Fairy, don't be afraid, I, Wang Daqi, am truly an honest man.

Xu Yan and the two female cultivators at the mid-stage of Qi Refining nodded repeatedly and stood close together.

However, the three late-stage Qi Refining disciples at the back of the group exchanged a glance and frowned.

These three, confident in their superior cultivation among their peers, were clearly unwilling to flee in such a sorry state.

Just as Xia Chunlian charged out, the formation began to shake.

"Walk!"

Wang Daqi was the first to ask Xu Yan to leave.

He then activated his Phantom Step to cover the rear for everyone.

But he soon discovered that three of his disciples had no intention of running away.

Wang Daqi had no intention of persuading the three men.

He could see the confidence gleaming in the eyes of the three late-stage Qi Refining disciples, so there was no point in saying anything more.

He moved with lightning speed.

His feet moved with a series of afterimages using the "Phantom Steps," and he shouted in a low voice, "Go!"

Then, he led Xu Yan and several cultivators into the dense forest behind them.

Facing the seven or eight Hao family cultivators charging towards them, the three disciples sneered, quickly took their positions in the "成" (chéng) formation, and combined their hand seals.

"Form ranks!!!"

hum! ! !

A thick layer of golden light instantly spread out.

Those Hao family cultivators who rushed into the array felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and their spiritual energy circulation stagnated.

Before they could react, they were struck by the force of the formation's counter-force, coughing up blood and staggering backward.

"Hmph, the 'Golden Bell Locking Dragon Formation' that we three brothers have practiced diligently for many years is not so easy to break!!!"

The young man at the head of the group was full of vigor and thought he had accomplished something extraordinary.

However, the moment he finished speaking, something unexpected happened!

"Pfft!"

A nearly transparent cyan wind blade, carrying the terrifying pressure of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, ripped through the void at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

The smile on the leader's face froze instantly, and a head shot into the sky without warning, the cut as smooth as a mirror.

"There really was an ambush..."

"Junior Brother Wang isn't lying, retreat quickly..."

The remaining two were utterly annihilated, but it was all too late.

In the face of Foundation Establishment cultivators, the struggles of Qi Refining cultivators are nothing more than clowns jumping around.

At this time, Wang Daqi had already led Xu Yan and the others to retreat two kilometers away.

He stopped and looked back, only to see the two Foundation Establishment level pressures sweeping past, and his three senior brothers already decapitated.

What emerged from the shadows were two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators with cold, sinister faces!

"Kill those three gatekeepers! The rest can't get far, chase them!!"

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators let out a cold shout and transformed into two streaks of light, heading straight for Wang Daqi.

"Split up!!" Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Wang Daqi decisively gave the order.

Xu Yan and the other disciples gritted their teeth. Although they were terrified, they knew that staying together would only lead to their annihilation, so they immediately dispersed and disappeared into the deep mountains and among the rocks.

Wang Daqi nimbly hid behind a huge weathered rock, listening to the increasingly close sound of something cutting through the air, his eyes calm as still water.

"This is the only way..."

He took a deep breath, and the "Hidden Breath Technique" within his body reversed wildly at an unprecedented speed.

Ordinary people cultivate this method to conceal themselves, but this time, he wants to simulate the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to intimidate his opponent.

That's right, that's his plan!

His mind raced, replaying the images of Xu Taibing he had seen before…

boom!

An overwhelming spiritual pressure erupted from behind the boulder without warning.

This aura was vast and powerful, carrying a unique spiritual power of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, instantly enveloping an area of ​​hundreds of feet in radius.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators who were rushing towards them suddenly froze in mid-air the moment this aura erupted.

The two men's faces paled, staring at the giant rock with astonishment and disbelief: "Late-stage Foundation Establishment?! How could a master of this level be hidden here?!"

"The Hao family, how dare you! Luckily, I was nearby; otherwise, my family's younger generation would have suffered at your hands!"

Wang Daqi channeled his spiritual power, deliberately lowering his voice to make it sound old and powerful.

It echoed through the valley like rolling thunder.

The violent spiritual pressure belonging to the late Foundation Establishment stage surged out like a tide with the angry shout, startling the birds in the surrounding forest into fluttering flight.

At this moment, Wang Daqi was startled by his own actions.

Is this the foundation-building pressure simulated by the Hidden Breath Technique?

That's incredibly powerful!

"Damn it, it's a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert!! How could such a powerful expert be hiding here??"

One of the black-robed cultivators turned deathly pale instantly, his chest tightening from the oppressive aura.

"Retreat quickly! Don't throw your lives away in vain!!"

The other person didn't hesitate at all. The two exchanged a glance, not daring to say a word, and their figures turned into two streaks of light as they turned and retreated frantically towards the center of the battlefield.

"Gone... really gone..."

In the distance, Xu Yan, Shen Ruyan, and the others, who were hiding in the crevices of the rocks, saw this scene and their despair instantly turned into ecstasy.

Wang Daqi was panting heavily.

Almost there...

If those two don't believe him and still come to kill him, then he really should consider running away!

