Chapter 320: Liu Wu, Domineering! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 320: Liu Wu, Tyrannical! (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The sight of Liu Rong’s appearance filled Chen Yi with a pang of self-reproach.

He should have arrived sooner.

Yet tonight, as the poisonous virus loomed on the verge of spreading through the inner and outer realms of the mansion city, he had to ensure every detail was in order.

In truth, after departing from Pei Qian and others, Chen Yi had first notified Master Xiao and Minister Wang.

For matters of life and death, even a single minute’s delay could mean one more disaster victim facing peril outside the city walls.

Should those infected with the poison perish, all the victims would face collective peril.

By then, even if Chen Yi managed to antidote them, the time consumed in preparing medicines and treating the sick would still result in widespread casualties.

Not to mention the many who had left the city that day.

Beyond the Xiao family, numerous other noble houses had sent members abroad, requiring the government to conduct individual inspections to prevent any oversight.

“Old boss…”

The venom coursing through Liu Rong’s body had nearly dissipated, his strength and spiritual energy slowly recovering under the influence of several silver needles. He found some semblance of vigor.

Gazing at the figure before him, he weakly raised a hand: “Be careful…”

“That old devil, his cultivation, it’s the White Jade Technique…”

“The poison… it’s everywhere… all over his body…”

Chen Yi hummed softly, turning his back without a word: “Rest here. I’ll handle it.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Rong managed a slight, relieved smile, leaning on his long saber as he closed his eyes.

With the boss nearby, he felt considerably at ease.

Yan Zhiwen watched them, his gaze settling on Chen Yi. On the smooth, jade-like face, a smile gradually emerged, and he laughed heartily.

“So it’s you, ‘Dragon-Tiger’ Liu Wu!”

His laughter faded abruptly. He fixed his eyes on Chen Yi. “You said you’d kill me just now?”

“How could you—?”

Whoosh!

Swish!

Almost immediately after Yan Zhiwen finished speaking, a dozen shouts of breaking the air echoed.

The remaining black-cloaked men on the boat had gathered beside him. Beneath the tightly drawn hoods lined with black threads, their eyes stared fixedly at Chen Yi.

“Master, how long has it been since we’ve seen a young talent like this? The last one we killed was a disciple from the slopes of the Bryn Mountains—do you remember his name?”

“Heh heh, Snake King, he turned into a pile of dirt, and what did he offer as a gift?”

“Also…”

The slender man beside Yan Zhiwen pulled back the hood of his robe, loosened the scarf around his neck, and grinned at Chen Yi:

“It’s fitting that ‘Dragon-Tiger’ Liu Wu died with clarity. I am Xue Chong, elder of the Five Poison Sect.”

Chen Yi glanced at him. “An elder? No wonder you’re so weak.”

Xue Chong’s mouth twisted. “Weak?”

“‘Dragon-Tiger’ Liu Wu probably hasn’t fully grasped the situation yet. But before you stands the Five Poison Sect.”

“Or perhaps you slayed a ‘wolf,’ and now you think yourself invincible?”

Chen Yi averted his gaze, his eyes catching sight of the black-cloaked men in pursuit of Zhang Da Bao. Calmly, he unfastened a five-forked gun from his wrist.

“It makes no difference to me.”

“Whether it’s you or anyone else, the end will be no different from Yan Fu Sha’s… merely…”

When Zhang Da Bao, taking advantage of the distraction of those black-cloaked men, hurled several bottles of Immortal Seduction Wine, Chen Yi’s brow furrowed slightly:

“…a matter of expending a little more effort.”

Before the words had fully left his lips, he turned, grabbing Liu Rong and dissolving him into a wraith, racing toward Zhang Da Bao and the others.

The disciples of the Five Poison Sect, submerged in poison elixirs all their lives, were hardly affected by the intoxicating wines of Immortal Seduction or Clear Wind.

Zhang Da Bao used those poisons against them, spewing them like stones against eggs.

“Bold!”

Yan Zhiwen furrowed his brow slightly, stepping sideways a few paces, and reached out with one hand toward Chen Yi.

But in the instant his hand had begun to move, Chen Yi had already vanished from his sight.

No.

Precisely, he watched with his own eyes as Chen Yi disappeared from his line of vision.

It was ghostly.

