Chapter 183: If Afraid, Then Be Afraid!
Chapter 183: If Afraid, Then Be Afraid!
If it were the past, a thrust like this would have completely frozen the shadowy figure, even if it couldn’t pierce its body. Yet now, the Frost Silver Spear failed to freeze or pierce the shadow. Instead, it was repelled.
This completely exceeded Tang Jinbiao’s expectations. In his judgment, unless facing a Nascent Soul Cultivator, this single thrust of the Frost Silver Spear should be enough to obliterate any existence below the Nascent Soul stage. He never expected to suffer a setback this time.
However, when Tang Jinbiao managed to clearly see the shadow’s condition, a flicker of horror appeared in his eyes.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Above the shadow’s head, a sphere of crimson light shimmered into existence, its source completely indiscernible. But within moments, the nearby air grew thick with the pungent stench of blood.
Moreover, this crimson light formed a thin protective shield, enveloping the shadow within it.
“It’s you!”
In that instant, Tang Jinbiao saw clearly—the figure concealed beneath the light was none other than Captain Wang, who had vanished nearly three years prior.
The current Captain Wang was vastly different from the man Tang Jinbiao had first encountered. Gone were the scars. He now looked truly handsome. No longer a mere Mortal warrior, he had become a Cultivator, a genuine Mid Core Formation stage Cultivator.
“Impossible! How could he change so drastically in just three short years?”
Seeing that it was Captain Wang, Tang Jinbiao’s eyes filled with shock. He couldn’t believe Captain Wang had made such monumental progress in a mere three years.
Transforming from an ordinary Mortal to a Mid Core Formation Cultivator in three years—such a feat was unheard of, even on the entire Divine Wind Continent. This speed was utterly unnatural, alarmingly fast.
However, Tang Jinbiao was only shocked by Captain Wang’s progress in Cultivation Level. He failed to notice that Captain Wang’s gaze seemed hollow, lacking vitality, almost as if he had lost his soul. Moreover, the Spiritual Energy within his body wasn’t as deep and solid as that of a typical Mid Core Formation Cultivator; it felt rather shallow and unstable.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The object floating above Captain Wang’s head, radiating the crimson light, emitted a clear hum. It seemed to have detected Tang Jinbiao’s presence and appeared ready to shoot towards him.
“Ah!”
Sensing the object trying to break free, a spark of actual life suddenly flashed in Captain Wang’s eyes. He roared, immediately grabbing the object with one hand, shoving it into his Storage Pouch. He no longer fled towards the Deep Pool but abruptly changed direction, racing away into the distance.
“What? That thing!”
The moment Captain Wang grabbed the object, Tang Jinbiao instantly remembered—it was the protective amulet Tang Bi had once given him. Unexpectedly, it had truly ended up in Captain Wang’s hands.
During the struggle with Chu Yunyun back then, the situation had been chaotic. Tang Jinbiao, severely injured, hadn’t paid much attention to it. Afterwards, lacking the time, he never sought it out. Yet he remembered all too well the wondrous power of that item.
Swish!
While Tang Jinbiao was dumbfounded, Captain Wang had already transformed into a streak of black light, hurtling towards the distant horizon. In moments, he would vanish from sight.
Tang Jinbiao didn’t immediately give chase. Instead, he stood atop the enormous tree, lifting his head to stare at the black light rapidly receding towards the skyline.
“Heh heh. Never thought I’d run into him here. Well then, this saves me the trouble of searching day after day!”
Suddenly, even Tang Jinbiao found it hard to believe that he’d encountered Captain Wang here of all places.
In the past, meeting Captain Wang would have made Tang Jinbiao demand answers for his betrayal. Now, however, he felt no such need. He only desired to reclaim the item Tang Bi had given him. This desire stemmed not from sentimentality, but pure possessiveness.
Anything capable of transforming an ordinary Mortal so drastically within three short years—even a fool would know it was no ordinary thing.
In the blink of an eye, Captain Wang’s figure vanished entirely from Tang Jinbiao’s view, obscured by the endless layers of mountains.
“Heh heh. Never expected to find one of those in this lower realm!”
The Azure Dragon, nearby, had naturally seen the prayer beads clearly. A distinctly human-like expression, somewhere between a smile and something else, crossed its features as it murmured softly.
The creature’s chest heaved rapidly.
However, Azure Dragon hadn’t had time to think further when Tang Jinbiao’s gaze shifted toward him, causing a slight tremor in his heart.
“Ah Huang, come here!”
Tang Jinbiao looked at Azure Dragon, crooking his finger. His face revealed no particular expression as he spoke calmly.
“I…”
Although unwilling, Azure Dragon caught sight of Tang Jinbiao’s expression and instinctively realized resistance now would mean suffering. He voiced no objection and flew toward Tang Jinbiao.
