14: Emergency

After Chen Xu made his decision, he didn't dally.

He first appeased his three wives, promising to bring Chen Qingqing back safely.

Bu Yifan and Sun Xiaoyue nodded with tears in their eyes.

Zhao Linger silently went to prepare his travel provisions and dry rations.

Chen Xu himself walked into the alchemy room, which was now his storage room.

After years of accumulation, especially with the medicinal garden and "Elementary Talisman Arts," his Family fortune had grown to an unimaginable extent.

For the safety of this trip, he didn't take those flashy but impractical offensive Talismans.

Instead, he selected a thick stack of Vajra Talismans and "Giant Strength Talismans," and also took a few "Earth Binding Talismans" that he had recently developed, which could temporarily restrain opponents.

For him, the key to winning a fight was not how exquisite the Move was, but how to resolve the trouble in the simplest, most direct way.

Using a massive amount of resources to overwhelm an opponent until they lost the ability to resist was the Dao he now believed in.

With everything ready, Chen Xu stood in the courtyard.

He looked back.

Bu Yifan, Zhao Linger, and Sun Xiaoyue all stood under the corridor, and behind them, a dozen children of varying sizes peeked out, curiously looking at him.

The entire compound, enveloped by his Inverting Five Elements Array, was peaceful and harmonious.

This was his root, the source of his strength.

"I'm leaving."

Chen Xu nodded to his Family, then controlled the High Grade Flying Sword, which had long been replaced, transforming into an inconspicuous stream of light and disappearing above Ninghai Town.

He hadn't returned to Qingyun Sect for many years.

The last time he came was to send his youngest son, Chen Zhiyuan, to join the Sect.

When he landed in front of the mountain gate, the two young Disciples guarding the gate merely glanced at him and then paid him no further attention.

A Qi Refinement Realm Cultivator.

He looked to be in his thirties, which was too common in a place like Qingyun Sect.

Every year, countless Loose Cultivators or members of small Families came to Qingyun Sect to try their luck or visit relatives within the Sect.

Chen Xu didn't care about this at all.

He familiarly passed through the outer Sect plaza, bypassed the combat arena, and walked towards the back mountain of the Sect.

The letter said that Chen Qingqing had requested to leave the Sect, but the Sect, acknowledging her contributions, allowed her to temporarily stay in an Immortal Cave on Tianlu Peak in the back mountain before her departure.

Tianlu Peak was a very special place within Qingyun Sect.

The Spiritual Qi here was sparse, and the environment was harsh. It was specifically used to house Disciples who were severely injured during missions, or whose Lifespan was nearing its end and knew that their immortal path was hopeless.

For Cultivators, this was a living tomb.

Stepping onto the mountain path leading to Tianlu Peak, the surrounding scenery visibly became desolate.

The weeds by the roadside were untrimmed, and occasionally one could see one or two Immortal Caves, but their doors were tightly shut.

The Restriction at the entrance glowed dimly, filled with Death Qi.

Chen Xu's heart also sank.

He couldn't imagine Chen Qingqing, who was always proud and always ahead of everyone, waiting for the end of her Dao here.

Following the address given in the letter, he found an Immortal Cave halfway up Tianlu Peak.

The Immortal Cave was very secluded; there wasn't even a basic warning Restriction at the entrance, as if the owner had completely given up all communication with the outside world.

Chen Xu stood in front of the Immortal Cave, silent for a long time, before raising his hand and gently knocking on the stone door.

"Dong, dong, dong."

The sound echoed in the silent valley, appearing particularly abrupt.

There was no response from inside.

Chen Xu frowned, knocked again, and at the same time infused a trace of spiritual power into his voice: "Chen Qingqing, it's me, Chen Xu."

This time, a slight sound finally came from within the stone door.

It was the sound of metal scraping against the ground, slow and heavy.

After a long while, the heavy stone door slowly opened with a "creak," revealing a crack.

A pale Face, devoid of any color, peeked out from behind the door.

It was Chen Qingqing.

She had lost a lot of weight, and her once heroic Face now only showed deep fatigue and numbness.

Her eyes were hollow, as if covered by an unresolvable layer of ash.

Her gaze fell on Chen Xu, and in her hollow eyes, there was finally a slight fluctuation.

"It's you?"

Her voice was dry, as if she hadn't spoken for a long time.

"It's me."

Chen Xu looked at her and sighed in his heart.

Chen Qingqing had no intention of letting him in; she just leaned against the door, looked him up and down, and then suddenly said, "We haven't seen each other for many years, have we?"

Chen Xu was startled; he didn't remember it being that long.

Chen Xu was silent.

So, in her heart, she remembered it so clearly.

Chen Qingqing, behind the stone door, swayed, seeming a little unsteady.

Only then did Chen Xu notice that her legs were encased in a hideous, exoskeleton-like Magical Artifact.

