Chapter 63

He moved quickly, and a moment later, Su Ru appeared in a flowing white robe, her face clear and warm under the moonlight, like white jade: "Zhao Ying, what’s wrong with Chu Li?"

Zhao Ying hurriedly said: "Chief, Chu Senior Brother is trapped by three masked men, all of whom are very strong. I think they are from the Great Thunder Sound Temple!"

"Hmm—?" Su Ru’s expression changed slightly, and she frowned: "Where?"

"Outside the city, in the woods!" Zhao Ying said.

"Can we make it in time?"

Zhao Ying nodded vigorously: "The sooner, the better!"

Su Ru called out: "Old Lu!"

A green figure suddenly appeared, stopping in front of the two of them. It was an old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion, his eyes bright and piercing. Zhao Ying’s spirit was completely suppressed by these eyes, and she didn’t even notice what he looked like.

Old Lu bowed: "Chief Su."

Su Ru said: "Old Lu, please take her to help Chu Li."

"Yes." Old Lu said in a deep voice.

He placed his right hand on Zhao Ying’s shoulder, and the two of them floated into a small boat. His green robe fluttered, and with a wave of his wide sleeves, the boat sped away like an arrow, quickly disappearing from Su Ru’s sight.

Su Ru frowned and pondered, feeling that her arrangement should be fine.

If only one person was chasing Chu Li, it might be a Heaven-Exterior expert. With three, they could only be innate experts; it was impossible to send three Heaven-Exterior experts against him.

The Great Thunder Sound Temple was arrogant and domineering. Chu Li was an innate expert, and sending three innate experts against him was already a loss of face, equivalent to admitting that no innate expert in the temple could subdue Chu Li.

Old Lu’s lightness skill was unparalleled, and he was a Heaven-Exterior expert. He could definitely save Chu Li!

Her grandmother’s innate divine physiognomy was incredibly accurate, saying he had the appearance of a long-lived person, and that everything would be dangerous but not fatal. The young lady believed it without doubt, but she was a bit worried that something might go wrong.

Thinking of this, she stomped her foot. She had clearly told him not to leave the mansion, but he didn’t listen, causing such a fuss. When he returned, she would definitely give him a good scolding!

The moonlight was like water, and the lake surface shimmered. She walked back and forth on the shore, her heart uneasy.

Zhao Ying led the way, and Old Lu and she turned into a gust of wind, flying out of the city wall and arriving at the woods.

Chu Li was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, breathing deeply, and meditating. The three black-clothed masked men lay motionless on the grass, each with a flying knife in their throat, already dead.

"Senior Brother!" Zhao Ying called out, trembling, rushing to Chu Li’s side.

Just as she was about to check his breath, Chu Li suddenly opened his eyes: "Junior Sister, why are you here?"

Zhao Ying let out a long breath, her body weakening, and she quickly supported herself against the tree, saying angrily: "You scared me to death! ... Are you badly hurt?"

"I won’t die." Chu Li smiled.

He looked up at Old Lu and weakly bowed: "Old Lu."

Of course, he recognized this guard of Jade Island, Lu Chen, a Heaven-Exterior expert.

Lu Chen smiled and waved: "Little Chu, you’re tough!"

He removed the black masks from the three men, revealing bald heads with戒 scars, and sighed: "Monks from the Great Thunder Sound Temple, ... impressive!"

The monks of the Great Thunder Sound Temple were not easy to kill. Those who could walk outside the temple were all tough. Chu Li could take down three of them, and the title of the top young expert was well-deserved. If this news spread, it would shock the martial world.

Chu Li smiled bitterly: "By luck, Junior Sister, let’s bury them properly!"

"Senior Brother, are you really fine?" Zhao Ying frowned.

Chu Li smiled: "Go ahead."

Zhao Ying reluctantly dug a hole. She had clear likes and dislikes and had no good feelings towards these monks who almost killed Chu Li.

Lu Chen buried the three monks, set up a tombstone, and sighed.

These three monks must have been very strong. As a martial artist, no matter how strong one is, one can still end up like this, which made him feel a sense of loss.

Chu Li slowly stood up, and Zhao Ying quickly supported him. Chu Li waved his hand: "I’m not that weak!"

"Don’t be stubborn!" Zhao Ying huffed.

Their earlier fight was strange. One punch, one palm, no dodging, no avoiding. It was no wonder he was injured!

Chu Li smiled and said no more.

After leaving the woods, Chu Li was already able to use his lightness skill, and the three of them returned to the mansion.

Chu Li told Zhao Ying to go back first, and he returned to Jade Island with Lu Chen.

Su Ru was walking back and forth by the lake. Seeing the two appear, her jade face instantly showed a thin anger, and she glared at Chu Li: "Why didn’t you die!"

She turned and walked away, her white sleeping robe fluttering, and she disappeared in a blink.

Chu Li smiled. Su Ru’s change in expression clearly showed her concern, which made him feel warm.

Lu Chen patted Chu Li’s shoulder, smiled, and also turned to leave.

Chu Li passed through a lush forest and returned to his courtyard.

The courtyard was brightly lit, like daylight. Xue Ling was sitting in a small pavilion, a red clay stove whistling, steam rising, and she was gazing at the night sky, lost in thought.

Chu Li pushed the door open, and she was startled awake, quickly running over: "What happened?"

Chu Li waved his hand, came to the Heavenly Spirit Tree, and plopped down on the spirit soil.

Xue Ling frowned and quickly ran into the house to get a white mat.

Chu Li glared at her, got up, and sat on the mat. The soil immediately dirtied the mat, but Xue Ling ignored it, staring at him: "Your face doesn’t look good. Are you injured?"

