Chapter 404: Chapter 404

Fang Ruohan looked at the Dragon Ring in Ding Fan's hand, her skepticism finally dissipating.

In Fang Ruohan's opinion, Ding Fan must have rescued her out of greed for the treasures within the forbidden area, which is why he acted desperately to save her.

Ding Fan and Fang Ruohan hid in this cave for an entire day. Disciples from the Upper Xuan Sect passed by several times, showing the extent of their determination to find Fang Ruohan.

However, because Ding Fan had set up a Concealment Formation at the entrance of the cave, the people from the Upper Xuan Sect failed to discover their hiding place.

By nightfall, the surroundings finally quieted down, and after canvassing the area with his Divine Sense, Ding Fan found no trace of the Upper Xuan Sect disciples nearby.

Presumably after failing to find any trace of Ding Fan and Fang Ruohan for a whole day, the Upper Xuan Sect disciples must have concluded that they had long since fled.

Ding Fan took out some food from his storage ring for Fang Ruohan to replenish her strength, and then the two of them took advantage of the night to make their escape.

Now, neither Ding Fan nor Fang Ruohan dared to head back to Longxi. They traveled northward along the mountainous roads.

The two ran wildly all night, covering a good seventy to eighty kilometers in that span of time.

Just as Fang Ruohan felt they were far enough to be safe and wished to catch her breath, Ding Fan, without explanation, grabbed Fang Ruohan and started sprinting again.

Later on, Fang Ruohan couldn't keep up with Ding Fan's abnormal movement technique, so he once again picked her up. Fang Ruohan initially wanted to resist.

But under Ding Fan's control, she was like a powerless chick, and in just a few moments, he had sealed her acupoints, rendering her immobile.

In Ding Fan's embrace, Fang Ruohan could only hear the whooshing wind by her ear. As she watched the scenery speedily receding behind them, amazement filled her; in this world, there was actually someone with such freakishly fast speed...

The primary reason Ding Fan was sprinting with Fang Ruohan in his arms was that he sensed someone drawing near using his Divine Sense, and from the pursuer's aura, Ding Fan judged that the person's cultivation was exceptionally strong.

Therefore, Ding Fan didn't waste time talking with Fang Ruohan, and instead directly picked her up, sprinting all the way.

Ding Fan was now thinking about how to quickly break out of these deep mountains. Once they left the mountains and entered a town, mingling with the crowd, it wouldn't be so easy for their pursuers to find them.

In one go, Ding Fan ran another thirty to forty kilometers of mountainous road. Only then did the powerful presence behind them disappear.

However, Ding Fan believed that given the robust cultivation of the person tailing them, it wouldn't be difficult to track down Ding Fan and Fang Ruohan by following the clues left on the road.

At this point, Ding Fan was somewhat troubled because he didn't know his current location or how much further they needed to run to get out of this forest.

Running aimlessly was not a solution. There wasn't a single landmark in this vast, ancient forest, and no one around to ask for directions...

Just then, a figure swiftly flew by.

Ding Fan was startled; he hadn't expected to encounter anyone in these remote woolds. Moreover, judging by that person's cultivation, it was not weak.

Ding Fan hurriedly swept the area with his Divine Sense. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍

The result left Ding Fan astounded; the figure that flew past was none other than the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch, who he had severely wounded before.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch was not alone; he was carrying someone on his shoulder.

A further sweep with his Divine Sense revealed that the person being carried by the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch was none other than Jing Yi.

Upon seeing Jing Yi, Ding Fan understood why the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch was present.

Jing Yi had a Pure Yin Physique. Previously in Longxi, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch had attempted to capture her, but Ding Fan intervened, preventing Jing Yi from falling into his clutches.

It seemed that the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch had not given up on Jing Yi's Pure Yin Body, and had taken the opportunity to kidnap her again.

After all, such a Pure Yin Physique was exceedingly rare; how could the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch easily let it go?

A flash of inspiration struck Ding Fan, and without a moment's hesitation, he pursued in the direction in which the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch had disappeared...

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch did not realize he was being tracked. After all, in these deep mountains, who would expect someone to be following him?

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch, carrying Jing Yi, had traveled some distance when he arrived beside a huge rock.

He dumped Jing Yi onto the rock.

Having been unconscious, Jing Yi slowly opened her eyes after being thrown onto the rock.

As she came to and surveyed her surroundings, her expression turned exceedingly grim. "Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch let out a strange cackle. "We've met before. If I hadn't been interrupted last time, I probably would have enjoyed your Pure Yin Body by now."

Since Jing Yi was unconscious the last time, she was only aware that the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch had abducted her. It was her first time seeing the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch in person, but she knew of his existence from what Fang Ruo had told her.

"Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch?" Jing Yi's expression darkened.

According to legend, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch practiced Soul Refining Cultivation, cultivating Ghost Soldiers. Although he was only at the mid-stage of the Earth Level, even peak stage Earth Level Martial Artists were wary of him.

Soul Refining, Soul Snatching.

Jing Yi had never expected to fall into the hands of the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch once again.

"Last time you were fortunate someone came to rescue you. Now, I'm curious to see who will save you this time..." As the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch spoke, he licked his lips and advanced towards Jing Yi.

At this moment, Jing Yi found all her acupoints sealed, making any movement an utter impossibility.

Her expression was solemn, and even the always composed Jing Yi couldn't help but shudder...

Jing Yi now wore a look of deep despair. With the area desolate and uninhabited, just as the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch had said, who would come to her rescue?

Just when Jing Yi thought her death was certain, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch suddenly froze on the spot, his eyes widening immensely afterward.

At this moment, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch sensed a surge of extremely powerful spiritual energy.

The energy was remarkably pure and robust.

Cultivators are very sensitive to spiritual energy, and although the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch was an evil cultivator, his demand for spiritual energy was no less than anyone else's.

Without any hesitation, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch turned and fled. With just two or three leaps, his figure had already vanished from Jing Yi's sight.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch wasn't the least bit worried about any trouble arising on Jing Yi's end. With her acupoints sealed, even if she wanted to run, where could she go? Unable to move a muscle, she was powerless.

In the depth of these mountains, the thought of someone coming to rescue Jing Yi was even less likely...

Following the direction from which the spiritual energy emanated, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch ran wildly and soon discovered a big-bearded man in the mountain ranges, looking around as if waiting for someone.

And it was from this big-bearded man that the spiritual energy was emanating.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch let out a strange, cackling laugh. Without exchanging words with the big-bearded man, he lunged forward, with a powerful surge of inner strength aimed directly at him.

The big-bearded man was taken aback, shouting out in confusion before stumbling to dodge to one side.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch's attack missed its target.

"Heh heh... leave behind the treasures on you, or I'll make sure you have no place to be buried today!"

"M-mine... I... I am a disciple of the Upper Xuan Sect... You better not act rashly!" The big-bearded man warned the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch.

"Heh heh... to hell with your Upper Xuan Sect! If you don't hand over the treasure, I'll take your damned life!" the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch said as his right hand suddenly shook.

At that moment, a Soul Summoning Banner appeared in the hands of the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch.

All at once, the forest was engulfed in dense yin qi.

"You... you... you're actually an evil cultivator..." the big-bearded man said in shock.

"If you don't hand over the treasure, I'll make you die right here!" After saying this, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch waved the Soul Summoning Banner, and at once several dark shadows sprang forth.

"The Upper Xuan Sect won't let you off!" The big-bearded man immediately recognized the shadows as Ghost Soldiers.

He then threw a jade box far off in another direction before running away in the opposite direction himself.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch didn't chase after the big-bearded man; he headed straight towards the direction where the jade box had been thrown.

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch's mental power clearly discerned that the jade box thrown by the big-bearded man was filled with a treasure brimming with spiritual energy.

The big-bearded man was not weak in cultivation, and killing him was sure to be troublesome. Since the man had cowardly thrown the jade box away, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch didn't bother pursuing him, considering his goal was the box itself.

The jade box thrown by the big-bearded man flew for over a hundred meters.

By the time the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch picked up the jade box, the big-bearded man had already disappeared without a trace.

Anxious, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch promptly opened the jade box.

Upon opening the box, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch found a Second Grade Pill inside.

Seeing the Second Grade Pill, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch frowned.

Although a Second Grade Pill was an extremely rare treasure, it would not emit such a strong spiritual energy.

He vaguely felt something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

However, acquiring a Second Grade Pill was still considered fortunate. Judging by the spiritual energy of the pill, swallowing it could very likely propel him up another Grade Level.

Without delay, the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch pocketed the jade box and hurried back to where he had left Jing Yi.

But by the time the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch returned to the side of the large rock, Jing Yi was already gone, and more curiously, there were some torn clothes on the ground...

The Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch found it puzzling; the series of events were simply too bizarre.

Where had Jing Yi gone? Could she have been carried off by a wild beast?

But there were no signs of wild animals in the vicinity, and in these desolate mountains and hills, it was improbable that anyone would come to Jing Yi's rescue...

As the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch was still perplexed, a Wind Blade suddenly cut through the air without warning, coming straight for him.

It was too late for the Myriad Ghosts Holy Monarch to dodge; his right leg was cleanly severed.

"See where you can run to now..." A person's voice coldly reached him from aside...