Chapter 4, Earth Escape

The legendary sword immortals and various demons and monsters have all made their appearances, and their target is undoubtedly something in the hands of Su Zhen and his wife. However, apart from those from Biluo Mountain who dare to confront them directly, others have set their sights on Su Zhiyu, thus bringing upon themselves this unwarranted disaster.

Ding Yuan felt a growing anxiety in his heart, uncertain whether Su Zhen and his wife could fend off the people from Biluo Mountain, and whether they would be able to find their way here

No, it is not possible! This time, Sang Tugu responded decisively.

He originally wanted to curse at someone, but a mouthful of mud and sand suddenly poured into his mouth, leaving him gasping for breath for a long time. Over there, Su Zhiyu also fell silent, presumably experiencing the same.

Sang Tugu's eyes widened to their fullest as he laughed heartily and said, "I, I will fight you to the death!" The triangular prism on his head spun even faster, stirring up a fierce wind that blew Su Zhiyu and Ding Yuan aside.

Although his eyes could not see clearly, Ding Yuan understood that he had been pulled into the ground. But why, despite feeling a bit of difficulty in breathing, did he not feel faint? And how could that person possibly move through the earth?

Who knows that Su Zhiyu did not cry, nor did she leave. Instead, she wiped her eyes with her hand and softly said: "Brother Ding, although you are so fierce to me, I know you mean well. My father and mother taught me from a young age that one must not be ungrateful. You have become this way for my sake, how could I just leave without a word, disregarding your life or death?"

Sang Tugu's expression changed, and he exclaimed: "Geng Wuxing!"

"Then that is what you have brought upon yourself." Geng Wuxing confidently waved his folding fan, showing no signs of urgency, much like a cat toying with a mouse

Ding Yuan anxiously said, "Hurry up, or it will be too late!"

However, the affairs of the world often go against one's wishes. Suddenly, I heard Geng Wuxing let out a sharp cry, and the dark light of the Nine Nether Fan surged greatly. A terrifying cold wind swept through the earth temple, making it nearly impossible to stand firm.

Sang Tuguang regarded Geng Wuxing as if facing a formidable enemy, his gaze fixed intently upon him. Although he was technically a generation older than Geng Wuxing, in terms of strength, Geng Wuxing surpassed him.

Ding Yuan felt a stir in his heart, secretly thinking that the little girl could be excused, and that this Sangtu Gong did not seem to be a bad person. However, he merely hummed in response.

I think again: "If only I had the skills of a little girl back then, I would not have been bullied by Ba Laosan and his gang, and my mother would not have died at their hands. If I could learn such skills now, I could seek revenge on Ba Laosan. But who would be willing to take in a poor kid like me?"

Ding Yuan and Su Zhi Yu were indeed left dumbfounded, yet deep down they surprisingly hoped for Sang Tu Gong's victory. Especially Geng Wu Xing's indistinguishable demeanor between yin and yang was truly off-putting. In contrast, although Sang Tu Gong also had a somewhat peculiar appearance, he was still a decent person.

Although she is young and her skills are not fully developed, it is sufficient that she ensures her bottom does not touch the ground first

Su Zhiyu heard Sang Tugong admit that he was no match for her parents, and she couldn't help but feel pleased. She said, "Big bad guy, if you don't let me go soon, when my father comes, be careful or he will make your backside bloom with flowers!"

Ding Yuan deliberately mocked, "So it turns out you are such a coward that you rely on someone else's child to dare to challenge the Su Zhen couple."

Over there, Sang Tugu was also steadying himself, straining his almost nonexistent neck as he called out: "Kid, you’re not dead, are you?"

Upon hearing these words, Geng Wuxing's expression changed dramatically

Ding Yuan was pinned under the ribs by Sang Tugu, feeling as if he were trapped in an iron hoop, unable to move even a bit. All he could perceive was a pitch-black void in front of him, accompanied by the continuous sound of rustling all around.

