Chapter 55: A Narrow Escape

Feeling the immense pressure bearing down upon him, Lin Chen did not show the slightest intention of retreating.

Taking a deep breath, he drove the power of merit within his body to circulate frantically, causing an illusory figure to gradually materialize behind him.

The figure was blurred and indistinct, yet it exuded an ancient and mysterious aura. Anyone who had laid eyes upon it before would undoubtedly have found it profoundly familiar.

However, Lin Chen remained unaware of his own transformation at this moment, his mind consumed solely by the desire to slaughter his enemy.

"Since you wish to fight, I shall accompany you to the very end!" Lin Chen roared in anger, the sword in his hand instantly bursting forth with boundless radiance.

With a fierce forward swing of his blade, a massive sword Qi came whistling out, violently crashing against the incoming giant sword.

This time, the force generated by the collision was far more terrifying than before. The entire battlefield was shrouded in an invisible power.

Everyone felt a suffocating difficulty in breathing, as if they had been plunged into the deep sea, enduring crushing pressure. Within a radius of dozens of zhang, without a single exception, everyone and everything was ground into fine powder.

At the center of the blinding light and surging sword Qi, the figures of Lin Chen and Yan Ruyu flickered indistinctly.

Yan Ruyu's face was contorted with agony; she had never expected that Lin Chen would be able to withstand this full-powered sword strike of hers.

Conversely, Lin Chen was also pale-faced, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, yet his gaze remained unshakeably resolute, filled with a decisive intent to kill.

"This is not over yet!" Lin Chen growled in a low voice.

He once again gathered the power of merit, pouring it frantically into his sword as he prepared to launch the next round of attacks.

Yan Ruyu knew that if she failed to slay Lin Chen today, her life would undoubtedly be forfeit.

Gritting her teeth, she threw all caution to the wind and charged at Lin Chen once more.

Meanwhile, inside the private parlor of the inn, Qi Junyue pleaded with utmost sincerity, "Master Wuxiang, I beg of you, let me save my disciple. If she dies, the Yaoguang Holy Land will likely be finished."

"Amitabha, Patron Qi, this old monk must decline," Master Wuxiang replied with a tranquil expression.

"Old bald donkey, if she is slaughtered here today, I swear to mobilize the entire might of our sect and fight you to the bitter end across lifetimes!" Qi Junyue cursed furiously, his face flushed with rage.

Wuxiang was visibly hesitant. He was not afraid of the Yaoguang Holy Land, but being perpetually hunted down by wave after wave of people seemed rather troublesome, not to mention that he still had to guard the Tianya Temple.

Therefore, letting out a long sigh, he murmured, "Patron Qi, go save her then! But this old monk must offer you a word of warning: if you so much as lay a finger on him today, this old monk will send both you and your disciple to your final reincarnation right here and now."

Qi Junyue let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeves, and stepped out of the inn in a single stride.

Just as Lin Chen pointed his sword at Yan Ruyu, Qi Junyue moved with lightning speed, snatching Yan Ruyu and vanishing like a shooting star into the skies above Nanyang City.

The powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy that erupted instantly caused the surrounding air to ripple violently.

Gazing in the direction of their departure, Lin Chen's eyes were filled with unresigned fury, the blade in his grip trembling slightly from the force of his clenched grip, emitting a low, mournful hum.

"I let you escape this time, Yan Ruyu. The next time we meet shall be your day of execution!" Lin Chen whispered through clenched teeth.

Yet, a sudden realization struck him, and he hurriedly turned and rushed toward the spot where Xie Mengmeng had fallen.

Xie Mengmeng's face was as pale as paper, and the horrifying wound across her chest was still slowly seeping blood, staining the earth beneath her crimson.

Lin Chen's heart tightened instantly. Throwing all caution to the wind, he lunged to Xie Mengmeng's side and scooped her up with trembling hands.

"Mengmeng, don't scare me, wake up!" Lin Chen cried out, his voice choked with tears and his eyes filled with frantic anxiety.

