I was quite confident in my own speed, yet now, even risking everything, I couldn't shake the Yellow Springs Cult Master pursuing me. It was as if we shared an irreconcilable, deep-seated hatred. The Cult Master roared maniacally while chasing, and although I couldn't decipher a single word of its ravings, the sheer, bone-deep fury and malice were enough to make my scalp tingle. It seemed this Yellow Springs Cult Master must have some connection to the one I had previously slain, though what puzzled me was how one existing deep within the Netherworld could be linked to this entity stuck here on the fifth level of the illusionary realm. Furthermore, even if I had killed the former Cult Master, there was no conceivable way this one would know about it. These thoughts flashed through my mind in a blur; clearly, this was no time for rambling—escaping with my life was the priority.

Evidently, the Yellow Springs Cult Master had decided I was its quarry. While bellowing its pursuit, it ceaselessly unleashed wave after wave of massive crescent strikes aimed at my back. However, under the influence of the Eye of Death’s Desire, I could still gauge the speed and landing point of every one of its Dou Qi attacks. Though my evasions during the high-speed sprint were somewhat clumsy, I managed to evade every giant crescent hurled my way.

The missed crescents hurtled forward at an astonishing velocity before detonating. The resulting plumes of dust and shards of rock rained down on me like shrapnel. I wasn't wearing my War God Armor, so I could only summon my protective Dou Qi, desperately bracing myself, slamming through every projectile aimed at me, and fleeing desperately along the path I had taken.

Perhaps realizing it couldn't land a hit while I was in this state, the Yellow Springs Cult Master simply abandoned the attacks, but its pursuit speed immediately ratcheted up.

Damn it! This creature still had reserves? I was genuinely shocked. From that moment, I cast caution to the wind, pushing myself to the absolute limit. My legs were pumping at an incredible frequency, yet I was still holding the Yellow Springs Cult Master to an even draw. Honestly, I was somewhat astonished that I possessed such deep wells of potential.

For a time, neither side could gain the upper hand. It felt just like that desperate, life-or-death flight from the Orc Commander in the Woma Forest—it was now a pure test of raw burst power and stamina.

Seven hundred meters wasn't a great distance; it was only a matter of a few breaths. The entrance to the mountain hollow was just a hundred meters ahead. Seeing victory within reach, my spirits soared, my feet barely seeming to touch the ground as I nearly flew, while the Yellow Springs Cult Master behind me roared ceaselessly, its speed surging.

And so, one fled desperately in front, the other chased relentlessly behind, two figures, one large and one small, like streaks of lightning chasing each other, plunging into the valley.

On the precipices lining the valley walls!

"Ah! Such speed!" Elder Lei gasped in astonishment.

"They’re here," Elder Feng murmured, his voice tight with tension, staring fixedly at the two figures dashing past at breakneck speed.

"Prepare the attack," Mo Yin commanded tensely.

Those like Jian Li barely dared to draw a breath, their eyes locked on the scene. Xing Chen, faster, faster! At that moment, Xing Chen and the Yellow Springs Cult Master were separated by only thirty meters; the Cult Master could likely annihilate Xing Chen with a single casual strike.

Though far off, they had clearly witnessed everything that had just transpired in the valley. The elders of the six great families had been wiped out by the Yellow Springs Cult Master in the blink of an eye—such terrifying offensive power was surely beyond human resistance.

However, those whose cultivation had reached Jian Li’s level also understood that, during such a high-speed dash, launching an effective attack against Xing Chen would not be easy for the Cult Master, as their speeds seemed nearly equal. Under these conditions, it was impossible for the Cult Master to maintain top speed and attack simultaneously.

And even if it could unleash a Dou Qi strike, with Xing Chen’s cultivation level in the Eye of Death’s Desire, he could easily dodge the attack. Of course, among those present, only Xing Chen could manage this; anyone else would lack the requisite speed.

Two years prior, Xing Chen had already displayed extraordinary speed talent, earning him the moniker "Blue Lightning." Now, having reached the Grandmaster level, coupled with the aid of the Gale Ring, in terms of pure velocity, Xing Chen was undoubtedly ranked among the top five on the continent.

Whoosh! In a flash, the two figures streaked like lightning into the central area of the valley!

Boom! Crash! Crash! Following close behind came a series of earth-shattering explosions. The valley erupted in flying debris, lightning, and thunder. In that mere instant, Xing Chen had triggered the pre-laid magical traps.

Like a mountain collapsing, stones from the valley's front, rear, and side cliffs roared inward toward the valley floor.

Rumble! The moment I stepped onto the formation, I felt a terrifying blast of energy erupt instantaneously. While the erosion from the magical elements couldn't harm me, the sheer concussive force of the explosion was considerable enough to startle me.

If the collapsing stones blocked the exit path ahead, I would be trapped like a turtle in a jar—a decidedly unpleasant prospect. While the Yellow Springs Cult Master might well be crushed by the mages above, I was certain I would be smashed into a meat paste by the enraged Cult Master before that happened. That was definitely not a good outcome.

