Chapter 241: Tiger than Descended the Mountain
Before entering this ancient ruin, Chen Chao deliberately engaged in a fight with a qi refiner and defeated that qi refiner in the most unreasonable way possible.
His thoughts at that time were actually very simple; preparing for what might come later. His aim was to intimidate these cultivators, preventing them from harboring any ill intentions toward him within this ancient ruin. But clearly, this tactic had backfired. Chen Chao still failed to completely grasp the human heart.
After entering this ruin, Chen Chao encountered ambushes more than once. Along the way, he had suffered more than one surprise attack. The first time was when the two daoists from the Ancient Pine Daoist Temple and the Evergreen Daoist Temple teamed up. Those two were swiftly dispatched by him. Subsequently, there had been repeated surprise attacks.
For this martial artist from the Great Liang Dynasty, those foreign cultivators might have looked down on him and even feared him outside, but inside this place, it was obvious they had the same thought in mind. They believed that although martial artists had stronger physiques compared to the average cultivator because they tempered their bodies, if several people joined forces, they should have the strength to contend with him.
Although the final outcome had proven them wrong, people who made mistakes like these rarely got the chance to pass on their experiences and advice to those who were still alive.
The cultivators here would not know how many people Chen Chao had killed, or what fate had befallen those who had previously wanted to kill him, even if the corpses were still present at that place.
"Even if he's a martial artist, there's only one person!"
After a brief silence, someone finally spoke up after Chen Chao said that sentence. This person first glanced disdainfully at the corpses on the ground, then shouted loudly, "Let's attack together! No matter how strong he is, he's still just one person!"
A martial artist's physique was unrivaled, and within this white mist, Chen Chao had a distinct advantage. Perhaps even if Yun Jianyue took action, he would not be his match either. However, as he had said, no matter what, Chen Chao was just one person. What could one person do?
In the history preceding the Great Liang Dynasty, there had been countless wars between humans and demons. In the more distant past, a peerless martial artist had once appeared in that dynasty. He engaged in a great war against the demons in the North and slew countless demons, even several great demons. His might was so legendary that anyone who read about this period in history would be filled with a sense of gravity and tragedy.
The peerless martial artist might have been incredibly powerful, but no matter how strong he was, he was still just one person. In the end, countless demons sacrificed their lives to make him stay on that battlefield forever.
Even someone as amazing as that martial artist was met with death, accomplished by overwhelming him with countless lives. Chen Chao was nothing more than a martial artist who had no cultivation right now. Who was to say that they could not overwhelm him to death?
"Right, if we let this person live, it would be a disgrace to our cultivation world!"
From killing qi refiners in Tianqing County, winning first place in the Myriad Willow Convention, and causing so much commotion on Sublime Bright Mountain, they had never had a good impression of Chen Chao. This young martial artist from the Great Liang Dynasty had always been a thorn in their sides. But due to various reasons, even though they felt that Chen Chao deserved to die, they did not have the chance to kill him. But now, with this opportunity before them, no one would let him go.
"Kill him!"
Someone was very direct, his eyes red, and the weapon in his hand still stained with fresh blood. At this moment, the blood was still continuously dripping onto the ground and splattering on the ground.
"Yes, kill him!"
"He deserves to die!"
"Kill him!"
A cacophony of voices erupted and a strange atmosphere spread out. While their anger seemed justified, it was actually baseless.
Chen Chao had done many things that embarrassed the qi refiners, so they were angry. Although many of them did not know Guo Xi and the others who were killed, they did not participate in the Myriad Willow Convention, and they had not been personally defeated by Chen Chao. They were not disciples of the Sublime Bright Sect either, but this did not stop their anger.
But in reality, it was all unfounded.
Because when Chen Chao started killing people first, it was because Guo Xi they all wanted to kill him. Later, he won first place in the Myriad Willow Convention openly and aboveboard. Every person he wanted to kill had harbored murderous intent towards him first. As for the Sublime Bright Sect, it was a deep-seated hatred that had to be avenged.
