Chapter 8

"Those who do not offend me, I will not offend them. Don't blame me next time."

Jiang Chen turned his head to look at Liu Changfeng and the others, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

He was not a person who enjoyed killing, but when it was time to kill, he would never hesitate.

Maintaining a certain speed, Jiang Chen rushed towards the basin ahead.

This was a basin with complex terrain, generally bowl-shaped, with uneven ground and numerous boulders inside.

In the center of the basin, Jiang Chen stopped and stood on a large rock.

"Why aren't you running anymore?"

Liu Changfeng was a bit surprised.

"Why should I run?"

Jiang Chen calmly adjusted his clothes.

"Looking for death."

Two Ninth Rank Qi Sea Realm martial artists from the Liu family were furious. They attacked Jiang Chen from both sides, thinking that although he was fast, his true strength was negligible.

"Five Ninth Rank Qi Sea Realm martial artists, not one can be spared."

Jiang Chen's mind raced, and he drew his long sword, using the Cloud Light technique.

Cloud Light could be both offensive and defensive, and Jiang Chen used it defensively.

Clang, clang, clang, clang...

The two attackers were very fierce, but Jiang Chen's sword technique was too exquisite. Their energy strikes seemed to hit a cotton ball, unable to exert force.

"Such a powerful defensive sword technique."

Liu Changfeng admitted he had underestimated Jiang Chen. This Sixth Rank Qi Sea Realm martial artist was not an ordinary one.

"You two, join in."

Liu Changfeng ordered the other two Liu family martial artists.

"Heh, Liu Er and Liu San, you two are useless."

These two Liu family martial artists, one wielding a saber and the other a sword, combined their attacks with the other two, surrounding Jiang Chen tightly.

"This is the moment."

Jiang Chen's eyes flashed with determination. His sword technique shifted from weak to strong, and he unleashed the fifth move of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, Wind Sweeping the Remnants.

The Flowing Cloud Sword Technique was a high-rank Yellow-grade sword technique. Jiang Chen had long mastered it, and combined with the Void Sword Body Technique, its precision and power increased tenfold, almost reaching the level of a low-rank Mystic-grade sword technique. Of course, Jiang Chen himself was a Sixth Rank Qi Sea Realm martial artist, which was his weakness. Even so, this attack was not something an ordinary Ninth Rank Qi Sea Realm martial artist could withstand.

The sword light formed a continuous stream, like a tornado. Puff, puff, puff, puff—blood splattered as two Liu family martial artists were killed on the spot, and the other two were severely injured.

"Rising Clouds and Stirring Winds."

After killing two, Jiang Chen pressed his advantage. His sword moved like clouds and mist, quickly enveloping the two severely injured martial artists.

"Stop!"

Liu Changfeng was both shocked and angry. The situation had reversed too quickly, and he had no time to react.

Puff! Puff!

Trapped by the terrifying sword momentum, the two severely injured Liu family martial artists reacted a moment too late. In the next moment, their throats were slit, and they fell to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, only Liu Changfeng remained.

"You dare to kill my Liu family martial artists. Do you know that you have committed a capital offense? No one can save you."

Liu Changfeng trembled with anger.

"Those who kill others will be killed. Next, it's your turn."

Jiang Chen pushed off the ground and quickly rushed towards Liu Changfeng.

"Don't be too smug, taste my Essence-Breaking Palm!"

Liu Changfeng's entire body's power surged, his palm glowing with a dark blue light. The Essence-Breaking Palm was a high-rank Yellow-grade palm technique from the Cloud Sea Sect, known for its extreme offensive power, capable of piercing steel plates with a single strike.

"Starry Sky Transformation."

Dealing with Liu Changfeng alone, Jiang Chen was much more relaxed. He used the Starry Sky Transformation, which now emitted eighteen cold stars, one more than when he first broke through the first level of the Void Sword Body Technique. Correspondingly, the number of variations increased from 289 to 324.

Clang.

Liu Changfeng's Essence-Breaking Palm didn't even touch Jiang Chen's clothes, while Jiang Chen's sword instantly pierced Liu Changfeng's heart, the powerful impact force sending him flying. Liu Changfeng's chest was visibly pierced, but there was no blood. Something inside his clothes was emitting a faint black light.

"Treasure armor?"

Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.

In addition to martial arts cultivation, martial artists could enhance their combat power with two external items: treasure armor and treasure weapons. Both had seven grades: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.

Generally, Qi Sea Realm martial artists used Red-grade treasure armor and weapons. The sword in Jiang Chen's hand was a mid-grade Red-grade treasure weapon, which he had exchanged for 1,500 contribution points at the One Qi Sect. Jiang Chen estimated that Liu Changfeng's armor was a high-grade Red-grade treasure armor, otherwise, that sword strike wouldn't have failed to injure him.

Of course, not everyone who wore treasure armor had strong defense. Treasure armor required the injection of true qi. If Liu Changfeng's cultivation was lower, that sword strike might have injured him.

"You can't hurt me."

Liu Changfeng was confident. The dark-scaled soft armor he wore was a high-grade Red-grade treasure armor, made from the skin of a two-star high-grade fierce beast, the Sky Star Python. When infused with true qi, its defense was comparable to a two-star low-grade fierce beast. If his cultivation broke through to the First Rank Flying Heaven Realm, its defense would even reach the level of a two-star mid-grade fierce beast.

