He Flees, She Pursues (8k)
The night wind whistled through the roadside weeds along the quiet path out of town. "An— An Ruyu?!"
Upon seeing that exquisite face, Zhang Qinghe felt a chill run down his spine, a coldness shooting from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, a feeling of horror and absurdity washing over him.
What are you doing here?
If she's here, then who's on the other side of the government office?
Don't hold me back!
The deep, cold words reached Zhang Qinghe's ears, instantly clearing his dizzy head.
Zhang Qinghe gritted his teeth and ran towards the yamen (government office).
He desperately wanted to stay and fight the powerful enemy alongside Yu Tunzhou, but he knew all too well that he was only at the initial Form Refinement, and his muscles, bones, and skin were not yet fully developed. That demoness could seriously injure him with a flick of her finger!
The feeling of having to turn and flee, leaving his companions behind in front of a powerful enemy, made Zhang Qinghe crave strength more than ever before.
The young woman paid no attention to Zhang Qinghe's escape. She took a small step forward, her eyes, like autumn water, shimmering with a gentle light of surprise, as if she had truly seen the old friend she had longed for day and night. "Young Hero Guo, I only caught a glimpse of you from afar just now, and I thought it was just that I had been missing you for so long that everyone looked like you. Fortunately, I am cautious by nature, so I came here to confirm."
Yu Tunzhou took a step back, thinking to himself, "Kai covets your Heavenly Court Fragment and yet he can call it missing you, and he says it with such deep affection. His shamelessness is comparable to mine."
His tone was calm and even. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Heroine An, is there anything else you wish to see me about? If not, I shall take my leave now. I have urgent business to attend to. Let us meet again at a suitable place next time."
Noticing Zhang Qinghe's retreat, Yu Tunzhou calmed down. He glanced around and saw the turbulent river in the distance. His escape route immediately came to mind.
It's obvious that this woman is after the Heavenly Court Fragment; the real danger is yet to come.
"Let's meet another day? Or perhaps on a pleasure boat on the river?"
An Ruyu's tone was low and languid, then she smiled faintly and changed the subject, "Was that Zhang Qinghe from the Zhang Household just now? He stayed in Luofu Grotto-Heaven for half a year and had never left the Zhang Household before. When did Young Hero Guo meet him?"
"It can't be that Young Hero Guo doesn't actually have the surname Guo, can it?"
She bit her lip lightly, her tone both wistful and resentful. "Could it be that nothing you said to Young Hero Guo last time we met was true?"
Yu Tunzhou hissed inwardly. This woman was not only unparalleled in intelligence, but also extremely meticulous. She must have learned from Zhang Yan that he possessed Divine Ability.
The biggest problem with his identity is that he is Immortal Seed. Even if he doesn't reveal his name, those who are interested can still trace the clues to confirm his identity.
After all, all immortal Immortal Seed in this world have traceable origins; there are absolutely no exceptions.
We can't keep talking like this, or we'll expose everything. We need to find a way to break the deadlock, an opportunity to make the girl lose her composure!
An Ruyu blinked. "Young Hero Guo, you're not planning to jump into the river and run away, are you? Doesn't Young Hero Guo know that the Three Passages River is a branch of the Coming Dragon River, and a great creature lurks in its depths year-round. Even I wouldn't dare to provoke it lightly."
"Nothing usually happens, but I wonder who was testing their Divine Ability here earlier and woke that person up."
The Yu Tunzhou silently; had they cut off their own escape route?
The young girl's face was serious as she said, "That thing is a genuine dragon offspring with a powerful bloodline. Young Hero Guo, you shouldn't risk your life. You should come back to the Incense-Smelling Cult with me."
This woman not only wants his Heavenly Court Fragment, but now she wants him too?
Upon hearing the words "dragon seed, "Yu Tunzhou's mind began to stir again.
Since that duel, with the Kunpeng Divine Intent bestowed upon him, Little Black seemed to have been freed from some kind of constraint, growing in size every day, and now he could ride on his back and roam the vast ocean.
It remains to be seen whether it can deter a colossal dragon species that even An Ruyu is unwilling to provoke.
"I'm sorry, but I keep my distance from the Incense-Smelling Cult and have no intention of getting involved for the time being!" Yu Tunzhou refused decisively, his body already gathering power.
