C17 Breakthrough

"Damn, how did he catch up? I thought I had shaken him off," Chu Tianyu muttered under his breath, yet he didn't slow his pace. After all, he had been given a second chance at life; he wasn't about to let it slip away so easily.

Initially, Qin Ming had been somewhat alarmed, but she soon regained her composure: "You shouldn't underestimate a Level Nine expert. Even with severe injuries, your speed is quite impressive, faster than most Level One warriors. But once you reach Level Seven, you develop a spiritual sense that allows you to sense things from afar. A Level Nine expert, for instance, can perceive things up to three thousand meters away."

A cold dread settled in Chu Tianyu's heart. The pursuer behind him seemed far too dangerous, and his life was hanging by a thread. "What do we do now? He's going to catch up soon, isn't he?"

Qin Ming remained unperturbed, as if the imminent danger was of no concern to her. It was difficult to discern whether she had resigned herself to fate or was simply confident in their situation.

Seeing Qin Ming's demeanor, Chu Tianyu's anxiety began to subside. "Let's just keep moving," he decided. "The longer we can stay alive, the better."

With a newfound sense of calm, Chu Tianyu channeled all his energy into escaping, his speed increasing by a significant margin as a result.

As time went on, Chu Tianyu grew increasingly adept at harnessing his own strength, and his speed continued to climb. His power had surged in the past half-month, leaving him little time to master his newfound abilities, which had previously been nurtured through meditation. His cultivation had advanced rapidly, but it was fragile, like a flower in a greenhouse, lacking true resilience.

Now, with a Level Nine expert on his heels, it felt as though a sword dangled precariously above his head, ready to fall at any moment. Chu Tianyu had no choice but to exert his full effort.

The intense pressure brought an unparalleled clarity to Chu Tianyu's mind. He absorbed every scrap of information from his surroundings and his body, his focus sharper than ever. His heart worked like a high-powered pump, circulating blood and energy throughout his body with vigorous efficiency.

Chu Tianyu's mastery over his body continued to strengthen. Every movement was perfectly coordinated, and his speed kept increasing. Eventually, he reached the pace of a Level Two warrior, yet his expression remained unchanged—serious and resolute.

"Hurry, faster!" Chu Tianyu silently urged himself, acutely aware of the looming danger behind him. It weighed heavily on his heart, leaving no room for complacency.

To a Level Nine expert like Duan Dali, there was no distinction between a Level One and a Level Two warrior; both were insignificant, like ants beneath his feet. His pace quickened, signaling the onset of his final, frenzied assault. Once his fury was unleashed, true despair would follow—a moment he relished.

Unbeknownst to him, Chu Tianyu had hoisted Qin Ming onto his back, using one hand to clear the obstructive foliage from their path.

With a powerful "Thud!" Chu Tianyu's legs propelled them forward, leaving a large crater in the earth as mud sprayed in all directions. They shot through the air like a coiled spring, covering over thirty meters in a single bound—twice the speed he had previously managed.

Upon landing, Chu Tianyu stumbled slightly, unaccustomed to the new technique. But he didn't stop; instead, he adjusted his posture while running and continued to leap forward.

Chu Tianyu's ability to learn and adapt was remarkable. After just a few attempts, he had mastered the art of leaping, unaffected by the change, and moved as if on level ground. His speed naturally increased significantly, and soon he adopted this method with every stride, further accelerating their escape.

"Haha, the boy is foolish indeed. His speed may have increased, but his energy expenditure has surely doubled," Duan Dali laughed heartily from a hundred meters away, reveling in the thrill of the chase. "Struggle on; your desperation is my delight."

Chu Tianyu, seemingly deaf to Duan Dali's taunts, concentrated solely on hastening their flight.

Qin Ming's emotions were a whirlwind as she observed the slender youth before her. He could have remained a bystander, yet he had dashed into danger without a second thought. He could have abandoned her to save himself, likely unnoticed by Duan Dali, but he stayed by her side, enduring with clenched teeth. His thoughtfulness shone through as he preferred to take the brunt of the scratches from branches rather than expose her to harm. Despite being a disheveled lad lacking talent, strength, or noble lineage, his actions were noble. If only he hailed from Xianyang, she mused.

