Chapter 267: A Journey of Storms and Tribulations

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: A Journey of Storms and Tribulations

In a duel between masters, the slightest slip can lead to utter defeat.

A single moment of carelessness could mark the beginning of defeat and death.

Chu Fan’s verbal taunts were designed to enrage them. Anger leads to impulsiveness, and impulsiveness leads to recklessness.

They might look like they were about to fight to the death, but they would also reveal numerous openings in the process.

With four of them working in perfect concert, one man’s anger would be enough to disrupt their entire rhythm.

The foremost sword strike unleashed a torrent of light, its Sword Qi seemingly invincible.

Chu Fan smirked, and the Iron Spear in his hand immediately changed techniques.

"Long Spear Strike, Like a Roaming Dragon!"

His attack seemed aimed at the enraged elder, but it was a feint. After thrusting the spearhead forward, he rapidly executed the Wind Thunder Escape Body Technique.

With a startling twist of his body, his Long Spear swept out.

Man and spear seemed to merge into one, moving like a roaming dragon.

"BOOM!"

The other three reacted quickly, but Chu Fan had feinted again. He deliberately exposed his back, only to pivot and smash the butt of his spear into the chest of the elder to his right.

The elder spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying.

Dozens of streams of Sword Qi and Saber Aura slammed into Chu Fan, shredding his robes. Though he staggered and felt a jolt of pain, he was completely unharmed.

’A Defense Value of over nine hundred. You think I’m joking?’

Chu Fan had wanted to test his body’s defenses.

His gamble had paid off.

Having severely wounded one, he had no intention of stopping.

"Long Spear, Dragon Teasing a Phoenix!"

With a flick of his wrist, the Iron Spear in his hand shot toward one of the elders like a speeding arrow.

The Iron Spear, wreathed in True Qi, carried an immense pressure that terrified the elder, who scrambled to defend himself with his long saber.

But in the next instant, Chu Fan’s form moved even faster than the Iron Spear. He flickered like an afterimage, grasped the Long Spear again, and thrust it backward in a classic turnaround strike.

He then spun sharply, the Long Spear lashing out in a wide arc.

"CRASH!"

With a deafening crash, the Long Spear slammed into one of the elder’s Long Swords. The Sword couldn’t withstand the force of the Iron Spear and was smashed against the elder’s own arm.

In the space of just a few breaths, Chu Fan’s robes were in tatters, but three of the four men had been beaten so badly they were vomiting blood.

Having achieved such a result, he certainly wasn’t about to stop.

He swung the Iron Spear like a raging tempest. In just four more moves, all four Divine Separation Realm Tier Nine elders were grievously wounded and collapsed.

The price Chu Fan paid was disheveled hair and the ruin of his robes—a set prepared for him by the Eastern Palace, worth over ten thousand taels of silver.

With his spear tip pointing to the ground, held in a reverse grip, he slowly walked toward the young man.

The young man stared at Chu Fan, his eyes filled with terror. "Stay away from me."

"Hmph!" Chu Fan snorted softly, his steps never faltering.

Each footstep seemed to land directly on the young man’s heart.

"My grandfather is the current Prime Minister! What do you think you’re doing?"

"The younger brother of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and the grandson of the current Prime Minister... Heh, no wonder you’re all so condescending!"

The moment Chu Fan finished speaking, his Long Spear swept out. A flash of light from the spear streaked across the young man’s neck, and a perfectly good head went flying into the air.

It was both a warning and a probe.

Wen Chan clapped a hand over her mouth, her already large eyes widening further. She stared at Chu Fan in disbelief, unable to fathom his audacity. ’The young man clearly said his grandfather is the Prime Minister... and he just killed him like that?’

"I, Chu Fan, am nothing but a thug. I have no parents, no sect to tie me down. When I’m in a good mood, I’ll drink and sing with anyone. But when I’m in a bad mood, I don’t care if you’re the king of heaven himself. If I can beat you, I’ll kill you. If I can’t, I’ll take a piece of you with me, even if it costs me my life. Anyone who doubts me is welcome to try!"

"Wen Chan, let’s go!"

Wen Chan was still trembling, but she hurried to catch up with Chu Fan.

The moment she reached him, Chu Fan grabbed her wrist and broke into a run.

After just a few strides, a sweep of his Long Spear was met with a scream.

After a few more screams, the street ahead of and behind them was suddenly filled with figures clad in Night Clothes, their faces hidden by black masks.

"CRACK!"

A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, momentarily illuminating the entire street, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.

Silence. The scene was terrifyingly still.

Countless pairs of eyes stared at Chu Fan, filled with boundless killing intent.

"Didn’t you bring your Jade Flute?" Chu Fan asked Wen Chan. "On a night made for killing, it’s a bit dull without some music to set the mood, don’t you think?"

Wen Chan, her wrist still in Chu Fan’s grasp, was trembling from head to toe.

"I-I didn’t bring a flute, but I have a xun," Wen Chan stammered in fear.

"A xun? The sound of a xun always strikes me as so bleak... but that’s rather fitting for tonight. Go on, play them an overture to their deaths."

"Young Master Chu, aren’t you going to ask who they are?"

"No need. They’re all here to kill me, so I’ll just kill them first. We can figure out who they were and what they wanted later."

"Pardon me!" Chu Fan said. Before Wen Chan could even process what he meant by those two words, he released her wrist and wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

Wen Chan felt her feet leave the ground as she was lifted into the air.

"You can start playing now. Don’t stop until I say so."

"KILL—"

The roar seemed to erupt from the depths of Hell itself, filled with madness and boundless killing intent.

Chu Fan charged straight into the crowd ahead, his Iron Spear beginning its deadly sweep.

Held in his embrace, Wen Chan had blood splatter across her face almost instantly. She squeezed her eyes shut in terror, raised the Mo Jade xun to her lips, and began to play.

Another bolt of lightning tore across the sky. As the thunder cracked, a torrential rain began to fall, accompanied by a howling wind.

The wind howled and the rain fell in sheets.

The battle cries were deafening, a chaotic blur of flashing blades.

Screams echoed endlessly, yet none could overpower the sound of the xun, which was like the death summons of a restless spirit.

Bloody corpses were sent flying, only for more men in black to rush forward and take their place.

These men in black seemed to have no fear of death.

Blood mingled with the rainwater, gushing across the ground with a sickening splash.

The Cultivation of these men in black was not high. Most were at the Nascent Soul Realm, with the strongest only at the Soul Emergence Realm.

Perhaps.

Perhaps they were just trying to use their numbers to exhaust the True Qi in Chu Fan’s body.

Or perhaps, they were just to serve as practice for Chu Fan, or to add to his Karmic Obstacles. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

The entire time, Wen Chan remained in Chu Fan’s arms with her eyes shut, but the music from her xun never ceased. As one melody ended, another began.

The rain had long since drenched them both. Hair clung to their faces, sticky with a mixture of rainwater and blood that was impossible to distinguish.

Chu Fan’s feet never stopped moving, and neither did his right hand.

Every flick of his wrist claimed another life.

At the same time, with so many enemies, his right arm was struck countless times. Even with his extremely high Defense Value, it couldn’t endure hundreds, or even thousands, of blows.

Why only his right arm? Because his left arm was wrapped firmly around Wen Chan’s waist, shielding her in his embrace.

’Although I don’t know Wen Chan’s identity, I can’t let her get hurt before I figure it out. Protecting her tonight might be the chance I need to learn the truth.’