They could not defeat these four people. Lian Yunzhi analyzed the power balance at the first moment.
He was at Mid Golden Core, but Feng Xi was already at Golden Core Peak.
Mu Cheng was at Foundation Establishment Peak, but the opponents had six Foundation Establishment cultivators as well.
There was only one option—
“Boom!”
The Black Wooden Box shattered violently as it floated in front of Lian Yunzhi. The chilling Soul Scattering Needles, now controlled by Feng Xi, stabbed straight toward Mu Cheng’s spine!
But Lian Yunzhi acted even faster than Feng Xi. Almost the instant the wooden box broke open, several Thunder Explosion Talismans shot out from his hand, hurtling unhesitatingly toward Feng Xi and the others!
“Run!”
Amid the rumbling thunder, Lian Yunzhi took out an Earth Escape Talisman, pulled Mu Cheng along, and rapidly burrowed into the ground!
The Thunder Explosion Talismans could at most injure those Foundation Establishment cultivators a little. They posed no threat at all to Feng Xi at Golden Core Peak. As Lian Yunzhi sped through underground, Feng Xi slashed open paths ahead and behind him with his sword!
Dust poured down, filling their arms.
At that moment, the gray-robed cultivator’s Profound Iron Fine Chain, capable of flight and burrowing, came into play. It slithered like a snake through the earth, piercing Lian Yunzhi’s shoulder blade before he could react!
“Ugh.”
Lian Yunzhi clutched his shoulder in pain. Blood dripped through his fingers, but he had no time even to swallow a pill. He fled forward at an even greater speed.
Faster, a bit faster!
“Lian Yunzhi,” Feng Xi’s cold voice rang from above, “stop being stubborn. Hand over Mu Cheng, and we can all live.”
Mu Cheng’s face paled as he looked at the bloody hole in Lian Yunzhi’s shoulder. His gaze wavered. “Lian…”
“Shut up!”
Lian Yunzhi snapped. He slapped a Swift Movement Talisman onto himself and Mu Cheng, then burrowed forward at the fastest speed possible for Mid Golden Core!
—They made it!
A streak of blue light suddenly appeared amid the endless black underground. Lian Yunzhi plunged straight into it!
Water.
Endless, icy water engulfed them, blocking their mouths and noses, nearly suffocating them.
Lian Yunzhi stuffed a Water Avoidance Pearl into his and Mu Cheng’s mouths. The suffocation vanished instantly. A thin membrane covered their bodies. Lian Yunzhi took Mu Cheng’s hand and swam forward.
To the west of Xiaoze State lay the Bihai Domain. Once inside, cultivation was disabled, and spiritual power was completely lost. It was a true forbidden ground for cultivators.
When Lian Yunzhi was in his twenties, obsessed with breaking through to Mid Golden Core but unable to do so, he had wandered everywhere in Xiaoze State and accidentally discovered this treasure land.
“No spiritual power can be used here,” Lian Yunzhi stuffed Mu Cheng into an underwater cave and hid inside himself. He extended a finger, revealing a small vine, and said somewhat proudly, “But my Lifebound Vine is unaffected. When they come, I’ll kill one for each that arrives.”
Mu Cheng stared at him blankly without speaking.
Lian Yunzhi wanted to say more but was suddenly distracted by the pain in his shoulder.
“Damn,” he frowned. “I forgot to take out the Injury Medicine beforehand. Without spiritual power here, I can’t even open the Storage Bracelet.”
But the next moment, someone gently turned his body, peeled back his collar, and applied cool ointment with delicate fingertips to the wound.
Only then did Lian Yunzhi notice the medicine bottle clutched tightly in Mu Cheng’s hand.
Mu Cheng lowered his eyelashes and explained softly, “I took it from your bracelet when you got injured.”
Lian Yunzhi: “Oh.”
He remembered now. They had a Dao Companion Contract, so Mu Cheng could open his Storage Bracelet at any time.
“They came to kill me, didn’t they?” Mu Cheng asked.
Lian Yunzhi nodded.
Mu Cheng: “Why?”
Lian Yunzhi furrowed his brow.
Mu Cheng: “Can’t you tell me?”
Lian Yunzhi nodded. “You just need to know they want to kill you. Knowing too much won’t do you any good.”
Mu Cheng asked no more. After applying the ointment, he gently closed Lian Yunzhi’s collar.
“Why didn’t you hand me over? In my previous life, I was so bad to you… treating you like a slave and a Human Cauldron?” Mu Cheng asked hoarsely.
The Spiritual Power Restriction on Lian Yunzhi had already been lifted.
He could end the Dao Companion Contract at any moment if Lian Yunzhi asked.
They had truly been on the brink of death just now.
Handing him over would mean Lian Yunzhi suffered no harm.
Lian Yunzhi patted his shoulder. “That’s why in this life, you have to be my Human Cauldron and slave to atone. I wouldn’t hand over my Human Cauldron and slave.”
Mu Cheng knew that wasn’t the real reason.
Even if his physique was special, comparable to a Peerless Furnace Cauldron, no one would value cultivation over their life.
…Even though in his previous life he had sealed Lian Yunzhi’s spiritual power, even though his Madness Illness made him bite Lian Yunzhi until he was covered in bloody marks, even though he hurt and bullied him, treating him as a slave and Human Cauldron, Lian Yunzhi still… loved him.
Just as he felt his heart race uncontrollably the moment he saw Lian Yunzhi.
Mu Cheng lunged forward again, hugging Lian Yunzhi tightly, burying his cheek in the crook of his neck on the uninjured side, avoiding the wound.
“Lian Yunzhi, in this life, I will definitely be a good slave for you, a good Human Cauldron, a good Dao Companion.”
Lian Yunzhi heard Mu Cheng say it word by word in a very soft, hoarse, and solemn voice.
