Chapter 387: Chapter 191: Arrival at the Song Realm Frontier
He frantically employed every trick he knew, not daring to relax for even a second, desperately searching for a chance to escape.
"I’m not biased toward either of you. Just give me a good fight, and I’ll let you both go."
Zhao Rui spoke calmly as he attacked with both hands. His figure flickered left and right, at one moment splitting into six, the next merging from six to three, then three to one. His unpredictable movements allowed him to overwhelm the two men with a barrage of punches and kicks.
Compared to the previous fight between the two men, this battle was far less grand in scale. There were no towering True Dharma Bodies clashing, nor was there any earth-shattering destruction.
Yet for the Five Dragon Envoy and his counterpart, the danger was even greater.
Zhao Rui’s Martial Arts were a blend of orthodox and unorthodox styles, encompassing the Demon Dao and even Witchcraft. Each time he shifted his Technique, a dozen or more follow-up attacks would unfold.
The transitions between his Techniques and Cultivation Techniques were utterly seamless, as if he possessed multiple types of True Qi that could be deployed at will.
These bizarrely complex Martial Arts wore them down. They were forced to use every ounce of their strength, desperately trying to leverage their own specializations.
The fight lasted a full four hours before a satisfied Zhao Rui finally struck their acupoints, sealing their True Qi.
"That makes eight!"
Zhao Rui waved toward the dense forest. Taking the cue, Su Wanyun leaped down from a tall tree. She gracefully approached the two men and began to search them.
"Senior, I found two secret manuals and some miscellaneous items..."
"Mm, nice work."
Zhao Rui smiled, took the items, and tucked them into his robes.
Zhou Moyun and the others were stunned to see Su Wanyun act so brazenly, and even more so that Zhao Rui silently approved.
’This Senior seems less and less like a good person the more I watch him.’
They weren’t fools. By now, they realized that Zhao Rui was completely different from their image of a venerable and noble senior.
’He can’t be judged by normal standards.’
They all leaped down from the treetops and started patting down the two men.
"I’ve already been searched! Why are you patting me down again?"
The Five Dragon Envoy was shocked, twisting his body to avoid Zhou Moyun’s approaching "demonic claws"!
"Why can she search you, but I can’t?!"
Furious, Zhou Moyun grabbed his arm, pinned it under her knee, and began to frisk his upper body thoroughly.
Seeing her earnest efforts, Su Wanyun couldn’t help but scoff and say, "Picking up my scraps, Junior Sister. You haven’t changed a bit. You could try for a lifetime and never learn your Senior Sister’s skills."
"Stay still!"
Zhou Moyun completely ignored her. She rummaged through the Five Dragon Envoy’s long hair, and suddenly her eyes lit up. With a hard tug, she pulled out a small object wrapped in hair.
The object was tied into his hair, making it indistinguishable from the rest. It would have been nearly impossible to find without a careful, hands-on search.
"Give it back! That’s a sacred object of my Holy Sect! How dare you..."
"Quiet!"
Zhao Rui jabbed a finger, knocking him unconscious.
"Senior, look!"
Zhou Moyun said proudly, eager for praise.
"Nice work!"
Zhao Rui hadn’t expected her to actually find something else. He reached out, took it, and opened it.
He was stunned for a moment.
It was written in an ancient script, something like bronze inscriptions, which he couldn’t read. However, he could make out a few things from the diagram.
It resembled a map, showing a mountain surrounded by glaciers. Below the glaciers was a river of lava, and at the intersection of ice and fire, something was circled.
"You can have it!"
The moment Zhao Rui saw what it was, he lost interest. ’Best to leave the adventuring to others.’
Zhou Moshu fumbled to take it, her expression immediately souring. She looked at Zhao Rui, her face a mask of awkwardness and conflict.
"What’s wrong?"
"I don’t dare to take it!"
"..."
Zhao Rui was speechless. ’Right, she wouldn’t dare take it. With her abilities, she wouldn’t be able to protect it.’
"If you don’t dare take it, I will!"
Su Wanyun reached out and snatched the map, which was as thin as a cicada’s wing.
"You..."
Just because Zhou Moshu didn’t dare to accept it didn’t mean she was willing to let Su Wanyun have it. If Su Wanyun took it, wouldn’t that make her own frantic search just now look like a joke?
Su Wanyun wasn’t about to humor her. Seeing her lunge to take it back, she countered with a horizontal swipe of her Ghost Claw. The two of them instantly clashed.
Zhou Moshu was no match for her. In just over ten moves, she was already in mortal danger.
Luo Yunxi and the other woman rushed forward to help, turning it into a three-on-one fight.
