101: Love Rises with the Wind (Two-in-One)

A blood moon hung in the sky.

Jiang Xun's face was reflected in red. He looked up at the moon soaked in blood, with only one thought in his mind.

"It's over."

That damned Blood Refining Old Monster—anyone else would have been better, but it had to be her.

It just had to be Jiang Hongyuan.

Jiang Xun's teeth were chattering.

Why would this woman appear here?

The Sect Head of the Blood Fiend Cult, a Dongxu Realm Devil Head, actually descended in person because of a Golden Core Stage Blood Refining Old Monster?

Was this reasonable?

Jiang Xun reacted almost instantly.

His throat felt sweet; he hadn't fully suppressed the injuries from that palm strike just now.

He turned his head, spat out a mouthful of blood, caught it with his hand, and quickly smeared it on his right cheek.

Blood mixed with mud, covering more than half of his face.

Then he quickly moved away from Li Chenguang, his body going limp as he leaned against a broken tree stump, closing his eyes and slowing his breathing to the faintest frequency.

Playing dead.

This was the only, least conspicuous method he could think of right now.

It was silly and naive, but what if?

Jiang Xun was now like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.

He kept repeating one sentence in his heart.

"Don't notice me, don't notice me, don't notice me..."

Li Chenguang's body was tense like a fully drawn bow.

This Elder of the Ziyang Immortal Sect's face was ashen right now, fine beads of sweat seeping from his temples, his fingers clenched tightly within his sleeves.

He didn't notice Jiang Xun's small movements behind him.

Chen Qing, bound by ropes, was already covered in tears.

His mouth was open as if he wanted to shout something, but his throat was tied by the spirit rope, and he could only make hoarse, wheezing sounds.

Tears mixed with the blood and dirt on his face, streaming down everywhere.

Sect Master... the Sect Master came in person?

What virtue or ability did he, Chen Qing, have to deserve the Sect Master's personal presence?

Even if he died now, it would be worth it.

Once Jiang Hongyuan completely stepped out of the spatial rift.

The light of the blood moon spilled down like a layer of thick plasma, covering the entire Musong Mountain.

Even gravity seemed to become heavier.

Jiang Xun closed his eyes and could clearly feel his body getting heavier and heavier.

Those Demon Suppression Envoys with low cultivation were now struggling to resist this pressure; some had already knelt on the ground, and some had collapsed directly.

Amidst the blood moon, two figures looked down upon this space.

The Black-Robed Man was tall and thin, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood, features indistinguishable, only a mass of black mist.

He bowed slightly, his posture respectful:

"Sect Master, such a small matter could have been left to your subordinate."

"There was no need to come in person."

Jiang Hongyuan's blood-red pupils swept over, her voice cold: "Must I be questioned even for coming out to get some air?"

"Subordinate was wrong!"

The Black-Robed Man's figure trembled as he quickly apologized.

Jiang Hongyuan stopped looking at him.

Her red dress fluttered in the night wind.

A gold-woven belt was tied around her waist, accentuating her extremely slender waistline.

Her long hair was as black as ink, tied with a red ribbon.

Jiang Hongyuan raised her hand, fingers spread, and made a phantom grasping motion toward the mountain forest below.

"This space has been sealed by me. The Demon Suppression Division will not receive any news."

After speaking, she lightly beckoned.

A piece of soft red silk floated out from her sleeve, extending and spreading in the air like a red cloud.

She sat sideways on it, elbow propping up her knee, palm supporting her chin, her posture lazy.

"Go." She looked at the Black-Robed Man, "Find something fun to watch."

"Yes."

The Black-Robed Man looked down at Li Chenguang.

Li Chenguang's palms were full of cold sweat.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then bowed, bending his waist very low:

"I did not know the Demon Venerable had arrived; please forgive my lack of a proper welcome..."

His voice was trembling.

He tried desperately to control it, but he couldn't.

The moment the blood moon appeared, he knew that today he would not escape his fate.

Jiang Hongyuan's name was a prestigious and terrifying presence throughout the Cultivation World.

