Chapter 97

**Bang!**

Debris from the ground flew as Ji Chengwu, like an arrow released from a bow, charged towards Shen Lang.

Ji Chengwu was overly arrogant. Although he knew that Shen Lang had mastered the Thunder Sect’s “Thunder Control Divine Technique,” he did not realize that Shen Lang, despite his young age, had already cultivated it to a considerable level. The only thing lacking was the power of thunder.

However, the amount of thunder power, relative to what was needed, was not much of an issue. At least, the level of thunder power in Shen Lang’s body was sufficient to counter this level of Soul Devouring Demon Art.

Thunder power is the most yang and powerful force in the universe. How could a mere Soul Devouring Demon Art harm Shen Lang?

The demonic aura of the Soul Devouring Demon Art was mostly blocked by the inner armor Shen Lang wore. The little that managed to enter his body was quickly expelled by the thunder power he activated.

This inner armor, of course, was the one he had taken from the Young Master of the Holy Light Sect.

It was just that Shen Lang had refined it again.

So, he was completely unharmed. As soon as he landed, he used a Ground Escape Talisman and quickly fled in the distance.

This was all thanks to Yao Chengjie’s inner armor. Otherwise, encountering such a tyrannical demonic art, a single misstep could have led to Shen Lang’s demise...

As the saying goes, those who act overly arrogant will be struck by lightning. Ji Chengwu’s pretense gave Shen Lang the opportunity to widen the distance between them.

At this point, they were already more than three hundred meters apart, and the speed Shen Lang displayed was almost on par with Ji Chengwu’s.

Chasing him in this mountain forest would be quite difficult.

...

The False Silver Eyes revealed that the black-cloaked man’s strength was around the Sixth Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm. Although Shen Lang had already advanced to the Fifth Heaven of the Qi Martial Realm, which was a significant improvement from when he killed the zombie, even with the “Burst” technique, which could temporarily unleash his potential and boost his strength, it was still far from enough to deal with a Sixth Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm expert.

At the Spirit Martial Realm, a single heaven’s difference was like the difference between heaven and earth, let alone a difference of five or six heavens.

Therefore, Shen Lang chose to play dead and escape using the Ground Escape Talisman.

"Stop right there!"

Ji Chengwu roared, furious that his prey had slipped away again and had even tricked him. He was so enraged that he was shouting like a madman...

"Ha, are you crazy? If I told you to stop, would you actually stop?"

Shen Lang no longer hid his strength, pouring all his spiritual energy into his legs, moving at a ghostly speed!

Just a hundred meters ahead was a cliff, and below it was the turbulent Feng River.

As long as he jumped into the Feng River, he could quickly shake off the pursuer.

However, just as Shen Lang seemed about to escape Ji Chengwu, a figure suddenly darted out from a pile of rocks!

Shen Lang’s hair stood on end. Without hesitation, he changed his straight path to a zigzag and slashed sideways.

"I’ll help you die if you want to!" A deliberately altered voice echoed in the forest.

The black figure moved incredibly fast, easily evading Shen Lang’s slash.

Then, a hand clad in a black glove struck Shen Lang’s shoulder.

**Bang!**

Shen Lang couldn’t dodge in time and was hit squarely, flying through the air and crashing through three trees before landing in a heap in the grass...

"A tiny insect trying to shake a tree, overestimating your own strength!" The black-cloaked figure sneered, slowly approaching.

Shen Lang, struggling to his feet, took a few steps back, holding his long knife and bitterly smiling, "I knew you were nearby, but I didn’t expect that choosing a random direction would still lead me to you. City Lord, we seem to have quite the connection!"

The black-cloaked figure paused, then sneered again, "I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just wondering who had been ruining my plans so many times. Now it seems you’re nothing special. If it weren’t for the玄级内甲 (Xuan-level inner armor) you’re wearing, you wouldn’t be standing here talking to me now... Hand over the Nine Immortal Lingzhi, and I’ll spare you a complete body."

Shen Lang touched his chest, feeling a bit grateful to the Young Master of the Holy Light Sect, Yao Chengjie.

If he hadn’t been cautious and refined the inner armor he had taken, then worn it, Ye Xiaozheng’s palm strike just now would have been much more dangerous.

Even if such a character was like an ant to the Battle Emperor, and even if the attack was full of openings and vulnerabilities, the power difference was too great, and his physical speed couldn’t keep up with his reactions... Escaping this time would require some serious thought.

It seems that no matter how high one’s cultivation, being cautious is always a good idea.

"Ouch, you want to spare me a complete body? I should be grateful, even to your ancestors? Ha, do you really think I’m just meat on a chopping board?" Shen Lang said sarcastically.

The black-cloaked figure sneered, "Talking back won’t help. Do you think you have a chance to live?"

