In the world of martial arts, grind your skill level to become a saint.

Chapter 188: The Chase!

The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed against my face, chilling me to the bone.

Su Hao and Liu Jun trudged through the snow, their steps uneven as they walked along the mountain path.

The firelight of Yanshan City behind us had completely disappeared into the night, with only the north wind howling in our ears and the occasional echo of wild beasts' roars.

"How much further do we have to go?"

Liu Jun's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

He kept glancing behind him, as if he was worried about something.

Su Hao looked at the dark mountain path ahead and replied, "It should be soon. In the letter Liu left me, he mentioned that the dilapidated temple is about two or three miles away from the tunnel exit."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jun nodded without saying anything more, but quickened his pace to catch up.

The two walked for a while longer, and a pine forest appeared beside the mountain path ahead. The outline of a dilapidated building could be vaguely seen deep in the pine forest.

It is a somewhat dilapidated temple.

Su Hao stopped and looked around at his surroundings.

The site is situated on higher ground, with the dilapidated temple built on a gentle slope, surrounded by dense pine trees that block most of the view.

The open space in front of the temple was covered with snow, with only a few broken stone tablets protruding from the snow, and some blurry characters engraved on the tablets.

"This is it." Su Hao took the lead and walked towards the dilapidated temple.

The temple gate had long since disappeared, leaving only a dark doorway. Su Hao paused in front of the door for a moment, listening intently to the sounds inside.

No sound.

He stepped inside.

The temple was small, and the statues of the gods enshrined in the main hall were incomplete, with half of their bodies collapsed on the ground, revealing the mottled wooden frame inside.

Several large holes were broken in the roof, and snowflakes drifted in through the holes, accumulating into a thin layer on the ground.

Su Hao walked around the main hall to make sure there was no danger before turning around and nodding to Liu Jun.

"Wait for Master Liu here tonight."

Liu Jun walked in, placed her bundle in the corner, and found a relatively dry spot to sit down. She didn't speak, just kept her head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Su Hao didn't say much. He went out and gathered some firewood, then started a fire in the center of the main hall.

The flickering firelight dispelled some of the chill, and the shadows of the two men were cast on the mottled wall, swaying with the flames.

"Would you like some?" Su Hao asked Liu Jun, holding a piece of already heated jerky in his hand.

This once aloof and willful senior sister seems to have let go of some things now.

At least from Su Hao's current observations, that's the case.

Liu Jun hesitated for a moment before taking the jerky Su Hao handed her.

"Thanks!" Liu Jun said, taking a bite of the jerky and chewing slowly.

Su Hao smiled at this and took another piece of jerky from the fire and began to chew.

"I'm sorry about what happened before—" After a moment of silence, Liu Jun suddenly put down the dried meat in his hand and looked at Su Hao.

"What's past is past, Senior Sister Liu, don't take it to heart."

Su Hao was also a little surprised for a moment, but he waved his hand and said with a smile.

He knew that what Liu Jun was referring to was the time when Liu Jun and Tang Huang blocked him outside the Zhou residence.

It even alarmed Master Liu, who personally intervened to finally quell the situation.

However, the other party chose to say these words at this time. Could it be that he was subdued by my attack last time?

"I used to think I could change anything, that I saw things more clearly than my father, but now it seems rather ridiculous—"

Liu Jun sighed and looked out at the dark, snowy night.

I felt somewhat dazed and confused.

The current situation is enough to prove just how wrong he was before.

If he had listened to advice earlier, perhaps his father wouldn't be in this situation now.

It's all her fault for being too willful and naive!

"At least it's not too late—"

Su Hao remained silent for a moment before speaking.

It seems that Liu Jun has finally become more normal now, and is no longer as repulsive as before.

At least he learned to reflect on his mistakes and to accept the opinions and advice of others.

"Do you think the outcome would be different if our team had been from the Eight Alliance this time?"

Liu Jun suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this, Su Hao's previously relaxed mood instantly tightened.

"Is this woman going to go crazy again?" Su Hao thought to himself.

He had initially thought the other party had reformed, but now it seemed he had been overthinking it.

This woman still harbors deep resentment towards the power of the eight major families in the inner city!

"I don't think it matters which side we take. What matters is our role; we're destined to be pawns, so arguing about these things now is pointless!"

Su Hao said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jun fell silent, it was unclear whether he had tacitly accepted or rejected the offer.

