The night was moonless and the wind was high. Thick clouds churned like a roiling sea, as if a great downpour was imminent. Even the wind seed to carry the scent of rain.
On a night like this, even the Demon Beasts of the wilderness had retreated to their dens.
Standing on the eagle’s back, listening to the howling night wind, Chen Che gazed out over the wilderness. It was pitch black, but in his sea of consciousness, the Divine Sense Mark he had left behind burned as bright as a torch. He could easily pinpoint Ye Zhihan’s exact location.
’Major Sect Disciples!’
Chen Che chuckled softly. Just as ordinary Cultivators viewed mortals as ants, in the eyes of Major Sect Disciples, common Loose Cultivators were no different.
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, Chen Che glanced down and spotted a dark figure speeding through the forest below.
’A dark and stormy night really is the perfect ti for a killing. I wonder who else is out on business?’
The figure was extrely cautious, not using any True Essence as he bounded through the forest like an old ape. He was dressed all in black, his face masked by a simple cloth. When he caught sight of the shadow passing overhead, he instantly ducked behind a tree.
A small smirk played on Chen Che’s lips as he looked away.
What others did was none of his business. Little Chick’s wings beat once, and in the blink of an eye, the distance between them stretched to hundreds of yards.
Seeing that it was just a Demon Beast passing overhead, the dark figure waited a mont longer before continuing on his way.
「Not long after.」
Guided by his Divine Sense, Chen Che spotted the location of the Primordial Sect disciples from far away:
It was a sprawling, multi-sectioned courtyard conjured by Magic. Its scattered lights twinkled, making it stand out starkly against the desolate mountain wilderness. The sounds of raucous drinking and feasting echoed all around.
If a mortal were to stumble upon this place, they would mistake it for the ho of a wild Fox Immortal or perhaps even an Immortal’s Cave Mansion.
CRACK!
A Thunder Python of lightning tore across the night sky. Accompanied by a drumroll of thunder, fat raindrops began to fall without warning.
The courtyard fell silent for a mont before the music and dancing resud.
Chen Che leaped from Little Chick’s back, cushioning his fall with a shroud of True Essence.
He hit the ground without pausing, using his montum to launch himself forward. In a flash, he was perched on the branch of a large tree, crouching low. From this vantage point, he had a clear view of the entire courtyard.
’As expected of Major Sect Disciples... what a luxury...’
The courtyard was a world unto itself.
Despite the torrential downpour outside, not a single drop penetrated the barrier created by a bright, magical moon suspended above the courtyard.
Over a dozen Primordial Sect disciples were feasting and drinking, their eyes glued to a raised stage:
On it, several won dressed in sheer silks, their hair styled in elaborate buns, danced gracefully, their bodies half-concealed. Other won, dressed identically, weaved through the crowd with wine jars, keeping everyone’s cups full.
’Where did these won co from?’
Chen Che froze for a second. Extending his Divine Sense, he realized that everything—from the moon in the sky to the won on the stage—was nothing more than paper-cut illusions.
Looking closer, he saw that while the won were all smiles, their movents were stiff and doll-like.
"Senior Brother Ye, since there was nothing in Jinyun Valley, where do we head next?"
The first voice Chen Che heard was a question.
Chen Che shifted his gaze. The speaker was the very sa brash disciple who had confronted him earlier that day. anwhile, Ye Zhihan was seated at the head of the party, his eyes half-closed as he bobbed his head to the music. He answered casually:
"We’ll go to the ng Family. We’ll go wherever there’s a Tier Two Alchemist. That Xiao Chan is wielding an Evil Artifact; he’s bound to need a constant supply of Pills. We just have to follow that trail..."
"But even if we find him..."
Chen Che had been about to strike, but the conversation made him pause and listen in. The brash disciple continued, "With our current strength, can we really handle Xiao Chan?"
"That’s right, Xiao Chan killed a sect elder! And with that Evil Artifact, who knows how many people he’s slaughtered on his way here. Even the last group of senior brothers sent to hunt him down lost all contact. If we run into him, I’m afraid..."
