Could You Not Even Wait Three Days?

Daybreak came in full.

Sunlight pierced the clouds, gilding Xuan Hall in a layer of golden radiance.

Inside the spacious side hall.

Elder Tian Xing took a swig of fine wine, unable to hide the worry in his eyes.

He could not help shaking his head and sighing. "Only three days remain until the Apprentice Ceremony... Ah! Chen Xuan, what are you going to do?"

Du Meng, Shi Lei, and Niu Ben all turned their gazes toward him.

Their brows were furrowed as well, their hearts inexplicably heavy.

The matter of Chen Xuan's wager with Ji Yaoyue had long spread throughout Central Province like wildfire.

Anyone with eyes could see that after the Apprentice Ceremony, the bond between this master and disciple would likely come to an end...

When that happened, Chen Xuan's situation would become exceedingly dangerous!

Chen Xuan drained the wine in his cup in one gulp and laughed heartily. "If this place won't keep me, another place will. If nowhere will keep me, then I'll truly be in a bind!"

At that moment, he was radiant with spirit, as though he had returned to his former self!

Elder Tian Xing hesitated for a moment before speaking to persuade him.

"Chen Xuan, there must be some misunderstanding between you and Ji Yaoyue, right? Why not lay everything out and clear it up? Or apologize to her publicly?"

"There's no need!" Chen Xuan shook his head without the slightest hesitation.

He gazed at the rising sun gradually emerging halfway from the clouds and sighed.

"I once thought that if I gave my heart sincerely, I would surely receive something in return... But only after I detonated my Ninth Grade Golden Core did I realize how terribly wrong I was!"

"Some people are born white-eyed wolves! They only know how to take and never understand gratitude... No matter how much you give them, they will take it for granted. And the moment you become useless, they will turn ruthless!"

"The rift between Ji Yaoyue and me has long been torn open. We are like fire and water! Even if she sees me breathing now, she would think I'm guilty..."

Elder Tian Xing remained silent at those words.

After being afflicted by that strange poison, was he not in the very same predicament?

"Master, don't worry too much! Xuan Ge has the Azure Blood Loyal Heart Token in his hand. Which force among the Nine Sects Thirteen Schools wouldn't want to recruit him? What's so great about the Vast Sword Sect? Weren't you injured and poisoned because an insider leaked information?" Niu Ben said indignantly.

Chen Xuan's heart jolted when he heard that!

The intelligence of the Sect Demon Hunting Squad was top secret, and there were only a handful of people qualified to access it.

If there had truly been a leak... then someone at the very top of the sect must have colluded with a demonic path force!

Who could it be?

"Insolence! If you dare mention this again, I will kill you on the spot!"

Elder Tian Xing barked sharply, a trace of fear and chill flashing through his eyes.

Disaster came from one's mouth!

Though he thought the same, speaking recklessly without proof would only lead to a quicker death!

After being rebuked, Niu Ben could only wear an embarrassed and resentful expression.

Chen Xuan's eyes flickered as he said gravely, "Elder Tian Xing, the Dark Mandala Flower poison in your body can only be cured by Nine Yang Fire Essence. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to find it! Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his heart upon it!"

"Good lad, it's enough that you have such intentions! But Nine Yang Fire Essence is exceedingly rare in this world. It won't be easy to find!"

Elder Tian Xing spoke appreciatively, though the disappointment in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

The Dark Mandala Flower had forcibly severed his path of cultivation. Naturally, he was unwilling to accept it.

But what could he do?

In truth, after Chen Xuan learned what strange poison Elder Tian Xing had been afflicted with, he had asked Bai Bingyan in the secret chamber and only then learned that Nine Yang Fire Essence could cure it.

Yet even with Bai Bingyan's status, she did not know where in the Wild Heaven Region this fire essence recorded in ancient texts could be found...

The group was drinking merrily when a cry for help suddenly rang out.

"Something terrible has happened! Demonic path cultivators are spreading poison everywhere! Master, hurry back to Red Flame Peak and save them! Junior Sister is dead, and Senior Brother Qi is dead too..."

A young man came flying on his sword, his face shrouded in black qi. The moment he finished speaking, he fell to the ground and began convulsing.

