Chapter 372 - The Fierce Battle in the Forest

Everyone fell silent because they knew Luo Shangyan was referring to Xiao Chen. Yu Yifeng said, “Come on, Junior Sister Luo. Let’s go. Lil Chen…”

“No! It’s him!” Luo Shangyan began yelling like a madwoman. “Junior Brother Xiao, I know it’s you! Come out! Come out!”

Her voice echoed in the empty valley. Mu Shaoai was alarmed. He glared at Luo Shangyan and chided, “Luo Shangyan, are you insane? Shut up! Not only will you catch the devils’ attention, but you’ll even attract vicious beasts…”

Yu Yifeng held up a hand and shook his head, stopping Mu Shaoai from continuing. Luo Shangyan immediately fished out a jade note from her bosom and crushed it. Xiao Chen had given the note to her a long time ago. She could still remember what he told her then: “Crush this jade note and I’ll come to you immediately…”

She felt a sense of anticipation after crushing the jade note, anticipation for someone to make a sudden appearance. Whichever direction there was a gust of wind, she would immediately turn to look. However, it was always just leaves rustling in the wind. She waited for a long time, but he was still nowhere to be seen. There were only the bleak wind and icy rain.

“Why? Why won’t you meet us? Why?” She trailed off and squatted down, hugging herself. The rain, along with her tears, slid down her cheeks and fell on the ground.

Mu Shaoai sneered. “Lunatic…”

Moments later, Yu Yifeng sighed. He pulled Luo Shangyan to her feet and the group began moving in another direction. It wasn’t until the group disappeared amid the rain and boundless mist that a man in a woven raincoat slowly stepped out from behind a large tree nearby.

The man was, of course, Xiao Chen. He strolled up to where Yu Yifeng and the rest previously stood and slowly squatted down to pick up the pieces of the crushed jade note from the muddy water.

Just then, the charming voice of a woman came from behind him. “I bet if they meet Seven Killings, they’ll die within 30 minutes.”

Xiao Chen turned around and said emotionlessly, “What are you trying to say?”

A pretty young woman in her early twenties strolled to him. The woman was dressed in a lilac dress and her hair was as dark as ink. In her hair were jade-green and cyan accessories. Underneath her right eye was a vermilion tear-shaped mole. In her left hand was a purple reed made from jade and in her right hand was a jade-green and cyan-colored oil-paper umbrella.

For every step she took, the muddy water on the ground would move away. Raindrops would also be blocked by an incorporeal power whenever they came close. The umbrella was unnecessary.

“A lonesome man in a raincoat walking among the bleak wind and icy rain. I never expected such a sentimental side from you, God of Murder.”

The young woman in lilac slowly walked up to Xiao Chen and stretched her right hand, partially shielding him from the rain with her oil-paper umbrella. There was a very faint smile on her face. Her eyes, like two pools of rippling green-jade water, were so alluring that one look was enough to lure one into the depths of worldly desire, never to seek immortality again.

Xiao Chen’s expression was icy and without emotion. He turned around. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stared at where the mountains met. All he could see was a misty veil. He said placidly, “Few know the true use of this reed; from the frigid jade comes autumn breeze. I never imagined that the fearsome Ice Jade Fairy would save a stranger.” Upon closer look at Xiao Chen’s abdomen, there was indeed a bright red bloodstain on it.

Four hours prior.

After meeting and leaving Seven Killings from the Bloodied Fiend Sect behind, Xiao Chen traveled solo for more than ten miles until he heard human voices up ahead. Finding the voices familiar, he secretly went closer and saw Xiaoyue, Su Zimu, Bai Yushu, and Zuoqiu Yang.

Xiaoyue was still clad in cyan. Even knee-deep in a treacherous place, she remained as expressionless as ever. She was still the fairy that he knew. The elegant and confident Su Zimu held his Mystic Heaven Fan, disregarding the hidden dangers here. Bai Yushu, the chief disciple of the Immortals’ League’s Third Elder, was comparatively more cautious. Meanwhile, Zuoqiu Yang had been rapidly progressing in his cultivation lately and looked much sturdier as well. There was an ominous glint in his eyes.

