Blood Wolf swept his gaze coldly over the crowd before falling silent. The battle had left the Blood Wolf Gang with only six hundred fighters remaining, half of their elite Blood Wolf Guards dead. He had conceded to Xiao Tianxiong's demands to avoid further chaos.
"Hmph. An hour's head start? Even if he flees Qingyang Town, it'll take him days," Blood Wolf muttered inwardly.
Shi Zhan pulled Xiao Tianxiong aside, his face flushed with anger. "Old man Xiao, how could you let Xiao Ye face the Blood Wolf Gang alone?"
Wu Shi chimed in, his copper bell-like eyes blazing. "This is pushing Xiao Ye to his death!"
Xiao Tianxiong smiled bitterly. "What choice do we have? Ye'er is our village's hope. If we keep fighting, all three villages will fall. Would you prefer that?"
Shi Zhan and Wu Shi exchanged uneasy glances. They knew the cost of prolonging the battle—each village had already lost over half their people.
"The boy's talent is extraordinary," Xiao Tianxiong continued. "If he escapes Qingyang Town and reaches the Heaven Realm, the Blood Wolf Gang will be nothing."
Wu Shi sighed in relief. "So you're biding time."
"But an hour is too short to escape!" Shi Zhan protested.
Xiao Tianxiong's eyes hardened. "An hour is just an excuse to stall them. I'll follow the Blood Wolf Gang and slip Ye'er out, even if it costs me my life."
Shi Zhan and Wu Shi were stunned by his resolve.
The Flight
The hour passed. Blood Wolf raised his hand, leading his remaining forces into the wilderness.
...
Whoosh!
Leaving Xiao Clan Village, Xiao Ye surged through the Beast Forest, his Time Tower accelerating his pace.
"Blood Wolf!" His eyes burned with vengeance. Beyond personal hatred, he owed the villagers' lives to this reckoning.
He dared not linger. With the Great Splitting Palm refined to five layers of Qi, he crushed a pack of wolves and reached the familiar low hill within half an hour.
Slipping into the hidden cave, he descended into the magma-lit chamber.
Grrr!
A roar shook the air. The Golden Bear, recognizing Xiao Ye, charged with feral fury.
"You're back!" Xiao Ye smirked, his palms blazing with Qi. "Let's finish this!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Five thunderous strikes from the Great Splitting Palm met the beast's onslaught. Though the Golden Bear—a Posterior Heaven Realm, sixth stage monstrosity—initially mocked him, it soon staggered under Xiao Ye's relentless assault.
Blood trickled from the bear's golden fur as it retreated into the tunnel.
"Not today," Xiao Ye panted. He wasn't here to kill beasts.
The Flame Blade
His eyes locked onto the ancient blade embedded in the lava.
Whoosh!
Stepping on molten rocks, he gripped the hilt. The blade resisted, resonating with a primal hum that knocked him into the magma.
Visions erupted—flames and blades cascading like a waterfall. Was this… martial intent?
Regaining his footing, Xiao Ye stared at the blade. Its surface gleamed jade-green, etched with a single character: 炎 (Flame).
"From now on, you're Flame Blade," he declared, lifting the massive weapon. A swing sent shockwaves cleaving the air.
Escape
The cave trembled as Blood Wolf's forces neared.
Xiao Ye's eyes narrowed. "Time to go."
Consulting the Black Dragon Chronicles, he found a clue: Wutang City, a day's journey away, housed a Vein-Purifying Pool.
But the Blood Wolf tracks were fresh.
Boom!
A rock exploded nearby. Xiao Ye turned to see the Golden Bear charging toward the Blood Wolf scouts.
"Perfect," he grinned. Let the beast sow chaos.