Chapter 137: The Manor of Ten Thousand Beasts

"Who goes there?"

"Oh no, it's the people from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor..."

While Yu Ye was still bewildered, Dang Guiyi's face turned ashen, and he scrambled away as fast as his legs could carry him.

The Ten Thousand Beasts Manor? How could the people from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor be chasing them? Yu Ye had no time to ponder and followed suit.

Dang Guiyi ran with surprising speed; his short, stout figure was exceptionally agile, darting through the woods like a startled bird. It was evident that his master's teachings were not entirely useless—at the very least, his survival skills far exceeded those of an ordinary man.

As he sprinted, Yu Ye kept casting glances backward. Five men were pursuing them from the distance, one of whom moved with alarming speed. In the blink of an eye, he had closed the gap to within three or four miles.

Across the wilderness, seven figures raced in frantic pursuit. Dang Guiyi was the fastest, but before long, his momentum slowed, clearly struggling to maintain his cultivation. He waved his hands repeatedly and transmitted his voice: "Oh dear, I can't run anymore..."

Yu Ye overtook Dang Guiyi, grabbed him by the arm, and continued to sprint, not forgetting to ask, "Why are the people from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor chasing us?"

"Qi Jun didn't return last night; the members of the Qi family were bound to come looking."

"I am asking how the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor would know that you and I killed Qi Jun?"

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"If you didn't kill anyone, why not stay and prove your innocence?"

Before Yu Ye could let go, Dang Guiyi grabbed his arm in return. "I wouldn't dare leave you behind!"

"I asked you a question."

"Perhaps because you and I were the only ones at the scene, we couldn't escape suspicion. Or perhaps it is some secret beast-taming technique that outsiders know nothing about. Oh no, could that man be a master at the ninth level of Qi Refining? He's catching up..."

Yu Ye glanced back. Sure enough, a middle-aged man had closed the distance to within a hundred paces. With every stride covering seven or eight yards, he moved across the land with terrifying speed. It was impossible to shake off such a pursuer with simple agility techniques alone.

Yu Ye flipped his hand and cast a talisman, and both he and Dang Guiyi vanished into thin air.

The middle-aged man arrived moments later and came to a sudden halt. He was in his thirties or forties, dressed in white robes with a black beard, his eyes deep and grave as he scanned his surroundings.

A moment later, the other four men caught up. They were of varying ages and appearances, but all wore expressions of fury.

"It must have been those two thieves who killed Brother Qi Jun..."

"Indeed, there was no one else at the site of Brother Qi Jun's misfortune..."

"The thieves are cunning and treacherous; they’ve actually managed to vanish without a trace..."

"Young Manor Master..."

The man addressed as the Young Manor Master waved his hand, took out a jade whistle, and blew hard. No sound emerged, but everyone looked up. A black eagle circled in the sky above; perhaps hearing the call, it let out a sharp cry.

The Young Manor Master waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Hmph, those thieves will not escape. Follow me!"

...

In the valley's thicket, two figures emerged. One wore a bamboo hat and looked cautious; the other was hunched and skulking. The vast valley was desolate and silent, filled with withered trees and dried grass.

"Phew—" Dang Guiyi let out a sigh of relief, rejoicing, "Oh dear, we were only a hair's breadth away from being caught. That was truly dangerous!" He sat down on the grass, popped a few pills into his mouth, and added, "With Brother Yu's escape talisman to protect us, I'm not afraid. Let me rest for a moment, I'm exhausted!"

Seeing his unconcerned demeanor, Yu Ye shook his head inwardly. At the critical moment, he had been forced to use his Earth Escape Talisman to shake off the powerful pursuer. Now, he had only one such talisman left. If the people from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor caught up again, his own cultivation and agility techniques would never be enough to shake off that ninth-level Qi Refining master.

A master at the ninth level of Qi Refining was not the only concern; the real danger was the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor behind him. As a cultivation family, they were not to be underestimated. He had only been in Qizhou for a few days, and already he had made an enemy of a cultivation family.

"Keep calm!" Dang Guiyi, being one to settle wherever he landed, advised, "The members of the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor don't know who we are. Let's just rest for a bit and then slip away!"

Yu Ye nodded helplessly. Things had reached this point; he had no choice but to take it one step at a time.

Just as Yu Ye was about to sit down and catch his breath, he narrowed his eyes and gazed into the distance. The weather was fine, and the vast valley was visible at a glance. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the valley entrance a few miles away. Although he couldn't see clearly, it was undoubtedly that man from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor.

Yu Ye cursed his luck. At that same moment, four more figures appeared on the ridge at the side of the valley entrance. How had the people from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor caught up so quickly? Not only that, but they were attempting to trap him and Dang Guiyi inside the valley.

"Brother Dang..." Yu Ye shouted urgently, then glanced back. Dang Guiyi was actually lying in the grass with his rear end in the air, silent. He had realized the situation and was trying to hide in the grass, hoping to evade the enemy's pursuit.

Yu Ye, both angry and anxious, kicked him.

"Why did you kick me..."

"Aren't you just deceiving yourself?"

"I almost forgot..." Dang Guiyi scrambled up and urged, "Quickly, cast your Earth Escape Talisman!"

"It's gone!"

"Oh no, what are we to do?"

Yu Ye looked left and right, flipped his hand to reveal a talisman, and urged, "Run—"

Dang Guiyi laughed, "Hey, are you trying to scare me..."

