Chapter 134: Plenty of Fiery Tempers

After traversing some dense forests and hills, they encountered no spiritual creatures. Black Wind Cliff had governed this region for many years; the spiritual creatures within its borders were either penned up in captivity or hidden away, nowhere to be found. Anyone daring enough to wander about could be said to be walking straight into a trap.

Qin Chuan and Zizi walked side by side, with Sleepy Bug following behind them, looking very much like a domesticated spirit beast. Zizi held her Long-Life Bone Jade Staff, having already tucked her meteorite iron sword into her storage bag. Storage bags were common items, containing about a meter of space for holding belongings. Qin Chuan, currently empty-handed, was admiring the surroundings with keen interest. At this moment, they looked like two travelers out on an excursion, wandering aimlessly.

Before long, a town appeared ahead, seemingly bustling with activity. According to the map, this was Black Forest Town, still some distance from the Deer-Chasing Plains. The Deer-Chasing Plains served as a buffer zone between the Purple Spirit Mansion and Black Wind Cliff, and also acted as a battlefield. To avoid war and prevent large-scale destruction to their own lands, both sides had conventionally designated this buffer zone. This was both a blessing and a curse for the spiritual creatures there; while they enjoyed a certain degree of freedom within the designated area, they were also forced to endure unprovoked disasters. It was through such harsh conditions that Qin Chuan had fought his way to the territory of Black Wind Cliff.

Black Forest Town was filled with cultivators ranging from level 10 to 40. Most were local residents of Black Wind Cliff, though there were also wandering adventurers and passing merchants. Merchants held a special status in the Spirit Realm, enjoying preferential treatment and protection from various factions. They navigated between these forces to secure profits, refusing to participate in any disputes while transporting precious elixirs, heavenly treasures, and rare spiritual goods. The merchants themselves were often quite powerful, with the Treasure Pavilion being a prime example.

Although war was raging nearby, the town remained leisurely and seemingly unaffected. After all, the two sides were evenly matched, and it would be very difficult for the conflict to reach this far. Therefore, people here ate, drank, and tried not to let worries weigh on them—soaking in a bath, watching the clouds, and savoring every moment of comfort.

"Qin Chuan, let's find a place to rest. I want to take a bath."

"Uh, bathing again?"

"What do you mean 'again'? When have you ever seen me bathe?" Zizi realized something was wrong with her words the moment she said them; if Qin Chuan had seen her bathing, that would be a disaster!

"Oh..." Qin Chuan drew out the syllable deliberately and quickened his pace ahead.

"Qin Chuan, stop right there! Don't you dare think anything improper!"

"Do I? Then what should I be thinking about?"

"..." Zizi didn't know how to respond and could only chase after him in a huff.

Just then, a somewhat handsome young man suddenly blocked Qin Chuan's path. "Stop! You have some nerve, daring to harass a beautiful woman here!"

"I command you in the name of a Black Wind Cliff outer disciple: surrender immediately and await your judgment! Otherwise, death without mercy!"

The young man had spotted Zizi from afar. Her temperament and beauty had captivated him, and he found even her anger to be irresistibly charming. In his eyes, it was clear that Qin Chuan had harassed her, causing the beauty such distress. He volunteered to stand up for her, relying on his status as an outer disciple of Black Wind Cliff to show off. By doing this, he hoped to win her heart or perhaps even get a taste of her favor.

The young man’s calculations were shrewd. Black Wind Cliff had controlled this region for untold years, and its deterrent power was deeply rooted in people’s minds. Generally, cultivators traveling here dared not offend the sect. As the saying went: "If you are a dragon, you coil; if you are a tiger, you crouch."

Onlookers nearby couldn't help but look on with strange expressions, whispering among themselves. "I didn't expect that young man to be an outer disciple of Black Wind Cliff; he must be quite a talent."

"Indeed, Black Wind Cliff has extremely strict recruitment standards; you can't get in without real aptitude."

"Plus, Black Wind Cliff is notorious for protecting its own, and its disciples act with complete impunity."

