C116 Chase

"Are you out of your mind? When did I ever enter combat mode? Does that even count?"

Ning Qi internally railed with frustration.

Without hesitation, Ning Qi leapt onto Purple's back.

"Let's go! And make it fast!"

Purple sensed the murderous aura emanating from Qiu Wanli and, summoning all its strength, transformed into a streak of lightning, darting into the distance.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Qiu Wanli bellowed in rage. He hadn't anticipated Ning Qi would flee without exchanging pleasantries. Recalling the nearly half a year he'd spent in Tianfeng Forest searching for Ning Qi, his fury spiraled into madness.

"If I catch you, I'll make you wish for death!"

As a Peak Battle King, his speed was formidable, and he relentlessly pursued Ning Qi.

Huangfu Fei was at a clear disadvantage. He hadn't been flying long before he lost sight of Qiu Wanli and Ning Qi. If not for the spatial Battle Weapon in Ning Qi's possession, he would've seized the chance to flee back to Jing City. The prolonged exposure to Qiu Wanli's unpredictable moods had left him utterly drained. Qiu Wanli was a volatile and dangerous man.

A Peak Grand Battle Master, a Fifth Rank Demon Beast, a Peak Battle King, and a Three Star Battle King—all were part of an intense chase unfolding in the skies over Tianfeng Forest.

"Look, it's the Purple Lightning Bird! And there's someone on its back!"

"Anyone with a Purple Lightning Bird as a demonic pet has to be at least a Battle King, if not Battle Emperor Level."

Below in Tianfeng Forest, several Battle Spirits looked up in awe.

"It looks like the guy on the Purple Lightning Bird is being chased."

"Is that a Peak Battle King behind him?"

They watched as Qiu Wanli tore through the sky, followed shortly by Huangfu Fei.

"Kid, stop running. There's no escape for you."

Seeing the Purple Lightning Bird slow down slightly, Qiu Wanli couldn't help but laugh triumphantly.

Ning Qi glanced back and retorted, "What are you, a dog? Why won't you stop chasing me?"

Qiu Wanli's rage exploded, "You little wretch, soon you'll be crying and begging for me to end your life!"

Ning Qi burst into laughter. "Catch me first, then we can talk. Oh, and Qiu Baishou—what's he to you?"

Qiu Wanli's brow furrowed at the question.

Noticing his reaction, Ning Qi pressed on, "Is he your son, or maybe your nephew? No need to worry, though. He's already met his end at my hands. Does that make you angry?"

"Baishou is dead by your hand? That worthless fool."

Far from grieving, Qiu Wanli's expression twisted with disdain. Yet, his pace quickened by thirty percent, betraying the seething rage within him.

"Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!"

Perched atop Purple, Ning Qi unleashed a palm strike towards Qiu Wanli.

The air reverberated with the sound of a dragon's cry as four Silver Dragons bore down on Qiu Wanli. Whether he chose to block or evade, his speed would be compromised. But he dismissed Ning Qi's assault, taking the full brunt of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.

His HP dropped a notch, sapped of 3,000 points by Ning Qi's formidable strike.

"Such a potent palm technique! He's got some serious chops. No wonder the Nangong family went to such lengths to bring me into the fray," Qiu Wanli mused, his face betraying a flicker of concern.

Still, he didn't regard Ning Qi as a true threat.

The chase continued for seven days, with Purple's stamina waning. Ning Qi had even attempted to enter a low-level training ground, only to be reminded by the system that he was still locked in combat.

In a burst of speed, Qiu Wanli materialized before Ning Qi like a bolt of lightning, launching a palm strike. A torrent of blood-red Battle Power erupted, morphing into a horde of Blood Fiend Demons that screamed towards Ning Qi. Purple cried out sharply, its wings beating fiercely as a surge of Purple Lightning Battle Power met the onslaught. Ning Qi countered with another Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, the Silver Dragons and Purple Lightning Battle Power annihilating several Blood Fiend Demons before the rest tore through them, leaving chaos in their wake.

Purple and Ning Qi were sent hurtling hundreds of meters through the air by Qiu Wanli's powerful strike. They crashed to the ground with such force that they left a massive crater in their wake.

Purple's health had plummeted by nearly half, leaving it with just over 18,000 HP. Having absorbed the brunt of the attack, Ning Qi had fared better, losing only around 2,000 HP.

With a mournful cry, Purple shielded Ning Qi with its wings.

Without hesitation, Ning Qi fed it a handful of Spiritual Nourishment Pills before swiftly returning Purple to the safety of the Pet Space. He then turned his icy gaze to Qiu Wanli, who stood before him with a smug, insincere grin.

"Aren't you going to run?" Qiu Wanli taunted with a smirk.

Just then, Huangfu Fei arrived leisurely and positioned himself next to Qiu Wanli.

"Ning Qi, bet you never saw this coming, huh?" Huangfu Fei sneered with scorn.

Ning Qi chuckled. "Feeling pretty cocky, aren't we, Huangfu Fei?"

A flicker of annoyance crossed Huangfu Fei's face, and he retorted with a sneer, "Senior, how about I finish this brat off?"

Qiu Wanli gave a nod of approval. "Go ahead, have your fun with him, but don't kill him. I've got a whole array of tortures I'm itching to try out on him."

"Understood," Huangfu Fei replied.

With that, he vanished in a blur, reappearing instantly before Ning Qi. Exuding the formidable aura of a Three Star Battle King, he aimed a palm strike straight at Ning Qi's chest.

"Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!"

Ning Qi stood his ground and pressed forward.

His Yang Silver Dragon collided with Huangfu Fei's palm, forcing Huangfu Fei to stagger back a step. Ning Qi retreated over a dozen steps to dissipate the force of the blow, his HP dropping by more than 700! He sustained some light injuries.

Ning Qi grinned. "Is that Three Star Battle King strength just for show?"

Embarrassment and rage flickered across Huangfu Fei's face. He had held back, using only half his strength for fear of killing Ning Qi, but to his surprise, Ning Qi had parried the blow.

Noticing a hint of mockery in Qiu Wanli's eyes, Huangfu Fei huffed coldly and launched a full-powered assault on Ning Qi. In that instant, Ning Qi's hand flashed with the gleam of a large blade, which he brought down in a vicious arc toward Huangfu Fei's head.

Huangfu Fei had long been on alert for Ning Qi's spatial Battle Weapon, skillfully evading his strike.

Qiu Wanli's heart skipped a beat, and a look of avarice quickly spread across his face. "A spatial Battle Weapon?"

Huangfu Fei's expression soured. Now that Qiu Wanli, that demon of a man, had uncovered Ning Qi's secret, wresting the spatial Battle Weapon from Ning Qi would be a formidable challenge.

Armed with the edge of the Dragon Slaying Blade, Ning Qi held the upper hand, leaving Huangfu Fei at a loss for a counter.

Impatience flickered in Qiu Wanli's eyes. "If you're not up to the task, step aside."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he stepped between Huangfu Fei and Ning Qi, delivering a powerful slap. Huangfu Fei, with no other option, stepped aside.

Ning Qi was left grievously wounded by Qiu Wanli's blow, collapsing to the ground, unable to rise.

His HP, once over ten thousand, had dwindled to a scant 300!