Meanwhile, at the center of the battlefield.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators fled back to the beautiful woman in a disheveled state, reporting in terror, "Elder, something terrible has happened! A mysterious late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator is lurking in the chaotic rocky forest behind us, suspected to be an elder of the Shen family. We can't get close at all!!!"

The beautiful woman, named Hao Rong, was suppressing Shen Xiang and forcing him to retreat steadily.

Upon hearing this, her brows furrowed tightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Late Foundation Establishment stage??? How could he have arrived so quickly?"

She glanced coldly at Xia Chunlian, who was breathing heavily beside her, her killing intent blazing: "We must finish this quickly!! This Xia Chunlian is a rare array genius in the Misty Sect, playing a decisive role in the arrays of those key water conservancy projects. We absolutely cannot let her go back alive! Let's join forces and kill her quickly! Move!!!"

"yes!!"

These two early Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with the middle-aged man in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage beside them, focused all their efforts on dealing with Xia Chunlian.

Xia Chunlian was pale and her breathing was disordered.

But her foundation as a formation master was fully unleashed at this moment.

Facing three Foundation Establishment cultivators, she raised her hand repeatedly, throwing out valuable array plates as if they were free.

"Quicksand Formation, activate! Ice Spikes, appear!!!"

Amidst the roar, several small formations intertwined on the battlefield, forcefully blocking the deadly encirclement for her.

Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the array's light, Wang Daqi made his move.

Like a ghost, he used "Phantom Step" to swiftly traverse the rocks and jungle, flanking the enemy.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!!!"

His eyes were icy cold, and spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips, instantly launching two extremely concealed Xuan Shui arrows.

The two arrows were aimed at the two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators who were preparing to ambush Xia Chunlian.

"Pfft! Pfft!!!"

With two soft sounds, before the two cultivators could react, their throats were pierced by water arrows, and they collapsed into pools of blood with disbelief on their faces.

"Who? Who is plotting against us!" The Hao family cultivators were shocked.

"Haha, you bunch of good-for-nothings think you can keep us here? Prepare to die!!"

A Hao family disciple, wielding a long sword and exuding arrogance, laughed menacingly as he prepared to strike a wounded Misty Sect disciple.

However, an even more refined Xuan Shui arrow pierced the air.

"ah!!!"

A piercing scream rang out.

The defensive robe on the arrogant cultivator's chest was torn apart instantly, as if it were thin paper. The azure water arrow pierced through his heart, leaving a trail of tragically beautiful blood.

"Grandson!!!"

Hao Rong, who was engaged in a fierce battle with Shen Xiang, caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of her eye. She was struck dumb, her eyes wide with fury.

The boy who was killed was none other than her most beloved grandson!

"Who is it?! Show yourself! I'll tear you to pieces!"

Hao Rong went completely mad. Risking being hit by Shen Xiang, she staggered and rushed towards the corpse.

"Your opponent is me!!!"

Shen Xiang finally got a chance to catch his breath, let out a loud shout, and launched a counterattack.

A powerful palm print slammed directly into Hao Rong's protective spiritual shield, causing her to spit out a mouthful of blood.

Xia Chunlian's pressure decreased significantly.

Wang Daqi hid in the shadows, constantly searching for the right angle to launch the Xuan Shui Arrow.

Each arrow was perfectly timed to disrupt the enemy's encirclement.

With Wang Daqi's covert assistance, Xia Chunlian gradually gained the upper hand.

Just as the Hao family was beginning to panic, a thunderous shout suddenly rang out from the sky.

"Not good, retreat immediately! The Shen family's reinforcements have arrived!"

In mid-air, Hao Guang, who was confronting the experts of the Misty Sect, looked anxious and spoke with a hint of resentment.

On the distant horizon, several powerful auras were rushing toward this place at an extremely fast speed.

Just as the middle-aged cultivator opposite Xia Chunlian was about to leave, he suddenly felt a late-stage Foundation Establishment pressure sweeping over him like Mount Tai pressing down.

"So fast...!"

The man was so terrified that he instinctively withdrew all his attacks.

He also pushed his spiritual power to its limit, setting up multiple defensive barriers in front of him.

But the moment the barrier took shape, he froze.

This aura seemed overwhelming, but when his spiritual power actually came into contact with it, he found that it was all show and no substance, weak and powerless inside.

Forget about the late Foundation Establishment stage, it doesn't even reach the level of Qi Refining late stage!

"Oh no, I've been scammed!!!"

The middle-aged cultivator roared inwardly.

However, in order to defend against that false pressure, he had left his center wide open, revealing a fatal flaw.

As a genius in formations, how sharp is Xia Chunlian's combat intuition?

A cold glint flashed in her beautiful eyes, and without any hesitation, she directly unleashed her trump card to save her life!

A formation-breaking cone crackling with purple lightning.

"go!!"

A streak of light tore through the void and struck the middle-aged cultivator heavily on the back.

With a deafening roar, the opponent's protective aura shattered like broken glass.

He screamed in agony as half his body was charred black by the lightning, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, suffering severe internal injuries.

Seeing this from a distance, Wang Daqi knew that his feint had succeeded.

At the same time, he also noticed the rolling blue sword light approaching from the horizon.

The Shen family's reinforcements have finally arrived!