At night, in the suburbs of Jiangbei City, Ye Chen and Xiao Han's figures appeared as they climbed a mountain under the cover of the moonlight.
"As long as we pass through this mountain, we will be out of Jiangbei City," Xiao Han said, pointing to a large mountain not far away, his breath heavy from exertion. The two had run from noon until night without stopping, not even pausing to drink water. Despite their cultivation base being at the Anjin level, fatigue was catching up with them.
"Let's take a break and then continue on our way," Ye Chen suggested. He glanced back but saw nothing unusual, allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief before sitting down on the ground. After they climbed over the mountain in front of them, they would enter the area of Tianhai City. Baiyun Mountain lay to the north of Tianhai City, and they still had a considerable distance to cover. During this time, they couldn't risk entering the urban areas, or they would surely be apprehended.
"What is your master's cultivation level?" Ye Chen asked, trying to keep the conversation light as they rested.
"My master is an old man with a late innate cultivation base," Xiao Han replied, pride evident in his voice as he spoke of Deng Changfeng. "He was also a powerful figure Deng Changfeng. "He was also a powerful figure more than ten years ago."
"Really? A master of the innate realm?" Ye Chen was taken aback, surprise flickering across his face. Innate masters commanded respect everywhere and were regarded as guests of honor by all major forces. With innate qi, they could withstand ordinary firearms without fear.
"That's right. My master was quite formidable over a decade ago," Xiao Han continued, remembering how respected Deng Changfeng had been in Jiangbei City.
"Let's go. We'll find a place to rest after we get out of Jiangbei City," Ye Chen said, standing up from the ground and indicating that it was time to move on.
Although Xiao Han was reluctant to leave the brief respite, he understood the urgency of their situation and followed Ye Chen as they continued their journey under the moonlight toward Tianhai City.
Meanwhile, in the Tianbei City International Hotel, in a presidential suite, Su Qingyue leaned lazily against Jiang Che's arm, a blush still lingering on her cheeks.
"Which woman called you at noon?" Su Qingyue asked, a hint of resentment in her tone as she pinched Jiang Che's arm playfully.
"The criminal investigation captain of the detention center, Mu Xiaoyao," Jiang Che replied, running his fingers through Su Qingyue's hair with a smile.
"Did she call you for something?" Su Qingyue narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Jiang Che. Her intuition told her that there was more to the relationship between Jiang Che and Mu Xiaoyao than met the eye.
"Ye Chen and Xiao Han escaped from prison. She called to warn me to be careful of any revenge from them."
"Escaped?" Su Qingyue paused, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "Then you're okay, right?"
"I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about it," Jiang Che said nonchalantly. He expected these developments; after all, Ye Chen was not the type to simply accept defeat. The real question was where the two would hide after escaping. With arrest warrants out for them, they couldn't just roam around freely.
"Just be careful," Su Qingyue said, snuggling closer to Jiang Che as she traced circles on his chest with her finger. Though she knew Jiang Che was strong, the thought of Ye Chen and Xiao Han plotting against him made her uneasy.
"Are you worried about me?" Jiang Che asked, teasing her.
"You are my man; who else would I worry about?" Su Qingyue shot back, a spark of annoyance flashing in her eyes.
"Don't worry; those two can't pose any real threat to me." Jiang Che inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of Su Qingyue's hair. In the back of his mind, he was already contemplating the plot surrounding Xiao Han and the specific location of Deng Changfeng on Baiyun Mountain. He knew he couldn't let his enemies grow stronger while he stood idle, and he was acutely aware of the consequences of not fully eradicating threats.
He planned to take the opportunity to visit Baiyun Mountain in the next few days to eliminate both Ye Chen and Xiao Han, along with Deng Changfeng. While Deng Changfeng was an innate master, Jiang Che felt confident due to his mastery of the Dao Heart and Demon Planting Dafa. Plus, there was always the possibility of acquiring valuable martial arts secrets from Deng Changfeng, given his status as Xiao Han's master.