Free Web NovelChapter 284: Chapter 279: Ambushed
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The carriage traveled continuously down the road heading south. In the driver’s seat, Xu Fei squinted, holding the reins with one hand and propping up his chin with the other, humming a pleasant, unrecognizable, and terribly off-key tune.
Although Wan Xian’Er had said that morning that they should prepare to leave, their "preparation" took the entire day. It wasn’t until nearly dusk that Mu Chen and the others finally departed from the hotel. By now, the sky was gradually darkening. Sitting inside the carriage, Mu Chen took out a map, using the light from an Elemental Crystal to see.
"The Senluo Ruins are located within the territory of the High-class Empire, the Blood Soul Empire. If we follow the roads from the Fenglan Empire..." His fingertip traced a path on the map as he sighed. "Just by traveling in the Hurricane Horse Carriage without any stops, it would take four months. If we run into any delays, it would probably take half a year to get there."
Pinching his chin, Mu Chen subconsciously glanced at the location of the Terral Empire and was startled. The Blood Soul Empire and the Terral Empire were surprisingly close. At a rough estimate, the journey between the two empires would take two months at most. By that calculation, as long as he could find the place where that miraculous liquid was sealed as soon as possible, it would only take a year and a half to return to the Xuanling Empire.
’This is great.’ Mu Chen’s closed eyes flashed with excitement, his mind filled with thoughts of the two lovely women who occupied his heart.
Seeing Mu Chen’s expression shift from sighing to excitement, then to some unidentifiable emotion, Wan Xian’Er asked in confusion, "Mu Chen, what’s wrong?"
"Huh? What’s wrong? Nothing’s wrong," Mu Chen said, slightly stunned.
Wan Xian’Er rolled her eyes at Mu Chen, then pulled back the curtain to look outside. They had chosen a clear day to travel, but at some point, a cold wind had started to blow. It was now late autumn, and a late autumn night always carried a sense of desolation. The moon was obscured by drifting dark clouds, casting a hazy gloom over the surroundings.
In the front of the carriage, a light flashed in Xu Fei’s eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted. "Heh, just as Elder Lin Xiao said. A dark moon and a high wind... not a good omen."
The road Xu Fei had chosen was quiet and remote, with few travelers. Consequently, bandits didn’t typically set up ambushes here. However, this meant that while the road seemed safe, if someone were to deliberately lay a trap, it would be a perfect kill zone.
Although the Elemental Crystal Lamps on the Hurricane Horse Carriage brightly illuminated the surroundings, the eerie silence still affected Mu Chen. Putting away the map, he sent out his Kan Realm Spiritual Power with a thought. A vast Spiritual Net instantly enveloped a radius of ten thousand meters, and not a single blade of grass or twig could move without his detection.
The greatest difference between Spiritual Power and sight was that regardless of the external brightness, the information transmitted to Mu Chen’s mind was perfectly clear!
"Brother Xu! Stop the carriage! It seems we’re surrounded."
Hearing this, Xu Fei quickly brought the Hurricane Horse Carriage to a halt. Mu Chen opened the carriage door, turned his head, and said to Wan Xian’Er, "Miss Xian’Er, stay inside. No matter what happens, don’t come out for now. I know you’re very strong, but sometimes, strength isn’t everything."
After speaking, Mu Chen closed the carriage door again and walked to the front of the carriage. Xu Fei said to him in surprise, "Little Brother Mu Chen, how did you know we were surrounded?"
Mu Chen explained, "My Spiritual Power is quite strong. Logically, although this road is seldom traveled, that’s precisely why the insects and birds should be living here happily. On the way here, I could hear insects chirping from inside the carriage. But when we reached this stretch of road, the sudden silence outside was a bit strange. So I released my Spiritual Power and discovered that there are quite a few people here."
"Little Brother Mu Chen, you really are something. In that case..." Xu Fei gave a toothy grin, then abruptly circulated his Primordial Power and shouted, "To all our unfamiliar friends! Since you’re already here, why bother hiding!"
The bellow was extremely sudden and was amplified by potent Primordial Power. The moment the sound rang out, there were several rustles in the distant woods. Clearly, someone had given themselves away.
"Hahaha... Why does that voice sound so familiar? Don’t tell me there’s an acquaintance among the people we’re ambushing today?" a coarse voice called out from the distance.
Hearing this, Mu Chen was slightly taken aback. The voice was also laced with potent Primordial Power. Although it was weaker than Xu Fei’s, it was stronger than Mu Chen’s by more than a small margin.
"That voice... War Wolf?"
Xu Fei focused his gaze into the distance. A layer of cyan Primordial Power covered his eyes. A Spirit Selector’s eyes weren’t just for appraising Original Stones; in the darkness of night, a Martial Artist with a Pupil Technique had a massive advantage over one without.
