Chapter 36: Meeting Again

At night, while Xu Guang was lightly dozing, he witnessed the cruelty of the wild beasts in the mountains.

Packs of wolves hunted elks, and clouded leopards chased after wild hares. It was as if the snow-covered mountains sprang to life the moment night fell, presenting him with a 3D animal documentary.

It was just a pity that it wasn’t spring.

As the night grew deeper, he suddenly heard a faint, indistinct clamor drifting from afar. Xu Guang sat up abruptly. His ears twitched slightly as he identified that the noise was coming from the direction of the mountain path, and it definitely wasn’t made by his "good brothers."

"Who could be in the mountains this late at night?" he thought, a touch of curiosity rising in his eyes. "Why does this sound like a fight?"

His eyes lit up. Treadling softly on the soundless snow, he silently approached the source of the commotion.

He was a kindhearted person who couldn’t bear to see corpses left exposed in the wilderness. He intended to collect their bodies; in exchange, the corpses would assist in his Cultivation. That wasn’t asking too much, right?

Fortunately, he had anticipated the snow-covered mountains before coming and had worn white clothing. Crouching low in the snow, he slowly closed the distance.

At the location of the battle, countless torches swayed in the vast, snowy night like fireflies. Xu Guang untied the white cloth around his forehead and utilized the extreme long-range vision of his third eye to peer over.

The two battling factions were clearly divided and easily distinguishable by their attire. Although both sides wore white, one group had yellow cloths tied around their arms, while the other side wore gray cloths. The group with the yellow cloths was noticeably larger in number, forcing the gray-clothed individuals to retreat steadily.

However, the sight of the group wearing the gray cloths made Xu Guang’s gaze sharpen. Their outfits appeared much more uniform, and embroidered on their chests was a massive character... "Cheng"!

"Are these people from the Cheng Family?" he thought.

Initially, Xu Guang had no intention of intervening. After all, even though he couldn’t gauge the exact strength of the yellow-clothed group from this distance, the sheer destruction they were causing indicated that there were many experts among them.

He owed Cheng Lian’Er a favor, but he owed nothing to the Cheng Family. If Cheng Lian’Er were in danger, he would make a move; but if it was just the Cheng Family, then it would depend on the situation.

But as the battle intensified, a graceful figure dressed in white and wearing a white fox-fur cloak charged out of the crowd with a sword in hand, causing Xu Guang’s mouth to twitch.

"Is it really Cheng Lian’Er?" he wondered. "Never mind, I’ll get a bit closer. If I can save her, I will. If not..."

***

Under the snowy night, the slaughter unfolded rapidly, stirring up countless creatures in the mountains. The howling of wolves and the roars of various Exotic Beasts echoed out. It was as if the untamed mountains were using this method to tell the humans slaughtering each other in the snow who the true master of the wilderness was.

Several men dressed in white protected Cheng Lian’Er in their center, forming a defensive circle around her.

"Miss, in a moment, I will detonate the blood energy within my viscera. Take that opportunity to leave with Cheng San."

Cheng Lian’Er’s face was solemn. Hearing this, a trace of sorrow uncontrollably surfaced on her face. "Second!"

Cheng the Second’s expression remained placid. Throughout his life, ever since he was a youth, he had been sponsored by the Cheng Family to practice Cultivation. He had watched Cheng Lian’Er grow up, and she had always treated him with the utmost respect. Although he didn’t know why they were being surrounded and hunted by the Yellow Heaven Sect tonight, he had firmly made up his mind that even if it cost him his life, he would ensure the Miss escaped.

"Miss, as things stand, this is the only way."

Watching the members of the Yellow Heaven Sect steadily closing in and shrinking the encirclement, a look of resolute determination appeared on Cheng the Second’s face.

"That old guy is poisoned. Even though we can’t kill him, it will definitely suppress a portion of his Cultivation," Cheng Lian’Er said while surrounded by her men. She thought about how she had confidently left the city, smugly intent on obtaining the Centennial Huang Jing to extend her grandfather’s lifespan and officially take over the Cheng Family.