An Ruyu, however, didn't care at all and laughed, "Once I take Young Hero Guo back, Young Hero Guo will see the great cause of our sect and change his mind. If Young Hero Guo still refuses, then the Sacred Cult has its own ways of dealing with it, such as—using a honey trap."
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she were the one being used in this honey trap.
What great cause does your church undertake?
Besides stalling for time to build up momentum, Yu Tunzhou was also somewhat curious.
"Naturally, it's about overthrowing the tyranny of the Great Yan and welcoming the twelve old mothers into the world," An Ruyu said earnestly, not at all like a joke.
"If the twelve old mothers were to truly descend to earth, they would be extraordinary. They would wipe out the Incense-Smelling Cult first," Yu Tunzhou thought to himself.
According to some legends, among the twelve female deities who were recruited by the Incense-Smelling Cult, some had rather fiery tempers.
"I've heard that the Incense-Smelling Cult is the lineage of the Human Emperor. Is that true?" Yu Tunzhou changed the subject, preparing for his escape.
From the moment it started, a powerful aura had been locking onto An Ruyu.
Upon mentioning the title "Human Emperor," An Ruyu's expression became more solemn for the first time. "The earliest leader of the Incense-Smelling Cult was indeed one of the Human Emperor's personally taught disciples."
How many people in this world believe this?
"Whether others believe it or not, this is the truth."
"Human Emperor's relics in Pinghu County?" Yu Tunzhou's words were startling. He then took out a token from his robes and flashed it in front of An Ruyu. "Do you recognize it? It was given to me by an elder who passed by not long ago. He has already seen through your scheme in Pinghu County!"
Gold-Wielding Token!
This is no ordinary Gold-Wielding Token!
At least at the commander level!
An Ruyu instantly recalled that after storming the government office, she had been unable to sense the location of the fragments of the decree. Could it be that they had already been discovered by the Commander-level Gold-Wielding Guard?!
"Uncle Feng!" Yu Tunzhou suddenly shouted.
An Ruyu felt a chill run down her spine, and her aura unconsciously froze slightly.
The commanders are all shown in External Scenery shots!
Before she could react, Yu Tunzhou's Fist Intent blazed like fire, forcefully breaking free from the energy lock and plunging into the raging torrent like an arrow released from a bow!
An Ruyu instantly Liaowu she had been tricked, and with a light step, she chased after Yu Tunzhou.
But it was too late; they could only watch helplessly as the figure was swallowed by the rushing river, leaving only a splash before disappearing in an instant.
The girl stood by the river, not angry at all; instead, her smile deepened.
It's an old trick, but it still works when combined. After all, she can't ignore the commander's presence, which makes her suspicious and exposes her weakness.
Young Hero Guo, you really are a big liar.
As soon as it plunged into the river, Yu Tunzhou began to contemplate Little Black. The feeling of being squeezed and bound by the surrounding water instantly dissipated, and it was truly like a fish in water!
He visualized the surrounding map in his mind, and instead of going downstream, he twisted his body and plunged into the depths of the riverbed, going upstream against the current.
The surrounding water flow seemed to separate him, not only failing to hinder him but actually aiding him, and he traveled more than ten feet in an instant.
At that very moment.
A heavy, mountain-like aura descended from the sky, enveloping the entire body of water.
The river's flow suddenly stopped, and even the pebbles on the bottom of the river seemed to freeze in place.
Divine Ability?!
"Young Hero Guo, why are you in such a hurry? I still have something to ask you."
An Ruyu's voice drifted into my ears.
The girl stood by the river, her delicate hand slightly raised, her fingertips slowly forming an ancient hand seal.
As she formed the hand seals, the energy of the entire world suddenly plummeted!
A muffled rumble emanated from the earth beneath their feet, and a thick, powerful earth energy surged forth, majestic and imposing, as heavy as a mountain!
Yu Tunzhou, the Fist Intent flows around the body, the [Taiji Domain] expands, and forty percent of the pressure on the body is relieved out of thin air, making the pressure lighter.
He dared not delay, and taking advantage of this brief respite, he plunged back into the depths of the river.
But this also revealed his location underwater.
Just as An Ruyu was about to activate the hand seals to lock down the entire body of water, a figure burst out of the water with a roar, filled with boundless rage at having his peaceful dream disturbed. "Quack!"
It turned out to be a purple-skinned toad several meters tall, its skin flowing with molten purplish-red patterns. Its imposing aura was overwhelming, and its fierce presence immediately overwhelmed An Ruyu.
