Open up and break into another world

“Ugh… Ah…”

In a moment of life and death, Lin Chen suddenly woke up from the illusion. Without even thinking, he reflexively retreated.

However, he was still a split second too slow.

Although Xu Ming's spear didn't directly blast his head, it still pierced his mouth.

Boom!

Lin Chen's upper lip, along with the middle teeth of his upper jaw, directly disappeared from his face!

Fortunately, the tip of the spear didn't penetrate further.

“I… I…”

Lin Chen was completely stunned by this spear. He even forgot the intense pain in his mouth.

He stared wide-eyed in horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“I almost died!?”

It was really just a little bit!

Lin Chen had already smelled the strong scent of death—just now, if he had broken free from the illusion even a tiny bit later, his head would have been pierced by the spear!

“Someone could threaten me during the Dao Origin Battle…”

Lin Chen had always felt that this Dao Origin Battle was just a vacation for him! He never thought that he would encounter such a desperate situation!

“Xu Ming!!” Lin Chen's eyes were as cold as ten thousand years of ice. “You… you want to kill me? You dare to kill me?”

“Heh!” Xu Ming couldn't help but laugh. “You were going to kill me, so why would I show you any mercy?”

“Good! Very good!” Lin Chen's entire being was filled with baleful aura. “You… just wait!!”

Wait?

Wait for what?

Before Xu Ming could react, Lin Chen actually… turned around and ran!

Whoosh!

Lin Chen directly transformed into a stream of light, flying away into the distance.

“This…” Xu Ming was now dumbfounded. “Lin Chen is running away?”

Want to run?

Fight when you want to fight, run when you want to run? There's no such thing in the world!

Whoosh!

Xu Ming also transformed into a stream of light, chasing after him.

The two streams of light represented the two strongest geniuses in the Mountain and River World at this moment. They chased each other, but… the distance between them grew larger and larger!

At the same time, Little Helper sent a message: “This 'Absorption' has ended!”

Disengaging from combat will terminate the 'Absorption' function.

“I can't catch up to him!”

Xu Ming quickly realized that he was being left further and further behind.

“I just broke through, and I'm not very familiar with my current strength yet. My speed and other aspects can't be perfectly maximized…”

Xu Ming's advantages were probably only his soul attacks and his heaven-defying defense.

In all other aspects, Lin Chen undoubtedly had the advantage, including speed.

Seeing that he was being left further and further behind, Xu Ming's eyes sharpened. The secret skill "Dream Loss" was used again, and a hidden soul attack hit Lin Chen once more.

“Hmph!” Lin Chen grunted, then sneered, “Do you think I'll fall for the same trick twice?”

Xu Ming was also helpless.

Similar soul attacks are most effective the first time they are used. After that, the effect will be continuously reduced.

For example, with Xu Ming's "Dream Loss," the first time, Lin Chen was unconsciously drawn into the illusion. But the second time, Lin Chen was prepared, and having already fallen for the trick once, it was difficult for the same method to work on him again.

“Sigh!” Xu Ming could only let out a heavy sigh and slowly reduce his speed.

Lin Chen's sneer came from ahead: “Xu Ming, you have successfully ignited my anger! You just wait, this matter will not end so easily… Soon! I will come and find you again soon! When that time comes, I dare you not to run!”

“When that time comes…?” Xu Ming laughed loudly. “Let's not talk about what will happen then! Right now, I dare you not to run!”

“Hmph!” Lin Chen sneered. “Do you think I'm afraid of you?—You just wait and see who will have the last laugh!”

“If you're not afraid of me, why are you running?” Xu Ming scoffed disdainfully.

Soon, Lin Chen disappeared from his field of vision.

Xu Ming just smiled indifferently, not caring at all: “Want to run away from me?—Just run! When I want to find you, I'll just casually use the 'Detection' function!”

“However…” Xu Ming thought to himself, “This Lin Chen must be thinking of some trick to deal with me!—But whatever, the most important thing for me right now is to improve my strength as soon as possible! Otherwise, even if I find Lin Chen, he will escape again!”

Improve his strength?

