On the mountainside, sword energy rained down like a downpour. Sun Tingxuan, a mere paper-thin eleventh-stage spiritual cultivator, was no match for Chi Zhongyu, a genuine upper fifth-stage Sword Immortal. Despite conjuring his life-bound artifact, his robe was quickly riddled with holes from sword strikes, and blood began to seep out.
Although Su Zhe was a Heavenly Origin martial artist, his fist intent was thin, and his physical body was far from adequately tempered. It was only through countless elixirs from Medicine King Valley that he had reached the Heavenly Origin realm. Facing Chi Zhongyu's assault, Su Zhe dared to throw punches, causing fist qi to erupt around him. However, after more than ten consecutive punches were effortlessly parried by Chi Zhongyu's sword, the pervasive sword energy descended. Su Zhe's physical body was already being eroded, bearing numerous cracking, bloody wounds.
Even with a two-on-one advantage, they couldn't fight effectively!
While Chi Zhongyu couldn't overcome his emotional turmoil, his eleventh-stage sword heart was filled with potent sword intent. In terms of combat power, Chi Zhongyu was by no means weak among eleventh-stage Sword Cultivators. Moreover, after the tempering at the Fusang Great Wall's Sword Tomb forbidden area, Chi Zhongyu had further advanced his swordsmanship, making a two-on-one battle a manageable feat.
"Patriarch!"
The moment Su Zhe spat out a mouthful of blood, his fist qi erupted, sending the blood splattering towards Chi Zhongyu like a shower of stars, while he shouted, "This place is not safe, let's go!"
With that, Su Zhe grabbed Sun Tingxuan's arm. In his left hand, he ignited a Daoist 'Shrinking Ground to an Inch' talisman, and in the blink of an eye, they were tens of miles away.
But behind them, streaks of thunderous roars echoed through the air. Chi Zhongyu, human and sword as one, transformed into a beam of sword light in pursuit, and his faint laughter drifted on the wind: "Did I say you could leave?"
Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe were greatly alarmed and increased their speed.
...
Deep in the mountains, within a patch of forest.
Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe fled desperately, soaring above the jungle. Suddenly, tender golden vines erupted from the dense forest, binding their bodies with a "swish, swish, swish." They were then violently pulled into a formation. The area ahead was shrouded in a hazy mist. Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe were so terrified they felt their souls might leap out of their bodies, staring ahead in dumbfounded astonishment.
From within the formation, a figure emerged.
Dressed in a green-vine colored long robe, carrying a long sword, stood a handsome young man. It was Lin Zhujie, who had previously sought medicine with a glazed umbrella at Medicine King Valley. However, at this moment, Lin Zhujie no longer concealed his aura; the power of a twelfth-stage Sword Cultivator surged from him. Behind him, a colossal gray Dharma image spanned the forest – a gigantic gray stick insect.
The so-called Lin Zhujie, in his true form, was a stick insect adept at concealing its aura. Throughout the entire demon race, when it came to hiding one's presence and disguise, Lin Zhujie was virtually unparalleled.
"You..."
Sun Tingxuan's gaze was filled with shock: "Lin Zhujie... Young Master Lin, you..."
"Enough."
Lin Zhujie's lips curved into a smile. "Patriarch Sun, there's no need for pleasantries, and certainly no need to try and foster any friendship. If Lin Zhujie's cultivation were any lower, I fear I would have already been attacked by you two at Medicine King Valley. Tsk tsk, Medicine King Valley, Medicine King Valley. The world believes Medicine King Valley to be a righteous sect, yet they engage in such despicable deeds."
Su Zhe furrowed his brow. "Young Master Lin Zhujie, are you..."
"That's right!"
Lin Zhujie raised his sword-like eyebrows and chuckled. "I am of the demon race. Originally, I was a tiny stick insect, dwelling in the deep mountains of the demon realm, enduring the wind and dew for centuries. I have finally cultivated into a twelfth-stage Sword Cultivator, supporting myself, neither stealing nor robbing. Glorious!"
"..."
Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe fell silent. Who could have imagined that Lin Zhujie, who claimed to be a disciple of the Green Bamboo Sect, was actually a twelfth-stage demon immortal from the demon race, and furthermore, a terrifyingly powerful Sword Cultivator? What was more troublesome was that his demeanor and actions seemed peculiar, unlike those of the demons who would eat people at the slightest provocation. Thus, Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe dared not speak, fearing they might anger Lin Zhujie and perish instantly.
At this moment, the rumbling sound of sword dao thunder echoed incessantly in the sky. Chi Zhongyu had arrived.
"Oh?"
Lin Zhujie looked up at the sky and frowned. "I thought that after Wu Zhi, there were no more such powerful eleventh-stage Sword Cultivators among the human race. Tsk tsk, this is interesting!"
Saying that, Lin Zhujie's body shot upwards, transforming into a majestic green sword dao artistic conception that spanned between heaven and earth. He pointed his sword forward and said lightly, "State your name, traveler. My sword does not kill nameless ghosts!"
Chi Zhongyu halted abruptly in the wind. His eleventh-stage sword intent furrowed his brow. He could naturally perceive that the other party was a Sword Cultivator whose realm and combat power far surpassed his own. More importantly, the demonic aura emanating from him was almost comparable to that of Huang Tingyu. For a moment, Chi Zhongyu frowned and said, "I am Chi Zhongyu, a consecrated disciple of Mountain Peak Villa and a Sword Cultivator of the Fusang Great Wall. Who are you?"
"Lin Zhujie, of the Ancestral Mountain of the Demon Race."
As Lin Zhujie cupped his fists towards Chi Zhongyu, a vast sword dao formation descended from the sky. The small world of a twelfth-stage demon immortal enveloped Chi Zhongyu. He chuckled, "Chi Zhongyu, if you are not dead within three moves, I will spare your life."
Chi Zhongyu's heart trembled. An eleventh-stage fighting a twelfth-stage was indeed a losing battle, but he could at least hold on for three moves, right? Did this Lin Zhujie truly believe himself to be so unbelievably powerful, comparable to Su Qingjiu's swordsmanship? Otherwise, what right did he have to claim he could end his life in three moves?!
For a moment, Chi Zhongyu gritted his teeth. Three moves it is. My cultivation is based on an unyielding sword heart; if I retreat, I am no longer Chi Zhongyu!
"Come!"
A beam of sword light soared upwards. Chi Zhongyu struck first.
Lin Zhujie let out a hearty laugh. The green sword dao artistic conception behind him grew even more intense. He swung his long sword horizontally, transforming into a beam of sword light that charged towards Chi Zhongyu. With a roar, they exchanged a blow. Chi Zhongyu was sent flying backward repeatedly by the sharp sword qi, while Lin Zhujie hovered in the wind, his eyes full of smiles. No matter how powerful an eleventh-stage was, they were still an eleventh-stage, no match for a twelfth-stage Sword Cultivator.
"Die!"
Lin Zhujie flicked his sword blade and conjured his three life-bound flying swords. Instantly, the sky was illuminated by a vast expanse of rosy clouds. In the next moment, torrents of sword qi rained down like a deluge. Chi Zhongyu, however, thrust his sword forward, and his three life-bound flying swords shot out from the Sword Cultivating Lake, creating a golden spherical sword dao formation that forcefully withstood Lin Zhujie's strike. Yet, Chi Zhongyu's face grew paler and more ashen. This Lin Zhujie was indeed exceptionally strong!
"Third sword!"
Lin Zhujie did not pause to recover. His third sword descended from the sky like a straight line.
Chi Zhongyu's heart lake buzzed. He felt his scalp about to explode. If he couldn't block this strike, he would truly perish. In an instant, without thinking, his unyielding sword heart roared, and he unleashed an equally fierce sword strike. Since he couldn't block it, he would trade lives!
"Hmm?!"
Lin Zhujie frowned. A momentary hesitation caused his third sword's intent to dissipate by at least half. In the air, the two sword lights collided, transforming into countless scattered sword qi that rampaged within the sword dao formation. Lin Zhujie still stood in the wind as if unaffected, while Chi Zhongyu, after three strikes, was already drenched in sweat. A sword wound appeared on his arm, but his eyes were filled with intense fighting spirit. If Lin Zhujie still wished to fight, he was willing to oblige. Death was not a disgrace, dying at the hands of a twelfth-stage great demon was not a disgrace, and he had not disgraced his Mountain Master.