She had never expected to be ambushed by the Yellow Heaven Sect and watch the people by her side fall one by one. All the plans she had meticulously orchestrated had now gone down the drain.

"Is this Miss Cheng before me?" The surrounding crowd slowly parted, revealing a fat figure dressed in white. However, a glimpse through his inner collar revealed that he was wearing Inner Armor. He appeared to be the highest-ranking individual among them.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lian’Er spoke in a cold voice, "Your Yellow Heaven Sect is far too brazen. You just established an alliance with Lord City Guardian On the Banks of Wei River, and now you want to ambush and kill members of the Cheng Family?"

The fat young man burst into loud laughter. "No, no, no, we wouldn’t dare attack the Cheng Family. All I want is Miss Cheng."

A lecherous look crossed his face, his small eyes brimming with greed and possessiveness. Ever since he last saw Cheng Lian’Er On the Banks of Wei River, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. After learning of her talents, even his father had praised his good eye for choosing people.

"As long as Miss Cheng is willing to marry me... I know of Miss Cheng’s talents, and mere Feiyun City is not enough for you to showcase them. If we join forces as husband and wife within my Yellow Heaven Sect, I can certainly elevate Miss Cheng to become someone truly above others. What do you think, Miss Cheng?"

Cheng Lian’Er remained impassive. "Who are you?"

"My name is Qian Neng. My father is Qian Cheng, currently one of the Yellow Heaven Sect’s Thirty-Six Canon Seats. Perhaps Miss Cheng is more familiar with the title Jade Elephant Canon Seat.

"Just a few days ago, my proposal of marriage was flatly rejected by Miss Cheng," Qian Neng said with a rather smug tone.

Before Cheng Lian’Er could say anything in response to this name, a sudden gleam shot out of Xu Guang’s eyes as he crawled in the snow in the distance.

Qian Cheng...

The man who had abducted his third sister, Xu Qiu, seven years ago—the main culprit who had prevented the siblings from seeing each other for seven long years!

In just a few years, he had actually become the Jade Elephant Canon Seat in the Yellow Heaven Sect and had even become one of the Abnormal People!?

From this distance, with his Blood Eye unobstructed, he could already make out the appearances of Qian Neng’s group, and it was enough for him to see their... Combat Power!

[xxx (Human), Combat Power: Bone Forging Realm Weak Ordinary Level]

[xxx (Human), Combat Power: Bone Forging Realm Weak Ordinary Level]

[xxx (Human), Combat Power: Bone Forging Realm Strong Ordinary Level]

[xxx (Human), Combat Power: Bone Forging Realm Elite Level]

He couldn’t see the Combat Power of one person, who was likely at the Refining Viscera stage. Among the remaining crowd, four were at Bone Forging, and one of them was even... Elite Level!

What surprised him even more was that the Elite Level Bone Forger Martial Artist was actually the incredibly fat-looking Qian Neng.

Xu Guang narrowed his eyes. The main quest had just changed. Initially, he only wanted to find a way to rescue Cheng Lian’Er. But now, he needed to confirm whether Jade Elephant Seat Master Qian Cheng was the same Qian Cheng from seven years ago!

Cheng Lian’Er suddenly spoke up, "Can you tell me how you knew I was in the mountains?"

Hearing this, Qian Neng laughed uproariously. As if envisioning the scene of Cheng Lian’Er submitting beneath him, he presumptuously changed how he addressed her. "Lian’Er, your purpose for leaving the city was to find the Centennial Huang Jing, right?"

At these words, Cheng Lian’Er quickly realized what had happened. A strange light flickered in her eyes. "That Hunter was your man!?"

"Hahaha, Lian’Er is exceptionally intelligent as expected. Great Dragon, why don’t you come over and pay your respects to Miss Cheng?"

A Bone Forger Martial Artist slowly walked out from behind him and cupped his fists toward Cheng Lian’Er. "Yellow Heaven Sect King Great Dragon greets Miss Cheng."

In an instant, everything clicked for Cheng Lian’Er. This whole situation was a conspiracy aimed squarely at her.

