Both Xiao Chen and Zuoqiu Ze exhausted their True Energy in making sure they were flying at their top speed . Nearly an hour later, the fair weather abruptly darkened and a mountain range enveloped in dark clouds came into sight .

Xiao Chen landed on the fringe of the mountain range to catch his breath . He put away the Phoenix's Wings on his back . When he turned around, he saw that Zuoqiu Ze had caught up to him . He chuckled and said, "You're pretty brave, aren't you? You dare to stand up to me alone until now . "

Zuoqiu Ze sneered . "Naturally, I've investigated you thoroughly before hunting you down . I know you possess a set of incredibly powerful Devilish Skills but every time you use them, you'll suffer great harm . More importantly, you'll be the one to die if you can't kill me within a certain period of time . "

He was, of course, right . It was true that Xiao Chen dared not rashly use the Immolation Spell of the Three Elements and Heaven's Talisman . This place was still within the range of Zuoqiu family's power . Even if he used Heaven's Talisman, he still wasn't a match for the Nascent Soul Realm cultivator in that family .

"I don't need to use it to defeat you . "

Zuoqiu Ze narrowed his eyes . He suddenly realized that even though he was a Core Forming Realm cultivator, he had to consume elixirs to replenish his True Energy while chasing after Xiao Chen . Why was it different for Xiao Chen? It didn't make sense even if he had a flying magic treasure aiding him .

It was at this moment that he noticed 12 faint white radiances flowing on his body . He couldn't help gasping in shock . Instantly, his gaze turned burning hot .

"You possess 12 complete Spiritual Meridians? Haha! Thanks for the free Spiritual Meridians!"

Zuoqiu Ze was now both surprised and overjoyed . To him, Xiao Chen himself was a treasure . Not only did the latter own a mystical flying magic treasure and strange cultivation methods, but he also possessed 12 complete Spiritual Meridians . If he got his hands on those Spiritual Meridians and refined them, he would certainly break through to the last-stage Core Forming Realm within a year .

When that happened, no one in the Zuoqiu family would be able to look down on him . Thinking about this made Zuoqiu Ze even more agitated . He pointed with his left hand and shot a white light from his fingertip . Xiao Chen's figure blurred as he dragged Murong Xian'er aside to dodge the attack . Following a thumping sound, the light crushed a large tree behind him .

"Hehe, what a speedy reaction!" Zuoqiu Ze sneered . Just as he was about to use his sword, he detected a white radiance flying toward him . It was too late for him to dodge, but a seal talisman suddenly flew from his bosom . In the air, the seal talisman transformed into a Barrier and helped him block the ambus.h.i.+ng white radiance .

Though shocked, Zuoqiu Ze narrowed his eyes to get a better look . When he saw that it was a white sword coated in Immortal Qi from ancient times, he became startled . If not for his grandfather's amulet, the sword would have long injured him .

Simultaneously, his gaze began to burn hot with envy . Even though his Dark Soul Sword was powerful, it ultimately owed its strength to his great-grandfather's powers in it . Once its existing power was exhausted, it would become no different from ordinary swords . The white flying sword in front of him, on the other hand, was an actual ancient treasure .

Xiao Chen scoffed on the inside after noticing that Zuoqiu Ze began to covet his Unsullied Immortal Sword as well . This man was truly a piece of trash that could only depend on his treasure . Immediately, Xiao Chen waved his Unsullied Sword . With a sneer, he pulled Murong Xian'er and dashed into the woods .

Zuoqiu Ze's anger flared when he saw that Xiao Chen was looking down on him . His figure blurred out of sight as he chased after them .

Despite not seeing sunlight all year round, the trees in this forest nonetheless towered over everything . In fact, the dense forest was rather frightening . The wilted leaves piled up high enough to form a thick layer on the ground and the air was permeated by the pungent smell of decay . Moreover, there were also pupils emanating a green glint in the darkness .

Xiao Chen traveled by foot, pulling Murong Xian'er with him, for quite some time . Then, he saw a thin layer of mist shrouding the area up ahead, making it impossible for him to see the end of the woods . If it wasn't the work of a goblin or a monster, then it was surely the miasma of this forest .

It seemed that this place was undoubtedly the Changyin Mountain Range . It was only now that Xiao Chen understood why ordinary folks wouldn't dare to come here . Even cultivators who possessed extraordinary skills wouldn't come here for no good reason . Never mind the dangerously venomous bugs that crawled all over this place . Just breathing in the miasma here for a moment too long would damage one's cultivation or even take one's life .

He first cast a protective True Qi on him and Xian'er before walking deeper into the forest . It took them about 15 minutes to walk out of the miasmshrouded part of the woods . Their subsequent path seemed to become more and more curious .

