The man cornered Ming Zhitian by a yellow riverbank. "You have nowhere to run. Surrender, you brat!"
Ming Zhitian hadn't expected to die here. If he had been given a little more time, he could have turned the tables, controlled his destiny, and fought back, but that was a story for another time.
He had already fulfilled one of the last wishes of Wu Sheng Ran Yizhou: he had met the peerlessly beautiful Empress Xingchen. Although he was just one glance away from seeing the "Shu Jian Lu" (Book of Swords), it no longer mattered.
Just as Ming Zhitian thought he was about to perish, a three-tailed demonic beast suddenly pounced! It caught the man completely off guard, and both the man and the beast tumbled into the yellow river.
Ming Zhitian was overjoyed to be saved. But in the next second, the man leaped out of the water, and Ming Zhitian's heart sank.
"Sigh..."
Five figures flew in on the wind. The leader, a young and beautiful woman in light clothing, struck the riverwater with a long whip, forcing out three demonic beasts!
"Where do you think you're going!"
Seeing the three beasts about to escape, the woman in light clothing unleashed a technique like "Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers," casting a net that successfully captured all three.
The woman said with a smile, "Three-tailed fox demons, I've finally caught you."
"Sister is amazing!"
Her four senior brothers cheered for her excitedly, praising her endlessly.
The newcomers were Piaoling'er, Ai Liaoran, Jing Shijie, Pu Jindong, and Ju Ye.
Piaoling'er recognized Ming Zhitian at a glance. "Ming Zhitian?! What are you doing here?"
Ai Liaoran observed, "Oh, you look a mess. Seems like you're being chased by someone."
Like a tiger fallen into a barren plain, bullied by dogs, Ming Zhitian could only lower his head and remain silent. It seemed Piaoling'er already had the answer.
Ai Liaoran glanced at the man and exclaimed in surprise, "Awakening Realm tenth level?!"
Jing Shijie quickly distanced himself, bowing respectfully. "We don't know this kid. We were just passing by. I am from the Jing family. Senior, please be merciful and let us go."
Ai Liaoran, the third senior brother, quickly agreed, "Yes, yes... that's right, we don't know this kid at all."
The man's attention was not on the four of them, but on Piaoling'er. "Scram."
Ai Liaoran and the other three breathed a sigh of relief. "Sister Ling'er, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and leave, don't get into trouble."
Although Piaoling'er was only at the second level of the Awakening Realm, she showed no fear. She wielded the divine-grade artifact, the Soul-Locking Whip, and with a crisp "crack," she struck the ground, declaring proudly:
"When I see injustice, I draw my sword to help. Since we've met, how can I abandon him? I, Piaoling'er, cannot do such a thing!"
"This..." The four were at a loss.
Piaoling'er said indignantly, "If you want to leave, leave. Ming Zhitian, I am protecting him!"
Ming Zhitian said, "We are not related, why are you helping me? Forget it, you're not his match. Let's go."
"I'm not leaving," Piaoling'er pouted.
Ming Zhitian found her very charming. To see a pure beauty before he died, he smiled slightly. "I appreciate your kindness. If it's for the other half of the Yaoshi demon beast's corpse, I'm sorry, I've already refined it."
Piaoling'er was stunned. "You refined it in just a few days?"
If they knew Ming Zhitian had only taken half a day to refine half of the Yaoshi demon beast, they would have been terrified.
Ming Zhitian nodded. "I suppose so."
Piaoling'er shook her head. "No, I'm just speaking from the heart. It has nothing to do with profit. I'm helping you, no matter what."
Ming Zhitian increasingly couldn't understand the woman before him. How naive could she be? Was it all for that insignificant first encounter?
The man glanced at Piaoling'er, then frowned. "Hmph."
He left. The man just... left?!
...
Sacred Land Sect of the Divine Emperor—
A spatial rift opened, and the man appeared before the Black and White Elders.