Her ruthlessness, malice, and strength inspired fear in everyone.

The only demonic cultivator in the world bestowed with the title of Demon Venerable.

None but those in the Ascension Realm could suppress her.

For an existence at Jiang Hongyuan's level, crushing him was like crushing an ant.

"If it is because of the matter regarding your sect's Disciple..." he continued, his voice becoming increasingly dry and raspy, "it is truly a misunderstanding. I will immediately..."

He raised his left hand, retracting the spirit rope that bound Chen Qing.

His anger toward Chen Qing vanished instantly in the face of the threat of death.

He only wanted to survive now.

Once the rope loosened, Chen Qing immediately fell to his knees with a "thud," his forehead striking the muddy ground heavily:

"Disciple Chen Qing pays respects to the Sect Master! Respects to Lord Black Demon!"

His voice was hoarse, but every word was filled with ecstasy.

The Black-Robed Man named Black Demon flickered and disappeared from his spot.

When he reappeared, he was already standing in front of Chen Qing.

He looked down at Chen Qing's wound.

The wound was frozen by the cold air of the han hong sword, the edges turning greenish-black, a large area of flesh necrotic, and the bones crushed like dregs.

The entire left shoulder had disappeared.

"How were you injured?" Black Demon asked.

"It... it was Disciple's carelessness..." Chen Qing did not dare to look up.

Black Demon asked no more.

He took out a dark green Medicinal Pill from his black robe; it was more like a bead than a pill, with black patterns on the surface.

"Eat it."

Chen Qing took it with both hands and stuffed it into his mouth without even looking.

The Medicinal Pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth.

The next second, Chen Qing's body began to tremble violently!

The wound on his left shoulder began to writhe, and new granulation tissue grew frantically from the bone fragments.

Those tissues were no longer a normal pink but a weird jet black, like countless tiny tentacles, intertwining and condensing to quickly construct a brand-new arm.

At the same time, the aura on his body began to skyrocket.

Golden Core Middle Stage... Late Stage... it rushed all the way to Golden Core Peak before slowly stopping.

Chen Qing opened his eyes.

Deep in his pupils, a wisp of black mist was swirling.

He clenched his newly born left hand; the fingers were flexible, and the strength was abundant, even stronger than his original arm.

He kowtowed again, his forehead against the ground:

"Thank you, Lord, for the medicine! Thank you, Lord, for the grace of remolding me!"

Beside him, Li Chenguang's face was pale.

His left hand had been hidden in his sleeve all along, clutching a communication jade plate, desperately pouring spiritual power into it.

But the jade plate was like a dead stone, showing no reaction.

"Don't waste your effort."

Black Demon turned his head, the black mist under his hood facing him, "Under the shroud of the blood moon, you cannot send out any messages."

Li Chenguang gritted his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between them:

"The Ziyang Immortal Sect and the Blood Fiend Cult... have no deep enmity. For today's matter, why not both take a step back? Everyone can be at peace, how about it?"

Black Demon laughed.

"Then you'll have to ask him if he agrees."

He pointed at Chen Qing.

By now, Chen Qing had stood up.

Thick black mist swirled around him; within the rolling mist, one could vaguely see countless tiny faces howling in pain.

These faces were all auxiliary ingredients for refining the Medicinal Pill.

The aura of the Golden Core Peak made it difficult for Li Chenguang to breathe.

He was only at the Golden Core Early Stage and had relied on a heavy treasure from his sect to suppress Chen Qing.

Now that Chen Qing was two levels higher than him, it was even more troublesome.

But Li Chenguang also knew that the Black-Robed Man had no intention of letting him go.

A flash of determination crossed his eyes.

Rather than dying on his knees, he would rather...

He flipped his right hand, and a thick stack of golden Talismans instantly appeared in his palm!

Every single one glowed with a blinding light, the runes on the surface swirling frantically.

"Go!"

He shouted sharply, smashing all the Talismans toward Chen Qing!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

The explosions merged into one, golden light and black mist clashing frantically. The airwave blew away all the trees within thirty feet, and a huge deep pit was blasted into the ground.

