Leaving Boulder City, Zhang Ruochen didn’t stop for a moment, preparing to rush back to Sky Demon Martial City as fast as possible.
“The royal clans of the Four Direction County Kingdom and the General Assembly of the Poison Spider Chamber of Commerce should soon learn of the news that I took the account book, and they will definitely send a large number of experts to hunt me down. I must hurry back to Sky Demon Martial City before they catch up.”
Zhang Ruochen performed his Body Technique and rushed through the wind and snow, like a ghostly shadow sweeping across the vast snowy plains, leaving behind only an ear-piercing sound of breaking wind.
Han Qiu also cultivated a very subtle body technique, as light as a swallow, stepping on the snow without a trace, and chased after Zhang Ruochen, saying, “Friend, if I’m not wrong, you should be the young expert who has recently risen to fame, Chen Ruochen. Right?”
Hearing Han Chu’s voice, Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly, stared at her and said in a cold voice, “Don’t follow me.”
Because Han Chu and Zhang Tian Gui were very close, Zhang Ruochen had always guarded against Han Chu, treating her as a potential enemy.
Han Chu, however, did not know this and only felt that this mysterious teenager had an odd temper and was very difficult to get along with.
“Since you didn’t deny it, it means that you really are Chen Ruo.”
Han Chu’s eyes carried a smile as he said, “The Martial City Academy and the Yuntai Zongfu have always been on good terms, and since we have already had a pleasant co-operation in the black market, why don’t you lend me that account book to take a look at?”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t bother to talk to her, the true qi in his body, converged to his feet, and his legs were completely wrapped in spirit fire.
The speed that was already extremely fast was then increased by a large margin.
Han Qiu also increased her speed and once again chased after Zhang Ruochen, saying, “You said that even after taking the Holy Light Pill, I can only cultivate to the late stage of the Heavenly Extremity Realm at the most, and that continuing to cultivate will put my life in danger. That’s not an alarmist statement, is it?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Are you bored or not? If you keep following me, beware that I will be rude to you.”
Han Qiu stared at Zhang Ruochen with some irritation, she was the daughter of the Head of Yuntai Zongfu, and a great beauty who was a beauty to behold, she took the initiative to make a gesture of affection to him, but she still met with a rebuff.
Ever since she was a child, no man had dared to speak to her in such a tone, even Zhang Tiangui, the number one genius of the 36 counties of the Heavenly Demon Ridge, had ingratiated himself with her in a hundred ways.
“You want to get rid of me, but I have to follow you.”
Han Qiu fought with Zhang Ruochen and chased after him closely, maintaining the same speed as Zhang Ruochen.
After nightfall, Zhang Ruochen stopped.
After rushing for a whole day, both Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu looked a bit tired, their bodies’ true qi was consumed greatly, so they had to stop and rest.
“Wow!”
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and chopped, drawing a boundary line in the snow.
He stared at Han Chu and said, “If you dare to cross this line, don’t blame me for not being polite.”
After saying this, Zhang Ruochen took a Blood Pill and immediately sat on the ground, cupping the two Spirit Crystals in his hands, absorbing the Spirit Qi from the crystals, and began to recover his True Qi.
Han Qiu held his chest out and said with some defiance, “Our cultivation levels are half a catty, even if I cross this line, what can you do to me?”
Although she said this, Han Chu did not cross that line and did not challenge Zhang Ruochen’s bottom line. She also took out two Spirit Crystals, cupped them in her hands, and began to cultivate.
Goose feather-like snowflakes fell in a flurry, and after just one hour had passed, the snow covered Zhang Ruochen’s waist.
After another hour passed, the snow covered Zhang Ruochen’s chest.
The top of his head, shoulders, legs, and arms, were completely covered in ice and snow, if one did not look closely, one would not even notice that there was a person sitting there.
Suddenly, a “whining” sound rang out from the sky, and a red spider ship flew from the sky, like a small steel mountain, through the night, towards Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu’s direction.
On top of the Red Spider Giant Ship stood dozens of purple-robed martial artists who were looking around for Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu.
Sensing the sound coming from above, Han Qiu immediately stopped cultivating and moved his body slightly.
“Don’t move, it’s the people from the Poison Spider Chamber of Commerce catching up. The Red Spider Giant Ship’s power is not trivial, it’s not something we can resist.”
Zhang Ruochen’s voice reached her ears.
In fact, Zhang Ruochen had also considered piloting the Red Spider Giant Ship back to Heavenly Demon Martial City, but, in the end, he had vetoed it; piloting the Red Spider Giant Ship was too big of a target, and it would be easy to be stared at by the Poisonous Spider Chamber of Commerce and the top powerhouses of the Four Directions County Kingdom.
Han Chu had also heard of the Red Spider Giant Ship’s reputation, and with a stirring in his heart, he said, “What now?”
“We would have been covered in ice and snow by now, so as long as we tighten our aura, they won’t be able to detect us.” Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes again, taking all of his true qi back into his body, and his body remained motionless, as if he had transformed into a rock.
A long time later, the Red Spider Giant Ship flew away and disappeared into the sky.
“Boom!”
Han Qiu broke through the snow and flew out as if she was a stunningly beautiful fairy, flying into mid-air before floating down and staring at Zhang Ruochen on the opposite side of the room and smiling, “Those Evil Dao martial practitioners have already left, shouldn’t we be on our way as well?”
Zhang Ruochen also walked out from the snow and said, “Don’t use ‘we’, I’m not familiar with you.”
“Earlier, it was you who used ‘we’ first before I used it like this.” Hanchu said.
“I was afraid that after you were exposed, you would involve me as well.” Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and added, “Why exactly do you want to follow me?”
