Chapter 54: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, but How Many Orioles Are Behind

How did Chen Mo find this place?

As Zhou Li gave chase, he quickly recalled the events of the night in his mind.

From leaving the city to reaching the West Desolate Mountain, he had left no traces behind along the way.

The entrance to the mine was protected by five interlocking grand arrays; a single wrong step would trigger a chain reaction, and besides him and Jue Mi, no one knew how to break them.

"Jue Mi couldn't have betrayed me... Could Chen Mo be a master of array formations, having easily seen through the array? How is this possible?"

Zhou Li could not fathom it.

Regardless, he had to stop him!

He flew up the stone steps and arrived at the cave entrance, one foot just stepping out of the stone gate—

Swish!

A blade light of extreme brilliance tore through the night!

Sensing the peerlessly tyrannical blade qi, Zhou Li’s pupils contracted, and he tried to dodge.

Suddenly, shimmering light ignited all around, and his movements instantly became sluggish, as if stuck in a quagmire.

Unable to dodge in time, he could only raise his blade to block in his haste.

Clang—

The weapon in his hand was actually snapped in two!

At the critical moment, Zhou Li forcibly twisted his body, and the horizontal blade that was meant for his neck slashed into his shoulder instead.

Blood sprayed, cutting deep into the flesh to the bone!

His reaction was also extremely fast; he tensed his muscles to clamp onto the long blade, condensed true qi in his palm, and struck fiercely forward!

However, Chen Mo had no intention of risking his life in a struggle; having landed the hit, he immediately withdrew, his figure drifting back to land two zhang away.

The horizontal blade in his hand pointed to the ground, its jade-like body stained with two inches of crimson.

The blade did not retain the blood; it flowed down the edge, gathered at the tip, and dripped onto the wild grass.

A chill ran through Zhou Li’s heart.

The momentum of that strike was so terrifying; if his weapon hadn't blocked most of the force, his entire arm would likely have been severed on the spot!

Looking at the strange stones arranged around him, the expression on his face stiffened.

This is my array!

To have grasped the array in just a few breaths and turned it to his own use—what a terrifying level of attainment this was!

"You even understand array formations?!"

"A little."

"..."

Just as Chen Mo prepared to strike his second blow, a muffled sound came from inside the cave.

Boom—

A black shadow shot out like lightning.

It was none other than Lin Jingzhu.

She looked disheveled; one of the wings on her back was broken, her black ice armor was covered in cracks, and her skin was faintly tinged with a dark blue hue.

Behind her, gray mist swirled like a hurricane, emitting bursts of shrill wails.

Lin Jingzhu flashed to Chen Mo’s side, her face pale, and said in a hurried voice:

"Quick, give me another drop of that stuff!"

As soon as Chen Mo squeezed a drop of life essence from his fingertip, Lin Jingzhu took his finger directly into her mouth and sucked hard, and the dark blue color on her body quickly receded.

After forcing the demonic qi out of her body, her cheeks regained their color, and she glared at Chen Mo with annoyance.

"Officer Chen runs really fast!"

Not only did he flee alone, but he actually threw her to the demonic creature to cover his retreat!

Utterly lacking in character, a disgrace!

Chen "The Runner" replied calmly: "Your turtle shell is so hard, you wouldn't have died from holding out for a while. If I hadn't come out early to set up the array and trap one of them first, we would have had no chance of winning a two-on-two."

There were ready-made materials at the cave entrance; with just a few modifications, they could be used for his own purposes.

The reason he let Lin Jingzhu hold the rear was to buy time to set up the array and turn the passive situation into an active one.

Looking at Zhou Li, who was trapped in place with half his body stained red, Lin Jingzhu knew he wasn't lying, and her expression softened slightly.

"Then you should have told me first; I had no mental preparation at all."

"The situation was urgent; what if you hadn't been willing?"

"..."

Whoosh—

The gray mist swirled and took on a human shape.

Zhou Li clutched his shoulder and shouted sternly: "Hurry and attack! We must not let them leave!"

Jue Mi’s eyes were deep, and her rosy lips parted slightly: "Rest assured, two sixth-rank martial artists can't stir up any trouble."

"Officer Lin, leave this demonic woman to me; you go deal with the other one!"

