The faces in the grand hall were grave. Just moments ago, the Dove Group had received intelligence: Blood Tiger Luo Jiang had appeared in Laixing Town! Laixing Town was not far from Panlong—a mere three-day ride on horseback. At Luo Jiang’s speed, however, it might take less than a day to reach Panlong.

Panlong was the ancestral home of the Cloud Clan, their final bastion standing firm on the Demon Dragon Continent. A legacy built over a hundred years was not something that could be abandoned lightly.

At this moment, everyone in the Cloud Clan was gripped by anxiety, their eyes fixed anxiously on Yun Peng, hoping he would devise a sound strategy. In truth, the Cloud Clan had already begun organizing the evacuation of the populace toward Demon Dragon City. As administrators of Panlong City, the Cloud Clan bore the responsibility of ensuring the safety of its citizens. Yet, until the absolute last moment, the elite disciples of the clan could not simply abandon Cloud Fortress and flee alone.

“We have reached this point; there seems to be no option left but to retreat to Demon Dragon City,” Yun Peng sighed deeply. “I never expected matters to devolve this far.”

“Brother Yun, what is done is done by fate. We gave the Illusion Realm expedition our utmost effort; there is nothing to regret,” Jian Li consoled him.

“Indeed. Moreover, the Imperial Family’s Heaven Demon Warriors have been dispatched. While the outcome of the first engagement remains unknown, even if Luo Jiang managed to defeat one Heaven Demon Warrior, the Demon Dragon Imperial Family possesses nine formidable ones. Surely, they will be able to subdue Luo Jiang,” Feng Yuanming offered.

“One can only hope,” Yun Peng replied. “It’s just that abandoning Cloud Fortress like this truly…” Yun Peng looked around with a crestfallen expression. “Think of it: my Cloud Clan has commanded Panlong for over a century, facing countless formidable enemies, yet we never once retreated. That very spirit forged our illustrious reputation, placing us among the Six Great Families of the Demon Dragon. Now, it falls to me to bear the stigma of a battlefield retreat, of skulking to preserve our lives.”

“Brother Yun, you take this too seriously. This is called pragmatism, understanding the situation. A true man knows when to bend and when to stand firm. As long as we keep our lives, our foundation remains. We are only temporarily evacuating Cloud Fortress, not abandoning it forever,” Bi Yan interjected.

“Forgive my outburst, gentlemen; I spoke only what was on my mind.” At this, Yun Peng subconsciously glanced toward Yun Xi and Tong Lei. “Are you prepared?”

“Everything is packed and ready. We can depart at any moment,” Yun Xi confirmed.

“Then let us set out.” Yun Peng finally gave the order to depart.

Laixing Town!

The scene before him was one of desolation. There was no sign of life on the empty streets. Although the doors of every house were tightly shut and locked, with his beast-like intuition, Luo Jiang knew they were utterly vacant inside.

“Hah!” Like a famished tiger unable to locate its prey, Luo Jiang’s throat moved slightly, emitting a low growl that was not entirely human.

Suddenly! A faint, familiar ripple instantly reached him. Luo Jiang clearly captured the sound, and like an incredibly swift leopard, he darted toward the source of the disturbance. Two hundred meters away, a dark silhouette was sprinting rapidly.

Roar! The divine light in Luo Jiang’s blood-red eyes surged instantly, his form vanishing abruptly from thin air. When he reappeared, he was already fifty meters behind the fleeing figure. The Blood-Red Demon Sword slashed out like lightning, carving a terrifying streak of crimson sword energy aimed directly at the man’s back.

Just as the black figure ahead was about to be struck by the sword energy—

At that very moment, the silhouette vanished on the spot with a swoosh, its movement almost identical to Luo Jiang’s own vanishing act. But Luo Jiang’s disappearance was merely an illusion caused by his overwhelming speed. This dark figure, however, had truly vanished into nothingness, leaving no perceptible aura whatsoever. Even Luo Jiang, possessing the Eye of Death Desire, could not sense his presence.

But barely a breath later, Luo Jiang detected the figure’s presence again, this time located three hundred meters ahead of him!

Roar! Like an enraged behemoth, Luo Jiang unleashed his terrifying movement technique once more, pursuing the shadow.

For a time, the only thing visible on the open street was a streak of crimson afterimage, shooting like a meteor toward the northern edge of the small town.

Ahead of that crimson trail, a black figure maintained a pace that was neither rushed nor slow—though "neither rushed nor slow" was relative to Luo Jiang’s terrifying speed. In reality, the speed of the black shadow was utterly horrifying. Every time Luo Jiang was about to close the gap, the figure would vanish instantaneously, only to reappear three hundred meters further away.