The Magical Artifact was dark gold, covered in runes.

Every time she moved, her joints would emit a "clack, clack" sound.

Clearly, this was what supported her in standing and walking.

"I received a letter saying that you..."

Chen Xu deliberated his words.

"Saying I've become a cripple?"

Chen Qingqing interrupted him, her tone still flat, showing no emotion.

"Yifan and Xiaoyue are very worried about you..."

Chen Xu decided to state his purpose directly: "They hope I can take you back to my home to stay for a while. It would be good for the sisters to catch up."

Hearing Bu Yifan's name, Chen Qingqing's eyes didn't change much.

But when the words "Xiaoyue" entered her ears, a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, which then became incredibly complex.

"Xiaoyue?"

She stared at Chen Xu: "Did she also send you? Why didn't she come herself?"

"She..."

Chen Xu looked into Chen Qingqing's probing eyes, knowing that this matter couldn't be hidden, nor did it need to be.

He calmly said, "She is my wife now. She gave birth to my child a few years ago, and her body is still recuperating, so it's inconvenient for her to travel far."

"What did you say?"

Chen Qingqing's body trembled violently.

Chen Xu didn't flinch and met her gaze openly.

After a long time, Chen Qingqing finally averted her gaze. She lowered her head, looking at her legs confined by the Magical Artifact, and suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was light, yet filled with endless sorrow and self-mockery.

"Good, good..."

She muttered, "So that's how it is... So, that's how it is..."

She laughed so hard her shoulders shook, and tears streamed down her pale cheeks.

Sun Xiaoyue, who had pursued her for half her life, fought with her for half her life, and regarded her as her only goal, finally gave up on that path.

She chose the life of a wife and mother, which Chen Qingqing had always looked down upon the most.

This made her feel her failure more than anyone's pity or sympathy.

Chen Xu watched her silently, offering no comfort.

He knew that she had to overcome this pain herself.

After crying for a long time, Chen Qingqing slowly stopped. She raised her hand and casually wiped away the tear stains from her Face.

When she looked up again, the sadness in her eyes had been suppressed.

"Why didn't you inform me when you got married?"

There was a hint of resentment in her tone.

"At that time, you were on the front lines hunting down demonic Cultivators, and the war was intense, so messages couldn't get through."

Chen Xu explained.

Chen Qingqing listened, remained silent for a moment, and then finally nodded slightly.

She seemed to accept the explanation.

"I'll go with you."

She suddenly said, her tone resolute.

This decision surprised Chen Xu a little.

"It's too stuffy here..."

Chen Qingqing turned around, operating the heavy leg Magical Artifact, which made "clack, clack" sounds, and slowly walked into the Immortal Cave: "I don't have much to pack. Wait for me."

Chen Xu looked at her lonely and stubborn back, understanding in his heart.

She agreed so readily, perhaps just wanting to change places... to escape this suffocating place of sorrow.

A moment later, Chen Qingqing came out, holding only a simple, ancient-looking longsword in a sheath.

That was her cherished sword, Qing Shuang.

The two walked one after another on the path down the mountain, without a word.

Just as they were about to reach the foot of Tianlu Peak and merge onto the main outer Sect road!

Suddenly, seven or eight Cultivators dressed in Qingyun Sect Disciple attire appeared on the path ahead, blocking their way.

The leader was a young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with an arrogant Face and frivolous eyes, whose cultivation was at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer.

When he saw Chen Qingqing, his eyes lit up, and a fake smile immediately appeared on his Face.

"Senior Sister, where are you going?"

When Chen Qingqing saw the newcomers, her brows immediately furrowed tightly.

Her already cold expression became even colder, like ice.

"Wang Yan, my affairs are not for you to manage. Get out of the way!"

This young man named Wang Yan was the grandson of a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Elder within the Sect.

Relying on his Family background, he was domineering and a complete scoundrel in the Sect.

Wang Yan didn't care about Chen Qingqing's cold Face at all.

He chuckled, his gaze brazenly sweeping over her, finally resting on her legs wrapped in the Magical Artifact, a playful look flashing in his eyes.

"Senior Sister, why such a temper? I'm here today to deliver a message from my Big Brother, Wang Jiazhu."

Wang Jiazhu was Wang Yan's older brother and the Elder's most valued grandson.

With a cultivation of Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer, he was considered a master in the inner Sect.

"My Big Brother said he has admired Senior Sister for a long time. Although Senior Sister is a bit injured now, he doesn't mind."

Wang Yan puffed out his chest, speaking in a condescending tone; "As long as Senior Sister agrees to be my Big Brother's concubine, my Big Brother guarantees he will ask my grandfather to personally intervene and use the best Spirit Medicine, regardless of the cost, to heal your injuries."

"Who knows, you might even recover completely!"

These words were incredibly frivolous; it was not a marriage proposal but a public humiliation.

