Lei Chi, the Heavenly Tribulation Zone.
The thunderstorms here were chaotic, spreading like a spiderweb. Tribulation clouds gathered above the high dome and on the mountainside.
This place truly deserved to be called Lei Chi.
Ordinary cultivators in the third stage might not dare to step foot here, as one wrong move could lead to instant death, making every step a struggle.
Yet, at this moment, a figure clad in simple Daoist robes was speeding through the air, propelled by the breeze. He sliced through layer after layer of tribulation clouds, like a rolling stone falling into an erupting volcano, triggering an immense reaction.
Above and below, thunder struck with immense force.
The figure continued to dash forward, like a wisp of clear wind weaving through a field of flowers, not a single leaf touched. Not a single bolt of the dense lightning managed to strike him.
Even if one did hit, it wouldn't be a major issue, at most, his skin would be torn and he'd wince in pain.
Lightning truly meant little to him.
...
Xu Mu passed through this tribulation cloud, his expression filled with anxiety. His spiritual energy was pushed to its absolute limit, the character "Xun" glowing red from overuse.
Even so, he couldn't escape the pursuit of the woman behind him, and he could sense that the small red sword was getting closer and closer.
"Almost there, just a bit longer. Zuo Mingqiu should be around here!" Xu Mu gritted his teeth, sensing the increasingly close and murderous sword intent behind him.
Seeing that the tribulation clouds ahead were too terrifying to face head-on, he abandoned his aerial movement and switched to running on the ground.
Xu Mu held his breath, concentrating all his strength in his leg muscles, aiming to maximize the distance of each stride.
He knew Zhao Qingdong was fast, but he hadn't expected her to be *that* fast.
Her formation had clearly trapped Zhao Qingdong for a considerable time, and he had even suffered a backlash when it was broken. Yet, Xu Mu didn't think much of it.
After all, he had already flown a great distance by then.
"No matter how powerful Zhao Qingdong is, she couldn't possibly catch up and find me, could she?"
That's what Xu Mu had thought at the time.
But soon, he realized he was wrong.
From a great distance, Xu Mu sensed an incredibly sharp, crimson sword intent locking onto his soul, an intent he couldn't shake off no matter how he tried.
At that moment, Xu Mu knew he had underestimated Zhao Qingdong, and he began to run for his life.
But after half an hour, the distance between them had narrowed to less than a hundred meters.
One hundred meters, perhaps less than a hundred breaths.
In these hundred breaths, he had to find Zuo Mingqiu and have him help deal with Zhao Qingdong, or his identity would surely be exposed!
"Over there!"
Xu Mu frantically searched for Zuo Mingqiu's figure and finally, a thousand meters away, sensed an unusual thunderous rumble, as if a heavenly tribulation was descending. But it was being completely absorbed by someone, causing only minimal tremors.
In the entire Heavenly Tribulation Zone, only Zuo Mingqiu could withstand lightning with his physical body to temper it.
"Zuo Mingqiu, hurry and save me! This crazy woman is trying to kill me!!!"
Xu Mu roared loudly, causing the figure hidden beneath the thunderous mass to pause.
Zhao Qingdong snorted coldly, her killing intent intensifying, and her speed increased slightly.
Zuo Mingqiu looked at Xu Mu from afar, recognizing the strange man. He then glanced at Zhao Qingdong behind him, his eyebrows slightly raised, and immediately understood what was happening.
"Save you? But I don't know you."
Xu Mu grew anxious and said,
"Don't you remember? Last time in Lei Chi, I said I had something to tell you, and you agreed!"
Zuo Mingqiu smiled and said,
"I didn't say you couldn't speak."
"Speak then."
Xu Mu rushed to within fifty paces of Zuo Mingqiu, pointing behind him with a look of anguish and shouting, "This crazy woman is chasing me, what can I possibly say!"
"Hurry and help me stop her! I have something very important to discuss with you, it concerns the entire Tianshi Mountain!"
Xu Mu's expression was one of extreme urgency, as if he were speaking the truth.
Zuo Mingqiu's brow furrowed. Recalling the recent events spreading among the peaks of Tianshi Mountain, he said,
"Zhao Qingdong, stop."
"Buzz!"
The small red sword did not halt. Instead, it erupted with extreme killing intent and slashed forward, carrying the tribulation lightning and stirring up a vast bloody sea in the space.
