Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Wei Shuangnian’s Finishing Blow
Xu Guang wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the area outside the city.
The Zhu Family’s Shepherd’s Manor was right outside the city, and he had been coming and going from Qingshuo County daily, so he was quite familiar with the roads and surroundings.
Now, however, winter had passed, and spring had returned to the earth.
Everything that once appeared desolate outside the city now teemed with vitality, with honest folk already busy in the fields on either side of the official roads.
Near the city walls, not far away, there were neatly cut plots of land, resembling tofu blocks, sprawling around the official roads and stretching toward the horizon.
Xu Guang pulled out a water bag from his pocket and took a sip.
He then took out a map, looking at the rendezvous point marked by Yu Shaohua.
Considering Yu Shaohua’s caution, that so-called rendezvous spot presumably wouldn’t be the actual location for the trade.
General Wei rarely undertook such long treks. The last time he went this far, it was to help Song Di chase down Wei Shuangnian.
Back then, both Xu Guang and General Wei were relatively unknown, as General Wei had been housed at the Shepherd’s Manor outside the city. If not for Zhu Huai secretly passing a message to Song Di, even Song Di wouldn’t have known there was a Great Beast at the Zhu Family’s.
Once out of the city, Xu Guang chose not to ride on General Wei’s back any further and started walking himself, practicing the White Crane Ladder Cloud Soaring and simultaneously gaining experience.
His speed surpassed that of General Wei, often walking ahead before stopping to wait for General Wei.
General Wei snorted, seemingly dissatisfied with Xu Guang teasing its speed.
From time to time, Xu Guang had General Wei pause, sensing if anyone was following.
Upon receiving a negative answer, Xu Guang relaxed slightly.
Playfully bantering along the way, they arrived at the modest hill outside the city before realizing it.
This was the hill where Wei Shuangnian had been pursued last time, and Xu Guang gazed at the seemingly familiar path while inwardly chiding the Iron Armor Sect. Just what were they trading that they had to come to this remote wilderness? Were they not afraid of Wei Shuangnian returning again?
With this in mind, Xu Guang inexplicably thought of Wei Shuangnian, suddenly feeling an impulse to visit Jingming Temple. Last time, he left hastily and hadn’t cleared up what those sixteen clay pits were about; this time, he intended to have a good look.
To see whether there truly were ghosts in this world.
Regarding ghosts, he had heard disciples from the sect mention them—newly born specters adept at spreading fear, which corrodes one’s heart spirit through terror to kill.
Martial Artists didn’t have good methods for dealing with ghosts, relying on hot-bloodedness to destroy spectral vile bodies.
Having watched so many ghost films in his past life, he was indeed curious whether the ghosts in this world were more terrifying than those in the horror films of his past.
Moreover, he doubted the ghosts in Jingming Temple were that formidable. After all, both Wei Shuangnian and Song Di were Eighth Grade.
If they could escape from the ghosts in Jingming Temple, why couldn’t he do the same with General Wei?
That said, as he approached Jingming Temple, Xu Guang still felt an inexplicable fear growing within him.
However, as General Wei extended its soft yet sturdy trunk, a strange sense of calm overcame Xu Guang.
Surely, a ghost would hurt if stepped on by General Wei?
Approaching the Jingming Temple devoid of courtyard walls, a peculiar sandalwood scent suddenly rose from within the temple, carried by the wind into Xu Guang’s nostrils,
Instantly, his expression turned grave.
There was someone in the temple!
"Brother, you’ve come a long way. Are you here to offer incense?"
A spectral voice emerged from afar, seeming to come from within the temple, then suddenly, a figure stood within the courtyard of Jingming Temple.
Xu Guang didn’t know the identity of the person but didn’t want to engage excessively with the stranger in this wilderness.
Hence, he coldly snorted and muttered as if intending to leave.
"Why is there someone here? It’s unlucky; forget it, I won’t offer incense today."
However, it seemed the person had no intention of letting him leave. Sensing his intent, the figure flashed across several meters, spreading out like a crane.
Wei Shuangnian!
Xu Guang almost instantly confirmed the person’s identity, as the body technique used was indeed White Crane Ladder Cloud Soaring.
Wei Shuangnian flashed forward.
"Since you’re here, why not come in and offer incense to the three deities? What do you say, brother?"
Xu Guang’s face turned grim, "What if I don’t want to offer incense?"
"Well then... die!"
Wei Shuangnian suddenly launched a punch; with his arm, a soft sword shot out like a thunderbolt from his wrist, resembling a venomous snake emerging from its hole.
Xu Guang felt alarmed. With Wei Shuangnian’s strike, his scorching blood surged forth instantly, causing tiny cyclones in the air.
Simultaneously, dragon-like resonates abruptly emanated from Wei Shuangnian’s muscles and bones.
