Lin Chen saw everything clearly.

Qi Changwei wasn’t being coerced by the Demon Sect’s Golden Core Cultivator. He stood calmly alongside them, appearing to be in conversation.

In this situation, there’s only one possibility... Qi Changwei has defected!

"So... the traitor the Sect Leader mentioned is him?"

Lin Chen’s gaze gradually became sharp.

Everything that happened before suddenly connected.

How could the Demon Sect find the correct path to Wudu in such a short time?

Because there was someone leading them!

And who led them? It was undoubtedly Qi Changwei!

The route to Wudu from outside the fog is top secret, known only to the two Sect Leaders and a few Peak Masters.

Of course, Lin Chen also knew about it.

And as Qi Changwei became a candidate for the Artifact Peak Master, he naturally had the right to know this route.

From the death of the old Artifact Peak Master to the death of the senior brother of Artifact Peak...

Even in these past few years, Qi Changwei had numerous miraculous encounters, becoming a Golden Core Cultivator.

All of this seemed premeditated.

Behind Qi Changwei, it seems there has always been support from the Demon Sect.

"So, when did he betray us?"

"Was he a spy planted by the Demon Sect from the beginning... or did he only recently betray us, seeing resistance was futile?"

Lin Chen shook his head. At this time, pondering these questions was meaningless.

"Thirty-five breaths..."

Lin Chen silently counted in his heart.

Those over a hundred Foundation Establishment disciples were also quickly heading towards the Spiritual Boat, about to successfully escape.

Lin Chen, without a second thought, flew in the direction of the Spiritual Boat.

"Forty breaths..."

However, at this moment, in Divine Sense, Qi Changwei and a few other Golden Core Demon Cultivators moved.

They quickly flew towards the Spiritual Boat.

Lin Chen’s face changed slightly as he saw the Spiritual Boat about to take off, encountering an unexpected event.

"Heh heh, so you’re all here..."

"You still want to escape on the Spiritual Boat? Dream on!"

Three Golden Core Demon Cultivators rushed over from afar, unleashing True Essence towards the Spiritual Boat.

Boom!

The just-lifted Spiritual Boat shook violently, and ripples spread across the Boat Protection Array, looking on the verge of collapse.

On the Spiritual Boat, the more than a thousand disciples were shocked and terrified.

Han Jihai’s face was also ashen. If they got entangled by these Golden Core Demon Cultivators, it would be big trouble.

"Look quickly, Junior Martial Uncle Lin is here too!"

On the Spiritual Boat, a disciple shouted.

By now, the over a hundred Foundation Establishment disciples had boarded the Spiritual Boat.

Han Jihai’s expression turned from surprise to joy upon seeing Lin Chen, and he quickly transmitted his voice:

"Chen’Er, get on the Spiritual Boat quickly!"

Lin Chen transformed into an Escape Light, flying towards the Spiritual Boat.

In the end, he stopped tens of feet away from the Spiritual Boat.

Lin Chen didn’t choose to board the Spiritual Boat because he knew that unless they dealt with these Golden Core Demon Cultivators, the Spiritual Boat would have no chance of escape.

"Look, Junior Martial Uncle Qi is also here! Is he going to fight alongside Junior Martial Uncle Lin?"

On the Spiritual Boat, a few sharp-eyed disciples noticed Qi Changwei as well.

These disciples showed an excited expression.

If another Golden Core Cultivator joined, their chances of killing these Golden Core Demon Cultivators would greatly increase.

But Han Jihai, experienced as he was, quickly noticed something wasn’t right.

He reached out to stop disciples preparing to disembark the Spiritual Boat, then swiftly transmitted to Lin Chen.

"Chen’Er, be careful of Qi Changwei..."

"I know."

Lin Chen silently replied.

Then, Lin Chen extended a finger, and four Flying Swords flew out from the Sword Box.

Three of them slashed towards the three Golden Core Demon Cultivators.

And the target of the other one was... Qi Changwei!

The three Golden Core Demon Cultivators reacted swiftly, either throwing out Magical Treasures or activating their Protective True Essence to block Lin Chen’s Flying Swords.

Qi Changwei also instantly released his Protective True Essence, his gaze turning towards Lin Chen.

At this moment, Lin Chen also looked at him.

Their gazes intersected briefly in the air, and Qi Changwei didn’t dare to continue the confrontation, lowering his head.

"Look quickly, why is Junior Martial Uncle Lin attacking Junior Martial Uncle Qi?"

"Something’s not right! Has Junior Martial Uncle Qi betrayed the Sect?"

By now, the disciples on the Spiritual Boat also noticed that something was amiss; Qi Changwei’s demeanor and position seemed off.

Li Zhenqian and Li Fengping’s faces changed slightly.

"Junior Brother Qi he..."

"Lin Chen, I’ll help you!"

Saying this, Li Zhenqian was about to leap off the Spiritual Boat but was held back by Han Jihai.

"No need, I’m enough on my own."

Lin Chen transmitted to Li Zhenqian.

A Golden Core Cultivator at the mid-stage possesses cultivation and power not just double but more than double those at the early stage.

Although Lin Chen feared exposure and suppressed his Realm to a Fourth Turn Golden Core, dealing with a few newly-entered Golden Core Demon Cultivators was a mere trifle.

After the first set of Flying Swords was blocked by True Essence, Lin Chen didn’t hesitate.

With a flick of his finger, another four Flying Swords shot out from the Sword Box.

The difference was... these four Flying Swords were entwined with whirlpool-like True Essence...

"Flying Sword Technique!"

Boom!

The four Flying Swords shot out simultaneously, arriving in front of the four individuals in just an instant.

The terrifying force emanating from the Flying Swords shattered the Protective True Essence on the Demon Cultivators.