Zuoqiu Ze chased after them all the way to the miasmshrouded woods . There, he gradually stopped in his tracks . Crossing this poisonous forest was equivalent to truly entering the Changyin Mountain Range . In the past, his grandfather had repeatedly warned him not to enter this place . Even with the many unnatural phenomena taking place in the mountain range, no one from the Zuoqiu family stepped foot there .

It wasn't because the depths of the mountain range were filled with unknown creatures . The truth was that there seemed to be a terrifying curse there . Rumors had it that many people died in this mountain range during the great war of the Archean Eon, including highly-skilled Immortals .

The build-up of resentment gradually formed a maleficent grand formation, resulting in dark clouds over the mountain range all year round . Those who touched the maleficent energy would transform into grieving spirits roaming the area . They could only reincarnate after finding a scapegoat .

Even though these rumors sounded outrageous, fewer and fewer cultivators entered the mountain range . Fewer still came out alive . Zuoqiu Ze was feeling uncertain but he was fixated on Xiao Chen's treasures . More importantly, if he returned empty-handed this time, he would surely incur mockery from others .

Thinking of this, he clenched his teeth and steeled his will to kill Xiao Chen . He immediately placed protective True Qi on himself and entered the poisonous forest .

Four hours later, Xiao Chen arrived at a wilted forest . He shuttled back and forth the forest in every direction, placing countless Nine Yang Extreme Heat Formations . Murong Xian'er, using her formation proficiency, helped him conceal the formations' power fluctuation .

After completing all these, they looked at each other and broke out into smiles . It was as if they weren't currently being hunted down . Murong Xian'er stuck out her tongue at him . "That's enough . The bad guy is on his way, you know? Let's leave now, Brother Xiao Chen!" They immediately fled far away .

It didn't take Zuoqiu Ze long to arrive at the wilted forest . The golden brocade that he was wearing was torn in quite a few places . Resentment colored his expression . In the past four hours, he had exchanged blows with Xiao Chen a few times . Each time, Xiao Chen would show up out of nowhere to ambush him and then run away with his strange footwork . This annoyed him immensely .

Holding his Dark Soul Sword, he cautiously entered the wilted forest . He picked up pace after making sure that Xiao Chen wasn't hiding here . Unexpectedly, before he could go far, a loud explosion resounded and the forest instantly combusted into flames . A wave of burning-hot Qi swept in his direction .

He made a backward flip in his shock . However, he stepped on something after landing on the ground, prompting a great force to break out from underneath . This time, the outbreak of power instantly sent him flying . Were it not for his several protective magic treasures, he would have been bombed until he was bruised and b.l.o.o.d.y .

The explosions resounded one after another, creating countless pits on the ground of the wilted forest . Zuoqiu Ze might have magic treasures and talismans protecting him, but he was nonetheless reduced to a pathetic state this time . Even though he didn't suffer severe injuries, his face was scorched black and his golden brocade was in tatters after all those explosions .

"B*stard! Don't let me catch you or I swear I'll skin you alive!" Zuoqiu Ze was shaking with resentment . He had never been played for a fool in this manner in his entire life . Now, he wanted nothing more than to torment and kill Xiao Chen .

He also noticed that the girl with Xiao Chen had abundant spirit energy despite her apparent lack of cultivation . The girl must have concealed all the formations to prevent him from detecting them .

"D*mn it! Girl, I'll be sure to teach you a good lesson after catching you!" His voice reverberated in the deserted valley, lingering for a long time .

In the distant, Xiao Chen and Murong Xian'er burst into laughter after hearing the noise coming from behind them . She blinked her large eyes and asked, "Brother Xiao, what does he mean by 'teaching me a good lesson'?"

Xiao Chen knocked lightly on her forehead . "Forget that . Let's go! We can't let him catch up to us!" Zuoqiu Ze possessed too many treasures and talismans . They must not be caught in a direct confrontation .

Murong Xian'er rubbed her forehead and said to herself, "Oh, alright then . I'll ask Sister Yan when we get back . "

Thus, they began running again . Less than an hour later, they arrived at the bottom of a particular mountain where a clear spring gradually turned into a brook as it flowed downward . The water was limpid and cool . They refreshed themselves with a few sips of the spring water . An idea hit Xiao Chen and he placed a Nine Yang Extreme Heat Formation in the water .

Murong Xian'er burst into laughter and cast a spell in a well-practiced manner to conceal the energy fluctuation of the formation . They then returned to the sh.o.r.e and ran toward a boulder concealed behind the plants, feeling like they had done something naughty .