Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Lying in Wait
Chen Guanggu’s expression darkened. He had no choice but to believe it.
"And then?"
Chen Guanggu clenched his fists, his voice icy. "Where’s Mo Yunlei?"
Zhu Kai shook his head. "I escaped. After that, I don’t know."
Chen Guanggu’s cold eyes fixed on Ling Shuanghua. "Ling Shuanghua, if Mo Yunlei is dead, I will not spare Shen Daoxing!"
"Hmph!"
Ling Shuanghua snorted. She had never been a woman of many words, and she certainly wasn’t about to waste them on Chen Guanggu in his current frenzied state.
Just then, someone spoke up. "At the end, Mo Yunlei swallowed a Divine Movement Pill and fled. We didn’t see what happened to Chen Baxian."
"The fighting was too intense. Getting any closer would have been a death sentence. Besides, when the True Dragon Essence Blood appeared, everyone was busy trying to claim it."
"If Chen Baxian couldn’t get away, then he’s most likely dead."
Chen Guanggu let out a sigh of relief. As long as Mo Yunlei wasn’t dead, that was all that mattered.
With three of the Four Heroes dead, Celestial City Academy’s losses were already devastating. If Mo Yunlei died as well, the consequences would be unimaginable.
At that, the master from the Yan Kingdom’s Chen Family exploded with rage. "Damn that Shen Daoxing! If Chen Baxian died at his hands, our Chen Family will absolutely not let this rest."
Huang Yarong glanced at the Chen Family master and said coolly, "No grudges are to be held for any deaths or injuries within the True Dragon Secret Realm. Is that not the rule?"
The Chen Family master was at a loss for words, but his expression remained grim.
"AH—!"
Just then, a furious roar echoed.
"That’s the master from the Zhao Kingdom’s Meng Family. What’s wrong with him?"
The crowd looked toward the source of the sound and saw it was none other than the master from the Zhao Kingdom’s Meng Family.
The Meng Family master’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared, "Who?! Who dared to kill Meng Zifeng of my family?"
Meng Zifeng is dead!?
Meng Zifeng was a top genius from the Zhao Kingdom, with power easily on par with Zhu Kai’s.
The Meng Family had invested a tremendous amount of resources and effort into him, and now he had just died inside the True Dragon Secret Realm.
It was truly difficult to accept.
The masters present exchanged looks of dismay. They never imagined this expedition into the True Dragon Secret Realm would be so perilous, so horrifying. ’What in the world went wrong?’
...
「Inside the True Dragon Secret Realm.」
Shen Daoxing and Lin Ke’er had reached the exit.
Shen Daoxing looked at Lin Ke’er. "Ke’er, you should leave first."
"No, I want to stay with you."
Lin Ke’er’s face was etched with worry. "Shen, if you kill Mo Yunlei and word gets out, you should come back with me to the Tang Kingdom."
Celestial City Academy is the Martial Kingdom’s Sacred Land. If Mo Yunlei dies at Shen Daoxing’s hands, the academy will never let the matter rest.
Even the Royal Family would find it difficult to withstand the academy’s fury.
Standing beside him, Lin Ke’er fretted and schemed on Shen Daoxing’s behalf, like a young wife worrying over her husband.
Shen Daoxing stood tall, his gaze fixed on the forest before them, his eyes as placid as water. "We’ll discuss this after we leave."
Shen Daoxing stood not far from the exit, a conspicuously placed figure.
Many had witnessed his divine might when he battled the three peerless geniuses. He was no longer the unknown figure he’d been at the start; now, he drew stares wherever he went.
There was admiration, jealousy, fear...
Lin Ke’er sighed to herself. ’With so many people watching, it’s impossible for Shen Daoxing to keep his intentions hidden, even if he wanted to.’
Someone wondered aloud, "What is Shen Daoxing doing!?"
"Looks like he’s waiting for someone."
"Waiting? Who could he be waiting for? It’s not Mo Yunlei, is it?"
