140: Life-or-death crisis

Yang Lingchen was engaged in Sword Flight, moving at lightning speed. His figure was like a streak of light, rushing rapidly toward the edge of the Southern Wilderness. The wild wind whistled by his ears, making his clothes flap violently.

Regarding this incursion by the Central Plains forces, Yang Lingchen felt utterly helpless, his heart shrouded in a deep gloom.

Originally, Yang Lingchen had believed his strength was sufficiently powerful to handle many challenges, but he had not expected a group of even more powerful and unfathomable enemies to emerge.

However, Yang Lingchen did not show the slightest hint of fear.

He knew well that the path to Cultivate would certainly not be smooth sailing or a wide, open road. Every peerless expert who shook the world had experienced the cruel baptism of bloody storms, and he would be no exception.

Just then, Yang Lingchen's brows twitched violently as if in a spasm. An unprecedented and intense feeling of unease suddenly welled up in his heart, as if something extremely terrible and horrifying was about to happen.

This feeling of unease was something Yang Lingchen had never experienced before, like sharp needles constantly pricking his nerves.

Yang Lingchen made a swift decision and stopped his flight without the slightest hesitation.

He quickly scanned his surroundings with eyes like lightning. While searching, he found an extremely hidden and deep spot, then slipped into the haotian jade space like a phantom. He carefully hid the Vast Heaven Jade twenty meters underground, as if concealing a peerless treasure.

However, even after slipping into this mysterious haotian jade space, that unsettling feeling persisted. Moreover, like spreading poisonous vines, it became increasingly intense and unbearable.

At this moment, Yang Lingchen couldn't help but furrow his brows tightly, like two deep trenches.

His eyes were filled with doubt and worry. The haotian jade space had always been his greatest trump card and his final safe haven. He never imagined that even after entering the haotian jade space, this feeling of unease would still not disappear.

"Yang Lingchen, what's wrong?"

Ouyang Yunmeng's soft voice, like an oriole emerging from a valley, drifted over. She moved with light steps and walked over quickly, her beautiful face full of concern, her willow brows slightly knitted like curved crescent moons.

Xiao Qingyun also followed with light steps, her eyes revealing deep worry. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she asked softly, "Has something terrible happened?"

The two women did not say anything more, simply staying quietly by Yang Lingchen's side, like two flowers blooming in silence.

They knew that Yang Lingchen needed a moment of tranquility right now to think and prepare for the approaching unknown crisis.

...

Outside.

Led by Shen Gongming, a group of top experts from the Central Plains rushed toward the place where Yang Lingchen had disappeared, their momentum imposing and fierce.

Wherever they passed, wild winds whistled and sand and stones flew, as if they were bringing a doomsday storm.

"Strange, he clearly stopped here. Why have we suddenly lost his trail?"

Shen Gongming held a compass, his brows locked tight. His eyes were fixed on the constantly changing runes on the compass as he probed continuously.

"Mr. Shen, have you made any discoveries?"

Wuji Sword Sect Master Situ Canglan asked anxiously. His voice was filled with anxiety and anticipation, and his sharp gaze seemed to want to pierce through everything around him.

"If this old man's guess is correct, this brat should be hiding within this mountain range."

Shen Gongming said after a moment of contemplation. Although his tone was certain, there was still a trace of imperceptible doubt in his eyes.

"But this mountain range is so vast, with overlapping peaks and deep canyons. How are we supposed to search it?"

Situ Canglan couldn't help but frown. His expression was so dark it seemed as if water could drip from it. Looking at the vast mountain range, his heart was filled with helplessness and irritation.

"There is no need to search the entire mountain range. Based on this old man's deduction, this brat must possess a Secret Treasure that masks his Aura. He should be hiding within twenty kilometers of us right now. We only need to tightly seal off this area." Shen Gongming spoke, his gaze flashing with wisdom and decisiveness.

"Since it is within twenty kilometers, then even if I have to turn this twenty kilometers upside down, I will find this brat."

A cold glint flashed in Situ Canglan's eyes, a light like the frost of midwinter, making people shudder.

...

Inside the haotian jade space.

Yang Lingchen's brows were locked, his lips bitten tight. At this moment, his expression was incomparably grave, like a heavy piece of lead.

Because just now, through a powerful Divine Sense probe, Yang Lingchen was shocked to discover that he had been completely surrounded. Moreover, outside were many super experts he currently could not contend with at all.

Yang Lingchen knew clearly that he had fallen into a huge crisis from which he could hardly escape. For the other party to find this place so precisely, there must be a master of the mysterious arts using unfathomable divination techniques to track his location; otherwise, it would be impossible to track him so quickly and accurately.

This was the most perilous and life-or-death crisis Yang Lingchen had faced since his Transmigration.

If he fell into the hands of the enemy this time, he would have no room to turn things around and might even fall into an abyss of eternal doom.

Yang Lingchen was waiting silently, his heart beating like a drum, his breathing rapid. He was waiting for the perfect opportunity to use Sword Flight and charge out of the encirclement regardless of the cost. Only in this way would he have a glimmer of extremely slim hope for escape.

As the encirclement outside continued to shrink, every minute and every second made Yang Lingchen feel incomparably agonizing. Yang Lingchen began to grow impatient, the veins on his forehead bulging, and sweat rolling down.

At this moment, above the Vast Heaven Jade, a group of experts with profound strength and powerful Auras were standing.

"Mr. Shen, we've almost turned this twenty kilometers upside down. This brat hasn't escaped, has he?"

A middle-aged man wearing a black robe spoke. His voice was filled with doubt and fatigue, and the expression on his face appeared very impatient.