The technique of the Three Earths and Soil Escape was broken, leaving only a direct confrontation. He knew that if he waited for Geng Wuxing's Nine Nether White Jade Fan to strike, he would have no chance of success. Therefore, he took the initiative, and with a sharp whistle, the dark, oily three-edged dart transformed into a beam of black light, piercing straight towards Geng Wuxing

At present, Geng Wuxing did not dare to be negligent; his figure swayed as he rose into the air, as if someone were suspending him with a rope, swaying unsteadily yet refusing to descend

Geng Wuxing is the youngest among the three major disciples of Chu Wangtian. Although his cultivation is the lowest, he is already capable of dominating among the heroes of Tianlu. Especially with the Jiuyou White Jade Fan in his hand, which is a direct inheritance from Chu Wangtian, its power should not be underestimated

Ding Yuan scoffed disdainfully: "Forget it, just you? Hiding under someone else's bed and taking their daughter while the adults are away, what is this?"

Ding Yuan found his appearance amusing and felt that although this fellow was a bit straightforward, he was not entirely a bad person. If he could find a way to move him, perhaps he could save Su Zhiyu.

In fact, he could completely disregard Ding Yuan's life and death. It was only because he could not ascertain which child belonged to Su Zhen and his wife that he captured both of them at the inn. Now that the situation is clear, he could easily escape with only Su Zhi Yu. However, San Tu Gong is stubborn; since he has captured both, he insists on taking both with him to escape.

Ding Yuan thought to himself: "Although this little girl is not very big, her heart is quite good. I hope she can remain this way when she grows up"

Ding Yuan gritted his teeth and endured the pain, saying: "The person they want to capture is you; I will be fine."

"Sang Tugu, put that child down, and I can spare your life. After all, your years of cultivation have not been easy!" Geng Wuxing said leisurely, as if he had already determined that Sang Tugu was not his opponent.

At this moment, the situation on the field changed again. Sang Tugu saw that the three-edged dart could not overcome the enemy, so he simply withdrew it.

Yet, amidst the eerie and mournful wails, the nine beautiful women on the fan unexpectedly soared into the sky, forming a grand array of nine curves in midair. Some embraced pipa, while others danced with flowing ribbons, each exhibiting distinct forms. Their figures floated as if they were phantoms, emanating a chilling and sinister aura of death.

Without waiting for Ding Yuan and Su Zhi Yu to speak, Sang Tu Gong picked them up with one hand each, a flash of yellow light enveloped him, and he muttered incantations as he burrowed into the ground

These nine women were originally the wronged souls from a century ago, who were refined by Chu Wangtian using the Nine Nether Yin Fire and contained within a fan. Once the true incantation is invoked, releasing their souls would be akin to unleashing nine malevolent spirits into the world

The statue of the wild cat, which was only stepped on by its tail, jumped high and exclaimed: "Who, who said I, no, no, cannot speak? Oh!"

Ding Yuan felt even more distressed, thinking to himself: "Even this little girl is more capable than I am. How ridiculous that I still had the audacity to assure Su Zhen and his wife that I would protect their daughter. In reality, I am truly a useless person."

The folding fan in his hand conjured a swirling black vortex, enveloping the flying stones aimed at him, continuously spinning around his body.

In terms of age, Geng Wuxing appears to be only in his thirties; however, for practitioners, one cannot rely solely on appearance to estimate age. In fact, Geng Wuxing is already over a hundred years old, belonging to the same generation as Su Zhen.

Sang Tuguong did not respond either, and a faint golden glow on his face grew increasingly intense. Beads of sweat, the size of mung beans, dripped down from his forehead, and he kept murmuring something.

After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Ding Yuan's eyes brightened, and he suddenly felt much more at ease with his breathing, only to be released by someone and thrown to the ground.

Su Zhiyu pouted her lips and retorted, "Is it really impressive to burrow like a mouse? If my father were here, even if you dug into the ground, he would still be able to drag you out."

Sang Tugu laughed and said: "Yes, with you in my hands, I am not afraid!"

Geng Wuxing inherited the teachings of his master and devoted nearly sixty years to arduous training with the Nine Nether Fan, ultimately achieving the highest realm of the Nine Fiends' simultaneous emergence. Unexpectedly, the first opponent he faced was not a distinguished disciple from a renowned sect, but rather Sang Tugu.

Geng Wuxing sensed that something was amiss and asked in surprise, "Sang Tugu, what are you trying to do?"

