The gaze, sharp as twin blades, brought a tremor of being seen through. The young man’s expression shifted dramatically upon seeing me, a look of barely concealed madness and elation crossing his face. "Surround him." In an instant, I was encircled by numerous soldiers, each exuding a palpable killing intent.

Ah! This sudden turn of events caused those nearby to gasp in shock. "Ghost Shadow, is that him?"

"You people, stand back!" The outer ring of soldiers began driving the gathering crowd away. "The army is apprehending a major fugitive. All non-essential personnel, clear the area."

"General, I am not this 'Ghost Shadow'," I stammered in alarm. "You must have me mistaken for someone else."

"Whether he is Ghost Shadow is not important." The young man approached slowly. This fellow was immensely built, towering near two meters, with long, thick limbs and a powerfully toned physique. Even encased in heavy God of War armor, the tightness of the muscles beneath was visible through the gap at his chest.

He wore the standard Zuma Set, but without a helmet. His chiseled features held a heart-stopping sense of impact and force. Sword-like eyebrows framed piercing eyes; his lips were thin, his nose straight—clearly a figure of ruthless capability. His slow approach felt like an immense, towering mountain, completely blocking my path. Even in this first encounter, I felt a chilling shock and dread. My intuition screamed that this man’s power was formidable, though we hadn't exchanged a blow. The other three, though lacking his overpowering aura, were clearly strong enough to subdue me easily, evident from their attire and strength far surpassing ordinary men. They formed a triangle around me but made no move, clearly awaiting the young man’s command.

"Because what we are looking for is not 'Ghost Shadow' at all," the tower-like figure stopped five meters in front of me.

"I don't understand what you're talking about." These fellows were indeed after Shen Yin and the others, for the portrait clutched in his hand clearly depicted Jiuyue Shenyin, clad in a purple silk robe.

"Although your appearance has changed drastically—you nearly fooled even me—Your Venerable Highness the Princess, if it weren't for these black eyes, I truly would have been deceived," the young man showed a hint of smugness.

"General, I truly don't know what you mean. Can you not even distinguish between male and female?" I fought an urge to break into a cold sweat. Good heavens, for me, a grown man, to be called a princess in this situation was truly absurd.

Still, I made one final attempt at explanation. Long Qi and the others who had already passed the checkpoint watched nervously from a distance. I clearly saw Long Xin forcibly restraining Shen Yin’s struggling body.

"Fascinating. Even your voice has changed," the young man offered a playful smile. "It's a pity these little tricks aren't very convincing."

Whoosh! I whipped out the Dragon Shadow Sword. Damn it, it seemed I couldn't bluff my way out. Though I was absolutely not Jiuyue Shenyin, why did I have to look so much like her? Now, even if I jumped into the Yellow River, I couldn't clear my name.

"What, you want to fight me?" the man chuckled. "With your meager skills, why invite misery? Come quietly with us."

"I don't know why you want to capture me, but since you resort to unwarranted force, don't blame me for being impolite!"

"Interesting!" The young man lightly waved his Decisive Blade.

Whoosh! Without warning! A streak of blue light flashed into existence, like a phantom from the void, accompanied only by a faint sound of displaced air. The Dragon Shadow Sword shot forward with incredible speed, aiming for the young man's throat.

Hah! Clang! Almost the instant I struck, a brilliant golden light erupted. It felt as if I had struck steel plating; a massive rebound force instantly slammed back. He truly was a master. The intensity of his Battle Qi far exceeded my imagination; to parry my full-force thrust with only a hasty defense was incredible. Even more terrifying was his reaction speed—I was certain his instantaneous response hit the absolute limit of human reflexes, 0.1 seconds, and that was while caught completely off guard. It was hard to imagine what chance I would have striking a vital spot if he were fully prepared.

Of course, I hadn't intended to tangle with him further. Using the powerful rebound momentum, I retreated backward, passing over the heads of the surrounding soldiers before they even registered what had happened.

