18: Chapter 18 Escape from the Eastern Wilderness

The night was as dark as ink as Chen Yuanji led Su Xiaohu in a frantic sprint through the mountain forests. The roar behind them grew distant, but each massive explosion made the ground beneath their feet tremble violently. Su Xiaohu's strength was gradually failing, her breathing became ragged, and her steps began to stumble.

Feeling her hand trembling, Chen Yuanji stopped and crouched down. "Get on, I'll carry you."

Su Xiaohu hesitated for a moment before climbing onto Chen Yuanji's back. Chen Yuanji stood up, hooked his hands under her knees, and continued running forward. The Wuzhui Horse followed behind, occasionally looking back at the path they had come from, seemingly worried about Shen Wuchang as well.

"Big Brother Chen, will Elder Shen die?" Su Xiaohu asked in a low voice.

"No," Chen Yuanji replied with certainty. "Elder Shen is in the Void-Piercing Realm; those few people can't keep him there."

After running for about two hours, the sounds of battle behind them finally vanished completely. Chen Yuanji slowed his pace, found a secluded cave, and set Su Xiaohu down.

"We'll rest here tonight."

Su Xiaohu leaned against the cave wall, gasping for air. Chen Yuanji took some dry rations and water from his pack and handed them to her. Su Xiaohu took them and ate in small bites.

"Big Brother Chen, where do we go next?" she asked.

Chen Yuanji took out the map Shen Wuchang had given him and examined it by the moonlight. "Continue east. There are large Yao Race tribes deep within the Eastern Desolate Region. The Tiandao Sect's reach doesn't extend that far."

"But... my clansmen are all dead. Will other Yao Race tribes take us in?"

"They won't," Chen Yuanji spoke the truth. "So we have to rely on ourselves."

Su Xiaohu fell silent.

Chen Yuanji said no more and closed his eyes to rest. His perception extended outward, staying alert for any approaching danger. The next morning, Chen Yuanji was startled awake by the sound of horse hooves. He snapped his eyes open, stood up, and walked to the cave entrance to look out. In the distance, a black steed was galloping toward the cave. A man sat atop it, his grey robes tattered and his body covered in blood.

Chen Yuanji's pupils constricted as he recognized the man's face—it was Shen Wuchang. He rolled off the horse, staggered for a few steps, and nearly collapsed. Chen Yuanji rushed forward to support him.

"Elder Shen!"

Shen Wuchang looked up, his face as pale as paper and dried blood clinging to the corners of his mouth. His left arm was bent at a grotesque angle, clearly broken, and there was a deep indentation in his chest where several ribs were likely snapped. Yet, he was smiling.

"Five of them... killed three, two fled. I smashed half the leader's body with a single palm strike; he won't survive."

"Elder Shen, don't speak anymore." Chen Yuanji helped him into the cave and sat him against the wall. Su Xiaohu was startled awake, and upon seeing Shen Wuchang's wretched state, tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

"Elder Shen!"

"What are you crying for? This old man isn't dead yet." Shen Wuchang glared at her before turning to Chen Yuanji. "Kid, the Tiandao Sect suffered a great loss this time; they won't let this go. The next ones they send won't be in the Shentong Realm. They'll be at least in the Faxiang Realm, or even the Void-Piercing Realm."

Chen Yuanji remained silent. With his current Huajin cultivation level, it would be difficult even to escape if he faced someone in the Faxiang Realm.

"Therefore, you must leave the outskirts of the Eastern Desolate Region as quickly as possible and head deep into the interior." Shen Wuchang pulled a token from his robe and handed it to Chen Yuanji. "This is the Qingqiu Tribe's alliance token. Take it to 'Heavenly Demon City' deep in the Eastern Desolate Region and find the people from the Demon Emperor Palace. Although the Qingqiu Tribe has been destroyed, there are still members of the Qingqiu Lineage in the Demon Emperor Palace. For the sake of this token, they will take you in."

Chen Yuanji took the token. It was heavy, cast from an unknown metal, and engraved with the image of a fox's head.

"Elder Shen, aren't you coming with us?"

"This old man is too heavily injured and needs to enter secluded meditation to heal," Shen Wuchang shook his head. "Following you would only be a burden. You go first. Once I've recovered, I'll come find you."

Chen Yuanji bowed deeply, helped Su Xiaohu onto the Wuzhui Horse, and then mounted behind her. "Hyah!" The Wuzhui Horse neighed and galloped eastward. Shen Wuchang leaned against the cave entrance, watching the man, the horse, and the Yao disappear into the depths of the forest before slowly closing his eyes.

Three days later, Chen Yuanji and Su Xiaohu were already hundreds of miles deep into the Eastern Desolate Region. The vegetation here was denser, the air was thick with moisture, and massive animal tracks could be seen everywhere on the ground. They stopped by a stream to replenish their water. Su Xiaohu knelt by the stream, cupping the clear water to wash her face, while Chen Yuanji stood to the side, alertly scanning their surroundings.

Suddenly, Chen Yuanji felt a faint fluctuation of Yuan Power coming from upstream. It wasn't someone from the Tiandao Sect; their people wouldn't hide so clumsily. A moment later, a figure emerged from the woods. It was a young Yao man, about twenty years old, tall and handsome, with a pair of curved bull horns on his head. He had multiple wounds on his body, his clothes were soaked in blood, and he walked with a limp. Seeing Chen Yuanji and Su Xiaohu, the man was momentarily stunned before his expression turned wary.

"A human?" His gaze landed on Chen Yuanji, his tone unfriendly. "What is a member of the Human Race doing here?"

"Just passing through," Chen Yuanji said flatly.

"Passing through?" The man sneered. "The Eastern Desolate Region is no place for the Human Race. If you know what's good for you, get lost."

Su Xiaohu stepped forward. "He is my friend! You aren't allowed to talk about him like that!"

The man noticed Su Xiaohu's fox ears and paused. "From the Qingqiu Tribe?"

Su Xiaohu bit her lip. "The Qingqiu Tribe... is gone."

The man's expression changed. "Gone?"

"Slaughtered by the Tiandao Sect," Chen Yuanji took over. "One hundred and thirty-seven souls, none spared."

The man was silent for a long time, the hostility in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a complex emotion.

"Tiandao Sect... the Tiandao Sect again." He clenched his fists. "My tribe was also slaughtered by the Tiandao Sect three months ago. I am the sole survivor."

The three of them stood silently by the stream, with only the sound of flowing water echoing in their ears.

"My name is Niu Dali," the man spoke first. "From the Heavenly Bull Tribe."

"Chen Yuanji."

"Su Xiaohu."

Niu Dali looked at Chen Yuanji and then at Su Xiaohu. "Where are you going?"

"Heavenly Demon City," Chen Yuanji said.

Niu Dali hesitated for a moment. "I'm also going to Heavenly Demon City. Shall we go together?"

Chen Yuanji nodded. One more person meant more strength. Moreover, this Niu Dali's cultivation was not weak, at least at the Early Stage of the Guiyuan Realm. After a brief rest, the three continued their journey. The Wuzhui Horse carried Su Xiaohu, while Chen Yuanji and Niu Dali followed on foot.

"Why did the Tiandao Sect slaughter your tribe?" Niu Dali asked as they walked.

"I don't know," Chen Yuanji didn't tell the truth.

Niu Dali didn't press further. But the way he looked at Chen Yuanji held a hint of scrutiny; this human youth was not simple.