I want to take care of you! Su Zhiyu's refusal this time was even more decisive

The triangular prism seemed to encounter immense resistance, trembling continuously in the air; although it did not retreat, it was also unable to move forward.

Ding Yuan's body was thrown to the ground, and the wounds that had been healed by the Wuyou Dan nearly reopened, causing him to break out in a cold sweat from the pain. However, he gritted his teeth and remained silent, listening to Sang Tugu's threats against Su Zhiyu, and instead laughed, saying: "You can't even speak clearly, yet you dare to come out and mix with us?"

A bottomless chasm opened up with a resounding sound at the point where the triangular shuttle was inserted, its width exceeding ten feet. The trench extended like lightning beneath Geng Wuxing's feet, and countless chaotic stones shot into the air from the裂开的地缝, creating an extraordinarily shocking spectacle

As Ding Yuan's body had just sunk to the ground, he suddenly heard a muffled "boom" in his ears. A flash of green light pierced his eyes painfully, and he was thrown back to the ground by a tremendous force

His right hand held a white jade folding fan, which he was gently waving. On the fan were painted nine extraordinarily enchanting women, their expressions alluring yet imbued with an eerie aura.

What will you do, Brother Ding

Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu both widened their eyes, gazing at the nine beautiful women floating in mid-air, unaware of the significance behind it.

Geng Wuxing, adorned in a flamboyant outfit that dazzles in the night, appears strikingly eye-catching. His features are quite handsome, but unfortunately, he exudes an excessive charm, radiating a fragrance even more intense than that of a woman.

As soon as he loosened his grip, Su Zhiyu exclaimed, "You bad guy, let go of me quickly, or I will call my father to come and spank you!" It seemed that in her mind, spanking was the most cruel punishment in the world.

At this moment, a loud roar came from Sangtu Gong, for his three-edged dart was spinning in the air, blown by the sinister wind, and it seemed he could no longer withstand it.

Unexpectedly, in a moment of distraction, my hand was bitten hard by Su Zhi and Tu Shu Yu with their little mouths

Living like this, without any desires, is actually of no attachment to Ding Yuan. He merely exists for the sake of existing

Sang Tugong's expression changed dramatically, as he never expected that Geng Wuxing had actually mastered the Nine Fiends' simultaneous emergence. The nine female ghostly souls did not rush to attack Sang Tugong, but instead danced gracefully around him, wailing and singing.

Ding Yuan could only smile bitterly in his heart; faced with such a self-indulgent little girl, he had no choice but to concede defeat.

Although this is already a deserted land temple ten miles outside the city, and there are no households nearby, if such commotion were to reach the ears of others in the same profession, it would surely bring great trouble upon oneself

In just this brief encounter, the superiority of one over the other has already become evident

Ding Yuan did not expect that this little girl would suddenly become so stubborn. In the dim light of the night, he saw her delicate little face, and his heart couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. He thought to himself: "Her parents are legendary figures of the sword, and she is destined to become a girl as divine as a fairy. What am I? I do not know who my father is, nor do I know if my mother is truly dead. In the eyes of others, I am merely a little rogue." I do not know who my father is, nor do I know if my mother is truly dead. In the eyes of others, I am merely a little rogue.

Su Zhiyu hesitated and said, "But I can't just leave you here alone"

Sang Tuguang's face turned even redder, yet he could not utter a word. Although he was eccentric, he would never speak insincerely. Ding Yuan, despite being less than one-tenth of Sang Tuguang's age, was sharp-tongued and had the upper hand in reason, forcing the other party into silence.

Sang Tugu said, after a long pause, in a low voice: "I cannot defeat him, nor them!"

Sang Tuguo, helpless, covered Su Zhiyu's small mouth with his chubby hand and threatened, "If you cry again, I, I will kill you!"

Sang Tuguang gritted his teeth and said: "Alright, you Geng Wuxing, you have summoned the Nine Fiends all at once, I will also fight you to the death, with this old life!" In his hand, the three-edged dart suddenly flew up, spinning continuously in the air, eventually forming a dark shadow.

After Geng Wuxing broke the Earth-Splitting Blade, although he was uninjured and in no pain, the image he had of himself as exceptionally suave and dashing appeared somewhat disheveled.

