The others couldn't help but curse Su Xi for her disloyal escape. They had agreed to fight together, yet she had left so unceremoniously.
Abandoning them to face Yu Fan's onslaught was something they couldn't bear.
They desperately wanted to curse her out, to find trouble with Su Xi.
But having spoken their words, going back on their promise now was impossible.
Yu Fan had no intention of giving them a chance to speak. With a flash, he appeared beside them.
He then took out a jade pendant from himself, tossed it into the sky, and uttered a mobilization incantation.
As the jade pendant flew skyward, it soon emitted a brilliant light in the air. Following that, green light projected from the pendant, gradually illuminating the entire underground space.
With the emergence of the green light, anyone enveloped by it found their skin melting rapidly, like ice cream under the summer sun.
In a mere breath, many began to scream in agony, then collapsed to the ground powerlessly, without any struggle.
As they fell, the rate at which their skin decomposed accelerated.
Seeing Yu Fan's powerful area-of-effect attack, the others felt immense pressure, their nerves instantly tensing.
They had initially thought Yu Fan had only one move, giving them a chance to catch their breath and find an opening. If they could catch him off guard, they might still have a chance to turn the tide.
But who would have thought Yu Fan's methods would exceed their expectations? He unleashed such a potent attack right from the start, covering everyone present.
With such a formidable technique, even working together, they stood no chance.
Many with high cultivation levels now produced their magic treasures, attempting to resist the descending light from above, but to no avail.
Not only were their treasures damaged, but they also gained only a little more time to breathe, with nothing ultimately changing.
Yu Fan had anticipated this one-sided outcome and thus paid no mind to their struggles. For him, this was already a failure.
After all, the jade pendant in his hand was a Heavenly-tier artifact. Dealing with minor characters was a mere trifle.
That these individuals could stall him for so long and force him to use a portion of his strength was, in his eyes, a defeat.
He did not wish to delay any further and, without hesitation, increased the output of his spiritual energy.
As he channeled more spiritual energy, the screams of those affected became more intense, resembling a scene of swine being slaughtered.
Hearing the screams from behind, Su Xi and Ouyang Chu accelerated their escape.
They didn't know what was strange about the green light, but they knew this was not the time to test their limits. Only by escaping quickly could they hope to survive.
After Yu Fan had dealt with everyone in front of him, he searched for Su Xi and Ouyang Chu, only to find they were nowhere to be seen.
It was as if they had never appeared there at all.
Seeing this, he showed confusion and muttered to himself, "I truly didn't expect these two to have some skill, managing to slip through my grasp."
"But leaving so easily won't happen."
After speaking, Yu Fan walked out.
He couldn't find them, but that didn't mean others couldn't.
The Yu family, being a prominent clan, was naturally not as simple as it appeared on the surface. They possessed considerable wealth, resources, and various other advantages.
Even if Su Xi and the other had escaped him now, with the Yu family's strength, finding them was not a problem.
Furthermore, Su Xi and Ouyang Chu were outsiders, possibly unable to even find the city gates. As long as they hadn't sent out any news, the Yu family would remain safe and sound.
"Young Master?" Soon, a group of people appeared before Yu Fan, kneeling to await his command.
Yu Fan threw portraits of Su Xi and Ouyang Chu before them and stated, "Now, find these people for me. If I don't see their corpses in three days, none of you need return."
"Yes."
Upon receiving their orders, the subordinates immediately split into four small teams and headed in four directions to search.
The four leaders were all at the Nascent Soul stage cultivation, yet they now served as mere underlings. If others were to see this, their jaws would drop.
After making the arrangements, Yu Fan walked towards a teleportation array not far away and activated it with an incantation.
As the array glowed, his figure quickly vanished.
Soon, the once lively area became eerily quiet, like ghosts.
*Pfft.*
in an inconspicuous corner of this quiet area, Su Xi and Ouyang Chu appeared, both looking somewhat dishevelled.
Although they had escaped from underground, they knew that the most dangerous places were often the safest.
Therefore, they hadn't fled far but had chosen a nearby spot to lie low quietly.
They had initially thought that while Yu Fan might have some strength, he couldn't be that powerful, but they never expected him to be so formidable that he could casually command people at the Nascent Soul stage.
Facing searches by Nascent Soul cultivators, they knew they couldn't hide for long.
