Chapter 451: Keeping the Pressure On
Jiang Chen flew a short distance behind Ying Luo, keeping his presence hidden while his eyes lingered on Lu Yi.
I’ve already made myself the top target for both the Compassionate Sword Immortal Palace and the Purple Crest Immortal Sect, he thought. If I reveal too much of my strength now, there’s no telling if I could finish them off fast enough.
On top of that, other factions from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star and the Profound Jade Immortal Alliance are stationed nearby. They claim they won’t interfere, but if things get messy, they’ll almost certainly jump in.
If they do, I’ll be tied down, and Lu Yi—with that system of his—will seize the chance to rise.
For now, I can’t afford a head-on fight with the Nirvana Cleansing realm powerhouses from those sects. The situation had become clear in his mind, and rough plans for the next steps were already taking shape.
Not long after, Jiang Chen stepped lightly onto Ying Luo’s dragon head, his figure appearing out of thin air. "Ying Luo, you’ve done well."
Ying Luo brightened the moment she saw him. "Big Brother! You finally came for me!"
"Jiang Chen, you’re back?" Lu Yi, still caught in her claws, perked up as well. "What about those people chasing us?"
"I dealt with them one by one," Jiang Chen said simply. "Sun Tianhang and his group turned on each other, which gave me the opening I needed. And those two from the Compassionate Sword Immortal Palace who came after you—there weren’t just two, but seven. Luckily, they hadn’t joined forces yet. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so easy to cut them down."
"So that’s how it was." Lu Yi nodded, then suddenly grinned. "You must’ve cleaned up a fortune. How about lending me some spirit jades?"
"Spirit jades? Everything I got went straight into patching myself up. Do you think I’d be in this state otherwise?" Jiang Chen shook his head with a bitter smile, his act flawless.
Handing over spirit jades to Lu Yi would’ve been no different from throwing his life away—something Jiang Chen would never do.
"What? You used them all just to heal?" Lu Yi stared at Jiang Chen, caught between shock and disappointment. "So all dragon-blooded types are bottomless pits after all."
"Eating is the root of cultivation," Jiang Chen said seriously. "Normally, I’d refine resources into pills first, but this time there was no choice. The great Nirvana Cleansing realm powerhouses from the Purple Crest Immortal Sect and the Compassionate Sword Immortal Palace are already closing in. I had to be at my peak—even if it was only to run."
Lu Yi’s eyes went wide. "What?! Those monsters are coming after us? How the hell are we supposed to escape?"
Jiang Chen didn’t flinch. "Those resources didn’t just heal me. My cultivation has risen too—I’m already brushing up against the Nirvana Cleansing realm."
A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. "So yes, we can escape. And if I get the chance to break through... killing a few of them won’t be out of the question."
"You mean a counter-kill!?" Lu Yi’s eyes lit up. "That’s my specialty! Just hand me enough spirit jades and treasures, and I’ll soar straight into the Nirvana Cleansing realm. Then I’ll take them down myself!"
He leaned forward, brimming with excitement. "Jiang Chen, let’s hit the Purple Crest Immortal Sect’s main city next. Give me the loot you pick up, and I’ll make sure to push you even higher in return!"
Jiang Chen shook his head. "Lu Yi, you really are something else. But think about it—if those same resources were put to use, who’s more likely to break through first, you or me?"
"That’s obvious, isn’t it?" Ying Luo cut in without hesitation. "Big Brother’s already at Half-step Nirvana Cleansing realm, just one step away. Of course you’d break through faster!"
Lu Yi froze for a moment.
He almost blurted out the truth—that he had a cheat-like system that could rocket his strength up and devour all kinds of things to boost his power.
But in the end, he held back. A trump card like that wasn’t something he could reveal so easily.
Jiang Chen might be fighting on the same side for now, but Lu Yi knew how cold and ruthless he could be.
Right now, they stood together only because of shared bloodlines and common enemies.
If Jiang Chen ever learned about the system, there was a good chance he’d see Lu Yi as a threat, cut him down on the spot, and take it for himself.
That was exactly why Lu Yi couldn’t let the secret slip.
Without revealing his trump card, he had no way to argue he could break into the Nirvana Cleansing realm faster than Jiang Chen.
So he chose a softer approach instead. "You’re right. You’re already at Half-step Nirvana Cleansing realm—just one step away from breaking through."
He drew in a breath, then added, "Even so, I’d still like some resources. One, to prove I can grow stronger too. And two, so I don’t end up dragging you down. You wouldn’t want to be stuck running around with dead weight, would you?"
"I understand. I’ll set some aside for you," Jiang Chen said with a slight nod. Inside, though, he wished Lu Yi would stay weak forever.
Lu Yi’s face broke into a wide grin. "Great! That’s perfect!" He clasped his hands together and gave a small bow of thanks.
"Alright," Jiang Chen said, his expression turning grave. "The Nirvana Cleansing realm powerhouses from the Compassionate Sword Immortal Palace and the Purple Crest Immortal Sect are already on their way from the Dragon Roar Thousand-Mile Waterfall."
"I’ve gauged their speed and route. They’ll be here soon. I’ve mapped out our first escape path, but after that, we’ll have to adapt as we go."
He patted Ying Luo’s head. "We don’t have much time. Leave the rest to me."
"Got it~!" Ying Luo wagged its tail, then shrank down and wrapped itself neatly around his arm.
Freed from her claws at last, Lu Yi stepped forward.
"Let’s move." Jiang Chen swept his hand, wrapping Lu Yi in his power, and in the blink of an eye they shot off like a streak of light, vanishing into the horizon.
He didn’t bother hiding his aura.
That was intentional. It gave You Shaojun, Liang Youwen, and their groups a trail to chase.
If those two forces couldn’t find him, they’d likely clash with each other.
And if that happened, the pressure on Lu Yi would vanish—giving him more chances to stumble into fortune.
Worse still, Jiang Chen wouldn’t be able to justify cutting him off from resources anymore. That would ruin his plans.