Chapter 95 - Temptation!

“Lin Ning? Golden Sword Peak?” Leng Yan listened to these two names, committing them to memory. He turned to the Fat Guy and said, “Go on, and tell me about the leader’s character as well.”

The Fat Guy nodded and replied, “Lin Ning is straightforward and values relationships, but he has a fiery temper. He’s brave but lacks strategy. His influence has reached its current level largely due to ‘Li Zhi’ by his side.”

Li Zhi’s cultivation level is at the late stage of the heaven and earth dharma form. He is very smart and deeply shrewd.

The second major force is Ji Long of the Fire Vein. He also has a cultivation level in the realm of defying the heavens and changing fate. He’s generally mild-mannered; as long as no one provokes him, everything is fine. But if someone does anger him, it’s a nightmare.

Then there’s Shui Ruyan of the Water Vein. This woman is remarkable-not only is she stunningly beautiful, but she also has profound cultivation. However, this senior sister is ruthless at heart and is proficient in the dual cultivation technique of harvesting yang to replenish yin. Few in the sect dare to cross her.

Among the remaining forces, only Zhou Li of the Wood Vein and Guo Zheng of the Earth Vein have any standing. The rest are merely senior brothers forming alliances in private.”

The Fat Guy outlined the main powers, and Leng Yan gained some understanding. These people formed factions primarily for the sect leader’s position. However, to retain people, something needed to be done.

For instance, if Leng Yan provoked Zhong Yong and Zhong Yong didn’t dare retaliate himself, he might seek help from the faction he belonged to. Leng Yan turned to the Fat Guy and asked, “Which factions do Zhong Yong, Mu Qing, Jin Kuang, and Shui Yunyao belong to?”

The Fat Guy frowned but then replied, “Zhong Yong and Mu Qing are with Zhou Li, Jin Kuang seems to be with Lin Ning, but with his cultivation level, he’s just a minor figure there. Shui Yunyao hasn’t joined any faction! However, no one dares mess with her. Why? With my current realm, I’m not yet qualified to know!”

“Alright, I see! You can go now! Be careful, and start working once you return to the sect! I hope you won’t disappoint me,” Leng Yan nodded, his voice cold.

“Thank you, I’ll be off then.” The Fat Guy’s heart trembled slightly, and with a bit of wariness in his eyes, he bid farewell in a low voice. He stepped onto his flying sword and left the peak, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.

“Shui Yunyao’s ability to remain independent suggests that she’s not that simple!” Leng Yan hadn’t expected Shui Yunyao to stand alone among the tangled relationships of the true disciples. Moreover, with her celestial-like appearance, the fact that no one dared approach her puzzled Leng Yan.

Mentally noting the people the Fat Guy mentioned, he used his spiritual awareness to sense that Li Nan and his companion were about a hundred miles north. Smiling coldly, Leng Yan used sword control to head toward them.

…

“Wang Han, we’ve been searching for so long and still haven’t found the teleportation formation. Where do you think it is?” Li Nan asked with a frown, gripping his long sword and looking around.

“The teleportation formation can wait. What I really want right now is to kill that brat Leng Yan. Outside the space battlefield, we won’t get such a good chance!” Wang Han said, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

“Hmph, that brat ventured into the southern area; he might have already fallen to a demonic beast. Besides, haven’t people like Zhong Yong put out a private bounty on Leng Yan’s head? Plenty of people want him dead!” Li Nan laughed, as if certain Leng Yan wouldn’t survive and was as good as dead.

“Until I see him dead, I won’t be at ease!” Wang Han fiercely slashed a sword, killing a true essence realm demonic beast hiding in the bushes.

“If you’re not at ease, why not come find me?” Leng Yan’s voice suddenly rang out, causing both Wang Han and Li Nan to startle.

“Leng Yan, you’ve come to us yourself; have you gotten tired of living?” Wang Han laughed, not expecting Leng Yan to deliver himself to them.

“I haven’t had enough of life, but since you miss me so much, I figured I should come out. Wouldn’t want you to miss me to death, would I? Ha ha…” Leng Yan chuckled from a distance.

“Wang Han, why waste words with him? Just strike and kill!” Li Nan formed a hand seal and launched an earth dragon towards Leng Yan. With a cold smile curling his lips, Leng Yan met it with an open palm.

With a loud “boom,” Leng Yan was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, tumbling back dozens of meters. “Hmph! Just wait, I’ll definitely settle this score!” Leng Yan spat out a mouthful of blood, his face slightly pale as he hastily stepped onto his flying sword and retreated into the distance.

