Chapter 140: Red Dragon

This move startled Xu Zhi, leaving him stammering and unable to utter another word.

The lean Daoist leading the group, sporting a short goatee, was named Jiao Jiao Jizhong.

Before Xu Zhi fell from power, the two had cultivated a degree of friendship through their shared interest in alchemy and the art of transmuting base metals into gold, maintaining cordial relations.

Yet after rumors spread that Xu Zhi had fled from cowardice, causing the death of Elder Gu Jun's only son, his reputation was utterly ruined; those within the sect who stepped on the fallen and fawned over the powerful immediately joined in kicking him while he was down.

It was precisely at that time that Jiao Jiao Jizhong secretly severed ties with Xu Zhi, ceasing all contact for fear of catching bad luck.

"I... I..."

Under the aggressive stares of Jiao Jiao Jizhong and his crowd, Xu Zhi felt his current situation was dire and was just about to force out some words when—

A green-robed youth suddenly sneered and interrupted:

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu, we respected your early entry into the sect and your seniority, which is why we have sheltered you all along! But after such painstaking care on our part, asking for some favor in return shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"

"Of course, of course... but Chen Chen Shidi Zhang, which item on my person has caught your eye this time?"

Xu Zhi steeled himself, cupped his fists, and replied.

"I heard that to enter the Nether Abyss, Xiao Xiao Shixiong specifically sold two talisman artifacts to purchase a flying sword named 'Mai She'? Perhaps you could be so generous as to part with it?"

The green-robed youth cast a meaningful glance.

Instantly, several Xuanzhen Sect Daoists nearby understood the signal; chuckling inwardly, they stepped forward without making a sound and encircled Xu Zhi within a ring of people.

"The Mai She Sword? How does Chen Chen Shidi Zhang know about this?" Xu Zhi froze in surprise.

"If you want no one to know, you must do nothing yourself; I have my own channels! That flying sword in Xiao Xiao Shixiong's hands is merely a bright pearl covered in dust; it would be better to present it to Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao as a small token of your gratitude."

The green-robed youth smiled faintly and said, "Had Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao not chivalrously intervened, you would have lost your life yesterday; how could you possibly be standing here arguing with me? Such a debt of gratitude cannot go unrepaid!"

Even with Xu Zhi's temperate nature,

hearing these words, anger surged in his heart, and he could not help but frown.

Yesterday,

it was clearly Jiao Jiao Jizhong and his group who, while being chased by yin ghosts, happened to spot Xu Zhi traveling alone and dragged him into their mess, conscripting him as a laborer.

In such a case,

where did any debt of gratitude come from?

"... Had I known it would turn out like this, when entering the Nether Abyss I should have consulted Chen Chen Shidi to decide for me; I regret trusting others so lightly!"

Facing this situation,

Xu Zhi felt deeply ashamed, silently clutching his wrist in bitter regret.

Ultimately, Xu Zhi's plight in the Nether Abyss stemmed from a muddled affair based on hearsay.

Long before the "Luo Xian Lead Boat" entered the Nether Abyss, Administrator Zhang, an official in the Sect's Affairs Hall who had been on good terms with Xu Zhi, visited him late at night, claiming to have a fine assignment to entrust to him.

That assignment was not only simple

but would also yield a large sum of talisman money upon completion, funds he could use for cultivation.

Xu Zhi, long destitute and down on his luck, was naturally overjoyed upon hearing this and agreed without hesitation.

Only after inquiring in detail did Xu Zhi learn

that the task Administrator Zhang had planned for him was to accompany the Daoists of the Affairs Hall in piloting the "Luo Xian Lead Boat" to ferry a group of fellow disciples into the Nether Abyss.

This matter was indeed no hardship; on the contrary, it was a plum assignment.

It required neither risking one's life fighting yin ghosts nor exerting much effort.

One only needed to inject one's embryonic breathing into this secret treasure, after which there was nothing else to oversee.