This black-robed middle-aged man was none other than Chen Junlong, the famous and formidable president of the Tianwu Chamber of Commerce. A trace of impatience flashed in his eyes.

"President Chen, if you are questioning this old man's divination, then you can search on your own."

Shen Gongming said coldly. His complexion instantly turned as gloomy as water, and a trace of annoyance revealed itself in his eyes.

"Mr. Shen, please don't misunderstand. This seat was just asking casually."

Chen Junlong quickly apologized, squeezing out an awkward smile, though he was cursing inwardly.

"Now only this piece of land under our feet remains. This old man does not believe that brat can disappear into thin air."

Shen Gongming said with a gloomy face, his gaze staring fixedly at the land beneath his feet, as if wanting to pierce through it.

"Come here, dig for this seat." Chen Junlong's eyes flashed, and he was the first to speak. His voice exploded in the air like a thunderclap.

"Hmph, Tianyou, you also dig for this seat."

Situ Canglan snorted coldly, then immediately ordered his subordinates loudly. His voice was filled with majesty and anger.

For a time, countless experts at the scene stared tightly at this small piece of land, their eyes filled with anticipation and vigilance.

At this moment, Yang Lingchen inside the haotian jade space felt depressed. Originally, he had harbored a glimmer of luck, thinking the other party would forget this place, but he hadn't expected them to remember it after all.

At this moment, Yang Lingchen held the immortal demon sword, the blade flickering with a cold light as if it could sever everything. His left hand gripped tightly a pile of highly powerful explosive poison pills.

Once the other party discovered him, he would not hesitate to throw the explosive poison pills directly, and then use Sword Flight to rush out of the haotian jade space at the fastest speed.

As for whether he could escape, he had no absolute certainty in his heart. After all, there were simply too many Sages present, and each of them possessed the terrifying power to destroy the heavens and extinguish the earth.

As the digging continued outside, soil splattered and sand and stones rolled down. Not long after, they dug to the side of the Vast Heaven Jade.

"Rumble... Rumble..."

Suddenly, a violent, deafening explosion roared through the entire mountain range. Dust flew and thick smoke billowed at the scene, like a huge earth dragon rising into the sky. Trees were blown to smithereens with sparks flying, crackling and popping, leaving a scene of devastation.

Just then, a figure like lightning rushed out from the dust with the speed of a thunderbolt.

"Stay behind for this seat."

At the critical moment, Chen Junlong and Situ Canglan each struck out with a palm. The palm wind whistled out, carrying force like a mountain collapsing and the sea overturning.

"Bang... Bang..."

As soon as Yang Lingchen's figure darted out, he was instantly blasted away by the powerful force of these two palms.

However, what was surprising was that Yang Lingchen did not land. Instead, he endured the severe pain in mid-air and directly engaged in Sword Flight. The blade flickered with brilliant light and quickly disappeared into the horizon, leaving only a blurred trail of light.

"Sword Cultivator, this brat is actually a legendary Sword Cultivator."

Countless experts at the scene showed expressions of shock, their eyes filled with disbelief and awe.

"Hmph, he cannot escape. This old man has personally locked onto his Aura. Even if he flees to the ends of the earth, this old man will be able to find him."

Shen Gongming took out his compass, boarded an exquisite and magnificent mysterious boat, and chased in the direction where Yang Lingchen had disappeared. The mysterious boat was extremely fast, like a meteor streaking across the sky.

Seeing this, the others also took out their respective mysterious boats and followed behind Shen Gongming. For a time, the sky was filled with dense mysterious boats, forming a spectacular and terrifying scene.

"Pfft..."

After flying a certain distance, Yang Lingchen could no longer suppress the surging injuries inside his body. A mouthful of blood sprayed out like a fountain, staining his clothes red.

But at this moment, he dared not stop at all, because he knew that once he stopped, the outcome awaiting him would be death.

While engaging in Sword Flight, Yang Lingchen tremblingly took out a few healing pills from his bosom and hurriedly swallowed them.

Just then, the heavenly martial divine pearl within Yang Lingchen's body suddenly emitted a strong pulsation. The pulsation was like ten thousand horses galloping, making his body unable to help but tremble.

"Dammit, this is too damn unlucky!"

At this moment, Yang Lingchen's complexion became incomparably pale, devoid of any color, like a sheet of white paper. He knew the second heavenly martial divine pearl had appeared.

Moreover, the person possessing the heavenly martial divine pearl was rushing toward him rapidly. Judging from the other party's speed, which was as fast as a phantom, this person's strength was far beyond what he could contend with at present.

With no time to think, Yang Lingchen hurriedly drove the immortal demon sword, fleeing toward the distance at the fastest speed.

However, what shocked Yang Lingchen was that the other party's speed was not inferior to his at all, and even showed a faint trend of surpassing him.

Coupled with the fact that Yang Lingchen was now severely injured and his Aura was in disarray, wanting to escape from the other party's hands was no different than ascending to heaven.

"Swish...!"

Just then, an earth-shattering sword light, as fast as lightning and with the force of a bamboo being split, slashed toward Yang Lingchen.

Facing this sudden and astonishingly powerful sword light, Yang Lingchen's figure dodged in a rush, barely avoiding this fatal blow. But his body was still shaken by the aftershock of this sword light, causing him to fall to the ground and leaving him dizzy.

"Hand over the heavenly martial divine pearl and the Sword Cultivator Legacy, and this Young Master will spare your dog life."

An incomparably cold voice, filled with contempt and threats, rang out. Then, a youth wearing a white satin robe appeared not far from Yang Lingchen.

This person was none other than the famous and ruthless Young Master Yueya of the Tianwu Continent, Dugu Yueya.