Shu Han swiftly emerged from the maze-like streets of the Carefree Town. Immediately employing the Heaven-Earth Transformation technique to change his demeanor and appearance, he sprinted in one direction using the Shrinking Earth into Inches technique. He couldn't fathom why he was being hunted down again!
Logically, since Shangguan Ruotong had reconciled with Linlin, there shouldn't be anyone placing such a high bounty on his head. Moreover, this warrant was issued directly by the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. Had he ever offended a cultivator from the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect?
The more he pondered, the more perplexed he felt. Shu Han decided to abandon these thoughts and focus solely on his escape.
Initially, he had planned to comfortably blend into the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect with Xiao Zian's introduction. Now, he had to infiltrate incognito, much like with the Purple Sun Sect. Shu Han genuinely didn't want to spend every day wearing another person's face. If he kept it up for too long, he might not even recognize himself.
A reward of one thousand low-grade spirit stones wasn't exorbitantly high, likely only drawing the attention of some bored, average Foundation Establishment cultivators. As long as he wasn't ambushed by a group, they'd be nothing more than flies rushing into a spider's web.
After speeding non-stop for about three quarters of an hour, Shu Han was already hundreds of miles away from the carefree town. Along the way, he had changed his route and appearance multiple times, believing he had shaken off any chasing Foundation Establishment cultivators.
However, his plan to blend into the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect had to be put on hold. Unsure of the Sect's reason for hunting him down, it would be prudent not to rush in recklessly; better to investigate first.
Many other towns were scattered around the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. Shu Han intended to find another one, disguise himself, and spend some spirit stones to gather intel. He had to determine the cause of his bounty; otherwise, he'd remain uneasy. But soon after, he felt an ominous presence from behind. Even the faintest hint of this aura made his skin crawl, and it was fast approaching.
Damn! Had he been tracked?
A feeling of unease clenched Shu Han's heart. Seeing only wilderness around, even if he used Heaven-Earth Transformation, he might still draw the suspicion of the one pursuing him. So, without any hesitation, he pushed the Shrinking Earth into Inches technique to its limit, fleeing with all his might. He was sure he couldn't confront the one behind him—likely a cultivator at the False Core stage.
Yet he wondered, how could his pursuer track him so accurately? His escape route had been intricate, and he'd changed his appearance and demeanor several times during the journey. Given his cautious nature, he surely hadn't left any trace for someone to follow!
Shu Han sped on, ruminating as he did so, yet the pursuing aura kept drawing nearer. The full-speed Shrinking Earth into Inches technique not only failed to widen the gap, but the oppressive feeling grew stronger. He glanced back, using the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye to see from a great distance. What he saw was an elder, who was also carrying Xiao Zian with him.
A Core Formation expert! And Xiao Zian too!
A chill ran down Shu Han's spine. How had he drawn the ire of a Core Formation expert? Moreover, why was the elder with Xiao Zian?
Suddenly, he recalled the four female cultivators. Gu Panchun had once thrown herself into his arms, giving him a fragrant kiss. He began sniffing around himself and indeed detected a faint lingering fragrance.
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Damn!
Shu Han chided himself for being careless. Having stayed near Shangguan Ruolin for so long and frequently inhaling her refreshing scent, he had grown accustomed to the fragrances of female cultivators. Thus, he had overlooked the aroma left by Gu Panchun.
With gritted teeth, Shu Han cursed, "Xiao Zian, you actually tracked me by scent! Had I known, I would've left you with those four sisters to let them drain you dry!"
Without hesitation, Shu Han produced a cleansing solution to wash away the lingering scent. However, it was already too late. He had been pinpointed by the Core Formation expert from behind. Given the difference in their speeds, he would be caught up to quickly.
Anxiety welled up in Shu Han's heart. Given his current cultivation, he wouldn't last a single move against a Core Formation cultivator. How could he escape this predicament?
"I can only use the Thunder Tribulation talisman to distract him, then use the Sky Palace Mysterious Secret in combination with the Sixfold Shadow Escape technique."
His heart tightened. Inside his storage bag, 1,500 Thunder Tribulation talismans were ready to be deployed. This was the result of over two years of his efforts. His avatar had been tirelessly crafting them, amassing over 1,500 in total.
Given the formidable prowess of a Core Formation cultivator, he dared not hold back. He prepared to deploy all of them, hoping to buy himself a brief respite. Yet, the thought pained Shu Han. He was about to use all of the talismans he had just painstakingly crafted.
Suddenly, a mortal city came into his line of sight. An idea sparked in his mind, and he suppressed the urge to deploy the Thunder Tribulation talismans. Using the Shrinking Earth into Inches technique, he transformed into a streak of light, diving into the mortal city below.
This city was home to nearly a hundred thousand mortals. Shu Han utilized the Heaven-Earth Transformation technique to disguise himself as a common scholar, blending seamlessly amidst the sea of humanity.
Having made some progress in the Heaven-Earth Transformation technique, he was confident that a Core Formation stage expert wouldn't detect him, especially now that the scent had been removed. Amidst the vast crowd, how would the Core Formation cultivator distinguish him?
With his heart racing, Shu Han suppressed his aura and casually seated himself at a roadside tea stall, sipping tea as though nothing was amiss. Soon, the terrifying aura that had been pursuing him arrived, its consciousness, as vast as the ocean, scanning every inch of the city.
With utmost faith in his Heaven-Earth Transformation technique, Shu Han calmly continued his tea. Suddenly, the consciousness wave swept over him, then immediately moved on, seemingly having not detected his presence.
"Phew..."
Shu Han grinned, emptying his teacup in one gulp. The Heaven-Earth Transformation technique truly was miraculous!
Hovering over the city, the elder in the fiery robe furrowed his brows. His divine sense had swept over every individual in the city, yet there was no sign of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator he pursued. How could this be? He was certain that the Foundation Establishment lad had fled into this city. But where was he hiding?
Then, gripping Xiao Zian, the elder ordered, "Boy, sniff him out for me."
Held aloft like a puppy, Xiao Zian couldn't help but smirk internally: Really, treating me like a dog?
He sniffed the air, analyzing the scents. Having spent over a year with the four sisters, Xiao Zian was particularly sensitive to their fragrances. But now, he couldn't detect any trace. He replied with a bitter smile, "Uncle Master, the scent has vanished. Shu Han probably detected it and cleaned himself thoroughly."
"Hmph! A cunning brat indeed."
Xiao Zian hesitantly asked, "Considering your stature, why would you be tempted by a mere reward of a thousand low-grade spirit stones? Let's just drop it. Shu Han is a decent person and even considered joining our Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. There must be some misunderstanding."
"Hmph!" The elder replied, "What do you know? A thousand spirit stones mean nothing to me. But the bounty was issued by the Sect Leader himself. If we capture this man alive, the Sect Leader will reward us handsomely."
"What! An order from the Sect Leader himself?"
Xiao Zian was shocked and thought, Sorry, Brother Shu, there's no helping you when the Sect Leader wants you dead. Alas, why did you have to provoke him?
The elder, watching the bustling city below, made a determined decision. He raised a long spear with a red tassel, brandishing it in the air. As the red tassel stirred, clouds of red mist began to gather overhead, gradually forming a vast sea of fire.
"Uncle Master, what are you..."
The elder snorted coldly, "Hiding amongst mortals, trying to be a needle in the haystack? I'll turn this place into purgatory and see how you manage to flee!"