At most, it merely meant spending some extra days aboard the lead boat...

Although he had wondered how such a desirable task could fall to him,

Administrator Zhang's words were so earnest, and considering their years of friendship, Xu Zhi believed he would not be deceived and thus eagerly accepted.

Yet precisely because it was such a plum assignment, even the Daoists serving in the Affairs Hall were scrambling to snatch it up.

Had it leaked out, it would inevitably have caused unnecessary complications.

At Administrator Zhang's repeated urging, Xu Zhi kept his lips sealed, uttering not a single word, and did not even inform Chen Heng.

What Xu Zhi did not know was that Yan Ping had long bribed Administrator Zhang, his supposed friend, with a single alchemy manual.

That so-called task of piloting the "Luo Xian Lead Boat" was nothing but a lie.

As for the true situation, it was simply to lure him into the Nether Abyss and then take the opportunity to finish him off with a single sword strike.

Although Administrator Zhang ultimately hesitated repeatedly and, mindful of their old friendship, did not personally take Xu Zhi's life,

he still cast him off the "Luo Xian Lead Boat," leaving him to fend for himself...

Through a journey of hardship and wandering, perhaps due to good fortune, he managed to hide and dodge until he survived to the present day.

Xu Zhi knew Chen Heng was currently within the Nether Abyss and naturally wished to meet him soon, but how vast and endless was the Nether Abyss?

After searching painstakingly, he not only failed to find Chen Heng but, just yesterday, stumbled upon Jiao Jiao Jizhong and this band of villains, becoming coerced into traveling with them.

It could truly be said that he had barely escaped the tiger's mouth only to fall into the wolf's den...

"The Mai She Sword... I have other uses for it; could fellow disciples perhaps ask for something else?"

Xu Zhi took a step back, but surrounded on all sides by Daoists pressing him into the center, there was nowhere further to retreat; after hesitating for a moment, he helplessly spoke:

"I wish to offer talisman money as tribute; would that be acceptable?"

"Talisman money? Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu, it is not that we mean to look down on you, but with the meager scraps currently in your qiankun pouch, what would that amount to? It wouldn't even buy you a seat to drink a bowl of spirit tea!"

A short, stout man dressed in apricot-yellow robes scoffed:

"Yesterday, while being chased by yin ghosts, it was Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao who overruled all objections to save your life! How can you, Xiao Xiao Shixiong, know gratitude yet fail to repay it? This is hardly the conduct of a gentleman; for all your extensive reading of poetry and books, have you read it all into a dog's stomach?"

"You..."

Xu Zhi's gaze darkened.

Since being coerced into traveling with Jiao Jiao Jizhong and his crowd yesterday, they had used the pretext of saving his life to aggressively demand the money from Xu Zhi's qiankun pouch.

Seeing that the situation outweighed the individual, Xu Zhi could only swallow his anger and let them do as they pleased.

His family fortune, which was already not wealthy, became utterly destitute after being ransacked.

"Human hearts are never satisfied; the valley of desire is hard to fill! Had I known this, I should have turned and fled the moment I saw them yesterday!"

Xu Zhi's mind raced like lightning, yet he could not devise any good plan.

Seeing him silent and speechless, the green-robed youth raised an eyebrow, anger instantly rising on his face as he shouted:

"Xu Zhi! Out of respect for your status and to save your face, I call you Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu! Without saving your face, what are you? With Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao present, do you still dare to be obstinate?"

He flicked his sleeve and said in a cold voice:

"Let me ask you, will you hand over that Pulse-Sheathing Sword or not? If you dare to hedge and delay again, acting like an old woman, do not blame this old master for being impolite; I will give you a good show right now!"

Something seemed locked within his sleeve, scattering threads of cyan flame light; though not yet released, a scorching heat emanated from it, making one's skin feel irritable.

Seeing the green-robed youth take the lead, the whole crowd began to clamor, each reaching into their sleeves with extremely malicious gazes.