The chaotic stones surrounding him suddenly scattered with a loud crash, flying everywhere. One piece narrowly landed on Ding Yuan's head, but was deftly flicked away by Su Zhiyu with her small hand

Geng Wuxing, feeling particularly pleased, spoke in a voice that was difficult to distinguish between yin and yang: "Sang Tugu, you still have time to leave now. I have always been benevolent; if you were to encounter my two senior brothers, I fear they would have already become corpses by now"

Sang Tugu held the triangular shuttle firmly in both hands and shouted, "Two—children, step aside!"

After traversing underground for a long time, it takes a while to adjust upon emerging. Fortunately, it is still night outside, and by the faint light of the moon, one can barely discern a dark and shadowy earth temple.

Sang Tuguo gasped for breath and stammered, "Little, little dog, do not be so reckless, so reckless! Today, today, your grandpa will fight you to the end!" As soon as he finished speaking, the three-edged dart was suddenly thrust into the ground, penetrating a full three feet deep, with the dark, oily sheen on the dart shaft shimmering and vibrating wildly.

Geng Wuxing dared not wait any longer, his fan creating a flurry of white shadows in his hand, while he emitted a sharp cry akin to that of a drawing. The nine women in the air responded to the sound, all rushing towards Sang Tugu.

These three characters are pronounced quickly yet clearly, indicating his considerable apprehension towards the visitor

Su Zhiyu let out a startled cry, and as soon as her feet hit the ground, disregarding the presence of any villains, she rushed to Ding Yuan's side and called out: "Brother Ding, are you alright?"

"Cleverly taking advantage?" Ding Yuan snorted, "Your method is utterly foolish. Even if you temporarily threaten Su Zhen and his wife, when they come to reclaim their child, they will come back to settle the score with you, and you will be doomed just the same"

Filled with both sorrow and anger, I pushed Su Zhiyu away with all my strength and said: "Get lost, I never want to see you again. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have fallen to this state!"

Sangtu Gong urgently said: "You, what do you know, child? What I am doing is called clever strategy!"

However, the debris ejected from the underground seemed endless, continuing for a full half-tea time without diminishing. The stones swirling around Geng Wuxing increased in number, until they nearly enveloped his entire body.

Although Sang Tugu is ranked among the Nine Demons of Tianlu, he is renowned for his earth escape technique rather than his true martial skills

"Father, Mother, come save me!" Su Zhiyu suddenly cried out, startling Ding Yuan, while it took Sang Tu Gong by surprise.

In just half a night, Ding Yuan has witnessed an astonishing number of incredible events, perhaps more than many people encounter in a lifetime.

Little did he know that Su Zhiyu cried even louder. He naturally did not understand that Su Zhiyu had been pampered since childhood. Occasionally, when she was too mischievous and was scolded by her parents, as long as she started to cry, everything would surely turn out well. Tonight, having faced danger repeatedly, how could she not use her skills!

Over there, Geng Wuxing remains leisurely, still swaying his folding fan at a relaxed pace

Geng Wuxing remained completely still, merely shaking the folding fan in his hand vigorously. A dark, ominous wind surged forth from the fan's surface, suddenly rushing towards the triangular dart.

He exclaimed in a low voice: "No, do not cry!"

The Sangtu Axiom also ignored it, growling softly: "Sangtu!"

He hails from the Forgetting Emotion Palace at the Tianfeng Mountain in the northern border of Tianlu. His master, Chu Wangtian, is a top expert in the demonic sect today, having once been ranked among the ten greatest masters of the demonic path alongside Su Zhen and others a century ago. Under his guidance, the Forgetting Emotion Palace has now become one of the three major sects of the demonic path, its momentum so formidable that even the seven major sword sects of the righteous path take notice.

Sang Tugu clearly had great confidence in his earth escape technique, and upon hearing this, he retorted: "What a boast!"

The words of a child are the truest; how could your meager skills possibly rival those of Su Zhen? In the earth temple, another voice emerged, sounding infinitely charming, yet it came from a man's throat. "I advise you to hand the person over to me, Sang Tugu."