Now, after entering the white mist, Chen Chao had not rashly killed anyone. Regardless of who it was, they could not accuse him of anything. So, Chen Chao would not accept the idea of those who wanted to kill him.
It made no sense.
But many times, this world did not make sense.
When reason was disregarded, a blade became the best solution.
Chen Chao tightened his grip on the saber in his hand and exhaled lightly. He looked towards Song Changxi who was standing in the distance and asked, "Do you also want to kill me?"
Song Changxi raised his head and met Chen Chao's gaze. He furrowed his brows slightly. Before Chen Chao appeared, he had been the one they wanted to kill.
But now, their target had shifted to Chen Chao.
During the martial examination, Chen Chao had said to Wei Xu by the lakeside that if he spared Song Changxi that day, perhaps someday, Song Changxi would pay an even greater price.
"If it's just you and me, I would have a battle with you, life and death up to fate."
Song Changxi looked at Chen Chao and said calmly, "But now, I won't take action. Consider it repaying the favor you showed me by sparing me at the lakeside."
Chen Chao smirked, "I'm afraid that's too little repayment."
Song Changxi listened to these words and fell silent for a long time. He felt that Chen Chao was right. Sparing him at the lakeside had saved his life, and nothing he did now could fully repay that favor, unless he also saved Chen Chao's life.
That would be true reciprocity.
But, Song Changxi could not do something like this.
He was from the foreign lands, there were many things he needed to consider.
So, he did not say anything. He turned and walked away into the distance, leaving without a word.
Some cultivators watched Song Changxi leave, a hint of regret flashing across their eyes. But at this moment, it was destined that no one would do anything. It was because there was no reason for anyone to act.
Song Changxi had left.
Someone moved.
A great battle had begun here.
One cultivator rushed forward first. His figure was slightly different from the others, appearing more robust. Evidently, this cultivator had been tempering his physique when cultivating normally. In terms of physical toughness, he already surpassed most other cultivators.
He led the charge, and several other cultivators behind him pinched the talismans in their hands, preparing to activate them.
The cultivators who were further away grabbed their magic artifacts and rushed over here too.
Chen Chao gripped his broken saber. Without hesitation, he swung his saber downwards towards that cultivator.
Without cultivation, but relying on his powerful physique, Chen Chao's strike was lightning-fast. In an instant, it slashed down on the cultivator's head. However, before it could land, the cultivator had conjured a palm-sized eight trigram mirror that appeared in front of him, blocking Chen Chao's broken saber.
The sharp blade sliced across the surface of the eight trigram mirror, creating countless sparks.
The burly cultivator felt an immense force pressing down on him. He gritted his teeth, and the meridians in both hands swelled as he attempted to withstand the strike.
But as the saber descended, the eight trigram mirror cracked.
The burly cultivator's expression changed greatly. He never imagined that this broken saber would be so sharp. The eight trigram mirror in his hand had been meticulously crafted by his sect, a magic artifact that took countless hours to refine. Yet, it seemed as fragile as paper in front of this broken saber. This took him completely by surprise.
This broken saber of unknown origins was truly too bizarre.
Chen Chao could not be bothered with these details, the saber's momentum had run out. When that burly cultivator was still in a daze, he delivered a punch towards the eight trigram mirror.
Without the support of cultivation, the eight trigram mirror served no other purpose aside from being a little tougher.
The punch shattered the eight trigram mirror, and the burly cultivator took a solid punch to the chest.
His complexion turned pale as he staggered back several steps, feeling pain coursing through his internal organs.
Chen Chao was expressionless as he threw another punch.
With a loud thud, the opponent did not fly backward but was instead grabbed by the collar.
Right at this moment, the talismans in the distance were activated.
This area of blood mist was briefly illuminated by various dazzling lights.
Chen Chao started running forward again, using the cultivator's body as a shield.
Countless lights fell onto that cultivator's back.
The pain made his face contort.
But soon, all emotion was lost.
Because he was dead.
Chen Chao exerted a little force and threw the corpse out.
Then, he charged into the crowd like a ferocious tiger descending the mountain and entering a flock of sheep.