The broken jade in Chen Mo’s hand rang out, and the Green Dragon Blade Intent slashed through the air!

Jue Mi waved her sleeves, and the gray mist surged forward, only to be dispersed by the gale in an instant!

Roar—

The roar was deafening!

Jue Mi’s spirit trembled, and she was momentarily dazed.

The green giant dragon, as if alive, opened its abyss-like mouth and swallowed her whole!

?!

Zhou Li looked stunned.

He knew this demonic woman’s methods better than anyone; how could she be suppressed by Chen Mo?

"Stop looking, your opponent is me."

Lin Jingzhu swallowed a Golden Core to replenish her true qi, leaped forward, and the black gold staff in her hand struck directly at Zhou Li’s throat!

Below the West Desolate Mountain.

Chu Zhuo stepped on a branch, his gaze scanning the dense forest.

"Where did they go?"

Following Young Master Zhou’s request, he had been keeping a close eye on Chen Mo during this period.

Yet Chen Mo had shown no concern for the case; with the deadline approaching, he still appeared leisurely and carefree.

The more this was the case, the more strange Chu Zhuo found it.

To restore his image in Young Master Zhou’s eyes, he had put in all his effort, determined to catch Chen Mo in a mistake, and had spent several nights without sleep or rest, keeping watch in the shadows.

There was a master in Chen Fu, so Chu Zhuo dared not get too close; thus, he hid on the Yongning Pagoda in Chengdong, using a long-distance telescope to overlook the entire Chen Fu.

Tonight, he had truly discovered something unusual!

He followed Chen Mo out of the city and tracked the traces to the West Desolate Mountain.

But this mountain range was simply too vast, with lush trees blocking out the sun, and he could see no sign of them at all...

Just then, a faint light appeared in the distance, and he could vaguely hear roars and the sound of metal clashing.

"Found them!"

Chu Zhuo’s figure flew like a falcon, and he soon arrived at the mountain hollow.

He saw four people fighting not far away.

One was Chen Mo, and the other was that young lady of the Lin family.

As for their opponents, one was a woman of extremely enchanting appearance, and the other was the guard commander who had been by Young Master Zhou’s side that day!

Seeing the lethal nature of their moves, it was clearly a life-and-death struggle!

Sensing the aura on the enchanting woman, Chu Zhuo’s expression could not help but change.

It seemed to be... a demon?

At this moment, he finally understood why Young Master Zhou wanted him to keep an eye on Chen Mo!

This matter was deeply involved, and Chu Zhuo dared not wade into these muddy waters; he already had thoughts of retreating.

However, at this moment, Zhou Li caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye and shouted loudly: "Chu Zhuo! We are all in the same boat; if something goes wrong, none of us will escape!"

Chu Zhuo stopped in his tracks, his expression shifting.

If he left now, no matter who survived in the end, it would be a catastrophe for him!

Judging from the strength of both sides, Zhou Li was a fifth-rank martial artist, and the enchanting woman was even stronger; with his own strength added, they could be said to have the victory in the bag!

Since that was the case, he might as well go all the way!

"What are you hesitating for? Hurry up and attack!" Zhou Li roared angrily.

"We’ve already offended Chen Mo and Lin Jingzhu to death anyway; we might as well take this opportunity to eliminate the threat once and for all!"

"And we can also cling tightly to the Zhou family’s coattails!"

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Chu Zhuo had already made up his mind!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The green giant dragon’s form shattered, and blade qi shot out in all directions, piercing through the surrounding rocks.

The gray mist around Jue Mi’s body had thinned somewhat; her ru skirt was torn, revealing snow-white skin covered in dense, crisscrossing bloody welts, and her gaze toward Chen Mo was filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

This man was not only immune to the erosion of demonic qi, but he could also inflict damage upon her true form!

Having not mastered a Martial Soul, he was undoubtedly a sixth-rank martial artist, yet he gave her a faint sense of danger...

Haa—

Chen Mo took a deep breath.

The true qi within his body circulated at high speed, and the breath he exhaled carried waves of heat.

[Ghost Buster.]

