Chapter 194: Settling the Feud
Chapter 194: Settling the Feud
The three needed to traverse hundreds of miles of flaming mountains during their journey—a true trial.
“Look! What’s that?”
Fang Ruohua pointed into the distance where a flame-covered beast flickered momentarily.
“Creatures living in flames… those should be extremely rare.”
Lan Xiaozhu sounded surprised, while Cheng Lingyu remained composed.
“The long-term tasks include specialized missions for capturing flame creatures,” he stated.
As they walked, Lan Xiaozhu suddenly spotted a figure.
“There’s someone over there.”
Cheng Lingyu observed the fleeting silhouette, his expression turning cold.
“Let’s investigate.”
They shifted course, chasing toward a deep mountain canyon.
The distant figure seemed to sense pursuit and accelerated.
Cheng Lingyu pressed onward, driving deeper into the fiery mountains.
The heat intensified beyond human endurance.
Fang Ruohua dripped with sweat, her flushed face glowing, breath coming in gasps.
Lan Xiaozhu fared little better, her breathing labored.
Cheng Lingyu slowed, gripping both girls’ hands. A cooling energy flowed through them, bringing immediate relief.
“Where’d they go? They vanished!”
Fang Ruohua peered ahead, finding no trace.
“They’re hiding in this valley,” Cheng Lingyu said calmly. “A Strange Flame resides there.”
Guiding the women, he stepped forward, easily crossing hundreds of feet through the void to land in the valley.
“Old acquaintances meeting—no need to hide. Show yourself.”
His voice rippled through the valley like wind, rustling flames across the landscape—making it look beautiful.
“Why isn’t Cheng junior apprentice cultivating at Fallen God Ridge? What brings you to Yunjir Ridge?”
A dry cough sounded as a figure emerged from shadows.
“Who’s he?”
Fang Ruohua asked curiously.
Lan Xiaozhu scoffed. “Qi Wei. We saved him en route to Lou Ri City, yet he later betrayed us there.”
Fang Ruohua gaped. “Repaying kindness with treachery? Kill him!”
Qi Wei cried, “Junior sisters, this is a misunderstanding! I never meant—”
Cheng Lingyu cut in coldly: “Misunderstanding? Did you not leak my whereabouts to Ouyang Lie? Bring out your two companions too.”
Li Xiang and Fang Cuiyu stepped out from the shadows, positioning themselves beside Qi Wei.
Fang Cuiyu smiled. “Cheng junior apprentice, you misunderstood. We did meet Ouyang Lie at Xi Yang Pass that day. Since Qi Wei knew him from before, we exchanged a few words. The topic turned to you, and only then did we learn of his grudge against you.”
Li Xiang added, “When Ouyang Lie heard news of you, he pressed relentlessly for details. Though we advised against it, his displeasure was clear.”
Lan Xiaozhu snorted. “We saw your group while crossing Xi Yang Pass, yet you offered neither warning nor hint. Explaining yourselves now comes too late.”
Qi Wei interjected, “This matter belongs to the past. Why cling to it, Cheng junior apprentice?”
Cheng Lingyu’s laugh held frost. “Past? Once I pass through Xitian Gate, the Divine Martial Sect will hunt me. Do you consider this consequence trivial?”
Fang Ruohua cut in, “Elder brother, spare no more words. Such backstabbers deserve death.”
Cheng Lingyu surveyed the trio, cold amusement twisting his lips.
“I’ll inspect the Strange Flame. Handle this.”
With fluid grace, he departed, leaving Fang Ruohua and Lan Xiaozhu to confront the others.
Li Xiang, Qi Wei, and Fang Cuiyu stood at the fifth level of soul martial transformation. Though Lan Xiaozhu and Fang Ruohua matched their Soul Martial Fifth Realm cultivation, the trio held numerical superiority.
Fang Cuiyu’s smile faltered. “Cheng junior apprentice, why pursue this? Qi Wei meant no harm—”
Lan Xiaozhu’s voice turned glacial. “Unintended harm remains harm. We saved your wretched lives. Now repay the debt.”
She advanced, steps measured.
Qi Wei growled, “Push us too far and you’ll regret it! We’ve apologized—fighting benefits none!”
Fang Ruohua sneered. “Three weaklings shouldn’t boast.”
She blurred into motion, targeting Qi Wei first.
Fang Cuiyu engaged Lan Xiaozhu while Li Xiang aided Qi Wei against Fang Ruohua.
