Chapter 17 (2/2)
Mo Yu sneered coldly. There were barbs in his words and his stroke was a blatant effort to embarrass Luo Shangyan. The band of twenty other fresh prospects behind him began to laugh scornfully, seemingly pleased by the assumption that they possessed greater potential and having found a good and promising leader in Mo Yu.
Xiao Chen glared frostily in return at them. They could tolerate not having the Octarine Cores. But Mo Yu’s humiliation to Luo Shangyan was clearly aimed to improve the status of his followers. Knowing that this would only embolden them to also harass Senior Sister Luo in the future, Xiao Chen decided to act. He employed the Immortal-override Steps and hurled himself forward in a flash.
But his sudden movements surprised even Luo Shangyan herself, “Junior Brother! No!”
Xiao Chen’s stroke had begun. The force of his Dragon Roar Palm swept forth with the strength of the raging ocean, causing raging winds to blow. Caught unawares, the band of twenty persons was still basking in their dreams of bullying other fresh members when a huge force slammed into them and sent them tumbling backward.
Seeing his chance, Mo Yu pounced at Xiao Chen. He channeled his True Energy and struck at Xiao Chen, who responded with a stroke of his own. The Palm Strengths of the two met, sending a shockwave that rippled across the woods. Xiao Chen felt an overwhelming force boring down on him that his arms ached to the point of bursting. Despite the invincibility of the Dragon Roar Palm technique, he was still no match for Mo Yu’s overpowering strength. He somersaulted out to safety and began to retreat.
Seeing that he now had his quarry on the run, Mo Yu, enraged with anger, immediately made pursuit. But Luo Shangyan leaped to the front of Xiao Chen, blocking his way with her sword drawn. In an icy voice, she snarled, “That is enough, Mo Yu. How can you terrorize a new fellow disciple with your powers!”
There was nothing but silence in that instant. Mo Yu’s minions clambered to their feet, eyeing Xiao Chen warily. “This person has fundamental skills. Is he really a fresh prospect?”
With a face dark as coal, Mo Yu responded, equally frostily, “Very well. You have good fundamentals in your skills. Pity. Sometimes the wrong way will often see one into a quick and unfortunate end, no matter how good your fundamentals are…” He shot another glare, glimmering with cold malice before he turned and left with his minions.
“Are you all right, Junior Brother?”
Luo Shangyan waited until Mo Yu to leave with his lackeys. She then turned swiftly to Xiao Chen. Without adequate skills of their own, the three princes hardly knew anything about Xiao Chen’s condition. She, however, knew that Xiao Chen must have forcefully withstood the force of Mo Yu’s earlier stroke and must have been internally injured. She wanted to channel some True Energy into him to help him heal but Xiao Chen raised a hand to stop her, “I am all right.”
“You have overestimated yourself. He is of Lv 9 Qi Refining Realm,” said Shangguan Yan who strolled into sight, twirling a set of bells between her slender fingers.
Prince Zhao cursed bitterly, “If only I have my army of ten thousand men…” But he fell silent instantly under the stern glare of Luo Shangyan.
She then produced a jade flask and poured out two little elixirs. Shangguan Yan shook her hand to Luo Shangyan, “There is no need, Senior Sister. This boy has the gift of an Undead Body. He had even survived a fall off a precipitous cliff near his home.”
Xiao Chen smiled in reply and returned to Luo Shangyan the elixirs, “Indeed. My wounds will heal by itself. I have a moniker called Undead Chen. No wounds, heavy or light, will be able to hinder me.”
At first, Luo Shangyan was still worried about Xiao Chen’s injuries. But even she began to ease as she listened to the antics of the two. Xiao Chen cast a gaze in the direction that Mo Yu and his band of merry men had left. The true test of his strength and resolve to achieve Immortality would not be the present trial they are going through now, but the delicate handling of his rivalry with Mo Yu. There would most certainly be deceits and intrigues even in an Immortal sect this small. He would best keep to his heart that he was no longer the premier disciple of the Mystic Cyan Sect, but an ordinary, fresh entrant into the study of Immortality from the common masses.
After less than half an hour of respite, the group set off once more. With Xiao Chen’s prowess in dealing with magical formations, there were hardly any magical barriers that could thwart their progress. When dusk came later that day, they have already found about 50 to 60 Octarine Cores. With the last shred of light before the sun sank, they finally found a cave where they could take shelter for the night.
Xiao Chen had also found various herbs that were rare in the outside world. These were intrinsic ingredients used to refine elixirs that could replenish one’s True Energies.
The orange luminous from the dancing fire lit up the inside of the cave.
“I am so hungry! Brothers, shall we not hunt some wildfowls? Surely we cannot expect to survive only on wild vegetables?” Prince Zhao asked, mournfully cradling a bundle full of vegetables in his arms.
“Nice suggestion!” The two other princes leaped up joyously. Luo Shangyan frowned and growled, “It is getting dark. Do not tarry outside. Moreover, you will never find any wildfowls in these woods.”
“Would you be interested in snakes?” Shangguan Yan asked suddenly as she came in. There was a serpent coiled around her arm, its tongue flicking incessantly. The three princes collapsed to the ground in shock, hugging one another for support.
“Are we up for a spectacle tomorrow?” Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows and asked curiously.
“Ask my snake,” said Shangguan Yan who caressed the head of her snake, “Be good, Xiao Hua. Do not run off into the dark, lest some bad people catch and slaughter you for food.”
Strangely, the snake seemed to understand every word she said. It nodded in reply.
The next morning, the group set off again. By the afternoon, they encountered some other groups and there were whispers among them. “Did you hear? There was news that Senior Brother Mo Yu’s group were assailed by a snake demon. When they woke up in the morning, their cave was filled with snakes. It was a terrible sight in there.”
“Indeed. There have also been words that many were bitten by venomous snakes and have to be sent up the mountain for rescue.”
“Wow… This is terrible.”
The three princes were shivering with fear as they heard the news and felt a chilly breath down their necks. After the group in front of them drifted further, Luo Shangyan stopped suddenly. With a stern glance at them, she said, “Do not agitate those people again, please?”
Shangguan Yan impishly stuck out her tongue and Xiao Chen smiled playfully in reply. The “snake demon” must have been the handiwork of Shangguan Yan. Luo Shangyan cast a look at him and said, “You are not only armed with the fundamentals of the skills of Immortality but also have the powers of Lv 1 Qi Refining Realm, no?”
“What!” The three princes jumped in surprise. In unison, they cried, “So Senior Brother Xiao is already ahead of us on the journey of becoming an Immortal! No wonder you had mentioned that you are not a mortal.”
Xiao Chen nodded before he turned to the three princes, “Do not leak this information, lest I fail to join this Sect.”
Moving as one, the three princes immediately clasped their hands together and yelled, “We three so swear, that we will act as if we know nothing of this matter!”
The few continued their journey for another six hours until dusk came. By then, they had collected almost a hundred Octarine Cores and they were inching closer and closer to the peak of Lingtai Mountain. There was one more day before the test would end.
Just then, they heard the sound of giggles coming from behind. Luo Shangyan instinctively threw herself before Xiao Chen and the others defensively.
“I would never have thought that you are faster than we are, Senior Sister Luo.” It was a girl, clad in robes of voluptuous red. There were a company of twenty people following her.