Diverting Disaster?

In the distant mountains, a wash of crimson light surged into the sky, and a piercing cry shattered the silence.

A black bird rose on beating wings, a vicious ferocity surging with it. Countless flames spread, and black feather arrows rained down, striking in every direction.

The man from earlier appeared there too. As the two fought, astonishing displays of power erupted again and again.

A savage claw mark appeared across the man's chest. Blood stained his clothes red, and his face held nothing but solemnity.

Lu Changsheng rose to watch, his expression calm. He had long anticipated what was happening now.

"People these days just won't listen to advice!"

As he spoke, he was in no hurry to leave, watching the spectacle with interest. If both sides ended up grievously wounded, wouldn't someone have to clean up the aftermath for them?

Yet while the man fought the black bird, the young man broke free of that area, covered in wounds and already severely injured.

Unexpectedly, the man could no longer hold the black bird back. It kept breaking through his obstruction and charging forward, intent on keeping the young man there, as though something were attracting it.

The young man staggered through the air, unable to steady himself, nearly falling several times.

As the scene unfolded, the young man struggled on. Looking up, he spotted Lu Changsheng nearby and immediately frowned.

Lu Changsheng was watching too, perfectly calm, with no intention of getting involved. He was simply enjoying the spectacle and waiting to scoop up the spoils.

To his surprise, however, the young man looked at him and mustered all his strength to warn him, "Fellow Daoist, get out of here!"

Hmm?

As those words fell, Lu Changsheng was momentarily lost in thought.

In that very instant, a black feather flew over and pierced the young man's body. Blood splattered, his body stiffened, and he plummeted from the sky.

He completely believed what Lu Changsheng had said earlier now. They were simply no match for it.

But it was too late to say anything now. The moment he fell from the sky, he lost the last of his consciousness.

Meanwhile, Zhao Huan appeared as well. He was clever. While that Nascent Soul cultivator fought the bird, he raced through the forest under its cover. With obstacles in the way, escaping was easier.

Seeing that he was about to escape, Lu Changsheng frowned, leaped down from the mountain peak, and stood before Zhao Huan.

Seeing someone blocking his way, Zhao Huan immediately flew into a rage and barked a rebuke.

"Bastard, get out of my way!"

As Zhao Huan spoke, he raised a hand and sent a wave of Law Power crashing down.

Yet as the Law Power approached, it inexplicably dissipated. Zhao Huan's footsteps halted as well, and his body floated up beyond his control. Terror immediately filled his eyes.

"A homeless cur, and you still remember to bark a few times?" Lu Changsheng said mildly, approaching step by step.

"You..."

Zhao Huan was terrified. Feeling the fluctuations of Law Power around him, he could hardly believe it.

Then Lu Changsheng slowly asked, "What is your relationship with Zhao Jing?"

"She belongs to my Zhao Household! Offend our Divine Firmament Zhao Household, and you'll die a terrible death! Zhao Gongming, one of the Four Venerables of Divine Firmament, is a member of our Zhao Household! You..."

"So you're from the Zhao Household!" Lu Changsheng nodded.

At this, Zhao Huan's expression eased. The other party was probably starting to feel afraid too. The Four Venerables of Divine Firmament were not people just anyone could afford to offend.

Yet the next words left him stunned.

"Since you're all from the Zhao Household, I won't have any qualms about killing you!"

"What did you say?"

Zhao Huan could not believe it, then terror filled his face. A streak of Law Power reflected in his pupils and cut into the space between his brows, instantly severing his life.

That Nascent Soul cultivator sensed something, looked back, and flew into a towering rage.

"Brat, you're courting death!"

"You'd better worry about yourself first!"

Lu Changsheng spoke indifferently as he watched the two sides fight.

The man had not expected him to possess such methods. His killing intent surged, yet there was nothing he could do. He could barely keep himself alive now.

The forest soon fell silent.

The man seized an opportunity. He could escape this place and flee with his life just by turning around, yet the instant he did, a streak of Sword Qi met him head-on, forcibly cutting off his path.

When he looked over, Lu Changsheng stood on a solitary peak in the distance. He was the one who had attacked.

"You..."

"You what? Don't get distracted. Focus on fighting your enemy. You're from the Divine Firmament Sect, so noble and distinguished. How could you flee in the face of battle? Go fight! Fight to the death! Don't return without victory!"

Lu Changsheng spoke, his voice as calm as ever.

Since the other party had developed killing intent toward him, this matter would not be settled so easily. He was easygoing in every other respect, but he held grudges.

"You deserve to die!"

The man roared, inwardly alarmed as well. He sensed the terror of that Sword Qi, and the youth's cultivation had exceeded his expectations too.

For a time, he faced enemies from both front and rear.

The black bird charged, and his retreat was cut off. Whenever he backed away, Lu Changsheng struck to sever his escape route. He was trying to force him to his death here!

"Ah!"

The man roared, Law Power surging around him as he clashed head-on with the bird. His injuries grew increasingly severe.

Overwhelming might swept outward. Lu Changsheng did not attack again, instead quietly retreating down the peak.

The man noticed and unleashed an astonishing technique, charging forward recklessly. He temporarily shook off the black bird, turned, and fled into the forest, seemingly about to get away.

Yet just as he was about to leave, a ribbon of light manifested and slammed into him.

Pfft!

The man coughed up blood. His body smashed through a hill, and he tumbled away, his ribs breaking as excruciating pain followed.

Lu Changsheng appeared once more before him, and anger surged into his eyes again.

"You're courting death!"

He let out a furious roar.

Lu Changsheng merely glanced at him indifferently and said, "I didn't expect you to actually make it out alive. I'll count you lucky this time, then!"

With that, he swept his raised hand down. A streak of Sword Qi pierced the man's body, severing his life.

The man's pupils trembled as he stared ahead in terror. Feeling Lu Changsheng's strength before he died, he was left with nothing but disbelief.

Meanwhile, the black bird watched Lu Changsheng warily. The two looked at each other, but neither attacked.

He did not want to provoke it for no reason. He had let the man come over because he was also afraid the black bird would swallow him. If that happened, there would be no fat left for him to skim.

The black bird watched, then quietly withdrew.

At this realm, its intelligence had long since become no lower than a human's. Knowing Lu Changsheng bore it no ill will, it turned and left.

For a while, the forest fell quiet.

Lu Changsheng began cleaning up. He could not help frowning and cursing them a few times for being paupers.

The Spirit Stones on the two of them added up to only a little over thirty thousand. Including their other possessions, the total was forty thousand at most, far below his expectations.

At that thought, he raised his hand and burned the two of them. He glanced at the young man lying on the ground, who still had a breath left in him, and ultimately took him along.

He was not heartless, after all, and he did not dislike the young man.

Even in that situation earlier, the young man had remembered to warn him. Saving his life could count as paving a road for Zhou Qingyu. After all, this young man's background did not look simple.

With that thought, Lu Changsheng turned to leave. He had already traveled a hundred li when a commotion erupted behind him once more.

A piercing cry echoed, filled with fury. It was the black bird from earlier.

It seemed to have encountered another opponent, and the two sides launched into a fierce battle.

"It certainly keeps busy!"

Lu Changsheng made the remark without pausing for even a moment, preparing to return to the sect.

But the very next moment, he sensed something amiss. The black bird's presence was drawing closer and closer.

Looking back, he saw it heading straight toward him. Behind it, two black-clad figures pursued relentlessly, murderous intent flashing continuously in their eyes.

"Bastard, is it trying to divert disaster and make me shield it from trouble?"