Yang Zhen had no choice but to run. He could resist the pressure of a saint-level Spirit Soul and could even slice through Bone Mountain, but he couldn't kill hundreds of Practitioners in the Tribulation Crossing Period.
Even if he went all out, his strongest attack could only match a practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing Period blow for blow. With his Spirit Soul wounded, he couldn't kill a practitioner in the Tribulation Crossing Period now.
As for putting his life on the line... Maybe he could get the job done, but why risk his life when he could just run? Besides, you couldn't call this running away, could you? Wasn't this what scholars did?
This was called strategic retreat. Machiavellian tactics!
"Sorry, I'm actually Yang Zhen!"
Yang Zhen laughed heartily as he raced away, his spurt of speed sending the Shameless Cat and Lecherous Chicken tumbling around on his back, making them feel like they were about to vomit.