96: Who is Chen Yuan! (asking for monthly ticket)

Rain poured down, blurring the world.

On the banks of the Nu River, in a certain mountain forest.

A white line of rain, “whoosh,” broke through the air, shooting through the blurry rain curtain.

Looking closely, valve after valve of lotus flowers danced, fluttering up and down, with a blood-robed monk in the center.

The monk’s originally yellow robes were soaked with blood, torn and tattered, hanging from his body, revealing blood-colored cracks beneath his Physical Body, like shattered porcelain, looking as if his Physical Body was about to disintegrate, on the verge of severe injury and death.

This person was none other than Yuanzhen, the monk from Feilong Temple.

Above, thunderclouds rolled, and heavy rain poured down; in the distance, a soul-stirring Dragon roar and faint, earth-shattering screams urged him not to stop for a moment.

Yuanzhen was gritting his teeth, his face twisted and ferocious, his heart filled with resentment like the surface of the Nu River at that moment.

He had planned everything perfectly!

But then a Patrolling Mountain Commandant appeared, severing one of his Yin Soul’s arms, and now in Qingshan County, a fellow named Chen Yuan had emerged. It seemed the Demonic Sect’s Azure Dragon held a great grudge against him, taking their anger out on them and slaughtering everyone.

His Physical Body was merely grazed by the tail of that Azure Dragon Venerable’s evil Dragon, and it nearly disintegrated, leaving him severely wounded. If he hadn’t Cultivated the Clone Divine Ability and narrowly dodged that attack, his fate would have been the same as everyone else.

The frustration of suffering such an unprovoked disaster twisted Yuanzhen’s face into a ferocious grimace. The constantly widening cracks in his Physical Body told him that his injuries wouldn’t hold out much longer, but he dared not stop for even a moment now.

“Faster, faster!”

He gritted his teeth, frantically urging his True Qi, and the lotus began to flash with golden light, suddenly accelerating as he fled in a certain direction.

He had to reach Tiger Roar Valley, where the Mountain Lord of Langdang Mountain resided, before his Physical Body disintegrated. That was his only remaining hope.

And at this moment, on both banks of the Nu River, throughout the mountain forests,

There were also several disheveled figures fleeing in panic.

One of them, with tattered silver armor and disheveled hair, had a terrified expression. In his hand was a broken, blood-red long halberd, its bloody light dim, covered in cracks, and gradually becoming ethereal.

That was a wisp of Dao Soldier True Intent bestowed upon him by his Revered Master, which was broken by that Azure Dragon. But it was precisely by relying on this wisp of True Intent that he narrowly escaped death from the Demonic Sect Venerable.

However, several of his fellow disciples did not escape.

He must get the message back!

Sima Liuyun kept moving his feet while pulling out a crystal-clear green jade hairpin from his disheveled hair, urging True Qi into it.

The jade hairpin glowed with a surge of green light, and then, it transformed into a small Azure bird about a foot in size.

Sima Liuyun rapidly chanted, and then, the Azure bird flapped its wings, turning into a streak of Azure light. It first flew west for a while, then sped south.

...

“Ever since Miss Fang escaped from that night ferry, she’s been in good spirits every day.”

In the small courtyard, Chen Yuan looked at Fang Qingzhu before him and spoke indifferently.

The woman opposite him smiled faintly, shaking the candied hawthorn in her hand.

“Perhaps I stayed on that broken boat for too long; it’s been a while since I experienced such a lively atmosphere. Please don’t mind me, Brother Chen!”

“I can understand,” Chen Yuan nodded, “Chen has been too busy these past two days and hasn’t fulfilled the duties of a host. Please don’t blame me, Miss Fang. However, it’s better to clarify some things.”

Saying that, he lifted his eyes,

“Miss, you are welcome to stay here temporarily, but first, there’s the difference between genders in my small courtyard, and second, as you’ve probably seen, the Demonic Sect is rampant, and Chen is preoccupied with affairs, so I fear I might not be able to take proper care of you. Chen can arrange a separate courtyard for you.”