"I saw Mo Yunlei yesterday. He was injured, but he took a fourth-grade Healing Elixir. He should recover quickly."
"It’s definitely a possibility. After all, the Sword Institute and Celestial City Academy are sworn enemies!"
"Why don’t we watch from here? We might get a good show."
...
A buzz of discussion rose from the crowd. Some began to speculate, their own ambitions stirring.
"Scram!"
Shen Daoxing’s gaze swept across the onlookers, his eyes as sharp as swords.
The surrounding geniuses felt a sting on their cheeks as if they’d been struck. They swallowed hard and began to back away.
They were well aware of how terrifying Shen Daoxing was. He had beaten Chen Baxian, Zhu Kai, and Mo Yunlei so badly they’d fled in terror. Against him, they likely wouldn’t last a single exchange.
At once, a few of them scurried toward the exit.
They were terrified that Shen Daoxing would suddenly strike and kill them in a single blow.
People came and went from the exit of the True Dragon Secret Realm, but no one dared to linger long.
Everyone could feel the overwhelming killing intent rolling off Shen Daoxing.
It was obvious: since he couldn’t find Mo Yunlei, he was going to wait for him at the exit and kill him in plain sight.
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, only a single day remained.
In the distance, a handsome and tall young man approached. He carried a longsword, its blade still dripping with blood.
Shen Daoxing recognized him: Zhong Li, a genius from the Netherworld Kingdom.
Zhong Li saw Shen Daoxing sitting cross-legged at the exit, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Seeing the terrified expressions on the faces of the others nearby, he instantly guessed the identity of the man before him.
After all, news of the battle over the Bodhi Fruit had spread. Anyone still alive in the realm knew of Shen Daoxing’s terrifying power.
Zhong Li asked, a hint of amusement in his voice, "I heard you’re going to kill Mo Yunlei. Is that true?"
Shen Daoxing replied flatly, "Scram if you don’t want to die."
"You!?"
Zhong Li’s expression soured the moment he heard Shen Daoxing’s words.
As a genius of the Netherworld Kingdom, he was used to everyone showing him respect.
But Zhong Li had also heard of Shen Daoxing’s astonishing power. Though he was itching to test it for himself, he was also afraid of dying by Shen Daoxing’s hand. With a cold snort, he turned and headed out of the True Dragon Secret Realm.
Shen Daoxing paid Zhong Li no mind.
Zhong Li was certainly a genius, but he was a cut below Chen Baxian, Zhu Kai, and Mo Yunlei. He posed no threat whatsoever.
...
「Outside the True Dragon Secret Realm.」
Zhong Li emerged and let out a long breath.
"I’s finally out."
The True Dragon Secret Realm was far too dangerous; your life was on the line every single day. Thankfully, the rewards had been immense.
The master from the Netherworld Kingdom walked over and asked hurriedly, "How did it go? Were your gains significant?"
"Not bad."
Zhong Li glanced toward the Martial Kingdom’s delegation and said in a low voice, "I saw Shen Daoxing at the exit. He refuses to leave. He said he’ll only come out after he’s killed Mo Yunlei."
The moment Zhong Li’s words fell, the crowd erupted, and all eyes snapped toward him.
Others had reported seeing Shen Daoxing lingering at the exit, but no one knew why. They had their suspicions, but no one dared voice them, fearing it would bring trouble.
Zhong Li was the first to state Shen Daoxing’s objective out loud.
The entire area was instantly in an uproar.
"Shen Daoxing has some serious nerve!"
"I wonder which of them will survive."
"If the rumors are true, Shen Daoxing is clearly stronger than Mo Yunlei."
"Not necessarily. Mo Yunlei might still have a trump card up his sleeve."
"I heard Nalan Rongruo is still in there. Her strength is formidable. If she were to help Mo Yunlei..."
...
The voices of the crowd surged like a tide.
’Yunlei, you have to be all right...’
Chen Guanggu’s face was twisted in anguish. He clenched his fists so hard he wished he could charge into the True Dragon Secret Realm himself.
