Chapter 90

With a deafening boom, the ground was blasted open, but Gu Xuyao did not linger. After restraining his opponent with a single strike, he flew straight out of the Dizhang Marsh.

The location of Liao Wu Manor was on the outskirts of the Dizhang Marsh. It would take only three days to leave the marsh from Liao Wu Manor. With the shortcut map given by Ru Dongsheng before he left, Gu Xuyao believed he could leave the marsh in just two days, of course, assuming he could survive.

"Damn it, what's going on!" The small-eyed cultivator, though not injured, was covered in mud from the explosion.

At this moment, Ru Dongsheng also came out of Liao Wu Manor with other elders of the Ru family.

"It's bad, that boy surnamed Gu suddenly went mad, killing Ru Changming and his father. We couldn't stop him in time. Please, the cultivators of Lvyan Manor, avenge Changming for us!"

As the saying goes, strike first to gain the upper hand. In Gu Xuyao's plan, he did not give Lvyan Manor any extra time to frame him, directly taking the blame.

The cultivators of Lvyan Manor naturally knew this was all a show, but they could not expose the other party's trick. The three cultivators from Lvyan Manor could only suffer in silence.

However, the cultivators of Lvyan Manor were not easy to fool. Since Liao Wu Manor had played this move, they only needed to catch Gu Xuyao and prove that he did not kill Ru Changming. This was a very simple matter, as not only the Ru family cultivators knew the soul-reading technique.

"Since that's the case, we will capture this person. When we return, Lvyan Manor will thoroughly interrogate him to find out why he killed our son-in-law."

The small-eyed cultivator coldly snorted, leading two others to fly in the direction Gu Xuyao had fled.

Ru Dongsheng watched the three leave, signaling a few people to follow, then sighed deeply, his face filled with guilt.

At this moment, Ru Lixuan ran out of Liao Wu Manor, panic-stricken.

"Father, what's going on? I heard that Brother Gu said he killed Ru Changming. Is Ru Changming dead? What's happening?"

Facing his beloved daughter, Ru Dongsheng did not know how to explain, only pondering and staring at the marsh forest ahead.

While Ru Lixuan was confused, Gu Xuyao was in a state of high tension. Although he had taken the lead, the cultivators behind him were not far behind. Their cultivation levels were on par with Gu Xuyao, and one of them had progressed further in the Root Birth Realm, though slowly, he was indeed closing the gap.

Sensing the situation, Gu Xuyao knew that the fastest cultivator was none other than the small-eyed cultivator who had attacked him that night. They had engaged in a brief skirmish, and the small-eyed cultivator had the upper hand.

"Boy ahead, I advise you to stop running. Even if you run as fast as you can, it will take you two days to leave the Dizhang Marsh. Do you think we can't catch up in two days?"

Gu Xuyao, of course, knew that if he fell into their hands, his entire plan would fail. However, since he had such thoughts, Liao Wu Manor would not leave him empty-handed.

He took out the third treasure gourd from his waist, which Ru Dongsheng had prepared according to his request, filled with various magical treasures and spirit stones.

"Is that so? If you fail, don't think too much about it." Gu Xuyao shook the gourd, and three spell talismans floated into his hand. After a quick incantation, the talismans stuck to the air.

A strong wind blew, and the leaves of the short trees rustled. Soon, a sharp explosion sounded from behind.

"Damn it, it's a flash talisman!"

Gu Xuyao smiled slightly. The flash talisman was a common tool used by cultivators, and the quality of the talisman depended on the cultivator's level. If a talisman made by a Source Transformation Realm cultivator, these Root Birth Realm cultivators would likely be blinded for three days.

However, the flash talisman in Liao Wu Manor was only a sixth-grade treasure, which could only blind a Root Birth Realm cultivator for about three breaths.

But three breaths was enough for Gu Xuyao to gain a significant advantage. By the time the pursuers regained their sight, Gu Xuyao's trail had already disappeared, and the tracks ahead pointed in three different directions.

"Split up and search!"

The small-eyed cultivator chose the direction he thought was most likely, given the limited time, Gu Xuyao could only create two false trails, which were easy to see through by experienced trackers. However, although Lvyan Manor was powerful, it was still just a family in the Dizhang Marsh, lacking in tracking skills.