"Second!" she suddenly let out a sharp cry and drew her sword.

The moment Cheng Lian’Er’s voice faded, Cheng the Second’s body suddenly swelled in size, his face flushing with an unnatural redness. The long saber in his hand was swung once again, unleashing a power far surpassing his previous strikes and whistling fiercely through the wind and snow.

Cheng Lian’Er followed closely behind Cheng San and shouted in a low voice, "San, let’s go!"

The group of four fought desperately to protect Cheng Lian’Er, carving a bloody path toward the outside of the encirclement.

Qian Neng instantly flew into a rage. His figure shot forward explosively. "Where do you think you’re going!"

Cheng the Second’s somewhat deformed body abruptly stood in front of him. "Young Master Qian, your opponent is me!"

Originally, with his strength, he would have been perfectly capable of protecting Cheng Lian’Er. Unfortunately, Qian Neng’s side also had a Refining Viscera Martial Artist!

That Refining Viscera Martial Artist dashed out instantly, trading a booming punch with Cheng the Second. "Young Master, this man has detonated his Viscera Meridian. Leave him to me."

Qian Neng placed absolute trust in this Refining Viscera Martial Artist. He decisively led the remaining dozen or so people past the battlefield. "Then I will have to trouble you, Elder Feng. After them!"

The shouts of slaughter in the snowy night seemed to reach their peak at this moment. Laying prone in the snow, Xu Guang didn’t immediately rush to rescue Cheng Lian’Er.

Without a doubt, if he wanted to kill Qian Neng, he first needed to deal with the Refining Viscera Martial Artist before him. Fortunately, he wasn’t alone.

Very quickly, only the two Refining Viscera Martial Artists were left battling in the original spot. Refining Viscera Martial Artists were truly extraordinary; every time they struck, Gale-like Force whistled, and the snowpack was overturned. Their clash triggered countless booming sounds, and even the earth trembled slightly.

Their speed was incredible, and Xu Guang could only manage to clearly track their movements by relying on his third eye.

"Could I really kill such monsters?" he thought, his eyes filled with solemnity. After pondering for a long time, he decided to give up on the idea. He would just figure out a way to save Cheng Lian’Er instead.

"Cultivating to the Refining Viscera stage is no easy feat. Is it really worth throwing it away for a little girl from the Cheng Family?" Elder Feng spoke up to distract him. "From the looks of it, you must be considered a top-tier expert in the Cheng Family, right? In the eyes of the Cheng Family, your life should be far more important than that little girl’s, shouldn’t it?"

Cheng the Second didn’t say a word. His Viscera Meridian was constantly breaking down; he was running out of time. Elder Feng only dodged and refused to attack, clearly aware of his opponent’s current state. The accumulated snow was swept up by their battle, dancing wildly in the air.

Just as Xu Guang was about to leave, he suddenly saw that under Cheng the Second’s suicidal offensive, Elder Feng was finally forced to meet his palm strike head-on. In the split second that Elder Feng lost his balance, Cheng the Second abruptly lunged forward and locked his arms around Elder Feng’s body.

He revealed a cold sneer, finally speaking his first sentence since detonating his Viscera Meridian.

"Even if I die, you won’t have the chance to chase after the Miss either!"

Behind Elder Feng’s back, his hand abruptly formed into a claw shape and ruthlessly dug in! He had actually been hiding an extremely profound Claw Skill all this time!

SQUELCH!

The flesh and blood on Elder Feng’s back gave way as if made of wet paper, allowing the claw to dig in. It went deeper and deeper, and in the blink of an eye, the entire hand was completely submerged within.

"Argh!"

Elder Feng cried out in agony. Then, he frantically hammered down with both fists, raining blow after blow.

"Madman! You absolute madman! Get the hell off me!"

Cheng the Second didn’t retreat a single inch. He coughed uncontrollably, spewing out massive amounts of blood and fragments of his internal organs, but he refused to pull his claw out.

This scene made Xu Guang halt his steps. He licked his lips.

"I wonder how much Essence Blood a Refining Viscera Martial Artist can provide," he thought.