Chapter 1465 : A Vow Forged in Peril

Eldrin Chen received the shimmering light. With but a fleeting glance, a flicker of astonishment crossed his features.

This talisman was named the Whirling Feather Heaven-Patrolling Escape [a talisman that grants incredible speed for evading pursuit], a single-use Eighth Rank Supreme Grade Escape Radiance treasure talisman. In times past, the Seven Mystery Path Master had relied upon this very artifact to escape the relentless hunt of the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace.

As a consumable item, a treasure talisman's value falls far short of a permanent Immortal Treasure [a peerless artifact forged by or for an immortal] or a rare wonder of the same rank. Yet, it stands as a worthy peer to a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure [a supreme treasure used to establish or stabilize a nascent minor world].

For the Seven Mystery Path Master to bestow such a treasure upon him now was a gesture of genuine consideration.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen promptly clasped his hands and said, "My gratitude for your generous gift, Fellow Daoist."

The Seven Mystery Path Master offered no words in reply, merely waving a hand in dismissal before his form dissolved into the void.

Watching him depart, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to Exquisite Jiang. "The road ahead is perilous," he stated. "You should remain here alone."

Exquisite Jiang's eyes held his with profound intensity. She shook her head. "Upon the Path [the grand journey of cultivation and enlightenment], we vowed to walk side by side. That promise was made two hundred thousand years ago."

"How could I abandon you now, in this hour of crisis?"

A tremor passed through Eldrin Chen's heart. He released a soft sigh, then nodded. "Very well. Today, we shall face it together, shoulder to shoulder."

With those words spoken, Eldrin Chen offered no further discourse.

He and Exquisite Jiang departed Divine Abyss Immortal City together, then flew towards the Returning Abyss Sea Region.

They had not ventured far from the vicinity of Divine Abyss Immortal City when they discovered several figures had already been waiting in the void, blocking their path for some time.

"Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace, Profound Heavenly Path Master, Anode Patriarch, Azure River Path Master."

In an instant, Eldrin Chen recognized their origins. Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately activated the Polarity Void Mirror [a spatial treasure capable of traversing the void] and vanished into the emptiness.

Watching them escape using the Spatial Spiritual Treasure, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace showed no surprise.

"You cannot escape."

He let out a cold laugh, then focused his senses for a brief moment before declaring, "Found you."

As his words faded, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace led his companions as they tore through the void in pursuit.

Simultaneously, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang had just emerged from their void traversal. They had not flown far when they spotted several figures approaching through the void not far ahead.

The pursuers were none other than Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace and the trio of Profound Heaven Supreme, Anode Patriarch, and Azure River Patriarch.

"Flee, now!"

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen's expression shifted dramatically. Without a moment's hesitation, he activated the Heaven-Piercing Shuttle [a supreme movement technique that allows one to traverse vast distances instantly] and vanished into the boundless expanse of the world.

When he reappeared, Eldrin Chen had already fled deep into the endless depths beneath the earth.

Then, without the slightest pause, Eldrin Chen stored Exquisite Jiang within the Polarity Void Mirror [a mystical mirror that can contain living beings within a pocket dimension] and transformed into a streak of Five-Colored Aurora [a radiant, five-hued light used for high-speed travel] shooting towards the Depths of the Netherworld.

Swiftly, Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace and the others also activated their Void Spiritual Treasure [a powerful artifact capable of traversing the void] and gave chase.

However, as they pursued, they realized the Five-Colored Aurora Evasion [the art of fleeing using the Five-Colored Aurora] employed by Eldrin Chen was far too profound and elusive.

Not only was the speed of the Five-Colored Aurora Evasion when channeled by Eldrin Chen incredibly fast, but it also seeped through every crack and crevice, existing in a state that was both tangible and intangible.

Faced with such a formidable Escape Radiance [a supreme movement technique], the group found it arduous merely to keep up, utterly incapable of blocking or trapping him. They could only watch helplessly as Eldrin Chen continued his relentless flight.

Among the pursuers, the only one whose speed with an Escape Radiance surpassed Eldrin Chen's was Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace alone.

However, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace was currently injured. To prevent his wounds from worsening, he dared not fully unleash his Escape Technique Divine Ability, and thus had been unable to intercept Eldrin Chen.