Han Chu’s eyes turned serious and said, “Alright! Since that’s the case, let’s talk about it straight to the point. The account book you got at the black market recorded the records of the transactions between the Poison Spider Chamber of Commerce and the King’s Clan of Sifang County. If you were to send that one account book back to the Martial Market Academy, it would be quite unfavourable to our Yuntai Clan House.”
“So you killed the Marquis of Zhen Jun as a way to prove the innocence of the Yuntai Clan Mansion?” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Isn’t that enough?” Han Chu said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Those who are clear are clear and those who are turbid are turbid. Why do you need to deliberately explain yourself? With the intelligence system of the Wushu City Money Bank, if this matter really has nothing to do with the Yuntai Zongfu, it would naturally not implicate you.”
Han Qiu shook his head and said, “What if there are people within the Wu City Money Bank who want to frame our Yuntai Zongfu? Therefore, the best way is for me to return to Heavenly Demon Martial City with you, and you take me to meet the senior management of the Martial City School Palace, and I’ll explain to them in person.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Aren’t you afraid that the Yuntai Sect House is really involved in this? If the Yuntai Sect House really intends to co-operate with the Black Market, it definitely wouldn’t tell a youngster like you.”
Han Qiu said very firmly, “The Yuntai Sect Mansion is already the overlord of the Heavenly Demon Ridge, so there’s no need to go out of their way to co-operate with the black market. Chen Ruo, how about we make a deal? I will escort you back to Heavenly Demon Martial City. When you return to Heavenly Demon Martial City, you take me to meet the senior management of the Martial City Palace.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled and shook his head, saying, “Don’t follow me, I’ll be safer instead.”
Exasperated, Han Qiu kept grinding his teeth and said, “No matter what, I’m also a strong person on the ‘Earth Ranking’, would I still be dragging you down? Besides, I’ve already used the ‘Transmission Light Talisman’ to send the news back to the Yuntai Clan House, and I believe that an expert will soon come to meet us.”
“On your body, you actually have a Transmission Light Talisman?” Zhang Ruochen’s eyes sank, giving birth to an ominous premonition.
Han Qiu did not see Zhang Ruochen’s eyes and said with some complacency, “Although the Summons Light Talisman is expensive, but with my status, I naturally carry one on me. At the most critical moment, one can send a message back to the clan for help.”
Transmission light talismans were treasures made from light-based transmission inscriptions, and most of them only had a one-time effect, allowing messages to be sent out at the fastest speed possible.
Of course, it was very difficult to make, so it was quite expensive, and each one was worth a lot of money, so even ordinary Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists couldn’t afford to use them.
Zhang Ruochen wasn’t marvelling at the fact that Han Chu had a Transmission Light Talisman on his body, but rather he was very irritated and said, “When you transmitted the news back to the Yuntai Zongfu, did you mark our location?”
Han Chu laughed, “I left the unique marks of the Yuntai Clan House all along the way, as long as they see the marks, they will soon catch up.”
Zhang Ruochen felt an intense crisis and said, “Within the top echelons of the Yuntai Zongfu, are there any members of the royal family of the Four Directions Prefecture?”
“There are so many ……”
Han Qiu’s face followed suit and said, “Are you worried that they will leave the Yuntai Zongfu and rush to intercept us?”
“It’s not that I’m worried, but they are definitely already on their way here.” Zhang Ruochen sighed.
For a major event that concerned the survival of the Sifang County Kingdom, would they stand idly by?
They would definitely spare no expense to suppress Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu on their way to Heavenly Demon Martial City.
What was even more detestable was that Han Chu had actually left a mark on the road.
“We must leave this place, otherwise, we will definitely be caught up.” Zhang Ruochen’s face was grave as he had just taken a step, when suddenly, his ears twitched slightly, sensing a dangerous aura that was rapidly approaching.
A moment later, the sound of whistling wind resounded throughout the snowy plains, and a hoarse voice came from the wind, “It’s just a pity that you guys woke up too late. It’s already too late to leave now!”
In the air, the originally stray auras converged together to form two huge wind blades that carried a tearing force as they chopped towards Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu.
Standing in the snowy ground, Zhang Ruochen only felt a sharp wave of Qi surging from the front, lifting up the thick snow on the ground, and in his sight, it was completely white.
“Swish swish!”
The fine wind force cut through Zhang Ruochen’s True Qi Mask, tearing Zhang Ruochen’s clothes apart.
As if Zhang Ruochen was facing a great enemy, his hands gripped the Sinking Abyss Ancient Sword tightly, the true qi in his body completely mobilised, and with a boom, a blood formation with a diameter of nine metres appeared underneath his feet, spinning rapidly.
“Wow.”
The Sinking Abyss Ancient Sword in his hand looked like it had transformed into a bright full moon as he chopped towards the huge wind blade that came at him.
“With a bang, Zhang Ruochen flew backwards.
It was a crushing force that even with Zhang Ruochen’s full strength sword, it was difficult to resist.
After being lifted off by the wind, Zhang Ruochen immediately injected his entire body’s True Qi into the Ice Fire Qilin Armour.
The inscriptions in the armour were activated, and a low roar of a Qilin faintly resounded as the silhouette of an Ice Fire Qilin emerged, wrapping Zhang Ruochen tightly.
“Boom!”
The wind blade, which chopped into Zhang Ruochen’s body, sent Zhang Ruochen flying dozens of feet away once again, his body buried directly into the bottom of the snow layer.
In the other direction, Han Qiu was also sent flying backwards by a wind blade, spitting out a mouthful of blood with a “wow” sound, and crashed into the ground, smashing out a large pit with a diameter of more than ten metres.
“Boom!”
With that big pit as the centre, the snow in a radius of tens of feet was all shaken up, forming an arc-shaped wave of air that snapped and hit the row of coniferous pine trees next to it, completely freezing that row of trees.
