It was unclear how long Meng Zifan had been unconscious. He only felt his body aching all over, his limbs weak. In his delirium, he dreamt of his parents, who seemed to be waiting for him in a distant place. He wanted to catch up with them, but suddenly, a thick fog appeared in front of him. Soon, he became lost in the mist, wandering aimlessly until he groggily woke up.

“You’re awake. The medicine is ready. Drink it while it’s hot.” A voice rang out, and Meng Zifan mustered all his strength to sit up slowly, finally seeing the owner of the voice.

“Uncle San, was it you who saved me?”

The person in front of him was none other than Meng Yuntian, the one who had previously protected him. Meng Zifan had left so abruptly that, after giving some instructions, Meng Yuntian discovered that his nephew had already left Linlang County. Using his experience, he managed to track down Meng Zifan’s whereabouts. When he found him, the young man was already unconscious in a dense forest, surrounded by a few dead bodies.

Fearing that members of the Baili family might find out, Meng Yuntian had quickly burned the bodies, then took his nephew deeper into the forest and found a cave to tend to Meng Zifan.

“You were too reckless. Why didn’t you wait for me? Don’t you understand? If the Baili family had sent a stronger cultivator, you would’ve been dead for sure,” Meng Yuntian said with some frustration. He was worried about his nephew. After all, he was the only heir of his elder brother. If something happened to him, when his brother returned, Meng Yuntian wouldn’t know how to explain it.

“Uncle San, this place can no longer protect me. I know you care about me, but the road ahead is something I must walk on my own. There may be even more dangers and stronger opponents waiting for me. I have to learn to face them myself.”

Hearing Meng Zifan’s words, Meng Yuntian felt even more uneasy. A young boy of eleven, who should have been living a carefree life, already had such awareness at this age.

“I understand, but I can’t just stand by and watch you face danger. You’ve been unconscious for three days. Once you drink the medicine, we’ll leave. The Baili family must have found out that Baili Ao and the others are missing, and they’re probably already searching for you with all their might. You can’t stay in Linlang County anymore. I heard that in two months, there’s a medium-sized faction in Wulian City that will be recruiting disciples. You might want to consider joining that faction. This way, your personal safety will be temporarily guaranteed.”

Meng Zifan thought for a moment and nodded. He was too young and indeed needed to find a place of refuge. After drinking the medicine, the fatigue that had been overwhelming him lifted significantly.

“Zifan, from now on, you’ll have to walk your own path. We’ll meet again in Wulian City. The Baili family won’t let you off so easily. I need to help clear the way and deal with the pursuers.” Meng Yuntian suddenly became serious. He knew that the Baili family would send out pursuers, and with Meng Zifan by his side, he wouldn’t be able to fully protect him.

“Uncle San, will you be alright? I can handle this on my own,” Meng Zifan said, not wanting to drag anyone else into danger. Meng Yuntian was the only family he had left, the only one who still made him feel warmth.

“Don’t worry,” Meng Yuntian replied. “Although I don’t have your father’s strength, dealing with some minor thugs is no problem for me. They won’t send their strongest cultivators after you; those experts have to stay in the family to guard it. Now, no more talking. I’ve prepared some dry food and gold for you. It’s enough for the journey. Go to Wulian City and wait for my message. Leave as soon as you can.”

Hearing Meng Zifan’s words, Meng Yuntian felt even more uncomfortable. A boy of eleven, who should be living a carefree life, had developed such awareness at this age.

“I understand, but I can’t just stand by and watch you face danger. You’ve been unconscious for three days. Once you drink the medicine, we’ll leave. The Baili family must have realized that Baili Ao and the others are missing, and they are probably already searching for you with all their might. You can’t stay in Linlang County anymore. I’ve heard that in two months, a medium-sized faction in Wulian City will be recruiting disciples. You should consider joining them, as it will give you some temporary protection.”