Seeing this, Zuo Mingqiu gripped his Dao sword and, borrowing the heavenly lightning, also unleashed a sword qi, rising from the ground towards the sky. It collided with the crimson wave with a thunderous roar.
The two sword qi shattered.
Zuo Mingqiu and Xu Mu stood side-by-side, while Zhao Qingdong stood on the opposite side. The robes of all three billowed in the wind, and they gazed at the brilliant fireworks with different expressions.
After the fireworks faded, Zhao Qingdong’s icy gaze fell upon Zuo Mingqiu, and she asked,
"Do you know each other?"
Zuo Mingqiu shook his head.
"Then move aside," Zhao Qingdong said, her hand gripping her sword hilt, "I will kill him, and then I will kill you."
"This is what you agreed to at the start!"
Zuo Mingqiu felt a headache coming on. He turned to Xu Mu and asked, "What is it you wanted to say?"
Xu Mu looked at Zhao Qingdong, swallowed, and said, "Don't rush to ask that. Do you have a way to help me escape? We need to find a safer place to talk!"
Upon hearing this, Zuo Mingqiu was convinced Xu Mu was a liar. He calmly stepped to the side.
Seeing this, Zhao Qingdong raised her hand, about to draw her sword.
At this moment, Xu Mu grabbed Zuo Mingqiu's right shoulder. Zuo Mingqiu's expression was startled, seemingly not expecting this strange man to be able to touch him while he was on guard.
He unleashed his Dao technique, and golden light burst from Zuo Mingqiu's eyes. He was about to retaliate against Xu Mu, but his body froze.
Because the surging blood qi from Xu Mu was already crashing against his face.
He froze, not out of fear. Though Xu Mu's physical body was strong, it wasn't strong enough to this extent.
Zuo Mingqiu turned his head, his eyes fixed on Xu Mu, and asked,
"Who are you!"
"It's me." Xu Mu's expression changed slightly. The disguise around his eyes faded, and a crimson aura of death surged into his pupils, making Zuo Mingqiu's body tremble.
"You know who I am."
"It really is you!" Zuo Mingqiu's pupils contracted severely. He stood there stunned, as if struck by lightning.
He would never forget these eyes in his lifetime.
This was the only person who had defeated him, and defeated him twice. Let alone his eyes, even the shape and number of his eyelashes were seared into his memory; there was no possibility of mistaking him.
However, why was Xu Mu here?
"Zuo Mingqiu, move aside!"
Zhao Qingdong, holding her red sword, shouted angrily.
Zuo Mingqiu jolted back to his senses. He then looked at Xu Mu and asked, "Didn't you flee to the forbidden zone? Why are you here?!"
Xu Mu gritted his teeth, his expression anxious, "Stop asking so many questions, just take me and run!"
"I truly have something very important to tell you, hurry and help me get away from this lunatic, you must have a way!"
"Zuo Mingqiu, if you don't move aside, I'll cut you down too!" Zhao Qingdong shouted again, her expression looking extremely grim.
She had realized it by now. Zuo Mingqiu clearly knew this strange man, otherwise, given the Daoist's nature, he wouldn't have allowed someone to grab his shoulder without resistance.
There was definitely something going on between them!
"Zhao Qingdong, I apologize!"
Zuo Mingqiu gritted his teeth, grabbed Xu Mu's arm, and instantly shot a hundred meters away. Then, he stomped his right foot fiercely. Something in space seemed to shatter, and a profound spatial Dao enveloped the two of them.
"Zuo Mingqiu!"
Zhao Qingdong's pupils contracted sharply. As if she had witnessed something incredible, she madly slashed out a sword at the two of them.
But it was too late. The moment she made her move, the spatial teleportation formation had already taken effect, and Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu's figures had vanished from that space.
Immediately after, the formation also dissolved on its own.
Where they had gone, no one knew.
Zhao Qingdong stood in place, gazing at the empty, ruined formation before her, and the pile of lightning ore that had been shattered by her sword. The killing intent and fury in her eyes could no longer be contained. Her terrifying crimson sword intent turned all the lightning ore within a radius of several hundred meters into dust.
"Zuo Mingqiu!!!"
"I will tear you both to shreds!!!"
...