Chapter 502 - 494: Assassination

Chapter 502: Chapter 494: Assassination

Finally, a look of shock surfaced in Shan Tianyu’s placid gaze. "Eight types of Attribute Elemental Power! Inconceivable! The strange thing is, I find myself subconsciously believing you."

"I didn’t believe it at first either, but in the end, I had no choice. Besides, that kid has earned Dilaka’s approval. I’m afraid he’s going to improve dramatically in the near future."

"It’s only an improvement. He’s just a First-Ring Martial Sect. While the effect of the Broken Ring is indeed shocking, it’s not a power he can use frequently. The stronger one becomes and the higher their realm, the more reluctant they’d be to use it. After all, the time it takes to restore a single ring past the Emperor Realm is far beyond anything at the Sect Realm. What worries me most, conversely, is the Fusion Attribute power he used at the very end." As he thought of this, the image of that sphere shooting toward him flashed in Shan Tianyu’s eyes once more. He hadn’t been afraid, but he had been shaken. Just as Shan Qiuhen said, if Mu Chen could truly command eight Attributes, then his ultimate Fusion Power would be something the entire continent would be powerless to stop.

’However, for a monster like him who is Defying the Heavens, there are bound to be endless obstacles on his path of Cultivation. That’s just how the world works. The more one gains, the more difficulties and setbacks one will face down the road.’

"Fortunately, he’s shown his hand early. Now that I know his trump cards, I have no reason to fear his future growth. In fact, I doubt anyone in the Inner Mountain knows what my, Shan Tianyu’s, real trump card is... In two years, at the Nine Clans Competition, I will let all those who think they’re superior see just who is the strongest of the Nine Families!"

As he spoke, Shan Tianyu, without a backward glance at Shan Qiuhen, clasped his hands behind his back and strode back into the underground chamber. At the very moment the door closed, a black shadow flickered, and another Shan Tianyu remained outside.

...

On the first level of the Inner Mountain, the sound of rushing water, SPLASH SPLASH, came from the bathroom in Mu Chen’s dormitory. Unsurprisingly, the sound had been going on for nearly half an hour.

"Haaaah..."

Watching as his ’little brother’ finally subsided, Mu Chen heaved a deep sigh and stared up at the bathroom ceiling. Unbidden, the image of Chu Aoqing’s perfect, slender figure and her mature charm flashed through his mind again.

Shaking his head violently, Mu Chen thought helplessly, ’What in the world happened? Why would she have that kind of reaction?’

It wasn’t hard to imagine. Based on Mu Chen’s understanding of Ye Shuangshuang and Long Xiaotian, Fire Attribute Martial Artists were either irritable and hot-tempered, or just plain eccentric. Although he had been unconscious, just seeing their attitudes after his Awakening was enough to know that something strange had definitely happened. And whatever it was, it would most likely lead to Chu Aoqing hunting him down relentlessly.

"I put something special in the dish on the left. Guaranteed it’s the good stuff. You’d better thank me for it, kid."

Suddenly, those words echoed in Mu Chen’s mind. He froze, then slapped his forehead hard and groaned in frustration, "Master Ling, oh, Master Ling! Are you trying to get me killed?!"

"BANG!!"

Before Mu Chen could react, the bathroom door was obliterated by an incredibly terrifying force. Shards of the door shot toward Mu Chen at a horrifying speed, startling him into instantly circulating his Primordial Power to block the shrapnel completely.

"Who’s there?!" Mu Chen demanded. But as he peered out through the steam and spray, an exquisitely beautiful, frosty face came into view. His jaw dropped. "Se... Senior..."

"SHING!"

Her Sharp Sword was drawn in a flash. Chu Aoqing, wrapped in a bedsheet, lunged forward, the floor tiles cracking under her explosive charge. Her sword, Qianye, glowed with a dazzling golden light as she locked onto Mu Chen’s neck and swung, showing no mercy at all!

After seeing who it was and what she was doing, Mu Chen’s earlier panic surprisingly vanished. With a wave of his hand, he dispelled his Elemental Barrier, tilted his head slightly, and exposed his neck to Chu Aoqing’s sword, his expression perfectly serene.

But to his surprise, Mu Chen’s gesture did nothing to sway Chu Aoqing’s heart or her expression. Wielding an unparalleled Sharp Qi, Qianye descended ruthlessly...

"PSSSSSH..."

The crisp sound of tearing flesh. Severed limbs and internal organs burst, and a torrent of blood rained down, spattering the entire bathroom. The world... fell silent.

"Uhh..."

Feeling his neck, Mu Chen found that he felt no pain, and there wasn’t a single wound. ’But if there’s no wound and no pain, then what’s with all this blood and shredded flesh?’

Turning his head toward the corner of the bathroom, Mu Chen’s pupils contracted. In that dark corner lay a mangled corpse. Beside the body, a dagger radiating a grayish-black aura had stained the surrounding blood and water black. A moment’s thought was all it took for the hair on his arms to stand on end, and a cold sweat to pour down his back.