Meng Zifan thought for a moment and nodded. He was too young and indeed needed to find a safe place. After drinking the medicine, the fatigue that had overwhelmed him dissipated significantly.

“Zifan, from now on, you’ll have to walk your own path. We’ll meet again in Wulian City. The Baili family won’t let you off so easily. I’ll help clear the way and deal with the pursuers.” Meng Yuntian’s tone suddenly turned serious. He knew the Baili family would send pursuers, and with Meng Zifan by his side, he wouldn’t be able to fully protect him.

“Uncle San, will you be alright? I can handle this on my own,” Meng Zifan said, not wanting to drag anyone else into danger. Meng Yuntian was the only family he had left, the only one who still made him feel warmth.

“Don’t worry,” Meng Yuntian replied. “Although I don’t have your father’s strength, dealing with some minor thugs is no problem for me. They won’t send their strongest cultivators after you; those experts are needed to protect the family. Now, no more talking. I’ve prepared some food and gold for you. It’s enough for the journey. Go to Wulian City and wait for my message. Leave as soon as possible.”

Meng Zifan nodded and didn’t waste time talking. Following Meng Yuntian’s plan, he left the cave and set off toward Wulian City. Meng Yuntian also disappeared into the forest, already having set up many hidden traps in various places. These traps could not be sensed by ordinary people, but he could use them to track the direction and number of the pursuers.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Alone in the dense forest, Meng Zifan had to cross the entire expanse. While the forest wasn’t particularly large, it spanned several dozen miles. As he quickly moved toward Wulian City, he felt the unusual sensation brought on by the Shura Battle Sutra.

“Be careful, someone is approaching from this direction. Three people in total: one at the eighth level of Bone Refining, two at the sixth level,” a woman’s voice echoed in Meng Zifan’s mind again. He immediately tensed up, because even with the Shura Battle Sutra, he couldn’t fight against an eighth-level Bone Refining cultivator.

“How close are they? Qingjie?” He asked, trying to gauge their position.

“About a kilometer away. They must have discovered your trail and are following your movements. There’s a river ahead. If you hurry and cross it, you’ll temporarily hide your traces.”

Not daring to delay, Meng Zifan sprinted toward the river. Without a second thought, he jumped into the water and began swimming downstream. Soon, the three pursuers arrived at the riverbank. The weakest among them looked about the same age as Meng Zifan, while the eighth-level Bone Refining warrior was likely a guard from the Baili family, probably a direct descendant of theirs.

“Sixth Young Master, this is definitely Meng Zifan. Otherwise, why would he jump into the river suddenly? Should we continue chasing, or report back?” one of the servants suggested. They hadn’t been sure that the person ahead was Meng Zifan, but after he jumped into the river, they were certain he was their target.

“What’s there to report? He’s only at the fifth level of Bone Refining. He’s no match for us. You two follow the river downstream, and I’ll go upstream. I don’t believe he can escape,” the young man sneered. As an eighth-level Bone Refining cultivator, he didn’t think Meng Zifan posed any threat.

The two nodded and followed the river, while the young man went upstream to search. Meng Zifan, knowing that the river flowed toward Wulian City, continued to move in that direction, hoping to reach safety there.

Not knowing how long he had been drifting along the river, Meng Zifan realized that his direction had veered off course. He exited the river and made his way toward Wulian City, running for several miles. Then, the voice in his head warned him that the pursuers were catching up.

“Don’t worry. The eighth-level Bone Refining cultivator hasn’t caught up yet. He probably split off to chase you. The two behind are only at the sixth level. If you’re careful, defeating them will be easy. It’s time for you to truly test the power of the techniques I’ve taught you.”

Meng Zifan nodded, feeling the rush of adrenaline. The techniques were still unfamiliar to him, but he had gained some insight after his previous use of them. If he continued to be pursued like this, it would be unsustainable. The pursuers likely knew he was heading toward Wulian City, so it was best to surprise them.