"In this region, they are the absolute overlords; many people would break their heads just to get in."

"That’s true. I reckon that young man in black will likely have to kneel and beg for mercy."

"Exactly. Look at him—unarmed and without a hint of powerful aura. He’s probably just some greenhorn who just started cultivating."

However, the next moment, the scene unfolded in a way that terrified the onlookers out of their wits.

*Thud!*

"Ah!"

A dark shadow flashed forward, landing a punch squarely on the Black Wind Cliff disciple's face. The man flew a long distance, crashing heavily into the ground. With a couple of kicks of his legs and a tilt of his head, he was dead.

"He... he killed him!"

"And it was someone from Black Wind Cliff!"

Qin Chuan swept a cold gaze around, scaring the onlookers so much that they dared not speak another word and fled for their lives. Qin Chuan was indeed unarmed, but he possessed a volatile temper. This Black Wind Cliff outer disciple was courting death, daring to be so arrogant before him with such malicious intent. Qin Chuan had even dared to kill the Great Elder of Black Wind Cliff, Xiang Tianya; why would he fear a mere outer disciple?

"Uninteresting, and so fond of showing off." Qin Chuan said coolly, delivering his verdict on the disciple.

"Ding! Obtained 90 merit points."

"Ding! Devouring successful, obtained 30 points of Yuan Qi."

The entire sequence of events had taken only a blink of an eye. Zizi was shocked, her scalp tingling with fear.

"Qin Chuan is far too reckless!"

"He just acts on a whim! And he killed an outer disciple of Black Wind Cliff, no less."

"Black Wind Cliff is extremely protective of its own; how could they possibly let Qin Chuan go?"

Zizi hurriedly ran over and grabbed Qin Chuan, wanting to make a run for it. "Chuan, come with me, we must return to the Purple Spirit Mansion immediately." Her anxious expression was genuinely sincere.

However, Qin Chuan remained remarkably calm. "Don't panic, Zizi. It’s just one outer disciple of Black Wind Cliff. If they don't come for me, fine; if they dare to show up, I'll send them to their graves."

At that moment, Zizi wondered if Qin Chuan had lost his mind, treating the situation so lightly. "Chuan, listen to me. Black Wind Cliff has strength in numbers, and they possess many powerful experts. How could you possibly fight them? If they send any formidable elder, we won't be able to handle it."

Zizi’s words were perfectly logical, but Qin Chuan had his own plans. He smiled brightly. "It's fine. I suddenly feel like taking a bath too. Shall we go together?"

This left Zizi speechless. She pouted and said, "You’re in the mood to bathe at a time like this? Besides, there’s no way I’m bathing with you!"

"I just meant we should find a place to bathe, don't misunderstand!"

"Who misunderstood? No, wait, I didn't misunderstand! It's not..." Zizi suddenly felt she couldn't explain herself clearly. She truly had been bested by Qin Chuan. Ultimately, swayed by his pace, she had no choice but to go and find a place to bathe with him.

Meanwhile, news of the Black Wind Cliff disciple's death began to spread through Black Forest Town. In a hidden basement, dozens of outer disciples were gathered. A young man with a fierce expression pointed at the junior brother who had come to report and demanded, "Audacious! What kind of madman is this? How dare he kill one of our own?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother Liu Suifeng, I heard it was a young man in black. He killed Brother Wen with a single punch."

Liu Suifeng was slightly shocked; to kill Brother Wen with one punch meant the assailant's cultivation was on par with his own. He narrowed his eyes gloomily. "How many were there, and where have they gone?"

"A man and a woman, plus a spirit pet that is half-insect and half-snake."

"I heard they went to the Black Forest Inn and asked for two private rooms and two large tubs of hot water."

"It seems they intend to bathe." The reporter spoke cautiously, fearing Liu Suifeng might vent his rage on him, as Liu Suifeng was a top expert among the younger generation of outer disciples, ranked tenth, and was well-known for his explosive temper.

"Bathe?" Liu Suifeng stood up abruptly. "The bastard! Utterly arrogant. Come with me and take them down!"

"Yes!"