Chapter 70

（New Year's Eve, blessings to all）

From a distance, the White Sudden River looked like a white giant python winding its way, with a continuous and urgent sound.

After resting, Chen Zong got up and moved towards the direction of the White Sudden River.

"Crossing the White Sudden River, it's the Galloping Plains. Crossing the Galloping Plains, we can reach the territory of the Seven Radiant Martial Academy." He muttered to himself and slightly quickened his pace.

His internal injuries had not yet healed and had worsened due to the life-or-death battle, so he had to hold back his speed.

By the White Sudden River, there were quite a few people standing, in groups of three or five, all from various family teams.

"Where is Chen Zong?" Wang Shenglei's gaze swept over the faces of Chen Zhong and the other four, and he asked.

Chen Zhong and the others did not answer, as they did not know how Chen Zong was doing.

"Could he have died in the Black Bee Mountain?" A Wang family member sneered, speaking casually, which made Chen Zhong and the other four change their expressions drastically.

"Is Chen Zong really dead in the Black Bee Mountain?" Wang Shenglei pressed.

"Don't know." Chen Zhi replied irritably.

The Wang family members were taken aback.

"Could it be that Chen Zong is afraid of losing the bet, unwilling to part with the fifty thousand white jade coins, and dare not show up?" A Wang family member said sarcastically.

"You're asking for death." Chen Zhong, enraged, was about to rush over but was held back by Chen Wenzhe.

"If I lose, I will naturally hand over the fifty thousand white jade coins." A calm voice reached everyone's ears, and Chen Zhong and the other four turned around, their faces filled with excitement.

"Chen Zong."

"You're still alive."

"I knew you would be."

"I have a strong life force." Chen Zong smiled.

"You don't look too good." After the excitement subsided, Chen Zhong looked at Chen Zong's face and said.

"I was injured." Chen Zong said.

"What about those two black-clothed men?" Chen Kaiyue asked.

"I don't know." Chen Zong did not mention that the two had already died by his sword.

"Hmph, Chen Zong, it's good that you're alive. This bet, the Wang family is sure to win." Wang Shenglei said. Chen Zong noticed that Wang Shenglei's group originally had six people, but now only five remained, with two of them injured.

It was clear that the consequences of sneaking into the Black Bee Mountain at night were quite severe.

The water of the White Sudden River was very swift, with rolling waves. If one were to swim across, they might encounter a beast, and encountering a beast in the water was more dangerous than on land.

A first-class lower-grade aquatic beast was enough to kill a fifth-layer Blood Qi realm martial artist.

They waited for the White Sudden River to calm down before crossing. Everyone prepared, using wood cut from a nearby forest to make simple rafts.

"Chen Zong, do you know the identities of those two people?" Tang Junluo and Li Zhen Shi walked over and asked, their tone slightly angry.

Chen Zong shook his head. Although he had some guesses, those two were clearly targeting him, and it was his responsibility to deal with them.

Staring at the White Sudden River, the swift current seemed like a thousand troops charging forward.

"Get ready." Chen Zong suddenly said.

"What?" Chen Zhong and the other four were confused.

"Pick up the raft and prepare to cross the river." Chen Zong repeated.

"Go." Chen Zhong, who clearly trusted Chen Zong, immediately grabbed the raft and walked towards the White Sudden River, and Chen Kaiyue and the other three had no choice but to follow.

"What are they doing?"

"Are they trying to cross the river?"

"Looking for death."

"Looks like they're willing to risk their lives to win the bet."

Wang Shenglei sneered coldly. Last night, to win the bet, they sneaked into the Black Bee Mountain, resulting in one death and two injuries, and they did not manage to cross the river first. With lingering fear, they dared not take the risk again. Now, seeing that Chen Zong's group was about to cross the river, he thought they were courting death.

Tang Junluo and Li Zhen Shi were also confused.

"Wait." At the riverbank, Chen Zong told Chen Zhong, his eyes fixed on the swift current.

"Release." After a dozen breaths, Chen Zong suddenly said. Chen Zhong placed the raft in the river, and Chen Zong leaped onto it first, followed by Chen Zhong, and then Chen Kaiyue and the other three jumped on as well.

The swift current pushed the raft downstream.

"Chen Zhong and Chen Wenzhe take the left, Chen Kaiyue and Chen Zhi take the right." Chen Zong immediately said, picking up a wooden paddle made from a tree branch.

Chen Zhong and the other four were very tense, their nerves on edge, while Chen Zong remained relatively relaxed. Under the swift current, the raft drifted downstream, but with everyone's efforts, it made some progress.

Chen Zong focused on each part of the river, analyzing the patterns and directing Chen Zhong and the others.

"Is this possible?" The people on the riverbank watched in amazement.

Chen Zhong and the others cooperated more and more smoothly, and the raft's speed increased slightly. However, the White Sudden River was several hundred meters wide, and they had only crossed a few dozen meters.

The current gradually weakened and slowed down.

"Speed up." Chen Zhong and the others were delighted and immediately paddled faster.

"Cross the river!"

"Go."

"Hurry."

The family disciples on the riverbank, seeing the current slow down, quickly lifted their rafts and placed them in the water.

With the current slowing down and their cooperation, the raft moved quickly, like riding the wind and breaking the waves. In no time, they reached the middle of the river, far ahead of the others.

