Green Deer Mountain

Twilight had just begun, and the light was no longer bright.

Chen Xuan moved lightly. Although he inevitably stepped on dead branches and fallen leaves, he didn't make a big noise. He quickly approached the few people from Green Deer Mountain from the forest.

"Roar..."

Four strong, green-skinned elk lowered their heads to drink from the lake. They carried people on their backs, all in their twenties, with Taoist topknots and wearing green robes.

"Wang Chan's Yellow Millet Dream is truly capable of producing good things. Just a casual word from him led us to a good place like Small Stone Lake," a Green Deer Mountain disciple jumped off the elk's back and said with emotion as he looked at the lake.

"He himself gets even more good things. His Ascension strength has now reached over five thousand jin, not inferior to any genius of the same age!"

"The gap between people is truly vast..."

"..."

The few people talked in low voices, their words full of envy, and even a hint of jealousy.

The leader of the four frowned and reprimanded them, "Our aptitude is not good, and the path to Ascension was cut off early. We can only hope to eat more heavenly materials and earthly treasures and attempt to step onto the path of Ascension a second time... If it weren't for Junior Brother Wang Chan's profound righteousness and generosity, providing us with opportunities and information, we would never have this chance to change our fate in this lifetime!"

The other three changed their expressions upon hearing this and quickly echoed.

"Yes, Senior Brother Chu, we will always remember Junior Brother Wang Chan's kindness..."

The path of Qi Refinement begins with the Ascension realm.

Most people can only undergo the first Ascension. Only a few with outstanding talent have the chance to break through their physical limits and usher in a second Ascension!

"Junior Brother Wang Chan has been doing a lot recently..."

Chen Xuan was already very close. He stopped at this moment and lurked not far away. Firstly, he was very interested in this information, and secondly, he wanted to wait until it was darker before making a move.

He was surprised in his heart, shocked that Wang Chan's Qi Refinement progress was so rapid.

Chen Xuan had encountered opportunities one after another in the past half month, getting visibly stronger every day, but he was only slightly ahead of Wang Chan?

The most crucial thing was that Wang Chan wasn't progressing alone; he was progressing together with his fellow disciples from Green Deer Mountain.

Yellow Millet Dream, with the experience of a lifetime in a dream as its foundation, was actually this miraculous!

No wonder Green Deer Mountain was willing to give up the new disciples they recruited along the way and rush to the Southern Wilderness Mountains with Wang Chan in advance!

"This Senior Brother Chu is about to undergo his second Ascension."

Chen Xuan muttered to himself. He felt a very dangerous aura from that Senior Brother Chu. His blood and Qi were in a boiling state, as if he had eaten heavenly materials and earthly treasures not long ago and was forcefully trying to break through some limit.

Senior Brother Chu stood with his hands behind his back, his demeanor composed. He stared intently at the lake and said:

"When the sky is darkest, the mature Treasure Fish will jump out of the water, attempting to cross the mountain and leap over the dragon gate. This is the only chance to catch them."

This was a secret told by Wang Chan. Over Mountain Treasure Fish could only be caught when they were on land. Although they hadn't caught a single Treasure Fish yet, if they were on the right path, they would succeed one day!

Some Qi Refiners from Red Crow City were actually foolish enough to go into the lake during the day and forcefully catch the Treasure Fish, making people laugh their heads off.

You don't even have the courage to stay in the deep mountains at night, what future are you seeking in the Southern Wilderness!

The four people from Green Deer Mountain were fully focused on the lake, patiently waiting for the opportunity. At this moment, Chen Xuan moved. He walked out from the forest like an agile leopard, quickly approaching them.

"Who's there!"

Senior Brother Chu was very alert. He turned his head in an instant, staring at Chen Xuan who walked out of the forest, and asked, "It's dark. Why aren't you leaving the mountain quickly? What are you doing here?"

"I'm lost. I saw people here and came to ask for directions."

Chen Xuan replied with a normal expression, his feet not stopping, continuing to approach the four people.

"You're really stupid. Just keep going north! Isn't the north the State of Chu?" A disciple burst into laughter upon hearing this, thinking that this lost young man was incredibly foolish and didn't even know the most basic common sense.

"Oh, that makes sense. You are truly good people."

Chen Xuan seemed to suddenly understand, his pace quickened, and in an instant, he was only a dozen meters away from them.

He was about to make a move!

"Deal with him. We appeared here at night, it's not good for more people to know." The cautious Senior Brother Chu suddenly said softly.

"Ah?"

Chen Xuan was stunned by the sound, and even his steps paused for a moment because of it.

"That makes sense."

The three disciples exchanged glances. Senior Brother Chu's thinking was indeed thorough. If other Qi Refiners also learned from them and all came to catch Treasure Fish at night, how could they improve?

The three of them drew their swords and knives and actively approached Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan was astonished. The style of Green Deer Mountain once again greatly shocked him. A single sentence decided the life of a young man asking for directions. Wasn't this too decisive and ruthless?

The most crucial thing was, did they think they were being very thorough?

Who in Small River Village didn't know that Green Deer Mountain appeared here at night!

"What are you trying to do by getting so close to me?"

Chen Xuan asked the three of them with a seemingly panicked tone.

Originally, he only wanted to capture these people and interrogate them for information. If they weren't truly evil people, he didn't want to cause too much killing. But now it seemed... they were seeking death.

"Naturally, we're taking your life." The three of them approached Chen Xuan, with playful and pitying smiles on their faces.

"Swish!"

In the next moment, Chen Xuan had already made his move, his fingers gripping the sharp green jade hairpin, drawing a golden-white afterimage in the air, slashing across the throat of the person at the very front.

With four people actively splitting up to court death, such an absurd thing happening, there was no reason for him not to seize this opportunity.