Surrounded by this pack of tigers and wolves, Xu Zhi turned pale with great shock.

For a moment, he did not know whether to speak and beg for mercy or to fight his way out through a path of blood, and he simply froze in stunned silence.

Just at this moment.

Jiao Jiao Jizhong, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, smiled slightly and suddenly said:

"Presumptuous! Is this how you treat Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu? Hurry up and apologize!"

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao..."

The green-robed youth turned his head in bewilderment, meeting the inexplicable smile on Jiao Jiao Jizhong's face, and blinked.

After a moment, he seemed to understand something, and a cold sneer rose to the corners of his lips.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu, our temperaments are rough and reckless; do not take offense, do not take offense..."

Scattered sounds of apology rang out.

Seeing this group suddenly become submissive, Xu Zhi had not yet grasped the situation when Jiao Jiao Jizhong pushed through the crowd, came to his side, and smiled:

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong, as the saying goes, a great man does not hold grudges against petty people; do not take it to heart! This Earth Abyss is so perilous; we brothers must unite our hearts and forces to find a path to life from this land of death, is that not so?"

Jiao Jiao Jizhong's words contained an implied threat.

Even though Xu Zhi detected it, he could only pretend ignorance and nod repeatedly in agreement.

Seeing this cowardly and timid appearance, devoid of any cultivator's backbone.

Jiao Jiao Jizhong felt even more contempt, and the disdain in his eyes deepened by several degrees.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong was a smart person in the past and is no different now; good, this is a good thing! Only smart people can live long!"

Jiao Jiao Jizhong forcefully patted Xu Zhi's shoulder, then ignored Xu Zhi's embarrassed face and merely ordered the crowd:

"From interrogating other wandering souls, we learned that the old ghost named Gao Pi is extremely fierce and stubborn; he has slain more than one or two Gao Gong of the Purple Palace Realm. Fortunately, what we encountered today were only this old ghost's followers, whose abilities are limited; otherwise, we would have been ruined."

"Let us first find a place to rest."

"I do not believe Gao Pi can guard the entrance cave of the Five Clouds Wilds day and night! Once he becomes negligent, we will join forces and charge into the cave!"

Through interrogating the wandering souls and lonely ghosts of the Earth Abyss, they had also learned that Ding Xian, the master of the Five Clouds Wilds, was a Jing Cultivator who not only did not consume blood food but often acted to protect Daoist cultivators from outside the Earth Abyss.

For living beings of flesh and blood, he was truly a benevolent person.

In a deadly land like the Earth Abyss, where every step held killing intent, these Five Clouds Wilds were undoubtedly a place to preserve life and find shelter!

It was a pity that the cave leading into the Five Clouds Wilds had been guarded by Gao Pi leading a host of fierce ghosts and resentful souls, tight as an iron bucket.

Jiao Jiao Jizhong had led the crowd in a forced breach once, but not only did they fail to succeed, they nearly alerted Gao Pi himself, risking total annihilation.

Hearing Jiao Jiao Jizhong speak thus, the green-robed youth and others all responded in unison, clearly showing that his authority among them was very high.

"Let us go; matters cannot be rushed. That Gao Pi cannot guard the cave for a lifetime!"

Jiao Jiao Jizhong laughed once, mounted a beam of escape light, and headed straight toward the southwest.

"Let's go, Xiao Xiao Shixiong Xu!"

The green-robed youth chuckled, pointed a finger, and together with a round, fat Daoist, flanked Xu Zhi on the left and right, trapping him in the center.

"The Earth Abyss is so perilous; we brothers ought to cross the river in the same boat, is that not correct?"

"Yes, yes..."

Xu Zhi's face turned dark, and he agreed helplessly.

"Truly trash! With such an appearance, how could he possibly cultivate the 'Ten Steps, One Kill'? How unfair is Heaven!"