I immediately activated the effect of the Gale Ring. In that moment, I felt a soaring exhilaration, like riding the wind to become a dragon. I doubted even the world's fastest sprinter, Liu Xiang, could catch me now.

The sudden, massive shift caught everyone flat-footed.

"Pursue!" the young warrior roared in fury.

Taking advantage of the opening, I had already leaped onto a warhorse tethered near the checkpoint. Clearly, this horse belonged to these soldiers, but now it served me well.

"Giddy up!" Grasping the reins, I lashed the flat of the Dragon Shadow Sword across the horse's flank like a whip.

Yip! With a high-pitched neigh, the warhorse bolted away in a frenzy.

"Roar! Stop!" Soon after, the sound of urgent hooves rose behind me; they were gaining.

Don't be absurd—if I stopped, I'd lose my life. I spurred the horse on, driving it desperately forward.

The warhorse thundered down the main road. Lying prone on its back, I had no idea where I was going, simply allowing the animal to carry me.

Everything had happened too suddenly. The people at the ferry landing watched dumbly as the contingent of over a hundred soldiers vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Ghost Shadow, truly living up to his name," several men dressed as wandering knights couldn't help but murmur.

"That speed is unrivaled in the world," remarked a tall, thin warrior in light armor. "No wonder no one has been able to catch him all these years."

"Beyond the speed, his swordsmanship is remarkable," noted another middle-aged warrior holding a Frost-Quelling blade. "He missed piercing Cangyue Liuzhen's throat by the narrowest margin."

"Indeed. If Cangyue Liuzhen hadn't already mastered the first level of Phoenix Sky Battle Qi, Ghost Shadow would have killed him instantly," the tall warrior added.

"Now, it’s hard to say. With the four masters from the Wei Royal Manor jointly hunting him, Ghost Shadow is likely doomed," said a mage clad in a demonic robe.

"Are those four masters from the Wei Royal Manor really that formidable?" Long Qi finally couldn't hold back his question.

"Naturally. They are the Four Vajras of the Wei Royal Manor, each a top-tier expert with formidable skills. It is said that the leader, Cangyue Liuzhen, is scheduled for assessment by the Heavenly Demon Temple next year. If successful, it won't be long before he advances to become a Heavenly Demon Warrior."

"Heavenly Demon Warrior?" Long Xin and the others gasped in horror.

Stars! This time, they had truly encountered a terrifying opponent. Long Xin and the others were completely thrown into disarray.

"No, we have to follow and see," Shen Yin urged anxiously. Perhaps Long Xin and the others had only heard tales of the power of Heavenly Demon Warriors and had never witnessed the horror firsthand. But Shen Yin was different. Born of royalty, she understood the dread of a Heavenly Demon Warrior better than anyone. Even if Cangyue Liuzhen hadn't fully advanced yet, possessing the strength to challenge the Heavenly Demon Temple meant his power was absolutely terrifying. No matter how capable Xing Chen was, he couldn't possibly stand against Cangyue Liuzhen. The Cangyue clan was the surname of the Cangyue royalty, and the training and martial arts practiced by royal offspring were incomparable to ordinary renowned sects. This was why Cangyue Liuzhen had reached the peak of the Scarlet Moon Battle Qi cultivation before turning thirty.

If it were only his Battle Qi cultivation that matched this level, perhaps Xing Chen still had a chance to contend. But the reality was that every royal family possessed unique martial arts. The terrifying, exquisite technique of the Cangyue warriors was the Heaven-Splitting Slash, famed equally with the Dragon Shadow Swordplay. Furthermore, besides the common Flame Battle Qi cultivated by Scarlet Moon Warriors, they possessed the far stronger Phoenix Sky Battle Qi. Although Cangyue Liuzhen had only cultivated the first level of the Phoenix Sky Battle Qi, the gap in raw power was already beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Thus, Xing Chen was at an absolute disadvantage in terms of strength; he didn't even possess the ability to block a single move from Cangyue Liuzhen.

