Chapter 751: Sorting Things Out
Yang Haoran knew very well that the power fluctuations and Yin Qi emanating from him and Xu Meijing could easily attract the attention of that Great Spirit Caller.
Especially the fluctuating power emanating from Xu Meijing, waxing and waning like lightning in the dead of night, at times illuminating the entire land, at others leaving it in complete silence—it would be difficult to avoid detection.
Given Yang Haoran's caution, he naturally wouldn't overlook such a serious issue. Therefore, he set up a protective barrier, enveloping both himself and Xu Meijing, to prevent their power fluctuations and Yin Qi from spreading and being sensed by that Great Spirit Caller.
Though called a protective barrier, it was actually a restrictive formation that emitted no power fluctuations, a formation that could move with its master. As long as it remained unattacked, this restrictive formation would not give off any power fluctuations.
The instant they burst from the earth, Yang Haoran violently spewed a mouthful of fresh blood from his mouth, his face turning ashen as paper, devoid of any color.
Several grotesque wounds marred his body, blood soaking his clothes and staining the face of Xu Meijing in his arms.
At this moment, Xu Meijing's eyes were tightly shut, the agony on her face more severe than before, and the blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth had already dampened her snow-white neck.
Thanks to Yang Haoran's desperate protection, she hadn't suffered much damage despite the Great Spirit Caller's earlier torment.
Xu Meijing had not lost consciousness; on the contrary, she was acutely aware. She could feel Yang Haoran's current weakness, and she could also feel the burning hot blood from Yang Haoran on her face.
Her heart was filled with anxiety, and the more anxious she became, the more intense the backlash grew. By now, she was in such agony that she couldn't even utter a single word, feeling as though her entire body was about to explode.
Yang Haoran looked down at Xu Meijing in his arms. He could tell that Xu Meijing was currently enduring immense pain.
One didn't even need to see; even a blind person could feel Xu Meijing's agony just by touching her face.
"Don't worry," he gently comforted, "we're safe now. Don't overthink anything. Cast aside all distracting thoughts and focus on your breakthrough."
Yang Haoran's voice, though gentle in its reassurance, carried a palpable sense of relief.
He knew that Xu Meijing's painful expression was certainly due to the increasingly severe backlash, which was why she looked the way she did.
And the reason Xu Meijing's backlash was worsening was due to external interference.
Therefore, to help Xu Meijing recover her state in the shortest possible time, Yang Haoran spoke those words, intentionally feigning a relaxed demeanor.
In truth, Yang Haoran's heart was far from as light as he pretended; on the contrary, his spirits were incredibly heavy.
Although he had successfully used two Ground-Escaping Talismans at the opportune moment to shake off the Great Spirit Caller, this was only temporary. He had no idea when that Great Spirit Caller would find them again.
He looked up at the sky. Under the scrutiny of his Ghost Eye, he could clearly see a curtain of light hovering above them.
He knew it was a light curtain emitted by a restrictive formation.
From this, it was evident that he and Xu Meijing were currently inside a restrictive formation.
He didn't need to think to know that the presence of a restrictive formation here was the work of that Great Spirit Caller. Although he hadn't seen the Great Spirit Caller set up the formation with his own eyes, he could surmise that immediately after he and Xu Meijing suddenly vanished, the opponent, to prevent their successful escape, swiftly deployed the restrictive formation, trapping them within it and then conducting a carpet search for their traces.
Since he had discovered the restrictive formation, he naturally wouldn't be foolish enough to try to break it open. He had no confidence in instantly shattering a restrictive formation set up by a Great Spirit Caller; even just opening a small breach was beyond his current ability.
Not to mention his current severe injuries and diminished strength, even if he were in peak condition, he couldn't instantly break open a restrictive formation laid by a Great Spirit Caller.
Given enough time, allowing him to use all his methods, he might be able to do it, but in his current state, breaking through instantly was absolutely impossible.
The moment he moved against the restrictive formation, that Great Spirit Caller would instantly sense it. By the time he managed to tear even a small opening in the formation, the Great Spirit Caller would undoubtedly have arrived. At that point, not only would he be unable to escape with Xu Meijing, but he would also have to confront the Great Spirit Caller directly once more.
Actively attacking the restrictive formation, in Yang Haoran's view, was no different from walking into a trap. Therefore, he wouldn't do anything so foolish, not even entertaining the thought of approaching the restrictive formation.
To avoid affecting Xu Meijing, Yang Haoran did not tell her what he had seen or his plans. He glanced around, and his gaze finally settled on a spot on the rock wall.
There was a cave there.
Whether the cave was naturally formed or man-made, Yang Haoran hadn't paid attention. In their current situation, he had neither the inclination nor the time to concern himself with such details.
What he cared about at the moment was quickly finding a secluded spot so Xu Meijing could break through in peace. As soon as Xu Meijing successfully opened her Earth Soul, their situation would immediately change, and it would be hard to say then who would emerge victorious.
Thus, to buy more time for Xu Meijing, he didn't hesitate for a moment after discovering the cave. With a few swift movements, he darted inside.
The cave was very small, at most only a few dozen square meters, which couldn't help but cause a slight disappointment in Yang Haoran's heart.
If the cave were larger and deeper, he and Xu Meijing could hide further inside. Then, he could find a way to seal off the entrance, and the likelihood of being discovered would be relatively lower. Unfortunately, this cave was not as ideal as he had imagined.
Although a little disappointed, Yang Haoran's movements were anything but slow. After entering the cave, he immediately expanded the protective barrier that enveloped his and Xu Meijing's bodies.
Under his control, the protective barrier began to twist and deform according to the cave's shape, clinging tightly to the irregular inner surface like a thin layer of liquid, sealing off the entrance.
This was naturally done to fully utilize the few dozen square meters of the cave, allowing them as much moving space as possible.
Sealing the entrance was for concealment. Yang Haoran used a minor illusion when he had the protective barrier seal the cave mouth, successfully making the entrance disappear. Without specialized ocular techniques or other extraordinary means, it would be difficult to discover that a cave existed there.
Although he knew that such a measure might not necessarily deceive a Great Spirit Caller, it was all he could do for now.
After completing all this, Yang Haoran dared not delay even a moment. He immediately had Xu Meijing sit cross-legged on the ground, then mobilized his Spirit Power to sort out the chaotic energy within Xu Meijing's body.
With Yang Haoran's help, Xu Meijing's condition gradually improved, and the agony on her face was no longer as intense as before.
Pfft!
A moment later, Xu Meijing suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. After this expulsion, although her face remained ashen as paper, her expression visibly relaxed.
"Thank you."
Xu Meijing spoke weakly, a thousand words condensed into those two.
"Heh heh, there's no need for such formalities between us."
Yang Haoran said with a smile, retracting his hands from Xu Meijing's back.
Xu Meijing offered a weak smile and nodded gently.
"I'm much better now," she said weakly. "You don't need to worry about me anymore. I'll handle the rest myself. You should quickly recover."
Xu Meijing spoke in a weak voice. Although Yang Haoran had just told her they were safe, she knew in her heart that their situation was far from secure. The small cave was merely a temporary refuge. That Great Spirit Caller could come knocking at any moment. Only by opening her Earth Soul would she possess the ability to confront him head-on.
She could feel Yang Haoran's current weakness, so she didn't want him to continue spending time on her. It was better for him to seize this opportunity to recover, giving them a greater chance of survival.
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