Chapter 84 Xiao Leng is Injured

Seeing Long Yun’s overwhelming presence, and already feeling somewhat guilty, Qu Weiqing’s momentum immediately faltered. He stammered, “It was just a coincidence, it’s not what you think!”

With a sharp exhale, Long Yun moved. His form blurred into a flurry of afterimages, so swift it left onlookers stunned. Qu Weiqing had no time to react before Long Yun seized him by the throat and lifted him effortlessly off the ground.

“What are you doing? Let Senior Brother Qu go at once!” cried two disciples of the Qu Guan Sect, but they dared not step forward to intervene. Long Yun’s eyes, brimming with murderous intent, swept over Qu Weiqing, sending a chill down his spine and causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Otherwise, I’ll execute you right here,” Long Yun said coldly.

Terrified by Long Yun’s killing intent, Qu Weiqing dared not conceal a thing. He stammered, trembling, “It was Senior Brother Chu Huarang who told us!”

Long Yun nodded inwardly—just as he had expected. He continued, his face unreadable, “Who is with Chu Huarang?”

“He’s with Bai Yuanzhan, and also Senior Brother Situ!” At this point, Qu Weiqing dared not hide anything, pouring out all that he knew.

Long Yun’s brow furrowed. He knew Situ was at the Innate Merging Qi realm, and with Chu Huarang at the half-step Innate realm as well, their lineup was indeed formidable.

“It seems you’re still hiding something from me,” Long Yun remarked with a smile that was not a smile, his gaze making Qu Weiqing shiver violently.

In truth, Long Yun was only guessing, trying to bluff Qu Weiqing. But Qu Weiqing hurriedly added, “I remember now! Among them was another disciple with a longsword, but he seemed injured, and he’s not a disciple of the Azure Sect!”

“Where did you encounter them?” Long Yun was nearly certain that this disciple was from the Jade Sword Sect, though he didn’t yet know who it was.

Qu Weiqing pointed ahead and to the right. “They went that way!”

Long Yun casually tossed Qu Weiqing to the ground and said to Zhun Yi and the others, “You’ll leave with me for now. Later, we’ll part ways. Let today’s matter end here. Qu Weiqing, my name is Long Yun. Remember, if you want trouble after we leave, you’re welcome to find me!”

Qu Weiqing dared not utter a word, slumped on the ground, not even daring to look at Long Yun.

With a glance at Liu Xiaoxiao, Long Yun led Zhun Yi and the others in pursuit of the direction Qu Weiqing had indicated.

Long Yun was certain that Qu Weiqing wouldn’t dare lie now, and from what Zhun Yi said, their previous skirmish had happened only recently. If Chu Huarang and Situ were traveling with an injured companion, they couldn’t have gone far.

After escorting Zhun Yi and his companion seven or eight miles out, Long Yun took his leave. Then, together with Liu Xiaoxiao, he unleashed his full speed, racing ahead in pursuit.

A hum split the air—sword energy raged, a flash of icy killing intent flickered and vanished, hidden within the sword’s aura. Without reservation, it struck down a fiend beast of the Bone-Melting realm.

Xiao Leng sheathed his sword, his face cold and expressionless. Ever since Shangguan Yu’s warning, the three disciples of Jade Sword Sect—apart from Long Yun and Liu Xiaoxiao—had all grown extremely cautious. They avoided encounters with other righteous disciples as much as possible, which was why their score was so unimpressive. Along the way, Xiao Leng had slain plenty of beasts, yet an unease grew steadily in his heart. If not for stumbling upon this beast by chance, he would have remained in hiding for a while longer.

Determined to settle things swiftly, he had unleashed his most powerful technique—the Ten-Thousand Annihilation Sword—slaying the fiend in a single blow.

Having finished, Xiao Leng was about to depart when, just as he made up his mind, a figure emerged, clapping his hands.

“To think that among the younger generation of Jade Sword Sect, there’s such a formidable talent. The righteous path truly flourishes!” Chu Huarang clapped, laughing heartily as he stood before Xiao Leng.

Xiao Leng’s brow furrowed, his gaze upon Chu Huarang eerily calm. All the disciples of Jade Sword Sect were well aware that Chu Huarang intended to make an example of them for Hua Ying Sect. Xiao Leng had been dodging them all along, but still could not escape discovery. At this point, there was nothing left to say.

