your movement speed -60%. Get caught, and you'll be dried bacon hanging at the Zhao Family tomb!]
Lin Che gritted his teeth against the agony, inching through the slippery passage. He stumbled three times, catching himself on the cold stone walls each time—his only thought was getting Lin Ying away. Only when Zhao Tianxiong's aura faded completely did he follow the faint dawn light, fleeing deep into the desolate Green Mang Mountains.
Three hours later, the Green Mang Mountain Ancient Path. Dawn painted the peaks in gold, thin mist winding around the slopes like silk. Dewdrops glistened on grass and stones, a light breeze carrying the fresh scent of earth and wildflowers—barely masking the faint metallic tang of blood. But the path was a death trap: rugged, potholed, and lined with sharp stones. Loose rocks plummeted from the cliffs, crashing into the gorges below with a endless, haunting clatter.
[Weakness period remaining: 8h13m. Spiritual energy: 11%. Meridians damaged 42%—energy flow blocked. No spells usable. Current combat power ≈ Mid Body Tempering Realm—only fists and a rusty knife to fight with.]
Lin Che leaned against an old pagoda tree, swiping blood from his lips. His face was ashen, but his eyes blazed with resolve. The main road was out of the question—Zhao Tianxiong would have ambushes everywhere. In his current state, a single Foundation Establishment cultivator could kill him. The ancient path was dangerous, but it was the only way to Green Stone City—and safety.
[System Alert: Strong monster aura 3km ahead! Blood scent off the charts! With your garbage stats, you're a flavorless snack—even the monster won't waste time seasoning you!]
The system's warning barely faded when a feral roar and cultivators' screams cut through the air. The blood stench intensified, coiling in Lin Che's throat. He pulled Lin Ying tighter, his hand instinctively wrapping around the hilt of his rusted knife—vigilance sharp as a blade.
[Warning: 1 Black Wind Bear (Peak Body Tempering Realm), 4 Cultivators (Early Qi Condensing Realm—critical condition). Black Wind Bears: thick fur, insane aggression, territorial maniacs. DETOUR. NOW.]