Jian Li and the others were eager to see the full effect of the Gale Necklace. The moment I stepped out of the tent, I instantly surged my Dou Qi and bolted towards the northwest.

"Hey! Brat, wait up!" Jian Li and the rest quickly gave chase.

As I sprinted, I unconsciously activated both the Gale Ring and the Gale Necklace simultaneously. Soon, an indescribable lightness enveloped my body. At that moment, I barely felt the existence of my physical form; my speed was pushed to the absolute extreme. Although there were no clear reference points, I profoundly felt that my current speed was significantly faster than before. The most obvious sensation was the near absence of air resistance that usually buffets one at such velocity. I felt as if I were a gust of wind, utterly unconstrained. This effect wasn't just evident in straight-line sprinting; the ease and fluidity with which I maneuvered and twisted—that freedom of movement—thrilled me immensely.

In the past, at peak speeds, controlling my direction flexibly was difficult. Because the force I exerted was too immense, any sudden shift or evasion felt stiff, making it hard to achieve true mastery over acceleration and deceleration. It was like a bullet leaving the barrel: great for a straight dash, but challenging to execute a sharp directional change mid-flight.

Now, however, I was completely different. While moving at extreme speeds, I could barely sense inertia. I could twist and turn exactly as my will dictated; my control over my body had reached an astonishing level.

On a whim, while maintaining high-speed flight, I continuously dodged left and right, performing various feigned evasion maneuvers. I soared high and dove low, darting back and forth, truly experiencing the exhilaration of boundless space open for my traversal.

Watching the blue figure shoot off like a bolt of lightning, Jian Li and the others were utterly aghast.

"Damn it," Lu Tong muttered. "That speed is insane."

"It’s not just pure speed; it’s the fact that his body remains completely responsive while moving that fast. That is the true realm of extreme velocity," Jian Li observed, his expression complex.

"In this vast world, perhaps only Sword Empress Shuang Fei and Blood Tiger Luo Jiang could possibly keep pace with him now," Bi Yan exclaimed in shock.

"Haha! Now that's the real Blue Lightning!" Gao Jing boomed. "Old Man Jian Li, your disciple is far superior to you were in your day!"

"What, jealous?" Jian Li, though his face was complex, didn't hide his pride at all. "Only by cultivating a disciple who surpasses oneself can one claim to be a true master."

"Tch, keep bragging," Bi Yan retorted sourly. "I'll only be convinced if you can train Jian Chi and the others to be like Xing Chen." Gao Jing immediately exposed Jian Li’s true weakness.

"Ah." Jian Li looked embarrassed. In terms of combat skills, Jian Li was undoubtedly the contemporary Sword God, but his methods of teaching disciples were frankly questionable.

Otherwise, before Xing Chen emerged, not a single disciple from Dragon Shadow Manor ranked in the top ten among young masters. Even in instructing Xing Chen, it seemed he hadn't taught much; he merely fused his Dragon Shadow essence with Xing Chen’s Dragon Shadow Sword, then tricked Xing Chen into the Demon Dragon World to fend for himself. Yet, even under such circumstances, he managed to produce a monstrous disciple. This reality bred envy and jealousy in Bi Yan and Gao Jing. All they could do was gain a slight advantage in verbal sparring, venting some of their internal imbalance.

But as they spoke, Xing Chen’s lightning-fast silhouette had long vanished.

"Hurry up and follow him," Lu Tong grumbled. "If that kid gets carried away running, he won't even be able to find his way back."

....................................................................................

Only when the figures of Jian Li and the others had completely disappeared behind me did I finally stop. I looked down at the Gale Necklace resting on my chest, somewhat disbelievingly.

To think that merely adding one necklace made such a world of difference. If I could find the other ring, what would the situation be like then?

Perhaps then I could truly soar as freely as the gale. In that moment, I resolved that I absolutely must find the other ring and complete the Gale Set.

As I was lost in thought, I heard rapid, urgent breathing approaching. I looked up to see several figures speeding towards me.

It was Jian Li and the others catching up.

"You little rascal! Didn't you hear me tell you to wait?" Lu Tong rushed up to me, breathless and looking quite distressed.

"Damn it, runs faster than a rabbit," Bi Yan also panted slightly, though his expression held an indescribable excitement and thrill.

"Hahahaha!" Jian Li couldn't help but laugh heartily. "With this speed, I doubt even the leader of the Yellow Springs Sect could catch you now."

"En," I replied, excited. "I'm confident enough now to engage the Yellow Springs Sect leader in a prolonged fight."

"Heh, wonderful!" Gao Jing was thrilled. "Kid, you've hit the jackpot this time. That old fox Nalan Qiushui is notoriously stingy, yet he actually gave you this rare treasure. From now on, truly few people in this world can match your pace."

"It seems our plan needs adjustment," Jian Li said gravely.

