Jiang Hao acted swiftly, taking down the two adversaries without a moment's hesitation before cautiously scanning his surroundings. He hoped his readers would remember their domain name.
There were still more opponents remaining. If they launched an attack together, Jiang Hao wasn't sure if he could dispatch them with the same ease.
Just beginning to gain momentum, he knew the odds were against him utilizing the full power of the Second Form of the Heavenly Blade again so soon.
Though the battle was brief, it had drained him significantly.
After waiting a short while and confirming no other enemies were nearby, he decided to deliver a few more strikes to the two fallen foes. Finally, he threw their bodies into the magma, ensuring they wouldn't rise again.
With that resolved, Jiang Hao moved forward. Since he'd already acted, he might as well try to get rid of all of them.
Had he not been vigilant, along with having learned the Nameless Secret Manual, he might not have dodged Shangguan Wen’s unexpected attack.
An attack like that could leave another mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in dire straits, if not dead.
Shangguan Wen was truly the most dangerous opponent.
As he traveled, Jiang Hao glanced at his Crescent Moon Blade, noting it was now full of cracks and unusable. He needed to purchase a temporary replacement.
The quality couldn't be too poor, but he'd have to fork over thousands of spirit stones, more than he could afford currently.
Weighing his options, he reluctantly took out a Spirit Sword to handle any sudden threats. Fortunately, it did not slow him down, but as he neared the exit, there was no sign of Situ Jian and the others.
"Already left? Didn’t wait for Shangguan Wen and his group?" Jiang Hao mused in surprise.
He found Situ Jian peculiar. Though initially, he sensed they didn't want to become enemies, seeing Shangguan Wen return made him second guess that perception.
It appeared not everyone agreed with each other. Situ Jian likely prioritized leaving to avoid conflict with him.
"Maybe I can't hold them back after all," he thought as he glanced towards the exit. He could sense strong energy waves outside—exceptionally intense.
Boom!
The gust of wind swept inward from the exit.
Jiang Hao hesitated but decided to take a look outside. Perhaps it was time to distance himself from the area.
The mine wasn't safe, and for the miners, remaining inside might be their only chance of survival.
If they left, they'd be too conspicuous, certainly facing death.
After waiting briefly, Jiang Hao attempted to leave the mineshaft. This exit was far from the mining area and not heavily guarded.
Outside, it seemed barren, often used to store miscellaneous stones.
True to form, Jiang Hao stepped out around scattered rocks, facing a desolate mountain. Turning to view the mine, he witnessed an extraordinary magical battle—techniques bursting forth relentlessly.
Mountains crumbled, and lands shattered.
Faced with this terrifying power, Jiang Hao felt a rush of fear.
How powerful must they be?
He wisely decided to retreat; anyone at the Nascent Soul level approaching would surely perish.
Such a clash couldn’t even collapse the entire mine, indicating a supreme treasure might indeed be here.
As for which side would destroy the mine, he didn't know, but lingering was not wise.
Jiang Hao quickly moved, soon finding himself amidst a forest.
While still likely within the mining grounds, it was more on the periphery.
Here, danger would be minimal.
Along the way, he hadn't encountered anyone else, and Situ Jian's whereabouts remained unknown.
Reaching the forest, Jiang Hao sighed with relief. This seemed like a safe haven.
"Now all I have to do is wait. If the Heavenly Sound Sect wins, I’ll head back to the mine. If not, I’ll retreat farther away."
"Even if punished later, it beats dying in there."
Losing the mine didn't equate to the sect being destroyed.
The attackers were here for the treasure; once obtained, they'd retreat.
The Heavenly Sound Sect had half its strongest forces outside, presenting an opportunity for their foes.
Otherwise, they wouldn't stand a chance.
So, fleeing the Heavenly Sound Sect was not an option.
Boom!
As Jiang Hao pondered, a powerful force suddenly hit the ground and exploded nearby.
The impact obliterated all the surrounding branches.
His protective armor automatically appeared to shield him at the first sign of danger.
Jiang Hao also summoned the Heavenly Blade, ready to wield it at any moment.
Not knowing what had happened, he realized it wasn't safe to remain here.
"Haha, what great Heavenly Sound Sect's top ten disciples! You couldn’t even stop me. Wasn't that your strongest attack just now? Then this young master won't tarry any longer, farewell," a brazen voice echoed.
Jiang Hao had no desire to be involved and sought to flee.
Yet, just as he was about to depart, someone called him back.
"Junior Brother, wait a moment." A rough voice, weighted with authority, halted Jiang Hao.
His presence was revealed; two pairs of eyes were focused on him.
A calamity out of nowhere.
Jiang Hao's scalp tingled; the power just displayed was beyond his understanding—beyond Nascent Soul level.
To get involved meant death; casually escaping might also provoke hostility.
Gritting his teeth, he turned to assess where the power originated.
A man in white stood within a formation, seemingly waiting to leave, his body covered in wounds, his aura chaotic.
Opposite him, a sturdy man, ensnared by bizarre runes, appeared close to breaking free.
Notably, the robust man wore the Heavenly Sound Sect robes, unharmed.
The heavily injured one, however, donned Profound Heaven Sect attire, familiar from the mine.
He’d heard mention of this man before.
"Junior Brother, quickly, stop him," the robust man shouted, named Barbarian Dragon.
Jiang Hao internally lamented; he desperately didn’t want part of this.
Even wounded, the opposing cultivator was formidable.
The dying camel is still larger than the horse.
Yet angering this senior brother seemed unwise as well.
With a sigh, Jiang Hao decided to put on a show.
"You'd best stay out of this, young one," the Profound Heaven Sect’s Xuanyuan Tai warned coldly.
In response, Jiang Hao hurriedly tossed out a Thousand Swords Talisman, merely pretending to help.
It surely wouldn't stop the opponent from activating teleportation to escape.