King of Creation
Chapter 254 - 251: Elder Zou’s Furious Outburst

However, in the face of absolute power, desperate measures, surprise attacks, sudden offensives, and even prior ambushes—all become worthless.

This was exactly what Ye Zhen was facing when confronted by Zou Zhi, an elder of the Sword Origin Sect. One was a grandmaster of the Soul Sea Realm, the other merely at the peak of the Spirit Summoning Realm, a staggering difference of two major realms in cultivation.

If it were against a Martial Artist of the Spirit Transformation Realm, Ye Zhen’s Origin Sword Vein and his newly acquired Floating Cloud Finger could potentially turn the tide, but in front of Zou Zhi of the Soul Sea Realm, there was no chance whatsoever.

Originally, relying on the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub and the War Soul Blood Banner, even if Ye Zhen ran into a Martial Artist from the Spirit Transformation Realm, he might not win but could at least escape.

Knowing full well that a Blood Fox Sword wielder of the Fifth Stage Spirit Transformation Realm was likely laying in ambush outside the city, Ye Zhen still boldly left, relying on this fact.

The speed of the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub, with the blessing of the War Soul Blood Banner, could match that of a Martial Artist of the Soul Sea Realm. But Zou Zhi also knew a Flying Secret Technique, breaking Ye Zhen’s last resort.

In an instant, Ye Zhen found himself in a desperate situation.

While most methods to overcome strength with weakness are futile in the face of true power, an advantage in timing and positioning could sometimes still be exploited to the fullest.

But in the midst of these clouds in the empty sky, where could Ye Zhen find such an advantage?

However, if not here, then there’s one place that does have it—the Poisonous Miasma Valley.

The challenges within the Poisonous Miasma Valley were incredibly dangerous, claiming the lives of even those in the Spirit Transformation Realm.

Ye Zhen didn’t know how much the poisons in the Poisonous Miasma Valley would harm a Martial Artist of the Soul Sea Realm. He might not be able to trap them, but Ye Zhen hoped that place could offer him a glimmer of survival.

At present, within half a quarter-hour, Zou Zhi of the Sword Origin Sect would overtake the ten-plus li distance, and easily kill Ye Zhen.

Even racking his brains, Ye Zhen could think of no place other than the Poisonous Miasma Valley that might offer a chance to escape.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Ye Zhen was already over two hundred li from the Poisonous Miasma Valley.

The first challenge Ye Zhen faced in taking advantage of the Poisonous Miasma Valley’s position was getting back to it.

"This is the only way!"

Ye Zhen’s gaze suddenly became fiercely sharp.

The next moment, the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub, in full flight, dived downward toward the lower skies, and as it flew low, a mass of cloud Qi gathered, obscuring Ye Zhen’s figure.

Seeing this while using Blood Escape of Sword Origin, Zou Zhi hurriedly dove down as well, and after a few breaths, he locked onto Ye Zhen’s figure once more. Surprise flashed across Zou Zhi’s face.

Because he realized that Ye Zhen had changed direction. Originally, both were flying eastward, but Ye Zhen’s turn took him towards the north, instantly shortening the distance between them by four li.

This elated Zou Zhi. After all, his Blood Escape of Sword Origin required him to expend his Life-bound Essence, and for each additional mouthful spewed, he would need to recover for three to four months of hard Cultivation.

Fifteen li!

Thirteen li!

Eleven li!

The distance between the two was rapidly closing, and the direction of the pursuit was gradually shifting due north.

Suddenly, Ye Zhen changed course again, veering from north to west.

In an instant, the distance between them closed by another four li, leaving less than seven li between them. Zou Zhi was overjoyed once more, spewing a mouthful of Life-bound Essence Blood, the dim light of his Blood Escape of Sword Origin brightened again, and his speed surged.

Five li!

Four li!

"Ye Zhen, just wait for death!" the eyes of Zou Zhi, the elder of the Sword Origin Sect, blazed with a frightening ferocity. In just sixty more breaths, he would be able to close the distance between them to within one li.