Immediately, three heads flew high into the air...

In just a few breaths, three Golden Core Demon Cultivators were dead.

Lin Chen slightly turned his body, looking back at Qi Changwei.

Qi Changwei’s face turned ugly, and without thinking, he fled into the distance.

"Heh, if you weren’t feeling guilty... why would you run?"

Lin Chen sneered.

The flying sword pursued Qi Changwei at an astonishing speed.

From a distance of three miles, Lin Chen easily decapitated Qi Changwei.

In his final moments, Qi Changwei’s eyes widened, looking at Lin Chen from several miles away.

Lin Chen saw a hint of regret in those eyes.

After killing four Golden Core cultivators with lightning speed, Lin Chen transformed into a stream of light and flew onto the spiritual boat.

The spiritual boat flew toward the distant mist, disappearing into it in the blink of an eye.

...

On the spiritual boat, the disciples looked at Lin Chen with eyes full of admiration.

The attitude of several Golden Core cultivators toward Lin Chen became even more respectful.

Only Li Zhenqian, with his mouth agape, seemed at a loss for words.

For a moment, a trace of frustration flashed in his eyes.

"Damn it, why wasn’t it me who acted just now..."

"Ten breaths, killing four Golden Core cultivators, that’s just... so cool!"

Li Zhenqian trembled with regret.

But then he thought, with his current strength, dealing with two mid-stage Golden Core opponents was manageable.

Dealing with four... isn’t that courting death?

The spiritual boat continued flying through the mist, while Lin Chen leaned against the railing, staring into the mist ahead.

At that moment, more than a thousand pairs of eyes on the spiritual boat were almost all fixed on Lin Chen.

This battle had a massive impact on them!

The Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment disciples merely felt that Lin Chen was strong but couldn’t directly comprehend his might.

However, those Golden Core elders clearly understood the impressive feat of killing four Golden Core cultivators in ten breaths...

Golden Core cultivators dueling, with negligible disparity in strength, could struggle to find a victor even after several two-hour periods.

Even a mid-stage Golden Core would find it impossible to kill an early-stage Golden Core in just a few breaths.

Let alone Lin Chen, who killed four Golden Core cultivators in ten breaths.

This indicated that while Lin Chen was only a mid-stage Golden Core, his actual combat strength likely reached the late-stage Golden Core!

The last time Lin Chen publicly displayed his prowess was seventeen years ago.

In that sect-wide competition, Lin Chen, with late Qi Refining cultivation, defeated a Qi Refining Perfection senior who had cultivated for many more years.

Seventeen years flashed by, and Lin Chen’s combat ability not only hadn’t regressed.

It had grown even stronger...

"Junior Martial Uncle Lin, you’re so powerful!"

"With Senior Brother Lin here, the Changchun Sect will surely flourish!"

At this moment, many disciples and elders held this thought in their hearts.

Not long after, Han Jihai walked up to Lin Chen, still looking solemn without a hint of relaxation.

"Chen’Er, your skill..."

Lin Chen shook his head and quietly revealed a drained Spirit Stone in his hand.

Han Jihai immediately felt more at ease, "Did you use a secret technique? It seems the spiritual energy consumption was quite high..."

"Ugh, who knows if we can escape..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen fell silent.

Though they had slipped into the mist, they still had at least four or five thousand miles to go to escape from Wudu back to the Changchun Sect...

At least half a day’s journey remained.

Moreover, even if they escaped, what then?

The main force of the Righteous Alliance had been wiped out...

As long as the Demon Sect’s army pressed on, what chance did the Righteous Alliance have for survival?

"Now, we can only take it one step at a time." Han Jihai, unusually, did not suggest fleeing.

Lin Chen keenly noticed that after Wang Changchun handed the Sect Leader’s token to Han Jihai...

His master’s mindset had subtly changed.

Perhaps there was now something on him called responsibility...

Lin Chen took a deep breath and resolutely said:

"We will escape..."

...

Half a two-hour period later, the spiritual boat smoothly exited the mist’s boundary.

This meant they had already fled several hundred miles from Wudu and were flying toward the Yanlai Realm.

"We escaped!"

"We’ve survived... we’re alive!"

On the spiritual boat, many Foundation Establishment disciples were visibly excited.

Yet, thinking of their fellow disciples who had perished in Wudu, their expressions quickly dimmed again.

Lin Chen surveyed his surroundings. Besides their spiritual boat...

An additional spiritual boat followed from behind, carrying disciples and several elders from the Celestial Pill Sect.

Altogether, the escaping disciples and cultivators totaled just over two thousand...

The Changchun Sect still had thousands of Qi Refining disciples.

But the Celestial Pill Sect... was practically wiped out...

"This place is just over a thousand miles from the Yanlai Realm..."

"Once we enter the Yanlai Realm, it should be much safer."

Lin Chen thought quietly to himself.

The spiritual boat continued forward for a bit longer, encountering no further danger.

With the distance to the Yanlai Realm coming increasingly closer, Lin Chen breathed a slight sigh of relief.

However, at this moment...

Behind them, a dozen or more auras quickly approached the spiritual boat.

Lin Chen turned abruptly, releasing his Divine Sense like a tide.

"One, two... five... ten... twenty"

"In total, twenty Golden Core Demon Cultivators!"

Lin Chen’s expression turned somewhat grim.

In breaching Wudu, the Demon Sect had still managed to dispatch twenty Golden Core Demon Cultivators to pursue them!

On the other hand, counting the Celestial Pill Sect’s Golden Core elders...

The Golden Core cultivators on the two spiritual boats amounted to merely around ten....

This battle was bound to end in defeat!

"Do I really have to reveal my true cultivation..." Lin Chen frowned slightly.