Chapter 301: Declaring War

"Ah!!!"

A sharp, piercing shriek echoed across Moon Shadow Island, and the seabirds circling in the sky were startled and flew away one after another.

Chen Che frowned and slowly opened his eyes, seeing Fang Yuying's shocked face; one of her hands was covering her mouth, while the other was pointing right at him.

"You, you, you... you actually..."

Fang Yuying was clearly stunned by the scene before her, stuttering for a long time without being able to say a complete sentence.

Chen Che did not understand the situation; cool seawater washed up, and he felt a wave of completely exposed chilliness on his lower body.

Chen Che's expression froze, and he looked down, only to discover in shock that his lower body was in its most primitive state!

As his gaze slowly shifted upward, Su Xiao was sitting to the side with her back to him, her cheeks flushed, and she was quickly putting on her clothes amidst Fang Yuying's astonished accusations.

A flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and memories of last night surged up; Chen Che sat up and put on his clothes, but just as he was about to stand, he felt a wave of dizziness.

Song Jinhe trotted over, grabbed hold of Chen Che, and helped him sit down slowly.

"Don't move yet!"

Song Jinhe rolled up Chen Che's sleeve to carefully examine the blood vessel patterns on his arm, then pulled open his collar. "Fortunately, Su Xiao reacted in time, and the Great Red Sun Poison has been suppressed, but you are still very weak right now; do not use your True Qi for the time being."

Fang Yuying paused, glanced at Su Xiao—who was now fully dressed but still had a flushed face—and realized that Su Xiao had done this to save Chen Che.

For no reason, a flash of anger surged in her heart; she hated herself for not having a Yin Cold Body!

"Gu Yuanzong is not dead; we must return as soon as possible, otherwise everyone else is finished!"

Chen Che shook his head and struggled to stand up, but when he suddenly looked up, he saw Song Jinhe's even paler complexion.

Song Jinhe subconsciously bit her chapped lips and said, "Gu Yuanzong is at the Heavenly Master Realm, but after what happened yesterday, he truly suffered a backlash. He is definitely trying to find a way to heal his injuries and recover his strength now, but his status is special after all."

"Besides, in my current state, I cannot help you. Furthermore, your own injuries have not healed; going now would only be walking into a trap."

Song Jinhe placed a fair, white palm on Chen Che's forehead. She recited a mantra silently, and Chen Che closed his eyes, obediently accepting the Secret Technique being transmitted.

"This is what I was researching with the third one before. I have fully comprehended the Secret Technique in this ancient book, and now I am passing the method to you."

Song Jinhe took a few deep breaths, but her body swayed slightly, looking as if she were about to collapse.

"Su Xiao's constitution is insufficient, so your Great Red Sun Poison cannot be eradicated at the root, and there will always be hidden dangers in your duel with Gu Yuanzong. This Array requires the coordination of the Ghost Gate Needle and your Third Senior Sister's Medicine, along with the combined effect of the Zhu Yin Grass, to exert its true effect."

"However, just in case, I still thought of another way."

Song Jinhe pointed at Chen Che's chest and said, "Use the Ghost Gate Needle on your heart as the Array Eye to deploy the Array from within your body. You can then use the power of the Array to suppress the Great Red Sun Poison for one hour. You won't have to have any reservations for this hour and can unleash your full strength."

"But I am not yet certain if there are side effects, so you must use it with caution."

After Song Jinhe finished her instructions, she revealed a haggard smile. "This is all I can do to help you for now."

"Senior Sister!"

Chen Che exclaimed, catching Song Jinhe as she collapsed headlong.

Helping Song Jinhe lie down, Chen Che immediately checked her pulse and looked at her with a shocked expression.

"What is it?"

Fang Yuying asked cautiously.

"All the meridians in her body are dislocated; it is already a miracle that she is still alive. She will never be able to use True Qi again, and even as an ordinary person, she will be extremely weak."

Chen Che said with a heavy heart.

Su Xiao exclaimed, "How could it be like this?"

"I suspect it must be that wicked Array; Senior Sister also suffered a backlash."

Chen Che took a deep breath, picked up Song Jinhe in his arms, and left the beach.

Gently laying Song Jinhe down under a coconut tree, Chen Che said to Su Xiao and Fang Yuying, "Help me take care of her; I am going back to Jinling now."

"Let Fang Yuying go back with you. My Yin Cold Body is gone now, so I would only be a burden. With Fang Yuying following you back, at least Fang Shaoyi will still listen to you, and that way you won't be completely isolated and helpless."

After Su Xiao finished speaking, she looked at Fang Yuying. "The Fang Family's stance won't change, right?"