"Enough! The item belongs to Su Wanyun. Get ready to leave."
Seeing them taking it too far, Zhao Rui shouted to stop the four women from fighting.
He then looked at the Great Shang Martial Artist, who had been lying on the ground without a sound. He reached out, unblocked some of his acupoints, and said, "I’ve placed a Soul-Chasing Seal on you. You should know what it does."
"What do you need me to do?"
The Great Shang Martial Artist asked with a frown.
"Lead the way. To the Song Realm!"
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll lead you into the heartland of my Great Shang?"
"It’s ’me,’ not ’us.’ Do you think anyone can stop me?"
Zhao Rui said coldly.
The Great Shang Martial Artist’s face twitched. He could also see that this group of people didn’t seem to be this man’s companions.
On the contrary, they were more like captives.
"Fine! No matter which side you’re on, at least you aren’t an enemy of my Great Shang."
The Great Shang Martial Artist got to his feet and coolly dusted himself off.
He had returned to his debonair appearance.
Zhao Rui casually woke the Five Dragon Envoy on the ground. Then the group set off, using their Lightweight Skill.
With the guide from Great Shang, they journeyed on without encountering any more Great Shang troops or smaller tribes.
After traveling like this for a whole day, they finally saw a tall city wall in the distance.
The city wall was built against a mountain, standing a full two hundred meters tall, carved from a special kind of stone.
The outside of the stone was covered with a strange type of crystal that emitted an odd, multicolored light.
The top of the wall was densely packed with defensive weapons resembling ballistae and countless soldiers from the Song Realm.
Opposite the wall were rows of felt encampments that looked like tents. Within the camps were also rows of sturdy, powerful warriors.
Each warrior held a long halberd or some other weapon, their morale soaring as their sharp blades pointed directly at the city wall opposite them.
"This is Two Realms Pass. We can enter the Song Realm directly through here. Otherwise, we’d have to make a detour of nearly a thousand li to reach another pass."
The Great Shang Martial Artist said, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"How long will this battle go on?"
Zhou Moshu said with a frown. When they left, this confrontation wasn’t happening.
Clearly, the conflict had only started recently.
"This is the Vanguard Battalion of the Thunder Division. I don’t know either."
"Thunder Division?"
This was the second time Zhao Rui had heard such a term. ’Wind... thunder...’
’Could the Great Shang Army be named after things like wind, thunder, rain, and lightning?’
’Does that mean their Witchcraft also consists of related elemental Divine Techniques?’
Zhao Rui, who possessed the Thunderbolt Sword Technique, was naturally very interested in Thunder Techniques.
’If I could copy a few Thunder Dao Techniques, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.’
Thunder is the righteous law of heavenly punishment, which purifies the Cosmos, and it is the bane of all things of the Demon Dao.
"You all find a way to get into the city."
Zhao Rui said casually.
"Senior? Aren’t you going back with us?"
Zhou Moshu was startled. If they traveled alone, she was afraid none of them would be a match for Su Wanyun.
"I have other business!"
Zhao Rui said coolly.
"Senior, let me accompany you. While my Martial Arts can’t compare to your peerless might, I can still offer what little strength I have."
Su Wanyun’s eyes darted, and she quickly spoke up.
"Hm?"
"Senior, your character is noble and your Contribution to Creation is profound. This junior is completely in awe and willing to serve you."
"Fine."
Zhao Rui replied indifferently.
’This woman’s Martial Arts are decent. She won’t become a burden as easily as Zhou Moshu and the others.’
"Senior, we are also willing to stay."
He Wenhua tugged his martial niece and quickly bowed.
Throughout the journey, he hadn’t been able to figure out what Zhao Rui was really up to.
Who knew if, at this moment, his offer to let them go was genuine or a ruse?
Seeing He Wenhua and the other man act this way, Zhou Moshu and the two other women looked at each other. After a moment’s hesitation, they had no choice but to bow and say the same.
"You’re just dead weight. Why would I keep you? Go get lost."
"Senior, with us around, once we enter the Song Realm, we can handle many matters for you. There would be no need for you to deal with all the mundane affairs."
Zhou Moshu hurriedly bowed and said.
"Fine. Since you want to stay, then stay."
Zhao Rui turned his head to look at the Great Shang Martial Artist and said, "You can go."
"You’re really letting me go?"
"Mm."
The Great Shang Martial Artist’s gaze flickered. After a moment, he cupped his fist toward Zhao Rui, unleashed a Peak Body Technique, and swiftly departed.
"Senior, you mustn’t let a tiger return to the mountains!"