If not for Yan Zhiwen’s five senses, still connected to the spiritual resonance of the earth and sky, he could not perceive Chen Yi’s presence.

Those beside him, like Xue Chong, were even less able to block Chen Yi’s path.

“Achieving the ‘Step Path’ to perfection…”

“Such agility and speed—truly fearsome! That’s why he managed to deflect my strike just now.”

Yet when Yan Zhiwen’s mind conjured this thought, he suddenly realized what Chen Yi was about to do. He shouted:

“Get out of the way!”

“Too late!”

Chen Yi, employing the “Dancing Dragon and Phoenix” posture, slipped past Yan Zhiwen and the others, taking a giant stride forward.

With the meteor and butterfly step, his form lightened and leaped.

Each step propelled him several feet, and after a few leaps, he reached Zhang Da Bao and the others.

After tossing Liu Rong to Zhang Da Bao, Chen Yi swept his gun in a wide arc, driving back three black-cloaked men.

Before the last one could react, he flicked his wrist, and his spear plunged into the man like a gnat diving into water.

A brilliant flash of light erupted, and a beam of spiritual energy shot from the gun, merging with the celestial and terrestrial forces.

A shrill, piercing sound exploded.

The black-cloaked man’s chest was pierced, his body hanging limp for a moment before slowly lowering his head in dawning realization.

“You…”

Before he could finish his sentence, blood spurted from his mouth, and a large patch of blood spilled across his chest, staining his black robes a deep crimson.

Chen Yi withdrew his spear and planted it into a nearby stone, the droplets of blood sliding down the blade.

Peering through the wound in the man’s chest, he fixed his gaze on Yan Zhiwen and the others in the distance, his voice cold and clear:

"Da Bao, lead them back a little further."

Zhang Da Bao finally came to his senses, glancing apprehensively at the three cloaked figures unaffected by divine intoxication, nodding assent.

The others—Jin Peng and the rest—saw Chen Yì standing in their way and instantly relaxed their tension.

In just a moment's time, a hundred disciples of Mount Tai had fled from the Four Poison Sect's four black-clad pursuers, their flight a disgraceful sight.

No wonder they were in such a state of panic.

Their strongest among them had only reached the fifth grade in cultivation, his sword techniques barely entering the gateway, utterly no match for the three-grade warriors of the Four Poison Sect.

At that moment, they cautiously followed Zhang Da Bao's retreat for several li, moving to regroup and organize the scattered carriages and camel trains.

Meanwhile, the three black-clad assassins who had escaped death's grasp returned to where Yan Zhi and the others waited, all of them staring intently at Chen Yì with grave expressions.

Yet Chen Yì himself sat there with a calm face.

Without Zhang Da Bao and the others nearby, he no longer had to worry about his rear.

Yan Zhi studied him for a moment, his expression already devoid of its earlier smile.

"My days in Shu Zhou are numbered, yet I have heard your name several times."

"In the lands of Shu Zhou, you are known as a gunman who rarely appears in a century, your talents rivaling Xiao Jinghong."

"Within Mingyue Tower, your reputation is highly praised; any task concerning you commands payment in gold."

"Peach Blossom State claims you are a traitor to Wei, and one old friend holds a grudge against you to the bone."

"I originally thought you merely a rising star in the martial world, but now I see I underestimated you."

Yan Zhi paused, glancing at the corpse of the black-clad man lying on the ground, then back to Chen Yì, sighing softly:

"Your gunplay is complete, your fistplay is mighty, your footwork is perfected… and your medical skills in saving the 'Dagger Madman'…"

"Such talents—surely even the dozens of years this public figure, Bai Da Xian, has stood in the martial world, is not much different from this?"

"Ha, at least it's a fortunate turn of events."

Xue Chong shook his head. "Master, where is this fortune?"

"Such a gifted soul in this world—if we do not kill him today, we shall surely regret it forever."

Beside him, a slight-statured black-clad man removed his hood, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face.

"Master, your intention—this encounter with the unripe 'Dragon Tiger' is indeed a fortunate event."

"Once he matures, not only would our Four Poison Sect join hands with other evil cults and demons, but even the entire martial world would find it hard to slay him."

"Is that so? Who do you think he is?"

"Is he Bai Da Xian?"

The two exchanged words as if in jest, yet beneath them, poisonous creatures had already crawled up the mountain stones.

