Chapter 14

Zichen had only been back for one day, and he had already run afoul of Wang Xiong. Although Su Mengyao had helped defuse the situation, he was still ostracized by many of the outer sect disciples.

The inner sect disciples' assessment was approaching, and the outer sect disciples were getting busy. Some disciples who knew they had no hope of breaking through were trying to obtain some spirit medicines.

Some were in intense cultivation, while others left the Spirit Martial Sect to seek opportunities.

Zichen was isolated, and the number of outer sect disciples who still acknowledged him did not exceed five.

Miaokong was one, Liu Yang was definitely another, and Lin Xue could be considered one as well, though she had not yet spoken to Zichen and had left with Su Mengyao that day.

Liu Yang had the strength of the fourth level of True Qi, the same as Zichen, and was just a step away from the fifth level. Zichen had been at the fourth level of True Qi before and was still at the fourth level upon his return, showing no improvement over the past few months.

But no one knew that Zichen had broken through to the fourth level of True Qi in just a few short months, starting from being a cripple. His constitution was even far superior to that of a fifth-level fierce beast, the Ice Bear, and he had even comprehended the essence of a combat technique.

An average fifth-level True Qi practitioner was truly no match for Zichen.

"Two-hundred-year-old spirit medicine?" Zichen looked at Liu Yang in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Of course, I only found it after great effort. A fifth-level fierce beast is guarding it, and I couldn't defeat it alone, so I called you," Liu Yang said with conviction.

"I'll think about it," Zichen hesitated.

Liu Yang glared and said, "Zichen, do you really need to think about it? I consider you a brother, which is why I came to you. You are at the fourth level of True Qi, and so am I. A two-hundred-year-old spirit medicine can be exchanged for two True Qi pills. We can each take one, and then we can both break through and enter the inner sect. What else do you need to think about? Do you think I would harm you, a brother?"

The word "brother" had a significant impact on Zichen, and his pupils constricted.

"Alright!" Hearing Liu Yang's words, Zichen no longer hesitated and nodded, saying, "When do we leave?"

"That's the right attitude. Such a good opportunity doesn't need to be thought about," Liu Yang smiled. "We'll leave early tomorrow morning."

After saying that, Liu Yang left.

"Do you trust him?" As soon as Liu Yang left, Miaokong came out of the room, looking at Liu Yang's back with a cold light in his eyes.

Zichen just smiled and did not speak.

"If you need a True Qi pill, I can try to get one for you. Liu Yang must have ulterior motives for suddenly calling you," Miaokong said again.

"I just want to see what tricks they have up their sleeves," Zichen replied.

"Aren't you afraid he will collude with Wang Meng to kill you?"

"Wang Xiong is not here. If Wang Meng shows up, I guarantee he will die a miserable death," Zichen said coldly, a powerful confidence emanating from him at that moment.

After not seeing each other for months, Miaokong found that he could no longer read Zichen. It was as if a thin veil had been draped over him, making him seem mysterious and elusive.

The next morning, Liu Yang arrived on time, carrying a bag on his back.

"Let's go."

Zichen also took a simple bag and, taking advantage of the cool morning weather, the two left the Spirit Martial Sect.

On the way, Liu Yang seemed very excited and kept talking to Zichen.

But it was all trivial talk, and he did not mention the two-hundred-year-old spirit medicine at all.

"Are you not going to talk about the spirit medicine?" Zichen listened half-heartedly, and it wasn't until they had left the Spirit Martial Sect and entered a dense forest that he suddenly asked.

"Spirit medicine?" Liu Yang was taken aback, then smiled. "Of course, it's a spirit medicine. I'm not sure of its name, but it's about two hundred years old. The fifth-level fierce beast guarding it is a Red Leopard Tiger, which is very ferocious. So we need to be careful. We don't want to lose our lives without getting the spirit medicine. If there's any danger, you hide behind me, and I'll protect you."

Liu Yang spoke with a sense of righteousness.

Zichen laughed wryly and said, "It seems you haven't done your homework well. The weakest Red Leopard Tiger is a sixth-level fierce beast, and most are seventh-level. Their senses are incredibly sharp. Once you get close, they will definitely detect you and attack. Even a sixth-level True Qi practitioner wouldn't stand a chance."

Liu Yang was stunned, his expression changing rapidly, unsure of what to say.

"Now, you should tell me what the reward for betraying me is, right? Did you find a patron or exchange for a True Qi pill?" There was a hint of sarcasm in Zichen's eyes, but also a touch of sorrow.

No one would feel comfortable being betrayed by a friend.

"Do you know?"

Liu Yang's face suddenly changed, and he stepped back, putting some distance between himself and Zichen.

"It's not hard to see through your little tricks," Zichen said calmly. Compared to Zhao Can, Liu Yang was far inferior.

"Then why did you come?" Liu Yang's face turned cold.

"I came to see if there was an opportunity."

Liu Yang didn't understand.

"Come out, you've been following us all the way. No need to hide anymore," Zichen suddenly shouted into the dense forest behind him.

With the transformation of his constitution and enhanced perception from the Yi Jing Xi Sui technique, Zichen had naturally noticed the person following them carefully.

"Good kid, you've got some guts."

A cold laugh echoed from the dense forest, and two figures emerged.

Fu Jie and Chi Ming walked out from the forest.

"Just the two of you?" Seeing these two, Zichen was somewhat surprised. According to his guess, Wang Meng should have come.

"We two are enough to deal with you," Fu Jie said with a cold smile.