"Zhen Yan, my disciple!"

Red Beard Elder's eyes split with fury. He hurried forward to save him, but he was still one step too late.

"Ah! You beasts of the demonic path, I, Red Beard Elder, will never rest until one side is dead!"

With a roar, he summoned his flying sword and tore through the sky with a thunderous crash.

The more than twenty Nascent Soul elders present all changed expression at once!

"This is bad! Even Red Flame Peak has fallen into danger, let alone the smaller peaks where we are stationed!"

"My Dao Companion has just given birth to a child. The strongest senior disciple on the peak is only a fourth-grade, seventh-tier Golden Core cultivator. How can they possibly withstand this?"

"Hurry back and reinforce them! Delay will bring disaster!"

The elders all spoke up, panic-stricken.

At once, Chen Xuan sensed an intense air of conspiracy and danger!

He hurriedly said, "The Vast Sword Sect is filled with powerful experts. Those demonic path cultivators appeared too strangely, but they certainly will not be able to run rampant for long! I ask that all of you honor your Great Dao Oath and remain here to protect this Saint Son!"

Yet the more than twenty Nascent Soul elders present acted as though they had not heard him, each flying away on their swords.

"This?"

Chen Xuan's mouth twitched, and the unease in his heart grew even stronger.

A moment later.

Three Dao Reverend and the others stationed in Xuan Hall hurried over as well, communicating with one another through secret voice transmissions.

They too sensed that something was wrong!

Just then.

BOOM!!!

In the distance, an incomparably terrifying Spirit Transformation pressure suddenly erupted, sweeping forcefully toward Xuan Hall!

A figure wrapped in a violent hurricane, its true face impossible to discern, had already broken into Xuan Hall.

For a moment, the temperature throughout Xuan Hall plummeted, while chilling killing intent ran rampant!

This was bad!

Elder Tian Xing and the others all changed expression!

A scheme to lure the tiger from the mountain?

Red Beard Elder, a Transformation Spirit Stage expert, and more than twenty Nascent Soul elders had just left. Whether they had fallen for a trap or acted under someone's orders—

The people remaining in Xuan Hall could not possibly stop a Spirit Transformation expert.

With a rustle...

Three Dao Reverend, along with the elders and disciples of the Nine Sects Thirteen Schools, gathered together without prior agreement, yet none of them placed Chen Xuan at the center for protection.

They had received instructions from their sects and all coveted the Azure Blood Loyal Heart Token in Chen Xuan's possession.

But!

In this situation, continuing to forcibly protect Chen Xuan would be tantamount to courting death...

At a moment of life-and-death crisis, their own lives were ultimately the most important!

Elder Tian Xing shouted, "Disciples, protect Chen Xuan and retreat! I'll stop him! Xuan Hall is close to Jade Maiden Great Hall. Ji Yaoyue will arrive soon!"

After saying that, he flipped his hand and took out a golden pill, swallowing it without hesitation!

BOOM!...

In an instant, Elder Tian Xing's aura surged explosively, rising from the Nascent Soul Realm back to the early Spirit Transformation Stage.

With another flip of his hand, he drew his mid-grade treasure saber and charged forward.

The Spirit Transformation expert surrounded by the hurricane also brought forth an emerald-green longsword and slashed out with a single strike!

In the next moment.

The two figures radiating terrifying auras clashed in fierce battle!

Sword qi crisscrossed, saber light ran wild!

The entire Xuan Hall was carved into a complete mess, on the verge of collapsing with a thunderous crash.

Elder Tian Xing quickly fell into a disadvantage, yet he fought without fear of death, using a savage style meant to perish together with his foe.

"Xuan Ge, run!"

Du Meng grabbed Chen Xuan's arm and roared.

But!

Chen Xuan did not move at all. His eyes were filled with icy light.

Run?

There was no need anymore!

The moment the Jade Maiden Peak grand formation was destroyed, Ji Yaoyue would have sensed it.

If she intended to come, she would have come long ago...

Chen Xuan gave a self-mocking smile, shook his head, and sighed. "You... could not even wait three days?"

No one knew!

Beneath Chen Xuan's indifferent exterior at that moment lay an overwhelming depth of disappointment, fury, and killing intent...