Fang Yuying nodded with a firm gaze. "Of course!"

"Alright, then that is what we will do."

Chen Che took one last look at the unconscious Song Jinhe and left, riding the waves with Fang Yuying.

However, not long after Chen Che and Fang Yuying left, a military armed helicopter descended from the sky.

Ouyang Feng, dressed in military uniform, jumped off the helicopter and walked straight toward Su Xiao.

"Where is Chen Che?"

"He went to take Gu Yuanzong's head."

Ouyang Feng sneered. "Good. Since that is the case, let us go and see together whose head is taken by whom."

"Please."

Ouyang Feng waved his arm, and Su Xiao and Song Jinhe were carried onto the helicopter by soldiers.

The helicopter slowly ascended and flew in the direction of Jinling.

………

Chen Che and Fang Yuying landed on a remote beach. Fang Yuying gripped Chen Che's arm tightly, feeling that the sandy ground beneath her feet was so unreal.

"What kind of ability is this? It's even more awesome than the version of me in my dreams!"

Fang Yuying glanced at the sparkling sea behind her, her heart unable to calm down for a long time.

"Let's go."

Chen Che did not answer Fang Yuying but instead left the beach as quickly as possible.

Fang Yuying trotted along, following closely behind. "Should we go to the Fang Family first..."

Fang Yuying bumped into Chen Che's back without paying attention. She covered her forehead and looked ahead, a trace of resentment in her eyes, but when she saw the situation before her, she immediately became alert.

Chen Che coldly sized up the three uninvited guests who had suddenly appeared before him and asked, "Is there something you need?"

"By the order of Lord Xuanwu, please come with us."

The one leading the three said.

"Invite me? She isn't worthy!"

Chen Che let out a violent shout and struck first, his figure shooting toward the three of them like a cannonball.

The trio scattered immediately, but their movements were still a step too slow; the leader was kicked by Chen Che and sent flying backward.

Seeing this, the other two knew they were no match for Chen Che and decisively shifted their target, attacking Fang Yuying.

Fang Yuying circulated her True Qi, and the gravel beneath her feet rose, converging into a large hand that reached out to grab the two attackers.

However, the gravel hand missed, and Fang Yuying, unable to dodge in time, entered the two's attack range.

Making a final stand, Fang Yuying released all her True Qi to protect her surroundings and closed her eyes.

"Puff, puff, puff!"

The muffled sound of sharp weapons piercing flesh reached her ears, and a stream of warm liquid splashed onto her face; Fang Yuying gasped and opened her eyes.

The two people who had attacked her had already been skewered like meat on a spit by wooden spikes erupting from the ground.

"Puff!"

At the moment he retracted his technique, Chen Che spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to his knees.

"How are you?"

Ignoring the bloodstains on her body, Fang Yuying immediately rushed over to check on Chen Che's condition.

Chen Che shook his head, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stood up to walk over to the leader of the trio.

Having taken Chen Che's lightning-fast kick, the leader of the trio was already mortally wounded and was currently dialing a phone call while on the verge of death.

Chen Che bent down, picked up the phone that had already connected from his hand, and held it to his ear: "I am Chen Che."

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly stunned, "You actually dared to come back."

Both Chen Che and Fang Yuying recognized it was Xuanwu.

Chen Che let out a cold snort: "You really have some ideas, sending these three idiots to invite me."

"Characters like them were only used to track your whereabouts and confirm if you had returned. As for wanting to invite you before the Lord, there was never any expectation that they could move you; they probably acted on their own initiative to claim credit."

"If you want to invite me, have Gu Yuanzong invite me personally."

"That is no longer up to you."

Xuanwu gave a playful laugh, and then the voice on the phone changed to someone else's.

"Chen Che, your friends in Jinling are all in my hands now. If you want them to live, then come to the Gu Family to find me within three days."

Gu Yuanzong's resonant voice came through, though this resonance was tinged with a hint of difficulty to conceal weakness.

Chen Che's expression was gloomy as he said: "Actually, you didn't need to do this at all. I still have things to ask you, so I would have come to find you regardless."

"Are you afraid?"

Gu Yuanzong's tone was mocking, "Since you're afraid, then hurry up and come to die. Perhaps I can show mercy and reluctantly consider telling you the truth of that year before I kill you."

"I will definitely come to find you, but before that, my friends must remain completely unharmed. If any one of them suffers even the slightest injury..."

Chen Che's voice was icy; it was a warning, a threat, and a declaration of war, "I will make your Gu Family disappear from this world!"

Gu Yuanzong was disdainful yet excited: "Very good, I'll be waiting for you!"

………