Saintess, You Are Really Not Playing Fair

The one being hunted was none other than Serena Skye, the Heavensnare Saintess. After half a year apart, her cultivation had reached the ninth stage of the Transforming-Gang Realm, but at this moment she looked battered and desperate—her long hair in disarray, her white robes stained with blood, blooming crimson like scattered lotus petals.

Her pursuers numbered three—elderly men with shock-white hair, each one a ninth-stage expert of the Transforming-Gang Realm.

All four figures moved at blinding speed, crossing a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. Ian Song, currently disguised as Jason Stone, realized with a jolt that Serena Skye was heading straight for him.

The moment Serena spotted Ian, delight flashed in her eyes. She called out in a clear, commanding voice, "I am the Heavensnare Saintess! Disciples of the Heavensnare Order ahead—obey my command and block the enemies!"

Ian couldn’t help but wonder—how did Serena Skye figure out he was a disciple of the Heavensnare Order?

Thinking fast, Ian tossed aside the mutant serpent corpse and said, "You must have the wrong guy. I’m not a disciple of the Heavensnare Order."

Serena Skye snorted coldly, "Hmph! You’re clearly carrying a Heavensnare Order identity token, and you still try to deny it? Just stall them for a moment—when we’re back at the Order, this Saintess will see you handsomely rewarded!"

Ian rolled his eyes. Seriously? A third-stage newbie blocking three ninth-stage monsters—she sure had some nerve. Still, he knew what Serena really wanted: just a few seconds of distraction so she could make her getaway.

Ian’s mind raced. He grabbed the mutant serpent corpse and hurled it straight at the three elders, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Saintess, run! I’ll hold these guys off!"

The three elders were all skin and bones, as if a layer of human skin had been stretched over skeletons. Their faces were twisted and ugly, and their eyes—sunken deep in their sockets—glittered with a fierce, shadowy malice.

Serena Skye flashed past Ian, tossing out, "Well done! When we’re back at the Order, this Saintess will personally support your cultivation!"

If it were any other disciple of the Heavensnare Order, hearing the Saintess make such a promise would have them fired up and ready to risk life and limb.

But to Ian Song, it sounded completely insincere.

"Heh heh, little dog, you’re courting death!"

One of the elders waved his hand, sending a surge of gang-qi crashing into the mutant serpent corpse. Instantly, the corpse exploded in a shower of blood, and the force of the gang-qi, undiminished, barreled straight toward Ian.

Bang!

Ian couldn’t dodge in time. The blast sent him flying dozens of meters, his fate unknown.

Still, Ian’s interference gave Serena Skye the opening she needed—she escaped several hundred meters away, widening the gap between herself and the three elders.

The elder who’d attacked was baffled. With the strength of his gang-qi, that third-stage brat should’ve been obliterated, not just knocked away.

But he didn’t dwell on it. Chasing down the Heavensnare Saintess and reclaiming their precious treasure was far more important—if she made it back to the Order, they’d never get it back.

In the blink of an eye, the four figures vanished from sight. Ian Song, who’d seemed dead, suddenly stood up, brushed the dust off, and with a few crackling sounds, restored his true height. He rubbed his face, revealing his original, handsome features.

He pulled out fresh clothes from his Storage Ring, changed quickly, summoned his bronze flying sword, and stepped onto it.

With a flash of sword light, Ian soared into the sky, chasing after the four fugitives.

His sword-flight was so fast that he caught up to the fleeing group in an instant.

Now only about two hundred meters separated both sides. Ian’s gaze darkened as he realized, "This woman really is ruthless. Looks like she’s planning to lure those three old freaks toward the Tempest Hunter Squad’s valley, then use the same trick again—sacrificing others to buy herself time."

Seeing the three elders getting closer, Serena Skye grew increasingly anxious. She couldn’t help but grumble inwardly—Jason Stone was useless, only blocking those monsters for a single second.

Luckily, her special identity token sensed eight Heavensnare Order disciples nearby. If those eight could hold off the elders for even a minute, she’d have a real shot at escaping.

Whoosh!

A flash of sword light—and suddenly a figure appeared right in front of her.

"Get out of the way!"

Serena Skye didn’t hesitate—she struck out with a palm, aiming to blast aside whoever was blocking her way.

But to her surprise, the man simply raised his hand and dissolved half her gang-qi attack. He even teased her, "Saintess, we really are fated—who’d have thought we’d run into each other way out here?"

The moment she heard his voice, Serena’s hatred surged. Staring at him, she realized the one blocking her was the very man she’d dreamed of killing, day and night.

Suddenly, a scheme popped into her head. She feigned delight and called out, "President Song, save me!"

No sooner had she spoken than she darted to Ian Song’s side. She knew just how deep his cultivation ran—even as a ninth-stage, she didn’t stand a chance against him.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three figures flashed by—the elders landed a dozen meters away, eyes wary as they sized up Ian. The girl had stopped running the instant she saw him; clearly, she was relying on his strength.

"Girl, hand over what you stole! Spare yourself and we’ll let you live!" one of the elders barked.

Serena just grinned, fearless. "Heh! If you three old ghosts can beat President Song, I’ll give it right back!"

Instantly, all three elders locked their cold, murderous gazes onto Ian Song.

"Boy, you really plan to stand up for this girl?" one elder demanded.

"Why not?" Ian replied, completely unfazed.

"Courting death!"

"Kill him!"

The elders' eyes flashed with killing intent as they roared and charged at Ian Song.

"Bring it on!" Ian welcomed their attack with a cool smile.

An alloy longsword appeared in Ian Song’s hand. He slashed three times in a blur, each strike aimed at an elder.

Three beams of sword-qi, each seven or eight meters long, erupted from the blade.

The sword-qi blazed like rainbows, ripping through the air.

Startled, the elders each countered with a powerful punch.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions thundered through the air, shockwaves rippling outward and smashing the surrounding trees and rocks to dust.

"This kid’s strong! Go all out!" one elder shouted.

In just one exchange, the elders realized Ian Song’s terrifying power. Each drew a black iron sword, then spread out and formed a Three Talents Sword Formation, surrounding him.

"Kill!"

Ruthless to the core, the elders attacked together, unleashing countless streams of black sword-qi from their black iron swords.

"So terrifying!" someone gasped.

Serena Skye’s eyes went cold. If she fell into that sword formation, she’d never make it out alive.

"Escape!"

Serena’s figure blurred as she dashed dozens of meters away. But just then, a lotus of azure sword-light burst forth at the center of the black sword-qi formation.

The lotus split apart, instantly transforming into thousands of sword-qi beams.

At the same time, a massive sword-qi beam shot toward Serena Skye, twisting in midair and forcing her to retreat.

Ian Song flickered into view before Serena Skye, a playful look on his face. "Saintess, I’m here holding off the enemy, and you’re trying to run? That’s not playing fair!" As for the three elders, they stood frozen, bloodied and motionless.