Chapter 435: The Frost-Touched Leaves Glow Redder Than February Flowers

No one understood the truth behind Zhang Hao cutting off Chen Xuan’s head better than Zhang Hao himself.

It was true that Zhang Hao, in a fit of rage, severed Chen Xuan’s head—but there were reasons behind it.

The one who truly overstepped was not Zhang Hao, but Chen Xuan.

On that day, the Chen ancestral clan had no intention of resolving the conflict; they merely sought to suppress it. In short, Chen Xuan’s invitation to several alchemists was meant to coerce and intimidate them into submission.

Zhang Hao’s beloved was among those threatened.

Zhang Hao stepped forward to defend his beloved, provoking Chen Xuan’s anger. But due to the reputation of Bai Yuanxianjun, Chen Xuan did not act against Zhang Hao on the spot.

Of course, it was not that the Chen ancestral clan feared Bai Yuanxianjun; in terms of depth, their foundation was no weaker than Bai Yuanxianjun’s—they possessed beings of Divine Step Six, otherwise how could they have endured for so long?

In reputation and wealth, the Chen ancestral clan far surpassed Bai Yuanxianjun by an immense margin.

What they truly feared was Bai Yuanxianjun’s identity as a lone cultivator; when a lone cultivator goes mad, no one can withstand him.

Because they have nothing to lose, no one to worry about being targeted in retaliation, so it is better to provoke a great power than to anger Bai Yuanxianjun.

Bai Yuanxianjun is a being of Divine Step Six; when he loses control, it is nearly impossible for others to catch him, yet killing their juniors is as easy as flipping a hand.

It is widely known that for a faction to flourish, two things are indispensable: fresh blood and foundational strength.

What they feared most was that Bai Yuanxianjun, enraged by Zhang Hao’s actions, would lose all restraint and strike down the Chen ancestral clan’s juniors. Then, unless those juniors remained sealed within the ancestral lands forever, every step outside would mean death.

You can’t have elders shadow every junior’s every outing as bodyguards.

Still, fear aside, the Chen ancestral clan was not truly cowed by Bai Yuanxianjun—they had ways to deal with him.

These were not the main point.

The main point was that Zhang Hao stepped forward to defend his beloved, enraging Chen Xuan.

Due to Bai Yuanxianjun’s reputation, Chen Xuan did not strike Zhang Hao on the spot, but he attacked his beloved instead—kidnapping her and forcing Zhang Hao to publicly challenge Chen Xuan to a duel.

Then Chen Xuan would have countless excuses to kill Zhang Hao, since it was Zhang Hao who had voluntarily issued the challenge.

As the saying goes, even dragons have vulnerable scales; touch them and you die. Those chosen by Kamikawa Mitsu to be sent to another world naturally possessed admirable character and integrity, aligning with Kamikawa Mitsu’s ideals.

Kamikawa Mitsu valued kin and friends above all—and Zhang Hao was no exception.

When his beloved was taken hostage, this was beyond endurance. How could Zhang Hao possibly let this slide?

And so came the scene where Chen Xuan’s head was severed by Zhang Hao.

Chen Xuan never imagined it would end this way. He believed himself to be at Life Soul Eighth Stage, armed with countless treasures granted by the Chen ancestral clan—he could not fathom losing to a mere Life Soul Fourth Stage prodigy.

Simply in terms of their own cultivation levels, they differed by four entire stages.

In truth, any normal person would think as Chen Xuan did, underestimating Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao could not be judged by ordinary standards—he was chosen by Kamikawa Mitsu to be sent to another world. In essence, from the moment Zhang Hao stepped into that world, he became a cheat.

To fight a cheat, only another cheat can prevail.

Chen Xuan was clearly not a cheat—he was merely an RMB player.

With the divine artifact “Muchen Pearl,” Zhang Hao slew Chen Xuan despite the level gap.

Meanwhile.

Before the Rockfall Forest.

“Chen ancestral clan, I will not let this rest!”

Just before his pursuers caught him, Zhang Hao reached the Rockfall Forest and plunged in without hesitation.

