Chapter 872: Nell’s Chase

He had barely crossed a hundred feet when a horrifying sound shook the air behind him—the dying wail of the Human-Faced Spider King. A chilling wave of yin energy surged, followed by an explosion of thick, blood mist billowing out from the underground cave’s entrance.

Max’s steps faltered briefly, his heart sinking. "She killed it... and fast..." He was both shocked and frightened, realizing that Senior Sister Nell’s strength might be far more dangerous than he initially assumed.

Without a second thought, Max pulled out tens of thousands of beast cores from his storage space, channeling them to refine and rapidly replenish his mana while escaping as fast as possible. He knew that once Senior Sister Nell was done, she would definitely chase him down.

Sure enough, within moments, the hot-bodied woman burst out of the cave like a raging storm, her once-charming face twisted with murderous intent. Her cold eyes locked onto Max like a predator locking onto prey, and her voice echoed through the valley with a venomous chill: "Max, you can’t escape!"

"Swish!"

Max didn’t even glance back. He poured everything into his speed, his body becoming a blur as he shot through the winding path of the Hidden Sound Valley. His instincts screamed that something far more dangerous than even this furious woman lurked deeper within the valley. He already had what he came for—the Soul-Nourishing Grass—so staying here any longer was just asking for death.

But then, mid-flight, his Three Dimensional Body flared, revealing something that made his scalp go numb. Senior Sister Nell’s strength—originally at the 7th level of Legend Rank—suddenly skyrocketed. First to the peak of 7th level... then past the 8th... then the 9th... and it didn’t stop there. Her aura roared like a raging sea, climbing until it hit the very peak of the 10th level of Legend Rank.

"What the fuck?!" Max’s face twisted in shock and disbelief. Just a moment ago, she was someone he could at least hope to handle if he went all out. Now? She was a peak Legend Rank expert, and she was furious.

He didn’t know how her strength had suddenly skyrocketed—whether it was some forbidden technique, a secret treasure, or even some bloodline power—but one thing was certain: fighting her was suicide. Even with all four of his concepts combined, his chances were nearly zero unless he unleashed every hidden trump card he had.

So he made the only choice he could: run.

Nell wasn’t about to let him get away so easily. She chased after him like a scarlet comet, her speed slightly faster than Max’s own. The gap between them closed rapidly, and within seconds, she was within striking range.

Her red whip flashed through the air with a sharp "Swish!", growing longer under her surging mana. It lashed out like a venomous spirit snake, twisting through the air and striking at Max’s back with lethal precision.

Max reacted instinctively. The Blue Dragon Sword swung backward, releasing a fierce arc of sword light infused with his advanced stage level 2 sword concept. Sparks flew as whip met sword—yet, to Max’s shock, the whip wasn’t cut at all. It only vibrated, shrugging off his attack as if it were nothing.

"This whip... it’s a treasure!" Max cursed under his breath. He didn’t dare to waste even a fraction of a second. He pushed his speed to the absolute limit, lightning crackling faintly along his legs as he burst forward with everything he had.

Behind him, Nell’s eyes gleamed with cold killing intent, her whip snapping through the air like a dragon’s roar. Max’s face twisted in frustration. "If only I had mastered One Step Mile already...!" The regret gnawed at him. If he had that technique fully mastered, he wouldn’t be in such an embarrassing state—running like prey with death at his heels..

The long whip in her hand twisted like a living spirit snake, its tip vibrating with a cold wind that cut across Max’s back and wrapped around him like a deadly coil. Its power surged through the yin-filled air, shaking even the nearby rocks, leaving Max with no way to break through her encirclement. He had no choice but to abandon the idea of forcing his way out and instead darted deeper into the Hidden Sound Valley, hoping the labyrinth-like tunnels might buy him time.

But the further he went, the denser the yin energy became, thick enough to feel like liquid fog clinging to his skin. It crawled across his limbs like icy fingers, sapping the warmth out of his body and making even his movements feel heavy and sluggish.

His breathing grew sharp and ragged as he hurriedly circulated his vital essence, forming a defensive shell around himself. Black flames erupted from his body, wrapping him in a protective shroud to ward off the biting yin energy.

Yet even as he defended against the cold, Nell was already there.

"Crackling—!"

The whip danced in her hand like a striking serpent, its tip coiling through the air before snapping down with terrifying force. Bang! Max felt the collision against his protective shell as if a mountain had slammed into him. The shield trembled, cracked, and then shattered like glass under a hammer.

His face darkened in alarm, and he spun the Blue Dragon Sword in his hand to block, but the whip was far too fast. It blurred through space, bypassing his defenses and struck squarely across his back.

Snap!

Max staggered violently, his footing lost as pain jolted through his body. His protective clothes shredded where the whip landed, and though his enhanced body prevented any physical injury, the force behind the strike knocked him forward, sending him sprawling across the rocky ground.

"Where can you escape to?" Nell’s voice rang out, soft yet dripping with malice.

She walked forward with an elegant but predatory gait, her eyes brimming with murderous intent. The whip in her hand flickered with killing intent as she drew it back, ready for another strike.

Max’s Three Dimensional Body instantly flared to life, tracing the exact trajectory of the incoming whip. His muscles tightened, and he twisted sideways at the very last second.

Bang!

The whip struck where he had been, splitting the rock floor open. Fractures radiated out like spiderwebs, scattering sand and sharp pebbles into the air. The raw power behind her attack was terrifying, far beyond the normal strength of a 9th-level Legend Rank—and now she was at her peak.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay