Thorn Armor

A sharp shout jolted Zhuge Xiang out of his reverie about his past, and also jolted Su Huayu, who was in a state of emotional turmoil.

Zhuge Xiang turned his head and looked toward the source of the sound. He saw the Rakshasa City Lord lightly Lotus Steps beside Zhuge Xiang and Su Huayu. Behind the Rakshasa City Lord were several Squad Leader at the seventh or eighth level of the Innate Realm.

Grabbing Su Huayu's hand and pulling her to his side, the Rakshasa City Lord glared at Zhuge Xiang with eyes full of anger and asked, "What did you do to my daughter?"

Zhuge Xiang shrugged, feigning innocence, and said, "I didn't do anything. You should be asking what your daughter did to me. I didn't do anything inappropriate; it was your daughter who insisted on throwing herself into my arms."

"You're talking nonsense!" Zhuge Xiang's words provoked a strong reaction from the Rakshasa City Lord. He turned around and looked at Su Huayu in disbelief, saying, "What he said isn't true?"

Looking at the Rakshasa City Lord with surprise, Zhuge Xiang couldn't understand. When they met before, the Rakshasa City Lord hadn't shown anything unusual, and had even asked him to help take care of Su Huayu. But why was he reacting so strongly now? The difference between his behavior and his previous reaction was like that of two completely different people. However, judging from the calm expressions of the Innate Realm Squad Leader behind him, they were clearly used to the Rakshasa City Lord's behavior.

Forcibly breaking free from the Rakshasa City Lord's grasp, Su Huayu was clearly very dissatisfied with her mother. She threw herself into Zhuge Xiang right in front of the Rakshasa City Lord, and said willfully and capriciously, "What he said is true. I like him, and I want to marry him."

"You..." The Rakshasa City Lord angrily pointed at Su Huayu and shouted, "How many times have I told you? You must never marry Asura Sect Disciple. None of the men of the Asura Sect are good. Marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers. What's wrong with Young Master Liu of the Heavenly Sword Sect? If you really don't like him, I'll find you someone else, but no matter what, you absolutely cannot marry a man from the Asura Sect."

"I'll pursue my own happiness, it's none of your business. You won't let me set my sights on a man from the Asura Sect, but I'll just have to," Su Huayu said defiantly, clinging tightly to Zhuge Xiang.

"You, you're going to be the death of me! Go back right now, or believe me, I'll kill him right now!" Looking at Su Huayu's appearance, the Rakshasa City Lord was filled with rage and was clearly on the verge of losing his temper.

"City Lord, look at this place, there's such a huge crater left behind. Could it be a trace left by Spell attack?" Seeing that Rakshasa City Lord to lose his mind, the Squad Leader of the Innate Realm behind him exchanged glances. Then, one of them stepped forward, pointed to the huge crater left by the Self-Detonation, and said.

"Whatever the huge pit it is, I don't have time for it," the Rakshasa City Lord Innate Realm Squad Leader turning his head, clearly indicating that taking care of his daughter was the most important thing.

Behind the Rakshasa City Lord, several Squad Leader at the Innate Realm subtly gestured to Zhuge Xiang, signaling him to release Su Huayu. Meanwhile, the Squad Leader who spoke continued, "City Lord, judging from the battle marks here, they were left by Cultivator at the Return to Simplicity Realm. Also, isn't that our Asura Sect's wanted criminal, True Person Scarlet Blood? He was actually killed? And this one, isn't that Old Man Dragonwood, at the Tenth Layer of Return to Simplicity Realm?"

Although he didn't understand what was going on, Zhuge Xiang patted Su Huayu on the back and let go of her.

Whether it was because Zhuge Xiang released Su Huayu, or because the news of the corpses of True Person Scarlet Blood and Old Man Dragonwood attracted the attention of the Rakshasa City Lord, after hesitating for a moment, the Rakshasa City Lord glared fiercely at Zhuge Xiang and Su Huayu, then turned around to examine the corpses of True Person Scarlet Blood and Old Man Dragonwood.

After examining the body, the Rakshasa City Lord, with a solemn expression, said, "True Person Scarlet Blood is at the Seventh Layer of Return to Simplicity Realm, and he has also mastered the Bloodthirsty Technique. His combat power is such that even I am not confident I could kill him. Yet he is here? Judging from the wounds on his body, he is clearly a master swordsman. And this Old Man Dragonwood, ten years ago, his cultivation had already reached the Return to Simplicity Realm Peak, but judging from the marks, he actually died from kowtowing?"

"City Lord, look over here. One of the Twin Heroes of Lingnan seems to have been killed by Blowgun. What kind of battle took place here? And this huge crater, could it be that Deity Transformation Stage Cultivator appeared?" A Squad Leader from the Shadow Hall, after surveying the scene, deduced the course of the battle with the Rakshasa City Lord.

"Junior Brother Zhuge, please don't take offense. That's just how the City Lord is. He reacts a bit strongly when he sees Miss Su embracing Asura Sect Disciples Zhuge Xiang," a Squad Leader at the Innate Realm Eighth Layer said in a low voice as the Rakshasa City Lord's attention was diverted.

"Has the Rakshasa City Lord always been like this?" Zhuge Xiang asked the Innate Realm Squad Leader after glancing at Su Huayu, who was clearly unwilling to discuss this matter.

Shaking his head, the Squad Leader sighed and said, "The City Lord used to be perfectly normal, but ever since Senior Brother Qing Mingzi City Lord Rakshasa City, he's become like this. Normally, he's no different from usual, but if he sees Miss Su getting too close to a male disciple of the Asura Sect, he reacts strongly and unusually. Over time, even the male disciples of our Asura Sect, and even us Squad Leader, have started keeping our distance from Miss Su."

"I see," Zhuge Xiang Squad Leader, Innate Realm understanding.

To put it bluntly, this Rakshasa City Lord is almost intermittently insane. Whenever he sees Su Huayu getting too close to a man from the Asura Sect Rakshasa City Lord, this reaction occurs. No wonder he seemed normal when we first met him, even asking us to take extra care of Su Huayu. But tonight, his reaction is so strong, like a completely different person. Was Rakshasa City Lord still in a normal state then, and has he suddenly become ill?

"Could it be because Senior Brother Qing Mingzi left? But what exactly happened between them that made the Rakshasa City Lord so hostile towards the male disciples of the Asura Sect?" Zhuge Xiang wondered, then shook his head. "Never mind, this is Su Huayu's family matter. I can't and shouldn't interfere."

"Junior Brother Zhuge, have you and Xiaoyu been here the whole time? Do you know what just happened here?" At this moment, the Rakshasa City Lord came to Zhuge Xiang and asked him. Although his face still showed signs of anger, it was much better than when he was about to kill someone.

" At the Auction, several Cultivators at the Returning to the Return to Simplicity Realm fought fiercely over a Heavenly Heart Begonia. Among them, True Person Scarlet Blood was killed by a mysterious expert, and the Heavenly Heart Begonia was also taken away. Old Man Dragonwood was killed by Senior Brother Qing Mingzi when he tried to attack Miss Su. Of the Twin Heroes of Lingnan, one was killed by Old Man Dragonwood's Blowgun, and the other died by Self-Detonation."

Zhuge Xiang answered, half true and half false. He had clearly witnessed the allure of the Heavenly Heart Begonia Zhuge Xiang Cultivator in the Return to Simplicity Realm from the Old Man Dragonwood. Although Zhuge Xiang was not afraid, and even enjoyed having enemies come looking for him, it would be too dangerous for Cultivator in the Return to Simplicity Realm Zhuge Xiang come knocking on his door with his current strength.

"What? Yi Bufan is here too? Xiaoyu? Your father is here too?" Upon hearing Zhuge Xiang's words and the fact that Qing Mingzi had actually appeared, the Rakshasa City Lord's expression changed, and he hurriedly asked Su Huayu.

With a cold snort, Su Huayu turned her head away, refusing to answer.

The Rakshasa City Lord was not stupid after all. Combining this with the earlier scene of Su Huayu crying in Zhuge Xiang, he realized that she must have been crying because she watched her father leave. Moreover, Zhuge Xiang had no reason to deceive himself on this matter; Qing Mingzi really had appeared here.

"Junior Brother Zhuge, which direction did Yi Bufan leave from? Tell me quickly!" In his excitement, the Rakshasa City Lord grabbed Zhuge Xiang's arms tightly and asked urgently.

Zhuge Xiang pointed in the direction Qing Mingzi had left, Rakshasa City Lord immediately disregarded everything else, accelerating at full speed to chase after Qing Mingzi.

Deity Transformation Stage Cultivator doesn't want to see you, how can you possibly get to see them? Looking at the Rakshasa City Lord's hurried appearance, Zhuge Xiang shook his head inwardly. Regardless of what exactly happened to Su Huayu's parents, the Rakshasa City Lord was, in the end, a pitiful person.

The Rakshasa City Lord left on his own, and the Squad Leader of the Innate Realm did not intend to chase after him. They stayed behind to investigate. If he could catch up, it would be inappropriate for outsiders like themselves to be present. If he could not catch up, the City Lord would naturally return.

"Let's go." Seeing that the matter here had come to an end, Zhuge Xiang and Su Huayu nodded and turned to leave.

The trip was quite fruitful. First, the mission was completed, and his cultivation level reached the Fourth Layer the Void Splitting Realm. He also obtained a Ten-Star Grade Magic Artifact armor and the Heavenly Heart Begonia, an Immortal-grade Item- grade medicinal herb. Of course, Zhuge Xiang also paid a heavy price this time, risking his life to fight against a powerful enemy in the Return to Simplicity Realm. He even used up Super Spirit Qi Secret Medicine, Qi Gathering Pill, and even the Phantom Clone Scroll. It's hard to say what the gains and losses were.

Zhuge Xiang took out the Storage Ring he had seized and examined it. It contained a considerable amount of valuable items. In addition to the Heavenly Heart Begonia, there were more than three hundred low-grade Spirit Stone, as well as many other precious items. This wealthy merchant was indeed extraordinary.

Of the 1,900 low-grade Spirit Stone, 50 were used at the Auction. With the addition of these 200, Zhuge Xiang now possesses over 2,200 low-grade Spirit Stone.

After examining the merchant's Storage Ring, Zhuge Xiang opened his own Bag Space. Sure enough, a suit of armor lay there— the Thorn Armor, Ten-Star Magic Artifact rewarded from the mission to Seize the Heavenly Heart Begonia.

Thorn Armor (Ten-Star Magic Artifact): Requires Third Layer of Void Splitting Realm, Defense 320-380, Passive: Reduces the defense of enemies within a 10-meter radius by 20%, Active: Reflects single-target attacks from Qi Refining Stage cultivators, Limited to once per day, Durability 8282, Weight 17.

A Ten-Star Grade Magic Artifact with only a little over three hundred defense is indeed a bit lacking. However, seeing that this armor not only has passive abilities but also active Skill, Zhuge Xiang was overjoyed. Quest items are always top-notch, and the effects of this Magic Artifact are much better than the equipment he had previously obtained.

"Zhuge Xiang, do you know why I ran away from home?" Zhuge Xiang's mind was still immersed in the gains of this battle. Su Huayu, walking beside him, remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking. (To be continued...)