The two then fell silent.

Su Hao leaned against a pillar inside the temple, closing his eyes slightly to rest, but his ears were listening to the sounds around him.

After an unknown amount of time, the north wind suddenly picked up and blew the branches of the trees outside the temple rustling loudly.

Snowflakes drifted in through the holes in the roof, and a few landed on Su Hao's face, icy cold.

Su Hao opened his eyes and was about to get up to add some firewood when his ears suddenly twitched.

He heard a sound.

The sound of footsteps on the snow, and it wasn't just one person!

"Someone's coming—"

Su Hao suddenly stood up, his left hand on the short sword at his waist, and his right hand whispering to Liu Jun.

On such a snowy night, in this desolate wilderness, who would come to this place?

Liu Jun reacted quickly, standing up almost simultaneously and placing his hand on the hilt of the short sword.

Both of their gazes turned to the temple gate at the same time.

The footsteps grew closer and clearer.

"There's a fire! There are people inside!"

A rough voice came from outside the temple, followed by the light of several torches shining into the temple.

Su Hao squinted and, through the flickering firelight, saw four people file into the dilapidated temple.

The leader was a burly middle-aged man dressed in a black outfit, with a broad-backed sword hanging at his waist. He had a fierce face and menacing eyes.

Behind him were three men dressed in similar tight-fitting clothes, each with bulging waistbands, clearly carrying weapons.

The four men were taken aback when they saw Su Hao and Liu Jun, and then the leader grinned.

"Oh, there really is someone here."

His gaze swept over Su Hao and Liu Jun, finally settling on Liu Jun. A lewd glint flashed in his eyes. "She's quite a pretty young lady."

Liu Jun's face turned cold, and with a slight flick of his wrist, his sword was already half an inch out of its sheath.

Su Hao remained seated, calmly observing the four uninvited guests.

"Friends, we'll take this dilapidated temple for now. Please find another place to shelter from the snow."

The man in the lead stopped smiling and looked at Su Hao with great interest.

"Funny, fun—"

The leading man became interested in Su Hao's attitude.

"It seems you two are no ordinary people. Lingering here in the middle of nowhere on a snowy night, how interesting!"

The leader waved for his teammates to follow, then reached into his robes, pulled out a bronze token, waved it in the firelight, and grinned, "We're from the Yan family, ordered to hunt down two disciples of the Yue Shan Martial Arts School, one male and one female."

"Woman, what a coincidence! Could it be you?"

Su Hao's pupils contracted slightly.

The Yan family?

His inner alarm bells were ringing, but he remained outwardly calm.

"Of course not, let's go now!"

As he spoke, he winked at Liu Jun, signaling her to pick up her bundle and leave.

"Wait a minute."

The leader suddenly spoke, his voice neither hurried nor slow, yet carrying an unquestionable air.

Su Hao paused, turning back to look at him.

"Sir, you're joking. We're just traveling and happen to be stopping here for a rest along the way."

"Just traveling normally?" The leader grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth. "Then that knife you're carrying on your hip, it's not for chopping vegetables, is it?"

The three men behind him also laughed, their laughter full of mockery.

Su Hao's heart sank.

He knew that things wouldn't end so easily tonight.

Since it can't be hidden, then there's only one option—

Su Hao scanned his surroundings, wary of his surroundings.

The Yan family must have accurate intelligence to have tracked us here; the only question is how many more experts they have lying in ambush.

The man sneered, and with a wave of his hand, the three men behind him instantly drew their weapons, the gleaming swords flashing coldly in the firelight.

"Take them down!"

Without a second thought, Su Hao suddenly retreated, drew his long sword from his waist, and rushed towards a broken window.

"Senior Sister Liu, let's go!"

Liu Jun reacted even faster; his knife was already drawn, a flash of cold light, as he faced the first man who lunged at him head-on.

"clang!"

Swords clashed, sparks flew.

Liu Jun's face was also icy cold as he followed Su Hao's steps to face another Yan family warrior who was charging towards him!

Su Hao knocked back one of the Yan family warriors with a single strike and discovered that these people were not ordinary fighters. They were at least at the third level of the Blood Realm. The middle-aged man who was leading them was even more powerful, and the oppressive feeling he exuded was almost on par with a Bone Forging Master!

"Senior sister, don't linger in the fight!"

Su Hao kicked over the incense burner in front of him, sending up ashes that blocked his view and also prevented the other Yan family warriors from surrounding him!