Xiao Chen was confused. Everyone wanted the extraordinary treasure on this mountain range, he thought. How did these four, all serving their respective interests, get together? He assumed that they had merely stumbled into each other and forming a group wasn’t their plan. He shed his aura and secretly followed them, wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

He heard Xiaoyue say, “I’ve long heard that the Su family, as the chief of the ten major clans, possesses countless rare treasures. Are you interested in an object born out of this treacherous place as well, Young Master Su?”

Su Zimu waved his folding fan. With a raised brow and a smile, he replied, “When it comes to rare treasures, I suppose we’re no match for an Ancient Immortal Clan like the Thousand Feathers Sect. Let’s just talk about the Autumn Water Ancient Sword. In this world, who can rival such a weapon?”

Xiaoyue smiled. “You overpraise, Young Master Su.” She turned to look at Bai Yushu. Bai Yushu smiled and said, “I heard that there were traces of Devil’s sects here some time ago. Coupled with the disappearance of thirty-one people half a year ago, I fear it must have something to do with the Corpse Refinery Sect that had occupied this mountain range. That’s why I was sent here to take a look. As for the extraordinary treasure, well, I wouldn’t dream of it with you three here.”

Zuoqiu Yang snickered. “Instead of investigating it half a year ago, you chose to come when the extraordinary treasure is about to show up. The Immortals’ League knows how to pick their timing!”

Xiao Chen focused harder on their conversation. What exactly was this extraordinary treasure? Why was everyone so desperate to obtain it? It seemed that the treasure wasn’t simply a fake rumor.

Moments later, Xiaoyue said, “My Master sent me here for a look as well. The only one who is truly desperate for the treasure may very well be Senior Danyang from the Order of the Divine Fire.”

Her words silenced everyone. The four of them had their ideas and plans, Xiao Chen thought. The frequent activity in the Devil’s sects lately had forced all the Elders to strictly watch over their sects and clans. They had no choice but to leave this to their most distinguished disciples. However, the Order of the Divine Fire had unexpectedly dispatched their First Elder. It was evident that they were the most desperate to obtain the extraordinary treasure.

Little did they imagine that what seemed like the most advantageous situation ended up making them a target for both sides. Everyone coveted the treasure, so how could they allow a peak Nirvana Realm cultivator to upset their plans? The devils in particular, Xiao Chen thought. Seven Killings must be targeting the Order.

Their conversation ceased and the wind came to a standstill as well. The forest became especially quiet. Suddenly, a creaking noise shattered the silence. Though it wasn’t loud, the sound waves traveled effortlessly from under Xiao Chen’s feet. Xiao Chen felt a chill in his heart. Oh no!

Suddenly, a Sword Qi—with a sword radiance that stretched nearly eighty feet long—slashed him with fierce momentum. The attack was so powerful that it instantly destroyed the trees around Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen, knowing that it was useless to hide now that he was exposed, immediately showed himself.

“Who are you? Why did you tail us?” Xiaoyue’s expression was ice-cold. She was the one who attacked earlier. The other three stared at the man in a woven raincoat who had appeared out of nowhere.

Without a second thought, Xiao Chen turned around and started running in the other direction. The four of them were now proper Nascent Soul Realm cultivators and certainly no ordinary people. He didn’t want to fight them right now.

“Don’t even think of escaping!”

They immediately caught up to Xiao Chen and surrounded him. They were keenly aware that this man was able to quietly tail them. If he hadn’t stepped on a twig, they would probably never notice him. His cultivation was surely above average, they thought. He must be of a rather high standing in the Devil’s sects.

Xiao Chen pushed his conical bamboo hat closer to his face. It was dark out now. He had a woven raincoat on and there had been slight changes to his appearance in the past year. Coupled with the fact that Wuyin Monastery didn’t announce his escape from the tower, it was impossible for them to realize his identity.