My thoughts raced. I immediately planted my foot on another magical trap, simultaneously throwing my body forward. My intent was simple: use the shockwave from the magic explosion to launch myself away.

Yes, to blast myself away, just like a piece of shrapnel.

Almost as soon as my foot landed squarely on the trap’s nexus point, a tremendous force surged forth, and I felt myself truly take flight, soaring toward the midpoint of the cliff face.

Above the valley, everyone stared in stunned silence at the blue figure inside the chasm.

"Heavens, it was blown away!" Mo Ling cried out in alarm. No one understood the terrifying destructive power of those magical traps better than she did. Normally, people fled those traps for their lives, yet this fellow was unbelievably perverse, stepping directly onto the nexus point! This meant the full impact of the explosion’s shockwave would bear down entirely on him, and he was wearing only light armor, with no other superfluous defensive gear.

Swish! Like a blue bolt ripping through the air, he shot toward the valley rim in an instant!

Good heavens, he actually used the blast’s momentum to fly straight out of the valley bottom! No one could accurately describe the speed involved, but everyone clearly understood that in that brief moment, Xing Chen had shot clear of the magical trap explosion zone. Then, with a nimble mid-air twist, he landed steadily on the flat ground outside the valley.

All of this happened in the flash of an eye.

"Roar! Attack!" Despite being shocked by Xing Chen’s incomprehensible escape method, Mo Ling and the others maintained their composure due to rigorous training and did not forget their mission. They launched their assault almost simultaneously with the onset of the explosion. Countless lightning bolts and Ice Roars descended like a torrential storm onto the patch of grayish smoke inside the valley.

Roar! A world-shaking roar echoed from within the valley! No one could see what was transpiring inside the smoke, but the massive stones rocketing toward the clifftop like cannonballs were enough to shock everyone.

"Ah! It’s the Boulder Rain!" Jian Li and the others turned pale with fright. They had heard Xing Chen describe the Yellow Springs Cult Master’s long-range attack—this devastating Boulder Rain—but witnessing it firsthand still left them utterly stunned.

For cultivators of Xing Chen and Jian Li’s caliber, the Boulder Rain posed no threat beyond ten meters, but for the two thousand Brotherhood mages present, it was a terrifying assault, especially as the terrain offered little room for evasion or complex maneuvering.

"Ah! Soon, many mages were struck by the Boulder Rain, their bodies mangled hideously beyond recognition."

"We fight to the death!" Mo Ling roared, "Don't stop, blast it dead!" Everyone now clearly understood the situation: they had finally lured the Yellow Springs Cult Master into the trap; they absolutely could not let it escape, or the consequences would be unimaginable.

All the mages pushed their magic to the absolute limit, fighting for their very lives.

"Parent-Child Lightning." Perhaps the freezing effect inherent in the Ice Roar and the paralyzing properties of the standard Lightning Art had slowed the Yellow Springs Cult Master’s speed. Mo Yin had finally locked onto the Cult Master's form and unleashed a massive bolt of lightning. Unlike ordinary lightning, this strike was exceptionally thick and, instead of vanishing instantly, lingered in the air like a trembling rainbow. Though only for a brief three seconds, this was the specialized technique unique to Wind Mages: the Lingering Lightning Art, an essential component for pinpoint attacks.

For centuries, the elite mages of the Brotherhood had dominated the continent precisely because of their mastery over this high-intensity, concentrated attack magic known as Pinpoint Attack. In reality, the Pinpoint Attack was merely a clever application of magical fusion, composed of two distinct lightning magics: the Parent Bolt (Mu Dian) and the Child Bolt (Zi Dian).

The purpose of the Parent Bolt was to lock onto and strike the target, usually handled by a super mage with immense magical power. Once it strikes, the Parent Bolt doesn't immediately dissipate but clings tightly to the target like high-voltage electricity. Other mages then launch the Child Bolt attacks. A Child Bolt attack differs slightly from standard lightning; as long as a launched Child Bolt strikes within a certain radius of the Parent Bolt—say, ten or fifteen meters—it is drawn to the Parent Bolt and fuses with it, forming an even more powerful current concentrated on the target. As long as Child Bolts continue to feed into it, the Parent Bolt's power grows stronger and will hold the target without dissipating, with its other end remaining suspended in the air to provide a trajectory anchor for subsequent Child Bolts. As long as the Child Bolt attacks persist, the target will eventually be electrocuted to death.

It was like being seized by high-voltage current—impossible to escape until reduced to charcoal. This was the terrifying nature of the Pinpoint Attack, or the Parent-Child Lightning Art.

Once ensnared by the Parent Bolt, almost no creature could survive. Of course, this did not include aberrations like Xing Chen, who possessed the Demon-Devouring Body—and this was precisely why the Brotherhood regarded Xing Chen with such apprehension.

