Chapter 200 Leaving the Palace

Xiao Chen shook his head with a smile as he gently caressed her hair. He felt sorrow for those two. The power and lifespan of a mortal were limited. In their pursuit of power and immortality, they chose to refine themselves into strong Corpse Puppets. But what had they received in return?

Perhaps, this was the intrinsic difference between immortals and devils. If it were him, he would rather be a free and unfettered cultivator or Rogue Immortal who watched the ups and downs of the Human World if he couldn't become an immortal.

When Murong Xian'er finally stopped her tears moments later, Xiao Chen gently wiped the tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. The two of them then walked inside the palace.

Su Xiaomei saw that they had returned and asked, "How did it go? Had that man retreated?"

Xiao Chen nodded and then told her everything that had happened. Su Xiaomei pondered over it for some time, allowing her hands to hang on her sides. She said to herself, "The Corpse Refinery Sect? I might have heard of it but I can't remember very well."

He was momentarily silent before he said, "I'm going to leave now. Why don't you come with us?"

Su Xiaomei suddenly looked up at him, uncertainty coloring her eyes. She started looking sorrowful again. Xiao Chen knew what she would say next, and thus said, "Senior Xiao Ning… Maybe he's still in this world, but is unable to come back to find you due to some restrictions."

Xiao Chen wasn't good at using words to comfort others. However, he thought that Xiao Ning wouldn't want his lover to wait for him in this desolate palace even if he wasn't here anymore. A thousand years had passed. Just how long was that? It wasn't as simple as waiting for the next day to come.

Su Xiaomei cautiously said, "You mean… Brother Ning is still alive?"

Xiao Chen nodded. "Senior Xiao Ning has extraordinary cultivation. No one is capable enough to kill him. I'm sure he can peep at Heavenly Secrets and break out of the shackles of death."

His comforting words now were the same words he repeated to himself every night when the moonlight hit the roof, telling himself that his Master was still alive.

Su Xiaomei lowered her head and was silent for a long while. In the end, she said gently, "Fine. I'll leave with you. But you must promise me that you'll help me find Brother Ning."

She wasn't the only one who wished to find Xiao Ning. Xiao Chen was also desperate to find Xiao Ning and find out what had happened a thousand years ago. He wanted to ask Xiao Ning where his Master had gone and if he has seen her again.

"Okay, I promise you."

"Hmm. I trust you. You're very similar to him. When you make a promise to someone, you'll keep it even if it means sacrificing your life," Su Xiaomei said. She then turned into a white light and entered an icy jade pendant next to the stele.

"This is the Millenium Icy Jade that Brother Ning gifted me back then. Please wear it."

Xiao Chen strolled over to the stele. Did Xiao Ning put everything on the line to complete his task just because he had given his word to Master back then? Now, he had given his word to Su Xiaomei. If Xiao Ning was truly placed under restriction somewhere, he would rescue him even if it meant death!

He leaned down and picked up the icy jade lying on the ground. Instantly, he could feel an ice-cold sensation running all over his body. The head of the jade pendant was tied with a red rope that remained intact over a thousand years. This was likely a mystical object.

Xiao Chen immediately wore the jade pendant on his chest. It felt cool against his skin, making him feel refreshed. To be frank, he was not completely selfless in convincing Su Xiaomei to leave with him.

After all, his mother was from the Su family, who had her confined. How could he alone rescue his mother from the clutches of the powerful Su family? Su Xiaomei, being from a thousand years ago, could be considered one of their ancestors. Who would dare to defy her order?

When they arrived at the formation boundary outside the palace, a wisp of spirit energy emerged from the icy jade. The formation instantly opened. Xiao Chen quickly stepped out of it and took a deep breath of air. It had only been a few days, but it felt like he had been reborn. He didn't know if it was because he had escaped from mortal danger or because he found some clues about what happened a thousand years ago. He couldn't help howling.

His roar reverberated throughout the valley and lingered for a long while. Suddenly, the icy jade emanated Divine Thoughts. "Don't yell as you please. This is a strange place. I remember it looked different."

"Oh… Alright then."

Xiao Chen looked around. Other than the remnants of Yu Yangzi's battle with the two Blood Corpses, it looked exactly the same as it did when they came several days ago. However, his top priority now was finding a way to rescue Gui Xian from the hands of the Zuoqiu family.

