Immortals Step into Heaven

Liu Qingyun seized this fleeting opportunity, exerting his last ounce of spiritual energy and shouting, "Break!" The spiritual energy vortex above his head instantly accelerated, and the force of the thunder tribulation, like a peerless blade, fiercely penetrated the gap in the masked man's defense. With a loud "bang", the masked man's shield was completely shattered, and the power of the thunder tribulation continued to bombard the three of them.

Two early-stage Jindan cultivators were sent flying by this powerful force, spitting blood and suffering severe injuries. Although the masked leader managed to partially withstand the thunder's force, he was also thrown back repeatedly, his spiritual energy in chaos. After unleashing his spell, Liu Qingyun could no longer sustain his strength, his body teetering on the brink of collapse. But he remained fixed on the masked leader, bracing himself for any possible counterattack.

Liu Qingyun and several Foundation Establishment cultivators exchanged glances, reaching a tacit understanding. They began directing the battle, attempting to draw the enemy away from the flying boat and prevent further casualties. The masked leader seemed to see through their intentions, but did not intervene. He knew that if Liu Qingyun was killed, the rest would be easily resolved.

Xiao Yuan stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his gaze as resolute as a hawk's as he concentrated on using his spiritual techniques to control the craft. Like an arrow shot from a bow, the boat hurtled through the clouds, tearing them apart and surging to either side. In a flash, he had escaped dozens of miles. Yet, his incredibly sharp consciousness still clearly sensed the powerful auras clinging to him from behind, as several Foundation Establishment cultivators followed him like shadows, unwilling to miss a single opportunity.

Xiao Yuan turned around slowly, his posture still steady, his clothes rustling in the strong wind, like a god of war descending. His deep gaze slowly swept over the disciples on the flying boat who were showing panic. Zheng Yuan's eyes were full of tension and helplessness, and Liu Pingping's face was as pale as the first snow in winter, and her body trembled slightly involuntarily. Xiao Yuan's voice was low and powerful, like a huge bell, and every word was reassuring and steady: "I will stop the flying boat later, and you will all flee separately. Don't gather together. Don't look at the fact that the enemy is strong and we are weak at the moment. As long as you can seize the opportunity, there will definitely be hope of escape. I will personally stop the pursuing foundation-building cultivators. Even if I have to use up all my cultivation, I will definitely buy you precious time."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yuan's spiritual energy instantly surged, like a surging tide, forming a dazzling aura across his body. His already resolute features now took on an even more heroic look. His sword-like brows slanted into his temples, and his eyes gleamed with a cold glint, revealing the courage of a single man standing against a thousand. His hands formed seals swiftly and methodically, forming complex and profound hand seals, each imbued with immense power. With a gentle stomp of his foot, the flying boat slowed down and came to a steady stop. Xiao Yuan took a single step forward, like a dragon emerging from the sea, hovering steadily in front of the boat, facing the oncoming enemy alone. His tall and imposing figure, like an insurmountable mountain, became the final, solid barrier in the hearts of Zheng Yuan and his fellow disciples.

Xiao Yuan stood proudly in the void in front of the flying boat, quietly waiting for the Foundation Establishment cultivators to pursue him. Soon, several beams of light, carrying powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, rushed towards him. The leading Foundation Establishment cultivator had a gloomy expression, his eyes filled with coldness and mockery, as if he were looking at a lamb to be slaughtered.

"Hmph, you're trying to escape? Today is your day of death!" The Foundation Establishment cultivator snorted coldly and attacked first. He waved his hands, and a black spiritual python roared out, claws and fangs bared, lunging towards Xiao Yuan. Space distorted wherever it passed. Xiao Yuan remained unfazed. He roared fiercely, and the spiritual energy within him surged out like a volcanic eruption, gathering in his arms. He then thrust his palms forward. A blazing white spiritual shield instantly formed. The black python slammed into the shield with a deafening roar. The spiritual snake and the shield clashed, sending up dazzling spiritual sparks. The surrounding air was roiled by this powerful force, rolling like surging waves.

Seeing this, the other Foundation Establishment cultivators cast spells to join the fray. Suddenly, a cascade of magical light, a riot of colors, mingled. Blue cones of ice shot towards Xiao Yuan like a volley of arrows, each gleaming with a chilling light that seemed capable of freezing everything. Green vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping around Xiao Yuan's legs like nimble tentacles, attempting to bind him. And red fireballs, each as blazing as a miniature sun, rolled in with a destructive aura. Xiao Yuan's form shimmered, moving like a ghost through the dense onslaught of spells. He dodged the ice cones, leaped high to avoid the vines, and clapped his hands with spiritual energy to repel the fireballs.

Xiao Yuan spotted an opening and rushed towards a Foundation Establishment cultivator with lightning speed. In his hand, a longsword radiating blue light appeared, its blade shimmering with runes. He unleashed exquisite swordsmanship, a continuous flow of strikes, each one imbued with a fierce energy, as he attacked the cultivator like a violent storm. The cultivator panicked and frantically waved his magical weapon to block the blows, but was forced back repeatedly by Xiao Yuan's sword energy.

In this perilous moment, Xu Wen led dozens of others, scrambling out of the flying boat in panic. Like frightened birds, they dashed for their lives. Zheng Yuan's gaze swept over Liu Pingping, Tang Shisan, and other senior brothers and sisters, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "Seniors, take care of yourselves in this situation." Everyone looked at each other, and for a moment, a sense of helplessness and desolation filled the air. They all knew that fleeing together at this moment would be too obvious a target, and the risks were like a heavy mountain, suffocating them. So, they could only flee in silence, each in their own direction, as if every choice was a cruel draw of fate, and whether they could survive in this desperate situation depended entirely on the elusive power of luck.

Zheng Yuan's heart pounded like thunder, his mind racing with a single thought: how to escape. The enemy's overwhelming strength hung heavy over him like a thick, dark cloud. He knew that, given the disparity between his own forces and the enemy, any hope of victory in a head-on confrontation was a pipe dream. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that after this seemingly peaceful escape, a raging horde of ferocious pursuers would not suddenly descend, crushing their last hopes. In this crucial moment, Zheng Yuan gritted his teeth and unleashed his Earth Escape Technique. He swiftly sank into the ground, hurtling towards Yunshan Market, leaving behind only a faintly trembling patch of earth, as if telling the story of his terrifying escape.