Dust soared into the sky, obscuring the moonlight.

Li Chenguang wanted to summon a Flying Boat to flee.

But the next second.

A dark shadow broke through the dust!

It was Chen Qing.

Half of his body was blasted into a bloody mess, but the black mist was rapidly repairing the wounds.

He turned into a black rainbow, lunging straight for Li Chenguang!

His speed was so fast it was hard to discern with the naked eye.

Li Chenguang's pupils shrank, and he summoned a purple longsword with a backhand, holding it across his chest.

"Clang!!!"

The loud bang of metal colliding made one's eardrums ache.

The sword blade bent and then snapped.

A Fourth-Grade Dharma Sword, ruined.

Li Chenguang was sent flying back like he'd been hit by a cannonball!

He crashed through over a hundred thick trees along the way, finally slamming heavily into a mountain wall, embedding himself three feet deep.

Mountain rocks rustled down... Black Demon flew to Jiang Hongyuan's side.

"Sect Master, that man is also from the Li family."

When he approached Li Chenguang just now, he discovered that the other party possessed the Li family Bloodline.

"Then it truly is fate."

Jiang Hongyuan laughed softly, "Then refine him afterward, extract the blood, and send it to His Highness Prince Cheng."

"Doesn't he always want to purify his Bloodline?"

"Yes."

Black Demon bowed and withdrew... Li Chenguang slid down from the mountain wall and fell to the ground.

He struggled to get up, but the left half of his body, from shoulder to abdomen, was completely ruined.

Bones were crushed to dregs, flesh was a mess, and internal organs were vaguely visible.

Chen Qing landed in front of him.

Black mist was frantically eroding his body.

That newly born arm had already begun to melt, the skin ulcerating to reveal the black bones beneath.

The power of the Medicinal Pill was too strong; his Physical Body could not withstand it and was collapsing.

"Heh... heh..."

Chen Qing panted heavily, his eyeballs starting to fill with blood.

Li Chenguang took out several purple Talismans and stuck them onto his wounds, roaring.

"Come on!"

Li Chenguang pulled himself from the stone wall, his entire aura skyrocketing.

White smoke rose from his wounds, which were then covered by a charred blackness.

The bleeding was stopped.

A faint aroma of charred meat could even be smelled.

Li Chenguang was going all out.

Golden Core as fire, flesh and blood as firewood, and the body as a furnace.

He knew he could no longer escape death, so he might as well fight to the end.

This Purple Furnace Talisman was his final trump card.

Li Chenguang turned into a streak of purple light and charged directly at Chen Qing, "Die for me!"

Chen Qing laughed maniacally, his eyes a solid black.

Like a mad demon, he swung his fist to meet the attack.

Li Chenguang also threw a punch, vowing to settle the score with this demonic cultivator.

But he suddenly felt himself become light.

It turned out that at some point, he had been lifted up by that Black-Robed Man.

Like a little chick being picked up.

"The blood has all been burned away," Black Demon said with some regret.

Li Chenguang tried to break free, but that hand was like a pair of iron pincers, immovable.

Chen Qing still wanted to punch.

But Black Demon only glanced at him sideways.

Chen Qing was so frightened he shrank back.

The battle between the two was abruptly stopped, but the Killing Intent in Chen Qing's heart remained.

He was almost being eaten clean by the black mist.

He was anxious and unwilling; he turned his head, searching his surroundings.

Then, he saw it.

Leaning against the broken tree stump was the unconscious Jiang Xun.

The person he hated second most.

If it wasn't for this Foundation Establishment Cultivator, how could he have been exposed? How could he have fallen to such a state?

"Die!!!"

Chen Qing let out a roar and, using the last of his strength, pounced toward Jiang Xun!

Lord Black Demon hadn't given him a healing Medicinal Pill, but a life-ending poison.

After he enjoyed this briefly boosted power, he would also become one of the painful faces within the pill.

How could this not make him hate?

Jiang Xun opened his eyes the moment Chen Qing pounced.

He kicked off the ground, his whole body retreating three feet, barely dodging that pitch-black claw.

