Chapter 24

After Dongfang Bingling left, Yang Dingtian stood motionless in the room, reaching out to touch the spot where the flame ring had been. Although it was empty, he still felt the surging power, like a volcano about to erupt, mirroring the endless rage in his heart.

Suppressing it, the anger welled up, waiting for the day it would truly erupt, as if it could destroy the entire world.

This was his master's study, where he had stayed for three days. Now, as he was about to leave, he took one last, lingering look.

He could no longer stay here, nor in the Yin-Yang Sect. If he had been willing to compromise, he could have remained in the Yin-Yang Sect in peace, but he was not willing to compromise.

When he left his master to join the Yin-Yang Sect, he never imagined it would end like this. But even if he had foreseen this outcome, he would still have given the flame pendant to his master's wife and refused to hand over the flame ring. Nothing would have changed.

He was about to start his escape, and perhaps he would find it difficult to take a single step in the entire world. But since something as bizarre as spontaneous combustion and being transported to another world had already happened, would he really care about being wanted and hunted by the Yin-Yang Sect?

"Master, farewell. Yin-Yang Sect, farewell..." Yang Dingtian bowed deeply to the center of the study and then turned to leave.

...

Leaving his master's study, he could not go forward, as the front was filled with the dense buildings of the Yin-Yang Sect and its disciples. He had to head towards the back mountain, which was desolate and remote, and might allow him to escape under the cover of the dense forest.

Indeed, there was no one on the back mountain, only snow and trees. Yang Dingtian ran down the mountain as fast as he could. Of course, he left many footprints, making it easy for others to track him, but he could not afford to worry about that now.

Dongfang Bingling had given him an hour to consider, during which she would not send anyone to his master's study or discover his escape. With the fastest speed, he might be able to get away within an hour.

Yang Dingtian's speed was very fast, and he continued to rush down the mountain, plowing through the thick snow, leaving a long trench behind him.

No, this was still too slow. He would be caught after an hour. The snow was very deep, and if he used a sled, he could go much faster.

Yang Dingtian drew a dagger, a gift from Ximen Wuyuan. Using the dagger, he cut a branch and quickly shaped it into two crude sleds. The dagger was very sharp, and it took only a few minutes to make the sleds.

He cut strips of leather from his clothes to bind the sleds to his feet and cut two straight branches to use as poles.

"Whoosh..." The speed indeed increased significantly, almost like the wind.

The snow on Mount Wu Liang was very thick, and the trees were spaced far apart. The trees flew by rapidly. On Earth, Yang Dingtian, born in Northeast China, had always loved skiing and was an expert. Despite the trees, he managed to avoid them, and after practicing the Zhengyang Fist and the Heaven and Earth Technique, his control over his body had improved, making him feel lighter.

His speed increased, and the wind felt like knives on his face.

As he got farther from the Yin-Yang Sect, Yang Dingtian felt more at ease. Just as he was fully immersed in the thrill of the speed, a bell suddenly rang from the other side of the mountain.

Then, a deep voice echoed.

"Coming to steal from the Yin-Yang Sect, do you think we are powerless?"

The voice was distant, at least several miles away, but it sounded as if it were right next to his ear.

Trouble, he had been discovered! The Yin-Yang Sect would soon be in pursuit.

Yang Dingtian skied even faster.

Ski, ski, ski...

Accelerate, accelerate, accelerate...

Although he could not see them, Yang Dingtian could feel that countless Yin-Yang Sect disciples were not far behind, getting closer and closer.

"Screech..." Suddenly, a loud bird call came from the sky.

Yang Dingtian looked up and saw two snow-white eagles from the Xuan Tian Sect, with disciples on their backs who had also noticed the Yin-Yang Sect disciples on the ground.

"Thief, surrender immediately," the Xuan Tian Sect disciples on the eagles said coldly.

Yang Dingtian ignored them and continued skiing forward.

The Xuan Tian Sect disciples on the eagles were not in a hurry, their lips curled in a cold smile as they locked onto Yang Dingtian from above.

Faster, faster, faster...

Yang Dingtian skied with his head down, suddenly feeling a void ahead. He looked up in shock.

"Ah..." He broke out in a cold sweat, quickly stopping the sled and making a sharp turn.

It turned out that there was nothing ahead, no trees, no obstacles. The mountain seemed to end abruptly, with a sheer cliff in front of him. Below the cliff were jagged rocks and the vast, endless sea.

The north side of Mount Wu Liang was by the sea, with no way out.

If Yang Dingtian had been a second slower, he would have plunged off the cliff, shattering into pieces.

Yang Dingtian felt like crying but had no tears. He knew nothing about the geography of Mount Wu Liang, which was why he had fled in this direction. Who would have thought it was a dead end? No wonder the Xuan Tian Sect disciples were not in a hurry, just coldly watching him flee.

