The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

Yun Chenglai's cultivation was already above Fang Hao's. On top of that, his cultivation techniques were wind-based. When he moved, a phantom of a white tiger loomed faintly behind him, granting him even greater speed than Fang Hao.

"You can't escape!"

Yun Chenglai's voice rang from behind—sharp and murderous.

Though he didn't know exactly what Fang Hao had gained from the immortal's relic, he was certain: no one walks out of such a place empty-handed.

Fang Hao also knew that, at this rate, he'd be overtaken soon.

"Looks like I have no choice..."

With a pained expression and aching heart, Fang Hao pulled out a puppet.

Back during the Hundred City War, Fang Hao had found a trove of armored puppets—wielding blades and clad in black steel. Among them, the black-armored puppets were at the Fusion Realm level, numbering in the hundreds. But there was one golden-armored puppet with Saint-level strength.

While it wasn't truly equal to a proper True Saint expert, it could stall one for a short while.

Under different circumstances, Fang Hao wouldn't have used this card so lightly. Once revealed, it would no longer be effective if he faced these two again in the future.

"Hiss!"

As the golden puppet appeared, it swung its blade at Yun Chenglai.

Yun Chenglai was slightly taken aback.

"A puppet at the Saint level?"

While puppets lacked the divine arts and versatile means of real cultivators, their bodies were extremely tough—comparable to physical body cultivators of the same level. Even True Saints had to take them seriously.

"I'll handle this thing. You keep chasing!"

Fairy Qingyu called out.

Yun Chenglai nodded, sidestepping the puppet and continuing his pursuit.

Fairy Qingyu, cautious of the puppet's might, didn't dare to be careless—handling it with vigilance to avoid a blunder.

"He's only at Fusion Realm Ninth Layer, yet already this hard to kill. If he were True Saint Fourth Layer like me, he'd be terrifying…"

Yun Chenglai watched as Fang Hao used yet another trump card and realized—he couldn't afford to stall any longer. If Fang Hao had more tricks or drew outside interference, things would spiral.

"Die!"

Yun Chenglai's expression turned grim as he pulled out a battle flag. Gripping it with both hands, he whipped it with full force.

A ring of windstorms instantly surrounded Fang Hao. The sheer gale slowed him dramatically, even blurring his vision.

"Whoosh!"

"Slash…"

Fang Hao hadn't even seen the attacks before razor-sharp wind blades tore through his clothes.

Were it not for his Primordial Desolate Sacred Body, he'd already be covered in cuts.

"Star-Cleaving Slash!"

Fang Hao slashed again, forcing open a path through the storm.

But he had barely flown 1,000 feet before he was surrounded once more by new cyclones.

"Pffft!!"

Another wind blade sliced across his lower leg—and even with his sacred body, blood burst forth.

"Moonlight Severance!"

Fang Hao activated his most powerful technique—one that consumed a massive amount of energy and was typically reserved for the Saint realm. Fang Ting had once used this blade art at the True Saint level.

Fang Hao, at the Fusion Realm stage, could barely use it. His true essence was drained near empty the moment the technique was cast.

But the effect was powerful.

The raging wind domain was cleaved apart, revealing blue skies and sunlight.

Fang Hao transformed into a streak of light and escaped the storm's grip.

Fortunately, the golden puppet was still holding Fairy Qingyu back. Had she been present, this narrow escape would've been impossible.

Yun Chenglai roared with fury as he watched Fang Hao shatter his trap and escape again.

"Damn it! I'll kill you today if it's the last thing I do!"

As he stowed his treasure away, Fairy Qingyu also caught up—her expression cold. Though the golden puppet had been tricky, she was still a True Saint Fourth Layer genius. She had overcome it with effort and time.

"How was it?" Yun Chenglai asked.

"Nothing serious. Just took more effort than I expected."

"Doesn't matter. Once he's dead, it'll all be worth it."

The two exchanged only a few words before resuming their pursuit—with vengeance burning in their eyes.

At this point, Fang Hao's true essence was nearly depleted from unleashing a Saint-level technique.

He frantically popped top-grade spirit stones and pills, trying to recover strength even as he ran—and plotted a way to escape.

Truthfully, Fang Hao could have just used the double-portal gate to return to the Fang Clan. But that was his greatest secret. Unless he had no other choice, he wouldn't reveal it.

So the chase continued—mile after mile—until they'd covered another 6.2 million miles across the battlefield.

"This bastard runs like a damn beast!"

Yun Chenglai cursed and downed pills while flying.

He had crushed many Fusion Realm cultivators in the past—most died in a single move. Fang Hao was a rare exception, able to flee this long while holding his own.

Normally, those below the Saint realm had no chance against True Saints.

"Huh?"

As Fang Hao ran, healing in one hand and restoring true essence with the other, he sensed residual spiritual force from a nearby mountain valley. There were also several active restrictions.

This place was likely the site of a strong cultivator's relic—possibly a Saint or even an Emperor-level relic.

"If I can't outrun or outfight them, I need chaos—somewhere with more people."

Without hesitation, Fang Hao dove down into the valley.

Yun Chenglai's eyes lit up.

"He's finally out of gas!"

"Kill," Fairy Qingyu said coldly—her once-gentle features now hard as ice.

Fang Hao entered the valley and quickly found a restriction that had already been broken by others.

Without a pause, he stepped in.

At the mouth of the restriction, Yun Chenglai and Fairy Qingyu paused and looked at each other.

"He really just ran in without checking what's inside?"

Fairy Qingyu asked.

"Should we wait here or follow?" Yun Chenglai frowned.

"If this relic has multiple exits, we might never find him again even when the battlefield closes."

Fairy Qingyu gritted her teeth.

"Then we go in. If he dares risk it, why shouldn't we?"

They could not allow a Fusion Realm cultivator to escape them—that was a humiliation neither would accept.

"Alright."

With that, they followed him in.