"Pfft!"

That person subconsciously touched their neck with their hand, and blood gushed out!

The other two were stunned, unable to believe it. They thought the clumsy Qi Refiner in front of them could be easily handled, but he suddenly erupted and attacked with incredible speed.

"Villain!"

These two immediately reacted, raising their swords and blades to slash at Chen Xuan, a vast expanse of white light from Immortal Qi illuminating the air.

"Clang!"

Chen Xuan used the hairpin to deflect the greatsword slashing down from the air, raised a leg, and kicked the slower reacting person flying over ten meters away.

This person fell to the ground, spitting up large mouthfuls of blood. This was a speed far beyond his reach and strength far exceeding his own. He was defeated in one move, completely not an opponent.

Chen Xuan had observed from the shadows for a long time and already had a good grasp of the four people's strength. Now that they were engaged in combat, he immediately swept through the battlefield like an autumn wind scattering fallen leaves.

"Bang!"

Chen Xuan raised his other hand, a fist print enveloped in golden-white light, as if holding a small sun in his hand, and struck the other person.

This person's pupils constricted, unable to dodge. They could only hastily defend, and then their chest was struck, caving in, and they flew backward, their bones broken in who knows how many places. It was clear they wouldn't survive.

In an instant, two were dead and one was severely injured.

"He's a master!" Senior Brother Chu was dumbfounded. Defeating three Qi Refiners in a flash of lightning was something even he couldn't do. This was bad, this person came prepared!

Chen Xuan didn't pursue the severely injured person who had taken a kick. Instead, like a gust of wind, he immediately pounced towards Senior Brother Chu in the distance.

This person was the strongest, about to undergo his second Ascension, and had to be dealt with.

"Buzz!"

Chen Xuan arrived in an instant, raising a fist high, White Qi swirling around it, condensing a white ape's fist phantom the size of a washbasin, extremely oppressive.

Little White Ape Trick!

He went straight for his strongest killing move. This punch, in terms of pure strength, was probably no less than ten thousand jin. Delivered now, it was simply overwhelming, possessing a momentum that ten thousand troops couldn't withstand!

"Showing off your meager skills before an expert, you're courting death!"

Senior Brother Chu roared, completely fearless. He activated a Green Deer Mountain trick, condensing a green deer head phantom on his fists, and the jade coral-like antlers immediately thrust out.

Little Green Deer Trick!

"Clang clang!"

In an instant, the two exchanged several blows, fighting fiercely. The white ape roared, the green deer galloped, and the golden-white and green Immortal Qi collided repeatedly, splashing out dazzling light.

Senior Brother Chu was inwardly shocked. He hadn't gained the slightest advantage. The opponent's trick was used skillfully, even stronger than his own trick that he had painstakingly cultivated for several years. The opponent must have started cultivating from a young age and put in hard work!

"Villain, relying on martial arts, not following the proper path of Qi Refinement!"

The more Senior Brother Chu fought, the more anxious he became. He was completely suppressed by the overwhelming fist prints.

Moreover, metal overcomes wood. The sharp and unparalleled Metal Virtue White Qi was the most effective counter to the long and continuous Wood Virtue Green Qi. His trick was quickly shattered by the opponent's Little White Ape Trick. He was inwardly horrified and turned to flee!

"Whatever is useful is the proper path!"

Chen Xuan immediately followed, the giant white ape fist phantom smashing down towards his back, not holding back at all. It struck Senior Brother Chu's body, creating several fist-sized indentations, and he flew out over ten meters like a kite with a broken string.

"Eh?"

Chen Xuan's gaze narrowed. He saw Senior Brother Chu suddenly spit out a stream of Green Qi with a grassy fragrance, which quickly stitched up his wounds like a needle and thread. A large amount of life force permeated the air, and his flesh seemed to surge and grow like tender sprouts.

Senior Brother Chu's injuries immediately healed. He scrambled up and rushed into the forest.

Wood Virtue Green Qi seeks "the growth of all things, the path of the Elixir Cauldron Immortal."

Those who cultivate Green Qi have incredibly tenacious vitality, several times stronger than Qi Refiners with Fire Virtue Red Qi!

"Let's see how many lives you have!"

Chen Xuan tapped his toe, picking up a longsword from the ground, letting the Metal Virtue White Qi spread along the blade, and chased after him closely with the sword.

"Pfft!"

He had already thoroughly investigated the nearby terrain and quickly caught up to the panicked Senior Brother Chu. A golden-white sword light, like a crescent moon, swept out horizontally. With a crack, Senior Brother Chu's head fell to the ground.

"I am a disciple of Green Deer Mountain! From Green Deer Mountain! How dare you kill me?!"

Senior Brother Chu roared, Green Qi erupting from his neck, as if countless tree root-like hands grew out, holding up his head, and he continued to flee wildly like a mouse.

He had unspeakable bitterness in his heart. Tonight was definitely not an accident. It must be some damned disciple of Green Deer Mountain who was blind and provoked such a master... causing him to suffer inexplicably!

"It is precisely you Green Deer Mountain disciples I am killing."

Chen Xuan snorted coldly, throwing the longsword. It streaked across the sky like a meteor, firmly pinning Senior Brother Chu's head to the ground. White Qi surged and sword light scattered, instantly shattering the Green Qi. Senior Brother Chu's eyes immediately dimmed, his face turned ashen and lost its color, and he completely died.

"To deal with you Green Deer Mountain, I cultivated White Qi first!"

Chen Xuan recalled the White Qi, quickly cleaned up the battlefield, and then immediately returned to the lakeside, dragging the Green Deer Mountain disciple who had taken a kick from him, was severely injured, and only had one breath left, into the shadows.

He began to interrogate him for information.

One living person was enough.