It was like a nimble gazelle taunting a starving leopard.

If Xing Chen were witnessing this scene, he would be utterly astonished, for the technique employed by the runner was none other than the legendary ultimate skill of a Mage: Blink (Instantaneous Movement).

Since leaving the Illusion Realm, Luo Jiang had been relentlessly chasing this mysterious figure, chasing him from south to north! Luo Jiang did not fully comprehend why he was pursuing this shadow. Perhaps it was the bloodthirsty bestiality residing within his body, the inherent desire to annihilate everything, compelling him to destroy any living thing he encountered.

Indeed, every living creature—human or beast—that had appeared before Luo Jiang had been mercilessly slaughtered. Of course, some had managed to escape, and the one Luo Jiang found least forgivable was the black shadow before him, which seemed deliberately intent on playing with him.

This drove the already maddened Luo Jiang to crave tearing him to shreds. At this moment, Luo Jiang did not bother analyzing the shadow’s intentions; his instinct was simply to capture and kill him. This seemed to be the sole remaining conviction and objective lodged in Luo Jiang’s mind.

Heh, heh! Jifeng continued to push his legs to their limit. Just moments ago, Jifeng had received a message via carrier pigeon: the main contingent of the Panlong Cloud Clan had departed for Demon Dragon City. His mission, therefore, was simply to lure this terrifying brute into their path of travel.

What a simple task. The Ranger world of the Demon Dragon Continent was already gravely wounded. Nalan Canghai, Hong Tian, and Luo Xiao—the three giants—along with the elders of the Six Great Families, had mostly been dealt with in the Illusion Realm. Now, eliminating the remnants of the Cloud Clan who had managed to escape, along with that group of masters from Biji and Cang Yue, would leave the entire Ranger world of the Holy Word Continent shattered, even if not completely collapsed. Thinking of this, Jifeng allowed a playful smile to touch his lips. This strategy was truly viciously effective.

Of course, Luo Jiang, wielding the Blood-Red Demon Sword, was unbelievably powerful. Ten days prior, he had actually defeated a Heaven Demon Warrior of the Demon Dragon Imperial Family in combat. It was a pity that the gravely wounded warrior was rescued at the critical moment by the very one the Demon Dragon Empire feared: the blue lightning bolt—Xing Chen. Jifeng knew Xing Chen far too well. Back in the Illusion Realm, Jifeng had witnessed Xing Chen’s terrifying, inhuman strength—the sight of the ‘Parent-Child Thunder’ woven together by a united force of ten thousand people remained an indelible nightmare for every Mage. If given a choice, Jifeng would rather face Luo Jiang than that monster immune to all magical attacks. Consequently, when he observed from the shadows that the rescuer of the Heaven Demon Warrior was the Blue Lightning, he lacked the courage to even follow, forced to watch helplessly as Xing Chen saved the warrior.

Truly, man proposes, and Heaven disposes!

This fellow is still alive? He should have been killed by Luo Jiang in the Sacred Domain. Even if Luo Jiang hadn't killed him, the passage connecting the Sacred Domain to the outside world was completely sealed. How did he escape!

The thought filled Jifeng with intense frustration. Damn it, this needed to be reported to Senior Sister Mo Ling immediately. Jifeng had an inexplicable premonition: as long as Xing Chen lived, it was like having a sharp sword pressed against the throats of all Brotherhood Mages, denying them peace and sleep.

He subconsciously glanced behind him. “Hey! Big Fool, it’s getting dark. We need to hurry up.” Since Luo Jiang’s body had recovered, Jifeng had “guided” him through several more excursions, deliberately targeting densely populated towns. In a few days, Jifeng couldn’t even count how many people had been slaughtered by Luo Jiang’s rampages. Naturally, the available towns and villages for carnage were dwindling. For the last two days, he hadn't found any settlements with living occupants, forcing him to change targets and head toward the more distant Panlong City.

“Roar!” The response he received was a furious, beast-like roar. Despite being accustomed to it, Jifeng couldn’t help being startled.

This damned monster! Jifeng instinctively sped up his pace while simultaneously readying the magic he had accumulated for an instantaneous Blink.

To think that this work—guiding the continent’s menace, the Blood Tiger Luo Jiang, to cause slaughter—was actually his doing! Every time this thought crossed his mind, Jifeng couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

What of the Blood Tiger Luo Jiang? What of the Blood-Red Demon Sword? When faced with the youngest genius Spatial Mage on the continent, he was nothing more than a frustrated creature hopping around in desperation! Haha! If people knew that the Blink of a Spatial Mage was being used for such a tactic of redirecting disaster, wouldn't they be so enraged they’d spit blood?