[After equipping this title, you can sense the aura of demons and ghosts within a five-mile radius, remain unaffected by demonic qi, and increase damage dealt to demons and ghosts.]

This demonic creature possessed extraordinary strength; relying on the title’s buffs, he could barely trade blows with her.

But it was not enough to slay her.

"A bit troublesome..."

"Chu Zhuo?!"

Hearing Zhou Li’s loud shout, a warning sign flashed in Chen Mo’s mind, and his figure flickered and vanished from where he stood.

At the same time, two streaks of red light slashed down from the air, carving deep trenches into the ground!

Seeing Chu Zhuo make his move, Zhou Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he was trapped by the formation, he was, after all, a fifth-rank martial artist with a solid foundation; with his Martial Soul in hand, Lin Jingzhu could not do anything to him for the time being.

And with Jue Mi and Chu Zhuo working together, no matter how much ability Chen Mo had, he would not escape death today!

The overall situation was settled!

"Battalion Commander Chu, kill Chen Mo quickly; afterwards, the Young Master will surely reward you handsomely!"

"Rest assured, this old man has exactly that intention; today, I will absolutely not let this brat leave alive!"

Chu Zhuo gripped his twin blades, his eyes staring coldly at Chen Mo.

Facing the suddenly appearing Chu Zhuo, Chen Mo was somewhat surprised, but he was not panicked.

"It seems you haven't learned your lesson; do you really think you can kill me?"

"Hmph, last time was merely you succeeding by a sneak attack; today, this old man will let you know what it means to 'cross ranks as if ascending to heaven'!"

Chu Zhuo spoke arrogantly, but his eyes were exceptionally cautious.

Based on his understanding of Chen Mo, this guy might still be hiding some underhanded tricks; it was best to let this demon race member take the lead while he stood by to watch the battle and wait for an opportunity to sneak attack.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!

"Not bad, a bit interesting."

"I’ve changed my mind; such a high-quality man is truly a pity to eat."

"I want to turn you into my slave, lock you on the bed, and drain you day and night... hiss, just thinking about it is so exciting~"

Jue Mi licked her lips, her eyes moist.

Her tattered ru skirt could not hide the spring scenery; her skin was as white as snow, and her rounded contours were clearly visible.

She no longer suppressed her aura, and a darkness deeper than the night spread out, covering the entire hundred-zhang radius with thick demonic qi!

"Don't struggle anymore; the two of you are no match."

"Obediently submit to me, and I might consider letting your little lover join us too~"

Jue Mi’s voice was soft and sweet, filled with enchantment.

"Sorry, you smell too musky; I don't like it."

"Besides—"

Chen Mo said indifferently: "Who told you there are only two of us?"

"Hmm?"

Jue Mi was slightly stunned.

Suddenly sensing something, she looked up and saw, under the cold moonlight, a streak of silver light whistling toward them like a meteor!

Clang—

The silver spear carried a piercing sound as it tore through the air, accurately piercing her chest and pinning her firmly to the ground!

Shen Shuchou arrived with his hands behind his back, stepping through the air, possessing quite a bit of an immortal, transcendent air.

"Still posing?"

"If you had come any later, my bones would have been gnawed clean!"

Chen Mo said irritably.

After realizing Chu Zhuo was monitoring him, he had left a backup plan.

He had given a paper doll to Shen Shuchou; as long as he used his aura to trigger the paper doll on his person, Shen Shuchou would sense it.

"The paper doll’s sensing range is limited; I had to feel my way here."

Shen Shuchou explained, then turned to look at Chu Zhuo, his eyes as cold as a biting wind.

"Battalion Commander Chu, you should know very well what the crime of colluding with the demon race is, right?"

"Tired of living?"

Chu Zhuo gritted his teeth; there was no turning back now, he had to fight to the end!

The opponent was only two sixth-ranks and one fifth-rank; the advantage was his!

No one was going to leave!

"Attack!"

Jue Mi saw that the newcomer possessed formidable strength, so her figure dissolved into gray mist, breaking free from the silver spear’s restraint.

In an instant, demonic qi filled the sky!

Shen Shuchou raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and the long spear flew back into his hand; silver light shone around his body, as if he were a brilliant star in the night sky!

Boom!

The silver light and demonic qi collided with a roar!