Snakes, insects, mice, ants, beetles, lizards—all manner of vermin.

A dense layer of them crept up and down the rocks, their bodies secreting venom that corroded the stone into narrow trenches.

A low, squelching sound rose as the greenish smoke thickened into a noxious miasma, which Yan Zhi's fist had just suppressed.

Only a sharp stench lingered in the air.

The other black-clad assassins had done the same—poisonous creatures, poisons, hidden weapons—all laid bare.

Even Yan Zhi withdrew a pair of clawed blades from his waist, gripping them together. "From this day forward, there shall be no 'Dragon Tiger' left in the world."

"Yet rest assured, I shall surely make your name renowned throughout the martial world in the future."

Yan Zhi's face bore a grim smile, shedding his earlier playful arrogance from when he had tormented Liu Lang. His killing intent, cold as ice, coiled around him like frost.

"'Dragon Tiger'—how about 'Dragon Tiger Leopard'?"

The word "Leopard" boomed like thunder—exploding in all directions!

Suddenly, a wave of poisonous energy surged from Yan Zhi's body, wrapping around the miasma that had formed from the poisonous creatures' corrosion of the mountain stones.

The smoke coiled like dark serpents, circling him on either side.

At the same time, Xue Chong and the others struck in unison, charging forward to attack Chen Yì.

Their bodies leaned low, moving like the poisonous creatures below—some winding like serpents, others crawling on all fours, a few soaring through the air.

Chen Yì sat calmly watching them, paying no heed to the poisonous creatures closing in from all sides.

"I'll tell you, what is your purpose in spreading plague in Shu Zhou?"

He shook his head. "Never mind. With brains like yours, you'd only figure out three steps in any scheme."

"To go further—"

Chen Yì took a step forward, meeting the oncoming Xue Chong and his companions, speaking calmly:

"Some things are difficult for you."

Suddenly, a gentle halo surrounded his body, rippling outward like waves.

The world around him shifted.

The dark miasma above twisted into a thick cloud.

The mountain rocks thundered and rose, like a great dragon coiling, stretching for hundreds of miles, forming a rugged range.

Trees shot up instantly, their vines and branches pointing skyward, each one sprouting new growth across the newly risen mountains.

Even the Red River was affected by this change of the earth and heavens, turning into a rushing river.

It looked like a silver galaxy suspended in the sky.

Before Chen Yì's feet, a massive chessboard appeared, hovering above him and Xue Chong and the others, pressing down all the crawling poisonous creatures.

With each movement, the creatures burst their heads like being crushed by great force.

Xue Chong and the others stared, frozen in place, staring in astonishment at the figure beyond the chessboard—Chen Yì.

"This is… some kind of divination art?"

"Fool!"

The woman who had spoken earlier snapped, "This is nothing but the martial art of a complete gunplay, a transformation of the world!"

Another burly man blinked in surprise, asking in a shaky voice:

"Isn't the martial art of strategy something only scholars could master? How can it seem so powerful…"

"What use is there in useless arts when one has reached the Dao's myriad paths?"

The delicate woman licked her lips, unbothered by the poisonous creatures' deaths, flicking her whip:

"Be careful—this 'Dragon Tiger' is even more treacherous than the little monk we slaughtered earlier."

"Is that so?"

"I—"

The others, though wary and amazed, in the heat of battle, dared not show weakness in their spirits.

Instead, falling behind the rest, Yan Jingchen frowned as he looked at the motionless Xue Chong and his companions:

"Why are you all not moving yet? What are you waiting for?"

He had not followed them just now, so he was not enveloped by the chessboard's conceptual realm.

Yet with his cultivation and mastery of techniques, he still detected a hint of something amiss, especially as the spiritual energy of the surrounding world surged continuously.

"What happened to you all?!"

To his surprise, no matter what Yan Jingchen said, Xue Chong and the others stood frozen in place.

It was as if they had lost their very souls.

Yan Jingchen knew something was wrong, and glancing at Chen Yi, who was equally motionless, he prepared to step forward to investigate.

Right at that moment.

The sound of several figures breaking through the air echoed from the direction of the prefectural city.

"Yan Jingchen!"

Pei Ze laughed aloud, "It really is you!"

As the laughter enveloped the surroundings, a chorus of hissing and buzzing arose.

Rustling sounds also rapidly approached from the distance, though no figures could be seen.