His eyes bloodshot, his expression monstrous, he roared at his pursuers—so fiercely it nearly frightened them.

“What do we do? Do we go in?” The pursuers hesitated, unwilling to enter the Rockfall Forest immediately.

“The Rockfall Forest is too dangerous. If we go in, we’re almost certain to die. Let’s stay here and guard the entrance. Send a few people to report to the Chen ancestral clan that Zhang Hao was driven into the forest—we’ll split the reward.”

“That works.”

“Hmm… fine. For safety’s sake, we should swear a blood oath to prevent the messenger from stealing the reward and running off.”

“I agree.”

“Alright, let’s pick a few people to deliver the message—it’ll keep us all in check.”

There was no choice; all of them were lone cultivators, their cultivation resources earned through struggle and competition. Someone might truly steal the reward. Anyone who had reached this point was sharp enough to know better.

…

Rockfall Forest.

Zhang Hao twisted through winding paths, guided by the “Muchen Pearl’s” sensing, avoiding danger until he found a stone cave and slipped inside.

Huh~

Seeing his pursuers had not followed, Zhang Hao exhaled in relief—but the gloom and fury on his brow remained, his frown unyielding.

After tending to his wounds, Zhang Hao cautiously stepped out of the cave, gazing toward a distant direction, his eyes filled with deep concern:

“I wonder how Master and Xiao Yan are… I hope they’re safe. If anything happens to them, Chen ancestral clan—I will spend my entire life making you pay for it!”

His voice was chilling, like a demon emerging from the abyss.

He had received word that shortly after he severed Chen Xuan’s head, the Chen ancestral clan erupted in fury, vowing to kill him for vengeance—and also seeking an opportunity to strike Bai Yuanxianjun.

Bai Yuanxianjun, a lone cultivator, could bring immense power to the Chen ancestral clan if brought under their control.

A being of Divine Step Six—the pinnacle of the Tianhong Realm’s pyramid—was exceedingly rare in the current age.

Yet.

To eliminate Bai Yuanxianjun, the Chen ancestral clan allied with other ancient clans and old factions, deploying three beings of Divine Step Six to ambush and kill him.

Know this: a being of Divine Step Six is a treasure trove in himself, let alone his vast personal wealth. No ancient faction, no matter how powerful, could resist coveting such a prize—even if he were a lone cultivator.

Zhang Hao had been hunted today precisely because he learned of his Master Bai Yuanxianjun’s grave injuries. Whether true or false, he could not remain indifferent—he dared to venture out to investigate.

Then he was spotted by pursuers and chased relentlessly.

“Become stronger! I must attain immortality!”

Zhang Hao gritted his teeth, his gaze more resolute than ever, and sat in meditation to cultivate.

After enduring multiple brushes with death, he unlocked his potential and ascended to Life Soul Fifth Stage.

…

Tokyo, Japan, Arakawa Ward, apartment.

“Kamikawa-kun, what are you thinking about?”

Xia Mei waved her hand before Kamikawa Mitsu.

“Probably thinking about some girl,” Rikui teased.

Iori blinked, covering her mouth: “Oh my, Kamikawa-nii, you’ve so many beauties around you, and yet you’re spacing out?”

Matsukawa Chiri handed Kamikawa Mitsu a skewer of her own grilled meat: “Don’t tease Kamikawa-kun, or he’ll blush.”

Taking the skewer, Kamikawa Mitsu cleared his throat and offered a casual excuse:

“Don’t joke like that. I was just wondering—if this were ancient times, what kind of poem would a poet compose about this scene of an outing?”

Hearing this, Kamikawa Chie, who had recently learned online that her Kamikawa family descended from Chiyou and had grown increasingly fond of Chinese culture, glanced toward the maple trees just beyond the outskirts, then at Rikui and Matsukawa Chiri.

Unconsciously, an ancient verse surfaced in her mind.

I halt my carriage to admire the maple woods at dusk—the frost-touched leaves glow redder than February flowers.

…