"En," Lu Tong nodded slightly. "Xing Chen, after you lure the Yellow Springs Sect leader away, you can return to the fourth level to support Qing Tian and the others."

"That’s what I was thinking," I confirmed. I had considered this very plan the moment Nalan Qiushui offered me the Gale Necklace.

"Judging by the time, Yun Xi and Qing Tian should have reached the first level by now. They should reach the fourth level soon," Yun Peng reported. "Though your speed has increased immensely, you must not let your guard down because of it; never underestimate the Yellow Springs Sect leader."

"I accept your guidance, Senior," I replied respectfully.

"Alright, we should return too; there is still much preparation to be done," Bi Yan said.

The next day, when we returned to the valley that had been shattered by the previous explosions, we found only a massive, deep pit, looking as if it had been struck by a colossal meteorite. Countless fragments of rock radiated outwards, while the very center of the pit was filled with dust as fine as powder. Though none of us witnessed the event, everyone gasped involuntarily.

"It seems the Yellow Springs Sect leader blasted the surrounding mountain rock away in one breath after being buried," Hong Tian exclaimed in horror. "What astonishing explosive power, to turn solid rock into powder."

"Although the Yellow Springs Sect leader's overall strength may not match the Evil Centipede, this explosive force is terrifying." Every expert present had seen countless battles. Looking at the scene, it was easy to imagine the immense power required to blast such a large crater. Furthermore, reducing rock to dust finer than sand—that level of power utterly surpassed everyone's expectations.

"Xing Chen, be careful," Jian Li said, his expression grim. "Just this sight shows how terrifying the Yellow Springs Sect leader's explosive power is."

"Indeed," Bi Yan added. "Even though your speed has increased significantly, the Yellow Springs Sect leader wasn't going all out earlier. If he were in his berserk state, whether you could escape him is still uncertain."

"Seniors need not worry," I analyzed. "The Yellow Springs Sect leader only goes berserk when his life is in mortal danger. I am merely luring him away; under those circumstances, he shouldn't go berserk." Although I spoke with confidence, I was far from certain in my heart. The unprecedented surge of confidence I felt after acquiring the Gale Necklace was already beginning to waver in the face of this fine dust.

If the Yellow Springs Sect leader went berserk, could I truly escape him?

"Let's hope so," Lu Tong remained visibly tense.

"Be careful, and maintain your distance at all costs," Nalan Qiushui advised.

"The latest report from the Dove Group indicates the Yellow Springs Sect leader is still inside the Undead Devouring Array," Hong Tian continued. "If he truly hates you to the core, even without entering the array, the moment he spots you, he will surely charge out to pursue you."

"Perhaps!" It was too late to change my mind now; I just had to face it head-on.

Seeming to sense my apprehension, Mo Ling once again displayed her sharp, sarcastic smile. "Hey, kid, work hard! Don't let the Yellow Springs Sect leader smash you into dust in one blow." She then deliberately scooped up a handful of dust and scattered it into the air.

That gesture instantly reminded me of a terrifying idiom: grinding bones to dust and scattering them to the wind.

You wish me ill, I thought, that's quite vicious, cursing me before the fight even begins. But I didn't have the energy to bother arguing with her now.

"Hmph." Luo Xiao and several elders from the White Tiger Alliance looked on with schadenfreude, watching me as if I were already a corpse.

"You can do it," Jian Li said, placing his hands on my shoulders. "You absolutely can. Don't forget you are the disciple of the Sword God; I know your capabilities better than anyone."

"Kid, have confidence," Lu Tong encouraged me as well. "I told you, you have great fortune and fate; you won't die."

"........." Looking at the nervous, expectant, and encouraging gazes of Jian Li and Lu Tong, I didn't know what to say. I instinctively clenched my fists.

Everyone found a hidden place to conceal themselves, leaving only me to cautiously approach the Undead Devouring Array with trepidation.

From a distance, the vast open ground was still littered with wreckage. Perhaps there hadn't been enough time for the high-level undead killed by Yun Ju and the others to regenerate. The huge crater blasted by the Yellow Springs Sect leader at the moment of his sudden appearance in the center of the Undead Devouring Array was still shocking, and the blue flames danced merrily, emitting an indescribable, chilling tremor.

What terrified me most, however, was the gigantic, demon-god-like figure standing silently within the array. Even from a distance of at least two hundred meters, I could clearly feel the heaven-storming killing intent radiating from it.

I couldn't tell if this was good or bad fortune. Clearly, the Yellow Springs Sect leader was still stationed within the array and hadn't vanished. This meant I wouldn't have to risk entering the array to lure him out, maximizing my space for a swift escape.

In fact, I always had a lingering question: why wasn't the Yellow Springs Sect leader in the array before? He always seemed to appear out of thin air only after someone had been killed inside the array. This was true in the Yellow Springs World, and it was true here on the fifth illusionary layer. Where exactly did he hide during the time before his sudden appearance? I could never figure it out. What puzzled me was that neither Jian Li nor Nalan Qiushui seemed to dwell on this; to them, the Yellow Springs Sect leader's sudden materialization was apparently a given.

