Chapter 323 - 181: Intercepting and Killing a Profound Mastery
Including herself and an elderly elder from the Danxia Sect, they had a total of four experts of Profound Mastery.
She had thought they had the advantage.
But the final result was far from ideal.
The Blood River Sect had not only dispatched over twenty Innate Martial Masters and numerous Blood Corpses, but they also had three experts from the Mystic Realm take action.
The Danxia Sect failed to gain a significant advantage.
After a bitter battle, they managed to repel the Blood River Sect, but the Danxia Sect suffered grievous losses. Furthermore, the two experts they had hired were hesitant to fully commit, so even though they managed to severely wound several of the Blood River Sect’s Mystic Realm experts...
...in the end, she was only able to kill one of them herself.
The other two scattered and fled.
Unsure of the situation, she chose to err on the side of caution and did not give chase.
However, this didn’t stop Bai Qing from being grateful to Chen Sheng. Without his warning, with their attention diverted by the battle on Wushan Mountain, the Danxia Sect would have undoubtedly been annihilated.
"Sect Leader Bai, you’re too kind. We were both just getting what we needed. However, I didn’t expect the Danxia Sect’s losses to be so great."
Chen Sheng sighed to himself.
’Even with my advance warning, the Danxia Sect still ended up in this state. They really are a bunch of incompetents.’
Hearing Chen Sheng’s words, Bai Qing’s expression turned a little awkward. She gave a bitter smile.
"You warned me before that the Blood River Sect had planted spies within our ranks. I launched a secret investigation afterward, but unfortunately, the disciples in question didn’t even know they were being controlled by the Blood River Sect.
Plus, I didn’t dare make a scene, so...."
"But regardless, I must thank you. If Yuzhi hadn’t already set her sights on you, I might have had to offer myself in repayment." Bai Qing’s tone suddenly shifted, and she winked at Chen Sheng.
"Since there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving now."
Sun Yuzhi’s face fell. She immediately grabbed Chen Sheng and made to leave.
"Yuzhi, don’t be mad. It was just a joke. You know I’m old and my looks are fading. Why would Captain Chen be interested in me?" Bai Qing said, lightly tucking a strand of long hair behind her ear.
She continued, "I just want to build a good relationship with Captain Chen."
Although Bai Qing had quietly left Wushan Mountain before Chen Sheng challenged the prodigies of the six sects, she had since heard all the details from her disciples and elders.
Chen Sheng had faced seven opponents at once.
With unstoppable power, he had overwhelmed Dharma Treasury and Shanming of Golden Spring Temple, Zhang Daoming and Chen Yanling of Qingfeng Temple, Li Xuance of the Iron Sword Sect, and the two from Luoyun Manor.
He ultimately claimed victory, securing a share of the Wushan Yuan Ore.
Bai Qing wouldn’t have been surprised if Chen Sheng had crushed ordinary experts.
But the ones he had suppressed this time were all famous prodigies of Ning’an, each an extraordinary figure and a genius of the Martial Dao.
His ability to suppress them all was a testament to his terrifying power.
Naturally, she wanted to foster a good relationship with him.
"Those members of the Blood River Sect were heavily wounded. This is a perfect opportunity to eliminate the threat for good. Sect Leader Bai, do you remember which direction they fled? If there’s a chance, I’m prepared to tie up these loose ends."
Chen Sheng had no desire to waste time with Bai Qing. He just wanted to find the Fourth Elder of the Blood River Sect, kill him, and take his treasures.
"To the north, I believe."
Bai Qing frowned and advised:
"Captain Chen, although those two Blood River Sect experts were severely wounded, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. I urge you not to take the risk."
’Being invincible below the Profound Mastery Realm doesn’t mean he can actually kill someone in it.’
Bai Qing felt it was far too dangerous.
"This is the best chance. If I miss it, there won’t be a next time."
Chen Sheng shook his head.
"Then... Then I will accompany you."
Bai Qing hesitated. Seeing she couldn’t dissuade him, she offered to go with him.
"No need."
Sun Yuzhi frowned and said:
"The current situation is unclear. The Blood River Sect might stage a comeback. You should stay and guard the sect. I’ll go with him."
Bai Qing’s gaze flickered between Sun Yuzhi and Chen Sheng, and she suddenly broke into a wide smile.
"That works as well."
.....
"We’re just going to search aimlessly like this?"