"Enough."
Lin Zhujie raised his hand to signal a halt and chuckled. "The three swords are finished. You may go. The Sword Cultivators of Mountain Peak Villa are indeed different. Their bones are much harder than those of other human Sword Immortals."
"???"
Chi Zhongyu was stunned. He was really being let go? He had heard many things about the demon race from his Mountain Master and Old Huang and Wu Zhi. Weren't demon cultivators and human cultivators mortal enemies? Once they met, they would kill as many as they could, never showing mercy. This Lin Zhujie had already unleashed the domain of a twelfth-stage, and he clearly could kill him, so why didn't he? Was there a trap?
The next moment, Lin Zhujie dispersed the sword dao formation. Only then did Chi Zhongyu realize that this young Sword Cultivator in the green-vine colored long robe truly had no intention of killing him.
To be safe!
"Swish!"
Chi Zhongyu ignited a 'Divine Speed Talisman.' In the next instant, his body vanished into the wind, moving with extreme caution.
"Hahahaha~~~"
Lin Zhujie watched Chi Zhongyu's retreating back, placed a hand on his forehead, and chuckled lightly. As the legends had it, Yu Zhi, Shi Jun Gang, Fu Sheng, and others had all said that the Lin Baiyi had a naturally cautious and extremely steady nature. It seemed that the ethos of Mountain Peak Villa was like this. This Chi Zhongyu was also an extremely steady person. This Mountain Peak Villa... was truly quite interesting!
...
In the forest.
Bound by the tender golden vines and unable to move, the two looked up at Lin Zhujie. Sun Tingxuan frowned. Although this Lin Zhujie was a twelfth-stage demon, his personality was too strange. He had actually let go of an eleventh-stage human Sword Immortal. One had to know that Chi Zhongyu had a deep foundation and could potentially reach the twelfth or thirteenth stage in the future. Letting him go like this was not the style of the demon race. Could it be that Lin Zhujie possessed a compassionate heart?
If so, he should also let himself go.
Hope ignited in Sun Tingxuan's heart. He said, "Young Master Lin... our Medicine King Valley was momentarily confused. I implore Young Master Lin to overlook our past transgressions and spare Mr. Su and me... If that's not possible, then just spare me. I will immediately return to Medicine King Valley to gather precious treasures and ransom Mr. Su!"
Su Zhe: "???"
Weren't you already expelled from Medicine King Valley? How could you return to Medicine King Valley to gather precious treasures to ransom me, Su Zhe? Patriarch, oh Patriarch, this move of yours to discard the millstone after grinding the flour is too heartless!
"Hmph!"
Lin Zhujie looked down at the two and chuckled, "The Zhenyuan Pill refined by your Medicine King Valley, is it real, or not?"
"This..."
Sun Tingxuan gritted his teeth. Under the man's piercing gaze, his voice trembled. "Young Master Lin, please let me explain..."
"I don't want to hear it!"
Lin Zhujie descended from the air, striking Sun Tingxuan left and right with a rapid succession of slaps. He slapped Sun Tingxuan twenty times, making the former patriarch of Medicine King Valley's face swell into that of a pig. After finishing with Sun Tingxuan, Lin Zhujie grabbed Su Zhe and also proceeded to slap him repeatedly.
"Hmph!"
After the beating, Lin Zhujie sneered. "You two caused me to lose face in the Ancestral Mountain of the Demon Race, and even that wench Yu Zhi dared to bark orders at me. I was in the wrong and didn't dare retort. Do you know how frustrating that was? Since you two know the hidden details, come with me to the Ancestral Mountain!"
"Ah??"
The next moment, Lin Zhujie, disregarding Sun Tingxuan and Su Zhe's resistance, flicked his sleeve. A green satchel instantly enveloped the two. Lin Zhujie then darted away, transforming into an incredibly fast gray stick insect, holding the green satchel. The wings on his back vibrated as he zipped through the forest like lightning. This method of concealment, blending perfectly with the environment, was difficult for even upper fifth-stage cultivators to detect.