However, Jifeng also greatly admired the fact that this method was conceived by his Senior Sister, Mo Ling. Senior Sister was truly Senior Sister; her mind was just better equipped. She could even devise such a devious trick.

Just as Jifeng was basking in smugness, he suddenly felt the presence behind him intensify again, closing the distance to within fifty meters in an instant.

Damn it, I almost got caught! Jifeng was startled. Almost by reflex, he immediately activated Blink, his body vanishing once more, reappearing three hundred meters away.

Hoo! A Human-Demon is truly a Human-Demon; one absolutely cannot afford a moment of carelessness! Jifeng broke out in a cold sweat, immediately dismissing the miscellaneous thoughts crowding his mind, carefully maintaining a distance from Luo Jiang.

Perhaps Jifeng, a freakishly powerful Super Spatial Mage, was the only one on the entire continent capable of playing this game of cat and mouse with the current Luo Jiang.

It was hard to imagine that Jifeng, a Mage, possessed such monstrous stamina. If Xing Chen saw this, he would likely admit defeat; this speed was simply beyond human capability.

Luo Jiang, having missed his target again, could only let out a roar of frustration. Gritting his teeth, he resumed the chase. Thus, the two afterimages—one red, one black—resumed their seemingly endless, super-marathon.

Inside the Tree Hollow!

Jidu’s tightly shut eyes finally reopened. In that single instant, I felt a suffocating pressure! It was as if the figure sitting beside me was not a human, but a coiled, slumbering beast.

Could it be my illusion? I couldn't shake the feeling that Jidu had changed. He was completely different from the warm, steady elder in my memory. The current Jidu was more like a tiger brimming with fighting spirit.

It must be that the existence of the 'Fated One' has filled Jidu with confidence, igniting his fighting spirit completely. Thinking of this, my own spirits soared. “It seems the General has fully recovered.”

“That is correct. Now, I have sufficient confidence to defeat Luo Jiang,” Jidu stated assuredly.

“We shouldn’t delay. Let us depart immediately,” I urged.

“Agreed!” Jidu nodded.

“However, which direction should we pursue?” It was only then that I remembered we didn't know where to chase them.

“Northward, toward Panlong,” Jidu said with certainty.

“Ah! Why are you so sure?” Although I suspected Luo Jiang might head toward Panlong, I lacked Jidu’s absolute conviction.

“It is the intuition between masters,” Jidu replied, his expression serious. He then gripped the Blade of Destiny in his hand. “It is also the destined pull between the Fated One and the Blood-Red Demon Sword—an inescapable fate. There is no mistake; Luo Jiang is rushing rapidly toward the North.”

“Ha! Master’s intuition, the pull of destiny.” I was slightly taken aback. You are strong; I will follow your lead. Though doubts lingered in my heart, seeing Jidu’s resolute expression, I suppressed them.

This Marfa World truly held endless wonders; even individuals and swords seemed connected by some form of telepathy.

But whether this was true or not, the answer would surely come soon enough.

Jidu shot forward like lightning, and I quickly followed, utilizing my movement technique. After careful consideration, I had decided earlier to secure the necklace and one ring from the Sacred War Set, replacing them with the Hurricane Necklace and the Hurricane Ring. While this slightly reduced the set bonus, it allowed me to balance speed and the application of Dou Qi—a workable compromise.

In fact, after careful analysis, I had finally grasped the subtle difference between the Hurricane Ring and the Sacred War Set, explaining why the former could drastically increase speed. The most crucial element was the magical wind array inscribed on the Hurricane Ring. Once activated, under the influence of wind magic, a person’s body weight was significantly reduced. This explained the unparalleled lightness one felt when wearing the ring—that was its miraculous effect. With reduced weight, the energy required for movement decreased substantially. If I could normally jump six meters at full force, equipping the Hurricane Ring allowed a leap of over ten, even twenty meters. Add sprinting speed, and forty meters wasn't an exaggeration. The ancient Chinese legends of scaling walls and treading on snow without leaving a mark—that must have been the level achieved.

Of course, when wearing the Sacred War equipment, my speed also increased. However, this enhancement differed greatly from the Hurricane Ring. It relied on explosive bursts generated by immense strength to propel the body. For instance, under normal conditions, my full-force jump was six meters. With the Sacred War Set activated by internal Dou Qi, my physical strength was also reinforced, allowing a full jump of over ten meters, and sprinting jumps could still reach forty meters. Compared to the Hurricane Ring, this type of instantaneous jump relying purely on brute force was comparatively stiff. Control over the body, mid-air directional changes, and agile maneuvering were severely compromised—what people call being unable to turn sharp corners. This feeling was not to my liking. I much preferred the exhilaration of a light body, the sensation of flowing with the wind. Only in that state could I fully deploy the versatile and unpredictable nature of my movement skills.