Once he closed to within one li, it would spell the end for Ye Zhen!

Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!

The shrill sounds of tearing through the air were exceptionally piercing in the empty sky. Three verdant streaks of Rapid-Fire Arrows shot like lightning towards Zou Zhi, the elder of the Sword Origin Sect.

Hiss!

Seeing this, Zou Zhi took in a sharp breath. With a surge of his Divine Sense, the Protective Spirit Gang shone brilliantly, becoming crystal clear and resplendent with a jade-like radiance as if he were covered in a layer of jade armor.

Zou Zhi had no choice.

His flying speed was already extremely fast, and the speed of those three verdant streaks was even faster, like lightning. They were converging rapidly, and even he had no possibility of dodging. He had to withstand the hit directly!

Bang!

The first streak of Green Winged Spirit Arrow slammed hard into Zou Zhi’s chest, creating an explosive wave so powerful it rippled through the air. Zou Zhi’s body was struck as if he had hit a mountain, causing his speed to drastically drop and making him feel sick enough to vomit blood.

Yet, there was not a single crack on the jade armor protecting Zou Zhi’s chest.

Bang! Bang!

The remaining two streams of light struck Zou Zhi’s chest almost simultaneously, with a massive flare of light sending Zou Zhi stumbling back several meters.

Hiss!

This time, it was Ye Zhen’s turn to be shocked.

Ye Zhen, firing the Three Rapid-Fire Arrows with the Green Wing Divine Bow, had not injured Zou Zhi in the slightest. The three consecutive Green Winged Spirit Arrows hit the same spot on Zou Zhi’s Protective Spirit Gang, also known as the jade armor.

After the Three Rapid-Fire Arrows, the jade armor wasn’t smashed. With Ye Zhen’s Eye Power, he could only see cracks spreading on it, but with a turn of Zou Zhi’s Spiritual Power, it immediately restored itself.

"This Protective Spirit Force’s power is terrifying, isn’t it?"

Ye Zhen had witnessed numerous battles among Soul Sea Realm powerhouses, but a Protective Spirit Force with such astonishing defensive power was a first for him.

Ye Zhen had thought that his three Rapid-Fire Arrows from the Green Wing Divine Bow, even if they couldn’t seriously injure Zou Zhi, would at least cause some damage. But now, not even Zou Zhi’s Protective Spirit Force had been breached, a surprise that was hard for Ye Zhen to swallow.

Ye Zhen estimated that Zou Zhi had likely cultivated a very powerful defense cultivation technique.

Nevertheless, while it was unexpected, Ye Zhen had achieved his goal—to increase the distance between him and Zou Zhi!

With Ye Zhen’s three Rapid-Fire Arrows, Zou Zhi’s speed had abruptly dropped to zero. Not only that, but it had also delayed him for nearly two breaths of time.

It might seem like just two breaths, but with the War Soul Blood Banner’s blessing, the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub could fly over two hundred meters in each breath. In just two breaths, it had instantly increased the distance by a mile.

Moreover, by the time Zou Zhi managed to accelerate to his limit and catch up again, ten breaths had already passed.

After those ten breaths, Ye Zhen had increased the distance to nearly ten miles.

The sight left Zou Zhi so furious he nearly coughed up blood.

And indeed, fueled by rage, Zou Zhi had to cough up blood—well, spew out a mouthful of his life-bound essence blood—as he once again used the Blood Escape of Sword Origin to madly pursue Ye Zhen.

A hundred breaths later, with his eyes bloodshot, Zou Zhi once again closed the gap to four miles between himself and Ye Zhen.

Alas, the nightmarish sound of slicing air echoed once more.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Three strands of green Rapid-Fire light lanced toward Zou Zhi once again, and at this moment, Ye Zhen, who was riding the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub, even flashed a toothy grin at Zou Zhi.

Zou Zhi was on the verge of exploding with anger!

Bang bang bang!