"Maybe not."

Since Liu Changfeng was wearing a high-grade Red-grade treasure armor, Jiang Chen's next attack naturally avoided his body. Using the Wind Step, Jiang Chen's figure moved left and right, forward and backward, having long mastered the technique to perfection.

"What level has his footwork reached?"

Liu Changfeng was terrified. He found it impossible to lock onto Jiang Chen's aura, a feeling he had only experienced with inner sect disciples.

"Rain and Clouds!"

On Liu Changfeng's right side, Jiang Chen's figure appeared. Seeing this, Liu Changfeng quickly struck with his palm.

"Bad."

The palm missed, and the figure on the right was just an afterimage.

Facing him, Jiang Chen's eyes were icy cold as he thrust his sword through Liu Changfeng's throat.

"I am not willing!"

Liu Changfeng fell to the ground, looking up.

He was too confident. If he had fled, he might have escaped. Unfortunately, there was no "if" in this world.

Daring not to stay, Jiang Chen took the high-grade Red-grade treasure armor from Liu Changfeng's body and quickly disappeared to the other end of the basin.

A short while later, the black-robed elder and the dark-clothed man Liu Yuan arrived.

Although the Unicornered Leopard was powerful, it was still just a fierce beast, far less intelligent than humans. After a struggle, the two of them managed to kill it.

"Master Changfeng!"

Seeing the five bodies on the ground, the black-robed elder and Liu Yuan were enraged.

Liu Changfeng was a fourth-generation disciple of the Liu family, highly regarded. His death meant they had no way to explain themselves when they returned.

"Kill him, we must kill this little beast."

Liu Yuan's eyes turned red.

The black-robed elder said coldly, "This boy is truly despicable, with a devil's heart. If he had handed over the Moonlight Fruit, we might not have killed him, and even if we did, we would have left him a whole body. Now that Master Changfeng is dead, even if he runs to the ends of the earth, I will tear him to pieces to uphold justice."

"Old Man Wan, what should we do now? The little beast has been gone for a while."

Suppressing his intense anger, Liu Yuan turned to ask the black-robed elder, Old Man Wan.

"Don't worry. I once obtained a partial manual of tracking techniques. Although I have only grasped a fraction of its essence, it is enough to track this boy."

As he spoke, Old Man Wan activated the tracking technique and quickly found the traces left by Jiang Chen. Following these traces, Old Man Wan and Liu Yuan quickly pursued him.

As Jiang Chen passed through a thicket, his eyelids twitched.

"Danger is approaching!"

Jiang Chen's intuition was very sharp, perhaps due to his cultivation of the Void Sword Body Technique, which made his mental energy highly sensitive.

Suppressing his aura, Jiang Chen hid in a thicket.

After a few breaths, two figures appeared in Jiang Chen's line of sight.

"Tracking technique?"

Jiang Chen was alarmed. Since these two could track him here, they must have learned tracking techniques. Given the subtlety of tracking techniques, hiding in the thicket might not be safe.

At this moment, Jiang Chen saw the black-robed elder glance in his direction.

"Run."

Almost instinctively, Jiang Chen leaped out of the thicket and ran towards the direction of the water.

"Damn."

Old Man Wan didn't expect Jiang Chen to be so perceptive.

The two of them gathered their true qi and pursued him closely.

Ahead was a river, swift and turbulent due to the high terrain.

Splash. Jiang Chen dove into the river.

Faced with the pursuit of two Flying Heaven Realm martial artists, Jiang Chen had no choice. He knew that rivers also contained fierce beasts, and due to environmental factors, these beasts were more difficult to deal with than those on land.

Boom!

Old Man Wan, a step behind, struck the river with his palm, the powerful force creating a towering water column.

...

The underwater world was quiet but terrifying.

In the water, Jiang Chen's five senses were reduced by several dozen times, and his intuition was also indirectly weakened. The water surged, and a pressure acted on his body, almost suffocating him. It was not hard to guess that one of the black-robed elder or the dark-clothed man had struck the river with their qi.

The Return to Origin Technique activated, Jiang Chen moved quickly along the river, his speed not much slower than on land.

When he needed to breathe, Jiang Chen would usually rely on the tall water plants on the shore, making it difficult for anyone on the shore to spot him.

"About right."

After an hour, Jiang Chen prepared to go ashore.

Joining him on the shore was a large water snake. A flash of sword light, and the snake was cut into three pieces, falling back into the river.

"Seems even more dangerous here!"

Looking around, Jiang Chen smiled bitterly.

Compared to the outer regions of the Lingyun Mountains, this place was even quieter and more desolate. The grass and trees around were darker, not as green as outside.

"Since I'm here, I'll make the best of it."

Jiang Chen remained calm, not dwelling on negative thoughts.

The Conceal Qi Technique activated, Jiang Chen moved cautiously.

Suddenly, a bright red flash caught his eye. Focusing, he saw a cluster of large red flowers. The petals were very thick, almost half an inch, and the stems had three or four leaves, resembling dancing butterflies, full of vitality.

"Saint Butterfly Red?"

Jiang Chen was surprised and uncertain.

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