The Qi Refinement Stage followers he brought with him also let out malicious jeers.

Chen Qingqing's body trembled with anger, and the veins on her hand gripping the sword sheath bulged.

"Get out!"

The smile on Wang Yan's Face instantly froze.

He didn't expect Chen Qingqing, even in her current state, to dare to disrespect him so much.

His Face darkened, and he said in a sarcastic tone, "Senior Sister Chen, don't be ungrateful. It's your good fortune that my Big Brother fancies you. Do you think you're still that high and mighty inner Sect Prodigy from back then? You're just a crippl..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Qingqing had already moved.

Her Qing Shuang Sword suddenly unsheathed half an inch.

A sharp Sword Qi instantly slashed towards Wang Yan's Face!

Even with severe injuries, she was still the unyielding Chen Qingqing!

Wang Yan was startled, not expecting her to actually attack, and hastily retreated.

The Sword Qi grazed his nose, cutting off a few strands of his hair.

"You're f*cking asking for death!"

Wang Yan was enraged, feeling he had lost Face in front of his subordinates.

A Foundation Establishment Stage pressure erupted with a roar.

He no longer held back, his body swayed, and he approached Chen Qingqing like a ghost, striking her shoulder with a palm.

Chen Qingqing wanted to raise her sword to block, but her spiritual power was not flowing smoothly, and her movements were half a beat slow.

Wang Yan's palm easily grabbed her shoulder.

With a surge of magical power, Chen Qingqing let out a muffled groan, her Face turning even paler.

"Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer? Hmph, indeed she has fallen."

Wang Yan felt the unstable spiritual power within her body, and a disdainful sneer appeared on his Face.

He turned to look at Chen Xu, who had not said a word from beginning to end.

Then he transferred his anger to this seemingly ordinary man.

"And who are you, you dog? How dare you follow this cripple?"

He winked at a Qi Refinement Peak follower behind him: "Li Yuan, cripple one of his legs for me. Let him know who he should and shouldn't provoke!"

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

The Disciple named Li Yuan sneered and immediately conjured a Flying Sword, stabbing fiercely towards Chen Xu's knee.

He seemed to have already envisioned this ignorant fellow begging for mercy on his knees.

However, facing this fierce attack, Chen Xu made no extra movements.

He just stretched out his hand and flicked the incoming Flying Sword.

He didn't flick it with his finger, but from his fingertip, a Talisman shot out.

Immediately after, it was the second, third, fourth... In an instant, more than a dozen yellow Talismans flew out like scattered flowers, instantly activating in mid-air!

Buzz—

Golden light burst forth!

Layer upon layer of thick golden light shields, stacked like an arhat, instantly appeared in front of Chen Xu.

"Vajra Talisman!"

Li Yuan's Flying Sword struck the first layer of the light shield, only emitting a crisp sound before being bounced away.

And this was just the beginning.

The remaining dozen or so Vajra Talismans, under Chen Xu's Divine Thought control, actually transformed into a golden torrent, sweeping back towards Li Yuan!

The sneer on Li Yuan's Face instantly turned into horror.

Without thinking, he immediately poured all his magical power into his protective spiritual light.

But it was all in vain.

Under the relentless, cost-no-object impact of more than a dozen Vajra Talismans, his protective spiritual light shattered instantly like paper.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

A series of dull thuds sounded!

Li Yuan was like a sandbag repeatedly hit by a dozen carriages.

He didn't even have time to scream before he spat out blood and flew backward!

He finally fell heavily more than ten feet away, his bones completely shattered, and he passed out on the spot.

The entire process happened in a flash.

From Li Yuan's attack to his being beaten into a pulp, it took only two or three breaths.

The surrounding air instantly quieted down.

Wang Yan and his remaining followers all stared at this scene, dumbfounded, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

Using more than a dozen Vajra Talismans to knock out a Qi Refinement Peak Cultivator?

What kind of fighting style was this? Was this something a human could do?

A single Vajra Talisman cost at least five Spirit Stones in the market.

This one attack alone cost nearly a hundred Spirit Stones?

Even Chen Qingqing, who was restrained by Wang Yan, looked at Chen Xu in shock.

She knew Chen Xu was rich!

But she didn't know that Chen Xu was rich to such an insane degree.

"You... you're asking for death!"

Wang Yan was the first to react. He looked at Li Yuan, who was unconscious on the ground, and then at Chen Xu's calm Face.

A wave of anger rushed to his head.

He was actually humiliated with money by a Qi Refinement Stage fellow, in front of so many people!

"I want you dead!"

Wang Yan roared, no longer bothering with Chen Qingqing.

His Foundation Establishment Second Layer magical power erupted without reservation.

He formed a hand seal, and a long bladed Magical Artifact burning with raging flames appeared out of thin air, carrying a scorching wave of Qi, and slashed down at Chen Xu's head!