It first looked down and scanned a certain spot on the riverbed, but as soon as it sensed the aura of its natural enemy emanating from the depths of its bloodline, the not-so-intelligent creature instinctively chose to keep its distance and instead glared fiercely at the white-clad woman on the riverbank who had disturbed its slumber.
An Ruyu raised her eyebrows slightly.
She even wanted to stage a scene of a female knight rescuing a young hero, but how come this toad doesn't even know how to pick on the weak?
Sensing the battle fluctuations coming from behind, Yu Tunzhou silently swam underwater, drifting upstream and quickly escaping the battle zone behind him.
At the county government office, all the sorcerers from the Incense-Smelling Cult had already retreated.
--
No one expected that after severely injuring Wei Xian, the demoness would suddenly turn and leave.
Zhang Zhengci was wary of the demoness's methods and dared not rashly send people to pursue her. He only gathered his remaining troops and surrounded the entire yamen.
"Brother Wei, how are your injuries?" Zhang Zhengci frowned as he looked at Wei Xian. He had come to his aid quickly enough, but Wei Xian was still seriously injured by that demoness!
As a commander of the Zhijin Guard, Wei Xian's strength is at the mid-stage of the Divine Power realm. Backed by the Zhijin Guard's martial arts heritage, his strength and foundation are no less than Wei Xian's.
Wei Xian's expression was grim. "That demoness has indeed mastered the complete External Scenery Divine Ability. She injured me with a single move. Non-Self hadn't activated my [Vajra Sinews and Bones] in time, that attack would have severely injured me!"
Zhang Zhengci was solemn.
[Vajra Sinews and Bones and Tendon] is one of the more common Flesh and Blood Divine Ability. It can greatly enhance the body's defense. Ordinary Form Refinement martial artists cannot even break through the defense of Divine Ability artist who has cultivated [Vajra Sinews and Bones].
But since it's a complete External Scenery Divine Ability, then it's no wonder.
If An Ruyu's cultivation level were higher, this move would have been enough to kill Wei Xian!
No wonder he ranked third on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking!
He couldn't help but think of Yu Tunzhou.
Nephew Yu, your Form Refinement Lesser Accomplishment is not yet fully mastered, yet you have already resisted Zhang Yan, who has mastered it to Form Refinement Greater Accomplishment. Your Divine Ability abilities must be extraordinary. When you reach the Form Refinement Perfection, will you be able to fully unleash your Divine Ability?
"Second Uncle! Second Uncle--"
Zhang Qinghe stumbled and scrambled into the government office area, and before Zhang Zhengci could even express his surprise, he roared with bloodshot eyes, "Tunzhou! Tunzhou was stopped by An Ruyu outside the city!"
Zhang Zhengci changed, and he took a step forward. "Which direction?!"
"That small road outside the city that leads to Chuanping County!"
Zhang Zhengci suddenly looked at Wei Xian and said in a deep voice, "Brother Wei, can you still hold on?"
Wei Xian's lips twitched. What did that Yu Tunzhou have to do with him?
The commander only instructed him to ignore the boy, not to show him any special care.
"Brother Wei, aren't you curious why that vixen suddenly left?"
Zhang Zhengci caused Wei Xian's expression to change rapidly.
Yes, why did that demoness suddenly choose to retreat and intercept Yu Tunzhou? Why did the Incense-Smelling Cult suddenly storm the government office tonight? And why did Zhang Yan break into the dungeon just to rescue Zhang Yi and the others?
There's no need for An Ruyu to intervene in rescuing two Qi Ingestion masters who have already submitted!
With this thought in mind, Wei Xian took a deep breath, suppressed his injuries, and decisively said, "Let's go!"
A corner of the alley.
Zhang Yan glanced at Zhang Yi and the others she had casually rescued, and waved her hand impatiently. "You and the other followers evacuate together!"
"Envoy Zhang, where are you going?" a member of the Incense-Smelling Cult asked respectfully.
"I'll go find the Holy Maiden!" Zhang Yan said in a deep voice. "We couldn't find the fragments of the Law Seals this time, and the Holy Maiden seems to have discovered something, as she suddenly left. I'll go see if I can help her!"
He paused, then instructed, "Leave Pinghu County as soon as possible and head to a neighboring county to report to the main headquarters exactly what happened tonight!"
Having said that, Zhang Yan didn't linger. She leaped up and, with a few bounds through the alley, ran towards the outskirts of the city.