Xu Ming began to calculate in his mind.

…

At the Dao Inquiry Banquet, there were naturally many experts and powerful figures paying attention to Lin Chen.

“Master, Master, which one is Lin Chen?” Dao Lord “Wang Xiao” from a small Heavenly-Rank force asked curiously.

At this time, Xu Ming had just encountered Lin Chen and had not yet started fighting.

His master, Manor Lord Wolong, smiled and said, “Disciple, you don't even know which one is Lin Chen? Look over there…”

Manor Lord Wolong pointed Lin Chen out to Wang Xiao.

“White robes, purple sword, sword intent soaring to the sky… As expected of our Human Race's super genius, one in ten thousand years, his aura is indeed extraordinary!” Wang Xiao thought to himself. “Huh—his opponent doesn't have a trace of Heavenly Dao fluctuations? He seems to be only at the Spirit Peak Realm, not even a Half-Step Dao Lord…”

At this time, Xu Ming had not yet activated the "Absorption" function, so he was indeed not yet a Half-Step Dao Lord.

A moment later…

“Master, is that white-robed, purple-sword guy really Lin Chen?” Wang Xiao said in disbelief.

“It… should be!” Manor Lord Wolong was also somewhat embarrassed.

“If he really is Lin Chen, then he's too weak, right?” Wang Xiao said speechlessly. “He's using so much effort to deal with a Spirit Peak Realm cultivator and still can't take him down… Although I'm only a Three-Step Dao Lord, even if I went up there, I could easily handle it!”

Wang Xiao had not personally fought with Xu Ming, but was only watching from the sidelines through the water screen. Of course, he couldn't understand how terrifying Xu Ming, this Spirit Peak Realm cultivator, was!

After another moment…

“Oh my gosh, this Spirit Peak Realm cultivator actually broke through to the Half-Step Dao Lord Realm while fighting!” Wang Xiao became even more speechless. “Master, you didn't lie to me? Is this Lin Chen really a Five-Step Dao Lord?”

“It should be… really, right…” Manor Lord Wolong was also unable to be too certain at this time.

Just then, Lin Chen was hit by Xu Ming's spear and turned around to run.

“Living up to his name! He's really just living up to his name!” Wang Xiao exclaimed repeatedly. “This Lin Chen is a Five-Step Dao Lord? I think he's just being propped up!—If he really is, then this is the first time in my life that I've seen a Five-Step Dao Lord being chased and beaten by a Half-Step Dao Lord who just broke through! I've never even heard of it before, let alone seen it!”

…

Of course, Wang Xiao and Manor Lord Wolong were not the only onlookers who were unaware of the truth.

“Hey, Dad, is the one running away the 'genius once in ten thousand years' of our Human Race? Then who is the one chasing him?—The one chasing him seems to be even younger! Would that be considered 'once in tens of thousands of years'?”

“Damn, I thought this Lin Chen was so amazing! He's actually being chased and killed by a Half-Step Dao Lord. I'm really going to laugh my teeth off!”

“A genius once in ten thousand years? I think he's an idiot once in ten thousand years!”

…

After getting rid of Xu Ming, Lin Chen found a place to land.

His lips and teeth had been re-condensed under the nourishment of spiritual energy. However, if he wanted to restore them to their original state, this alone would definitely not be enough. He would have to wait until he got out and slowly use medicine to recuperate.

“Xu Ming!!” Lin Chen gnashed his teeth in hatred—and he didn't dare to bite too hard, otherwise, this newly re-condensed set of dentures wouldn't be able to withstand it!

“I don't know what kind of body defense secret skill he cultivated, but his physical body is actually as tough as a Dao artifact! And it's at least a mid-grade Dao artifact…” Lin Chen's eyes gradually narrowed. “However, it's not impossible for me to kill him! As long as… I have a good sword!”

There are many treasures in the Mountain and River World, including even top-grade Dao artifacts; however, the more precious the treasure, the more powerful the demon beast guarding it.

Lin Chen's train of thought was very clear—kill demon beasts, then search for treasures, and finally find Xu Ming to take revenge!