C44 One Died and the Other Escaped

Upon hearing Qin Buyi's words, Woo Qiankun's escape hastened, his speed tripling in an instant.

As Qin Buyi pursued, he glanced at the Azure Dragon beside him and asked with a hint of confusion, "What did you do to him?"

With an innocent look, the Azure Dragon replied, "Master, I really didn't do anything."

"Didn't do anything? Then why does he look at you as if he's seen a ghost?" pressed Qin Buyi.

The Azure Dragon offered an explanation, "Perhaps it's because his time is running short."

Qin Buyi, puzzled, echoed, "His time is running short?"

No sooner had he spoken than he witnessed Woo Qiankun's form rapidly aging.

In mere moments, Woo Qiankun appeared withered, his face gaunt, the very image of a man on death's doorstep.

Woo Qiankun, casting a fearful glance at the Azure Dragon gaining on him, exclaimed, "I never imagined such a sinister art existed in the world, one that could drain a person's lifespan. You, wicked dragon."

His mind raced back to the events in the dark space, and he couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.

The oppressive feeling in the dark space intensified, but he was initially able to counter it with his Spiritual Energy, thanks to the abundance of Spirit Stones in his storage ring.

Yet, Woo Qiankun soon sensed something terribly wrong. His body became increasingly sluggish, and his cultivation level steadily waned.

By the time he fully grasped the situation, his life force had been sapped nearly dry, leaving behind a mere husk.

Destined for a two-thousand-year lifespan at the Void Refining Stage, Woo Qiankun was not even a millennium old, but now he felt the shadow of death looming over him.

How could he not be terrified? The thought of lingering in that eerie dark space was unbearable.

Having detonated all four swords of the Immortal Killing Sword Array, Woo Qiankun spotted a sliver of opportunity and made his escape.

Emerging into the outside world, he was immediately confronted by the sight of Qin Buyi and the vanished Zhang Feng.

Only a fool would linger in such a perilous moment, especially when faced with the joint assault of Qin Buyi and the Azure Dragon. Wu Qiankun knew better than to confront them directly.

"Killing Swordsmanship: Soul Dispersing!"

The chilling voice of Qin Buyi, like that of the Grim Reaper himself, echoed from behind.

In a frantic turn, Woo Qiankun caught sight of a palm-sized, golden Killing Saber hurtling toward him.

He recognized the technique—it was the same one Qin Buyi had unleashed on Zhang Feng.

Woo Qiankun dared not meet the blade's edge.

With a bite to his tongue and the burning of his lifeblood, his speed surged, propelling him forward in a desperate escape.

Qin Buyi, catching the scent of blood in the air, saw Woo Qiankun's speed explode.

As the distance between them grew, Qin Buyi reluctantly halted, taunting, "Do all of you from the Kunlun Secret Realm have the heart of a rabbit, knowing only how to flee?"

Hearing the mockery, Woo Qiankun fought back the impulse to stop and slay Qin Buyi, instead pressing on in his flight.

His life force, already waning, ebbed further with the burning of his blood essence.

Woo Qiankun grimly calculated that even if he survived this chase, he might only have a year or two left to live, perhaps even less.

Azure, the Azure Dragon, noticing Qin Buyi's flight speed couldn't keep up with the rapidly accelerating Woo Qiankun, circled back to Qin Buyi's side.

With a nudge of its head, it hoisted Qin Buyi onto its crown and pursued Woo Qiankun.

Woo Qiankun, fleeing into the distance, couldn't resist glancing back when he sensed no pursuit.

To his horror, he saw the hundreds-of-meters-long Azure Dragon closing in at a breakneck pace.

Atop the dragon's head, Qin Buyi gripped a saber radiating with a frosty gleam, his gaze locked on Woo Qiankun with lethal intent.

"Damn it! What kind of beast is this? Even dragons can't be this outrageous!"

"And since when are dragons so humble, willingly allowing a human to stand atop their skulls?"

Woo Qiankun's mind was a whirlwind of confusion—he couldn't fathom what was unfolding.

Emerging from the Kunlun Secret Realm, he had been confident that taking down Qin Buyi would be a walk in the park. Yet, with time slipping by, the unfolding events strayed further and further from his expectations.

Initially, Qin Buyi, then at the late stage of the Defication Realm, had slain the Martial Marquis right before his eyes. Next, he advanced in a manner utterly incomprehensible to him.

In a mere moment, Qin Buyi had broken through to the early period of Void Refining. Following this breakthrough, he wielded Divine Consciousness to fatally strike Zhang Feng, whose sea of consciousness had been compromised.

Upon noticing Qin Buyi unarmed, he thought to seize an easy victory, but to his astonishment, Qin Buyi summoned forth an actual dragon...

As Woo Qiankun's mind raced with frantic thoughts, a dragon's cry pierced the air beside him. The Azure Dragon glided effortlessly alongside him, matching his pace.

A chill ran down Woo Qiankun's spine, prompting him to veer off in a new direction, yet within seconds, the Azure Dragon was by his side once more.

Qin Buyi, observing the Azure Dragon's delight, offered no interference. To him, Woo Qiankun was as good as dead; it was merely a question of sooner or later.

Time and again, Woo Qiankun changed course, but the outcome remained unchanged, with Qin Buyi and the dragon toying with him as if he were a mouse.

Desperation crept into Woo Qiankun's voice as he pondered, "Is this where I meet my end?"

Qin Buyi, perched atop the dragon's head, gazed at the stationary Woo Qiankun and inquired, puzzled, "Why have you stopped running?"

With a disdainful "Humph!" Woo Qiankun retorted, his voice tinged with madness, "You're after my life, aren't you? Well, come and claim it. Even in death, I intend to take you down with me."

Qin Buyi regarded Woo Qiankun's defiance and simply uttered, "Fool."

Turning to the Azure Dragon, he remarked with a hint of amusement, "It seems you've frightened him."

Hearing this, the Azure Dragon flashed its pearly whites and responded, "Master, once I devour him, he'll have no more fears to trouble him."

Woo Qiankun glared at the Azure Dragon and the man before him, his words dripping with sarcasm. A wave of sorrow and rage washed over him in an instant.

He charged at Qin Buyi, bellowing, "If we're going to die, we'll die together. I'll see you on the journey to the afterlife."

"Master, this is bad—he's about to self-destruct," warned the Azure Dragon.

At that moment, evasion was futile for the Azure Dragon; they were simply too close.

Especially since Woo Qiankun was hell-bent on a mutual demise, escape was not an option.

A surge of spiritual energy emanated from Woo Qiankun, culminating in a thunderous explosion.

"Boom!"

Caught off guard, Qin Buyi had no choice but to brace for the impact.

In the aftermath of the blast, Qin Buyi's clothing was torn to ribbons.

"Pfft!"

He coughed up a copious amount of blood.

"Master, are you okay?" came the Azure Dragon's voice, laced with concern, from within Qin Buyi's embrace.

In the heat of the moment, Qin Buyi had no time to consider the Azure Dragon's wishes and swiftly secured him in the System Pet Space.

Once the dust settled from the explosion, he released the Azure Dragon.

"I'm still alive, but that was a close call," Qin Buyi remarked, just before his form wavered and he collapsed into unconsciousness...

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