“Catch up to him!”
Tang Jinbiao retrieved the Frost Silver Spear, glanced in the direction where Captain Wang had vanished, and spoke in a flat tone.
“Chase who?”
At this moment, though Azure Dragon clearly understood Tang Jinbiao meant Captain Wang, for some reason his mind went blank and he foolishly asked.
“Hmph!”
Hearing this, Tang Jinbiao’s expression darkened slightly and he snorted coldly.
“Ah!”
Yet this ordinary-sounding snort struck Azure Dragon, now transformed into the Big Yellow Dog, like divine thunder. An invisible tiny sword hovering above his head suddenly plunged down, sinking three inches deep into his skull.
Thump!
Though no blood flowed, Azure Dragon’s mind went blank. He plummeted directly toward the ground and hit it with a heavy thud.
This tiny sword was an item left by Huang Biaozi, tangible proof of Tang Jinbiao’s control over Azure Dragon.
“Ao ao ao!”
After crashing to the ground, Azure Dragon lay convulsing, foam bubbling from his mouth as he let out mournful howls.
“Ah Huang, I give you three breaths of time. Speed up and carry me to catch that man. Otherwise, you have no reason to exist any longer!”
Tang Jinbiao descended slowly afterward, landing beside Azure Dragon as he stated this coolly.
He had plans to use Azure Dragon, but the dragon wasn’t indispensable.
Whoosh!
Upon hearing these words, Azure Dragon’s body darted upright instantly, showing no trace of the previous agony. His face took on a fawning, pleading expression. “Please mount your dog, Master! This lowly one will chase down that stinking brat for you immediately!”
“Hmph.”
Seeing Azure Dragon like this, Tang Jinbiao’s face remained impassive. He simply uttered a grunt of acknowledgment and swung astride Azure Dragon’s back.
“Woof woof woof!”
Seemingly eager to demonstrate his loyalty, the Big Yellow Dog form of Azure Dragon wagged its thick tail vigorously and barked cheerfully several times after Tang Jinbiao mounted him.
“Speed.”
Tang Jinbiao stared in the direction Captain Wang had disappeared, not even glancing at Azure Dragon, and commanded flatly.
“Woof woof woof!”
Azure Dragon didn’t speak further, merely barking a few times before transforming into a streak of yellow light, speeding off in pursuit.
Unnoticed by Tang Jinbiao, however, beneath Azure Dragon’s ostensibly submissive demeanor burned an even deeper grudge.
Perhaps Tang Jinbiao had long been aware of this point, but it was a critical moment, so he couldn’t be bothered to fuss over it.
……
Tang Jinbiao did not know that his failure to go to that stronghold this time—having been diverted by Captain Wang—was actually a stroke of fortune for him. Of course, if the Azure Dragon ever learned that his own scheming had backfired, outsmarted by his very cleverness, one wonders if he’d spit three liters of blood.
Because at this very moment, from the Divine Wind Academy outpost a hundred miles away, a vast contingent emerged, flying toward the deeper reaches of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
At the front-most section of the massive flying chariot at the head of this procession, a person dressed in androgynous attire stood gazing ahead, their eyes clouded with melancholy, lost in thoughts unknown.
Naturally, had Tang Jinbiao been present, he would have instantly recognized this person as none other than Jia Longwu.
Jia Longwu and the others had lain in ambush near the academy for a long time, waiting for Tang Jinbiao’s return to no avail. Naturally, they assumed he had ventured into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Thus, on Young Master Ma’s suggestion, they too entered the Hundred Thousand Mountains. They waited there for a considerable while, yet again seeing no sign of Tang Jinbiao, and so decided to press onward into the deeper regions.
Though Young Master Ma rallied them under the banner of hunting Tang Jinbiao to avenge Wei Wuya, Jia Longwu’s feminine intuition clearly sensed the matter wasn’t that simple.
Beside Jia Longwu stood five or six youthful cultivators, their Cultivation Levels uneven but all uniformly at the Foundation Building stage.
These youths appeared slightly younger than Jia Longwu, about seventeen or eighteen years old. It was instantly apparent that despite their exceptional Cultivation Level—marking them as geniuses—they lacked real-world experience, mere disciples nurtured behind closed doors.
“Young Lady Longwu, are we truly going into the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains?”
At that moment, a boy who looked only fourteen or fifteen years old, emitting the aura of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, asked Jia Longwu, a trace of unease in his tone.
But before Jia Longwu could even react to his words, the slightly older Foundation Establishment Cultivators nearby immediately erupted in mockery.
“Haha, Xiao Ke, are you trembling with fear already, without even a glimpse of a Demon Beast?”
