With that, he turned and fled, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it, chase!"
Prince Qianye roared, his killing intent surging. He never expected to be outsmarted by a mere youngster.
"Your Highness, wait."
Just as Prince Qianye was about to give chase, the burly man, Long Yan, stopped him.
"Prince Qianye, there's something strange about this. No need to rush!"
Prince Qianye frowned. "What's strange? Don't forget, our goal here is to seize the divine elixir and the inherited divine artifact!"
"Indeed, there is only one inherited divine weapon. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we joined forces to take it?"
"You don't understand!"
The words Chu Chen deliberately left behind as he departed made Prince Qianye ponder. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, sensing something was amiss.
"Prince Qianye, what are you worried about?" Long Yan asked.
After a long hesitation, Prince Qianye said, "I have a feeling there's immense danger within this divine temple!"
Long Yan sneered, "Greater the crisis, greater the opportunity! Besides, although that brat is peculiar, he's ultimately just a junior. What storm can he stir up?"
"This..." Prince Qianye remained hesitant. He couldn't shake the feeling that the young man named 'Xiao Fan' was not as simple as he appeared.
...
On the other side, atop a ten-thousand-zhang high cliff.
"Hoo..."
"That was close. I didn't expect his physical body to be so robust. Truly terrifying!"
"Fortunately, I was prepared. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to deal with him!"
Qin Heng panted, his heart still pounding with lingering fear. His body was covered in dense cracks, his skin split open, and blood flowed freely, leaving him in a sorry state.
"As expected of someone at the seventh level of Innate!"
"However, your lifespan has also been significantly depleted. You probably can't last much longer. When your lamp runs dry, that will be your demise!"
"At this point, retreating is the correct course of action."
Chu Chen's mind raced, weighing the pros and cons. Ultimately, he shook his head. "No, I promised my mother I would bring her back safely. Otherwise, I would be letting down my father's dying wish!"
"Alas, fortune favors the bold. I'll take the risk!"
*Buzz~*
A peculiar fluctuation emanated from the void, enveloping the entire mysterious mountain peak. Immediately, a white mist rose, obscuring the view.
"Hmm?"
Chu Chen was slightly taken aback. "This white mist actually has the effect of isolating spiritual power!" His soul realm had already reached the limit of the Saint level, surpassing even a half-step Innate. Yet, even with such power, the moment the white mist spread, he was completely unable to discern the mysteries within. Even his divine sense could barely penetrate it. This phenomenon surprised him.
"This divine temple is indeed extraordinary!"
*Swish—*
Suddenly, from within the white mist, a black arrow shot out with incredible speed.
*Bang!*
Chu Chen slapped it away with his backhand, deflecting it into a nearby ancient tree.
*Crack! Crack!*
The tree trunk shattered, leaves scattered, revealing a mysterious martial artist clad in animal hides and wearing a conical hat. He was lean, held a black bow, and his gaze was as cold as a knife.
"I am a disciple of the Divine Bow Sect. I am ordered to eliminate a traitor. You had best not interfere."
"Divine Bow Sect?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Chen's expression darkened slightly. This was a hidden, super-powerful sect whose martial arts and divine abilities were vast and renowned throughout the land! Legend had it that the founder of the Divine Bow Sect obtained the heaven-defying tome "Nine Heavens Thunder Art" from the cave dwelling of an Emperor. He then used this cultivation method to dominate the world and establish the Divine Bow Sect. The Divine Bow Sect had always been a gathering place for martial artists, with a prosperous martial path, and its disciples were spread across various countries. It possessed dozens of branch halls, each presided over by a martial arts grandmaster, making it extremely powerful.
Furthermore, it was said that in the distant Northern Wilderness, an ancient legend circulated. An Emperor had once built a massive altar in the Northern Wilderness, summoning all the demons and monsters from the region. When he was defeated, this Martial Venerable Great Emperor sealed his cultivation methods and divine weapons within the altar! These techniques and weapons were buried in the snowfields of the Northern Wilderness, and only the Emperor knew of this. No one else did!
"I must go to the Northern Wilderness."
"Not just for my mother, but for my own future. If I can obtain this divine technique, it will be enough for me to break through my limitations and cross the Innate barrier!"
With this thought, he turned and walked in the direction of the Northern Wilderness.
...Divine Martial City.
Chu Chen returned to the city and headed straight for the inn.
"Huh?"
He noticed that the inn seemed to have many new faces. These martial artists were all extremely powerful, with the weakest being at the fifth level of Innate!
"Waiter, why are there so many new faces these days? Can your inn accommodate them?"
"Haha, you can rest assured about that. Business has been booming these past few days, and most of our guests are martial arts experts." The waiter chuckled honestly. "I also heard some news."
"What news?"
"I heard a great tomb was unearthed, causing a bloody conflict. Many people are fighting over it, almost coming to blows!"
"What, a tomb has appeared?"
"That's right. They say it's filled with endless treasures!"
"Is this news reliable? Who would dare spread false rumors?"
"Hush! This is the hottest news in Divine Martial City recently! It's definitely true!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
At that moment, a troop of knights galloped past. The thunderous hooves of their horses swept through the street like rolling thunder.
"Those knights seem very formidable. Did they discover something?"
"It's not just the knights this time; the Imperial Guards are here too. What are they doing here?"
Onlookers turned their heads. Soon, a luxurious carriage slowly approached. Chu Chen recognized the carriage and his expression changed.
"This pampered young master is here to join the fun too?"
He frowned and looked down at his finger. "No, I didn't touch any restrictions just now! Could it be that their strength is too great, and I couldn't sense it?"
At this moment, the carriage stopped, and two knights dismounted. One of them approached another carriage compartment and bowed.
"Young master, we've found a treasure land. Would you like to see it?"
*Creak.*
The carriage curtain was lifted. A handsome young man stepped out and said calmly, "I know. Lead the way."
"Yes, sir!"
The two knights respectfully took their orders, then waved their hands, signaling the surrounding martial artists to disperse. Following that, a grand entourage headed north.
"The person in that carriage seems to be Li Tianyu of the Divine Bow Sect!"
"Young Master Li?"
"He's someone not to be trifled with. His sister, Li Fei, is said to hold a very high position within the Divine Bow Sect, a Saintess."
The crowd whispered, their expressions filled with fear and apprehension. After all, among the many dynasties on the Divine Continent, the Li family was a top-tier power. Their foundation was unfathomably deep, and even those super families had to show them some respect.
"Hmph!"