Chen Yuan said this, of course, as an excuse.

He wasn’t at ease with a woman of unknown origin staying under the same roof as him.

Fang Qingzhu listened, and her beautiful eyes curved into an arc,

“Brother Chen is truly straightforward, but none of this matters to Qingzhu.”

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow,

“Miss, please speak directly. If there’s no necessity, Chen will have to ask you to leave.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Fang Qingzhu, who had originally had a curving smile in her eyes, could no longer maintain it.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her light purple pupils scrutinized Chen Yuan.

This Brother Chen is truly not an ordinary person, she thought. Her expression quickly returned to normal, and her gaze became serious.

“Since Brother Chen is so straightforward, Qingzhu will not beat around the bush either.”

“The origin of this matter was on that boat. I once broke through the Fourth Heavenly Gate, but like Brother Chen, I encountered a Heart Demon….”

“In that place of debate, I personally witnessed the method Brother Chen Cultivated; it was resplendent with golden light, supremely Yang and supremely rigid. So I wanted to find an opportunity to ask Brother Chen for help with my injuries, but these past few days, Brother Chen has been rushing around, and I haven’t had a chance to speak.”

The implication of her words was that in the place of debate, when she attempted to break through the Heavenly Gate, she encountered a Heart Demon and failed to sever the Dao, sustaining injuries. These injuries were not to her Physical Body, but rather her Divine Soul was tainted by the Heart Demon during the Heart Demon’s attempt to sever the Dao. If this injury was not resolved, not only would her Realm stagnate, but it would also become a ticking time bomb at any moment.

She had personally witnessed the golden light that Chen Yuan emitted when he broke through the Fourth Heavenly Gate, which took everyone out with him. It was supremely Yang and supremely rigid, making her feel her injuries begin to heal. That’s why she found an excuse to stay here temporarily, constantly thinking about how to get to know him better and then open up to him.

Upon hearing her words, Chen Yuan’s brows finally gradually relaxed.

If this woman had other intentions, he would certainly keep his distance, but it was merely for healing.

“If Miss had spoken earlier, Chen would certainly not have been rude, especially since Miss also generously assisted in that place of debate.”

“It’s just that the current situation is such that Chen must be extremely careful in his actions. Please forgive me.”

“Miss Fang, please tell me, how do you need me to help you?”

Seeing his rapid change in attitude, Fang Qingzhu’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, then she couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile, her chest trembling slightly.

“Brother Chen is truly a wonderful person!”

“Then I’ll trouble you!”

A few minutes later, the inner room was closed.

Under the pavilion, the white fox and Little Squirrel, who had been placed on the stone table and instructed to be good and not disturb, suddenly heard a woman’s soft hum from inside.

It seemed she was enduring it, intermittently, like weeping and complaining.

Their ears twitched, and the two little fellows exchanged glances, curiosity in their eyes.

Then,

“Whoosh.”

The two curious little fellows lay by the window, peering carefully inside.

Wasn’t it for healing?

How did it end up making her cry?

The little fellows didn’t seem to understand.

....

As time passed,

The sun gradually set among the mountains.

Two thousand li away, a streak of Azure light, under the evening sun, rushed into Langya Mountain, north of Hundred Emperors City.

Langya Mountain, a cliff.

An Azure bird flew before Xiahou Yuan, the Mountain Lord, who was holding a chess piece and playing against himself.

The Azure bird opened its mouth and actually spoke human words, a anxious voice coming from within.

Xiahou Yuan heard the content of the transmission.

His expression sank, and the chess piece in his hand instantly turned to dust.

A furious Evil Qi instantly pulverized everything around him, causing the air to explode.

“Demonic Sect Azure Dragon, you deserve to die!”

“Who is Chen Yuan?!”

His low voice resonated throughout Langya Mountain.