Back at that Daoist temple, the reason Chen Tang managed to fend off the Celestial Concealment’s assassination attempt was simply that during visualization, he accidentally entered a wondrous state.

It felt as if his soul had left his body and ascended to a height, overlooking the world, perceiving everything around him in minute detail.

Even in his peak state, entering the Divine Illumination Realm, Chen Tang was not confident in withstanding Celestial Concealment’s deadly strike.

Moreover, he was now injured.

He must seize the initiative!

The shadows beneath the willows by the riverbank, the swaying willow branches, the comings and goings of the ferryboats, even the soil underfoot...

Could all be where this person was hiding!

But Chen Tang could not detect anything.

Even in the Divine Illumination state, he saw no flaws.

Using the Gale Technique to sense, there was no sign of anything abnormal around.

The gap between them was too immense.

The Hermit, having cultivated to the Innate Realm, had brought his Stealth Technique to another level!

Although Chen Tang couldn’t determine the position of this Celestial Concealment, he could be certain the person was nearby, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

The surroundings were eerily quiet.

It seemed as if even the air had solidified!

With thoughts racing in his mind, Chen Tang had already reached the riverbank. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

He suddenly stopped, inhaled sharply, and from deep within his throat erupted a furious roar!

Like the roar of the king of beasts, earth-shattering!

Contained within this roar was a huge, sacred force of the Buddhist Sect, capable of subduing demons.

Whether it was those ranked in the Earth Ranking, or that Eastern Barbarians Celestial Concealment, they were already wary of his Lion’s Roar.

In combat, this Sound Strike Technique had almost no effect.

Rather than that, it was better to release it prematurely.

Chen Tang’s Lion’s Roar wasn’t intended to harm the hidden Celestial Concealment.

It was to break the calm with sound waves!

The reason Hermits can conceal their tracks, lower-level ones have to use some light, applying various Blinding Techniques.

Having cultivated to the level of Celestial Concealment, the Stealth Technique had reached Great Success, it wasn’t just light, but also leveraging the environment, temperature, wind, rain, thunder, people, or objects, to hide themselves.

Or rather, it wasn’t hiding, but integrating harmoniously into the surroundings.

No matter how you probe, you can’t see any flaw.

And Chen Tang’s Lion’s Roar was meant to disrupt this harmony!

The Lion’s Roar erupted, sound waves spread out, the surrounding air pulsated like ripples, spreading and expanding rapidly.

Everything around was affected by the impact of the Lion’s Roar, showing various disturbances, destroying its original state.

The willows gently swayed, leaves rustling and falling.

Soil churned, splattering everywhere.

The people on the cargo ships at the dock were all startled.

The river’s surface shimmered, as though a breeze had brushed over...

But on the river’s surface, a small area was somewhat blurred, with the shimmering light different from elsewhere.

"Underwater!"

Three words flashed through Chen Tang’s mind.

If he hadn’t let out that Lion’s Roar, the moment he entered the water, it was almost certain that he would have been assassinated by the Celestial Concealment, with little chance of survival!

At that moment, a figure burst out of the water, a cold gleam flashing, aiming straight for Chen Tang’s brow!

The Celestial Concealment realized that his position was revealed, decisively making a move.

But this time, with Chen Tang having anticipated and prepared, the situation was different.

As the person burst from the water, Chen Tang dodged in advance, employing the Chasing Shadows Body Technique, sidestepping several feet, diving into the water, swimming toward the riverbed!

The Celestial Concealment’s movement paused slightly.

Under normal circumstances, this assassination would be considered a failure; he should retreat far away.

But having come all this way, seeing that Chen Tang was injured and without help, plunging into the river, this was an unmissable opportunity.

If he let him escape, it would be too regrettable!

One of the Hermit’s training is to be adept in water.

Moreover, having cultivated to the Innate Realm, with a breath of Innate True Qi in his dantian circulating constantly, he could stay in the river for days and nights, unaffected.

But this person was only at the Opening Acupoints Realm, no matter how good his swimming was, how long could he stay underwater?

Moreover, even in the water, the gap in their realms remained vast; he was still no match.

Many thoughts flashed through his mind, Innate True Qi rising within the Celestial Concealment, his form quickly descended, diving into the river, disappearing from sight.

The entire process seemed slow, but it was actually over in the blink of an eye.

Many didn’t even see what happened, only a small splash appeared on the river’s surface, and Chen Tang was gone.

"Boss, what just leapt out of the water, how come it’s suddenly gone?"

In the teahouse, a clerk blinked and asked.

Another clerk laughed, saying, "There wasn’t anything, you must have been seeing things."

Old Li furrowed his brow, staring at the river in contemplation, silent.

He couldn’t be too sure either.

It seemed to be a person just now.

Before he could see clearly, that ’person’ disappeared from the river’s surface.

With his eyesight, he couldn’t see; much less could the clerks in the shop.

Could it be...

Old Li’s heart trembled, subconsciously glancing at He Shiyao not far away.

At that moment, He Shiyao was by the river washing the dust from his forehead and hair, looking in the direction of the river, a cold smile on his lips as if victory was in his grasp.

"Young Shopkeeper, has Chen Tang escaped?"

Someone whispered.

"He can’t escape,"

He Shiyao shook his head, said lightly, "This Xiajiang is where he meets his end!"

-----------------

Chen Tang plunged into Xiajiang, without hesitation, directly swimming toward the riverbed.

He had just entered Xiajiang when he felt a slight disturbance on the water surface not far behind him.

The Celestial Concealment was coming after him!

The crisis hadn’t been averted!

Chen Tang remained calm, squinting his eyes in the river, swimming with all his might.

Having drifted with the East Sea Giant Demon for months, cultivating at the sea bottom, battling the raging seas, he had long honed extraordinary swimming skills.

Compared to the turbulent East Sea, Xiajiang’s waters were far too gentle.

Chen Tang glided through the river like a fish, his body soft, seemingly merging with the river water, no distinction between them.

His body rose and fell, his arms moving, swimming several yards, moving farther from the river’s surface!

And the Celestial Concealment followed like a shadow, his speed even slightly faster!

Though Chen Tang was adept in water, he couldn’t match the Innate Realm Hermit in speed.

With Innate True Qi propelling him, the Hermit didn’t consider water resistance, slicing through waves like a sharp blade, chasing after Chen Tang!

The distance between them was closing.

This escape was futile; he would surely be caught.

Moreover, Innate Martial Artists formed heaven and earth within themselves, capable of Inner Breathing; with Innate True Qi circulating repeatedly, they could stay at the riverbed for days without suffocating.

In this respect, no matter how strong his lung training, he couldn’t compete.