Chapter 487: To Refuse the Wine, Choose the Punishment

'Yes!'

……

Elder Xu stared blankly at the scene, her eyes filled with disbelief.

As a senior elder of the Yaoyue Sect and a Mid Innate Stage cultivator, she naturally recognized the strength of the three masked figures.

They had ascended the Earth Altar's Heavenly Soul Altar—anywhere, they were formidable experts; together, they nearly killed her, a severely wounded Tiangong cultivator.

Yet before this young man, they had no chance to fight back—he slew them one by one with a single sword strike each.

Worse still, she had sensed not a trace of his use of heavenly and earthly power.

Purely through sword intent, sword technique, and the inherent power of the sword art itself.

This… how is this possible?

Shen Ge hurried forward, supporting Elder Xu, anxious: 'Elder Xu, how are you?'

Elder Xu snapped back to awareness, her gaze still fixed on Chen Mu, murmuring: 'Who is this…?'

'He's my friend, Chen Mu.'

Shen Ge gave a brief introduction, then turned to Chen Mu: 'Brother Chen, this is Xu Qingyin, Elder Xu.'

Chen Mu gave a slight nod, acknowledging her.

Xu Qingyin forced herself to stand steady, clasping her fists to Chen Mu: 'Thank you, Young Master Chen, for saving my life.'

Chen Mu waved his hand: 'No need for thanks. A friend of Shen Ge's is my friend.'

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three corpses on the ground: 'Who are these people?'

Xu Qingyin's eyes flickered with hatred: 'Dogs of the Longlife Cult. They've been hunting down Yaoyue Sect disciples who escaped—I've killed many of them, but they wounded me again.'

She turned to Shen Ge, urgently: 'How many others do you have? Hurry, the Longlife Cult's main force is right behind us—they'll catch up soon!'

Shen Ge's expression changed, about to speak, when Chen Mu already spoke: 'Take her with you. We'll talk on the way.'

'Understood.'

At once, Shen Ge said no more, supporting Xu Qingyin as they moved off.

……

Night fell, and the group moved swiftly through the forest.

Less than half an hour had passed since they rescued Xu Qingyin.

Chen Mu walked at the front; though his steps seemed slow, each one covered several zhang, guiding the entire group through the dense woods.

Xu Qingyin had taken a pill, her complexion slightly improved, carried between two female disciples in the middle.

Shen Ge followed closely behind Chen Mu, while Xue Xue Ranran and the others guarded the flanks; all remained tense, making not a single sound.

Chen Mu's brow furrowed slightly.

His extended spiritual sense had already detected movement behind them.

A large number of martial cultivators were approaching rapidly—within the time of one incense stick, they would catch up.

'Brother Chen,' Shen Ge whispered, 'pursuers behind?'

Chen Mu nodded: 'Yes.'

'How many?'

'Seventy or eighty, mostly Innate Stage, with a few Earth Altar cultivators.' Chen Mu replied calmly.

Shen Ge's face paled.

This force could utterly crush their ragtag group.

'You go ahead.' Chen Mu stopped, turned around: 'Cross the mountain ahead, find a place to hide.'

Shen Ge froze, then panicked: 'Brother Chen, you can't go alone—'

'Go.'

Chen Mu uttered only that one word, then spun and darted back toward the direction they had come from.

His figure vanished like a wisp of smoke into the night.

Shen Ge clenched his fists, knuckles white.

Xue Xue Ranran stepped beside him, gently gripping his hand: 'Senior Brother, let's go. Senior Brother Chen is that powerful—he won't be harmed.'

Xu Qingyin also stepped forward, patting Shen Ge's shoulder: 'That boy is no ordinary one. If we stay, we'll only hold him back.'

Shen Ge took a deep breath, finally nodded, and led the group onward toward the south.

……

Chen Mu raced toward the pursuing force, soon spotting their figures.

About seventy or eighty men, all clad in dark red robes, wielding various demonic weapons—members of the Longlife Cult.

They moved through the forest like locusts, each radiating fierce energy; the weakest were Mid Innate Stage, and seven carried the aura of Earth Altar cultivators.

Chen Mu made no effort to hide—he landed directly ten zhang ahead of them.

The group froze for a moment, then sneered.

'Hah! Someone's blocking the way!'

'Just one man? Suicide!'

'Kill him!'

Eight or nine Longlife Cultists surged forward, swords and blades flashing, brimming with murderous intent.

Chen Mu did not summon heavenly or earthly power—he simply drew Xian Long Sword and charged forward.

Shhh~

A flash of swordlight—the three leading men simultaneously clutched their throats, blood spurting from between their fingers as they collapsed.

Chen Mu's form moved like a phantom through the crowd.

He used no advanced sword techniques—only the most basic thrust, flick, slash, and chop—each strike precise, each attack felling one man.

Yet the purity and ferocity of his swordplay terrified the Cult of Longevity disciples more with every clash.

"Damn it, this guy's a master!"

"Surround him! Attack together!"

More surged forward, blades and swords descending from all sides like a storm.

Chen Mu's expression didn't change; his swordlight spun into a shimmering curtain, blocking every attack.

Occasionally, a blade of light pierced through the curtain, claiming a life.

In the span of a single cup of tea, over twenty corpses lay scattered on the ground.

But the Cult of Longevity disciples fought like madmen, continuing to rush forward without pause.

Chen Mu knew—they were buying time, waiting for true experts to arrive.

Indeed, a powerful aura surged rapidly from afar.

That aura was cold and violent, reeking of thick blood—clearly a Heavenly Palace realm cultivator!

"Ha! The Blood Shadow Protector has arrived!"

"Boy, you're dead!"

The Cult of Longevity disciples laughed wildly, their assault growing even more frenzied.

A flash of cold light passed through Chen Mu's eyes; his swordplay shifted abruptly, becoming even more ferocious.

Another five or six disciples fell—but the survivors retreated, no longer pressing in, merely forming a distant circle to prevent his escape.

The next instant, a figure descended from the sky, landing at the center of the battlefield.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man in his fifties, with a sinister face, sunken eyes, and faint mist swirling around him.

He wore a dark red robe, its hem embroidered with golden Lei Ting, and held a blade of pure black.

"Hail the Blood Shadow Protector!" the Cult of Longevity disciples bowed in unison.

The Blood Shadow Protector ignored them, fixing his gaze on Chen Mu, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"One man killed over twenty of my subordinates," he said slowly, his voice low and grim. "Interesting. Young man, state your name."

Chen Mu did not answer.

The Blood Shadow Protector waited a moment; seeing no response, his face darkened. "Refuse the cup of wine? Then drink the cup of punishment. Very well—I'll take your head back to drink with!"

Before the words were fully spoken, his aura exploded violently.

The pressure of a Beginner Heavenly Palace realm crashed down like a mountain; trees nearby withered instantly—their leaves turning yellow, their branches cracking dry!

The Cult of Longevity disciples had prepared—they retreated a hundred zhang away.

Chen Mu stood firm, unmoving.

The Blood Shadow Protector sneered.

"Scared stiff?"

He raised his hand, summoning the mist behind him into a massive dark claw that descended upon Chen Mu's head!