"You cannot escape!" The old ancestor of the Wang family's wild laughter echoed across the sky of the Domain of Twisted Night.
"Hmph, old bastard, don't be too hasty with your words!" Xu Mu shouted telepathically, seemingly unfazed.
*Dong!*
Various abilities clashed. The Drunken Immortal Taoist dragged Xu Mu as they fled, occasionally using his Wine River to block their pursuers. Though the situation appeared dire, it was all part of their plan.
"They've taken the bait." A smile curved Xu Mu's lips. The ability users behind them, ravenous as wolves, were all chasing after him, viewing him as a prize. At the forefront of the pursuit were the Wang family's old ancestor and Jin Dafu, the masterminds behind the Fengqing Village massacre.
"Indeed, the fish have taken the bait. I just didn't expect them to actually dare do this."
The Drunken Immortal Taoist was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Xu Mu to so easily lure the Wang family's old ancestor and Jin Dafu out of Everlasting City. He had nearly crushed them just moments ago, and yet, they dared to pursue him now as he deliberately retreated. It made little sense, yet it was happening.
"If they didn't come out, then our long charade would have been in vain."
"Actually, tonight's plan had many uncertain factors. For instance, the advantages and disadvantages of our respective battles, the ability users lurking in the shadows, and the timing of Yaohuo's emergence from seclusion. All these elements had to be calculated together. I wasn't entirely confident." Xu Mu explained.
"You, kid, are truly brilliant," the Drunken Immortal Taoist couldn't help but praise.
"But thinking back now, it wasn't that difficult. I merely exploited their greedy hearts."
The Drunken Immortal Taoist nodded.
"The truly difficult part is the battle ahead. Don't blame me for not having complete confidence in you. I haven't witnessed the power of your... thing, and this concerns my senior brother's legacy. I need to confirm it thoroughly."
"I've roughly calculated, and among the pursuers ahead, there are no less than fifty Domain Lord realm ability users alone, one half-step Human King realm in Yaohuo, and countless in the third and fourth stages. Are you sure you can capture them all?"
"I'm not sure," Xu Mu admitted without hesitation, shaking his head. "But if I don't try, I'll always regret leaving."
"The price of your 'trying' is far too great," the Drunken Immortal Taoist sighed. If the plan failed, they might face endless pursuit, and in that case, even he would be in mortal danger, let alone Xu Mu. Perhaps only his senior brother could save them!
Xu Mu pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Fengqing Village's matter likely has nothing to do with Yaohuo. So, strictly speaking, he is not my enemy."
"The Wang family's old ancestor, and the person in charge of the Jin Yin Merchant Guild, Jin Dafu. I only wish to kill these two."
"Even if you want to kill Yaohuo, I can't help you. As for the others... I always have a bad feeling, though I don't know what it means. Perhaps the premonition is wrong."
The Drunken Immortal Taoist's expression grew grave. The number of pursuers behind them was increasing, with some of the faster ones already within a thousand meters. The accompanying Domain Lords constantly tried to intercept them, but he easily broke through their attempts.
Thus, an hour passed.
The sky was dark, the moon obscured by clouds and fog. Ahead of Xu Mu and the Drunken Immortal Taoist, a dark, foul-smelling river slowly appeared. It was the Blackwater River.
"Keep the distance around ten thousand meters!" Xu Mu's spirits lifted, reminding the Drunken Immortal Taoist to maintain their position, as that was the blast radius of his TNT. He wanted to ensure the Wang family's old ancestor and Jin Dafu were at the epicenter of the explosion!
"Alright," the Drunken Immortal Taoist nodded, and then his speed suddenly increased, instantly widening the gap. The many Domain Lords behind them, seeing this, thought the Drunken Immortal was trying to shake them off by using the Blackwater River.
"Accelerate!" The Wang family's old ancestor ran through the muddy swamps on both banks, disregarding the foul stench. His blood surged, smashing through tree after tree. However, his speed was still far inferior to the Drunken Immortal Taoist's. Soon, Xu Mu and the Drunken Immortal disappeared from his sight, and he could only pursue them by their spiritual senses.
"Drunken Immortal Taoist, since you've come to this forbidden land, why seek further suffering? You'll eventually be stopped by the great demons here, so why not surrender now? Release Xu Mu, and we'll let you leave!" the Wang family's old ancestor shouted.
"Empty threats. Speak again when you can capture me," the Drunken Immortal Taoist retorted disdainfully.
"Drunken Immortal, why did you trespass into the Jin Yin Merchant Guild and wreak havoc in Everlasting City!" Yaohuo's voice, accompanied by a bright scarlet flame, could be heard, indicating his extreme anger.
