Chapter 221 - 220: Meridian Interception, Dragon Capture, Open

Chapter 221: Chapter 220: Meridian Interception, Dragon Capture, Open

Wu Chen extended his hand, palm down, carefully sensing the cold qi rising from the ground and the changes in his surroundings.

Without drawing on the qi of his five organs or the Rhombic Crystal source flowing within him, he could faintly feel a needle-like pricking on his palm, followed by a tingling numbness.

This showed just how violent the earth qi was.

’In the past, Body Refining Skills used sand, gravel, and iron filings for polishing. The Demon Path would add some poisons into the mix.’

’But this is the first time I’ve encountered a technique that uses this underground qi—more than ten times fiercer—to forge the body!’

’Although this is only the crudest form of qi, and might be completely different from the qi needed for the Dragon Transformation Realm, it’s still a rare treasure!’

’The body forged by it must also be something that transcends the mundane.’

After sensing it for a moment, Wu Chen withdrew his hand. But suddenly, he remembered something and looked at Sun Yuting.

"Captain Sun, since the earth qi rises at night and grows more intense as it gets darker, doesn’t that mean the Hidden Wind Valley disciples who use it to refine their bodies will choose a certain time at night to counterattack the Demon Suppression Bureau’s encirclement?"

As he spoke, his five fingers gripped the sheath of his saber. His gaze went past the motionless figure on the giant rock, looking toward the summit in case of any sudden movement.

"Logically, yes."

Sun Yuting nodded. "But that’s limited to disciples at the Perfection of the Organ Refining Realm or higher—at least Mid Stage. Those below the first four realms don’t have the ability to break out."

"These people would probably die from the rampant earth qi inside Hidden Wind Valley before they even made it out, their bodies unable to withstand it."

"The foundation Hidden Wind Valley has built over a hundred years wasn’t easy. They surely can’t just abandon all their disciples..."

"Anyway, we’ll just wait for the Captains in the mountains to negotiate. This kind of thing is practically a sure win!"

Sun Yuting’s expression was calm, not worried in the slightest.

The members of the Demon Suppression Bureau who came were all at the Organ Refining Realm or higher. Hidden Wind Valley might look like they have a lot of people, but most are disciples of the first four realms with hardly any combat strength to speak of.

"The only thing to worry about are the Blood Evil fiends within Hidden Wind Valley."

Speaking of this, Sun Yuting’s expression turned solemn. "Hidden Wind Valley has been acting as the tiger’s accomplice. Who knows how long they’ve been concocting great elixirs for these fiends." 𝙛𝓇ⅇ

"I’m afraid the cultivation realms of these Blood Evil fiends hiding in Hidden Wind Valley won’t be too low."

"But there’s a Cloud Pattern Captain overseeing things in the mountains, so don’t you worry."

"Hard to say."

Wu Chen shook his head, offering a rebuttal without any regard for Sun Yuting’s status as a Golden Eagle Captain.

At a critical moment, he didn’t want someone else dropping the ball and affecting him.

"I know you’re strong, but you don’t have to be so arrogant as to distrust a Cloud Pattern Captain of the Demon Suppression Bureau, do you?"

Sun Yuting put her hands on her hips, displeased with Wu Chen’s attitude.

"That’s not what I mean."

Wu Chen said calmly, "It’s just that if everyone thinks like you do because a Cloud Pattern Captain is present, there will definitely be huge problems."

"Captain Sun, why don’t you think about it? Isn’t that the case?"

"Now that you put it that way... I guess... you have a point."

Sun Yuting wasn’t one to argue unreasonably. Hearing Wu Chen’s words, she understood that she had, without realizing it, become complacent.

No matter what, this encirclement was a Level A mission. And they were facing a power with a hundred-year-old foundation.

The slightest oversight wouldn’t just mean failing to stop the remaining disciples from fleeing the mountain; it could very well end with their own deaths.

Furthermore, if a dozen or so Captains were all thinking the same way she was, this mission could really turn into a disaster!

"You few, come back. I’ll take the night watch tonight."

Spurred by Wu Chen’s words, Sun Yuting’s expression turned sharp, all traces of complacency gone. She called out into the hazy forest, then stood up, preparing to take watch herself.

"Let me do it."

Wu Chen, hand on his saber, stood up a step before she did.

Sun Yuting looked at him. "What, are you worried I’ll get hurt?"