As soon as Zhang Yan reached the city gate, her expression changed. Not far away were Wei Xian and Zhang Zhengci!
He turned to leave, but the two still spotted him.
Wei Xian was already furious, and from a distance of a hundred meters, he unleashed a palm strike. The Gang Qi rippled across the hundred meters and struck Zhang Yan heavily on the back.
Zhang Yan grunted, not daring to look back, and sped away.
"Damn that Incense-Smelling Demon!" Wei Xian cursed angrily, thinking of his dead subordinates.
Zhang Zhengci looked strange, feeling that this scene seemed somewhat familiar.
However, the situation is urgent now, and there is no time to keep Zhang Yan of the Nine Yin Hand, with him.
When Wei Xian and his companion arrived at the riverbank, it was deserted, with only the night wind blowing.
"There are traces of legal remnants," Wei Xian said in a deep voice, "That demoness used the [Azure Clouds Mountain-Subduing Seal] of the Incense-Smelling Cult!"
Zhang Zhengci's face turned ugly. This was External Scenery Divine Ability; even Wei Xian, who activated [Vajra Sinews and Bones], would be injured if he took a hit from it.
His expression quickly changed. "The dragon toad has also appeared. Did tonight's events wake it up?"
"Dragon toad?"
Wei Xian was only temporarily stationed in Pinghu County to handle a case and was not originally going to be stationed there, so he was not very familiar with the surrounding area.
"A Demon Beast at the Late Divine Ability Stage! It possesses dragon blood and originated from Dongting Lake."
"Demon Beast? It hasn't developed intelligence even at the Late Divine Ability Stage?" Wei Xian asked doubtfully.
In many people's eyes, Demon Beast and Demon Race are the same concept, but in fact, Demon Race do not regard Demon Beast as their own kind at all.
Only when intelligence is developed can the word "beast" be removed.
At the Divine Ability Realm, one has gradually come to understand the laws of heaven and earth, not to mention in the later stages, one should at least have developed sentience.
Zhang Zhengci said in a deep voice, "I don't know the specifics either. I only know that this toad was driven away by the Dongting Vein and fled all the way here, eventually settling down in this river. My Zhang Household originally planned to take action, either to kill it or to drive it away, but this demon lives by devouring moonlight and does not actively kill, and it spends most of its time sleeping, so we did not commit any more killings."
Wei Xian nodded, dismissing the last sentence as nothing.
Even a demon Demon Beast at the Late Divine Ability Stage can barely be considered a treasure trove. The reason why the Zhang Household did not commit any murderous acts is most likely because they were unsure of the attitude of the Dongting Vein.
Zhang Zhengci took a deep breath.
Could it be that Yu Tunzhou was really kidnapped by that demoness?
Wei Xian said in a deep voice, "The Incense-Smelling Cult's attack on the Pinghu County government office tonight definitely has another purpose. I will report this matter as soon as possible!"
Zhang Zhengci was silent for a moment, then said, "I will return to the county seat immediately and ask the elders of the External Scenery clan to search the area around the Jade River."
This is the limit that the Jade River Zhang Clan can achieve.
Two days later.
The Zhang Household family's powerful External Scenery from Jade River Commandery rushed to the edge of Pinghu County. Standing Three Passages River, their Primordial Spirit swept across the river for miles around, startling the dragon toad lurking at the bottom of the river. However, the toad did not jump out but continued to dig deeper into the river.
The expert in External Scenery frowned slightly.
This toad was actually injured?
What level of supernatural Divine Ability did that demoness cultivate?
He followed the river all the way and finally arrived at the end of the Three Passages River.
Looking at the vast and endless Coming Dragon River, even someone with the cultivation level of the External Scenery Realm could only shake their head and sigh, finding it difficult to continue the pursuit.
They had no choice but to turn back.
After returning to the Yuhe Zhang Household.
Zhang Qinghe immediately went to greet him, "Second Master! Have you found the Tunzhou?"
The Zhang Household's expert in External Scenery shook his head and asked in return, "How good is Yu Tunzhou's swimming ability?"
Zhang Qinghe was taken aback. He recalled that this guy had never lacked Dragon Fish in the cave, so he must be a good swimmer, right?
"I chased after him all the way, but eventually lost the clue at the Coming Dragon River. If this boy is a good swimmer, he might be able to the Coming Dragon River to escape the Incense-Smelling Demoness's pursuit."