Xiaoyue’s cold glare, like two unsheathed swords made from ice, fell on him. She said coldly, “Who exactly are you? Are you Yi Yeqiu from the Dark Shadow Hall?”

She had her palm pressed on the hilt of her Autumn Water Sword as she spoke. This man had extraordinary cultivation, she thought. He must be one of three rising stars of the Devil’s sects. Excluding Su Lianyue from Fort Raksasa, it was either Seven Killings from the Bloodied Fiend Sect or Yi Yeqiu from the Dark Shadow Hall. This man’s murderous aura wasn’t as heavy as Seven Killings’, so it must be Yi Yeqiu.

Xiao Chen didn’t reply. He had already produced a faint blade of Qi in the hollow of his left palm. A sudden gust of wind rose behind him. Detecting the astral wind brought upon by an attack, he leaped into the air and heard a rumbling explosion. Underneath, mud and dirt flew everywhere. In the ground where he had previously stood on was a massive pit and large expanses of trees around him had fallen.

It was the work of Zuoqiu Yang and his ferrotungsten spear. The blade of the spear was lit up with dark radiance. Evidently, it was no ordinary weapon. Su Zimu waved his folding fan and speedily cried, “Heavenly Thirteen Swords!”

The moment the sound of his voice died, thirteen Sword Qi radiating a golden glow appeared out of thin air and rained down on Xiao Chen. Stuck in midair, Xiao Chen had nowhere to borrow strength from. He had no choice but to slam a palm attack on the ground, sending plants flying. His other palm was directed at the golden Sword Qi in the sky. His palm force collided with the Sword Qi and produced an explosion that reduced the trees and plants within one hundred feet to a fine powder. Xiao Chen himself had sunk quite a little.

Su Zimu was alarmed at how powerful his opponent was. This man was even stronger than Yi Yeqiu. Xiaoyue narrowed her eyes and quickly recited a spell. “Traceless Autumn Water!”

Xiao Chen was reinstating his True Energy in midair when a Sword Qi radiating a white glow flew at him from his side. He thrust his right palm and a majestic force of True Energy poured down in torrents, freezing Xiaoyue’s Autumn Water Sword Qi in the air. Xiaoyue was stunned. Such powerful cultivation, she thought. Could it be that he wasn’t Yi Yeqiu?

“God-destruction Myriad Wind!”

Bai Yushu bellowed and followed up with an attack of his own. Just like that, the rising rookies from the four major Orthodox sects besieged a mysterious man in a woven raincoat. They started the battle on the ground before taking it to the air and then back to the ground again. In no time at all, the tough fight had destroyed all the trees around them but the four were still unable to capture their opponent.

Xiao Chen chose not to use his weapons as to not expose his identity. The moment he landed on the ground, Zuoqiu Yang charged up to him with his ferrotungsten spear. Xiao Chen took off his conical bamboo hat and tossed it with as much force as he could muster, sending it spinning rapidly toward Zuoqiu Yang.

What was just an ordinary hat became as sharp as a magic treasure after it was imbued with Xiao Chen’s True Energy. It whizzed through the air, catching Zuoqiu Yang off guard and forcing him to lean backward. Following a jeering noise, the hat cut off a strand of hair on his temples.

The hat didn’t stop here. As if controlled by Xiao Chen, it began spinning toward the other three behind Zuoqiu Yang. Its fierce momentum made them believe that the hat was some kind of devilish magic treasure. Not daring to meet it head-on, they leaned backward and dodged the attack.

One final spin later, the hat returned to Xiao Chen’s hand. He put the hat back on and pushed it down. He then propelled himself into the air with the tip of his foot and made his escape.

Xiaoyue’s eyes narrowed after catching a split-second glimpse of the man’s face. Why did he look so familiar? She cried, “Chase after him!” The four of them immediately unleashed their Sky Treader technique and once again went after him.