Flying through the air, Sun Yuzhi frowned.
The Ning’an Prefecture was nearly three thousand li wide. Finding someone in the vast expanse of mountains and forests was harder than climbing to the heavens. She and Chen Sheng had been searching for half a day, yet they still hadn’t found a single trace.
She was already starting to feel like giving up.
Seeing Sun Yuzhi’s patience wearing thin, Chen Sheng feigned deep thought for a long moment before suddenly speaking.
"I think I’ve guessed where they fled."
"Where?"
Sun Yuzhi looked at him with some surprise.
"The Blood River Sect experts who ambushed me before never revealed their stronghold, but I did find a few Yinfeng Dates on their bodies. And just now, Sect Leader Bai mentioned someone fled to the northwest..."
Before Chen Sheng finished speaking, Sun Yuzhi suddenly blurted out:
"Yinfeng Valley!"
Yinfeng Dates were valuable, but not exceptionally so. And within the entire Ning’an Prefecture, only Yinfeng Valley was known to produce them. Yinfeng Valley was indeed to the northwest.
"That must be it, I imagine."
Chen Sheng nodded, feigning deep thought.
In truth, thanks to a hint from the Celestial Book’s "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" ability, Chen Sheng already knew the Fourth Elder’s location. Even so, he couldn’t just state it plainly in front of Sun Yuzhi.
That’s why he offered a series of deductions, leading all the clues to one conclusion and letting Sun Yuzhi voice the location herself.
This way, it wouldn’t be directly linked to him and wouldn’t arouse suspicion.
Although Sun Yuzhi was devoted to him and they were close, Chen Sheng still needed to keep some things hidden.
He had insisted on bringing Sun Yuzhi along because the Celestial Book had given him another hint.
This Fourth Elder of the Blood River Sect would not be an easy kill. Despite his serious injuries, he was a Mystic Realm expert. Chen Sheng was confident he could kill him if he went all out.
The problem was, if the Fourth Elder saw things going badly, he would turn tail and run, and Chen Sheng wouldn’t be able to catch him.
’Therefore, I have to use Sun Yuzhi to help me eliminate him!’
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go investigate and find out."
Sun Yuzhi had a decisive nature. Now that she had a good guess where the Blood River Sect remnants were hiding, she didn’t want to waste another moment. She grabbed Chen Sheng and sped off toward Yinfeng Valley.
.....
Yinfeng Valley.
Inside a cold, gloomy cave, the thick stench of blood emanated from a pool roughly a zhang wide.
In the center of the blood pool.
His body withered like firewood and his face a terrifying sight, the Fourth Elder of the Blood River Sect sat cross-legged, refining the Essence Qi within the blood pool to replenish his depleted reserves. His triangular eyes were filled with fury and resentment.
He could never have imagined that their meticulous plan to attack the Danxia Sect would be leaked, allowing the sect to prepare in advance.
Not only had Sect Leader Bai Qing returned, but she had even brought two Mystic Realm experts as reinforcements.
In the ensuing battle, even though the Blood River Sect’s members were stronger in individual combat, they couldn’t overcome the Danxia Sect’s profound heritage—especially their endless supply of Spirit Talismans, which had made him suffer immensely.
If not for the talismans, they wouldn’t have feared the Danxia Sect at all, even with four Profound Mastery experts.
In the end, most of the experts the Blood River Sect had mobilized were killed or wounded. Only a few escaped. Of the Third and Fifth Elders he had invited as reinforcements, one was dead and the other injured.
Left with no choice, he too had to cut his losses and flee for his life.
He later deduced that the Danxia Sect’s foreknowledge was, without a doubt, connected to Chen Sheng and the Jingwu Bureau. After all, the men he’d sent after him before had all ended up dead.
Every time he thought of this, the Fourth Elder’s killing intent became palpable.
This should have been a golden opportunity for him to earn merit, but instead, it had led to a devastating blow for the Blood River Sect. He could already imagine the severe punishment he would face when the Sect Leader found out.
As he was thinking, the Fourth Elder’s brow suddenly furrowed. His gaze shot toward the cave entrance. He sensed that something was wrong, and his heart sank.
After a brief pause, the Fourth Elder gestured, and his blood-red robe wrapped around his body again.
At the same time, he quickly swallowed a Blood Pill that could temporarily boost his strength.
————
「A moment later...」