Zhang Qinghe said urgently, "Why don't we try searching further? Perhaps the Tunzhou is hidden not far away!"
His father, Zhang Zhengyang, was also present and scolded him, "Qinghe, watch your attitude!"
The elder of the Zhang Household waved his hand, looked at Zhang Qinghe, and said in a deep voice, "Your most important task right now is to cultivate diligently. If Yu Tunzhou really gets into trouble, you can avenge him in the future, but only if you have the strength to do so."
Zhang Zhengyang said in a deep voice, "Qinghe, go and cultivate!"
Zhang Qinghe took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and finally turned and left.
After he left, Zhang Zhengyang sighed and said, "Second Uncle, do you think this boy has already fallen into the hands of the Incense-Smelling Cult, and is there any hope for him?"
The old man from the Zhang Household pondered for a moment and said, "I have heard about this young man's deeds in Luofu Grotto-Heaven. His character is truly exceptional. No wonder Lu Huaiqing takes a liking to him. I think this escape may not be a dead end for him."
"Oh?" Zhang Zhengyang was moved. "Second Uncle's evaluation is so high?"
The elder of the Zhang Household said calmly, "How could the fist technique successor chosen by Great Hero Mo be defeated here? Back then, when the Heavenly Demon Kou Ziling was hunted down by his peers, didn't he still fight back and kill countless people, eventually becoming the number one on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking?"
Zhang Zhengyang was speechless. Had his second uncle really compared this boy to that infamous Heavenly Demon?
Another day later.
Upon hearing the news, Feng Xu rushed to Pinghu County again.
He first went into the dungeon on the west side of the yamen, and after walking around, he found the lock on the door that had been broken by the Yu Tunzhou.
"Find out all the records of the criminals who have been held in this cell and verify their identities."
"Clear!"
"Furthermore, notify the surrounding counties of the Coming Dragon River that if they discover the whereabouts of Yu Tunzhou or see anyone carrying my token, they should immediately offer assistance and notify me at the first opportunity."
Wei Xian looked astonished and immediately realized that Commander Feng's token was in Yu Tunzhou's hands.
this----
He suddenly remembered that this person seemed to have worked with Lu Huaiqing in the past, and quickly lowered his head. "Don't worry, sir, I'll take care of it right away!"
"Um."
Feng Xu's expression was unreadable. After leaving the dungeon, he followed the Three Passages River and arrived at the Coming Dragon River.
Standing at the mouth of the river, gazing at the mighty and ever-flowing Coming Dragon River, Feng Xu frowned deeply.
He originally thought that Yu Tunzhou had inherited Brother Lu's Heavenly Court Fragment, which was sensed by An Ruyu, who also possessed a fragment, and thus he was pursued by the latter all the way.
But now he's a little uncertain.
"Could it be that this kid discovered the clues to the Human Emperor's ruins first, which is why An Ruyu is targeting him?"
"Does that mean the Heavenly Court Fragment have been exposed now?"
Feng Xu sighed. If he were An Ruyu, he would never have let Yu Tunzhou.
He survived three years in Luofu Grotto-Heaven, and even the emergence of the Martial Ancestor couldn't kill him. Hopefully, this kid will be blessed with good fortune again this time.
One week later.
The mighty river flows eastward, and the river wind, carrying damp and cold vapors, seeps into a dilapidated river god temple built by the water.
Most of the roof tiles of the temple have collapsed, and the river god statue is missing half of its body, leaving only traces of wind and rain.
In the center of the temple, a bonfire crackled and popped. It had been built by passersby in the past and set ablaze by Yu Tunzhou. The flickering flames cast his shadow on the earthen wall, swaying with the flames.
A smooth, green bamboo stick was placed over the fire, with a pheasant skewered on it.
Yu Tunzhou sat cross-legged on a haystack, looking rather disheveled. His blue shirt was whitened by the river water, resembling the life of a refugee when he first arrived in the town.
--
--
Yet his energy and spirit were astonishingly good; his eyes were clear and calm, showing no trace of the panic and exhaustion from days of fleeing. On the contrary, he was full of vigor, like a long knife that had been repeatedly honed on a whetstone, its edge becoming sharper and sharper.
These seven days were the most perilous period of his life.
Unlike the undercurrents within Luofu Grotto-Heaven, this crisis was a real one looming behind us; a moment's hesitation would mean falling into the hands of the Incense-Smelling Cult.