As soon as this was said, a wave of complaints rose from the disciples in the courtyard.
After all, this was a terrible assignnt.
Besides, after camping in the wilderness all day, who had any enthusiasm left for these paper puppets?
"Don’t worry. The Sect won’t spare him, nor will it spare anyone with even the slightest connection to him."
Ye Zhihan paused, his gaze sweeping over the complaining disciples. Then, a grin spread across his face.
"If none of you want to continue the search, we can just head back to Jinyun Valley tomorrow. We’ll claim that this Chen Che fellow might be connected to Xiao Chan, use that as an excuse to stay there for ten days to half a month, and then regroup with our other sect brothers..."
"An excellent idea!"
At these words, a cheer erupted in the courtyard.
Even a backwater place like Jinyun Valley was infinitely better than camping in these desolate mountains.
As for that Pill Master?
As for Jinyun Valley?
Who cared?
Even after they had smashed his Pill Shop in public, hadn’t the Jinyun Valley Vice Valley Master still served them tea with the utmost courtesy? Even with that Pill Master seething with rage, the Vice Valley Master hadn’t dared to lash out. Instead, he had remained completely deferential to their questions.
CRACK!
Just then, a clap of thunder split the rainy night. At that exact mont, Chen Che descended, seeming to carry the wind and rain with him as he burst into the courtyard.
"Who’s there?!"
Ye Zhihan cried out in terror. In that instant, he felt a blast of wind and rain strike his face as a figure descended with the thunder. The cloud-patterned Flying Sword in the man’s hand was even more blinding than the lightning that split the heavens.
In a flash, the figure was upon him, seemingly wreathed in the raging storm.
WHOOSH!
His True Essence surged. Chen Che did not strike lightly; when he attacked, he did so with no intention of showing rcy.
ZING!
The sound of the blade slicing through the air was sharp and piercing, like a flash of light.
Tier One High Grade Swordsmanship:
Jinghong Sword!
"You dare!"
The sword strike was too fast, too fierce, too sudden. Ye Zhihan’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. But as a Major Sect Disciple, he reacted with speed born of terror, raising his hand. A tiny Golden Bell shot into the air.
DONG!
Though no bigger than a thumb, the Golden Bell let out a deafening, sonorous chi.
As it flew, it cast down a soft glow that instantly ford into a ten-foot-tall Copper Bell, enveloping his entire body.
This was clearly a Protective Magical Artifact.
CLANG—
As his sword t the golden light, Chen Che felt the tip halt as if plunged into a thick mire. His Sword Montum slowed instantly.
But he didn’t stop. He landed, stomped his foot, and an even greater surge of True Essence erupted from him. The montum of his sword strike beca several tis more ferocious than before.
CRACK!
With a shattering sound, the golden light exploded.
At the sa ti, the tiny Golden Bell shattered.
"...It’s you!"
Ye Zhihan was aghast, his eyes turning bloodshot. He recognized his attacker: the owner of that Pill Shop, Jinyun Valley’s Tributor Chen, a Loose Cultivator who had been practicing Cultivation for less than three years.
He never would have imagined,
That this man would actually dare to assassinate him.
PFFT!
There was a sound like tearing silk.
In an instant, the two n crossed paths.
All the confusion, terror, and disbelief in Ye Zhihan’s heart vanished. He collapsed, stiff as a board.
"And you call yourself ’Ye Zhihan’?"
Chen Che glanced at the fallen Primordial Sect disciple. Under the stunned gazes of the others, he slowly turned and broke into a wide grin.
"I thought I just heard..."
"...that you were all planning to co looking for tomorrow?"
...
「anwhile.」
A dark figure darted rapidly through the forest.
’This rain is perfect!’
Xiao Chan looked up at the sky.
WHOOSH!
With a few more bounds, the courtyard ca into view.
’Soone beat to it?’
He was about to move forward when he suddenly froze. He cocked his head to listen, his brow furrowing. With a single leap, he scaled a large tree and perched on a branch. When he saw the scene in the courtyard below, his pupils contracted. His face was a mask of utter shock and disbelief.
"Huh!?"
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