Yu Ye had no time for jokes. He grabbed him and activated the talisman; with a flash of light, the two of them bolted from the ground.

"Oh? This is a Wind-Riding Talisman..."

Yu Ye couldn't bear to use his last Earth Escape Talisman and had to rely on the Wind-Riding Talisman to force their escape. As soon as there was movement, the white-robed man pursued with all his might, while the four Qi family members charged down the ridge, attempting to block their path.

Yu Ye led Dang Guiyi toward the valley entrance on the right. They reached it in an instant. The four Qi family members arrived just in time, their sword lights flashing. Just as they were about to intercept the thieves, several bursts of flame exploded. The four hesitated for a moment, and the two figures had already cleared the entrance and fled into the distance.

The white-robed man arrived and bellowed, "Chase them—"

Yu Ye just kept running wildly. With the power of the Wind-Riding Talisman, his speed was like a shadow, and he leapt over a seven-or-eight-yard-wide ravine in a flash. Dang Guiyi was dragged along, his body horizontal like a bird in flight, yet he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Hey, riding the wind through the sky, truly carefree! The joy of flying is nothing less than this... Hey, don't run blindly, or we'll end up running right back into their trap! Listen to me, head this way... to the left... cross that hillock... oh my, there's a pond, quickly go around..."

Yu Ye, unfamiliar with the path, had to follow Dang Guiyi's instructions. Though he had several close calls, fortunately, the general direction was correct.

A moment later, the power of the Wind-Riding Talisman began to fade. Yu Ye glanced back and activated another one. The white-robed man from the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor had fallen a thousand paces behind, while the four Qi family members were several miles away.

"The woods... quickly, go hide..."

Yu Ye dragged Dang Guiyi into the forest. To his dismay, the woods were too sparse to provide cover. Once they passed through the forest, they were back in the open wilderness. "Oh no, there's no way to hide in such an open place! Quick, go to a place with thick forests..."

One cannot change direction easily while running at full speed. Moreover, being in strange territory meant they were bound to lose their way.

Yu Ye continued to run wildly. The white-robed man was now three to five miles behind but still in hot pursuit.

"Haha, there is a dense forest ten miles away! Heaven is truly helping me. We just need to hide in the mountains, and everything will be fine..."

Ten miles away, mountains stood tall. Yu Ye activated another Wind-Riding Talisman and sped toward them with Dang Guiyi.

Before long, the mountains were before them. They passed through a canyon filled with jagged rocks and withered trees; it was utterly desolate. It was the heart of winter; where would one find a lush forest?

Yu Ye didn't dare stop and headed straight into the depths of the mountains. The magic of the Wind-Riding Talisman gradually faded, and he continued to run for another half hour. When they reached a mountain valley, he finally stopped. Apparently having reached his limit, he threw Dang Guiyi aside.

"Ouch—" Dang Guiyi was short and light, and as soon as he touched the ground, he flipped and jumped up, letting out a feigned cry of pain.

Yu Ye sat down on the spot, breathing heavily. In just two short days, strange events had occurred one after another, and he had exhausted a dozen or twenty talismans, yet he had gained nothing and instead acquired a powerful enemy. All of this was thanks to Dang Guiyi.

The successor of the Five Thunders Orthodox Method was brushing the grass off his rear, taking out a bottle of pills, and walking over. He said ingratiatingly, "Brother Yu, take this bottle of pills to replenish your energy!"

"No need!" Yu Ye was too lazy to pay attention and shook his head in refusal.

"How could you not need it?" Dang Guiyi was patient and urged, "We have to keep moving later, you'll need it!"

Yu Ye lowered his head and remained silent for a moment before saying, "I have few Wind-Riding Talismans left. We'd better split up..."

He wasn't complaining; he was stating a fact. With a powerful enemy in pursuit, it was hard enough for one person to escape, and even more difficult with two. If they split up, Dang Guiyi's cunning would be enough to ensure his own escape.

But Dang Guiyi became angry. "Brother Yu, what do you mean? In a time of crisis, at a moment of life and death, how could I abandon you?"

"No, I mean..."

"You don't need to say anything more. I am certainly not a man who goes back on his word. Since I promised to take you to the Yunchuan Immortal Gate, I, Dang Guiyi, will never break my promise!"

"But I'm afraid..."

"What are you afraid of? Even if we meet a Foundation Establishment expert, what can they do to me?"

Yu Ye looked up. Dang Guiyi stood before him, hands on his hips, head held high, glaring with his small eyes, exuding an air of upright righteousness. Yu Ye couldn't tell if he was bragging or if he had something to rely on.

Just then, a familiar sharp cry rang out. Following the sound, a black eagle circled in the mid-air.

Yu Ye frowned slightly, suddenly understanding something. Dang Guiyi also realized it and gasped, "Oh no, that's an eagle trained by the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor! It's been in the sky watching our every move. No wonder we couldn't escape..."

He hurriedly looked back, complaining miserably again, "Oh, that man is chasing us again. They are like ghosts that won't go away! Hurry, run—"

Yu Ye sighed and sat still.

"Brother Yu, if we don't go now, it will be too late—"

Dang Guiyi was jumping with anxiety, wishing he could drag Yu Ye away. To his surprise, Yu Ye ignored him and sat as firm as ever. Yu Ye raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "I'm not going any further. Please, feel free to go on your own!"

"Ah..."