Chapter 146 Cold Shadow's Spying Kill

Chen Mu and his companion were just about to break through the window and leave when a sudden chill shot up from their spines, instantly spreading throughout their bodies.

It was not the ghost Qi of the underworld messengers, nor was it the lingering malevolent Qi of the temple; it was a purer, more restrained killing intent.

Almost the instant the chill arose, Chen Mu didn't even think; he violently yanked Qi Huan backward while instinctively dodging to the side, relying on his Divine Void Step.

"Rip!"

A flash of cold light grazed past Chen Mu's ribs, completely tearing his already tattered martial attire and leaving a thin line of blood on his skin.

Had Chen Mu not dodged in time, this strike would have pierced his heart.

"Who?!"

Although Qi Huan was exhausted, his reflexes were not slow. Realizing immediately that there was an ambush, he forced himself to gather his Qi, protected his chest with his palms, and scanned the shattered window with sharp eyes.

A figure walked slowly out of the darkness. He was tall and lean, with a pair of terrifyingly bright eyes. He looked at Chen Mu and Qi Huan with an amused expression, scanning them back and forth, before suddenly clapping his hands and laughing softly.

"Spectacular, truly spectacular. I, Nie Feng, am truly impressed."

As he spoke, he took two steps forward, the bamboo leaves beneath his feet emitting a crisp rustling sound.

"To be able to slay an evil god of the Heart-Awakening Realm while only at the Dao-Entering stage—though you borrowed the Luck of the Yao Race and used crooked methods—this kind of courage and ruthlessness is truly impressive."

"No wonder Lord Wen looks at you differently, and no wonder Xu Changze views you as a thorn in his side."

Chen Mu's heart sank suddenly, his hand gripping his blade tightening involuntarily.

He recognized the person before him; it was the Heart-Awakening Realm guard who had been behind Wen Jingxing that day.

He just hadn't expected that he had been lurking nearby the whole time, waiting for an opportunity.

Qi Huan's face turned even paler. When he had seen this man that day, he had felt immense pressure, and now, the man's aura was even more dangerous; it was clear he had been holding back then.

"Guard Nie..."

Qi Huan forced himself to stand straight, stepped forward two paces, and vaguely shielded Chen Mu behind him.

"Since Lord Wen appreciates talent, why must we resort to violence? Tonight's business was to slay an evil god and cleanse the area; it does not conflict with Lord Wen's duty of inspection."

Nie Feng curled his lips, laughing mockingly.

"No conflict? Officer Qi, you are a veteran of the Prefecture; how can you still be so naive?"

His gaze passed over Qi Huan and pierced straight at Chen Mu, the amusement in his eyes gradually congealing into cold killing intent.

"Lord Wen does appreciate talent, but he appreciates talent that can be held in his hand and driven at his will. A talent like Squad Leader Chen, who is unruly, frequently escapes control, and even dares to lay hands on the henchmen of his superiors..."

Nie Feng shook his head, his tone suddenly sharp.

"That is a disaster, a variable that must be eliminated!"

Before his voice had faded, his figure suddenly blurred.

It was not the extreme speed of the Divine Void Step, but a more bizarre method of movement, as if he were merging into the surrounding shadows.

Chen Mu's pupils contracted sharply. He operated the Soul-Loss Art to its fullest, catching a faint trace of Qi; the enemy had already closed in within three feet.

"Watch out!"

Chen Mu bellowed, not having time to think. He pushed Qi Huan away and slashed the soul-slaying blade horizontally forward. Before he could even clearly see the figure, a massive force transmitted from the blade, shaking him back five steps.

Nie Feng's figure solidified at the spot where Chen Mu had just been standing. His right hand was held with fingers together like a sword, a wisp of Protective Aura lingering at his fingertips.

It was with this finger that he had just forcefully withstood the edge of the soul-slaying blade.

Flicking his fingers, a trace of surprise flashed in Nie Feng's eyes.

"Good blade, good strength."

"After taking a blow from the City God's karmic fire red lotus and fighting for so long, you still have the strength to take seventy percent of my finger strength without falling. Chen Mu, I am becoming more and more curious about what Cultivation Technique you practice."

Chen Mu felt a sweetness in his throat and forcibly suppressed the rising blood.