After swimming upstream from the Three Passages River to the Coming Dragon River, he thought he could finally escape An Ruyu's pursuit. However, not long after he reached the shore, his wrist sent another warning signal, forcing him to flee back into the Coming Dragon River.
Along the way, he traveled hundreds of miles along the Coming Dragon River, sneaking onto three merchant ships heading east. However, An Ruyu Divine Ability managed to keep up with him.
Fortunately, the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist were reliable enough. Once An Ruyu got within a few hundred meters, the beads would automatically warn him, allowing him to escape far away by using the river before the demoness arrived.
Thanks to the life-or-death chase over the past few days, he has improved his control over the Qi and Blood in his body from a fine line to a fine millimeter.
now.
His Blood Qi was as steady as a deep, unfathomable pool of still water.
The realm of Form Refinement Lesser Accomplishment was honed and perfected during these seven days of life-or-death escape, becoming increasingly harmonious and transparent, and incorporating his understanding of the word "stillness".
He was in a sorry state, but his progress in Martial Dao was undeniable.
During these days, he fled while pondering his escape route.
Currently, he seems to have only two paths before him. One is his Swallow the Sun and Refine the Moon, which he can complete in about another week, at which time he might find an opportunity to turn the tables.
Running away won't work; you have to let the other side know you have a knife in your hand so they'll be wary.
Yu Tunzhou wasn't sure if this Divine Ability could turn the tables on An Ruyu, and he hoped to find a few helpers along the way.
The second route leads straight to the county seat!
Each prefecture city has External Scenery stationed there. He possesses identification documents from several families and the token of the Gold-Wielding Guard, so gaining their trust is not difficult!
However, the surrounding prefectures were quite far apart, and the demoness seemed to be aware of this as well, so she deliberately blocked the way between the Coming Dragon River and the nearest Jade River Commandery, not giving him the chance at all.
Thus, he could only travel downstream along the river, and after several hundred miles, there would be a riverside county town!
now.
Two footsteps sounded outside the temple gate. The footsteps were light and steady, clearly indicating that the person possessed cultivation.
The prayer beads on his wrist didn't make a sound, so Yu Tunzhou was merely on guard, not fleeing, and remained firmly seated in place.
A few moments later, a man and a woman appeared at the entrance of the dilapidated temple; they both looked to be around twenty years old.
The man was dressed in dark blue close-fitting clothes, carrying a sheathed longsword on his back. He had Zhou Zheng and his aura suggested he was a man of great Blood Qi.
The woman beside him had delicate features and wore a light green dress, exuding a clean and neat air.
The woman's nose twitched, and she chuckled, "I knew there was already someone there."
The man smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Zhou Zheng of the Clear River Sect, and this is my junior sister Zuo Qianyun."
The woman imitated her senior brother, bowing respectfully in a similar manner.
Yu Tunzhou and cupped his hands in greeting. "I am but a Rogue Person, I will not reveal my name. I will not stay long, may we all find peace."
Zhou Zheng frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Yu Tunzhou. He realized that the latter was likely in trouble; otherwise, why couldn't he even reveal his name?
"Alright!" Zhou Zheng said in a deep voice, leading his junior sister to the other side of the dilapidated temple.
"Senior brother, shouldn't we talk more when we encounter other martial arts heroes?" Zuo Qianyun asked curiously.
Zhou Zheng shook his head, offering no further explanation. Instead, he took out a flint and started a fire, then took out several large flatbreads and shared them with his junior sister.
Here, the pheasant is roasting until it sizzles and drips oil, its golden-yellow skin crisp and charred, the fat dripping down its skin and making a soft sizzling sound when it hits the fire.
Yu Tunzhou tore off a chicken leg and put it in his mouth.
Although there are no seasonings, the dish is made better by the aroma of the rendered fat, and the pheasant meat is plump and juicy, giving it a unique flavor.
The aroma of oil wafted over, and the woman couldn't help but sniff, asking softly, "Senior brother, what cultivation level do you think this guy is? Is he as high as me?"
Zhou Zheng Zheng's voice was strained. "This child is too young, and his Blood Qi is not yet apparent. He probably hasn't reached the Form Refinement level yet; he's still in the Qi Ingestion Realm."
The woman blinked. "If he can catch pheasants, and you, Senior Brother, have already achieved great Qi and Blood in your cultivation, why do we still need to eat flatbread?"
