Rumbling sounds suddenly erupted from the county yamen!
Flames shot up into the sky. A figure could be seen standing in mid-air, casting spell after spell towards the ground.
The elder, his hair bristling with rage, formed seals with his hands, unleashing his internal magic power without reservation, continuously casting all the spells he had learned in his lifetime.
Facing the storm-like onslaught, Ji Yuan, who was frantically dodging on the ground, couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
The difference between the second and third realms, besides the cultivation level, and the latter's ability to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, was most importantly the ability to fly.
Once one's cultivation reached the third realm, they could rely on their understanding of the laws of heaven and earth and their vast internal magic power to achieve temporary flight.
Although this method consumed a significant amount of magic power, even peak third-realm existences could not sustain it for too long.
However, it still played a crucial role in combat, which was why third-realm cultivators could stand tall above martial artists.
No matter how strong a martial artist was, unless they broke through to the Golden Core stage, they could never leave the ground, at most only achieving momentary suspension.
Ji Yuan was now experiencing the disadvantage of someone occupying the aerial advantage and being able to freely cast spells.
Even though he could achieve temporary flight if he wished, the consumption of magic power would undoubtedly be immense.
And even if he escaped the current situation, with his whereabouts exposed, a series of arduous battles awaited him.
He had to plan for the future. If he could save a little magic power now, he had to save as much as possible.
"You little beast! Surrender quickly and die!"
The elder roared from mid-air, his spells becoming even more ferocious.
The destruction of the magic artifact he had nurtured and refined for decades had undoubtedly dealt him a significant blow. Besides the loss of a considerable material asset, his already unstable Dao foundation had begun to shake violently.
In that instant, he had lost nearly twenty years of cultivation, and his realm even showed signs of declining.
"Old man, if you don't stop, you'll fall back to the second realm!"
Seeing through the elder's condition, Ji Yuan immediately shouted.
His voice carried far, causing the elder's expression to change. If such news were to spread, it was hard to say whether he would be targeted.
He knew very well that the rebel army was not a monolithic entity. Even if he had defected to the Rebirth Tower, he could not guarantee his safety.
If his serious injuries, or even the possibility of his realm declining, were known to other cultivators, it might attract some malicious individuals.
For a moment, the elder's face contorted, as if he were deliberating whether to kill the person in front of him at the cost of his realm declining, or to immediately find a safe place to stabilize his cultivation and injuries.
"If I were you, I would have already left this place. What is more important than your own realm and life?"
Feeling the spells cast upon him slacken, Ji Yuan immediately shouted.
At the same time, he channeled his magic power, making his aura appear even stronger, hinting to the elder that killing him would not be so easy.
The enraged elder gradually calmed down and stopped casting spells. He had to admit that what the other party said made sense; nothing was more important than his own life.
"I will slay you one day!"
He roared, then transformed into a streak of light and sped away into the distance.
In less than a dozen breaths, his figure was no longer visible to the naked eye, and he would likely be out of Shiwulong County's territory soon.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan took a deep breath. His chest burned with pain, and his body felt as if it were being churned upside down.
With his current cultivation, if not for the element of surprise and gaining the initiative, facing a third-realm cultivator head-on, even if the latter was a reclusive cultivator, would still be a struggle.
In less than a quarter of an hour, despite giving his all, he had still sustained rather serious injuries.
After taking a few pills to temporarily suppress his internal injuries, he determined a direction, concealed his tracks as much as possible, and quietly left Shiwulong County.
In a forest about ten miles away, Ji Yuan rendezvoused with Zhao Yuebai and the others, and then headed southeast.
Along the way, they frequently employed various techniques to conceal their traces as much as possible, avoiding several rebel patrols.
However, after two hours, they found that the number of rebels surrounding them was gradually increasing.
Even the cultivators accompanying the army began to include a large number of second-realm practitioners, and they were not only on the official roads but also ventured into the surrounding forests.
Clearly, the events that had transpired in Shiwulong County had been reported to the rebel army on the front lines, and they were now sending people to search for them.
"This is a bit troublesome..."
In the forest, looking at the group resting, Ji Yuan sighed softly.
He hadn't expected that just as they were about to successfully retreat, the third-realm cultivator they had lured out of the county would suddenly return without warning and happen to run into them.
If that hadn't happened, once the rebels in the county yamen reacted, they would have had at least a night to silently sneak dozens of miles away.
By then, even if the rebel army on the front lines mobilized their forces, they would likely not be able to find them, and they would have already returned to Linfu County.
"The plan has changed. You all continue on the original route. I will stay behind to distract the rebels."
Ji Yuan pondered for a long time, then said to the group in front of him.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuebai immediately disagreed, wanting to stay and face the danger with him.
Even Lu Yuzhe and Zheng Jiaxing shook their heads, unwilling to leave and let Ji Yuan face the pursuers alone.
Only Li Junxian and the other two nodded slowly after a moment of silence.
They did not act on impulse and believed that with Ji Yuan's strength, he would not easily fall into danger.
The immediate priority was to escape the rebel-controlled area as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if they were surrounded by a large number of rebels, or encountered one or two third-realm cultivators, they would truly have no way to escape.
Even with their strength, perhaps it wouldn't take a third-realm cultivator; just a few late-stage second-realm cultivators would be enough to handle.
"Don't act on impulse. Ling Yu will have a greater chance of escape if he acts alone."
Zheng Wanrong said to the three people beside her.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuebai and the others fell silent. They were not foolish and naturally understood the logic.
Distracting the rebels alone was indeed a very dangerous task, but with Ji Yuan's strength, it was not a situation of certain death.
Of course, this was if he were alone. If he were accompanied by others, it would be even more difficult to slip away from the rebels' notice.