Volume 1, Chapter 60: Pursuit Across a Thousand Miles, Unexpected Reinforcements

He had to break this deadlock!

Amidst the flickering trajectory of Chen Hao appearing and disappearing, Li Hexuan caught a trace of a pattern.

A plan formed in his mind, a flash of madness crossing the depths of his gaze.

Gritting his teeth fiercely, he deliberately left an opening in his stance, pretending to be exhausted from maintaining his domain.

"An opportunity!" Chen Hao’s voice was filled with ecstatic delight.

Swish!

An "Umbral Spear," more solid and much chillier than any before, shot out abruptly from the darkness with a chilling intent to kill, piercing straight toward Li Hexuan's left shoulder!

At the very instant the Umbral Spear was about to strike, Li Hexuan lunged forward instead of retreating!

Without dodging or defending, he took a violent step ahead, his left hand lashing out like lightning to grab a firm hold of the incoming Umbral Spear!

Rip!

The Umbral Spear maintained its momentum, carrying a terrifying erosive force that instantly impaled Li Hexuan's left shoulder blade!

Dark red blood, mixed with crackling black-charred sparks, spewed from the wound!

"You're out of your mind!" Chen Hao’s voice was laden with shock and disbelief. He had never expected Li Hexuan to make such a reckless move!

Yet, there was not a trace of pain on Li Hexuan's face, only a resolve chilled to the absolute extreme.

The moment he grabbed the Umbral Spear, he channeled the purest and most violent "Tribulation Thunder" from within his body, directing it backward along the spear like a breached floodgate!

Crack-le-le-le!

The raging thunderous force rushed instantly through the Umbral Spear and surged straight into Chen Hao's body!

"Ugh, aaah—!"

A piercing scream of ultimate agony echoed from the depths of the Eternal Night Veil!

Chen Hao’s body shook violently. He wanted to sever his connection to the Umbral Spear, but it was already too late! The rampaging thunder energy, acting like countless sharp blades, instantly devastated his spiritual sea and energy core!

His "Eternal Night Veil" violently shuddered. Struck as if by a heavy blow, it instantly grew translucent, even fracturing with unstable cracks!

"Now is the time!" Li Hexuan abruptly raised his head, roaring at Zhang Nan and Su Mengyi, "Zhang Nan! Break through toward the three o'clock direction! Su Mengyi! Provide full cover!"

His right hand clenched fiercely, completely crushing the Umbral Spear that pierced his shoulder.

Simultaneously, Li Hexuan detonated the majority of the remaining lightning energy within his body!

"Give way... to me!"

Boom-rumble-rumble!!!!!!!!

The violent thunder energy exploded instantly inside the Thunder Tribulation Domain!

The entire Thunder Tribulation Domain swelled outward like a detonated nuclear bomb, sending nearby predators and mutated beasts tumbling head over heels with flesh tearing apart!

A blinding light, even more dazzling than the sun, exploded at the center of the valley, ripping a massive gash across Chen Hao's Eternal Night Veil!

The powerful shockwave forcefully blasted the figures of Zhang Nan and Su Mengyi backward.

"Brother Xuan!" Zhang Nan roared, watching Li Hexuan's figure blur at the center of the explosion.

"Don't mind me! Go!" Li Hexuan's voice, raspy and strained, came from the heart of the blast.

He had detonated a portion of the Thunder Tribulation Domain's power to create massive chaos and buy time for their rear guard.

Zhang Nan and Su Mengyi knew this was the chance Li Hexuan had bought for them with his life.

"Go!" Gritting his teeth, Zhang Nan scooped up Su Mengyi, his massive physique charging desperately forward, breaking through fiercely toward the three o'clock direction!

Li Hexuan's body trembled violently at the epicenter of the thunder explosion. He gasped heavily, his face drained of even a shred of color. The wound on his left shoulder was deep to the bone, blood flowing in torrents, but he had no time to care.

Forcing his body to endure, his gaze locked unwaveringly onto the depths of the Eternal Night Veil, toward Chen Hao, whose presence had also withered under the backlash of the lightning.

"Chen Hao... this debt is far from settled!"

The aftermath of the explosion turned the entire valley into a scene of utter devastation.

The raging thunder light tore apart Chen Hao's "Eternal Night Veil," carving out a pathway of survival for Zhang Nan and Su Mengyi.

"Brother Xuan!"

Looking back, Zhang Nan could only see Li Hexuan's figure growing blurred and distant amid the destructive thunderstorm.

"Don't mind me! Go!"

Li Hexuan's raspy roar struck Zhang Nan's heart like a heavy hammer.

He knew this was an order—the only chance of survival traded by Li Hexuan at the cost of grievous injury.

"Move!"

Clenching his teeth hard, Zhang Nan hesitated no longer. Tightly cradling Su Mengyi, who had grown somewhat drained of strength, his massive body unleashed the final remnants of his Titan strength, charging like a maddened bull straight toward the gap blasted open by the thunder.

The remaining predatory warriors were thrown off balance by the explosion's shockwave, entirely incapable of forming an effective blockade. Every swing of Zhang Nan's giant axe carved a bloody swath through flesh and blood, cutting a path of carnage as he plunged headlong into the dense mountain forest without ever looking back.

Inside the valley, the thunder light gradually dissipated.

Li Hexuan knelt on one knee, gasping heavily, his face as pale as a sheet of paper. The wound on his left shoulder was deep enough to expose bone, dark red blood continuously gushing out to stain half his body crimson. Forcing a domain detonation demanded a far heavier toll on him than fighting Chen Hao head-on.

He raised his head, his cold gaze piercing through the lingering smoke of battle to lock firmly upon the similarly battered figure in the distance.

Chen Hao's "Eternal Night Veil" had shattered. Standing there with blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, the elegance and playfulness in his eyes had vanished completely, leaving only the purest malice and murderous intent.

Their gazes collided in mid-air, seemingly sparking invisible flames.

Li Hexuan sneered, refusing to linger in a protracted fight. Forcing himself to stand, he turned and dashed without hesitation into another stretch of forest, running in the opposite direction of Zhang Nan.

Only by separating could they divide the enemy's pursuit force to the greatest extent possible.

The instant his figure vanished into the woods, a chilling, viscous sensation—clinging like a maggot to bone—silently branded itself upon his spirit.

Shadow Mark!

Chen Hao's voice echoed behind him, laden with undisguised hatred.

"Li Hexuan! You can't escape! I will have my hounds tear you apart inch by inch amidst endless despair and agony!"

...

From the very beginning, the hunt entered its most brutal phase.

Behind them echoed the tireless footsteps of the predator warriors, accompanied by a chorus of wild, savage war cries.

Above them echoed the shrill screeches of several mutated griffins. Circling like vultures, they clearly exposed the fugitives' positions to the entire hunting party.

Li Hexuan and his two companions had become prey hunted by an entire tribe across this vast mountain range.

Day one.

They rendezvoused downstream of a roaring, turbulent river.

"Brother Xuan, how are you holding up?" Zhang Nan asked, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Li Hexuan's horrific wound.

"I won't die yet," Li Hexuan squeezed out three words through gritted teeth.