The muscles and bones have reached perfection, the roar of tigers and leopards, this is... the Eighth Grade Great Cultivation!
Xu Guang reacted swiftly, almost retreating at the exact moment before Wei Shuangnian struck, with the soft sword stopping just an inch away from him.
But after seeing the body technique Xu Guang displayed during his retreat, Wei Shuangnian’s entire expression changed drastically, his gaze turning fiercely vicious.
"It’s you! It’s you! Return the Jade Cicada Robe to me!"
Wei Shuangnian suddenly recognized the thief who stole his treasure and launched a fierce attack on Xu Guang, combining fist and sword, with a sword hidden in the fist, the sword as thin as a cicada’s wing.
Xu Guang continuously retreated, appearing to struggle under Wei Shuangnian’s fierce assault. His pride in his great strength had no room to shine when facing an expert primarily skilled in speed and cunning like Wei Shuangnian.
The only thing he could be thankful for was that he brought a knife when he left home.
He spun through the air, swinging the long knife in a circle to force Wei Shuangnian back, while General Wei also made his move at that moment.
Thud!
Wei Shuangnian’s steps were swift, striding rapidly on the ground, as the soft sword clashed with an ivory.
A bloody cut appeared, prompting a long cry from General Wei.
The long trunk was General Wei’s main offensive tool, its flexibility comparable to human hands, but for flexibility, the trunk wasn’t covered in thick fur, making it the most vulnerable part of his defense.
At this moment, Xu Guang finally understood why Wei Shuangnian could escape from the Heaven and Earth Net set by Song Di.
With such speed, not to mention the Eighth Grade, it was rare even for someone of the Seventh Grade to catch up.
With his back against General Wei, Xu Guang also practiced the White Crane Ladder Cloud Soaring. Though not as proficient as Wei Shuangnian, he could barely launch attacks against Wei Shuangnian under the main assault from General Wei.
With Xu Guang’s assistance, and since Wei Shuangnian didn’t dare to take any attacks from General Wei.
"Kunlun Beast! To think you could tame such an alien species, who on earth are you?"
Wei Shuangnian retreated half a step, leaving the battle circle, with an absolute advantage in speed, holding the initiative of the fight entirely in his hands.
Of course, he also couldn’t kill Xu Guang easily.
General Wei was genuinely formidable, with each attack, whether it was a raised paw, the swinging of the long trunk, or the thrusting ivory, forcing Wei Shuangnian to evade.
"Return the Jade Cicada Robe to me, and this matter will be over, how about it?"
Wei Shuangnian regained his composure, years of undercover experience in the White Crane Sect allowed him to maintain absolute rationality. Despite the importance of the Jade Cicada Robe that he couldn’t overlook, he still chose the most prudent way to retrieve it.
Xu Guang appeared unmoved on the surface, but inside, killing intent surged wildly.
Return it?
Not only did he find it on his own ability, but why should he return it? Moreover, if Wei Shuangnian exposed his abilities today, his current stable environment would be completely lost.
He was a person who accustomed to stability and detested being forced to change his situation.
He began to ponder the possibility of killing Wei Shuangnian.
First of all, he feared Wei Shuangnian would expose his abilities; wouldn’t Wei Shuangnian also fear him handing over the so-called Jade Cicada Robe to someone he couldn’t handle?
Whether it was him or Wei Shuangnian, it seemed there was a compelling reason to kill each other.
In fact, from a certain degree, Wei Shuangnian was more desperate to kill Xu Guang!
Because of his identity, the Celestial Destiny Demon Sect!
The Celestial Destiny Demon Sect that was condemned by everyone!
From this point of view, all of Wei Shuangnian’s words at this moment were nonsense.
He and Wei Shuangnian were already incompatible, irreconcilable!
With this thought, Xu Guang relaxed in his heart. Judging by the current situation, Wei Shuangnian definitely wouldn’t run away, and with General Wei’s assistance, killing Wei Shuangnian was indeed possible...
Thinking about the grand array Song Di had set up to kill Wei Shuangnian, Wei Shuangnian must have some kind of unparalleled treasure on him.
"Hand it over to you? What do you think you are?"
Xu Guang sneered, his face showing ridicule.
Rage and anxiety flickered in Wei Shuangnian’s eyes, angered by Xu Guang’s failure to appreciate his offer, anxious about the whereabouts of the Jade Cicada Robe.
"In that case..."
A trace of coldness gradually surfaced in Wei Shuangnian’s eyes as he suddenly raised his right palm, where a strange rune appeared, the soft sword slicing through it, turning the originally transparent rune blood-red in an instant.
Suddenly, a gust of eerie wind howled fiercely.
In the air, strange laughter emerged, sounding like dozens of children playing and making noise.
Xu Guang suddenly noticed more than a dozen pits of varying sizes appearing in front of Wei Shuangnian.
The creepy laughter came from within those pits.