After his injuries improved, Xu Chuan left the cave and continued towards the inner region of the Dark Soul Mountain Range.
By this time, the outer region of the Dark Soul Mountain Range was already swarming with people searching for Xu Chuan.
They came from various factions in Lin'an County City, and some were rogue cultivators summoned by the Chen family.
After discovering that the Chen family's Old Ancestor had died at Xu Chuan's hands, the Chen family had issued a bounty for Xu Chuan, offering rewards to any高手 (experts) who could hunt him down.
These people were meticulously searching every corner of the outer region.
Soon, Xu Chuan's tracks were exposed.
"My Lord Governor, we've found the kid's trace."
A man in armor, holding Xu Chuan's blood-stained clothes, spoke to a man in opulent robes exuding a powerful aura.
Clearly, this man was Li Annan, the Governor of Lin'an County City.
He was also the most powerful cultivator in Lin'an County City, possessing a cultivation of the ninth level of the Divine Ability realm.
He had also been alerted by the news of the Heaven-grade weapon and spirit crystals and had directly led troops into the Dark Soul Mountain Range to search for Xu Chuan.
He took the blood-stained clothes and pondered for a moment.
Then, he ordered someone to summon Chen Dongsheng, the patriarch of the Chen family.
"Patriarch Chen, my subordinates have discovered the trace of this brat. How do you plan to deal with him once he's captured?"
Li Annan said to Chen Dongsheng from a position of authority.
"My Lord Governor, I want that brat to suffer a fate worse than death. I will drain his blood, decapitate him and use his skull as a chamber pot, flay his skin and make sky lanterns. I want him to never be reborn, to appease the spirit of my Old Ancestor!"
Chen Dongsheng said with a ferocious expression.
With the Old Ancestor dead, his Chen family was destined to be carved up by the other powers.
He attributed all of this to Xu Chuan.
He wished he could gnaw on his bones, feast on his flesh, and drink his blood.
Seeing Chen Dongsheng's frantic state, Li Annan told him to calm down.
"What benefits will I receive if I help you capture this brat?"
Li Annan said indifferently.
He wouldn't do anything without benefits!
"If my Lord Governor helps my Chen family capture this brat, the Heaven-grade treasure blade and spirit crystals on him will be yours. Furthermore, from now on, my Chen family will solely heed your command."
Chen Dongsheng said respectfully.
The Chen family was already facing the prospect of being divided, so it was better to find a powerful patron and seek revenge for the Old Ancestor.
Hearing this, Li Annan nodded with satisfaction.
Although his objective was Xu Chuan, it was also an opportunity to bring a top-tier family under his control. Why not?
"Deploy all your men and search for this brat with all your might! Make sure to find him before any other forces do!"
Li Annan instructed a general beside him.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The general nodded and left, relaying Li Annan's orders.
Then, led by this general, Li Annan's contingent divided into smaller groups and advanced into the inner region of the Dark Soul Mountain Range, commencing a carpet search.
Combined with the personnel from other factions, the outer region of the Dark Soul Mountain Range was suddenly ablaze with torches, lively and bustling.
The demonic beasts in the mountains, sensing the human presence, actually began to flee from these people.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuan was hiding beneath a cliff face.
He looked extremely disheveled, with numerous wounds on his body. The freshly changed clothes were now stained with blood, almost unrecognizable in color. His hair was matted with dried blood, and he exuded a pungent smell of gore.
However, he was not in mortal danger for the moment, merely appearing quite pathetic.
After leaving the cave, he had encountered ambushes from several groups of people. Those martial cultivators chasing him were like mad dogs, relentlessly pursuing him, giving him no chance to breathe.
Fortunately, despite his low cultivation, his combat power was formidable, and the Great Sun Yuan Force cultivated by the Xuan Yang Art continuously healed his injuries.
Otherwise, anyone else would have been captured long ago.
Xu Chuan's expression was icy, and the Killing God Blade in his hand was dripping with the blood of his enemies.
"Pray that I don't escape. Otherwise, once I cultivate to the Divine Ability realm, you will all die!"
This was the greatest crisis he had encountered since he began cultivating.
It was one thing for the Chen family to chase him, but now other factions were joining the fray.
All for the Heaven-grade treasure blade he possessed.
Then he would fight!
This pursuit had ignited an immense craving for strength within him.
Only by becoming powerful could he control everything and avoid such predicaments.
"He's here, don't let him escape!"
Xu Chuan had been discovered.
Soon, several small teams, led by cultivators in the Transcendent realm and accompanied by several in the Qi Nurturing realm, sped towards Xu Chuan's location.
"Die!"
Xu Chuan raised his blade and cleaved the person who had shouted into two halves.
"Quick, he's injured! Let's go together!"
"Don't be afraid! As long as we capture him, we'll get a reward of one hundred thousand Yuan Stones!"
Seeing Xu Chuan's ferocity, the chasing parties were momentarily terrified.
But then, someone noticed Xu Chuan's serious injuries and immediately rallied their forces to surround him, intending to capture him alive.
"Kill! Keep him busy! The Divine Ability realm experts will arrive soon!"
A martial cultivator at the first level of the Transcendent realm roared, drawing the longsword at his waist and charging at Xu Chuan.
His sword light was sharp and his presence imposing.
Facing the incoming sword, Xu Chuan was not afraid. He had killed the Chen family's Old Ancestor, who was in the Divine Ability realm. Did he fear a cultivator at the first level of the Transcendent realm and a few in the Qi Nurturing realm? That was a joke.
Clang!
The sword and blade collided, and the longsword in the man's hand shattered into pieces.
Then, the whistling sound of the blade echoed through the silent forest.
Another soul fell beneath the Killing God Blade.
Xu Chuan strode forward and stomped on the man's head, crushing it and sending blood splattering.
"Come on, try to kill me!"
Xu Chuan, with bloodshot eyes, roared at the remaining individuals.
The refined Killing God Blade was, after all, a Heaven-grade weapon. Xu Chuan, in the Transcendent realm, could not wield it for an extended period.
He was now being eroded by the killing intent and malevolent aura within the Killing God Blade.
If this continued, he would become a mere sword slave controlled by the Killing God Blade.
A sword slave devoid of consciousness, only knowing how to kill.
He walked towards the remaining individuals, blade in hand.
"He's not human, run!"
The remaining few were terrified by this sight. The Transcendent realm martial cultivator had his head chopped off with a single strike. They were no match for him, and if they lingered, they would only meet their deaths.
"Who do you think can escape today? You will all die!"
Xu Chuan roared and hurled the Killing God Blade, which directly pierced the back of the heads of the fleeing individuals.
With a single strike, they met their demise.
Xu Chuan's eyes turned even redder.
Clearly, as the Killing God Blade claimed more lives, Xu Chuan was more severely eroded by the killing intent and malevolent aura.
He was on the verge of completely losing control.
At this moment, only one thought occupied his mind: to kill, to kill everything he saw, both people and things.
To kill everything in heaven and on earth!
Just as Xu Chuan was about to be completely controlled by the Killing God Blade.
The contingency plan left by the Dao Protector suddenly activated. A clear light surged into his mind, expelling all the killing intent and malevolent aura from his consciousness.
Xu Chuan instantly regained his clarity.
The sobered Xu Chuan looked at the Killing God Blade stuck in the ground in the distance, a wave of fear washing over him.