Chapter 1028: 751: Speculation
The years flowed by, and the situation in the Mountain City was tumultuous beneath the surface.
The once flourishing Chen Clan, in the eyes of the emerging noble families, had become a piece of fat meat for the taking.
Among them, the Wei Family, gaining momentum for years, could no longer hold back.
On this day, the Wei Family dispatched their elite, armors and weapons lined up, besieging the ancestral home of the Chen Clan.
The Immortal Master of the Wei Family hovered mid-air, his gaze coldly overlooking the Chen clansmen below, his voice piercing through all directions:
“The foundation of the Chen Clan is rotten!”
“Those who are sensible, submit to my Wei Family, and you may yet linger on!”
The cultivators’ spiritual pressure descended, and the ordinary Chen clansmen, mere mortal bodies, were instantly pressured into turmoil, trembling with fear.
Faces were full of terror, a turmoil ensued within the clan, the atmosphere of despair spread out.
In an instant.
A clear and cold shout suddenly erupted!
“An early-stage Qi Refining dares to run rampant in my Chen Clan’s ancestral land, thinking my Chen Clan is without defenders?”
Before the words settled, a figure stepped out from the depths of the ancestral home.
It was Chen Shouling!
In the instant she stepped out, the gray-black Undying Gang Qi around her exploded, forcefully repelling the oppressive force by three points!
In the sky above, the pupils of the Wei Family’s Immortal Master contracted sharply, his eyes filled with deep apprehension and suspicion.
He stared intently at the dense and solidified Undying Gang Qi surrounding Chen Shouling:
“You’ve hidden well!”
“I never knew you had already cultivated the Fifth Layer of the Cold Centipede Undying Body!”
Back then, the ancestor Chen Ling’Er of the Chen Clan, a mere mortal, defeated all the Immortal Masters of various families with this Undying Body, and the lingering power has yet to fade.
He never imagined that the declining Chen Clan still harbored a figure who had cultivated the Fifth Layer of the Undying Body!
After a brief moment of apprehension, the Wei Family’s Immortal Master regained his cold demeanor and said in a cold voice:
“Rumor has it that the Undying Body is unparalleled in Mountain City, today I shall see for myself if it truly is as formidable as rumored!”
With Gang Qi surging around her, Chen Shouling’s eyes were cold like frost, without a hint of fear:
“Then come and find out!”
Her figure suddenly shot out!
The Fifth Layer of the Undying Body fully activated, her physical body thundered, gray-black Gang Qi condensed into substance, sharp and fierce.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A fierce wind arose, energy burst forth!
The Immortal Master of the Wei Family exhibited intricate magic, layers of fierce fire, wind blades, and earth shields.
Yet all the magic strikes on Chen Shouling’s Undying Gang Qi were thoroughly dismantled, torn apart, and repelled!
The full set of Slaughter Secret Skills left by the Spirit Ancestor displayed the undying and indestructible might of the Undying Body in full!
A punch shatters the wind, a palm breaks the air.
“Is this still a mortal body?”
The Wei Family’s Immortal Master was shocked and frightened, growing more and more horrified with each clash.
Every collision caused his blood to churn, his protective spirit light violently trembled.
Chen Shouling completely overwhelmed the Wei Family’s Immortal Master in battle.
In just a few dozen exchanges.
She had him beaten back in defeat, a sorry figure, his breath chaotic, perilous.
Seeing the final killer move forming, Gang Qi converged into a fist, about to shatter the opponent’s protective spirit light and kill him on the spot!
“Stop!!”
An authoritative shout suddenly descended from the sky!
The wind and clouds surged in the air, a more terrifying spiritual power descended and forcibly interrupted Chen Shouling’s final killer strike!
Chen Shouling frowned, raised her eyes to the void, her voice icy:
“Does the Huang Clan also want to meddle in the clan feud between my Chen Clan and the Wei Clan?”
The newcomer was none other than one of the three major families of Mountain City — the ancestor of the Huang Clan!
A mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator who had been seated in Mountain City for a hundred years, famous and unopposed.
The ancestor of the Huang Clan stood arm-in-arm in the air, speaking indifferently:
“Let it go when possible.”
“Madam Chen has such top-tier power yet deliberately conceals it, leading to today’s misunderstanding, why insist on exterminating them?”
“Misunderstanding?”
Chen Shouling laughed coldly upon hearing this, her eyes full of mockery:
“Turning black into white indeed!”
“The Wei Family waged war against my ancestral land, seeking to destroy my clan and seize my foundation, and now it becomes my fault?”
“Old Ghost Huang, your words blatantly shield familial ties!”
The Huang and Wei Families already had ties of marriage, and with the Wei Family’s aggression, the Huang Clan had silently consented, now mediating, but truly showing bias.
The face of the ancestor of the Huang Clan suddenly darkened, harshly rebuking:
“Impertinent!”
“Having cultivated the Fifth Layer of the Undying Body, you dare act arrogant?”
