With that thought in mind, he completely disregarded the white-robed maiden for a moment and swiftly darted away to evade. But how could that white-robed maiden allow him that satisfaction? She immediately intensified her assault, determined to hold him back.

Seeing the blinding light about to strike him, the Young Clan Leader could afford no more hesitation. He endured the white-robed maiden's full-force blow with half his body, using the impact's momentum to propel himself with incredible speed towards the left.

However, Mo Han's attack was far too close. Even with the Young Clan Leader exerting all his evasive strength, he was still struck on the left hand by Mo Han's assault. A spurt of blood immediately erupted. The Guangming Sheng Jian (Bright Holy Sword) left a gash on his left hand so deep it exposed bone. This was only because the Young Clan Leader, sensing the grave situation, had concentrated all his Dou Qi onto his back to resist Mo Han's advance, thus neutralizing the majority of the attack's terrifying power. Otherwise, the Young Clan Leader's arm would surely have been severed.

Yet, even so, the Young Clan Leader suffered a severe injury—a strike from the white-robed maiden to his chest, compounded by Mo Han's attack. He was hurled backward by the force of these two blows, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood while airborne. It appeared he was badly wounded.

At that moment, several other members of the Demon Dragon Clan arrived just in time to witness the sight of their Young Clan Leader being flung away by Mo Han and the maiden. They were all deeply shocked, crying out, "Young Clan Leader!"

Forgetting Mo Han and the maiden entirely, they rushed toward their superior.

Mo Han seized this rare opportunity, stepping forward quickly to grasp the white-robed maiden's arm. He urged her urgently, "Hurry up and go! Are you waiting to die?" Without waiting for her consent, he yanked her arm and flashed toward the depths of the forest.

The white-robed maiden started when her jade-like hand was seized by Mo Han. Just as she was about to react angrily, she understood Mo Han's intent upon hearing his words—that he was saving her and not intentionally violating her. She stopped arguing with Mo Han and followed him directly into the woods. In the blink of an eye, both had vanished.

By the time the Demon Dragon Clan members reached their Young Clan Leader and confirmed he was not in mortal danger, Mo Han and the maiden had long since disappeared without a trace.

Meanwhile, the Demon Dragon Young Clan Leader sat pale-faced, tending to his wounds, surrounded by his clansmen. An elder in black clothing finally spoke, "Young Clan Leader, what happened? Even with the Saint Dragon Princess's supreme skill, she shouldn't have been able to wound you so grievously. Did something else occur?" Hearing this, the Young Clan Leader ground his teeth and replied, "It was a lowly human who ambushed me from behind while I was locked in fierce combat with the Saint Dragon Princess. It is unforgivable! If I ever see him again, I will make his life a living hell."

The elder in black immediately countered, "A human? Impossible! With the current strength of humans, how could they inflict such damage upon you? This wound on your arm—only a power like that of the Dragon Race could possibly cause it. How could an ordinary human achieve this?"

The Young Clan Leader responded, "That cunning human held a divine artifact in his hand. If I am not mistaken, it should be the Guangming Sheng Jian (Bright Holy Sword), long lost by the Human Church of Light. I never imagined it would be in the hands of this human. I was careless; otherwise, with his meager abilities, how could he have hurt me? It infuriates me!"

Hearing the Young Clan Leader's words, the Demon Dragon Clan members fell into deep contemplation. One of them spoke, "I can't believe the Guangming Sheng Jian has reappeared. Wasn't it rumored to have vanished during the Holy War five hundred years ago?" The Young Clan Leader shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure, but I believe it must be the Guangming Sheng Jian. Otherwise, it couldn't have so easily pierced my protective Zhen Qi. That Holy Sword is our greatest hidden threat, and we must find a way to reclaim it. I need to report this news to my father immediately."

Upon hearing the Young Clan Leader's decree, a Demon Dragon Clan member immediately followed up, "Recall that the Pope of Light wielded this very Guangming Sheng Jian and slaughtered so many of our clansmen. To think it has surfaced again—is this fate?"

Hearing this, the Demon Dragon Clan members lapsed into silence.

Then, the Young Clan Leader spoke, "Fortunately, the human currently holding the Guangming Sheng Jian seems unable to unleash its true power, and his capabilities are far inferior to the Saint Dragon Leader's. As long as we retrieve it before they decipher the sword's secrets, there will be no issue. We absolutely cannot allow the events of two thousand years ago to repeat themselves. The Demon Dragon Clan cannot endure such a blow in its current state."

Hearing the Young Clan Leader's words, the remaining Demon Dragon Clan members ceased their murmuring. Two of them helped the injured Young Clan Leader up, and the group took to the skies, clearly heading back to the Demon Dragon Clan's base.

Meanwhile, Mo Han and the white-robed maiden, having traveled far beyond the Demon Dragon Clan's sphere of influence, stopped beside a river. Mo Han himself had no idea how far they had run, but looking at the sky, it was already deep into the night; the moon hung high overhead. Mo Han guessed they must have covered at least a hundred li and were now very far from Tianyue City.

This realization made Mo Han inwardly groan. In his haste to escape, he hadn't even managed to leave word for Dali and the others. They must be terribly worried about him; it had been most of the afternoon since he left.

At this moment, the white-robed maiden spoke calmly, "You can release my hand now; there's no one here anymore."

Mo Han snapped back to reality, realizing he was still firmly grasping her delicate hand. As he registered the warmth and softness in his palm, he found it unexpectedly comforting. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Mo Han would never have believed she belonged to the Dragon Race.

Seeing that Mo Han still hadn't moved, the white-robed maiden spoke coldly, "Are you not letting go, or are you looking for another beating?" Mo Han felt a surge of irritation. He released her jade-like hand and said coolly, "Is this how your Dragon Race treats those who save you? I've certainly seen it today. No good deed goes unpunished. And here I was, risking my life to rescue you."