Ahead of me, Jidu sped along, darting like a vigorous leopard, seeming to possess inexhaustible power. Even I, confident in my speed, found it strenuous to keep pace. These Heaven Demon Warriors were incredibly potent! Currently, I was only managing to stay behind him by simultaneously utilizing the Sacred War gear alongside the Hurricane Necklace and Ring.

The scenery on either side blurred rapidly into the background. Jidu was currently charging almost entirely by instinct, carving a straight line toward the North. Forests, cliffs, precipices, mountains, and rivers no longer posed any obstacle to us. This route was significantly shorter than following the official roads to Panlong. Of course, what we traversed couldn't truly be called a road, and naturally, we couldn't expect to ride horses.

The open official road appeared empty and silent. One could no longer see the throngs of people who once bustled along it; it was as if all human life had vanished from the world. Along the roadside, large groups of Rake Pigs and Scarecrows, creatures normally only found far from human activity, had appeared. One could even spot packs of wild wolves and Half-Orcs.

These creatures, which usually dared not venture near areas of human activity due to fear, now acted as the sole masters of this world. Several Half-Orcs had even dared to enter the abandoned inns along the road, frantically scavenging for anything edible. The fields belonged to the Rake Pigs. These strange creatures seemed particularly fond of digging, clutching spades of dubious origin they must have stolen, ceaselessly excavating the grassy earth in the fields. Those unfamiliar might assume they were cultivating crops.

But every farmer in the Marfa World knew that no mutated creature ruined crops as thoroughly as the Rake Pig, because what they dug for were sweet potatoes, and grains like wheat, corn, and millet hidden deep underground.

These detestable mutated creatures were not only cunning but also greedy, sneaking into the fields planted by humans under the cover of darkness, and carrying away whatever fruit they couldn't eat. Every year, vast manpower and resources were devoted across the continent to dealing with these vile microorganisms, yet the results were consistently poor. The Rake Pig was effectively listed as the number one agricultural pest in the entire Marfa World.

Fields raided by Rake Pigs were essentially rendered useless.

By now, the villages bordering the official road were long abandoned. These mutated creatures, which once hid in dark corners, were now openly emerging and haunting the village perimeters and fields. Perhaps confident in their numbers, they barely spared a glance for the large parties traveling the main road, continuing their scavenging as if in their own domain.

Some audacious Rake Pigs, Half-Orcs, and wolves, relying on sheer numerical superiority, actually launched an attack on Yun Peng’s main contingent.

The result, naturally, was their own demise. After leaving behind several corpses of their own kind, the rest scattered quickly. Yet, Jian Li and Yun Peng exchanged bitter smiles.

“When the Demon Sword reappears, chaos engulfs the world! Who knows how many places across the continent are facing similar situations!” Yun Peng remarked.

“Agriculture is the foundation of a nation. Now, because of the Blood-Red Demon Sword, many have been forced to abandon their homes and flee their native lands. If this continues, the situation will become dire,” Jian Li worried. “It is the golden autumn harvest season now. If we miss the reaping, a year’s entire yield could fall into the clutches of these Rake Pigs.”

“Indeed. And once domestic grain supplies run low, massive unrest will surely follow. By then, even killing Luo Jiang might not fix things,” Feng Yuanming murmured. “The Sealed Demon Empire’s strategy is truly ruthless.”

“The front lines at the Black Sea are currently strained. Five of the nine Heaven Demon Warriors have been dispatched there, while the remaining four, including His Majesty the Emperor, guard the Imperial City. They dare not easily send Heaven Demon Warriors to intercept Luo Jiang,” Lu Tong worried. “Although the Royal Family sent Heaven Demon Warriors recently, it seems they failed to defeat Luo Jiang. This situation is not promising.”

“Damn it! The Brotherhood’s move has struck the very heart of our Demon Dragon Empire. Now, even knowing that the dispatched Heaven Demon Warriors are likely doomed, we cannot easily send others for support. We are caught between advancing and retreating,” Yun Peng lamented.

“En!” Everyone’s face was heavy with gloom. At that very moment, Jian Li and the others suddenly felt a sense of dire warning. A terrifying killing intent, like a raging tsunami, instantly surged toward them!

From afar, they saw a streak of crimson figure hurtling toward them at an astonishing speed!

Ah! It’s Blood Tiger Luo Jiang! Jian Li could scarcely believe his eyes!