Zichen was a bit disappointed. He had come specifically for Wang Meng, thinking that Wang Meng would have a True Qi pill. But with these two, his hopes were dashed.

"Why so disappointed? Do you have to die at the hands of Brother Meng?" Chi Ming sneered.

"I am a bit disappointed. Wang Meng would at least have a True Qi pill, but you two are both poor. What a pity," Zichen sighed, very disappointed.

"Don't look down on people, Zichen. I have a True Qi pill," Fu Jie said angrily, then took out a True Qi pill in front of Zichen.

It was a white pill, containing a dense aura of spirit energy, indeed a True Qi pill. Zichen's eyes lit up.

"Still so greedy on the brink of death. You're just asking for it," Chi Ming's eyes showed a glint of killing intent.

Liu Yang also ran to the two, turning to look at Zichen and said, "Zichen, don't blame me. If you don't look out for yourself, heaven and earth will destroy you."

"Don't worry, I won't blame you. From the moment you decided to betray me, we were destined to have only one survivor," Zichen said calmly. "Either you die or I die, but I believe the one who will die is definitely you."

Liu Yang was silent, his face very grim.

"Hmph, big talker," Fu Jie sneered. "Zichen, today is your end. As for that Snow Ginseng, it must be in the bag behind you, right?"

"Whether it's there or not, you can come and see. But you'll have to see if you have the life for it," Zichen said sarcastically.

"Ungrateful brat, today I, Fu Jie, will send you to your death."

Fu Jie roared, and the fifth level of True Qi surged instantly. His feet moved in the Flowing Cloud Step, a strange gait that quickly brought him towards Zichen.

"Die!"

His fist clenched like a large iron hammer, whistling through the air, and struck Zichen's face with great force.

A third-rate combat technique, Iron Fist.

Watching the confident Fu Jie approach, Zichen shook his head, a hint of sarcasm on his lips. "Iron Fist doesn't look like Iron Fist, and Flowing Cloud Step doesn't look like Flowing Cloud Step. Even if your True Qi is one level stronger, you're still going to die."

The sarcasm in his eyes turned to a cold light. Zichen's feet shifted slightly, narrowly avoiding Fu Jie's attack. Then a roar like a tiger's echoed, and the third-rate combat technique, Tiger Fist, appeared, striking at the opening in Fu Jie's defense.

"Boom."

A dull sound, mixed with the sound of bones breaking and Fu Jie's scream, echoed. His figure came quickly and retreated just as fast.

He had approached swiftly from the ground and retreated rapidly through the air, struck by Zichen.

"Spit!"

Landing, Fu Jie spat out a mouthful of blood and fell silent.

One strike, and the fifth-level True Qi practitioner, Fu Jie, was dead.

"You!"

"You actually?"

Chi Ming and Liu Yang's faces changed instantly, their eyes filled with shock. In one exchange, Fu Jie was dead. Zichen's strength far exceeded their imagination, making him even more terrifying than a fifth-level fierce beast.

"Swish!"

Facing the shocked duo, Zichen said nothing, his fluid steps bringing him instantly to Chi Ming.

"Die."

Chi Ming roared in anger, his fists clashing as the fifth level of True Qi surged. The third-rate combat technique, Tiger Fist, struck at Zichen with great force.

"Tiger Fist isn't used like that."

Zichen sneered. Although he could have easily avoided the attack, he chose to clash with Chi Ming head-on. After a tiger's roar, he moved like a tiger descending a mountain, seeing its prey, and his fists whistled towards Chi Ming.

"Boom."

The fists collided, producing a loud sound, followed by the sound of bones breaking. Chi Ming felt a powerful force from Zichen's fists, which sent him flying backward, his arms hanging limp, broken.

The head-on clash left Chi Ming's fate uncertain.

This was Zichen's strength. At the fourth level of True Qi, with his powerful constitution, he completely dominated a fifth-level True Qi practitioner.

In the blink of an eye, only Liu Yang was left in the field.

"Zichen, I was wrong, please forgive me, please," Liu Yang's shock turned to fear, and he trembled as he begged for mercy.

Zichen said nothing, the killing intent in his eyes speaking volumes.

"Zichen, I was forced, really, please forgive me, please." Liu Yang, in fear, knelt before Zichen, begging for mercy.

Zichen's cold eyes showed a slight waver.

"Zichen, I was really forced. Please forgive me, for the sake of our friendship, our brotherhood," Liu Yang begged again, seeing a glimmer of hope.

"Stand up." Zichen's killing intent subsided, and he said calmly.

"No, I won't stand up until you forgive me," Liu Yang insisted.

"Stand up. The fault today is not yours," Zichen said calmly, then walked towards Liu Yang, intending to help him up.

Zichen had already grabbed Liu Yang's arm, about to pull him up. At this moment, they were less than half a meter apart, and Zichen's defenses were wide open.

"Die, the five-hundred-year-old Snow Ginseng is mine!"

A glint of killing intent flashed in Liu Yang's eyes, and a short dagger appeared from his waist, flashing a cold light as it stabbed towards Zichen's heart.

This happened incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, the dagger was at Zichen's heart, about to pierce it.

"Spit!"

But a soft sound preceded it. Liu Yang felt a pain in his heart, as if something had entered it, and all his strength vanished in an instant.

Liu Yang looked down and saw a bloody arm retracting, and then he saw a heart, still beating, in the hand at the end of the arm.

"I wanted to see if your heart is black or red," Zichen's cold voice echoed, and with a squeeze of his fingers, the heart burst.

Liu Yang's eyes widened, and he fell backward.

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