Before long, Pei Ze, Chu Fangling, and Li Yunjun landed nearby, standing side by side.

Yan Jingchen turned his head, sized them up, and frowned slightly, "You?"

"Which one are you from the Mountain Tribe again?"

A cold sneer appeared on Pei Ze's gaunt face: "Stop fucking pretending with me. Back then I killed so many of your disciples and grand-disciples, how could you possibly forget?"

Hearing this, Yan Jingchen's expression darkened, "Pei Ze!"

"My Five Poisons Sect likewise slaughtered hundreds of your Mountain Tribe members. If this old man remembers correctly, your two sons were killed by my own hands!"

Pei Ze's eyes instantly turned sinister. He clapped his hands, and a glossy black centipede lunged from his body, spitting a stream of venom toward his opponent.

"I thought you died long ago. I didn't expect you to shed that skin of yours and use a fake death to escape."

"Today, we settle both old hatreds and new grudges together!"

Without a moment's hesitation, he charged straight at Yan Jingchen.

Chu Fangling and Li Yunjun followed closely at his side.

Yan Jingchen frowned slightly; it was now impossible for him to check on the condition of Xue Chong and the others. Taking a deep breath, he rushed toward Pei Ze.

"Those words should be spoken by this old man instead!"

"Your Mountain Tribe severely crippled the vitality of my Five Poisons Sect. How could I ever let you off!"

The four men immediately clashed in a fierce melee.

Relying on his slightly higher cultivation, Yan Jingchen ignored several venomous insects. When he struck, the lethal poison spreading from his body even forced Pei Ze and the others to fight with restrained hands and feet.

Facing three opponents alone, he did not fall into a disadvantage at all.

Yet Pei Ze, Chu Fangling, and Li Yunjun were in no hurry for a quick victory. The three of them formed a triangle, enclosing Yan Jingchen.

Fists, kicks, sabers, and swords flew in unison.

Every move allowed several venomous insects to scatter into the surroundings, their sizes so minuscule they were nearly invisible.

Sensing this, Yan Jingchen let out a cold snort: "Thirty years have passed, yet your Mountain Tribe hasn't changed a bit, still relying on the same old tricks."

"Your White Jade Cultivation has indeed grown increasingly formidable."

"However..."

Meeting Yan Jingchen's claws, Pei Ze thrust his withered arm forward like a bar of iron, "That is all it amounts to!"

Bang!

Pei Ze was sent flying backward, several deep gashes sliced into his arm.

Seeing this, Chu Fangling and Li Yunjun evaded Yan Jingchen's claw strikes, tangling with him from above and below.

In an instant, the four men engaged in a life-or-death struggle, causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to roar incessantly.

Ravines tore open across the ground, mountains and rocks shattered, and the forest trees were reduced to fine powder.

In the distance, Pei Qian and Lan Yanni watched the scene but were in no rush to act, their eyes fixed on Chen Yi's position instead.

Compared to the brutal clash of the three men besieging Yan Jingchen, the situation on Chen Yi's side was far more bizarre.

"Brother, what is 'Longhu' doing?"

Pei Qian observed for a moment and shook his head slightly: "I do not know either."

He could only discern that something was happening on Chen Yi's side, yet he could see nothing out of the ordinary.

"Then what do we do?"

"Wait a little longer. Let us clear away the surrounding lethal poison first."

"Alright..."

What they did not know was that Chen Yi, currently facing Xue Chong and the others alone, appeared to be standing entirely motionless alongside his opponents, but they had actually fought several rounds already.

Furthermore, Xue Chong and the others were already covered in wounds of varying sizes.

Blood flowed freely.

In contrast, Chen Yi still stood at the side of the chessboard, looking at them from afar as he calmly placed piece after piece onto the board.

Now that the Mountain Tribe had arrived, he had no need to risk his life in close combat.

With the empowerment of the Dao of Chess, Xue Chong and the others, possessing merely third and fourth-grade cultivations, were simply no match for him.

"Without reaching perfection in your techniques, you remain nothing but ants in the end."

Xue Chong watched as another chess piece transformed into a small mountain and crashed down toward them, cursing with a sinister face.

"If we don't break through this damned Dao of Chess soon, we are all going to die here!"

"Liu Wu's Dao of Chess... is far too overbearing. It is very difficult..."

(End of Chapter)