The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

The melee in the valley continued, the clash of swords between Zhao Heng and Ling Feng echoing like a dense drumbeat between the low hills.

After retreating to the edge of the valley, Yang Tieyi did not move again. He gripped the silver spear, his gaze shifting back and forth between Zhao Heng and Ling Feng.

Like a lone wolf observing its prey, it is neither in a hurry to strike nor intends to leave.

The participants scattered on the gentle slope gathered in increasing numbers, trying to find an opportunity to profit from the chaos.

Wang Long crouched behind the bushes, his eyes quickly scanning the terrain and the distribution of people around the valley. Just as he was about to discuss the next move with Ye Niannu, a voice suddenly came from the other side of the valley, clear and with a penetrating power that could not be ignored.

"There's someone behind those bushes!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it precisely pierced through the clashing of swords in the valley and reached the ears of everyone present.

Wang Long's movements paused slightly.

He turned his head and looked in the direction from which the sound came, and saw a figure standing on a protruding rock wall on the east side of the valley.

The person was slender, wearing a dark green long dress, with delicate features, and holding a closed folding fan in her hand. She was looking slowly and deliberately in the direction where Wang Long and Ye Niannu were hiding.

Her gaze was calm and resolute, clearly indicating that she had already noticed the commotion, but had remained silent until now, when she spoke at just the right moment.

"Are they from the Kunyin Sect?"

Ye Niannu's gaze sharpened slightly.

Wang Long did not answer, because he could feel that the gazes that had been facing each other in the valley were rapidly converging on him.

Zhao Heng and Ling Feng stopped what they were doing at almost the same time, each taking half a step back, and turned their gazes toward Wang Long's location.

A cold smile slowly crept onto Zhao Heng's lips.

"Wang Long?"

His tone carried a sense of certainty, as if he had finally caught his prey.

Ling Feng tilted his head slightly, as if confirming something, then abandoned his leisurely demeanor, casually tucked the stolen flag into his waistband, and gripped his cyan longsword tightly again.

The cultivators who had been observing also turned around, their gazes focusing on the two figures behind the bushes.

Someone whispered, "It's those two from the Eastern Region," their tone complicated.

Wang Long knew that he could no longer hide it.

He slowly stood up, brushed the fallen leaves and dirt off his robes, and walked out from behind the bushes.

Ye Niannu followed closely behind, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. The two stood together on the edge of the low hill, facing the figures in the valley below who had already turned all their attention to them.

The atmosphere in the valley changed completely at that moment.

The delicate balance of the three-way standoff has been broken, replaced by a more complex and tense situation.

All eyes were on Wang Long and Ye Niannu, filled with curiosity, wariness, and eager excitement.

Zhao Heng took a step forward, holding his dark gold longsword horizontally in front of him, his gaze falling on Wang Long.

"I've finally let go. I've been looking for you these past few days."

"Looking for me?"

Wang Long smiled faintly.

"Wow, I'm that popular?"

Zhao Heng was not angered by his flippant question; he merely narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice becoming a few decibels deeper than before.

"You've eliminated quite a few people these past few days, you must have accumulated quite a few flags by now, right?"

These words caused the atmosphere in the valley to subtly shift once again.

Those cultivators who were initially just watching the spectacle now focused their attention even more intently.

Zhao Heng was clearly reminding everyone present that the flag on Wang Long's body was the biggest gain.

Wang Long didn't reply, but just glanced at Zhao Heng, then swept his gaze over the cultivators who were slowly approaching, and turned to Ye Niannu in a low voice.

"There are too many people. We don't need to fight them here."

Ye Niannu naturally noticed the change in the situation and nodded.

"What does the young master mean?"

"Let's retreat first. Don't get entangled in a fight. There are too many of them. It would be troublesome if we got surrounded."

"Yes, I'll do whatever you say, my lord."

Ye Niannu responded with a light and decisive tone.

The two moved at almost the same moment.

Wang Long's figure flickered, like a gray streak of light, as he swept towards the rocky slope with its complex terrain in the northwest of the valley.

Ye Niannu followed closely behind, her light green figure moving like wisps of smoke at an astonishing speed.

"Trying to run away?"

Zhao Heng snorted coldly, turned his dark gold longsword, and started moving, chasing after Wang Long.

Ling Feng didn't chase after them immediately. He stood there, watching the two figures, one gray and one green, disappear quickly into the distance. A thoughtful smile appeared on his lips. After a moment, he slowly followed after them.

Yang Tieyi hesitated for a moment, but finally gripped his silver spear and strode after them, though his speed was noticeably slower than Zhao Heng's.

Upon seeing this, the cultivators scattered on the gentle slope also began to move.

Some flew on their magical artifacts, some used their agility techniques, and some moved parallel to the mountain ridge, each choosing what they considered the most advantageous pursuit route.

In an instant, the valley was like a body of water tossed with pebbles, ripples spreading outwards, and figures crisscrossed, all surging in the same direction.

Wang Long and Ye Niannu moved swiftly through the rocky slopes, their steps light and agile. Using the terrain as cover, they constantly changed directions, gradually widening the gap between themselves and their pursuers.

Zhao Heng's voice, tinged with coldness, came from behind.

"Wang Long! You can't escape!"

Wang Longtou didn't turn around, but instead sped up, whispering to Ye Niannu.

"Go into that dense forest ahead, then split up and meet up again."

"it is good."

Ye Niannu responded crisply and decisively.

The two rushed into the edge of the dense forest at almost the same moment, and then dispersed to the left and right respectively, their figures quickly disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

The atmosphere on the viewing platform, which had quieted down slightly after Wang Long and Ye Niannu appeared, became lively again.

One of the team leaders from the Southern Region couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the two golden dots moving separately on the map.

"They've finally started running. I thought they were really going to hold out in the valley."

Someone next to him chimed in.

"Only a fool wouldn't run. There are so many people in the valley; if a fight breaks out, they'll be exhausted. But... they can run, but they can't hide. This battlefield is only so big; where can they possibly hide?"

The leader of the Western Regions Snake Bone Sect, whose expression had been rather grim, finally spoke up, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude and certainty.

"Everyone is chasing them now. No matter how fast they run, they can't hold out for long."

"This round in the Eastern Region is over."

In the Eastern Region spectator area, the faces of several team leaders darkened. They clenched their fists as they stared at the two rapidly moving golden dots on the map, which were constantly being surrounded by other dots.

Someone muttered a curse under their breath.

"These bastards, they're trying to surround them and kill them..."

Song Tiange stood at the edge of the viewing platform, his hands behind his back. His gaze fell on the two points of light on the map that were rapidly moving through the dense forest. Although his expression remained calm, a hint of seriousness was surging deep in his eyes.

Ye Wushuang stood beside him, also looking at the two golden lights, without saying a word, but the fingers clenched in her sleeves had turned slightly white.

Hundreds of eyes were focused on the huge map of light and shadow. Everyone wanted to know whether Wang Long and Ye Niannu could survive this round of encirclement and pursuit.