Just as he was on the verge of despair, his fingertips brushed against Xie Mengmeng's neck and detected a faint, fluttering pulse.

"She's still alive! She can be saved!" Lin Chen clutched at the sensation like a drowning man grasping a straw, wild with joy.

He knew all too well that this place was unsafe to linger, as the people of the Yaoguang Holy Land could return at any moment.

With this thought in mind, he carefully hoisted Xie Mengmeng onto his back and unleashed his full spiritual power, bolting toward the city gates.

Galloping at full speed all the way, Lin Chen evaded all possible scouts and eventually found a secluded cave nestled within a remote valley.

He gently laid Xie Mengmeng down upon a bed of dry straw inside the cave, then swiftly set up a few simple defensive arrays around the perimeter to guard against any unforeseen dangers.

He began rummaging through his storage ring, hoping to find some medicinal pills for treating injuries.

Fortunately, he came across a precious "Rejuvenation Pill," which he had previously retrieved from Xue Chan. It was rumored to possess the miraculous property of healing those on the brink of death, and he never expected it to come in such vital use now.

Without a moment of hesitation, Lin Chen immediately fed the pill to Xie Mengmeng.

Following that, he channeled the power of merit, cautiously infusing it into Xie Mengmeng's body to help her mend her damaged meridians.

Time ticked away second by second, and Lin Chen remained completely focused, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

After an unknown duration, color finally began to return to Xie Mengmeng's complexion, and her previously feeble breathing grew steadier.

Seeing this, the tightly wound cord in Lin Chen's heart finally relaxed, and he slumped exhaustedly to the side, though his gaze never once strayed from Xie Mengmeng.

"That's wonderful, you're finally going to be alright," Lin Chen murmured softly, his eyes brimming with profound relief.

Back within the Yaoguang Holy Land……………

Qi Junyue returned to the core territory of the Holy Land carrying the heavily wounded Yan Ruyu.

The elders of the Holy Land rushed over one after another, and upon witnessing Yan Ruyu's wretched state, every single one of them was struck with shock and fury.

"Holy Lord, what has happened here? Who on earth dared to injure our Holy Maiden?" an aged elder with white hair demanded angrily.

With a complexion as gloomy as water, Qi Junyue briefly recounted the sequence of events.

Upon hearing the tale, the elders burned with righteous indignation, all clamoring to make Lin Chen pay a catastrophic price.

"This brat is far too arrogant! To dare injure the Holy Maiden of our Holy Land—he must be hacked into ten thousand pieces!"

"Indeed! We must let him learn the consequences of offending the Yaoguang Holy Land!"

Looking at the assembled crowd, Qi Junyue spoke in a deep voice, "Rest assured, everyone, a gentleman does not let a day pass without seeking revenge. However, that Lin Chen possesses bizarre and unfathomable strength, so we must not act rashly. Let Ruyu recover from her injuries first, and once she is fully healed, we will deliberate on a long-term plan."

Thus, under the meticulous care of the Yaoguang Holy Land, Yan Ruyu embarked on a lengthy recovery process.

Meanwhile, the hatred she harbored toward Lin Chen within her heart burned ever brighter, like an unquenchable wildfire.

On the other other side,……………

Inside the cave, Xie Mengmeng slowly fluttered her eyes open, greeted by Lin Chen's bloodshot eyes, which were filled with boundless concern.

"Lin Chen, am I… am I still alive?" Xie Mengmeng's voice was weak, her face tinged with bewilderment.

Seeing her regain consciousness, Lin Chen's eyes turned red with overwhelming emotion as he gripped her hands tightly. "Yes, you're alive. You're safe now, it's all over."

Recalling the battle prior, remembering the moment she had intercepted the sword strike meant for Lin Chen, a surge of warmth blossomed within her chest.

Gazing at Lin Chen, she whispered softly, "Lin Chen, thank you. If not for you, I would have…"