Ignoring the battle, Cheng Lingyu approached the valley’s heart where raging flames engulfed ten square yards. At their core pulsed a fist-sized golden fire radiating terrifying energy.
Before the inferno, Cheng Lingyu’s Burning Sky Technique activated spontaneously. Each breath drew in scorching true essence, creating rhythmic undulations.
Firestreams converged from across the valley, swallowed whole by the young cultivator.
The golden flame shifted forms—golden lotus, fiery avian—observing warily from its blaze.
Cheng Lingyu’s eyes gleamed oddly as his body relaxed. The technique worked autonomously, siphoning the flames’ purest essence.
Outer flames dissipated into true essence currents, flooding Cheng Lingyu’s meridians.
The golden core revealed itself—a three-legged crow emitting world-scorching might.
Above Cheng Lingyu, a cave heaven manifested, devouring surrounding energies like a sovereign surveying creation.
Within this realm, the Nine Nether King Sparrow shrieked, its colossal talon snapping toward the golden crow.
The avian spat golden fire, but the claw tore through flames like lightning, seizing its prey.
As the cave heaven vanished, Cheng Lingyu smiled.
“A black feather from the three-legged golden crow. Fine nourishment for the Sparrow.”
The golden flames vanished, seized by the Nine Nether King Sparrow to be devoured and merged.
In the valley, the raging flames suddenly dwindled, causing temperatures to plummet.
The battle between both sides had reached its decisive moment.
Lan Xiaozhu activated fifth-level soul martial transformation techniques. The Blue Crystal Fire Scorpion materialized from the void, radiating immortal energy as it effortlessly consumed Fang Cuiyu’s martial soul, gravely wounding her and hurling her aside.
Meanwhile, Fang Ruohua unleashed Six Wings Soaring. A colossal eagle materialized between heaven and earth, its three pairs of wings shredding the sky as it obliterated the souls of Li Xiang and Qi Wei.
Though both opponents possessed notable cultivation levels—one having opened seven cave heavens and the other eight—they paled before Fang Ruohua’s nine cave heavens combined with her Immortal Soul.
When Cheng Lingyu returned, the battle had already ended.
Fang Ruohua and Lan Xiaozhu showed no quarter, executing all three enemies.
The flames incinerated the corpses, leaving only three identity tokens behind.
“Efficient work,” Cheng Lingyu praised, approving of their ruthless methods.
Fang Ruohua chuckled, “They were mediocre compared to us.”
Lan Xiaozhu urged, “We shouldn’t linger here.”
The trio swiftly crossed a mountain peak, revealing a vast valley below where flame-tides surged skyward, engulfing the entire basin.
Cheng Lingyu stood at the summit, scorching energy waves billowing his robes into graceful flutters.
“Fire spirit beasts dwell below,” Fang Ruohua cautioned. “Adult ones might overpower us at our current strength.”
Lan Xiaozhu teased, “Relax—he’s not planning to hunt them.”
Cheng Lingyu indeed sought no spirit beasts, merely sensing peculiar energy fluctuations from the valley. After brief observation, they detoured around it toward Soul Gathering Valley.
Traveling on foot rather than using the Cloud Boat, Cheng Lingyu absorbed endless fire true essence from flames swirling beneath his feet. Yunjir Ridge’s unique environment proved ideal for fire cultivators.
Approaching Soul Gathering Valley, they encountered numerous Western Fallen Nine Ridges disciples capturing souls for contribution points.
“Look! It’s Cheng Lingyu from Fallen God Ridge with Fang Ruohua! Who’s the other?”
“Idiot! That’s Lan Xiaozhu—top thirty in Lou Ri’s Hundred Beauties from Youxing Seventh Palace!”
Male disciples gaped as Cheng Lingyu approached with scholarly poise, smiling courteously.
Fang Ruohua whispered, “His aura shifts unnervingly. I’d barely recognize him if not standing here.”
Lan Xiaozhu remarked, “Book-learning gave him scholarly arrogance.”
“Change embodies the Dao’s essence,” Cheng Lingyu smiled. “The heavenly way stays elusive through perpetual transformation.”
“You dwell on this constantly?” Fang Ruohua questioned.
“True cultivation demands such contemplation,” he replied, nodding to bystanders while entering the valley.
Cheng Lingyu’s demeanor shifted starkly between icy fury and composed grace. Lan Xiaozhu found this duality increasingly perplexing.
The Yunjir Ridge’s Soul Gathering Valley differed from others—its mountain-embedded caverns glowed fiery red. Spectral souls fluttered through crimson passages, emitting paradoxical chills.