Wu Chen shook his head. "I’m worried the mission will fail."

Sun Yuting swayed, casting a resentful glare at the figure walking away into the distant woods.

’His mouth is coated in poison!’

"..."

There weren’t many paths down from Hidden Wind Valley, and all were guarded by the Demon Suppression Guard. So, Wu Chen didn’t need to run around, nor did he have to worry about people from Hidden Wind Valley slipping away through other routes.

He stood about ten zhang below the giant rock, watching to see what this Hidden Wind Valley Elder would do.

This was only halfway up the mountain. Although the mountain wind was piercing and the earth qi was chillingly cold, it was far less intense than at the summit.

Even though he couldn’t see the summit at night, the sound of the wind coming from that direction was like a tiger’s roar, one gust overpowering the next, exceptionally stunning.

’I wonder when the real action will finally start...’

Wu Chen circulated his internal qi slightly, blocking the surrounding chill, then raised his eyes to the motionless figure on the giant rock.

Perhaps because night had fallen and he was on his home turf, a mountain breeze swept over the giant rock, and the hunched head with its messy, wind-blown hair finally moved.

This Hidden Wind Valley Elder, who had been regulating his breath all day, finally lifted his head slowly and looked at Wu Chen with a face like dried tree bark.

Then, his parched lips parted, and a hoarse voice squeezed out from a throat that sounded like scraping pig iron:

"Brat, you’ve looked at me many times today. Do you think you have what it takes to stop me?"

Although he hadn’t raised his head, he had heard all the commotion from down the mountain not far away today. He knew a new Captain had arrived for guard duty to prevent him from descending.

Of all the gazes sizing him up, he could sense that this one was the most insolent. And time and again, this person had looked at him with the same expression, as if his presence here wasn’t a deterrent, but that of a lamb waiting to be slaughtered!

This made him furious.

"..."

Wu Chen looked at the old, bark-like face and didn’t respond.

Because more words would be pointless.

’I have to keep this person alive to kill Zhao Deyi. Otherwise, it would just be...’

’Wait a minute!’

’This doesn’t conflict with my goal of getting the Martial Arts for earth qi body refining!’

Wu Chen scanned his surroundings. Around them, only the mountain wind raged through the trees, howling loudly.

He glanced again at the tent ten zhang away. It was completely silent. It seemed Sun Yuting and the others felt safe leaving him on watch, as they had all gone into the tent to rest and conserve their strength for Hidden Wind Valley’s final counterattack.

’Isn’t this the perfect time for me to get that Martial Art!’

Wu Chen’s gaze, now burning with intensity, fell upon the Hidden Wind Valley Elder on the rock, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

With no one watching, things were naturally much more convenient.

"Brat, how arrogant!"

The Hidden Wind Valley Elder hadn’t expected that right after he spoke, the figure below would once again give him that look—like a butcher sizing up a piece of meat. He was instantly overcome with rage, and his dry skin twitched violently.

He was always the one who looked at others with such a gaze; when had he ever been sized up like this by someone else, time and time again?

If he weren’t waiting for the final outcome from within the mountain, why would he suffer the humiliation of waiting here? He would have long since slaughtered his way down the mountain and gone on his merry way.

’Just a Provisional Guard, a reckless thing that doesn’t know the difference between life and death!’

He flicked a finger inside his sleeve, and a silent wisp of sharp wind shot out from his fingertip.

He condensed the source essence—tempered from the fierce and powerful earth qi—into a ball of air. The power it contained was enough to blast the body of an expert at the same realm to pieces.

Most importantly, this ball of air was formless and colorless.

Never mind that it was nighttime; even in broad daylight, it was enough to make this fellow die without knowing what hit him!

WHOOSH!

The ball of air shot toward Wu Chen’s chest with a barely perceptible sound, its presence made even harder to detect amidst the howling wind.

’Die!’

The corners of the Hidden Wind Valley Elder’s chapped lips curled up. He could already picture the young man collapsing to the ground, dumbfounded, shocked as to why his chest had suddenly exploded.

But in the next moment, he looked up to get a better view, and his body trembled violently for no apparent reason.

He saw a pair of eyes in the distance, shining brightly in the dark night like stars in the sky, hurtling toward him like a stream of light!

’Pulse-Intercepting Dragon Capture, activate!’