After pursuing for a long while, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace's expression grew increasingly grim. "That That upstart Eldrin's Escape Radiance Divine Ability [a supernatural power cultivated through esoteric arts] is truly Extraordinary," he muttered darkly. "But let's see just how much of your spiritual power you have left."

They had chased for an unknowable length of time when the group gradually began to sense something was amiss.

The Profound Heavenly Path Master's face darkened, his voice grave with concern. "The direction he's heading... it seems to be towards the Netherworld [the realm of the dead and departed spirits]."

Yet, the Anode Patriarch remained composed, weighing his words carefully. "Even if he flees to the Netherworld Realm [the domain of the dead and departed spirits], it will be of no use against our pursuit."

"If my guess is correct," he continued, his tone ominous, "he intends to lead us to the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land [a perilous, crow-infested forbidden zone]."

"The Myriad Crow Forbidden Land?" the others echoed, a chill settling over them.

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace. After a moment's silence, he sneered. "A desperate gambit, seeking life through certain death. He hopes to use the dangers of the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land to shake us off his trail."

Seeing this, the Azure River Path Master asked thoughtfully, "Then what should we do?"

The Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace frowned, his expression icy. "My tracking secret art can only sense him within a range of seven immortal-path distances [a unit of measurement in the immortal realms]. If he escapes beyond that, we will lose this chance forever."

The gathered immortals all furrowed their brows slightly upon hearing this. A distance of one 'Immortal's Journey' refers to the distance an Immortal can traverse by flight in one year.

Generally speaking, for a sea region like the Returning Abyss Sea Region, an Early Ascendant Immortal Realm cultivator could cross it without taking too long.

The distance an ordinary Immortal can fly in a year is typically enough to span four or five such sea regions.

A distance of seven Immortal's Journeys is roughly equivalent to a small half of the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas. This tracking range is both vast and yet not.

Even if Eldrin Chen were to activate the Polarity Void Mirror to traverse the void, it would take him at least a dozen or twenty attempts to flee beyond it.

Yet, while the range is significant, it is not overwhelmingly large. The entire Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea is boundless and vast; an ordinary Immortal would require at least a millennium to cross it.

The sensing range of seven Immortal's Journeys is less than one ten-thousandth the area of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea. Once Eldrin Chen escaped this perimeter, finding him again would be nothing but a fool's dream.

With this thought in mind, the group spoke no more and immediately followed the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace in pursuit.

Thus, time flowed on unceasingly. In the chase between pursuer and pursued, they soon arrived before the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land [a perilous region shrouded in the aura of countless spectral crows].

Eldrin Chen merely glanced at it before transforming once more into the Five-Colored Aurora and darting inside.

Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace and the others pursued him to the edge of the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land, but their expressions could not help but turn grave.

The Azure River Path Master wore a dark expression and spoke, "As expected, he truly intends to use the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land to shake us off."

Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace nodded and declared, "Although this Myriad Crow Forbidden Land is perilous, we can traverse the Boundary of Solar and Lunar Polarity; it should pose no great issue for us."

With that, Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace was the first to charge in. Seeing this, the rest of the group followed closely behind, plunging into the depths of the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen continued his desperate flight through the heart of the Myriad Crow Forbidden Land.

Seeing his pursuers closing in, he let out a 'desperate' roar, "Old thief of Flowing Fire, must you truly pursue me to the bitter end?"

"If that is your will, then have the courage to follow me here!"

With a final furious cry, Eldrin Chen recklessly charged straight into the depths of the Lunar Crow Forbidden Land.

"Has he gone mad?"

Witnessing this scene, even the Anode Patriarch could not help but show a drastic change in his countenance.

Profound Heavenly Path Master [a master of the profound heavenly cultivation path] wore an impassive expression as he spoke, "Pushed to desperation, that individual fled recklessly into the Lunar Crow Domain [the territory of the Lunar Crow clan], hoping to use the dangers of the Lunar Crow Forbidden Land [a perilous, restricted area within the Lunar Crow territory] to shake our pursuit."

"It is a gambit born of desperation—a method of seeking life only after courting death."

Having said this, Profound Heavenly Path Master [a master of the profound heavenly cultivation path] halted his steps, appearing unwilling to continue the chase any further.