Over there, Su Zhiyu did not concern herself with so much; she gently asked, "Brother Ding, did you hurt anywhere from the fall?" Her small hands reached out to help Ding Yuan up.

He retorted without yielding: "I can't see why, at your age, you are still engaging in petty theft and dishonorable acts."

He is lost in thought here, while on the other side, Sangtu Gong is facing a life-and-death crisis

At this moment, Ding Yuan was not actually afraid; however, upon considering that the person who had captured both himself and Su Zhiyu was undoubtedly targeting the Su couple, he felt a sense of responsibility. If anything were to happen to Su Zhiyu, he would be failing in his duty. With his mind racing, he could not help but entertain thoughts of escaping.

Geng Wuxing laughed and said, "Sang Tugu, are you performing acrobatics?"

For decades, he has commanded respect and fear, with figures from both the righteous and demonic paths keeping their distance from him. When has he ever endured such humiliation? In a fit of rage and embarrassment, he recited a true incantation, channeling all his strength, and unleashed the ultimate technique of his sect, "Nine Nether Demonic Sorcery"

Sang Tuguang, holding Su Zhiyu like one would hold a chick, turned to Ding Yuan and chuckled, "Look, who would have thought that at such a young age, you still have quite a sense of loyalty."

At this moment, Sang Tugu was unable to protect himself, and his grip loosened. Ding Yuan and Su Zhiyu rolled in mid-air for a few circles, but Su Zhiyu quickly stabilized her position and lightly landed on the ground. It turned out that in her moment of urgency, she had employed the "Water and Sky in One" technique taught by her mother.

Ding Yuan was taken aback, fearing that Sang Tugu would take out his anger on Su Zhiyu, so he spoke loudly: "Do not bully the little girl, if you have the guts, come at me!"

The earth-splitting knife! With a loud bang, sand and stones flew up from the ground, and the earth temple shook several times.

Su Zhiyu was taken aback, her large eyes glistening with tears, on the verge of crying again. Ding Yuan truly could not understand where all her tears were coming from, and at that moment, he chose to ignore her.

In my ears, I could hear the triumphant "giggle" of Geng Wuxing saying: "I told you, you cannot escape, Sang Tugu.

How could Sang Tugu be willing to accept this? He gritted his teeth and said: "I, I absolutely will not!"

Sang Tugu heard Ding Yuan's hum and felt relieved, not knowing why he was quite fond of these two children. Perhaps it was due to years of seclusion that left him very lonely; having these two fearless little ones to banter with brought him some joy

Ding Yuan suffered greatly as he fell heavily to the ground, his limbs sprawled in the air, nearly losing consciousness from the pain. Had it not been for the true energy generated by the Wuyou Pill within him protecting him, this fall would have cost him half of his life.

Sang Tugu's round face flushed bright red, and with his almost nonexistent neck, he declared: "I, Sang Tugu, have lived for over 150 years, have killed people, set fires, but have never engaged in petty theft or dishonorable acts!" In his moment of urgency, he managed to articulate this lengthy statement quite fluently.

Ding Yuan looked up at Sang Tu Gong. Although the other party could take his life with just a finger, so what? After all, he was a worthless life, with no relatives left in this world. Even if he died, Tian Lu would merely lose an unnamed petty thug.

I, I will make them—take an oath, the next one, a poisonous vow, said Sang Tugu, speaking with great difficulty, and those listening found it even harder: "Su Zhen—he has always been one to keep his word, I—I am not afraid of him going back on it! Moreover—besides, I, I just need to—burrow into the ground, and he won't be able to do anything to me."

Although Sang Tugu is somewhat dull, he is also quite stubborn; once he has made up his mind about something, not even an ox can pull him away from it

Ding Yuan, on the contrary, was no longer anxious. He spoke slowly, "If you truly have the courage, why not send the little girl back? When her parents return, we can have a real fight with real weapons."

Ding Yuan felt intense pain all over his body and could hardly move. He shouted, "Don't worry about me, quickly take advantage of the fight between these two and escape. Go outside the city to find your parents."

Who would shed a tear for oneself? What is the good in living? Ding Yuan did not know. Ever since he lost his mother, he has wandered the streets, experiencing all kinds of hardships, and has never truly been happy for a single day.

Why?