This thought-provoking question left Zhou Zheng speechless.
He chuckled dryly, "It's the middle of the night, even the pheasants are asleep. Once we get to the city tomorrow, your senior brother will definitely treat you to a good meal—"
Yu Tunzhou suddenly looked up and sighed. He really didn't give anyone a moment to breathe.
He got up and tore off another chicken leg, taking the best parts, then stood up and looked at the two of them, saying, "Gentlemen, you'll be going now. If you don't mind, you can make do with this chicken to tide you over, so as not to go to waste."
Having said that, without waiting for a response, he leaped out of the temple.
The two watched his disappearing figure.
Zhou Zheng's pupils contracted sharply; what incredible Movement Method!
This kid was actually faster than him just now!
The woman's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed in delight, "Senior brother, shall we break up?"
Zhou Zheng said sternly, "When you're out and about, you must never eat anything given to you by strangers!"
"Um?!"
Zhou Zheng suddenly became alert, reached out and grasped the hilt of his sword, and discovered that a girl in white was standing at the temple entrance.
She stood in the night wind, her hair in a bun long since loosened, her black hair falling over her shoulders and fluttering in the wind, but her plain white dress remained spotless, as if woven from the moonlight of the night.
Under the moonlight, the girl's beauty was exquisite and breathtaking, leaving even the young Zuo Qianyun speechless and secretly glancing at her senior brother.
Zhou Zheng, however, was deathly pale and his whole body was trembling slightly.
He abruptly stood up, shielding his junior sister behind him. His longsword clattered as it was drawn, its tip pointing at the girl at the door. Even though his hands trembled violently, he didn't retreat a single step. Seeing this, An Ruyu's voice held a hint of inexplicable melancholy. "Sister is truly blessed. Unlike me, I've chased after him for so long, and he hasn't even turned his head once."
Although Zuo Qianyun didn't recognize the demoness's identity, she could tell from her senior brother's attitude that he was no good person, and she couldn't help but feel nervous. She stammered, "Then, then little sister, don't chase after her. There are so many good men in the world, and you're so beautiful, you're sure to have admirers everywhere."
Zhou Zheng shuddered, nearly scared out of his wits, and desperately wanted to kneel down and beg his junior sister not to open her mouth.
"That won't do." An Ruyu walked into the dilapidated temple with a smile, bent down and picked up a chicken wing, her tone gentle, "Young Hero Guo is different; he is special."
As soon as she finished speaking, her figure disappeared from the temple entrance, as if she had never been there.
That demoness didn't even attack them!
Zhou Zheng took a deep breath and realized that his calves were still trembling.
He actually drew his sword and pointed it at the Incense-Smelling Demoness, who was ranked third on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, and she still hadn't killed him?!
This time I'll have something to brag about when I get back!
"Senior brother, who was that girl just now? And who is that Young Hero Guo?" Zuo Qianyun asked in a low voice.
Zhou Zheng suddenly snapped back to reality, his mind reeling.
Wasn't the young man that An Ruyu was chasing after just now?
He exclaimed in shock, "Just who is this Young Hero Guo? How could he be so relentlessly pursued by An Ruyu?!"
"An Ruyu?" Zuo Qianyun asked in confusion, then her almond-shaped eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "It's Incense-Smelling, who's third on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking—"
Zhou Zheng quickly covered his junior sister's mouth. "My little darling, please don't say anymore! Let's head into the city tonight; it's too dangerous to be out in the wilderness!"
You can stumble upon the third-ranked demoness on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking chasing someone just by randomly choosing a river god temple to stay at. This martial arts world is just too dangerous!
Zuo Qianyun nodded vigorously, and as she hurriedly packed her luggage and left, she didn't forget to take the pheasant with her.
"Senior brother, there's no reason for that young hero to poison us!"
Zhou Zheng was speechless. That made perfect sense. Since that person was being hunted down by An Ruyu, he must be a top expert on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking. Why would he need to poison them?
He had just noticed the other party's Blood Qi and high level of cultivation, assuming it was due to a low cultivation level. Now, he felt truly ashamed, realizing that the other party was clearly a leading figure among the younger generation in the world!
Zhou Zheng secretly resolved that he must find out the person's identity when he returned, otherwise how could he boast to others in the future?
In addition, the matter of the Incense-Smelling Demoness tonight needs to be reported to the authorities as soon as possible, as that enchantress is a figure on the Jianghu Pursuit Ranking!