Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Yan Wu
The sudden development stunned Mu Wanjun, but only for an instant. Prompted by Chen Ping’an, she quickly snapped out of it and ran outside with him.
Chen Ping’an burst out of the duty room and, without any hesitation, sprinted toward the main prison area.
His primary objective for running down here earlier had been to use the Fine Iron Cage to lead Mai Xiongbo on a wild goose chase. That would have given them the chance to double back and make a clean getaway.
And just as he’d predicted, Mai Xiongbo had fallen for the trick, distracted by his Flying Locust Stone.
’A real shame!’
’If only this cage had been made of Profound Iron!’
’They wouldn’t have to be running for their lives. They could have just stood there and watched Mai Xiongbo fume.’
Though the material of the Fine Iron Cage was tough, it was only effective against Martial Arts Masters at the fourth or fifth layer of the Qi Blood realm.
Against an Inner Qi Master like Mai Xiongbo, its effectiveness was extremely limited.
Back in the duty room, Mai Xiongbo watched as Chen Ping’an and Mu Wanjun escaped right before his eyes. His own eyes burned with fury, and he was on the verge of going berserk.
’He’d actually been played!’
BANG!
Mai Xiongbo slammed his huge, pitch-black, fan-sized palm against the Fine Iron Cage. The straight, sturdy iron bars instantly bent into a mangled, twisted shape.
With another palm strike, Mai Xiongbo tore a massive opening in the seemingly indestructible Fine Iron Cage.
WHOOSH!
Mai Xiongbo’s figure shot out from the Fine Iron Cage, and he gave chase.
"I’ll kill you!"
Chen Ping’an and Mu Wanjun moved with incredible speed, quickly exiting the prison building into an open yard. Just a short distance ahead lay the main gate of the South City Prison.
"He’s catching up!"
Sensing the violent aura closing in from behind, Chen Ping’an risked a glance over his shoulder as he ran.
Mai Xiongbo was incredibly fast; in just a few moments, he had nearly closed the distance.
"We just have to get through the gate!"
Mu Wanjun had noticed it too.
The two ran at full tilt, finally bursting through the main gate just before Mai Xiongbo could reach them.
The South City Prison opened onto a street that was usually deserted due to the prison’s presence. A short distance away stood a few houses.
According to Chen Ping’an’s earlier senses, the masters from the Garrison Commandant’s Office’s Inner Qi Realm had been lying in ambush here.
But now, the courtyard walls of those houses had collapsed. The entire area was a ruin, as if something had plowed right through it.
In the distance, the sound of explosions echoed intermittently. Clearly, a massive battle was raging over there.
’Just as I thought!’
Chen Ping’an’s expression turned grim.
Mai Xiongbo hadn’t been bluffing. The Ten Thousand Demons Sect had indeed anticipated an ambush from the Garrison Commandant’s Office and had come with countermeasures prepared.
"Where do you think you can run now!?"
Seeing the two of them so close, Mai Xiongbo sneered.
’Did they think someone would be waiting to rescue them just because they got outside? That they could escape with their lives? How naive!’
Mu Wanjun’s face fell as she watched Mai Xiongbo draw closer.
"Ping’an, I’ll hold him off! You go!"
Mu Wanjun was in terrible shape. She had been seriously wounded in a sneak attack, fought in several consecutive battles, and was now suffering the aftereffects of a forbidden technique. While her Inner Qi was still surging from the technique a moment ago, it was now fading, and it was clear she couldn’t keep going much longer.
The words had barely left her lips when, after just a few more steps, her body trembled and she violently spat out a mouthful of blood.
PTHOO!
"My Lady, are you all right?"
Chen Ping’an quickly caught Mu Wanjun with one arm to steady her.
That brief delay was all Mai Xiongbo needed to get behind them.
"Time for you two brats to die!"
Mai Xiongbo leaped into the air, his palms descending upon them like two great, black boulders.
Chen Ping’an’s eyes narrowed, and he instinctively prepared to counter.
Mai Xiongbo was high in the air, his palms poised to come crashing down on them.
FWIP!
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air, accompanied by a cold glint of light.
Mai Xiongbo’s expression changed. Mid-air, he redirected his palms, slamming them toward the courtyard wall to his left. Using the reactive force, he executed an incredibly perilous mid-air dodge.
The streak of cold light had brushed right past his body.
BANG!
The cold light struck a distant wall, its immense power punching clean through it.
"Who’s there!"
Mai Xiongbo’s face was dark.
"Such audacity! Do you take the Outer City Garrison Command for a mere decoration?!"
A voice as loud as thunder boomed, and a middle-aged man appeared before them. He wore black Tough Clothing, with thick eyebrows and a dignified, square-jawed face.
The man wielded a long spear, his footwork shifting as he moved with incredible speed.
"It’s Lord Yan!"
Seeing the newcomer, Mu Wanjun’s face lit up with joy.
Yan Wu, Lord Yan!
The Vice Commander of the Outer City Garrison!
’With him here, we should be safe!’
Yan Wu carried several short spears on his back. Judging by the arrangement, one was missing from the center. The streak of cold light from a moment ago had clearly been one of those spears.
Yan Wu wielded his long spear, unleashing a flurry of thrusts at Mai Xiongbo, the weapon’s shadow a dancing blur.
Mai Xiongbo’s pitch-black palms moved in a blur, trying to fend off Yan Wu’s assault.
But after just a few moments, Mai Xiongbo’s expression turned grim.
"The Third Stage of Inner Qi!"
The brief exchange was enough for him to realize the gap between them.
The Third Stage of Inner Qi: Celestial Rain Falling on the Crown, Purification and Rejuvenation, opening the Celestial Gate. If the Second Stage of Inner Qi was merely about purifying one’s Inner Qi, then the Third Stage was where the Inner Qi began to undergo a qualitative transformation.
Every one of Yan Wu’s strikes was lethal; he wasn’t holding back in the slightest.
The disparity in their strength was immense. Mai Xiongbo only managed to last a few exchanges before leaving an opening. The long spear stabbed him directly in the arm, and blood began to flow freely.
"Damn it!"
Mai Xiongbo’s heart sank.
His massive, pitch-black palms desperately parried Yan Wu’s spear.
His famed skill at disarming opponents with his bare hands was useless under the spear’s oppressive reach. With his arm injured, he was forced even further onto the defensive.
A moment later, his chest was also struck by the spear.
Fortunately, Mai Xiongbo’s reactions were swift, and the blow didn’t strike a vital point.
"Yan Wu! Did you ask my permission before attacking a member of my Ten thousand Demons Sect?!"
A voice thick with Evil Qi suddenly cut in.
A moment later, an old man in black robes with graying hair and a beard appeared before them.
"Great Guardian!"
Seeing the newcomer, Mai Xiongbo’s face lit up with delight.
"Kuang Dahai!"
Chen Ping’an recognized the man at a glance. The reputation of Kuang Dahai, the Great Guardian of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, was widespread, and Chen Ping’an, who had made it a point to study his enemies, was all too familiar with him.
Kuang Dahai had already broken through to the Third Gate of the Inner Qi Realm thirteen years ago. By now, his Inner Qi Realm had likely reached a truly terrifying level.
BOOM!
Kuang Dahai charged into the fight between Yan Wu and Mai Xiongbo, forcing Yan Wu back with a slash of his Golden Ring Iron-Backed Saber.
"Mai Xiongbo, I’ll handle Yan Wu. You go kill those two brats!"
"Yes, Great Guardian."
Murderous intent filled Mai Xiongbo’s eyes as he turned to face Chen Ping’an and Mu Wanjun.