This was the absolute, insurmountable terror Xing Chen faced. Only Shen Yin and Shen Yi, as fellow members of royalty, understood this with absolute clarity. That’s why Shen Yin and Shen Yi wanted desperately to rush forward, almost recklessly.

"No, you can't go," Long Qi said, forcefully pulling Shen Yin toward the large boat docked by the riverbank. "Even if we go, we can't help Xing Chen. Now, we can only trust him and pray to the heavens to keep him safe."

"What we can do is reach Cangyue City as quickly as possible," Long Xin said, forcing calm into his voice. "Though I don't know the exact details, I am certain that once we see the Emperor of Cangyue, we can make the opposing factions abandon their pursuit of Xing Chen. Only then can Xing Chen be safe."

"If we truly want to save Xing Chen, we must reach Cangyue City with maximum speed now," Long Zhan stated.

"..." Shen Yin could only look stunned, but she quickly regained her composure. "Right. For Xing Chen's safety, we must hurry to Cangyue City."

Thump-thump-thump-thump! The sound of hooves behind them maintained a hundred-meter distance. The warhorse galloped wildly along the narrow path. Up ahead, it seemed there was a bend nestled against the foot of a mountain. As I urged the horse on, my mind rapidly sought an escape route. I knew continuing to run this way meant eventual capture. As the bend grew closer, a brilliant idea flashed in my mind.

Hah! The moment the warhorse rounded the corner, the figures of the pursuing riders were obscured by the dense forest; they couldn't see me, and I couldn't see them.

Perfect opportunity—now!

Spltch! Without hesitation, I plunged the sword into the horse's back. The wounded animal shrieked and accelerated wildly. I simultaneously launched myself off the horse's back, activating my protective Battle Qi mid-air.

Thump! Then, I landed heavily amidst the shoulder-high grass by the roadside. The immense inertia carried me rolling a considerable distance, leaving my head spinning dizzily. Almost instantly, urgent hoofbeats sounded behind me.

Ignoring the agonizing pain that felt like my entire body was shattering, I pressed myself tightly into the grass, not daring to breathe.

Thump-thump-thump-thump! Deafening hooves thundered past ten meters ahead of me, sounding like a rolling storm, and instantly vanished.

Phew! Damn it, the 'Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell' tactic from the Thirty-Six Stratagems really worked. For the moment, the crazed warhorse had diverted the pursuers. But I knew it wouldn't take long for them to realize the trick. When they did, they would turn back, and then I’d have nowhere left to run. Moreover, I had lost my mount; I couldn't outrun them on foot for long. Sticking to the road, capture was only a matter of time. My only option now was to plunge into the woods. Only there could they not rely on the speed of horses to catch me. As for where to go next, I had no clear plan; for now, using the cover of the jungle to escape was my sole option.

Unbelievable, the scene from the Woma Forest replayed itself. It seemed since arriving in this world, I had been constantly fleeing. Chased by the Half-Beast Commander in Woma Forest, chased by the Crazy Dragon Gang in the Death Coffin, and hunted by Sabak after killing Huayu in the Biqi Mine Area. Even after the seemingly flawless theft of the Zuma Emblem, I was exposed, and now the Four Great Sects had joined the hunt.

Now, arriving in Cangyue, I had attracted even more fearsome enemies. Though I didn't know their exact identity yet, I bet they were more terrifying than the Four Great Sects and Sabak combined.

I almost admired myself; my knack for causing trouble was growing, and the opponents I provoked were increasingly monstrous. Fortunately, I still held onto this little life. I wonder how long it will last.

After a brief moment of reflection, I immediately plunged into the woods beside the road. After roughly discerning my direction, I crept eastward—the direction they had come from. Once they realized they were duped, they would inevitably return to where I dismounted to search for clues.

The best tactic would be to split up. As for the direction, if my guess was correct, they would divide into three groups, searching South, North, and West simultaneously. But I plunged into the forest and moved parallel to the direction they had just chased. This meant I was moving alongside their previous pursuit path. Once they doubled back, no matter which direction they chased, they wouldn't find me.