That finger just now, while appearing casual, actually contained sinister, exhausting power that had already penetrated his Meridians. If not for the Meridians tempered by the Hunyuan Wuji Calamity Body being exceptionally tough, he would likely have suffered internal injuries by now.

Such strong power, such bizarre Protective Aura.

Chen Mu was inwardly horrified. He vaguely felt that while the opponent's Realm might not match that of the City God evil god, his cultivation base, truly honed in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, was incredibly solid—far from comparable to the City God's somewhat floaty Late Stage Heart-Awakening Realm, which relied on incense Power Of Will.

"Chief Qi, fall back!"

Chen Mu growled. He knew that facing an opponent of Nie Feng's level, if Qi Huan rushed up, it would only be suicide.

Nie Feng snorted coldly, not wasting words, and moved again.

This time it was no longer a probing finger strike, but a real stance.

He spread his arms, his index fingers curved like hooks, and his Protective Aura permeated the air, shrouding his body.

"Please, Squad Leader Chen, taste this: Mysterious Eagle Rending Claw."

Before his voice had faded, Nie Feng pounced down like a hunting hawk. His dual claws tore through the air, aiming straight for Chen Mu's vital points. Before the claw wind even arrived, the force of the Qi was already making his skin sting.

Chen Mu took a deep breath, throwing distracting thoughts to the back of his mind. He activated the Divine Void Step, creating several afterimages in the small space, and the soul-slaying blade formed a net of blades, meeting the sky-filling claw shadows.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sounds of blades and claws clashing exploded repeatedly in the hall, yet the disparity was obvious.

Nie Feng's Protective Aura was condensed and thick, and his claw technique was sinister, tricky, and experienced. Although Chen Mu relied on his profound Cultivation Technique and solid Foundation to barely manage to circle him, every time he took a claw, he felt his Protective Aura vibrate and his Meridians ache faintly.

What was more troublesome was that Nie Feng's Protective Aura contained an inherent cold Qi, which constantly penetrated through the blade into Chen Mu's body, intertwining with the burning pain left by the City God's karmic fire, making Chen Mu feel as if he had fallen into purgatory.

After barely twenty exchanges, Chen Mu ultimately failed to fully dodge a claw wind; three bloodstains deep enough to see bone were left on his left shoulder, and his blade momentum inevitably faltered.

"An opportunity!"

How could Nie Feng let such an opening go? He quickly cut into the gap of Chen Mu's blade net, his five fingers gathering into the shape of a sharp eagle's beak, pecking straight at Chen Mu's heart.

This claw was fast, accurate, and ruthless, sealing off all of Chen Mu's evasion angles.

"Bang!"

Chen Mu, along with his blade, was sent flying, crashing into the incense table. He could no longer suppress it; a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, and his chest heaved violently.

"Chen Mu!"

Qi Huan's eyes were split with rage. Regardless of everything, he lunged toward Nie Feng, his palms gathering all his remaining Protective Aura. Five-colored cloud Qi barely condensed as he struck toward Nie Feng's back.

"Ant."

Nie Feng didn't even turn his head. With a backhanded flick of his sleeve, a Yin-soft yet domineering blast of Protective Aura surged out. The five-colored cloud Qi on Qi Huan's palms instantly dissipated, and he was sent flying sideways, crashing into the wall and sliding down limply, unable to crawl up again.

The gap was too great.

Chen Mu struggled to stand up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and locked his eyes firmly on Nie Feng.

Flee?

Given the movement technique and grasp of timing the opponent had displayed, in his severely injured state, carrying the dying Qi Huan, it was impossible to escape.

Fight?

His Protective Aura was nearly exhausted, his injuries were severe; facing a Heart-Awakening Realm killer who was in perfect condition, rested, and possessed unfathomable cultivation, what were his odds of winning?

A trace of despair had already shrouded his heart.

Nie Feng seemed to appreciate the look in Chen Mu's eyes right now, filled with the ferocity of a trapped beast fighting. He was in no rush to deal the killing blow, instead pacing forward leisurely.

"Do Wen Jingxing and Xu Changze know you came to kill me?"

Chen Mu gasped, trying to stall for time. Inside his body, the Hunyuan Wuji Calamity Body operated crazily, squeezing out every bit of potential, trying to recover a sliver of Protective Aura.

At the same time, his mind sank into the System panel in his consciousness.

His eyes suddenly brightened.