But now was not the time to ponder such mysteries. My task was simply to draw the Yellow Springs Sect leader away.

The current situation was undoubtedly ideal. Realizing this, I instinctively locked my gaze onto the Yellow Springs Sect leader, raising the killing intent in my heart.

"Roar!" As if sensing my presence, the Yellow Springs Sect leader suddenly spun around, looking my way, its sharp gaze locking onto me like twin swords.

"Ahem! Old friend Yellow Springs, we meet again," I tried to joke instinctively.

"............" I clearly felt the Yellow Springs Sect leader pause slightly, followed by an outburst of rage.

Boom! A blinding sphere of light erupted within the array, and like a cannonball fired from its muzzle, the majestic figure of the Yellow Springs Sect leader shot out.

"Damn it!" Although mentally prepared, being pursued immediately after a single encounter left a sour taste in my mouth.

Damn it, I must have killed his brother or his father in the Yellow Springs World, the thought flashed by.

But I knew clearly that this was no time for idle speculation; escaping was paramount.

Without hesitation, I turned and bolted.

From afar, the large group of people hidden in the corner watched in terror as the two figures, one large and one small, streaked towards the southwest like lightning.

"Success," Nalan Qiushui exclaimed excitedly.

In the blink of an eye, the two figures vanished.

"Now!" Nalan Qiushui commanded gravely. "Move."

.........................................................

Roar! Roar!

Sixty meters behind me, the frantic roaring of the Yellow Springs Sect leader continued, and the Yellow Springs Hammer in its hand swung wildly as it ran! The ground shattered by its blows immediately erupted in a deluge of giant stone projectiles raining down upon me! However, I had extensive experience dealing with wide-area attacks like this. While the impact force of the giant stones thrown by the Yellow Springs Sect leader was terrifying, the speed and precision were somewhat lacking compared to the sharp arrows shot by the Demon Dragon Archers I faced in the Demon Dragon World. Back then, I could casually stroll through the torrential rain of arrows from the Demon Dragon Archers; the stone rain from the Yellow Springs Sect leader, despite its shocking momentum, failed to hit me.

Under the influence of the Eye of Death, I skillfully dodged wave after wave of stone rain at the very last second. However, to prevent the Yellow Springs Sect leader from seeing through my diversion tactic, I deliberately maintained a facade of being slightly harried, often coming close to being struck by the boulders.

Yet, I remained somewhat suspicious. Could a demon creature that had survived for ten thousand years truly be fooled by such a petty trick? But in the eyes of the Yellow Springs Sect leader, I saw only undisguised fury and world-destroying killing intent. It seemed it would not rest until I was annihilated.

Chasing and fleeing, ten minutes passed in a flash. Scenery blurred past on both sides as we zipped through countless cliffs, stone pillars, and valleys.

What surprised me was the incredible agility and swiftness possessed by the robust body of the Yellow Springs Sect leader. Although I hadn't exerted my full strength yet, I knew that my current speed, without the Gale Necklace, was already the limit of my capability.

Even at this extreme velocity, no matter how I dodged, weaved, or maneuvered, the attacks from the Yellow Springs Sect leader consistently stayed within five meters of my body. Maintaining such precise attack capability during high-speed movement was truly unbelievable. Without the Eye of Death, I would surely have been pounded into meat paste by now.

And while running, the Yellow Springs Sect leader did not seem to be using its Dou Qi for its attacks, as its speed did not diminish at all, maintaining a continuous state of high-speed charge.

If it weren't for the help of the Gale Necklace, I wouldn't have been able to last this long. I was once again profoundly shaken by the brute strength and stamina of the Yellow Springs Sect leader.

Time flew by. Twenty-five minutes had passed. Even if the Yellow Springs Sect leader returned to the Undead Devouring Array now, it would take another twenty-five minutes. This meant I had successfully completed the diversion mission. The next step was to fully shake off the Yellow Springs Sect leader.

Realizing this, I held nothing back.

My speed instantly surged to its absolute maximum, and that exhilarating lightness enveloped me once more, causing a violent acceleration.

"Roar!" Seemingly sensing the change in me, the Yellow Springs Sect leader suddenly roared like thunder. Brilliant golden light burst forth from its entire body, and terrifying killing intent radiated outwards like crashing tidal waves. For an instant, I felt as if I were ensnared by an invisible energy field, much like the strange vortex energy field I encountered during my duel with Luo Yan.

And I was intimately familiar with this terrifying aura that erupted from the Yellow Springs Sect leader.

"Holy hell, no way," I thought, suddenly anxious and angry. The Yellow Springs Sect leader was going berserk at this precise moment.