Chapter 25 The Escape

Chapter 25 The Escape
The forest around them seemed to shift in response. What had once been a place of opportunity now revealed its hostility in full, as faint ripples of spiritual energy spread outward from multiple directions, confirming what they already suspected and their decision to withdraw had not gone unnoticed, and that those who had laid the trap were already adjusting.
“They’re moving,” Chen Ran said under his breath, his voice tight as the small spirit beast on his shoulder trembled faintly, its senses clearly picking up on the approaching threat.
“Of course, they are,” Liang Jie replied, though his usual edge had softened into something more focused. “They didn’t set all this up just to watch us leave.”
“Less talking,” Zhao Lian said sharply. “Regulate your breathing and keep your pace steady, or you’ll collapse before we even reach the outer boundary.”
Lu Tian did not look back, yet every shift in the group’s condition registered clearly within his awareness, his senses extending beyond the physical as the Void within him stirred faintly, brushing against the currents of energy in their surroundings.
“They’re tightening from the rear and the left,” he said calmly. “The right side is thinner. We cut through there.”
Luo Qingshan’s eyes sharpened immediately as he adjusted their trajectory without question, his mind already calculating how the terrain would affect both their movement and that of their pursuers.
“There’s uneven ground ahead,” he said. “If we push through, we can slow them.”
“Do it,” Lu Tian replied.
Behind them, a sudden surge of energy erupted.
The first attack came not as a direct strike, but as a sweeping wave of force that tore through the trees, shattering branches and sending debris crashing down in an attempt to disrupt their movement.
Wu Zhen reacted instantly, stepping back just enough to absorb the impact as fragments of wood and stone slammed into his body, his muscles tightening as he endured the force without breaking stride.
“Forward!” he growled.
Han Yue moved beside him, his sword flashing in controlled arcs as he deflected smaller projectiles, his movements precise and economical, conserving strength even as he protected those nearest to him.
“They’re testing us,” Xiang Feng said, his spear striking out to redirect a stray attack that had veered too close to Zhao Lian.
“Then don’t give them anything to learn from,” Han Yue replied calmly.
The ground ahead dipped suddenly, the terrain shifting into a shallow basin filled with uneven stone and thick roots that twisted through the earth like hidden traps.
“Now,” Luo Qingshan said.
Tang Bo’s talismans ignited in sequence.
A faint pulse spread across the ground, subtle yet effective, destabilizing the already uneven terrain just enough that the first wave of pursuers, who followed too closely, found their footing disrupted, their momentum broken as several of them stumbled.
At the same time, Mei Ru’s illusions expanded outward, weaving through the trees and shadows, creating false paths and phantom movements that drew attention away from the group’s true trajectory.
“They’ll see through it quickly,” she said softly.
“They don’t need to believe it for long,” Luo Qingshan replied.
Behind them, shouts erupted as the pursuing cultivators adjusted, their movements growing more aggressive now that the distance between them had begun to close.
“They’re speeding up,” Chen Ran warned.
Lu Tian’s gaze remained forward. “Then we do the same.”
The pace increased.
Branches snapped beneath their feet as they pushed through denser sections of the forest, the air growing heavier as the pressure behind them intensified, no longer probing, but pressing.
Then a sharp cry broke the rhythm.
Liang Jie’s body jerked violently as a concealed strike slipped through the chaos, a blade of compressed energy cutting across his side before anyone could fully react.
He staggered, his footing faltering as blood spread rapidly across his robes.
“Liang Jie!” Zhao Lian’s voice cut through the air as she moved instantly toward him, her hand already reaching for a pill.
But the moment of hesitation was enough for their enemies. Another surge of energy followed, this one aimed directly at the gap that had just opened.
“Move!” Xiang Feng shouted, stepping in to intercept, his spear clashing against the incoming attack with a sharp, ringing impact that forced him back several steps.
Wu Zhen shifted immediately, placing himself between Liang Jie and the advancing pressure, his body absorbing the next wave with a grunt as cracks spread beneath his feet.
“Don’t stop!” he barked.
But the formation had broken. Even if only slightly it was enough space for the enemies to exploit.
Lu Tian stopped. The decision came without hesitation, his body turning just enough to face the approaching threat as the faint hum of the Void within him grew stronger, responding to the shift in his intent.
“Hold,” he said.
Zhao Lian stabilized Liang Jie with practiced precision, her movements swift despite the urgency, while Han Yue and Xiang Feng repositioned instantly, their weapons forming a defensive line that cut off the immediate advance.
Luo Qingshan’s mind raced as he recalculated, his earlier plans unraveling under the sudden pressure.
“We can’t hold here for long,” he said.
“We don’t need to,” Lu Tian replied.
Then he moved. The first pursuer broke through the trees just as Lu Tian stepped forward, his expression fierce as he formed his attack to capitalize on the moment of disruption. He never completed it as Lu Tian’s hand met his strike directly.
The contact lasted only an instant, yet in that instant, the man’s expression twisted in horror as his energy was consumed, his strength collapsing as though the foundation beneath him had been torn away.
Lu Tian did not linger. He released him and stepped past, his movement fluid, continuous, as though the act itself had been nothing more than a brief interruption.
The second attacker hesitated and that hesitation cost him. Feng Xiang emerged from his blind spot, his blade silent and precise as it ended the fight before it could begin.
The remaining pursuers slowed. They did not stop but  they were no longer pressing blindly.
Lu Tian turned back. “Move,” he said again.
This time no one faltered.
Wu Zhen lifted Liang Jie without hesitation, carrying him over his shoulder as Zhao Lian continued to stabilize his condition, while the others reformed their positions with renewed urgency, their earlier rhythm restored despite the disruption.
Behind them, the pressure remained but it no longer closed as quickly. Because there was doubt.
And doubt, in a hunt, was often the difference between pursuit and caution.
As they pushed forward, the density of the forest began to thin gradually, the oppressive weight of the inner regions giving way to a more open terrain that signaled their approach toward the outer boundary. But no one relaxed because until they crossed that line they were still within reach.
But for the first time since the retreat began, the balance had shifted slightly, no longer entirely in favor of those who hunted them and as Lu Tian continued forward, his expression calm despite everything, one thought remained clear in his mind.