Chapter 668: Wuxia: Even Archrivals Can Become Lovers 02

Logically and emotionally, Mu Huaizhi should be thanking Jin Chen for saving him, but facing this mask he's struck countless times, he simply can't bring himself to say it.

He agonized for a while, then gave up and continued to stare blankly at the stream.

Jin Chen: "..."

"Mu Huaizhi! You rude bastard."

Jin Chen suddenly flung a stone into the water in irritation, sending up a splash that sprayed both of them.

"I didn't ask you to save me."

Mu Huaizhi lowered his gaze; the porcelain bottle in his hand still retained warmth.

"Then I'll kill you right now."

As he spoke, the sword was already at Mu Huaizhi's throat; Jin Chen's voice was furious: "What are you putting on this half-dead act for? It's not like I caused your injury!"

"Where's your usual fighting arrogance? Your sword's gone too, isn't it? You just handed over the Jade Hilt Dragon sword, famed as the number one sword under heaven, to your enemy."

Mu Huaizhi's lifeless pupils finally flickered; he lifted his eyes to Jin Chen's sword‑holding hand, and reluctance welled up in his heart.

He couldn't give up now; even if the Jade Hilt Dragon were taken by Fu Zhiyuan, even if he'd been expelled from the Heaven Sword Alliance, he would still avenge his murdered father.

He wanted the whole jianghu to know Fu Zhiyuan's conspiracy.

Starlike specks of light gathered in his phoenix eyes, and his spirit finally returned.

He pushed the sword away from his neck with his fingertip, and Mu Huaizhi finally uttered a thank‑you.

But he was obviously puzzled by Jin Chen's sudden appearance.

"How come you're here again?"

"None of your business; I go wherever I please."

Unrestrained and ferocious, crafty and evil.

Jin Chen truly lives up to the jianghu's description of him.

"Where is Mu Huaizhi?! Wasn't it said he fled here?!"

"Search! Hurry! Dig three feet deep if you have to—drag that wicked person out!"

"Yes!"

A voice came from not far away; Jin Chen rose slowly, brushed off the dust, and drawled, "Hey, you've got no fewer enemies than I do."

"... Get lost."

"What's there to compare?"

Having just received Jin Chen's treatment, Mu Huaizhi felt he'd recovered thirty percent of his internal energy and was weighing whether to flee or confront them head‑on, when he saw the shadow beside him dart forward with lightning speed, using a lightness technique.

His brow twitched as if an idea struck him, and he hurried to follow.

As expected, Jin Chen had already launched into combat against them, every move aimed at taking their lives.

"Mu Huaizhi is over there! This person must be the helper he hired!"

"Kill Mu Huaizhi!"

The speaker was the chief of a minor gang, usually obedient and almost reliant on the Heaven Sword Alliance to survive.

Evidently, he too had been brought under Fu Zhiyuan's sway.

Mu Huaizhi's eyes turned cold; the words he'd meant to use to dissuade Jin Chen got stuck in his throat.

"Seek death!"

Jin Chen's expression turned ruthless; he spun in mid‑air and drove his sword straight into the middle‑aged man's brain.

Then light and shadow shifted, red and white intertwining; the corpse split apart, the head rolled off, yet the body remained standing.

The forest suddenly fell silent.

"Chief, chief."

The middle‑aged man was jostled by someone nearby and collapsed with a crash.

Jin Chen wiped his sword in the grass, pointed it at the remaining five, and said, "Either die or get lost."

Clang‑clatter.

The sound of swords being tossed rose and fell; the five men, no longer caring about completing their mission, bolted, terrified of being too slow.

"Mu Huaizhi, I let them go; I expect word will spread in a few days that you killed them."

Jin Chen held his sword in one hand, walked up to Mu Huaizhi, and acted provocatively.

"It won't get out."

Mu Huaizhi glanced at the corpses on the ground, his voice icy: "Fu Zhiyuan won't let them off."

"Fu Zhiyuan, you worthless young master of the Heaven Sword Alliance."

Jin Chen clicked his tongue twice and said, "Why don't you beg me, say a few nice words, and I'll go help you kill him."

"Get lost."

Mu Huaizhi gave him a white‑eye look.

"All right, let's head to the nearby town; this forest isn't safe, wave after wave of people want to hunt you down."

Jin Chen once again grabbed him without explanation and pulled him along, deliberately slowing his pace.

"If I may say so, with your current strength you want to go take revenge and also clear your name of practicing the Blood Sea Hibiscus—that's pure fantasy."

The intelligence network of the Nine Abyss Demon Sect spreads across the world; it's no surprise that Jin Chen would know this, nor that Mu Huaizhi wouldn't find it strange.

He lowered his eyes at the hand they were holding and suddenly asked, "How do you know I haven't cultivated the Blood Sea Hibiscus?"

"Mu Huaizhi, are you an idiot? The Blood Sea Hibiscus is, after all, our Nine Abyss demonic art; I can't tell whether you've cultivated it or not."

"Besides, cultivating the Blood Sea Hibiscus requires discarding most of one's power, essentially starting from scratch; given how you cherish your sword as if it were your life, you'd never give it up unless you were possessed."

After hearing that, Mu Huaizhi said nothing; only the wariness in his eyes toward Jin Chen eased a little.

Having walked out of the forest, Jin Chen suddenly halted his steps.

No way, wouldn't this just let people see my identity so easily?

Jin Chen took off his signature mask, casually found a corner and threw it away.

He turned his head and saw Mu Huaizhi staring at him, his expression still somewhat surprised.

Mu Huaizhi, you couldn't be fascinated by me, could you?

Mu Huaizhi: "……"

He withdrew his gaze and told Jin Chen, "Get lost for the third time today."

However, Jin Chen's appearance truly exceeded his expectations.

Jianghu rumors say that the Young Sect Leader of the Nine Netherworld Demon Sect is ugly and ferocious, able to stop infants' night crying by scaring them to death so they don't cry.

After fighting Jin Chen so many times, Mu Huaizhi had never seen him take off his mask, and had long since attributed that description to his face.

Who would have thought that beneath the mask lay a bewitchingly exquisite countenance.

You do have it, yet you won't admit it—truly stubborn.

Jin Chen snorted triumphantly twice.

Upon reaching the town, the two blended into the crowd, no longer needing to worry about being pursued, and Mu Huaizhi's tightly coiled aura eased somewhat.

From the town gate all the way to the nearby inn, it seemed that about half the people on the street were discussing the affairs of Yunshu Town.

Mu Huaizhi listened attentively, but before he could finish listening, Jin Chen pulled him into the inn.

What are you spacing out for? You wouldn't still want to run, would you?

Jin Chen suddenly lowered his head, stared at him suspiciously while rubbing his chin, "Mu Huaizhi, your life is one I saved—you're not allowed to run again."

Didn't you say you'd let me go take revenge?

Mu Huaizhi simply felt that this person's words were utterly devoid of sincerity.

Then I'll have to wait until I've had enough of humiliating you before we talk.

……What?

Mu Huaizhi suspected he had misheard.

Jin Chen calls this humiliation?

He frowned strangely, secretly wondering whether the Nine Netherworld Demon Sect doesn't teach literacy at all.

Jin Chen triumphantly led him to the front counter, "Boss, one heavenly-character-sized upper room."

Alright, sir, this way please!

The room plaque was taken down, and the waiter led the two upstairs.

At the stairwell turn, Mu Huaizhi suddenly sensed a gaze and sharply lowered his head to look.

But the gaze vanished abruptly, while the lobby remained noisy.

After entering the room, Jin Chen finally released Mu Huaizhi's hand, casually lounging in the master's chair, slowly pouring himself a cup of tea to drink.

I didn't stop you from sitting—why punish you by making you stand?

But Mu Huaizhi refused to sit, walked up to Jin Chen's side, holding the dagger he had just taken from his waist.

Let me go.