Chapter 29

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

In the midst of the forest, the sound of clothes tearing through the air was barely noticeable, and the angry shouts of the pursuers kept flashing by. The five or six people who were closest to Li Chen, all top-notch cultivators at the Ningsi Realm, were following his footsteps. They had a strong foundation of inner energy, and although they were surprised by Li Chen's speed, they relied on their profound cultivation and stubbornly pursued him.

Several hours had passed, and they had startled many beasts along the way, including some of the most powerful ones. However, after sensing so many people passing by, even the bloodthirsty beasts had to hide cautiously. Their innate keen intuition told them that if they provoked the group at this moment, it would inevitably lead to a fierce battle.

Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any second-stage beasts, clearly indicating that the iron-backed bear was the dominant presence in this area.

After chasing for hundreds of miles, with the sun setting in the west, Li Chen's speed hadn't slowed down. They had taken many pills to restore their inner energy, but their internal meridians were already aching. More dangerously, they had ventured deeper than they had ever gone before.

"Boy, put down the item, and we'll spare your life!"

The middle-aged man with a scar on his face shouted fiercely.

"Old Scar, you're right. Just put down the item, and we'll let you go!"

"Drop the treasure!"

The others kept tempting Li Chen, but their feet didn't stop for a moment.

"Only a fool would believe that!"

Li Chen didn't even turn his head, ignoring their taunts and threats. In his anxious state, he paid no attention to the changes around him and rushed forward without a word.

Many low-rank disciples of the Xuan Yun Sect had died at the hands of these adventurers during their training in the Ancient Cangshan Mountains. Although the Xuan Yun Sect intimidated all directions, in such a wild place, death was just death.

The current Li Chen was only able to maintain his lead because of his swift movements and ample supply of pills.

From a distance, in the dense forest, Li Chen was clearly leading the way, followed by five or six people in hot pursuit, and further back, a dozen or so others were scattered.

But none of the people focused on the journey noticed that the mountain they were on was actually an isolated peak!

"Oh no!"

Reaching the top of the mountain, Li Chen panted heavily, his face extremely grim as he looked at the cliff mostly hidden in the mist.

A cliff in front, pursuers behind, he had walked into a dead end!

No matter how intelligent Li Chen was, he was at a loss at this moment.

"Ha ha ha, boy, run some more?"

Just as he hesitated, a group of five or six people arrived at the summit. Seeing Li Chen pacing uncertainly at the edge of the cliff, they were overjoyed and gradually surrounded him.

"Boy, hand over the bag on your back!"

A tall, thin middle-aged man, looking at Li Chen's backpack and the two exposed green horns, was filled with greed.

"Who should I give it to?"

Facing the dead end, Li Chen was surprisingly calm, but his heart was filled with bitterness.

Seeing the prospect of obtaining a great treasure and advancing his cultivation, he never expected to end up in such a dire situation.

In the mountain breeze, a hint of regret flashed in his eyes, obscured by his disheveled hair. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have been so greedy. If he had abandoned the green horns, he might have already left the Ancient Cangshan Mountains and found a place to cultivate in secret.

Truly, joy turned to sorrow!

"Give it to me!"

Everyone shouted in unison, but to their shock and anger, Li Chen suddenly leaped off the cliff.

"No!"

Rushing to the edge of the cliff, they only saw a fleeting figure in the mist below, their hands empty and grasping at nothing.

Screech!

A bone-chilling, thunderous cry echoed through the sky. The faces of the few people turned pale as the mist below suddenly churned, and even with their Ningsi Ninth Layer cultivation, they were blown off balance.

"Golden-winged Thunder Eagle!"

The few people, looking at the giant eagle that rose up with wings spanning several zhang, its body golden-gray and crowned with golden feathers, cried out in shock.

Thud!

One of them spat out a foul green liquid, clearly terrified to death.

In the Thunder Eagle's talons, Li Chen was clearly there, but his body was covered in blood, his limbs hanging limp, and his condition unknown.

Ah!

The wind howled as the Thunder Eagle soared overhead, and another person was snatched away. The Thunder Eagle let out a piercing cry and disappeared into the sky.

The others were blown around by the hurricane, colliding with rocks, and immediately suffered head injuries, broken bones, and torn flesh. Two of them died on the spot.

The few survivors, groaning and crawling up, their faces pale, shivered as they made their way down the mountain.

But at this moment, the other adventurers had already caught up. They didn't see the terrifying Thunder Eagle, but they saw their leader dead and the other three severely injured, clearly from a fierce battle. They immediately turned red-eyed and started fighting without a second thought.

In their view, the few must have obtained the treasure and started fighting over it. No matter how the three tried to explain, the bloodthirsty adventurers wouldn't believe them.

Amidst the cries of battle, the air grew bloody, attracting the beasts that had hidden due to the presence of the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle. They gathered at the site, ready for an even more brutal battle.

...

Bang!

Li Chen, feeling like a broken sack, felt a sharp pain in his body and struggled to open his eyes. His eyelids, stuck together with blood, only opened a tiny slit.

Above him, it was dim, and with a rustling sound, a shadow passed by, and a drop of liquid fell on his lips, emitting a pungent smell of blood.

Suddenly opening his eyes, he saw a huge eagle tearing at the flesh of a shapeless, blood-soaked body.

Faintly, he recognized the tattered clothes, which belonged to one of the adventurers who had been chasing him.

Squawk!

Looking up, he saw a massive nest full of branches, from which came the cries of young eagles. Clearly, the giant eagle was feeding its chicks.

Even with Li Chen's strong will, he was so shocked by the sight that he fainted, his mind going blank.

Screech!

Just as he fainted, he faintly heard a piercing cry, filled with panic and unease.

Boom!

The Thunder Eagle, which was feeding its chicks, darted out of the cave like lightning. The violent hurricane blew Li Chen up and slammed him against the rock wall, causing a crackling sound as his bones broke.

"Ah!"

In the midst of the screams, the unconscious Li Chen was painfully awakened, but this kind of consciousness was worse than death.

Captured by the Thunder Eagle, his bones were already broken in many places. This new misfortune meant that he was almost dead, and his current state was just a last flicker of life before death.

Caw!

This time, Li Chen heard the fierce cries clearly. Even though he knew they were far away, they still sounded piercing.

Screech, screech!

Amidst the thunderous sounds, the eagle's cries continued, and a violent aura rose into the sky, a pressure that Li Chen could no longer withstand.

"Before I die, to see such a powerful beast is not in vain, but it's a pity that I didn't..."

The last flicker of life lasted only a short while. Under the overwhelming pressure, Li Chen's vision grew darker, his eyelids heavier, and he finally slumped over, silent.

The battle outside the cave lasted nearly half an hour before the screams abruptly stopped. In the howling wind, the cave's light dimmed, and with a loud thud, two massive figures fell in. They were two Golden-winged Thunder Eagles.

However, the two eagles were in a terrible state. The one lying on its side had its neck nearly severed, and it was already dead. The one that dragged it into the cave had a huge gash on its chest, with its internal organs spilling out, and one of its wings was torn. Its once majestic head now had a black, bloody hole where an eye had been.

The blood dripping down emitted a nauseating stench, clearly poisoned.