Chu Li sighed deeply. The purest essence of the Heavenly Spirit Tree flowed into him, making his heavy and stiff body feel much lighter, with miraculous healing effects. The essence of the Heavenly Spirit Tree was not only pure but also had healing properties.

Xue Ling quickly asked: "Why did you get injured?"

"Encountered monks from the Great Thunder Sound Temple!" Chu Li shook his head: "Make something good to eat, to replenish my strength!"

"Okay." Xue Ling responded, frowning: "You must have left the mansion, right? You know the monks from the Great Thunder Sound Temple are chasing you!"

"Couldn’t help it." Chu Li smiled and recounted the events.

Xue Ling listened with a frown, speechless.

In such a situation, if Chu Li had hesitated due to the Great Thunder Sound Temple’s pursuit, he wouldn’t be Chu Li. He was carefree and bold, how could he back down?

"Make food! Make food!" Chu Li waved his hand.

Xue Ling gracefully got up and went into the kitchen.

She was quick and efficient, and in a short while, she prepared four delicious dishes, all hearty. Chu Li ate heartily and continued to sit by the Heavenly Spirit Tree to heal.

Xue Ling stared at him with wide eyes, not blinking, but he ignored her, closing his eyes to meditate.

Seeing that he was fine, Xue Ling returned to her room to practice the Taiyin Technique.

The next morning, before the sun had risen, Xue Ling was practicing the Taiyin Eight Forms in the courtyard. The courtyard gate opened, and Su Ru entered, her apricot-yellow silk robe fluttering.

"Chief!" Xue Ling finished her practice and greeted her.

Su Ru waved her jade hand: "Where is he?"

"He’s resting. He practiced healing last night until very late." Xue Ling said hurriedly, hesitating: "Should I... wake him up?"

Su Ru huffed: "Forget it! ... Here’s the Nine Turns Soul-Returning Pill, for healing!"

She took out a jade bottle from her sleeve and handed it to Xue Ling.

Xue Ling took it: "Thank you, Chief!"

Su Ru huffed, not in a good mood: "He’s really a worry! ... Is his injury worse?"

Xue Ling shook her head: "His face looks much better, ... Miss, how many monks were chasing him?"

"Three." Su Ru sat down in the pavilion.

Xue Ling poured a cup of tea and continued: "For Mr. Chu to escape from three monks, that’s impressive, especially monks from the Great Thunder Sound Temple!"

The Great Thunder Sound Temple was renowned, and all its disciples were outstanding.

Su Ru sipped a bit of tea and shook her head: "He killed those three monks!"

"Ah—?!" Xue Ling was stunned.

Last night, she didn’t dare to disturb Chu Li while he was healing, thinking he had escaped from the three monks, but she didn’t expect he had killed them.

Su Ru sighed: "The Great Thunder Sound Temple will now definitely want to kill him, ... don’t spread this news!"

"Understood." Xue Ling nodded quickly.

She immediately understood that if the news spread, the whole world would know, and the Great Thunder Sound Temple, to maintain its reputation, would not let Mr. Chu live.

Su Ru held the white jade teacup, lost in thought.

The Great Thunder Sound Temple would not let this go, and next time, they would send Heaven-Exterior experts.

Chu Li, though powerful, could not make up for the gap in realms, Heaven-Exterior experts.

Thinking of this, she shook her head, her brows furrowed.

"Chief, will Mr. Chu not be able to leave the mansion in the future?"

"Yes, if he goes out, he must have guards with him."

Xue Ling smiled slightly.

Su Ru shook her head: "It’s good that he’s a Fifth Rank, and it’s appropriate for him to have a few guards."

"Chief." Chu Li opened the door and came out, smiling and bowing.

Su Ru’s jade face turned cold, and she huffed: "You can still smile, really carefree!"

Chu Li smiled: "Chief, are you worried about the Great Thunder Sound Temple?"

"Are you not worried?"

"What’s the best lightness skill in our mansion?"

"Even the best lightness skill isn’t always useful." Su Ru said coldly: "In a situation like this, could you have escaped?"

She had asked Zhao Ying for details and deduced the events. Chu Li couldn’t escape this time because there were two women with him. He couldn’t leave them behind, and with two women, his lightness skill, no matter how good, wouldn’t be fast enough.

The Great Thunder Sound Temple found his weakness. Next time, they wouldn’t need to ambush him; they just needed to capture the women, and Chu Li would have to go obediently.

"Can’t escape because the lightness skill isn’t good enough." Chu Li shook his head: "The combined attack technique of the Great Thunder Sound Temple is very powerful!"

Su Ru nodded: "The Great Thunder Sound Temple has experts in formations."

"Formations?" Chu Li frowned: "Formations haven’t been lost yet?"

He had read about formations in the library but had never seen a book on formations.

Learning formations is purely a matter of talent. Without enough talent, one can spend a lifetime and never enter the door. Therefore, the library doesn’t have books on formations, to prevent someone from wasting their life.

Thus, over a hundred years, formations have become a lost art.

"The Great Thunder Sound Temple has some knowledge of formations." Su Ru shook her head: "It has been lost elsewhere, and this is their foundation."

"What about the royal family?"

"The royal family has books on formations, but no one can learn them."

"Is there no one in the entire royal court who understands formations?"

"The power of formations, you have experienced. Would the royal family be at ease?" Su Ru huffed.

Chu Li nodded slowly.

The power of formations is immense. Two people can have the effect of four, ten people can have the effect of thirty, a major threat to the royal court. The loss of formation knowledge is likely due to the royal court’s efforts.

Su Ru said: "By the way, the best lightness skill in the world is the Earth-Shrinking Technique."