Chapter 612 - 612: He Liang

"The aura of the Martial King Essence Pill is on us. We won't be able to shake them, no matter where we go."

"Besides, there are only three hundred spots for those who pass. We've already been delayed for quite some time. If we take a detour and end up not making it through, we'll be in trouble."

"Let's just charge straight to the center of the Withered Wood Forest. As long as we can reach Elder Zhu, we should be safe."

Chu Qingyun thought for a moment before speaking.

A single Martial King Essence Pill held a fatal allure for Level-Nine Martial Spirits, and it was also quite attractive to those in the Martial King Realm.

But to a Martial Emperor Realm expert, it was just another item.

However, plans can never keep up with changes.

That afternoon, Chu Qingyun's group of three ran into trouble again.

The aura of someone from the Celestial Sword Sect appeared ahead, entering the trio's perception.

Soon after, a man with a rather gloomy expression and a broad-bladed longsword on his back blocked their path.

"You're from the Saint Extreme Sect. What are you holding?"

The man stared at the trio, a hint of contempt in his eyes as he asked.

He had followed the intense fluctuation of Primordial Power to find them, but he didn't yet know what the source was.

"Nothing much, just a Martial King Essence Pill," Chu Qingyun replied.

The fluctuations of Primordial Power were impossible to hide, so there was no point in being deceptive.

At the same time, his guard went up.

Previously, those who had been drawn by the aura were cautious when they saw there were three of them. They would follow and probe warily, and upon noticing many others nearby, they would go and gather information.

But this man had just brazenly blocked their path.

'There are only two possibilities: either he's a reckless fool, or he's supremely confident in his own strength.'

'And by the looks of it, he's definitely not the former!'

Upon hearing the four words "Martial King Essence Pill," a flicker of emotion appeared in the man's previously indifferent eyes.

The man was absolutely confident he could break through to the Martial King Realm, but that didn't mean he had no interest in a Martial King Essence Pill.

Even a King Realm Expert could save a great deal of training time and resources by obtaining a Martial King Essence Pill.

"Hand it over, and I'll spare your lives," the man continued.

Hearing this, Chu Qingyun raised an eyebrow.

'This guy doesn't say much, but he seems even more arrogant than Pei Yongqing.'

Just as Chu Qingyun was about to speak, all four of them suddenly looked back. Through the seals on their bodies, they sensed someone catching up from behind.

It was none other than Pei Yongqing of the Celestial Sword Sect.

Seeing Pei Yongqing, the man who had blocked Chu Qingyun's path scowled. "Pei Yongqing, I didn't expect to see you here. Are you going to fight me for this Martial King Essence Pill?"

Pei Yongqing looked at the man and snorted coldly. "Hmph, He Liang! I won't be making a move for the Martial King Essence Pill."

After speaking, he turned his gaze to Chu Qingyun and his companions.

Chu Qingyun understood. Pei Yongqing had deliberately revealed the man's name to warn him that this was He Liang, the person he'd mentioned before.

"Not making a move? That's a Martial King Essence Pill. Even a Primordial Pill from the Human King Realm is a priceless treasure that's impossible to find on the market. You're telling me you're not tempted?"

He Liang gave a sinister smile, clearly not believing him.

But Pei Yongqing just shrugged and said, "Of course I'm tempted. But I've already made my move. I just wasn't skilled enough."

'Not skilled enough!'

He Liang's gaze sharpened abruptly, his eyes sweeping over Chu Qingyun's group like a cold blade.

Under his stare, the two Level-Nine Martial Spirits beside Chu Qingyun were so shaken that they couldn't help but look away.

Only Chu Qingyun remained calm and impassive, showing no reaction at all.

'It wasn't the two Level-Nine Martial Spirits... Could it be... the Level-Eight Martial Spirit?'

He Liang immediately ruled out the two Level-Nine Martial Spirits.

'Trash like that, who can't even meet my gaze, could never defeat Pei Yongqing.'

But after ruling them out, the remaining conclusion was one He Liang found hard to accept.

A Level-Eight Martial Spirit!

'Could Pei Yongqing have actually lost to a Level-Eight Martial Spirit!?'

Level-Nine Martial Spirits were all extremely fast.

In the short time they had been delayed, quite a few of the stronger pursuers had managed to catch up, one after another.

And having witnessed the previous battle, they all knew to stop behind Pei Yongqing, not daring to get too close.

As for He Liang, who was blocking the path ahead, he was naturally recognized at once by several Level-Nine Martial Spirits from the Celestial Sword Sect.

"He is here too. The allure of that Martial King Essence Pill really is something else."

"Even Pei lost. As for He, I'm afraid he might also..."

"I doubt it. That Chu Qingyun's strength is terrifying..."

A few Outer Disciples from the Celestial Sword Sect muttered amongst themselves.

When Chu Qingyun had faced Pei Yongqing before, every one of them had been full of confidence in Pei.

But after yesterday's great battle, now that Chu Qingyun was facing He Liang, the majority of the Celestial Sword Sect disciples actually didn't fancy He Liang's chances.

Although He Liang couldn't hear what they were saying, he could tell from their expressions that something wasn't right.

This gave He Liang a bad feeling.

"The Withered Wood Forest is within the Celestial Sword Sect's sphere of influence! Since the Martial King Essence Pill appeared here, it belongs to my Celestial Sword Sect!"

"You three, hand over the Martial King Essence Pill!"

He Liang barked, preparing to end this quickly.

Just then, another voice came from the woods nearby.

"Anything that appears in the Withered Wood Forest belongs to your Celestial Sword Sect? What a joke. By your logic, does everything we disciples from the Four Major Sects possess also belong to your Celestial Sword Sect!?"

Before the voice had even faded, a tall, straight figure shot out of the woods, flashing past to land between Chu Qingyun's group and He Liang.

"Xu!"

"Xu really came!"

The faces of the two Level-Nine Martial Spirits next to Chu Qingyun lit up with delighted surprise.

The newcomer was none other than Xu Shijie, the powerful seed disciple from the Saint Extreme Sect's Outer Sect whom they had mentioned earlier!

In the Saint Extreme Sect's Outer Sect, Xu Shijie's status and reputation were in no way inferior to Pei Yongqing's in the Celestial Sword Sect.

"Hmph. So you got the treasure. The three of you did well."

"Give that thing to me. You'll get your reward after we return to the sect."

Xu Shijie said, turning his head to look at Chu Qingyun. His words were filled with a sense of lofty superiority.