Chen Ping gazed at Shen Zhiyan before him, his eyes filled with surprise and gratitude. He struggled to his feet and, despite his lingering weakness, firmly clasped Shen Zhiyan’s hand.
“Senior Shen, I never expected to meet you here. If you had not arrived in time, Lord Liu and I would surely have met a grim fate today.”
Liu Xue also forced herself upright, gave a slight curtsey, and said softly, “Many thanks, senior, for saving our lives.”
Shen Zhiyan smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “Master Chen, there is no need for such courtesy. You once bestowed a great favour upon me. Had it not been for you, I would probably still be trapped and suffering on those Heaven-Ascending Stairs. Now that you are in peril, it is only natural I come to your aid.”
“What is more, I swore to follow you for three hundred years. During that time, I am your servant…”
“Senior Shen, please do not speak like that. I have never regarded you as a servant,” Chen Ping hurriedly protested, shaking his head.
Clearly, Shen Zhiyan’s strength far surpassed Wu Fawang’s. In the heavens, Chen Ping might still need to rely on him. How could Chen Ping truly treat Shen Zhiyan as a mere servant?
While the two were catching up, Wu Fawang was being completely ignored. Rage erupted inside him like a volcano. As the Dharma King of the Evil Dao Palace, he was accustomed to being revered. Never had he suffered such humiliation.
“Do you think I am not even here?” Wu Fawang roared. His aura surged violently, black light flashing madly around him, twisting the very air.
Only then did Shen Zhiyan slowly turn, looking at Wu Fawang calmly, as if regarding an insignificant insect. “If you had stayed quiet, you might have lived a few moments longer.”
Wu Fawang trembled with fury. His hands rapidly formed seals while he muttered an incantation. A colossal wave of black energy swept towards the three of them. Wherever it passed, the ground cracked and stones were hurled into the air.
Shen Zhiyan remained utterly composed. He gently raised one palm, and a gentle yet overwhelming surge of spiritual power burst forth, colliding with the black wave.
BOOM!
With a tremendous explosion, the black energy instantly dissipated. Shen Zhiyan’s spiritual power continued unabated, barrelling straight towards Wu Fawang.
Wu Fawang’s expression changed drastically. He tried to dodge, only to find his body bound by an invisible force, rendering him immobile.
BANG!
The spiritual power struck him squarely. His body flew backwards like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground and spitting out a great mouthful of blood.
Wu Fawang struggled to his feet, eyes filled with shock and terror. “You… who exactly are you? How can you possess such terrifying strength?”
Shen Zhiyan regarded him coldly. “I am Master Chen’s servant. Since you dared to raise a hand against him today, do not expect to leave here alive.”
Hearing this, Wu Fawang’s heart jolted. He stared fixedly at Shen Zhiyan. “So you are the hidden expert backing this Chen Ping?”
Shen Zhiyan shook his head. “I told you, I am merely Master Chen’s servant. I am not qualified to be the expert behind him.”
Shen Zhiyan knew his own limits. Back on the Heaven-Ascending Stairs, even that old golden immortal had been scared witless by the person supporting Chen Ping, which was why they had let Chen Ping pass so easily. Whoever stood behind Chen Ping was far above that golden immortal, and Shen Zhiyan possessed neither the power nor the status to claim that role.
Wu Fawang stared at Shen Zhiyan, fully aware he was no match for him. If this continued, only death awaited.
At that thought, he turned and fled, moving with extreme speed and vanishing into the distance in an instant.
The elders and others from the Evil Dao Palace turned pale with fright. They hurriedly followed Wu Fawang, desperate to escape this terrifying place.
Seeing this, Chen Ping urgently called out to Shen Zhiyan, “Senior Shen, we cannot let them get away! These people have committed countless atrocities. If we let them go now, they will surely return later.”
Shen Zhiyan gave a slight nod. “Rest assured, Master Chen. They will not escape.”
With that, his figure flickered and he vanished from the spot.