They suddenly felt fortunate that they hadn't acted rashly, as otherwise, they would now be facing utter ruin.
"What should we do?" Ouyang Chu looked at Su Xi, seeking her opinion.
The teleportation array was still before them. If they returned the way they came, it would save them a lot of trouble.
Otherwise, if they were searched by so many Nascent Soul cultivators, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
After a moment of thought, Su Xi's gaze suddenly became resolute.
Since they were already here, what was there to fear?
What if they were Nascent Soul cultivators?
If they couldn't defeat them, couldn't they at least evade them?
Su Xi took out two masks from her person and handed one to Ouyang Chu.
"Put on this mask now, and no one will be able to recognize you," Su Xi said confidently, patting her chest.
Her confidence stemmed from her supercomputer.
With the supercomputer's help, the human skin masks were no longer just masks; they had been altered at a genetic level.
Since the changes were made at the genetic level, they fit the user's aura perfectly, making it impossible for Nascent Soul cultivators to detect.
Ouyang Chu was accustomed to Su Xi's peculiar gadgets and was not surprised. He took the mask and put it on, altering his appearance.
As they put on the masks, their faces quickly changed.
The transformation was incredibly natural, leaving no trace of deception. As long as no one witnessed them transform, no one could possibly discover them.
Seeing Ouyang Chu now transformed into a sleazy middle-aged man, Su Xi said, "Let's go, we have important business to attend to."
"Huh???" Ouyang Chu looked at Su Xi with confusion and asked, "Do you know where we should go?"
This place was in the wilderness, far from the capital. Both of them were in this area for the first time and had no idea of the direction.
Hearing Ouyang Chu's question, Su Xi smiled, "You can't find your way because you don't know the direction. Now that we know the direction, of course, we won't be lost."
When she had interacted with Yu Fan earlier, she had managed to place a tracking device on him. Since the tracking device was harmless, she knew Yu Fan would never detect it.
Following the location of the tracking device, they could find the capital.
Ouyang Chu's confusion deepened upon hearing Su Xi's words, wondering how she had found the direction.
Su Xi did not explain but instead opened the tracking system she held and followed the indicated direction.
Along the way, they were stopped multiple times, but because their appearances didn't match the portraits and their cultivation was not weak, no one bothered them.
The Yu family members had more important tasks to attend to and would not waste their effort on Su Xi and the other.
The journey was uneventful, and soon, the two saw the capital city of the Great Xuan Empire.
Upon seeing the outline of the capital city, Su Xi couldn't help but gasp.
The cities she had seen before paled in comparison to the silhouette before her.
The magnificent city walls were covered in black bricks, bearing the marks of time.
Moreover, the towering walls and the constant stream of people entering and exiting the gates testified to its prosperity.
"Let's go, we need to get in quickly."
The larger the capital city, the easier it was for them to conceal themselves. Even with the Yu family's immense power, they couldn't cover the sky with one hand and act recklessly in the capital.
As Su Xi and Ouyang Chu were about to enter the city gate, a stern shout came from behind, "Stop."
The sudden voice instantly made Su Xi and Ouyang Chu tense up.
At this moment, they recognized the voice as belonging to one of the Yu family members who had interrogated them earlier.
The guards at the city gate frowned at the shout.
This was a military zone, so why was the Yu family overstepping their bounds?
Did they think the guards didn't exist?
Elder Xie Wei, a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, approached the guards and presented a token, saying, "This area has been temporarily taken over by our Yu family. You need to cooperate."
"On what grounds?" A leading figure stepped forward, looking at Xie Wei with clear defiance.
He, Wu Peng, had served in the military for so many years, and this was the first time he had heard someone dare to boss him around.
Xie Wei let out a cold snort and stated forcefully, "We need to apprehend a major criminal here. If they escape into the capital, can you bear the responsibility?"
"Are you threatening me?" Wu Peng stared coldly at Xie Wei, a surge of inexplicable anger rising within him.
Xie Wei nodded upon hearing Wu Peng's words, "Precisely. I am not discussing this matter with you but commanding you."
Xie Wei then addressed the crowd before him, "From now on, no one shall enter without a token."
With that, the Yu family retainers immediately took control of the city gate.
Wu Peng was currently no match for Xie Wei. Faced with Xie Wei's unyielding stance, he could only grit his teeth in frustration, utterly powerless.