Nine figures in black moved swiftly, their stances shifting as they attacked Ye Zhan once more.
Ye Zhan, determined to end the fight quickly, fought with all his might, every blow meant to be fatal.
Soon, one black-clad assailant was sent flying, falling to the ground with eyes wide in death.
Following closely, the second black-clad figure was hurled away, bloody and unconscious, landing on the ground.
Ye Zhan fought as if possessed by a war god, his long saber inflicting injury upon contact and death with a mere touch.
The remaining black-clad figures grew increasingly fearful with each passing moment.
Yet, they dared not retreat, for the punishments of the Ghost Realm were enough to make them wish for death.
As dawn began to break, only three of the original nine black-clad figures remained. Each bore wounds, panting heavily as they glared at Ye Zhan.
Ye Zhan, though also injured, had sustained only minor wounds.
With a roar, he charged again, his saber slashing towards the remaining three.
Though greatly depleted, the three black-clad figures had no choice but to steel themselves and engage Ye Zhan.
Clang! Boom!
The clash of weapons, spiritual energy, and the power of laws had already ravaged the surroundings.
Six of the nine black-clad figures had fallen to Ye Zhan's combined assault. How could the remaining three possibly be a match for him?
In mere moments, all three lay on the ground, their breaths shallow, nearing their end.
Ye Zhan swallowed a pill and summoned his Nine-Colored Pearl Sparrow, pursuing his targets.
Meanwhile, Thirteen and his group were making good time. By the time Ye Zhan caught up, they had already left the Battle Heaven Domain and entered a forest within the Nine Sacred Domain.
"Release Yulan!"
Ye Zhan roared again, leaping from the Nine-Colored Pearl Sparrow's back, his long saber aimed directly at the black-clad assailant holding Jing Yulan.
"Third Squad, cover our retreat! The rest, keep moving!"
Thirteen's order was followed by Ye Zhan being intercepted by another nine black-clad figures.
Without a word, Ye Zhan drew his saber and attacked them.
He knew that he couldn't pursue the others until these nine obstacles were cleared.
The nine black-clad figures wore grim expressions, realizing that Ye Zhan's pursuit meant the annihilation of the second squad.
After all, Thirteen had brought only elites this time, with the weakest being early-stage God Kings.
For Ye Zhan to have eliminated nine such powerhouses in such a short time demonstrated a combat prowess not to be underestimated.
The nine black-clad figures dared not be careless, raising their weapons to meet the onslaught.
Instantly, the forest erupted. Grass and trees flew, animals scattered, as if the end of days had arrived.
These nine black-clad figures, like the previous group, coordinated with remarkable precision, their movements seamless and perfect.
But who was Ye Zhan?
He was someone who treated defeating opponents of higher cultivation levels as casually as eating and drinking.
In his eyes, any coordination would have flaws; perfection was an illusion. It was either using minimal effort to achieve great results, or overpowering with sheer strength.
Ye Zhan's saber danced with formidable power, his combat experience and skills displayed to their absolute peak.
Soon, one black-clad figure was sent flying, crashing through several large trees before hitting the ground with a pained groan.
From that moment, the nine figures' coordinated attacks seemed to have a breach, exposing their vulnerabilities.
How could Ye Zhan, with his vast combat experience, not seize such an opportunity, especially when fighting opponents of higher levels?
He seized the moment, after one slash, executed an iron bridge maneuver, sweeping his saber's energy behind him, forcing the eight surrounding black-clad figures back three steps simultaneously.
Seizing this opportunity, Ye Zhan leaped into the air, his saber's energy manifesting once more. He lunged directly at the black-clad figure in front of him.
The black-clad figure in front, caught off guard, was directly slammed and pinned between two rocks.
Ye Zhan pressed his advantage, delivering three more strikes, sending five figures flying.
The remaining two attempted a surprise attack, but Ye Zhan parried with a backhand slash, forcing them to spit blood.
Having successfully separated the nine, Ye Zhan seized the opportunity to eliminate two of the black-clad figures.
Then, he unleashed a massive saber energy, heavily wounding the three who attacked again.
The remaining four black-clad figures, sensing danger, exchanged glances and attacked simultaneously from four different directions.
Ye Zhan let out a long roar, channeling spiritual energy into his long saber, which began to emit a blinding light.
He suddenly leaped, spinning 720 degrees, skillfully deflecting the killing blows of the four attackers.
"Die!"
Ye Zhan roared, his Shadowless Foot kicking out, followed by a saber energy that directly killed the four unsteady attackers.
Though this battle was described easily, it was fraught with peril. A single misstep could have resulted in Ye Zhan's death or serious injury.
Having endured two consecutive battles, Ye Zhan's spiritual energy was completely depleted.
Although he was eager to rescue Jing Yulan, he had no choice but to stop and recover his energy.
Ye Zhan understood the principle that a sharp tool makes for easier work.
Fortunately, the Nine-Colored Pearl Sparrow was an ancient, swift creature. At full speed, it would not be difficult to catch up to Thirteen's group.
Half an hour later, Ye Zhan's spiritual energy had recovered by seventy percent.
"I can't delay any longer!"
Ye Zhan thought to himself, then mounted the Nine-Colored Pearl Sparrow and continued his pursuit.
Thus, each time Ye Zhan caught up to Thirteen and his group, Thirteen would leave nine black-clad figures to intercept Ye Zhan, while he continued towards the City of Chaos with Jing Yulan.
After nine such encounters, Thirteen's remaining retinue consisted of only nine people, but they had already entered the City of Chaos.
Thirteen ordered the remaining nine to guard the Jing family residence, ensuring Ye Zhan was kept outside.
Then, he led Jing Yulan into the rockery, pulled out a small blade of grass, and jumped into the well.
The water in the well was bone-chillingly cold. The moment she fell into it, Jing Yulan felt she could not bear it.
Her teeth chattered uncontrollably from the cold, but she was helpless. Thirteen had sealed her spiritual power, preventing her from using it to protect herself.
Fortunately, the child in her womb was strong and resilient. No abnormalities occurred until they entered the barrier at the bottom of the well.
Although Jing Yulan was unharmed, she was utterly exhausted.
She held her abdomen and sat weakly on the ground, saying, "I can't go on. I need to rest here for a while!"
"No! I must bring you back to the Ghost Realm to present you to Emperor Ghost before I can be at ease!" Thirteen refused.
Jing Yulan sneered, "If you don't let me rest, I won't move. Push me too hard, and I'll die for you to see!"
Thirteen relented, "Then rest for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. After that, we continue!"