’Someone was trying to kill him!’

"Next time you’re bathing, focus your Spiritual Power. The Inner Mountain isn’t as peaceful as you imagine."

With those words, the flush that had yet to fade from Chu Aoqing’s cheeks deepened. She sheathed her sword, turned, and fled the bathroom as if escaping, leaving a bewildered Mu Chen standing in place.

’She left in such a hurry?’

But just as he crossed his arms and muttered this, Mu Chen suddenly felt a cool draft on his rear. He glanced down, and his mouth immediately began to twitch. He was, at that moment, completely naked.

"I totally lost out!!"

The exclamation escaped Mu Chen’s lips. Upstairs, Chu Aoqing froze when she heard it, then muttered viciously, "Just you wait!"

Even as she spoke, she couldn’t help but think back to what she had just done to Mu Chen. ’Although my reason was overwhelmed, it didn’t mean my consciousness had completely faded. On the contrary, in a situation like that, my awareness was even sharper! So sharp that I remember every single one of my actions and reactions with perfect clarity!’

’Damn it... Why would I do something so humiliating! I actually... tried to force myself on my own junior!’

Pulling aside the bedsheet, Chu Aoqing touched her slightly swollen lips and her lower abdomen, wondering strangely, ’Is my body really that unattractive? If not, why would he refuse such a perfect opportunity?’

Shaking her head, Chu Aoqing swiftly retrieved a fresh set of black combat attire from her Storage Ring. After quickly changing, she opened the door. After all, the corpse needed to be investigated. To think someone would dare try to assassinate Mu Chen right in front of her, right under her nose. If anything had happened to him, she would have been the first to be held responsible.

"CLICK!"

The door opened, and Chu Aoqing immediately saw an awkward, fidgeting Mu Chen standing outside. At the sound of the door opening, Mu Chen’s gaze also shifted to her.

"..."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Chu Aoqing took a deep breath and asked, feigning indifference, "Was it a good look?"

"Huh?" Mu Chen was taken aback by her question and replied subconsciously, "It was a good look. You’re very beautiful, Senior."

"Hah..." Chu Aoqing let out a cold laugh. "Do I look even better without any clothes on?"

"Ah?" Mu Chen nearly blurted out the truth. The memory of Chu Aoqing’s voluptuous softness and smooth, silky waist suddenly surfaced in his mind, and as if possessed, he nodded.

But the moment he nodded, Mu Chen frantically waved his hands. "No, no, no! It wasn’t a good look!"

’Wait, doesn’t that sound like an insult?’

"Wait, it was a good look! Uh... I’m all mixed up. What I mean is... Senior, you always look good... no, you look good with clothes on, and even better without! Ah! That’s not it, that’s not it..."

With a cry of despair, Mu Chen became completely flustered.

Seeing Mu Chen’s frantic, flustered state, Chu Aoqing couldn’t help but giggle. Her laughter was as beautiful as a flower, captivatingly so. Like a woman newly blossomed, her dewy, fair, and gorgeous face took on an incredibly bewitching allure, causing Mu Chen to stare, dumbfounded. Chu Aoqing’s voice was already filled with temptation, and her laugh reignited the lustful fire Mu Chen had just suppressed, his gaze turning scorching hot.

Chu Aoqing noticed the change in Mu Chen, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t close the door, nor could she just keep standing there. The atmosphere, once again, grew intimate and charged.

"Have you stared long enough?" Chu Aoqing asked in a low voice, turning her head to avoid Mu Chen’s gaze.

Her words startled Mu Chen, and he bit his tongue again. A sharp hiss escaped his lips, followed by a thin trickle of fresh blood from the corner of his mouth.

’Oops, bit too hard...’

"You...!" Seeing this, Chu Aoqing hurriedly took a Medicine Bottle from her ring, pulled out a lustrous, translucent pill, and stuffed it directly into Mu Chen’s mouth. His sharp intake of breath made her heart tremble. It was only then that she realized: ’It’s not that I’m not charming enough, it’s that he’s trying his absolute hardest to restrain himself.’ Without her even noticing, Mu Chen’s figure had already, subconsciously, been branded onto her soul.

"Haaaah..."

Savoring the pill dissolving in his mouth, Mu Chen felt a little embarrassed. ’After all, that was a Fourth Grade Healing Medicine she just shoved in my mouth. A single one of those can heal eighty percent of a sword wound in a day. To think she used it on my bitten tongue.’

"Senior, uhm... about yesterday, I’m sorry..."

Hearing Mu Chen’s apology, Chu Aoqing was the one who felt embarrassed. She shook her head. "Let’s just pretend none of it ever happened. After all, you were the passive one in the whole affair. And... in the end, nothing irreversible happened, right?"

With a faint smile, Chu Aoqing’s expression grew serious again. "There is one thing that I’m very concerned about, though. Who would take the risk of assassinating you under these specific circumstances?"

"..."

Mu Chen grew pensive. ’That’s right, who would want to assassinate me? And they just happened to choose the perfect time—during my weakened state right after using the Broken Ring...’