But today, Gu Xuyao's luck was not good. The small-eyed cultivator chose the exact route Gu Xuyao was taking, as it was the fastest way out of the Dizhang Marsh.

Soon, the sounds from behind told him that the pursuers were catching up. Without looking back, Gu Xuyao knew who it was.

"Hmph, boy, you're quite clever, but you won't escape today. Even if you leave the Dizhang Marsh, I will still catch you!"

The small-eyed cultivator's voice was grating, and it served as a psychological weapon during the pursuit.

Gu Xuyao ignored the taunts and took out the gourd again, crushing a spirit stone.

"The Dizhang Marsh has a denser concentration of elemental energy than the outside world. With the use of spirit stones, I should be able to maintain this speed to leave the marsh." Gu Xuyao had already calculated the amount of spirit stones he would need. Although he had taken on a significant burden for Liao Wu Manor, he was not greedy and did not ask for excessive resources. Greed was the most dangerous thing in life.

The elemental energy from the spirit stone quickly fused into Gu Xuyao's body, replenishing his energy. Next, he needed to think of a way to shake off the pursuer, who was getting closer. He shook the gourd again, and three flying swords appeared in his hand. These swords were not of high quality, only sixth-grade treasures.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Three flying swords, the limit of what Gu Xuyao could control, attacked the small-eyed cultivator. Controlling three swords at once reduced their flexibility and attack power, and it also increased the consumption of elemental energy due to his divided attention.

"Clang, clang, clang."

The small-eyed cultivator, forced to defend, took out a long sword from the gourd and blocked the attacks, naturally slowing down.

This was exactly what Gu Xuyao wanted. He launched a final attack with the flying swords, then decisively cut off his connection with them, and his mind quickly returned to his body. The flying swords fell to the ground.

The flying swords, which had been attacking fiercely, suddenly stopped, and the small-eyed cultivator's defensive stance became meaningless. When he looked ahead, Gu Xuyao was already gone, leaving three more false trails.

The small-eyed cultivator coldly snorted, randomly choosing one of the paths and continuing the pursuit.

"Everything is going according to plan. This time, I should be able to shake off the pursuer."

Gu Xuyao's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. The previous effort had been significant. Thinking he had likely shaken off the pursuer, he slowed down a bit, crushed another spirit stone, and replenished his energy.

However, the saying "misfortunes never come singly" proved true today. Before he could rest long, the sounds of pursuit came again.

"Ha ha ha, boy, it seems I have a knack for catching you. You've tried to escape multiple times, but in vain. Since you can't succeed, why not just give up and come with me?"

The small-eyed cultivator's laughter was grating, and Gu Xuyao frowned, immediately increasing his speed to the limit.

Knowing the number of pursuers, Gu Xuyao had planned his escape from the beginning, using various strategies. Each time, he had executed his plan, but fate was against him, and the small-eyed cultivator had chosen the right path twice out of three.

Gu Xuyao could not plan for every possibility. The small-eyed cultivator's luck was indeed good, but he did not believe it would happen a third time.

"Fellow Daoist, it seems we have a connection. You were the one outside the Black Bear Cave that night, weren't you?"

"Yes, since you know you're not a match for me, why not surrender? I see you as a capable person. Why burden yourself with such a heavy crime for Liao Wu Manor? How about this: if you come with me and cooperate, I can vouch for you to the family. Not only will you not be harmed, but you can join Lvyan Manor as a vassal. Think about it, jumping from Liao Wu Manor to Lvyan Manor is a huge leap."

The small-eyed cultivator's thoughts were meticulous. Offering an olive branch, regardless of its authenticity, would make anyone hesitate after being caught twice. Hesitation often leads to mistakes.

Unfortunately, the small-eyed cultivator had his own plans, and Gu Xuyao had already thought through his strategy.

"Fellow Daoist, is that true? I regretted it the moment I fled. Why should I risk my life for a family with no connection to me? But the deed is done, and I can only run for my life. Fellow Daoist, can you guarantee what you said?"

Whether he rejected it righteously or remained silent, the small-eyed cultivator knew the other party was wavering. However, Gu Xuyao's quick agreement caught him off guard. Though cunning, he had not encountered such a situation often, and to use cunning, one must have been deceived before!