The surrounding trees were snapped and sent flying, forming a vacuum zone of several hundred zhang!

On the other side, Chu Zhuo’s figure flickered, and in an instant, he arrived before Chen Mo, his red flame twin blades dancing like mad blood snakes!

"You brat, prepare to die!"

Chen Mo stepped on wind and thunder, dodging and shifting.

While evading, he opened his attribute panel and quickly added points, upgrading "Green Dragon in the Sleeve" by another level.

Profound insights flooded his mind, and his understanding of Dao rhyme deepened a bit more!

"Well come, just in time to use you to test my technique!"

He had gained some insights at the Drunken Moon Pavilion last time, and over the past few days, he had been exploring and improving, finding a brand-new path for circulating his power!

Chen Mo’s fingers hooked lightly, and the broken jade at his waist chimed.

Roar!

The broken jade left its sheath, the hibernating dragon awakened!

The blade burned with a profound cyan scorching flame, tracing a mysterious arc, aiming straight for Chu Zhuo’s throat!

Chu Zhuo had witnessed Chen Mo’s blade technique and dared not be careless, hurriedly retracting his blades to block.

Clang—

The twin blades caught the broken jade, and the sharp energy made his skin ache!

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Chen Mo retracted his blade and slashed again, the speed so fast it was hard for the naked eye to see!

Clang—

Clang—

Clang—

Each strike was faster than the last, each strike more ferocious than the last!

As the sixth strike fell, Chu Zhuo’s arms were already numb, and his red snake twin blades were covered in spiderweb-like cracks!

"He can actually break my Martial Soul?"

"How is that possible!?"

Giving him no time to think,

The seventh strike!

The jade stone blade tore through space, carrying overwhelming blade intent, and slashed onto the red snake twin blades.

The twin blades shattered with a bang, and blood splattered!

A huge gash was sliced diagonally across Chu Zhuo’s chest; through the wound, one could see the stark white bones and the heart beating within his chest cavity!

He hadn't even felt the pain yet when the eighth strike descended!

Unreasonable, fast to the extreme!

"Wrong!"

"This is absolutely not the strength a sixth-rank martial artist should have!"

"Run, run quickly!"

Every hair on Chu Zhuo’s body stood on end, and he had an intuition in his heart—

If he took this strike, he would definitely die!

Burning Blood!

Between life and death, Chu Zhuo erupted with all his potential, compressing his true qi throughout his body, and turned to flee!

At worst, he would just leave Tiandu City and become a wanderer of the pugilistic world!

That was still better than dying on the spot!

Just at this moment, several cyan chains appeared out of thin air, binding him in place!

"Who?!"

Chu Zhuo was both shocked and furious.

Although the chains were shattered after binding him for only an instant, it was enough for Chen Mo.

The blade sliced through the void, and the Green Dragon Blade Intent emerged; unlike before, this time, scorching black flames burned within the giant dragon's slit pupils!

Swish—

The blade qi passed through his body, silent and soundless.

Chu Zhuo froze in place like a sculpture, still maintaining his running posture, his eyes filled with bewilderment and disbelief.

Chen Mo flashed before him, slowly sheathing the long blade in his hand.

Clang—

Bang!

Chu Zhuo's body exploded instantly, his flesh and blood, burning with scorching flames, scattering in all directions!

Amidst the rain of blood filling the sky, Chen Mo stood tall, his handsome, jade-like face unstained by a single speck of dust.

Chu Zhuo, dead!

[Host has comprehended the Dao Rhyme of blade techniques.]

["Eight Slashes of Scorching Flame" has evolved into "Startling Dragon Slash," and proficiency has been synchronized and inherited.]

System prompts flashed before his eyes.

Chen Mo did not pay them much attention and turned his head to look at the shadows of the dense forest.

Standing under a tree was a woman wearing a purple gauze dress.

"Why are you here?" Chen Mo frowned and asked.

The night breeze stirred her hair, brushing across her bright and stunning face, and those moist eyes seemed to hold ten thousand emotions as she watched him from afar.

"I felt uneasy tonight and kept feeling like something was going to happen, so I followed the scent of the paper doll and chased after it..."

"Chen Mo, I was very worried about you."