Qin Ming's thoughts raced, and as she pondered more deeply, a blush crept onto her cheeks. She chided herself silently, "Qin Ming, what are you thinking? You're being chased by a Level Nine expert!" Yet, her delicate hands remained wrapped around Chu Tianyu's neck.

Chu Tianyu was completely absorbed in his efforts to increase his speed, eventually entering a unique state of being. In this state, he was the epitome of rationality, untouched by any emotion, resembling a high-speed computer that calculated every direction, each step's distance, and the precise force of every muscle to achieve maximum speed with minimal effort.

Typically, reaching Level One as a warrior takes a year of training, allowing ample time to become accustomed to and master one's strength, avoiding issues like failing to exert one's power or having an unstable realm. But Chu Tianyu's strength had surged dramatically after just half a month of meditation, attaining Level One status—a testament to the extraordinary nature of the dragon blood and the True Dragon Roars technique. It was unheard of for a cultivation method to enable such a rapid rise in power without a period of stabilization.

Chu Tianyu's current condition was a rare and fortunate occurrence. As incredible as the True Dragon Roars might be, it still required a warrior to wield its might effectively. Lacking a solid foundation could severely hinder future cultivation. Regardless of today's events, Ao Xingyun would have insisted on him taking several days to reinforce his abilities.

Ao Xingyun was a formidable force among the strong, well aware of the significance of a warrior's temperament, which can sometimes eclipse innate talent in importance, especially as one progresses.

This escape was as much a peril as it was a chance for Chu Tianyu. Despite the risks, it saved him at least half a month of effort and served as excellent mental conditioning. He wouldn't succumb to restlessness due to an unstable realm, and it helped him realize the vast gap between himself and a true expert, guiding his mindset closer to that of a seasoned warrior.

With each stride, Chu Tianyu's steps lengthened—from the initial sixty feet to seventy-five, then to ninety, and now to an impressive one hundred and twenty feet, propelling him to the velocity of a Level Three warrior.

His blood was boiling, the scalding liquid surging like a mighty river with even a few golden particles sparkling within, voraciously consuming the surrounding blood energy to bolster itself.

Though his speed had increased, his energy consumption had not; in fact, it had slightly decreased. This was due to his judicious use of strength, ensuring every ounce was expended on his escape.

Before him lay the earth; he stepped over it. A massive rock; he stepped over it. A towering tree; still, he stepped over it. He was like an indefatigable machine, akin to a humanoid Demonic Beast, racing wildly through the untamed wilderness.

Gradually, not only Qin Ming, but Duan Dali too, sensed something amiss. The youth was exceedingly peculiar. Initially, his speed matched only that of a Level One warrior, but now he had surpassed a Level Two warrior, reaching the prowess of a Level Three. Being a Level Three warrior was one thing, but to them, he was as insignificant as an ant. Yet, after half a day, the lad's speed had not waned but had quickened. From where had this extraordinary youth emerged?

Unknown to them, Chu Tianyu had not reached Level One warrior status, but his physical form had attained Level Two. Crucially, he had absorbed and refined dragon blood. Though the quantity was minimal, it sufficed to provide him with a continuous supply of power, on par with a Level Two Demonic Beast.

By now, even a fool could see that his hope for Chu Tianyu to perish in despair was unattainable, and he had wasted precious time that could have been spent healing. As the proverb goes, "Set out to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice." This left Duan Dali, already in a foul mood, seething with rage. How could he, accustomed to supremacy, tolerate this?

"You wretch, I will flay you a thousand times, grind you to bits, and feed you to the dogs. I will exterminate your entire family, leaving none alive," Duan Dali bellowed, leaping forward and instantly covering hundreds of meters to confront Chu Tianyu.

Chu Tianyu's stride came to a sudden stop, and he fixed Duan Dali with an unflinching gaze. "What did you say?" His eyes blazed red, and his voice was frosty, as if the chill of winter had descended.

His mother was his Achilles' heel, and he would not tolerate any insults toward her, not even from a Level Nine expert.

Duan Dali dismissed Chu Tianyu's menacing stance. In his eyes, engaging further with someone like Tianyu was beneath him. And as for threats, when has an elephant ever regarded the defiance of an ant?