"Chen Zong, did you already know the current would slow down?" Chen Wenzhe asked while paddling hard.

"Intuition." Chen Zong replied casually.

"We're leading now. Everyone, put in more effort to maintain the advantage, and we'll win the bet." Chen Zhong smiled.

Thinking about winning the bet and each getting ten thousand white jade coins, everyone became excited, their bodies filled with energy, and the raft's speed increased even more.

"Quick, quick, quick!" Wang Shenglei was very anxious. They had arrived at the White Sudden River earlier than Chen Zong's group but had to stop due to the swift current. Now, they were being overtaken, and he urged them repeatedly.

However, two of them were seriously injured and could not cooperate well, and Wang Shenglei's constant urging made their cooperation even worse.

"Don't panic, work together, we're almost there." Chen Zong's tone was calm, and they were about a hundred meters from the opposite bank.

Suddenly, a splash of water rose, and a large fish broke the surface, opening its mouth full of sharp teeth and biting at Chen Zong. It was clearly an aquatic beast.

"Die!" Chen Zong reacted quickly, drawing his sword and slashing through the air, breaking the water and striking the beast. The sharp blade cut through the tough scales and into the body, and the powerful force sent the beast back into the water, blood spreading.

The internal injuries flared up, causing Chen Zong great pain, and his face turned pale.

Other teams also encountered beast attacks, but the beasts in the White Sudden River were only first-class, mostly lower-grade or mid-grade. As long as they were careful, there was no need to worry.

Reaching the shore, Chen Zong and the other five leaped onto the bank and immediately ran forward without stopping.

"You four go ahead, I'll catch up later." Chen Zong said. His internal injuries had not healed, and he had just used his sword to kill a beast, making him very uncomfortable and limiting his speed.

"Are you okay?" Chen Zhong asked with concern.

"I'm fine, just need to rest a bit. You go ahead." Chen Zong said.

"Alright, you better catch up quickly." Chen Zhong said, and the other three burst into full speed, running forward quickly.

The Galloping Plains were flat, stretching as far as the eye could see. The wind blew, and the grass waves rose and fell, creating a grand scene.

Chen Zong maintained a steady pace, and soon, other family disciples caught up and surpassed him.

"Chen Zong, what's wrong with you?" Li Zhen Shi ran up beside him and asked.

"I was injured internally last night and it hasn't healed, so I can't move too fast." Chen Zong answered simply.

"Internal injuries..." Li Zhen Shi frowned slightly. External injuries could be treated with powder, but internal injuries required medicinal soups, and healing pills for internal injuries were rare and expensive.

"I have a Healing Pill, try it." Li Zhen Shi took out a gray pill and handed it to Chen Zong. Chen Zong did not hesitate, took it, and swallowed it. A cool sensation spread through his body, and under that cool sensation, his internal injuries seemed to heal bit by bit.

"Thank you, Li brother." Chen Zong said seriously.

"I'll go ahead, you better catch up." Li Zhen Shi waved and sped off.

"Healing Pill, can treat internal injuries, but my injuries are severe, one pill might not be enough." Chen Zong thought, "But it can help a little."

"Chen Zong, looks like you can't make it." The five Wang family members caught up and passed Chen Zong, Wang Shenglei sneered.

"Until the end, who knows the outcome." Chen Zong responded calmly.

"Stubborn to the end." A Wang family member sneered.

"The outcome is already decided." Wang Shenglei said, passing Chen Zong and gradually disappearing, the two injured members having only superficial injuries, which were less burdensome than internal injuries.

Finally, everyone in front turned into small black dots and then disappeared. Chen Zong shook his head.

"Looks like I might lose the fifty thousand white jade coins." He thought, feeling a bit bitter. The fifty thousand white jade coins had not been used, and now they would become someone else's.

...

From a distance, the mountain peak looked like a single horn, protruding from the ground, or like a horn protruding from the edge of the mountain range.

Dragon Horn Peak, a peak of the Crouching Dragon Mountains, stands 1,888 meters high, covering an area of over a thousand square miles, with steep terrain and towering peaks.

Seeing Dragon Horn Peak meant that the Seven Radiant Martial Academy was not far away.

The family disciples raced, all wanting to be the first to reach the Seven Radiant Martial Academy.

"Speed up, if we win the bet, I'll give each of you three thousand white jade coins." Wang Shenglei said. The Wang family members, hearing this, were more motivated and gradually caught up with the four from the Chen family.

"Put in more effort, don't let them overtake us." Chen Zhong said.

"What's the point, Chen Zong hasn't caught up." Chen Zhi's tone was negative. Without Chen Zong, even if they arrived first, they would still lose and not get the ten thousand white jade coins, so they had no motivation.

"Go..."

The green grass waved, and the sound of hooves was clear. A brown wild horse suddenly passed Wang Shenglei and the others, then Chen Zhong and the others, and galloped towards the Seven Radiant Martial Academy.

"Chen Zong..."

"It's Chen Zong."

"Ha ha, we're going to win."

Chen Zhong and the other four seemed to be infused with energy, and their speed increased. In contrast, Wang Shenglei and his group seemed to have their strength drained, and their speed decreased.

"No, I haven't lost yet." Wang Shenglei roared, his Blood Qi power bursting, and his speed increased, quickly catching up with Chen Zhong and the others and overtaking them, but the other four Wang family members still lagged behind.