Primordial Ocean Realm experts were incredibly fast and could even fly. As Lin Yun sprinted for his life, he could already feel two terrifying auras closing in from behind.

’Crap, these Primordial Ocean Realm experts are too fast.’ It was a bad situation. There was no way Lin Yun could make it back to Iron Gate Pass now. At their speed, he’d be captured before he even got halfway.

"Still running, kid? Come back with me at once and join my Wind Forest Sect. I’ll even teach you an Unparalleled Technique!" the Primordial Ocean Realm expert from the Wind Forest Sect shouted from afar at the fleeing Lin Yun.

The woman from Yanhuang Academy, on the other hand, wasn’t as forceful as the man. A seductive smile graced her lips, and her voice, laced with Elemental Power, echoed beside Lin Yun. "Handsome, why don’t you come back with me to Yanhuang Academy? I guarantee you’ll become a mighty figure. What do you say?"

The woman’s voice was silky and alluring, but Lin Yun knew this was no blessing. ’An Unparalleled Technique? A mighty figure?’ He didn’t believe a word of it. If they actually captured him, it would surely be a terrible fate.

Lin Yun didn’t answer. He veered sharply, no longer running toward Iron Gate Pass, and plunged headfirst into the dense forest. Only under its cover did he have a sliver of a chance to survive.

After diving into the forest, Lin Yun quickly vanished from their sight. The dense canopy obstructed their view, even though they could fly.

"Kid, I’ll say this one last time! Show yourself within three breaths, or there will be nowhere left for you to hide in this world!" the Wind Forest Sect man roared, his voice booming through the surroundings.

"Don’t be afraid, handsome. I’ll protect you. Just come back with me to Yanhuang Academy, and I’ll guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and glory," the beautiful woman cooed, her voice still silky, but her eyes now held a glint of frost.

’Go back with you? I’d have to be a complete idiot.’ Weaving through the forest, Lin Yun cursed viciously in his mind. ’These major powers never do anything without a reason. All they care about is the inheritance from the Thunder God Hall. In their eyes, my life is worth less than shit.’

When Lin Yun gave no response, both parties realized the kid wasn’t easily fooled. The only option left was to take him by force.

"How about we work together to capture him? We can share the inheritance from the Thunder God Hall," the beautiful woman proposed to the man, her expression flirtatious.

"Fine," the man replied coolly. The woman might be beautiful, but he knew she was a venomous snake. Thousands of Martial Artists had already died by her hand.

Having reached an agreement, the two groups began a sweeping search for any trace of Lin Yun. The woman and the man flew back and forth through the sky, scanning the ground for his figure.

"Handsome, I promise, if you come out now, I won’t harm a single hair on your head. I can give you anything you desire," the woman’s voice called out endlessly. Far from luring him in, her silky words only strengthened Lin Yun’s resolve to escape.

’There’s no way I can go back to Iron Gate Pass now. I have to lose them first.’ Having lived two lives and endured a thousand-year trial, Lin Yun’s willpower was incredibly firm.

An ordinary person hunted by Primordial Ocean Realm experts from two major powers would have panicked long ago. But Lin Yun’s mind was crystal clear as he continuously worked on an escape plan.

’They didn’t see my face, but I have to find some clothes to wear, and fast.’ Lin Yun thought, hiding in a patch of tall weeds.

Neither group had seen his face, but the beautiful woman and the man had seen the Celestial Thunder Mark on his back.

Hiding motionless in the bushes, Lin Yun saw a student from Yanhuang Academy walking toward him.

’He’s alone, and only at the Seventh Layer of the Opening Realm.’ Lin Yun calculated. ’That’s six layers higher than me. Killing him without alerting anyone will be extremely difficult... but I have no other choice.’

"Where did that kid run off to?" the student muttered as he searched. They had been looking through the forest for a long time without finding any sign of Lin Yun.

Logically, a stark-naked exhibitionist shouldn’t be that hard to find. He was, after all, pretty conspicuous.

"Damn it, an exhibitionist actually got the inheritance from the Thunder God Hall. There’s no justice in the world," the man continued to mutter.

Hearing this from his hiding spot, the corner of Lin Yun’s mouth twitched. ’Exhibitionist? My ass! You think I wanted this? Let’s see how you feel after getting struck by Celestial Thunder!’

At that moment, Lin Yun made his decision. He had to kill this man. It wasn’t just for the clothes anymore—the guy had the audacity to call him an exhibitionist.

The two powers had surrounded the mountain range. Dozens of people were conducting a sweeping search on the ground, while the Primordial Ocean Realm experts watched from the sky like circling hawks.

But no one could have imagined that even within such a tight dragnet, Lin Yun managed to sneak up behind the Yanhuang Academy student. He attacked without warning, and in a flash, landed several punches in a row.

Relying on his superior physique, Lin Yun completely disregarded his own safety. Willing to take a few hits, he swiftly killed the student. He then dragged the body into the weeds, put on the dead man’s clothes, and slipped away without a sound.

Lin Yun proceeded with extreme caution, but he grew more and more anxious. He still hadn’t figured out the best way to escape.

’There are so many of them. The entire area is surrounded; there’s no way out.’ Having climbed a tree, Lin Yun covertly observed the activity around him.

A quick scan revealed that the two groups had at least seventy to eighty people combined. The Martial Artists at the Opening Realm were just students and disciples; the rest were all at the Qi Sea Realm.

’Nearly thirty of them are at the Qi Sea Realm,’ Lin Yun thought. ’These two powers really went all out. To send such a formidable force after a mere First Layer Opening Realm cultivator like me...’

"Hurry, he has to be in here somewhere! We have to find him!" Voices from both groups echoed through the dense forest.

Lin Yun kept moving from one hiding spot to another, but he still couldn’t find an escape route. Every direction was sealed tight by the members of the two powers.

’That’s strange... Why have they stopped searching?’ After hiding in a new spot for about fifteen minutes, Lin Yun noticed that the search parties had stopped moving. They were now simply blockading the entire forest.

He was puzzled, but he quickly figured out what they were planning. They were close to Iron Gate Pass. They must be waiting for the armies of the two countries to arrive. Once tens of thousands of soldiers were searching for him, he’d be truly trapped, unable to escape even if he sprouted wings.

’I can’t let this drag on. I have to get out of here, and fast,’ he thought.

Meanwhile, high in the sky, the beautiful woman and the man were waiting quietly. The man glanced into the distance and asked impatiently, "How much longer? Is your Yanhuang Country always this inefficient?"

Hearing this, the woman smiled seductively. "What’s the rush? It’s not as if he can run away, is it?"