“Haha, Xiao Ke, scared? What’s there to fear? With so many of us, even a Level Four Demon Beast wouldn’t faze us!”
“Hmph, coward!”
“If you’re this afraid to die, you shouldn’t have come with us in the first place!”
This cultivator named Xiao Ke had merely intended to ask Jia Longwu a question. Instead, his query drew attacks. Naturally, he dared not retort, as his was the lowest Cultivation Level among the group.
“Heh, Xiao Ke, are you frightened?”
Hearing the commotion, Jia Longwu snapped out of her thoughts, turned her gaze to Xiao Ke, and asked with a faint smile playing on her lips.
Some people in the world are just like this: unmistakably born female, yet clearly commanding more attention dressed androgynously. Jia Longwu was precisely such a person.
Though a beauty, dressing in traditional feminine attire diminished her aura of bold grace, reducing her charm compared to her neutral style. Yet dressed in that neutral fashion, she also lacked true masculine ruggedness, so no one mistook her for a man—except perhaps for an oddity like Tang Jinbiao.
“Xiao Ke isn’t scared, just feeling uneasy and wanted to ask Young Lady!”
The young man called Xiao Ke replied, somewhat bashfully.
Xiao Ke himself possessed delicate, handsome features. His youth gave him a different impression from Jia Longwu. While she in male attire had a certain manly dignity, Xiao Ke, also in male clothing, bore a softness that bordered on girlish.
“Haha, useless!”
“Says he’s not scared? Afraid is afraid! Talking about ‘unease’, what nonsense!”
“He isn’t scared, just uncomfortable. Oh, you’re so mean!”
“Here now, no crying. Brother loves you!”
The moment the surrounding cultivators saw Xiao Ke’s demeanor, they laughed and taunted him relentlessly.
These cultivators, all around twenty years old, basked in the arrogant ignorance of youth. When Jia Longwu first proposed joining the battle in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it was like injecting them with pure adrenaline—excitement surged, and they clamored to come along.
Having journeyed this far with an imposing force, and encountering no trace of Demon Beasts even in the outer mountains, they’d faced no danger. This absence of peril didn’t inspire caution; instead, it fueled a simmering excitement. Their minds had already concocted grand fantasies of slaughtering countless Level Seven and Eight Demon Beasts a million times over.
“You all…”
Hearing their taunts, Xiao Ke did not say anything. His face merely flushed faintly as he lowered his head.
This reaction made him seem even more like a woman.
“Huh!”
“Eh!”
“How extraordinary!”
“Utterly remarkable!”
Seeing Xiao Ke react this way, the surrounding Cultivators sighed one after another.
“Shoo, shoo! Go play somewhere else! Stop butting in here for no reason, you’re grating on my nerves!”
At this moment, Jia Longwu seemed unable to stand these Cultivators any longer and lashed out directly.
“Haha, the fake girl is smitten!”
“The fake girl wants to date her junior!”
“The fake girl is about to lose her temper!”
Scolded by Jia Longwu, the Cultivators scattered one by one, but not without shouting crude insults, clearly wanting everyone to hear.
Their noise drew the attention of other Cultivators on the Flying Chariot, who cast glances their way. However, upon seeing it was Jia Longwu and the youth called Xiao Ke, faint smiles touched their faces, as if they simply tolerated such behavior.
“Hmph! You little brats! When I get the chance later, I’ll give each of you a proper lesson. You’ve become more and more insolent, showing no respect for rank!”
Seeing the Cultivators scatter while still spreading rumors, Jia Longwu snorted in displeasure.
“Xiao Ke, tell sister Longwu, are you afraid?”
Ignoring the others, Jia Longwu looked at Xiao Ke and asked.
“Mhm!”
Xiao Ke lifted his head. His clear eyes met Jia Longwu’s as he nodded silently in affirmation.
“Haha, just as I thought!”
Looking into Xiao Ke’s clear eyes, Jia Longwu momentarily froze as if recalling something. But then she shook her head helplessly and spoke softly.
“Sister Longwu, then why must we still go? Can we avoid it?”
Unwilling to relent, Xiao Ke pressed on.
But Jia Longwu didn’t respond to him. Instead, she turned her head away, gazing into the distance. Her eyes held a trace of melancholy as they swept over the scenery of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, an unidentifiable emotion flickering within them.
“Sister Longwu, forgive me. Xiao Ke spoke out of turn!”
Seeing Jia Longwu remain silent, Xiao Ke assumed he had angered her and apologized.
At this moment, Jia Longwu turned back, a faint smile on her face. Yet the smile seemed more like a bitter one, appearing utterly unnatural as she spoke, “Haha, Xiao Ke, if you are afraid, then be afraid. Because… sister Longwu is afraid too.”