Free Web NovelChapter 192: Chapter 189: Shocking Change
Within the dim, subterranean karst cave,
several figures cloaked entirely in black robes watched warily as Shen Tingchu slowly approached.
The leader of the black-robed figures spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
"Cooperation?"
Shen Tingchu clicked his tongue, his gaze sweeping over the black-robed figures, sizing them up.
"This heavy stench..."
"If I’m not mistaken, you must be Demon Cultivators from the Nanyue Kingdom, right?"
Shen Tingchu’s words sounded like a guess,
but his tone was filled with certainty.
Unlike ordinary Cultivators who practiced Spiritual Attire and Qi Cultivation and were suffused with Pure Spirit Qi,
Demon Cultivators, because their cultivation techniques often involved heinous and immoral methods,
were shrouded in a rising miasma of turbid energy, with resentful souls clinging to them.
Thus, after reaching the Soul Emergence Realm, one could perceive this almost at a single glance.
"As members of the Demon Sect, I wouldn’t dare cooperate with you."
Shen Tingchu said with a stern expression.
The Tian Nan Shen Clan was established within the territory of the Yuqing Immortal Sect and belonged to the Righteous Dao. They had always relentlessly pursued and sought to exterminate those of the Demon Dao.
The crime of colluding with the Demon Dao...
He could not afford to bear it.
Besides,
it was a well-known fact
that those who cultivated Demon Dao Techniques could never be trusted.
"Is that so? A pity. I thought the famous rising star of the Tian Nan region, Shen Tingchu, would be a hero..."
"But it seems you’re just another conformist who sticks to the rules. Truly disappointing..."
The lead black-robed figure’s voice was clearly laced with disappointment.
"Heh, you flatter me!"
Shen Tingchu sneered.
"Forget it. I was trying to be kind... but since you’re looking to die, I’ll grant your wish!"
As soon as the words fell,
BOOM!!!
The black-robed figure’s boundless, powerful black Magical Power erupted like a torrent within the subterranean cave!
In an instant,
a roiling wave of energy swept out over a hundred zhang,
The entire cavern began to shake. An aura potent enough to make a Cultivator at the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer Realm afraid to resist permeated every corner of the surrounding space!
"Tch, you know your own Demon Sect’s reputation."
"Enough with the nonsense,"
"You should have done this from the start!"
Shen Tingchu scoffed.
He too unleashed the terrifying power of the Soul Emergence Realm.
The two horrifying auras collided.
In a flash,
vast swathes of the air began to visibly distort!
Amidst a series of CRACKS,
the cave walls shook violently and shattered, and a web of dark fissures spread rapidly.
Boulders on the ceiling above crumbled and fell one after another as dust and debris rained down,
as if the entire place was about to collapse!
...
BOOM!!!
A sudden tremor ran through the ground.
Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but stop.
He stood on the trunk of a large tree, frowning as he stared ahead.
As a Cultivator, his memory was naturally far superior to that of an ordinary person.
Although he had only been here once, during the latter half of last year,
Shen Changchuan could still easily recognize
that this place was only about ten li from Wu Family Collection!
’Damn it!’
’What a bunch of trash!’
’A group of Cultivators at the Qi Introduction Eighth and Ninth Layer chasing a single Qi Introduction Seventh Layer with all their might, and they still haven’t caught him after three hundred li!’
’No wonder they’ve reached the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer and are still reduced to being some woman’s thugs. They’re utterly useless!’
Shen Changchuan cursed inwardly. He clenched his fist and slammed it into the trunk of the tree beside him.
Under the powerful force, the entire tree trembled and shook.
A look of frustration crossed Shen Changchuan’s face.
’According to my original plan, I was going to let those few confront Shen Chong while I hid in the shadows, playing the part of the oriole stalking the mantis that stalks the cicada.’
’If Shen Chong won the fight, that would have been for the best.’
’It would save me the trouble of acting myself.’
’Even if Shen Chong were defeated, I would have secretly intervened to kill them all.’
’Then I could conveniently pin the blame for the murders on Shen Chong.’
’As long as they fought, regardless of the outcome, it would have been a good thing for me, the oriole.’
But he had never anticipated that a group of cultivators at the Qi Introduction Eighth and Ninth Layer couldn’t even catch one at the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer, so the battle he had anticipated never even happened!
’This is troublesome!’
Suppressing the rage in his heart,
Shen Changchuan assessed the current situation,
and his heart sank.
He didn’t know how Shen Chong—his nominal brother by blood—could flee faster than several cultivators at the Qi Introduction Eighth and Ninth Layer Realm.
Nor did he know why he was heading toward Wu Family Collection, or if there was some reason behind it.
But he knew one thing for sure:
the area around Wu Family Collection was absolutely not a good place for a fight!
’Too many eyes are watching this area!’
’All along the way, with my Divine Soul Perception—which far surpasses that of other Cultivators at the same level since I broke through to the Ninth Layer—I’ve detected auras hidden in every corner of the mountains and roads...’
’Once a battle breaks out near Wu Family Collection, it’s bound to attract countless gazes... especially at a tense time like this...’
’...and if I’m caught in their sights, my so-called "oriole" plan will probably become a complete joke!’
’Damn it all!’
Shen Changchuan’s expression flickered with uncertainty.
For a moment, he was caught in a dilemma.
’If I keep following, the situation will likely get very troublesome.’
’But if I retreat...’
’No, I can’t retreat yet!’
’My cultivation is only at the initial stage of the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer Realm, still a long way from Soul Emergence... To reach the Ninth Layer Peak within a year, even with my greatly improved aptitude, I still need Spirit Stones!’
’I still need Dawan Village to provide me with Spirit Stones for my cultivation!’
’Besides, if word of this gets back to that Great Madam, there will definitely be unforeseen complications!’
’Committing suicide with seven stab wounds in the back... that’s a cautionary tale I can’t forget!’
’Even if I manage to fend off an assassin, I can forget about cultivating. I’d have to spend the rest of my time scheming against the Great Madam!’
’So, they must die!’
’They know things they shouldn’t know, and they even dare to plot against me... For the sake of my future, every last one of them must die here!’
A cold glint flashed in Shen Changchuan’s eyes.
His face hardened with grim resolve.
Transformation Technique.
With a single thought,
his Magical Power circulated.
The muscles on Shen Changchuan’s face rippled, and soon his appearance had changed into that of an unremarkable person.
Filled with profound killing intent,
this time,
Shen Changchuan held nothing back.
He instantly activated his Perfected Electric Light and Shadow Skill, his body becoming like a gray bolt of lightning,
and shot forward at breakneck speed, preparing to strike and kill those few members of the Shen Family.
However, at that very moment,
suddenly,
RUMBLE!!!!
an earth-shattering roar erupted from deep within the ground,
as if the earth’s ley lines, dormant hundreds or thousands of meters below, had suffered a devastating blow and snapped.
In an instant,
the ground surged like an ocean wave.
The earth quaked and the mountains swayed!
’What’s happening?!’
The sudden upheaval made Shen Changchuan stagger, nearly causing him to fall.
Shen Changchuan was filled with shock and uncertainty.
At this moment, as far as his eyes could see,
the mountains shook violently. The ground split open as huge fissures spread, and tall, ancient trees swayed back and forth. Many old, withered trees collapsed completely.
Before Shen Changchuan could even comprehend what was happening,
he heard a continuous, thunderous roar from up ahead.
Immediately after,
he watched in horror as,
in the distance,
the entire area where Wu Family Collection was located,
an area several li in radius,
instantly collapsed,
swallowing the whole of Wu Family Collection within it!
