The cold shouts of Lin Zhan and others came from behind.
Lin Hao was delayed for a few moments by Zhou Zhen, and Lin Zhan and the others naturally caught up.
"Iron Eagle!"
The elder of the Yu family transformed into a giant eagle with feathers as hard as steel, capable of easily cutting through mountains.
"Water Lion!"
"Flame Tiger!"
The two elders of the Lin family transformed into a blue water lion and a flame tiger with flames enveloping its entire body.
The flying in the sky and the running on the ground moved simultaneously, aiming to leave Lin Hao with no place to run.
...
Lin Hao remained calm, showing no signs of tension.
If his spirit root had not been shattered and he still possessed the Earth Gate spirit body, he might have been able to fight back against the combined forces of the Lin and Yu families.
However, the current situation was not like that, and with Yu Yao behind him, Lin Hao felt even more restrained.
"Brother... put me down... I don't want to be a burden to you..." Yu Yao's eyes were moist. The combined forces of the two major branches of the Lin and Yu families almost made it impossible for Lin Hao to escape, especially with her as a burden.
"Nonsense." Lin Hao said coldly. Just as he was about to escape from the city, a feathered arrow shot at him at high speed.
Lin Hao extended his right arm and easily intercepted the arrow.
He cast a cold glance at a black-armored guard holding a longbow.
The black-armored guard trembled slightly when he saw Lin Hao's gaze, which resembled that of a venomous snake.
He regretted shooting the arrow, but it was too late.
In an instant, Lin Hao was close, grabbing the black-armored guard by the throat, and the sound of bones breaking could be heard.
Lin Hao took the longbow and a quiver of arrows, then threw the black-armored guard, whose neck bones were broken, at the Yu family members.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Lin Hao held the bow and shot three arrows backward.
Seeing this, the three elders in their spirit bodies were shocked, especially the elder of the Yu family who had transformed into a giant eagle. Before he could react, an arrow pierced his head.
With a thud, the giant eagle fell from the sky, dead. The other two arrows injured the two elders of the Lin family.
"How is this possible!" Yu Huang was stunned, his face full of disbelief.
That boy was a master archer, firing three arrows in an instant, killing one elder and injuring two!
In the previous life, Lin Hao, holding the Star Chasing Magic Bow, could kill an enemy from a thousand miles away with a single arrow!
After killing and injuring the three elders, Lin Hao immediately fled from Fenglin Town without hesitation.
"Whatever it takes... we must capture Lin Hao. Even if we have to kill him on the spot to prevent the transfer of his spirit root!" Lin Zhan said furiously.
By this time, Lin Hao had already escaped from the town and entered the Congyun Mountains.
This vast mountain range connected eighteen towns and could lead directly to Liuyun City.
However, the mountains were home to many fierce beasts, and even a powerful warrior who had opened the fourth Earth Gate dared not claim to be able to traverse the Congyun Mountains. But for now, the mountains were relatively advantageous for him.
As soon as he entered the mountains, Lin Zhan and Yu Huang also followed.
Lin Hao hid on a towering tree, using the dense leaves to cover himself and Yu Yao.
With the longbow in hand, the last arrow was already on the string, aimed at Lin Zhan.
If the Lin family branch wanted to play, Lin Hao was willing to play along, to the fullest!
Lin Hao held his breath, motionless like a statue. When his breathing reached a certain frequency, his mind and spirit synchronized, and the arrow shot through the air.
Whoosh!
It was as if a bolt of lightning had streaked through the air, the arrow like a rainbow piercing the sky, transforming into a streak of light.
"Brother Lin Zhan, be careful!"
Yu Huang was the first to react, quickly warning Lin Zhan in the distance.
Hearing this, Lin Zhan was startled and instinctively looked forward.
With a swish, the arrow arrived.
Lin Zhan's pupils dilated; if he were hit by this arrow, he would likely suffer severe injuries or even death.
Everyone knew the terrifying power of Lin Hao's arrows, as he had already killed one of the Yu family elders with a single shot.
As the head of a branch family, Lin Zhan had also fought on the battlefield for many years and was extremely sensitive.
When Lin Zhan sensed the arrow's approach, he immediately moved to the left to dodge.
However, Lin Zhan's speed, though fast, was not fast enough to outpace Lin Hao's arrow.
With a 'pu' sound, accompanied by Lin Zhan's scream, the arrow pierced his right chest, lifting him off the ground and carrying him through the air.
Thud!
The arrow pierced several meters into the trunk of a towering tree, pinning Lin Zhan to it.
Sigh...
This scene made everyone present draw a sharp breath.
Lin Hao's mastery of the longbow had reached such a terrifying level, making people fear him.
"Ah...!" Lin Zhan screamed, his body trembling uncontrollably. Each tremor brought unbearable pain, making him wish for death.
...
"Pity... a broken bow and a crippled body." Lin Hao, hiding on the tree, shook his head.
This longbow and arrows were quite ordinary, easily purchasable at a low price from a common weapon shop, far inferior to those of higher grades.
"You little beast, Lin Hao, to be so ruthless! Even if we can't transfer your spirit root, we will tear you to pieces today!" The two elders of the Lin family branch, following the ripple marks left by the arrow, discovered Lin Hao's hiding place.