This was the so-called psychological blind spot in modern psychology. I had been fleeing eastward continuously. When they realized the horse ahead was empty, their subconscious assumption would be that I wouldn't continue fleeing east. But by doing the exact opposite, I achieved surprise. Rationally, this move should work, though I couldn't be sure if they would fall for it. Regardless of the outcome, even if they caught on, pursuing me in the forest wouldn't be easy, as my speed was no joke. Perhaps only that young warrior and the other three masters could match my speed. Once split up, even if one or two came this way, I would have a chance to escape.

Meanwhile.

Thump-thump-thump-thump! Cangyue Liuzhen and his hundreds of riders finally cleared the bend only to see the wildly galloping warhorse ahead was empty.

"Damn it," Cangyue Liuzhen’s face turned green with anger. "We were tricked. Turn back immediately!"

In no time, the hundreds of riders rushed back, furious, to the entrance of the bend—the only place Xing Chen could have slipped out of their sight. But the narrow path was flanked by dense forests on both sides. No one was sure which way Xing Chen had chosen.

"Split into three groups. Liukong, head south. Liufeng and Liuxun, continue pursuing north along the road. I will take thirty men and search the western woods," Liuzhen made his decision swiftly. It had to be admitted that Liuzhen's judgment was sound. "If you find anything, immediately cast a signaling magic. Remember, only capture him alive." Unfortunately for them, they were dealing with Xing Chen, the Grandmaster of Escape.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

The hundreds of riders quickly divided into three columns, leaving only a few to guard the horses.

Hah! Hah! Inside the jungle, after roughly determining direction, I exerted all my strength and fled rapidly. While the Gale Ring could certainly increase my movement speed, it consumed Battle Qi. With my current cultivation, I couldn't sustain the energy drain indefinitely; it was the difference between a sprint and a marathon. I couldn't maintain top speed constantly. Now, I had to use a breathing technique similar to long-distance running to move quickly through the forest at a pace that conserved Battle Qi and stamina. I don't know how long I ran; by the time darkness fell and I could see nothing, I stopped moving. I climbed a large tree. I had plenty of rations in my Spatial Pouch, so food wasn't an immediate concern.

I had no specific goal now; heading toward Cangyue City was certainly out of the question, as it would surely be crawling with guards. All I could do was buy a day at a time, trusting that my disruption would draw those pursuing Shen Yin and the others away—which was exactly the outcome I desired.

But how long could I hold out? Humans aren't Orcs; their minds are much sharper. I wasn't naive enough to believe that simply entering a forest would render them helpless.

Over the next few days, I only stopped to sleep in trees after dark. As soon as dawn broke, I did not linger, rushing eastward as fast as possible. I had no definite destination, just the need to ditch these pursuers first.

I don't know what day of the escape it was. As dawn broke, I could faintly hear the sound of hurried barking dogs.

My heart plummeted into my stomach. Damn it, hunting dogs! I was greatly alarmed. If they deployed tracking dogs, I wouldn't be able to shake them off completely. Realizing this, I immediately increased my pace, sprinting toward my established direction, desperate to find a way to break their pursuit.

The best solution seemed to be masking my scent. But how could I achieve that? As I darted through the woods, I nervously scanned my surroundings, looking for anything useful.

Soon, I spotted several trees bearing red fruits. I remembered those were the common Six Flavors fruits from the Mafa Continent, frequently used as medicine. I had often seen these trees back in Silver Maple Village. The fruit was called Six Flavors because its taste changed constantly throughout the four seasons: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, foul, and fragrant. It was autumn now, the time when the sourness of the Six Flavors fruit was most intense.

With that thought, I quickly plucked over a dozen fruits. I tore off a corner of my garment, wrapped the fruits inside, and then mashed the covered fruits by squeezing them. Greenish juice was quickly extracted.

The smell was unpleasant, but it was perfect for masking body odor. I quickly smeared the juice all over myself. Then, I turned back along the path. Continuing to flee east was pointless now, as they had already established my escape vector. I needed to change direction.

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