At the same time, his right hand guided a sword seal.

Not far away, the han hong sword stuck in the ground let out a hum, its blade vibrating before flying over as a streak of blue light!

Chen Qing missed his target, his body lunging forward due to inertia.

Just as he wanted to grab Jiang Xun, the han hong sword had already arrived.

"Squelch!"

The blade pierced through his back and out through his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Chen Qing's body stiffened.

He looked down at the azure sword tip protruding from his chest, opened his mouth, but only a series of whimpers came from his throat.

But the black mist had completely lost control, gushing frantically from his seven orifices and every pore.

His Physical Body began to disintegrate.

Like a sand sculpture being blown apart by the wind, starting from his limbs, he turned into black dust inch by inch.

The dust rose, circling and dissipating in the air.

Finally, at the center of the black mist, only the han hong sword remained, stuck in the ground with a faint blue glow.

A layer of white frost condensed on the surrounding ground, reflecting cold light under the blood moon after the black mist had dispersed.

Beside the han hong sword lay a dark green Medicinal Pill.

Like the eye of a venomous snake.

Jiang Xun stood where he was, panting.

To be safe, he had started gathering power long ago, fearing this demonic cultivator would come for him after killing Li Chenguang.

His old chest wound was agitated by the outburst just now and began to bleed again.

He wiped the corner of his mouth and looked up into the air.

On the red silk, Jiang Hongyuan was propping up her chin, looking down at him.

Their gazes met.

Jiang Xun's heart skipped a beat.

But Jiang Hongyuan only glanced at him before shifting her gaze. She tilted her head and said to Black Demon:

"Resolve it quickly."

Her voice was lazy, like she had just watched a play that wasn't exciting enough.

Black Demon bowed: "Yes."

He grabbed the back of Li Chenguang's neck with one hand, the black mist on his face began to churn, and countless wisps of black mist rushed out from his hood.

The black mist grew more and more, soon condensing into over a dozen black mist figures.

These figures rushed into the forest, preparing to hunt down the remaining people on Musong Mountain.

One of the black mist figures rushed toward Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun felt at a glance that he couldn't block it; he would die.

He didn't want to die yet.

He had promised Long Ninger that he would return.

Jiang Xun shouted toward Jiang Hongyuan in the sky, "Jiang Hongling!"

"Don't you recognize me anymore?"

The black mist figure stopped less than half a foot away from Jiang Xun.

Black Demon had never looked Jiang Xun in the eye before, but this time, he unexpectedly turned to look at the blood-covered Jiang Xun.

The black mist on his face churned incessantly.

Jiang Xun panted heavily, his heart thumping wildly.

Space was distorting.

Black Demon suddenly knelt; not just him, all those figures condensed from black mist knelt down as well.

Then they prostrated and dissipated.

As for the Demon Suppression Envoys scattered elsewhere, they all lay flat on the ground, being crushed into meat pies alive.

Gravity had increased by more than a hundredfold compared to before.

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[Host is in a high-risk environment!]

[Please escape as soon as possible, please escape as soon as possible!]

A red light screen flickered at a high frequency in Jiang Xun's mind.

Gravity didn't act on Jiang Xun's body, but his current pressure was no less than anyone else's.

Jiang Hongling was Jiang Hongyuan's childhood name.

Very few people knew it.

He only learned it from her mouth when his favorability value reached over ninety percent.

Jiang Hongyuan had already appeared in front of Jiang Xun.

She said coldly:

"Say one more word!?"

Those red pupils stared fixedly at Jiang Xun.

But Jiang Xun just said another nonsensical sentence to himself, "Love rises with the wind, but when the wind stops, the longing remains."

"Still don't recognize me?"

Memory returned to the dormitory.

In the game, Jiang Hongyuan popped up a question.

"Tell me, why do you like me?"

This required the player to manually fill in an answer.

At that time, while doing quests, Jiang Xun was also scrolling through short videos and happened to see a very fitting quote, so he casually filled it in.

And that quote was, "Love rises with the wind, but when the wind stops, the longing remains."