“Even if Spirit Ancestor Chen Ling’Er were reborn here, she would not dare speak to me in such a manner!”
These words utterly ignited the fury in Chen Shouling’s heart; she laughed aloud, the laughter was sharp and full of disdain:
“You are not worthy of mentioning my Spirit Ancestor’s name?!”
“Since you’re here, don’t leave!!”
“Unsheath the treasure, please!”
Buzz——!!!
In an instant, deep within the ancestral residence of the Chen Clan, ten thousand zhang of azure light burst forth, reaching the sky!
A three-foot-long Immortal Sword with an azure blade emerged, its sword body clear like autumn waters, the intensely sharp Sword Dao aura sweeping across the entire Mountain City.
Old Ancestor Huang’s face changed drastically, his heart suddenly filled with an acute sense of crisis; he never expected that the Chen Clan had an Immortal Sword in their possession!
He wanted to raise his hand to defend and invoke magic to resist, but the Sword Light was too fast, too sharp, too absolute!
Before such an Immortal Sword, his mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation seemed as insignificant as an ant!
Slosh!
A cold sword light streaked across the sky.
Old Ancestor Huang fell on the spot, his Divine Soul obliterated!
The entire scene fell into dead silence!
Not a sound could be heard!
Below, all the Wei Family’s elite, the cultivators from the Mountain City who came to watch from all directions, and the various noble family spies, were frozen in place, aghast, their Heart Spirit quaking to the extreme!
One move!
Just one sword!
Crushing and killing the mid-stage Qi Refining Huang Clan’s Old Ancestor!
Who could have imagined that the fading, oft-bullied Chen Clan, held such a trump card!
The entire scene was shocked!
The Mountain City was shaken!
Chen Shouling’s eyes were cold, holding the Immortal Sword floating in front of him, he commanded fiercely:
“Follow me! Flatten the Wei Family!”
The Sword Light soared again, striking fiercely at the already shattered-hearted Wei Clan’s Immortal Master.
The Wei Clan’s Immortal Master was powerless to resist, instantly pierced through by the Sword Light, his head claimed on the spot!
The remaining Wei Family elite soldiers, seeing the fall of the family’s Immortal Master, panicked and fled in disorder, throwing away their armor.
Chen Shouling displayed a relaxed smile, with this battle, no one would dare to belittle the Chen Clan again!
…
Evergreen Immortal Sect.
The planned day of Chen Hua’s quest for the Golden Path drew ever closer.
Within the Immortal Sect’s grand hall, there was a serene and solemn atmosphere, Dao Rhyme flowed.
Disciples Yuan Hong, Zhu Dahua, and Hu Butu entered the hall shoulder to shoulder, bowed in salute, with respectful expressions.
“Master, we have sent all the invitation cards to the sects from all directions.”
“All arrangements are complete, only waiting for the Golden Quest ceremony to start.”
Chen Hua slowly opened his eyes, nodded gently:
“You’ve worked hard.”
“We dare not claim hardship, it’s all within a disciple’s duty!”
The three bowed in unison.
Chen Hua waved his hand gently, three ancient and simple dark flags flew out, landing steadily in their hands, one in each hand.
The small flags had mysterious patterns, with deep Dao Rhyme.
Yuan Hong held the small flag, with a puzzled heart, he asked softly:
“Master, what is this?”
Chen Hua’s gaze was calm, his voice distant, slowly saying:
“These flags can help you rebuild your life.”
“Leave now.”
Upon hearing this, their hearts grew increasingly uneasy.
Having followed Chen Hua for many years, they knew their master’s temperament well, if there wasn’t something major, or a significant change, he would never grant such a trump card in advance.
Without explanation from their master, though restless in their heart, they dared not ask further, only bowing respectfully in salute, withdrawing with their flags.
In the grand hall, finally only Chen Hua remained seated alone.
He raised his eyes to look at the towering Celestial King Hall before him, his gaze distant, a soft murmur in his heart:
“After seeking gold, will I still be me?”
With that thought, his consciousness suddenly sank, entering that mysterious and unfathomable gray mist palace that had accompanied him for countless years.
Empty fog spread around, hazy and vast.
“I invite the elder to show themselves, please!”
“I invite the elder to show themselves, please!”
The calls echoed deep in the mist, still silent and still, without a response.
Chen Hua stood quietly, feeling lost in his heart.
As his own cultivation increased, his Dao journey extended farther, and the Great Dao he touched deepened, the doubts in his heart grew ever more intense.
He began to question his origin, his memories of crossing worlds, doubting the source of the golden finger that accompanied him for life.
This was the true reason he looked back at his homeland this time.
Perhaps, there never was any Earth traveler, from beginning to end, he was just that boy from the Southwest Village.
At this moment, Chen Hua held no hatred nor resentment in his heart:
“False or true!”
“Without this gray mist, I from seven hundred years ago would have long been buried in the barren mountains and wilds.”
“The quest for gold is ahead, let nature take its course!”