"The damn brat, I’ll tear you apart and extract your soul!" At this moment, Ji Chengwu, who had been chasing from behind, rushed up, flanking Shen Lang with Ye Xiaozheng.

The three of them stood in a triangular formation.

"Alright, alright, I get it, you’ve said it seventeen or eighteen times! Can’t you change your words?" Shen Lang smiled and said to Ye Xiaozheng, "I can’t fight, but I still have a chance to live... Hey, the person behind you is about to stab you with a sword. Aren’t you afraid of being split in two?"

"Ha ha ha, trying to mislead me? Who do you think you’re fooling... What? How dare you!" Ye Xiaozheng’s senses tingled, and he moved, punching backward.

A stunning sword light immediately clashed with his punch!

In the deafening explosion, the sword light shattered, and the surrounding energy shockwaves snapped many trees.

Although the sword light was powerful, it was still inferior to Ye Xiaozheng.

"Damn, did you have to ruin it? I finally got a chance to sneak an attack, and you exposed me. That’s not right!" A white figure flashed, and a man in a white robe, wearing a demon mask identical to Shen Lang’s, stood beside him.

"How is that not right? I’m protecting your reputation. Sneaking attacks from behind can be addictive. Once you start, you can’t stop," Shen Lang chuckled.

"True... Yes, your analysis makes sense," the white-robed demon-masked man nodded.

Ji Chengwu’s black cloak rustled, and a slightly hoarse voice said, "The one who killed my zombie is this person!"

"Is that so? Excellent, excellent, you’re all gathered. Better to deal with you all at once," Ye Xiaozheng sneered, his aura spreading, ready to attack.

"What do we do?" the white-robed demon-masked man asked.

Shen Lang laughed, "What else? If we can’t fight, we run!"

"Run separately... You wouldn’t like that, right?" the white-robed man agreed.

"Of course not. The Nine Immortal Lingzhi is on me. Do you think they’ll chase you?" Shen Lang said irritably.

"I knew it... Alright, give it to me." The white-robed man flashed in front of him, turning his back to Ye Xiaozheng and Ji Chengwu.

The unique aura of the Nine Immortal Lingzhi immediately spread between them.

"Two brats, asking for death!" Ji Chengwu, clearly not as patient as Ye Xiaozheng, roared and lunged forward, his whip straightening like a sword, stabbing at the white-robed man.

"Wind is tight, let’s go!"

Shen Lang laughed and dashed toward the cliff.

The white-robed man, not slower, narrowly avoided the whip and fled in another direction.

"Damn it!" Ji Chengwu, enraged, shouted, "What do we do?"

Previously, the Nine Immortal Lingzhi was on Shen Lang, and if they ran separately, the white-robed man wouldn’t be chased.

But after their little show, it was unclear who had the item now.

Ye Xiaozheng spread his arms, flying like a bird, and with a powerful kick, he shot toward the white-robed man.

"I’ll chase the white-robed man, the black-cloaked one is yours. Don’t let him live!" Ye Xiaozheng’s voice echoed from afar.

Ji Chengwu’s eyes filled with killing intent, his aura surging, and he chased after Shen Lang with his whip.

...

In the forest with grass taller than a person, the sound of people darting through the air and energy explosions echoed like fireworks.

Ji Chengwu, no longer pretending, attacked with full force, relentlessly pounding Shen Lang from behind.

"Brat, stop right there!"

"Old dog, if I stop, it’s embarrassing. If you’re so capable, you stop and show me!"

"You can’t run!"

"You say so, but it’s not up to you."

"Argh..."

"Shut up, old dog. No matter how much you yell, you can’t catch me!"

"Die!" The chilling shout echoed through the sky.

Ji Chengwu’s enraged attacks were formidable, each punch and palm strike like a meteor, smashing into the ground and sending shockwaves that shattered nearby rocks and trees.

"Old dog, you can’t even touch my clothes, and you’re still barking!"

Shen Lang’s movements were ghostly, evading attacks with uncanny precision, maintaining his speed even while zigzagging.

This made Ji Chengwu more and more anxious, and the more anxious he became, the more frenzied his attacks.

After years of killing in the Heavenly Demon Domain, as a Sixth Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm expert, just one step away from the Xuan Wu Realm, he couldn’t even deal with a Qi Martial Realm brat!

If this got out, who would believe it?

And he thought he had seen through all of Shen Lang’s cards, but now he was even more uncertain about Shen Lang’s true strength...

...

In the rugged, obstacle-filled forest, Shen Lang zigzagged forward, reaching the cliff edge in just a few breaths.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a vine and dropped down the cliff.

**Bang!**

In the flying debris, within three seconds, the vine Shen Lang had grabbed was severed by Ji Chengwu’s palm strike.

"Die!"

...