Zou Zhi, hit by three Green Winged Spirit Arrows, was unharmed, but his speed, which had been pushed to the limit, plummeted to zero once again. By the time he resumed the chase, the distance between him and Ye Zhen had stretched to ten miles again.

This pursuit quickly fell into an inescapable cycle, where Zou Zhi, to catch up with Ye Zhen riding the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub, had to push his speed to the extreme. Otherwise, he couldn’t catch up, but if he did push his speed to the limit, he couldn’t dodge the Three Rapid-Fire Arrows shot by Ye Zhen.

Of course, the main reason was that the distance was too short.

Ye Zhen had always shot his arrows when Zou Zhi was less than four miles away, giving him no chance to dodge.

Five times in a row it happened, infuriating Zou Zhi to the point of thunderous rage, making him want to cough up blood.

This seesaw battle was too taxing and too costly for Zou Zhi. Even a Soul Sea Realm powerhouse couldn’t bear the loss of life-bound essence blood if it was sprayed too frequently.

Seeing Zou Zhi hopping mad, Ye Zhen almost felt the urge to keep it up indefinitely; he could spend half a day dragging Zou Zhi to death if necessary.

Ye Zhen couldn’t believe it—would Zou Zhi dare to spew ten, a hundred mouthfuls of his life-bound essence blood? Would he dare to spew a thousand?

However, after some deliberation, Ye Zhen eventually dismissed this dangerous idea.

The method was too risky. The slightest mishap, any unforeseen event, or encountering some meddlesome person along the way would spell disaster for Ye Zhen.

Up ahead was the Poisonous Miasma Valley, which presented a better opportunity to slip away, and Ye Zhen saw no need to resort to such a desperate strategy.

"Bastard, once you fall into my hands, I’ll flay and dismember you, crush your bones to dust and scatter them to the winds!" Zou Zhi cursed furiously after being driven back once again by Ye Zhen’s three consecutive arrows.

In just half an hour, having spewed seven or eight mouthfuls of his life-bound essence blood, he already felt his breath becoming disorderly. He might not last long enough to catch up with Ye Zhen at this rate.

At this thought, Zou Zhi couldn’t help regretting why he hadn’t sent a talisman communication to Elder Zhii Sheng, who was searching in another direction, earlier on.

It always seemed easier to encircle with two people.

Yet, at that time, pride wouldn’t allow it.

He, an Elder of the Sword Origin Sect, a formidable figure in the Soul Sea Realm, couldn’t handle a young man at the peak of the Spirit Summoning Realm?

If word of this got out, he feared he’d become the laughingstock of the world.

Even if he had sent the talisman communication to Elder Zhii Sheng, distant fire wouldn’t quench the immediate thirst.

Elder Zhii Sheng was still searching in the southwest of Antai Mountain, tens of thousands of miles away. Even if he received the talisman communication and rushed over at full speed, it would take half a day.

As Zou Zhi struggled inwardly, his eyes suddenly lit up. He saw Ye Zhen, who was hurtling ahead, suddenly turn and head toward a small valley below.

"Can your mount, the Cloud Winged Tiger, not hold on any longer?" Zou Zhi wasn’t blind; the Cloud Winged Tiger was merely a mid-grade Earth Level Demon Beast. To burst forth with such astonishing speed, Ye Zhen must have used some Beast Taming Secret Technique.

Upon this realization, Zou Zhi’s figure shifted, shadowing Ye Zhen closely as he followed suit.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

And in that very instant, three Green Winged Spirit Arrows were shot consecutively, aimed directly for the crotch of Elder Zou Zhi!

Bang bang bang!

Each thunderous explosion turned Zou Zhi’s face a shade paler, causing his already pale complexion to become one of utter shock and terror.

If Ye Zhen actually caused him a severe physical impairment, he really wouldn’t have the face to see anyone again!

The next instant, Zou Zhi’s angry roar reverberated through the entire valley, "Ye Zhen, fuck your ancestors!" (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation votes, monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)