Almost simultaneously with Mo Yin launching that lightning bolt, the elite mages of the Wind Demon Brotherhood unleashed their Child Bolt attacks, their focus fixed on the massive lingering Parent Bolt suspended in the air.

Clang! Countless lightning spells converged simultaneously onto that thick bolt suspended above, like a thousand rivers flowing into the sea. That single, massive lightning spell instantly multiplied manifold, slamming down violently into the smoke within the valley.

Roar! A tremendous, heaven-shaking roar echoed across the sky, shaking everyone to the core. Clearly, the Yellow Springs Cult Master had been struck by this Pinpoint Attack lightning spell and suffered severe injuries.

The Wind Demon Brotherhood mages fought with all their might. Once the Parent Bolt locked onto a target, it held like high-tension wire; the duty of the other mages was simply to unleash continuous lightning spells, striking the colossal arc left hanging in the air to inflict continuous, powerful damage upon the target.

Swish, swish, whoosh!! Innumerable Child Bolts whistled through the air, slamming into the gigantic Parent Bolt. The massive Parent Bolt writhed like a captured electric serpent, trembling violently.

Everyone waited with bated breath; success or failure depended on this moment.

Thud! When I finally landed back on solid ground, I managed a slight sigh of relief.

Above the valley, Jian Li and the others, seeing me finally safe, were overjoyed. But the battle was still raging, and everyone watched tensely toward the central area of the explosion shrouded in gray smoke.

I quickly flew toward the valley wall, beginning to climb.

Roar! Roar! Roar! The Yellow Springs Cult Master’s earth-shaking roars issued from the dust cloud. No one could ascertain the exact situation, but the terrifying Boulder Rain had ceased flying out of the smoke.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded! Though they couldn't see the Cult Master’s condition inside the smoke, the desperation and struggle conveyed by those roars allowed everyone to breathe a collective, quiet sigh of relief. Even the formidable Yellow Springs Cult Master was struggling immensely now. As long as the Parent-Child Lightning continued its assault, it was only a matter of time before the Cult Master was electrocuted to death.

The Brotherhood mages did not dare to slow down, sending wave after wave of Child Bolts, like massive tides on the Yangtze River, continuously striking the Parent Bolt held aloft.

A minute passed in the blink of an eye, and the Yellow Springs Cult Master had been entangled by the terrifying Parent-Child Lightning for a full minute. The roaring sounds grew progressively weaker.

Just as everyone assumed the Cult Master was about to be electrocuted,

Suddenly, the dying Yellow Springs Cult Master let out another earth-shattering bellow! The smoke exploded outward, revealing countless dazzling golden lights.

"Ah! Not good, it’s going berserk!" This situation was all too familiar. After all, the Thunder Array of the Vermillion Bird Alliance had been shattered in one burst by the berserk Yellow Springs Cult Master.

"Berserk!" Everyone was utterly shocked!

"Don't stop, electrocute it!" Mo Ling and the others were extremely anxious. All the mages pushed their magic to the extreme, trying to electrocute it before the Cult Master could fully erupt.

Roar! Roar! Roar! Deafening roars shook the firmament, and countless golden rays shot out from the smoke like blazing suns. Everyone felt a suffocating, world-ending aura surge toward them.

Crash! The thick Parent Bolt hanging in the air, like a captured great serpent, was violently dragged down into the smoke, and then all signs of life ceased.

Everyone was struck pale with terror.

"No! How is this possible?" Mo Yin and the others could hardly believe their eyes.

"Ah, bad news! Activate the Collapse Trap! Retreat quickly!" I yelled out, disregarding everything.

"Collapse Trap!" Nalan Qiushui and the others reacted instantly.

In fact, before this operation, everyone had considered every possible contingency. If they failed to kill the Yellow Springs Cult Master, their only option was to use the Collapse Trap—triggering the collapse of the countless stones piled high on the cliff face to bury the Cult Master in the valley. However, everyone knew those stones couldn't actually kill the Cult Master; at best, they would bury and temporarily trap it. But by doing so, the group could use the moment the Cult Master was covered to retreat. This was truly a last resort, a measure no one wanted to use unless absolutely necessary.

Everyone had been quite confident in this operation, but seeing the Yellow Springs Cult Master shatter the Pinpoint Attack's Parent Bolt with a mere berserk surge—the sheer gap in power was far beyond their predictions. At this moment, retreat was the only course of action.

"Fall back first," Mo Yin declared, sensing that this Parent-Child Lightning could no longer harm the berserk Cult Master. Mo Yin and the others made a swift decision, firing their lightning spells at a specific point on the cliff face—the trigger point for the Collapse Trap.

Boom! Another sound of earth-shattering magnitude followed. Mountains crumbled, and countless massive stones roared down from a height of a hundred meters, crashing into the swirling dust cloud.

The group paid no mind to the spectacular, albeit terrifying, scene unfolding, quickly retreating along the pre-designated withdrawal route.