Chapter 134: Thousand-Illusion Phantom Escape

Leaving aside the question of how furious Xu Gong might be, the culprit, Xiao Wenzi, was currently inside his spirit beast bag, comfortably comprehending the newly acquired technique.

He quickly mastered the first twelve levels of the Blood Spirit Grand Technique. As for the "Thousand Illusion Demon Shadow Escape" that came with it, the spirit beast bag was far too cramped for him to practice it effectively.

The Thousand Illusion Demon Shadow Escape was somewhat similar to the Demon Shadow Art, though it consumed significantly more cultivation energy. Once mastered, it allowed the user to manifest more illusory clones as their cultivation grew, making it akin to an upgraded version of the original art. Simply put, if Xiao Wenzi could master this technique while in the Demon Qi Realm, he could potentially manifest dozens or even hundreds of clones—an excellent method for self-preservation. He decided to begin practicing this secret demonic art at the first available opportunity. If he could manifest hundreds of clones, he would be able to traverse dozens of meters at will, which would be invaluable not only for escaping but also for gaining a significant advantage in battle against powerful enemies.

While Xiao Wenzi was busy comprehending his technique, Chu Xin'er continued her search for Lu Yin.

In the valley, sand and stones were flying as the brothers Luan Ping and Luan Zhong engaged in a fierce battle with a black bear standing over a meter tall. Occasionally, Luan Zhong would glance back toward the direction in which Lu Yin had fled. Although this beast had failed its breakthrough attempt, it remained a peak Tier 1 demonic beast, and it was struggling to gain any advantage against the well-coordinated Luan brothers. By this point in the battle, the bear’s body was covered in deep, bone-exposed wounds; otherwise, Luan Zhong would never have had the time to spare a glance for Lu Yin.

The brothers, being of one mind, understood his thoughts. Luan Ping chuckled and said, "Second brother, are you worried that little girl will use this chance to get away? Don't worry, I already left a tracking mark on her. Once we finish off this brute, we can..."

Luan Zhong was well aware that his brother’s spiritual sense was far superior to that of an average practitioner at the Great Perfection of the Qi Condensation stage; it was impossible for a mere girl at the eleventh level of Qi Condensation to detect it. Relieved, the brothers unleashed a fierce barrage of attacks with their flying swords against the black bear, which let out a cry of frustrated agony.

"Brother, Sister Chu, where are you?"

Twenty miles away from the valley, in the sky, the young girl Lu Yin was standing on her flying sword, murmuring anxiously. Having been targeted by the ill-intentioned Luan brothers, she had no heart for earning points; she knew that only by reuniting with her older brother, Lu Fang, and the formidable Chu Xin'er could she ensure her safety. Although she had spotted several other examinees, none of them were the people she was looking for. Lu Yin felt a growing sense of panic and a vague, ominous premonition.

She flew a bit further, then suddenly, sensing something, she looked back to see two streaks of light racing toward her across the horizon.

"It’s them. Damn it, those two just won't give up!"

The two streaks of light merged into one, moving with a speed rivaling that of a cultivator who had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage. There was no way Lu Yin could evade them. Soon, Luan Ping and Luan Zhong caught up to her, and she whispered to herself in nervous tension.

"What a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into you again so soon, Junior Sister..." Luan Zhong said with a smile as he caught up, though his expression looked anything but well-intentioned.

"Go away! Who has any connection with you?" Lu Yin retorted sharply, not letting him finish. She abruptly changed the direction of her flight, diving rapidly toward a spot ahead and to the side, where intense fluctuations of spiritual energy suggested that other examinees were battling a demonic beast. The Luan brothers were clearly lecherous, but surely they would restrain themselves in front of a crowd.

"Little sister, wait! Why push people away?"

"That's right. We brothers only want to protect a delicate flower like you; there's no need to be so nervous..."

Luan Ping and Luan Zhong also sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy in the distance. However, their spiritual senses could not pinpoint the exact situation. They exchanged a look and continued the chase with mocking grins.

Seeing them closing in, Lu Yin grew desperate. She clutched a jade talisman in one hand, ready to crush it at any moment, while her other hand quickly produced a talisman from her storage bag, which she activated to bolster her speed. It was a Wind-Spirit Talisman. Once its power merged with her flight, her speed more than doubled.

Caught off guard, Luan Ping and Luan Zhong were momentarily stunned. They had been playing a cat-and-mouse game without attacking immediately, fearing that if they pushed her too hard, she might choose to destroy her jade plate and forfeit her chance to join the Lingtian Sect. Seeing that she possessed such a treasure as a Wind-Spirit Talisman, they were naturally frustrated. However, they were not about to give up so easily, and they merged their light streaks to continue the pursuit. In their view, as long as Lu Yin was unwilling to give up the opportunity of the trial, she had a weakness they could exploit. If they followed her, they would eventually get what they wanted.

In a forest more than ten miles away, there was a small earthen mound, about a hundred meters in diameter. The mound was shrouded in a protective barrier, through which numerous rare spirit herbs and flowers were faintly visible. Currently, over a dozen people were attacking the barrier, and it was from here that the deafening roars and spiritual energy fluctuations were emanating.

With the help of the Wind-Spirit Talisman, although Lu Yin's speed was still no match for the Luan brothers, they could not catch her in the short term. As the chase continued, the three of them soon approached the mound.

Seeing so many cultivators ahead, Lu Yin was overjoyed and charged toward them with all her might. The people coveting the spirit herbs on the mound did not know she was rushing toward them in a panic to escape the Luan brothers. Because this natural barrier was at the late second-tier level, it was strong enough to withstand the bombardment of a master at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage. A small group would never be able to shake it. As soon as they approached, someone called out, "Three fellow daoists, you’ve arrived just in time! Come over and help!"

"No problem."

With so many examinees present, no matter how depraved Luan Zhong was, he couldn't possibly seize Lu Yin on the spot. Furthermore, the mound behind the formation contained many rare spirit herbs; if they could harvest some, even if they failed to enter the Lingtian Sect, they would still gain a bountiful reward. After exchanging a look with his brother, they readily agreed and flew toward the slope.

Lu Yin did not take the opportunity to flee. The more commotion there was here, the safer she would be. Perhaps, after some time, she would be able to wait for her older brother and Sister Chu to arrive. Therefore, she landed on the edge of the crowd, taking care to position herself far away from the Luan brothers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With the addition of the two "half-step" Foundation Establishment Luan brothers, as magical artifacts and techniques flew through the air in a dazzling display of light, the natural barrier finally began to tremble.

"Fellow daoists, I believe you all know how the spoils should be divided. Don't hold anything back! Attack with all your might and open this formation as quickly as possible."

Although the spirit flowers and herbs on the slope were rare, the quantity was limited. Naturally, the fewer people there were to snatch them, the larger the share each person would receive. Seeing the formation waver, the young man in white who had first greeted Lu Yin and the others shouted loudly.