He then grabbed Liu Jun and rushed toward the broken back window.

"Trying to leave!?"

The leader let out a loud shout and stomped his foot!

The ground seemed to shake, and he turned into a blur, tearing through the ash cover and chasing after them!

Wow!

The man was incredibly fast, far surpassing the Yan family martial artists. The moment he approached Su Hao and his companion, a chilling claw shadow whistled through the air.

"Get out of the way!"

Seeing this, Liu Jun pushed Su Hao away with one palm and turned around to meet him with a punch!

As their fists and palms collided, the ground trembled. Liu Jun grunted and staggered backward, the ground beneath his feet crumbling with each step!

At this moment, Su Hao, who had been pushed aside, also stepped forward. His Crimson Blood Palm Qi and Blood combined with Yue Shan Fist Qi and Blood, and the double Qi and Blood erupted, blasting towards the man who was charging at him again!

Boom!

With another muffled thud, two figures were sent flying backward, taking several steps back before coming to a stop.

Using the momentum, Su Hao pulled Liu Jun out of the back window of the dilapidated temple and landed on the snow in the backyard.

"Go into the woods!"

Su Hao lowered his voice and pulled Liu Jun into the pine forest.

The pine forest was dimly lit, and the snow was ankle-deep, but Su Hao dared not slow down because the footsteps behind him were getting closer and more urgent.

"Let's go our separate ways!" Liu Jun suddenly broke free from his hand.

"No!"

"If we go together, none of us will escape!" Liu Jun's voice was terrifyingly calm. "Their target is my father. I am Liu Chongshan."

"They want me more than their daughter! You still have a chance to escape on your own!"

Su Hao was stunned.

I never expected Liu Jun to make such a decision at this time.

The Yan family wants to arrest Liu Chongshan's family members, with Liu Jun being their primary target.

Su Hao was merely a disciple, insignificant in the eyes of the Yan family. If they split up, his chances of survival would indeed be greater.

But he couldn't just abandon the other person and run away alone.

This isn't about heroism, but about the most basic principle: Master Liu treated him as a disciple and entrusted his daughter to him, so he couldn't abandon Master Liu.

"Come with me!"

Without saying a word, Su Hao grabbed Liu Jun's wrist and dragged her into the depths of the pine forest.

He used the Flying Cloud Step at full power, and even though he was carrying someone, his speed was still astonishing.

The snow barely left deep footprints under his feet as he moved through the pine forest with the speed of a tiger or leopard.

This is the effect of the leg-stepping technique's energy and blood bursting out, combined with the Flying Cloud Step!

As Su Hao and his companion disappeared into the forest, several figures appeared outside the snowy woods, watching their backs disappear into the darkness with cold eyes.

"Not bad speed! But—can they escape?"

The leader sneered and said to the group, "You guys go and meet up with the others, then go and track down the Iron Fist Martial Arts School people. I'll handle these two!"

"yes!"

After arranging the others, the leader lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his entire body shot out like a flying pebble, quickly disappearing into the forest!

"The person behind us is at the Bone Forging Realm. If we continue tracking like this, we'll be caught sooner or later!"

In the dark forest, Su Hao led Liu Jun forward quickly.

Liu Jun looked at Su Hao with a complicated expression and said softly.

His face was pale and there was a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, indicating that he had been injured in the previous fight.

After their previous exchange, she had already determined the strength of the person she had just met; he was clearly a master of bone forging.

"What a hassle—"

Upon hearing this, Su Hao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He never expected that the Yan family would send a Bone Forging Realm expert to intercept and kill them.

Although the Flying Cloud Step is exquisite, it is extremely physically demanding. After carrying someone for so long, his legs were starting to ache, and his breathing had become rapid.

If this continues, they will be caught up sooner or later.

However, upon hearing the footsteps of what sounded like only one person following behind, a murderous intent rose within him.

Both of them are now at the third level of the Blood Realm, and Liu Jun was able to withstand an attack from the Bone Forging Realm just now, only suffering some injuries.

Therefore, if the two join forces, using some poisons and hidden weapons, they might not be unable to put up a fight.

"Senior sister, instead of letting us catch up, why don't we take a gamble? Are you still capable of fighting?"

Su Hao stopped. He had reached the edge of a cliff and there was no way to go.

He looked at Liu Jun and said in a deep voice.