The moment Xu Fei’s voice fell, no fewer than a hundred figures leaped out opposite Mu Chen. Every one of them exuded a violent Evil Qi. Mu Chen had seen this kind of Evil Qi before. In the Xuanling Empire, the most common residents weren’t merchants or travelers, but mercenaries. These mercenaries spent nearly every day in bloody combat; they might be alive and well one day, only to fall in battle the next. Mercenaries who had survived countless fights would naturally exude this sort of savage Evil Qi. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"Xu Fei!! Haha! This is fate! To think I, your father, would run into you here!" As he spoke, War Wolf glared fiercely at Xu Fei with his large, bell-like eyes.
At the voice, Mu Chen looked over and saw an extremely burly man with a ferocious expression. His face was covered in seven or eight scars—some from blades, others from claws. But running from the corner of his left eye all the way down to his chin was a ghastly sword wound, completely different from the other scars, that only amplified his savage appearance.
"Finally, I can wash away my past humiliation! Today, I, your father, will repay you for this scar on my face a hundred times over!" War Wolf touched the distinct sword wound on his cheek, his eyes gradually turning crimson.
Xu Fei’s expression hardened. He turned his head and said, "Little Brother Mu Chen, this is War Wolf, the leader of our Fenglan Empire’s War Wolf Mercenary Corps. They’re ranked third among all the mercenary corps in the Fenglan Empire. He’s incredibly strong. Ten years ago, we had a small conflict, and we ended up drawing our blades. My strength surpassed his back then, so I wounded him. But I was too soft-hearted and didn’t kill him, letting him live. I never thought we’d meet again like this."
"I see." Mu Chen nodded. ’Things are clearer now,’ he thought. ’But the War Wolf Mercenary Corps is one of the top three mercenary corps, after all. Why would they set an ambush in such a remote and deserted place? And given War Wolf’s reaction to seeing Xu Fei, I can be almost certain that the War Wolf Mercenary Corps wasn’t here for him. If that’s the case, who is their target? Me? Wan Xian’Er? Or someone else?’
Frowning, Mu Chen scanned the hundred or so figures across from them, constantly estimating each person’s level of strength in his mind. But when his gaze shifted to an old man in a remote corner, a chill ran down his spine. It was the kind of feeling one only gets when encountering an expert several realms stronger than oneself.
’A Martial... Emperor!’
’That’s right. That old man must be a Martial Emperor. I don’t know what ring Martial Emperor he is, but I’m certain that if I were to face him, the result would be absolute death.’
’However...’ A corner of Mu Chen’s mouth lifted as he glanced at Xu Fei beside him. From Xu Fei, he could feel a pressure that was just as powerful.
In Mu Chen’s mind, he had compiled data on everyone’s strength. Aside from War Wolf and the two brawny men beside him, the old man posed the greatest threat. Despite the enemy’s numbers, if a real fight broke out, Mu Chen himself could instantly rout their rabble. Of course, this "rabble" in Mu Chen’s eyes was composed of fighters with not a single one below the level of Grand Martial Master. Such was the strength of the third-ranked mercenary corps.
Xu Fei stared gravely at the old man, who was also staring gravely back at him. "This is a bit troublesome," Xu Fei said. freёwebnoѵel.com
If he were alone, Xu Fei wouldn’t have given these people a second thought. But now he had Mu Chen and Wan Xian’Er with him. Wan Xian’Er’s Martial Artist Realm was high enough that she could protect herself, but Mu Chen looked to be only a Five-Ring Martial Spirit. If a fight really broke out, he wasn’t confident he could guarantee everyone’s safety.
With this in mind, Xu Fei turned his head and said in a low voice, "Little Brother Mu Chen, in a moment, I will use my full strength to suppress the War Wolf Mercenary Corps. The instant you see an opportunity, take Miss Xian’Er and leave this place immediately. Don’t hesitate. They can’t do anything to me. If you successfully escape, we’ll meet up in the next town. Got it?"
"Trying to run?! Brothers! Get them! Remember, that kid named Mu Chen must be captured alive! My nephew specifically instructed that he gets to deal with the boy himself!"
As he finished speaking, a ring on War Wolf’s hand flashed, and a two-meter-long battle saber materialized in his grip. A massive wave of Primordial Power surged forth as eight blue Martial Rings instantly appeared at his feet, displaying his Martial Artist Realm!
"Horizontal Slash!"
With a pull of his arm, his battle saber, enveloped in immense strength and Primordial Power, slashed out a pure blue blade of light. Like a giant crescent moon, it flew toward Mu Chen, Xu Fei, and the Hurricane Horse Carriage, covering them all in its range.
Xu Fei’s pupils shrank. With a flip of his wrist, a silver wide-bladed giant sword instantly appeared in his hand. With a wave, he unleashed a streak of purple Sword Qi. The Sword Qi was filled with an air of absolute tyranny, and in a single instant, it tore the blade of light from War Wolf’s Horizontal Slash to shreds!
"Little Brother Mu Chen! Now’s your chance! Go!" With that, Xu Fei’s entire body erupted with Primordial Power. A terrifying Emperor’s might descended from the heavens as two dazzling purple Martial Rings emerged from beneath his feet. In a flash, he charged in front of War Wolf and swung his wide-bladed giant sword down at his head!
