Shangguan Tianlong's Cultivation Realm was at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm, one minor Realm higher than the White-Haired Black-Clothed Old Man. He could have directly killed the White-Haired Black-Clothed Old Man and rescued Zhang Haoyang, so why didn't he?
Was Shangguan Tianlong heartless? Of course not!
It was because outside the Shangguan Family compound, there was another Cultivator at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm and two Cultivators at the Peak of the Seventh Level of the Nascent Soul Realm. The highest-Cultivation Realm among the three was the same as Shangguan Tianlong's, both at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm. Once Shangguan Tianlong killed the White-Haired Black-Clothed Masked Man, who was at the Major Achievement of the Sixth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm, the Shangguan Family would surely suffer a full-force attack from the other three. Although he could block the Cultivator at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm, the other two Cultivators at the Peak of the Seventh Level of the Nascent Soul Realm could slaughter the Shangguan Family. He needed to find a way to both rescue Zhang Haoyang and ensure the Shangguan Family members were not slaughtered.
As for Shangguan Tianlong's thoughts, none of the Shangguan Family members, including Shangguan Yuantian, knew. There were also experts outside the compound, but due to their Cultivation Realm, they did not discover them.
Shangguan Tianlong gave Zhang Haoyang a Medicinal Pill for healing, and then, using the opportunity to treat Zhang Haoyang's injuries, he secretly conveyed to Zhang Haoyang and Bai Shaoyang what they should do next to leave the place.
"Child, I have a space ring here for you. It contains some Cultivation items and food. You just need to drip blood on the ring to make it your own, and then you can freely use it. I hope you can live well!"
After hearing this, Zhang Haoyang softly said to the old man, "Thank you. If I can survive this time, I will surely repay the Shangguan Family's great kindness."
After Shangguan Tianlong finished these arrangements, he glanced at the White-Haired Black-Clothed Old Man, then spoke to the air, "Please give this old man some face. This child is also considered a disciple of my Shangguan Family. Please spare him!"
After a few breaths, a voice came from the air: "The Shangguan Family Old Ancestor's Cultivation Technique is exceptional, and Cultivation is not easy. Do not joke with your Cultivation and the lives of your Family. We consider the Shangguan Family's hundred years of establishment not easy, so we will not kill you, but you must hand over the remnants of the Zhang Family." Before the words finished, three masked men slowly walked out of the air.
Shangguan Tianlong slowly looked at the two and said, "If the three of you say so, then there's no room for discussion. Activate the Formation!"
Only the sound of "kaka" was heard from all directions within the Family, and the two newly entered Black-Clothed Masked Men of the Shangguan Family and the other masked men were immediately enveloped by the Formation. Countless illusion Formations and killing Formations appeared before their eyes.
The two masked men within the Formation spoke in Shangguan Tianlong's direction, "Fellow Daoist, don't waste your efforts. We only need two cups of tea time to break the Formation. Although we cannot kill you then, we can still capture the remnants of the Zhang Family alive!" Shangguan Tianlong smiled at the two and said, "Two cups of tea time is enough!" With that, he waved his hand and sent Zhang Haoyang and Bai Shaoyang out of the Shangguan Family's main residence.
After Zhang Haoyang and Bai Shaoyang were sent out of the Shangguan Family's main residence, Bai Shaoyang carried Zhang Haoyang on his back and desperately ran towards the Dark Night Forbidden Land in the north. Just now, Shangguan Tianlong had told Zhang Haoyang that the Shangguan Family's grand Formation could at most delay the masked men for two cups of tea time. This meant they only had two cups of tea time to escape. If they couldn't reach the Dark Night Forbidden Land by then, they would only face death!
If they were lucky enough to reach the Dark Night Forbidden Land, they might still have a chance to fight. Bai Shaoyang carried Zhang Haoyang on his back and ran desperately forward, getting closer and closer to the Dark Night Forbidden Land.
In a blink of an eye, two cups of tea time passed. Bai Shaoyang was carrying Zhang Haoyang rapidly, and they were less than three zhang away from the Dark Night Forbidden Land. At this moment, a "rustling" sound of clothes suddenly came from behind. If Bai Shaoyang was given a few more breaths, he could have carried Zhang Haoyang into the Dark Night Forbidden Land, but at this time, the Black-Clothed Masked Man at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm had also caught up to the Dark Night Forbidden Land.
The masked man unleashed a palm strike towards Bai Shaoyang, who was carrying Zhang Haoyang. Since Bai Shaoyang was carrying Zhang Haoyang with Zhang Haoyang's back facing him, he was afraid of killing Zhang Haoyang with a single palm, so he did not use his full strength. Bai Shaoyang, while running frantically, paid attention to the movements behind him. When he heard the palm wind approaching, he reacted extremely quickly and returned a palm strike.
The two palms, carrying immense True Qi, collided in the air. Bai Shaoyang, at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Core Formation Realm, was no match for the Black-Clothed Masked Man at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm. When the two palms collided, Bai Shaoyang, who was carrying Zhang Haoyang, was directly sent flying backward by the powerful palm wind. No, it should be said that he was sent flying forward rapidly. It was precisely this strike that directly sent Bai Shaoyang and Zhang Haoyang flying into the Dark Night Forbidden Land. Bai Shaoyang, who was struck into the Dark Night Forbidden Land, coughed non-stop and spat out several mouthfuls of blood. He was severely injured, but even so, he did not stop and continued to run desperately deeper into the Dark Night Forbidden Land.
Seeing this situation, the Black-Clothed Masked Man at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm did not directly follow them into the Dark Night Forbidden Land. He stood there, seemingly in thought.
At this moment, the other two Black-Clothed Masked Men at the Peak of the Seventh Level of the Nascent Soul Realm and the previous White-Haired Black-Clothed Masked Man, leading others, had also arrived.
The White-Haired Black-Clothed Masked Man cupped his hands to the Cultivator at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm and said, "Senior Brother, they have entered the Forbidden Land. Should we go in and capture them?"
The Cultivator, who was called Senior Brother, said, "The Forbidden Land is full of poisonous miasma and has a large number of high-level Yao Beasts. It would be extremely dangerous for us to go in. Let me consult the Holy Emissary before making a decision!"
Immediately, the old man took out a jade stone. This jade stone was specially made by a Formation Great Master for transmitting information. This stone was divided into a mother and child. As long as both parties held one, they could transmit information even across ten thousand li.
Soon, a message was received: "Just guard outside the Forbidden Land; there's no need to enter. The Lord urgently needs people at the moment, so unnecessary casualties must be avoided!"
Upon receiving the order, the masked man at the Peak of the Eighth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm immediately arranged for people to guard around the Dark Night Forbidden Land. Once Zhang Haoyang and his companion's traces were discovered, they were to report immediately.
After Bai Shaoyang carried Zhang Haoyang into the Dark Night Forbidden Land and ran for nearly another hour, he finally ran out of strength and fell to the ground with a "thud."
Zhang Haoyang had been on Bai Shaoyang's back and had not expended much physical strength. After Bai Shaoyang fell to the ground, Zhang Haoyang was thrown far away. After he crawled up, he quickly came to Bai Shaoyang's side. He shook Bai Shaoyang vigorously and said, "Grandpa Bai, are we safe for now?" But at this moment, Bai Shaoyang showed no movement at all. When Zhang Haoyang laboriously turned Bai Shaoyang over, he saw that Bai Shaoyang's mouth, face, and body were covered in blood. He had died from severe injuries and exhaustion.