"Harming the innocent was not my intention. As for the matters of the Jin Yin Merchant Guild, didn't your subordinates tell you what they did?!" the Drunken Immortal Taoist countered sternly.
"I am asking you, not the other way around!" Yaohuo's calm voice carried an undisguised killing intent. "You had better give me a reasonable explanation, or I will hunt you to the ends of the earth to slay you!"
"Explain what? You just want Xu Mu, don't you!" the Drunken Immortal Taoist transmitted back disdainfully. He didn't believe Yaohuo would turn against him because of the common folk of Everlasting City. That was merely an excuse; his true target was undoubtedly Xu Mu!
"He trespassed into the Jin Yin Merchant Guild, so I naturally must apprehend him. However, this has nothing to do with what happened in West Mountain. That has long been over!" Yaohuo's voice was forceful, as if he genuinely believed it.
"Apprehend me for what? Lord Yaohuo, do you believe what they did to my Fengqing Village was right?" Xu Mu retorted mockingly.
"Stop quibbling!" Jin Dafu, seemingly afraid of something, interrupted their conversation. He shouted, "Xu Mu, you've brought people to assassinate me and kill over a hundred of my guild members simply because of past events in West Mountain. This is a heinous crime!"
Yaohuo, who was gradually closing in from behind, heard this and said sternly, "I've been in seclusion all this time. Although I don't know what happened, with such a major murder case, you must come back with me for an investigation."
"Investigate my ass!" Xu Mu sneered. In the current Everlasting City, where the imperial court and the Jin Yin Merchant Guild colluded, he no longer trusted the Demon Extermination Division. Moreover, Yaohuo had tried to kill him before. How could he possibly go back with him!
"If that's the case, then I can only personally apprehend you," Yaohuo said, his voice growing closer. A fireball, moving like a comet, sped forward, causing ability users and great demons alike to dodge.
"We're almost there, but I can't outrun him," the Drunken Immortal Taoist gritted his teeth. "He will enter your designated range. Does that matter? If it does, I'll personally lure him away!"
"No need to lure him away. Just make them pause for a moment, but don't attack, so they can't defend!" Xu Mu instructed.
"Then I can only use myself as bait. I'll slow down. They will also slow down out of caution, not daring to get too close!" the Drunken Immortal Taoist said, reducing his flying speed.
"Alright, in seven seconds, please summon your Dharma Idol for defense," Xu Mu said in a deep voice. He took out his sniper rifle from his spatial ring and used his shadow ability to aim at the fuse a kilometer away in the darkness.
"Five, four, three..."
"Xu Mu, stop running. There are great demons in the Blackwater River that I cannot deal with. Do not stray from the right path!" Yaohuo had also reached the forefront, less than ten thousand meters away from Xu Mu and the Drunken Immortal Taoist.
"My Lord, there's no point in talking to this brat. The best way is to kill him and settle it once and for all!" Yaohuo's subordinate, the old man, said viciously.
"Xu Mu, stop running. You will die tonight!" Jin Dafu, leading a group of ability users, had also arrived directly above where the explosives were buried, not deviating at all.
"Three, two, one." The only reply was Xu Mu's countdown.
*Bang! Bang!*
Xu Mu fired two shots in quick succession. Two bullets, spewing sparks, streaked through the space, hitting the fuses of the explosives buried in the mud on both sides of the riverbank.
"You shot too far off!" The Wang family's old ancestor was stunned, then burst into wild laughter. His body was near where Xu Mu's bullets landed, so he thought Xu Mu was trying to kill him with his ability but missed.
"Huh?" But then he noticed that where Xu Mu's abilities had landed, a fire quickly erupted, and that fire quickly spread underground.
—What kind of fire burns underground?
Even Yaohuo couldn't comprehend this question.
On the other bank of the river, Yaohuo stared at the fire burning into the ground beside him, his pupils contracting. He instinctively felt that at the end of the burning fire, there seemed to be some terrifying ancient great demon hidden, ready to burst from the earth and devour him.
This was the tremor of impending death. The moment the energy from underground surged upwards, he summoned his Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol.
The terrifying thermal energy, accompanied by violent ground tremors, was finally noticed by others. They all tried to defend themselves, but it was too late.
*BOOM!!!*
The ground was torn apart by blinding light. Within a ten-thousand-meter radius, countless stones, sand, flesh, and blood were instantly vaporized.
Heaven and earth were illuminated, and a giant mushroom cloud silently rose.