179: Chapter 180 Torture!

"It's happening again! It's happening again! I'm in such a state, why can he still find me?!"

In a courtyard, various Formations and spiritual restrictions were arrayed, transforming the small court into an impregnable 'turtle shell'.

A disheveled middle-aged Cultivator sat within, but the Formations and spiritual restrictions did not provide him with the slightest sense of security.

At this moment, he looked somewhat deranged, clutching his messy, bird's nest-like hair, his bloodshot eyes revealing fatigue and fear.

This person was Chu Tianlin, one of the four who initially pursued Lu Ming, and now the only survivor.

However, his condition was not good at this time.

In recent days, his body had developed problems; his spirit was listless, leading to intermittent dizziness, his magic power began to become impure, and his Qi and blood were declining.

He had tried various methods, but they had little effect.

This made Chu Tianlin feel as if the sky was falling, and he seemed to be on the verge of collapse at any moment.

What frightened him most was that several Fellow Daoists with whom he had collaborated many times, Song Yuan and Feng Buping, had died suddenly one after another.

As for the remaining Fellow Daoist Zhu, what became of him? He did not know.

The other party's identity had always been very secretive; he did not know his background or details.

But he presumed he was not doing well either, perhaps he had already returned to the Dao.

According to news from his scouts, Song Yuan and Feng Buping both died from exhausted Lifespan, passing away in meditation.

But Chu Tianlin did not believe such nonsense.

Although the few of them were not intimate friends, they were fellow rogue Cultivators.

How could he not know if the other party's Lifespan was nearing its end?

Moreover, his own body was now showing strange symptoms, forcing him to make too many connections.

Could it be that after Song Yuan and Feng Buping, he too was destined to follow in their footsteps?

This plunged him into extreme panic constantly, leaving him no desire to Cultivate.

And the cause of all this was very likely the work of that 'Wu Daoren'.

Otherwise, how could such coincidences happen!

The other party must be retaliating for the pursuit of them back then!

Chu Tianlin was filled with regret now, blaming himself for being blinded by greed at the time.

He had thought it was a fat sheep, but he had unexpectedly caught a plague god.

Just one misstep could cost him his life.

However, he did not sit idly by; he had already sent a message back to his Family requesting support.

He, meanwhile, had gone into hiding under an assumed name in a certain market town, and set up several Formations in this small courtyard.

He would not step out of the small courtyard until the Family reinforcements arrived.

As long as he could hold out and return to his Family's territory, he refused to believe that no matter how arrogant that Wu Daoren was, he would dare to attack their home?

One must know, his Chu Family was considered a prominent Family in the Southern Wilderness Region, second only to the four Golden Core powers.

There was more than one Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator in his Family.

It could be said that as long as one Golden Core True Person emerged from their Family, they could immediately ascend to the top tier of the Southern Wilderness Region, influencing the changes in the Southern Wilderness Region, and becoming a player in the grand scheme of things.

And a mere Wu Daoren, no matter how arrogant, he presumed he would not dare to act presumptuously in front of the Chu Family!

At that time, he could even ask the Peak Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor to take action, eliminate this person, and forever eliminate future troubles!

But dreams are beautiful, and reality is cruel.

He had been so careful, yet the strange condition of his body had not disappeared; instead, it had worsened.

And now, it was happening again!

He completely failed to understand the other party's methods, not knowing how he could target him across several Formations.

However, although Chu Tianlin was angry and frustrated, this intensity was not fatal; he could still endure it, after all.

But it was at this moment that he suddenly felt a great disaster approaching, his spiritual sense warning him with frantic tremors.

But before Chu Tianlin could react.

He sensed that in the depths of the unknown, something important seemed to be inexplicably draining away from him.

"Ugh..."

Chu Tianlin grunted, and an extreme feeling of weakness washed over him.

His thoughts fell into Chaos, and his vision went black for a moment.

If he hadn't promptly supported himself with his hands on the ground, preventing his body from pitching forward.

He, a dignified Foundation Establishment Cultivator, would probably have fallen headfirst, face-planting like a dog.

After quite a while, his consciousness gradually returned to clarity.

But what met his eyes made his eyes widen in disbelief.

He saw that the hands supporting him on the ground were now shriveled like dry wood.

Truly, bone-thin!

"No, no..."

Chu Tianlin was terrified, a bad premonition gripping his heart.

He quickly took out a bronze mirror and examined himself, then his eyes filled with disbelief.

What he saw was an old man with white hair and a withered, aged face.

Moreover, at this moment, his entire body was emaciated, his cheeks sunken, as if a large part of his essence had been drained away.

But from the contours of his facial features, one could vaguely discern that this was Chu Tianlin himself!

Chu Tianlin just stared blankly at himself in the bronze mirror, but his expression gradually returned to calm, becoming devoid of joy or sorrow.

As the saying goes, the greatest sorrow is a dead heart, and death itself is secondary.

He had anticipated this day, but he hadn't expected it to come so quickly.

"It's fate..." Chu Tianlin muttered to himself.

He just stared blankly ahead, as if resigned to his fate.

And without him noticing.

A crimson thread, unimpeded, passed through the small courtyard, which was shrouded in layers of Formations, and directly entered his Divine Soul, then concealed itself.

Chu Tianlin's heart was ashen at this moment, and he didn't notice anything unusual.

Or perhaps he did, but he didn't pay it any mind.

He was tired, it didn't matter anymore... Time quietly slipped away like this.

Three days passed.

Chu Tianlin sat motionless in the courtyard, like a statue.

At this moment, a token at his waist flickered.

This gradually restored a trace of vitality to Chu Tianlin's somewhat hollow eyes.

This was... his Family members had arrived!

This rekindled hope in his heart.

If one could live, who would willingly die?

Although his current state was miserable, perhaps the Old Ancestor would have a way to resolve it once he returned to the Family?

Moreover, three days had passed, and the situation had not worsened further.

Chu Tianlin guessed that this was the Wu Daoren's malicious prank.

Like a cat toying with a mouse, he wanted to torment him!

But the other party probably didn't realize that he had backing!

Chu Tianlin secretly vowed that once he returned to his Family, he would definitely beg the Old Ancestor to take action and suppress this fiend!

"Hmph, what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger!"