Even Li Nan was caught off guard by the fact that his own attack could push Leng Yan back and injure him. He found it hard to believe, as in his memory, Leng Yan shouldn’t have been this weak!

“What are you thinking? Hurry and chase him! Take advantage of his injury and kill him!” Wang Han shouted loudly, quickly stepping onto his shuttle to pursue.

Li Nan, stirred by Wang Han’s shout, pushed his doubts aside and followed in sword control.

Seeing the two close behind him, Leng Yan’s lips curled into a cold smile as he gathered three fire dragons in his hand, ready to unleash them at any moment.

Watching Leng Yan’s increasing speed made it difficult for Wang Han to catch up in the short term. He feared Leng Yan might vanish as he had previously. Hastily, Wang Han burned a primordial spirit elixir, causing his shuttle to emit light before enveloping him and suddenly disappear.

Leng Yan had been observing their every move. Seeing Wang Han vanish, he immediately hurled the Fire Dragon Technique ahead while abruptly veering to the side in mid-air with sword control.

Wang Han emerged from his spatial jump only to be met with intense heat and a roaring blaze as three fire dragons rushed at him.

“Wang Han, watch out!” Li Nan shouted urgently to warn him.

Wang Han’s face changed dramatically, and he quickly activated his shuttle, disappearing from the spot just in time as Leng Yan seized the chance to flee a hundred meters away.

“Damn it, bastard!” Wang Han cursed loudly, still shaken, glaring at Leng Yan’s figure. He accelerated in his pursuit of Leng Yan.

“Hmph! Think you can catch me? Dream on!” Leng Yan said with feigned anger.

“Leng Yan, if I don’t kill you today, I won’t be Wang Han!” Wang Han shouted with determination.

This was exactly Leng Yan’s intention-to drive Wang Han into a fury. Anger could cloud judgment, preventing Wang Han from realizing it might be a trap leading them to the Thunder Marsh.

While wrath and a thirst for blood consumed Wang Han’s spiritual mind, Li Nan remained relatively calm, though a hint of unease lingered on his face.

“Spatial Shift!”

Wang Han disappeared again, but this time he was much smarter, choosing not to reappear in front of Leng Yan but behind him instead!

Leng Yan had anticipated that Wang Han wouldn’t choose to appear ahead, but the other three directions were hard to predict. Left with no choice, Leng Yan accelerated forward swiftly.

As Wang Han reappeared, his long sword was already thrusting toward Leng Yan’s back. Startled, Leng Yan quickly swerved mid-air, narrowly dodging the flying sword. However, a golden tiger came charging right at him.

Leng Yan turned around, astonished, and quickly unleashed an ice dragon. The dragon and tiger collided, creating a massive shockwave that Leng Yan used to propel himself backward. He paused briefly and then turned to flee again, seeming more intent on escaping than fighting.

“Like a stray dog, today I’ll make sure you have no grave to rest in!” Wang Han laughed heartily at Leng Yan’s appearance.

He hadn’t noticed that he was straying further from Li Nan, who didn’t remind him but instead gradually slowed down.

This did not escape Leng Yan’s notice, who could only smirk coldly at the so-called companionship.

The chase continued, with Leng Yan alternating his speed, baiting Wang Han, who kept attacking but managed only narrow evades from Leng Yan.

Li Nan, following behind, wore a more puzzled expression, clutching a golden orb in his palm with vigilance.

Leng Yan looked up to see the “sun” in the sky shifting from blood red to a pale green. Calculating with his fingers, he realized dawn was near, meaning the Thunder Marsh would start to spark with lightning in about an hour. Leng Yan was only a few dozen miles from the marsh now!

“Li Nan, can’t you speed up? He’s on his last legs!” Wang Han saw victory within reach as he looked at Leng Yan’s pale and weakened state.

Hearing this, Li Nan knew he couldn’t keep pretending. He burned a primordial spirit elixir, and his flying sword flared with light, increasing his speed several times over. He caught up with Wang Han and, with a single-hand movement, began chanting a spell. A towering mountain rose from the ground in front of Leng Yan, crashing forward.

The mountain directly blocked Leng Yan’s path, and breaking through it quickly with magic seemed impossible. He had to use sword control to ascend, hoping to fly over it. But this maneuver cost him valuable time, and Wang Han and Li Nan were closing in.

The situation was dire, and Leng Yan could feel the intense killing intent looming behind him…