“Their presence is close. The spirit fox’s reaction is very strong. Be careful. Don’t let him escape again,” one of the pursuers said. A small red spirit fox was perched on his shoulder, a common beast used to track scents.

“Relax, he only had help earlier. Between the two of us, there’s no way he can escape. Keep up the chase, and if we catch him, we’ll be richly rewarded by the family,” the other said, as they quickened their pace. The spirit fox’s reactions grew even stronger as it began to bark frantically.

Meng Zifan, now aware of the fox’s tracking ability, scattered pieces of his clothing in several locations to confuse its scent. When the pursuers arrived at one of the spots, their brows furrowed in frustration.

“This kid is clever, but no matter how much clothing he scatters, there’s only so much he can do to cover his scent. Keep chasing.”

Meng Zifan, hidden behind a large tree, smirked as he sensed their movements. With the help of the woman’s perception, he could easily detect their every step. As the two neared, Meng Zifan suddenly sprang out from his hiding spot, brandishing a dagger that had appeared in his hand, and lunged at one of them.

“Not good! Retreat!” The two were quick to react, and the one who was targeted managed to dodge the fatal blow, though his shoulder was pierced. For cultivators of their level, this wasn’t a serious injury.

“You’re asking for death!” the injured man grunted as he drew his sword and attacked. The other quickly joined in, and they were forced to retreat when their first strike missed.

“Qingjie, I guess I was too confident. If I had attacked full force from the beginning, I could have at least seriously wounded one of them. My experience is still lacking,” Meng Zifan said, frustrated, as he backed away. He had refrained from using the techniques she had taught him, as their aftereffects still worried him.

The woman didn’t respond. At this moment, she didn’t want to influence Meng Zifan’s judgment. As he quickly retreated, the two pursuers closed in, using their martial skills to cut down trees in their path, forcing Meng Zifan into a corner.

Seeing the two’s swords closing in, Meng Zifan’s eyes turned red. His body grew hot, and his thin limbs swelled as though filled with gas, rapidly growing in strength. The transformation of his muscles startled the two pursuers.

“This kid is strange. Let’s attack together. Don’t give him a chance to retaliate,” the wounded man said, his expression grim. Despite Meng Zifan’s cultivation still being at the fifth level of Bone Refining, his presence felt extremely dangerous.

Both swords struck simultaneously, and Meng Zifan tossed his dagger into the air. His hands glowed with a blood-red aura as he reached out and grabbed the two swords mid-air. Even a seventh-level Bone Refining cultivator would hesitate to catch a blade with their bare hands.

But Meng Zifan’s hands only bore a few scratches, as the blades could not penetrate deeper. His crimson eyes locked onto the two pursuers, causing them both to shiver, as though Death itself had taken notice of them.

The injured man, under that terrifying gaze, immediately let go of his sword, which saved his life. With a burst of force, Meng Zifan pulled the other pursuer toward him, closing the gap in an instant. With the sword he had caught, he stabbed it into the man’s heart, burying it deep. The man’s eyes went blank, lifeless.

The one who had been wounded earlier, frightened out of his wits, turned to flee. Meng Zifan hurled the second sword, which found its mark, piercing the man’s back and pinning him to a large tree. He didn’t even have time to scream before dying.

Just as Meng Zifan was about to relax, the voice in his head rang out again. He quickly turned and sprinted in the opposite direction. The eighth-level Bone Refining youth from the Baili family was already closing in, moving at an incredible speed, and was less than fivemiles away from him.

Not long after Meng Zifan left, the young man arrived at the site where the two pursuers had fallen. Seeing the two corpses, he was consumed with rage. With a fierce gust of wind at his feet, he charged in the direction of Meng Zifan.

The distance to Wulian City was now less than twenty miles, and Meng Zifan’s safety was almost guaranteed if he could just hold on for a little longer.

But just before he could reach the city, the young man from the Baili family appeared in front of him, blocking his way.