Seeing that his location was exposed, Lin Hao did not waste words, carrying Yu Yao and swiftly descending from the tree, fleeing forward.
The quiver was empty, and Lin Hao casually discarded the longbow.
"That boy has no more arrows, surround him!" Yu Huang left one elder to tend to Lin Zhan and led the others to continue pursuing Lin Hao.
Since the matter had begun, it must be seen through to the end. Lin Hao must not be allowed to enter Liuyun City, or the spirit root transfer would be impossible.
"Ice Spirit Body!" Yu Huang roared, transforming into a five-zhang-tall ice giant, causing the temperature around him to plummet, and snowflakes to fall from the sky.
With the Ice Spirit Body, Yu Huang's strength and speed increased significantly, and in a blink, he blocked Lin Hao's path.
"Lin Hao, you cannot escape the Congyun Mountains today. Considering your father's past kindness to the Yu family, if you come with me to Fenglin Town, I will ensure your and Yu Yao's safety." The ice giant looked down at Lin Hao and said.
"Move aside." Lin Hao's expression was cold, not wanting to waste words with Yu Huang.
"You are stubborn!" As Yu Huang spoke, his right arm, like a pillar supporting the sky, swiftly descended, aiming at Lin Hao.
Seeing this, Yu Yao trembled all over, cold sweat dripping from her forehead like broken pearls.
Yu Huang, as the head of the Yu family branch, was extremely powerful, having already opened the second Earth Gate and cultivated the Ice Spirit Body to the second level.
The Ice Spirit Body had nine levels, and each level brought a significant increase in strength.
Even the Lin Hao of the past had only cultivated his spirit body to the third level, and at his peak, he was only one level higher than Yu Huang.
As Yu Huang's right fist descended, the air seemed to stagnate, and the unique aura of the Ice Spirit Body swept through the area, freezing the surrounding plants and trees.
Heavenly Wind Palm!
Lin Hao did not dodge, grasping his left hand on his right wrist and swinging his right palm to directly confront Yu Huang's second-level Ice Spirit Body.
With a single palm, a storm surged in the air, like a boundless beast ready to devour countless lives.
Boom!
Rumble!
The two palms collided, creating invisible shockwaves centered on Lin Hao and Yu Huang.
The shockwaves swept through the surroundings, reducing the giant trees to dust.
Some branch executives and disciples who had followed from behind were instantly swept into the air by the shockwaves and then thrown far away.
With a single palm, Lin Hao and the ice giant were both hit by a powerful force, retreating rapidly.
The ice giant's massive body bent, his feet creating deep pits in the ground before stopping, while Lin Hao retreated six or seven steps.
"You..." The ice giant looked at Lin Hao, his body emitting a chilling aura that seemed to freeze everything.
Lin Hao's gaze was cautious, not daring to be careless against the ice giant, especially with the two branch elders approaching from behind.
"Lin Hao, you are indeed as strong as your father, but it is a pity. You will ultimately fall in my hands." The ice giant sneered.
As the ice giant spoke, ice began to form on Lin Hao's legs and spread upward.
At this rate, Lin Hao would be completely frozen in two or three breaths, with no chance of escape.
Seeing this, the two branch elders who had just arrived stopped their attacks.
They knew the power of Yu Huang's Ice Spirit Body. Even among the second Earth Gate, the Ice Spirit Body was considered high-grade, capable of freezing everything.
Moreover, Yu Huang had cultivated the Ice Spirit Body to the second level, making him extremely powerful and terrifying.
...
Lin Hao looked down at his body, which was about to be frozen, his brows furrowed.
With his current strength, he was still too weak to deal with Yu Huang, especially since his spirit root was shattered, and Yu Huang had reached the second level of the Ice Spirit Body.
"Lin Hao, this is your own fault, refusing the easy way out and choosing the hard way!" The elder of the Lin family branch looked at the soon-to-be-frozen Lin Hao and laughed coldly.
"Is that so..." Lin Hao's brows suddenly relaxed, a sly smile appearing on his lips.
At some point, Lin Hao had a silver needle in his hand. Before the ice giant and the two elders could react, he suddenly inserted the needle into a major acupoint on his body.
Swish!
As the needle pierced his skin, the ice on Lin Hao's body, which had been spreading, began to fall like autumn leaves.
"Silver needle... medical arts?!" The ice giant and the two branch elders were momentarily stunned.
Even the people at the Hundred Herbs Hall in Fenglin Town could not achieve such a level of skill.
Without wasting words, Lin Hao, carrying Yu Yao, leaped forward, fleeing at a speed that was difficult to see with the naked eye.
In the mountains, Lin Hao moved like a shadow, his speed like the wind.
Many fierce beasts lay in wait in the forest, but they were not disturbed by Lin Hao, who had suppressed his aura to an almost imperceptible level. Only high-level beasts might notice him.
However, Yu Huang and the others could not control their auras as well as Lin Hao. Although they did not encounter many beasts, they did face a few terrifying ones.
By the time they escaped the beasts, the distance between them and Lin Hao had widened significantly.