The two eagles slowly descended, stopping about three to four meters above the ground, blocking his way. The Xuan Tian Sect disciples on the eagles drew their swords and stared at Yang Dingtian.

These eagles were indeed massive, looking like two airplanes up close. The wind from their wings made the trees sway, and the snow fell in a flurry.

The two Xuan Tian Sect disciples did not come down to grab Yang Dingtian but kept a firm eye on him.

Moments later, two figures approached, bringing a fragrant breeze.

One was snow-white, the other sky-blue, landing ten meters in front of Yang Dingtian. They retracted their ethereal wings.

One of them was cold and beautiful, with a graceful and elegant figure, like a fairy. She was Dongfang Bingling.

The other had a face like a jade crown, incomparably handsome, with a tall and noble posture, exuding an icy pride. He was the legendary first young master and the most beautiful man in the world, the young lord of the Xuan Tian Sect, Zhu Hongxue.

These two standing together looked like a perfect match, making anyone feel inferior.

The two Xuan Tian Sect disciples on the eagles knelt down, respectfully saying, "Greetings, Young Lord, greetings, Miss Dongfang!"

Zhu Hongxue did not acknowledge them and did not even glance at Yang Dingtian, turning to Dongfang Bingling and saying, "Sister, is this the one who stole your item?"

Dongfang Bingling nodded and stepped forward, saying, "Hand it over, and I will pretend nothing happened. You can still join the Yin-Yang Sect and receive what I promised you."

Yang Dingtian smiled and said, "Or what?"

Dongfang Bingling's face turned cold, "Don't think that because you have done me a favor, you can act like this. My patience is limited."

She stepped forward again, now only five meters away from Yang Dingtian, extending her snow-white hand, "Hand it over, and your future will be bright. Refuse, and you will cut off your own path."

Yang Dingtian said coldly, "What Master gave me, I will not give up. If you want it, come and take it."

Dongfang Bingling stepped forward again, now only three meters away, and said coldly, "Hand it over, and your future will be bright. Refuse, and you will cut off your own path!"

At the same time, an overwhelmingly powerful aura pressed down on Yang Dingtian, making him feel suffocated.

Zhu Hongxue, with his snow-white face, suddenly frowned, "Sister, don't get too close to such a lowly person. Don't let his breath pollute your body and senses, and don't touch him."

Zhu Hongxue's words were intimate and domineering, treating Dongfang Bingling like a prized possession. Dongfang Bingling's eyebrows furrowed slightly, seemingly displeased.

"You, you, go and take his item. If he resists, kill him," Zhu Hongxue pointed to the two Xuan Tian Sect disciples on the eagles.

"Yes!" The two Xuan Tian Sect disciples jumped off the eagles, brandishing their swords and slowly approaching.

"Brother Zhu, this person has done my family a favor. Don't harm his life. The item should be with him," Dongfang Bingling said.

Zhu Hongxue frowned, "You two, cut off his hands!"

"Yes!" The two Xuan Tian Sect disciples said.

Dongfang Bingling stared coldly at Yang Dingtian, "I don't want to see this, but that item does not belong to you. If you try to keep it, you will be punished."

"Realize this now, and you can save your hands. Otherwise... you have no way out, no escape... Hand it over, and you can still become a disciple of the Yin-Yang Sect, bringing glory to your family," Dongfang Bingling said.

"Sister, why say so much to him?" Zhu Hongxue said impatiently, "Talking to such a pig or dog is a disgrace."

Yang Dingtian looked at Zhu Hongxue coldly, "You only rely on your ancestors' glory. What are you, pretending to be noble?"

He should not have said that, but he could not help it.

"What did you say?" Zhu Hongxue's face turned cold, "Looking for death!"

"Bang..." Zhu Hongxue struck with a palm in the air.

Zhu Hongxue was very powerful, but Yang Dingtian still struck back with a palm.

"Boom!" A powerful force hit Yang Dingtian's chest, like being struck by a ten-thousand-pound hammer. Blood spurted out like an arrow.

"Go, cut off his hands, and cut out his tongue..." Zhu Hongxue said coldly.

"Yes!" The two Xuan Tian Sect disciples quickly approached, their swords flashing, aiming for Yang Dingtian's arms.

"Ah, ah..." Yang Dingtian laughed wildly.

"Dongfang Bingling, you want my flame ring? Dream on... I would rather die than give it up!"

"Dongfang Bingling, if I survive, I will return this humiliation a hundredfold."

With a wild roar, Yang Dingtian jumped off the cliff.

"Ah..." Dongfang Bingling was completely shocked. She never expected that, with no way out, Yang Dingtian would choose to jump off the cliff so resolutely.

This was a sheer cliff, and jumping off meant certain death, shattering into pieces.

"Zhu Hongxue, if I survive, I will destroy the Xuan Tian Sect and exterminate your clan!"

Yang Dingtian, using his last strength, screamed as he fell off the cliff.