That day, Zuoqiu Ze must have kidnapped Gui Xian because he saw the former with Xiao Chen, intending to force Xiao Chen into submission. There were as many experts in the Zuoqiu family as the trees in a forest. Xiao Chen didn't fear the others; the only one who scared him was that Nascent Soul Realm expert. At his current cultivation, he was absolutely no match for a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.

He heaved a deep sigh. Hopefully, the Zuoqiu family didn't find out Gui Xian's true identity. Otherwise, the family would refine even his soul.

The Changyin Mountain Range had a complex topography with poisonous forests filled with many venomous insects and ferocious beasts everywhere. Even the plants here could kill someone imperceptibly. This was truly a place that concealed danger at every turn. Xiao Chen wanted to return the same way he had come, but was afraid that members of the Zuoqiu family were waiting in ambush outside. After racking his brain, he finally decided to walk southwest.

When they had traveled about 25 or 30 kilometers, they suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps. Judging from the sound, there were quite a lot of people. Xiao Chen's figure blurred out of view as he pulled Murong Xian'er up a large tree and used leaves for cover. When the group of people came near, he unleashed his Divine Sense. Only then did he see clearly that it was a group of more than twenty disciples from the Xianyong Sect. Leading the group were Qin Shaoyang and the one who challenged him to a sword duel, Liu Feiyan.

"What are these people doing here? Are they here to find the other half of the scroll?" He noticed that they were on guard, with their sword in hand. Some of them were even injured. They must have encountered some sort of danger.

Xiao Chen thought that while he wasn't familiar with these people, he could be considered as friends with that old thing from their sect. In the Changyin Mountain Range, danger lurked in all corners. He should advise them to stop and get out of here as soon as possible.

He gently fell and landed on the ground. Unexpectedly, his sudden appearance surprised the disciples and they swiftly tightened their hold on their sword in preparation for battle.

"It's, it's Xiao Chen!"

Xiao Chen noticed that their nervousness appeared unrelated to his breaking into their sect that night. He said, "Everyone, please listen to my advice. This is a very strange place. Please don't walk any further in."

One of the disciples immediately pointed at him with his sword and said resentfully, "You devil! You caused this! How dare you act like a hypocrite here?!"

The several other disciples beside him started panicking. "Oh no! If he's here, that means there are definitely traps here!"

Murong Xian'er floated down and glared at the first disciple who spoke. "You're the devil! I forbid you from bad mouthing Brother Xiao Chen!"

"It's fine, Xian'er." Xiao Chen pulled her behind him and addressed that disciple. "Senior Brother, neither human nor trap is here. I'm just worried about your safety. Is there a misunderstanding between us?"

That disciple sneered. "There's no misunderstanding at all! Our Master and Elders trusted you, but you're just a spy from the Corpse Refinery Sect! You devil, we swear that we'll capture you even if we must sacrifice ourselves today!" He then lunged at Xiao Chen with his sword.

"Stop, Junior Brother!"

Qin Shaoyang tried to stop him, but everything proved to be too late. That disciple wielded his sword in a quick, violent manner. His great momentum caused the leaves to swirl in the air all around him. Xiao Chen quietly moved his True Energy and pressed his two fingers together, instantly pinching the disciple's sword.

Finally, there was a hint of indignance on his face. Back then, he was a disciple of a Cultivator's sect of the Orthodox Path who was falsely accused as a member of the Devil's sect. What he despised the most now was hearing someone call him a devil. He gently swiped his hand, tossing the sword to the ground. In an incensed voice, he said, "You keep on calling me a devil. I'd like to know which eye of yours saw me becoming one!"

"Exactly! Which eye of yours saw that? Humph!" Murong Xian'er also chimed in.

The disciple looked both miffed and resentful that he couldn't defeat Xiao Chen. Right then, Qin Shaoyang walked up and advised the disciple to step aside. He turned to Xiao Chen and saluted. "I'm sorry, Brother Xiao. This Junior Brother of mine has a quick temper. Please don't pay him any mind."

Xiao Chen shook his head and said emotionlessly, "I'd just like to know what he means that I'm a spy of the Corpse Refinery Sect."