With his current strength, he might be able to put up a fight against a newly advanced Return to Origin cultivator, but Chu Huarang’s half-step Innate cultivation left him no chance.

As he deliberated, Situ and Bai Yuanzhan appeared from behind, escorting another person.

“Senior Brother!” Xiao Leng’s face instantly darkened as he faced Chen Long, who could only offer a bitter smile, stoking Xiao Leng’s fury.

“So, Xiao Leng, will you make us act, or surrender yourself?” Chu Huarang smiled, sure of victory.

“Junior Brother Xiao Leng, there are only five of us from Jade Sword Sect in this tournament. Junior Brother Long Yun and Junior Sister Xiaoxiao are likely already dead. With two gone, there’s no point struggling any longer,” Chen Long said helplessly.

“If I don’t struggle, should I just wait to die?” Xiao Leng slowly drew his sword, a vast murderous aura spreading forth. Points of starlight flickered along the blade, the Celestial Execution Sword poised to strike at any moment.

Chu Huarang smiled faintly. “Very well. I’ll promise you this—if you surrender now, I’ll spare your life. But on one condition: you must leave Jade Sword Sect and join the Azure Sect under me!”

Xiao Leng raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp. “What about Junior Brother Long Yun? What’s become of him?”

“That’s nothing for you to worry about,” Chu Huarang replied indifferently. “You have no chance to concern yourself with him now. The road lies before you. Make your choice.”

“I only want to know—is he alive, or dead?” Xiao Leng pressed on, unwilling to give up hope.

A glint of cruelty flashed in Chu Huarang’s eyes. He laughed heartily, then finally said, “He’s dead!”

“Good!” Xiao Leng uttered a single word. His figure shot forward like a leopard, sword dancing, as stars burst from the blade’s tip, converging into a stream of sword energy that shot straight at Chu Huarang’s chest.

“If you’re so eager to die, don’t blame me!” Chu Huarang, after all, was half a step into the Innate realm. Startled by Xiao Leng’s sudden assault, he instantly retreated, smiling as he withdrew.

Without another word, he drew his own sword with a ringing clang. It swept out like a rainbow, erupting with a thousand dazzling rays, cleaving into Xiao Leng’s sword energy.

With a muffled grunt, Xiao Leng staggered back, his chest heaving violently, his face growing pale.

“I offered you a way out, and you refused, choosing to oppose me instead. I thought only Long Yun and Liu Xiaoxiao were threats, but now I see you are as well. So, you too must die!” With these words, Chu Huarang’s sword conjured a thousand overlapping phantoms, each wave engulfing Xiao Leng.

Situ and Bai Yuanzhan remained silent. In their eyes, even sending Chu Huarang himself was unnecessary—Bai Yuanzhan alone could have subdued Xiao Leng with ease.

Xiao Leng’s face was devoid of expression as he fought desperately, his sword flurrying to ward off the relentless storm of sword energy.

A dull thud sounded as a blade sliced his flesh. Wounds multiplied across Xiao Leng’s body, blood gradually soaking his robes red as he retreated step by step.

Another sword aura struck, piercing his wrist. Agonizing pain shot through him as his sword clattered to the ground.

“I’ve changed my mind. I won’t kill you yet. Once I gather you all together, I’ll let you witness your utter despair before I slowly torture you to death!” Chu Huarang laughed wildly.

Injured and unable to wield his sword, Xiao Leng glared fiercely, his gaze nearly spitting fire. Since Chu Huarang had openly confessed, the deaths of Long Yun and Liu Xiaoxiao were almost certain.

Xiao Leng and Long Yun had once been fellow disciples. Though he was not outspoken, he remembered well how Long Yun had selflessly taught him swordsmanship and helped him improve his abilities. So upon hearing of Long Yun’s death, he had attacked without hesitation, but the gap between their strengths was too great.

“If you hadn’t provoked my junior brother, perhaps things wouldn’t have come to this. I might have given the Jade Sword Sect a fair chance. Blame only Long Yun’s arrogance!” Chu Huarang twisted his neck and spoke indifferently.

But at that moment, two figures landed silently in front of Xiao Leng.