The green-robed youth sighed inwardly, called out once, and in an instant transformed into a flying rainbow, departing to closely follow Jiao Jiao Jizhong.

Half an hour later.

Beams of escape light quietly landed before a pitch-black mountain wall that reached up to the sky; at its base, lush with Lin Mu, existed a series of temporarily constructed stone chambers, which were clearly the dwelling place of Jiao Jiao Jizhong and his crowd.

Upon arriving here.

The green-robed youth and others no longer bothered with Xu Zhi, minding only their own business as they walked toward their respective stone chambers to enter and regulate their breath.

"... Wolves before, tigers behind; what kind of situation is this! Chen Chen Shidi, where exactly are you?"

Xu Zhi could not help but let out a long, melancholy sigh; standing for a while, he too entered a stone chamber, sat in silence, and closed his eyes.

In the Earth Abyss, there was naturally no change between yin and yang or dimness and brightness; not a shred of skylight could be seen, leaving everything a pitch-black, deep gloom.

After about an hour had passed.

Xu Zhi, sitting in meditation, suddenly moved his ear, as if hearing something unusual.

He silently bent down, raised his fingers to form a seal, and held his breath.

At first, he heard only a few chaotic and disorderly noises.

After a few breaths, the sounds entering his ears gradually became clear...

"Why did Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao stop me earlier? That Xu Zhi is nothing but a dog with a broken spine, not even daring to bare his teeth! What is there to fear?!"

Xu Zhi heard the green-robed youth speak.

"Though he is cowardly and timid, he is still a sword Dao genius who has cultivated to the 'One Kill Every Ten Steps' realm! Even a dog will jump over a wall when cornered, and a rabbit will bite when pushed too far!

If we use force, we will inevitably lose a few brothers; we must plan this slowly. Younger Brother, your actions just now were far too rash!"

Hearing Jiao Jiao Jizhong laugh, he said:

"I have coveted his Pulse-Shelter Sword for a long time; I harbored this intention while still in the sect! Rest assured, tomorrow we will prepare some wine and dishes, invite him to a banquet under the pretext of reconciliation, and at that time..."

"So you intend to put some poison in the wine and food to harm that fellow?"

the green-robed youth said.

"Younger Brother truly understands me!"

The words that followed were entirely about schemes and calculations.

Hearing them discuss how to take his life, Xu Zhi's palms trembled slightly, his blue veins bulged, and blood rushed to his face.

I do not know how much time passed.

Xu Zhi suddenly dispersed his spell decision, abruptly rose with sword in hand!

"Heaven's Retribution Demon Lord kills the unjust; the unjust kill the unjust; killing the unjust yet remains unjust; only when all the unjust are killed will there be peace!"

He recalled these words Chen Heng had mentioned inadvertently while they were drinking together.

Chewing over them carefully now, Xu Zhi felt as though he had achieved great enlightenment, his heart suddenly light and open:

"Younger Brother, the words you spoke, I previously thought too cruel and fierce, fearing they might harm heavenly virtue; only now do I truly understand!"

Thinking that he originally bore no grievance or enmity toward Jiao Jiao Jizhong and the others.

Being coerced into traveling with them, demanding money and the like—those things could be endured; bearing it would see them pass.

But now.

They actually intended to plot against his life...

Xu Zhi's expression immediately shifted between gloom and brightness; after a moment of hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth, lifted his sword, and quietly walked out of the stone chamber.

Yin winds whistled, the sky and earth were dim and dark, as if one could not see one's own fingers before an outstretched hand; a stagnant, oppressive atmosphere spread heavily.

Stepping out of the stone chamber.

Struck by that bone-chilling, desolate cold, Xu Zhi could not help but shiver; the boiling killing intent that had just surged in his heart slowly began to extinguish.

"No..."

He gripped the sword hilt tightly, shouted inwardly to bolster his courage, and forcibly sharpened his gaze.

After the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense.

Just as Jiao Jiao Jizhong and the others, fully satisfied, finished their deliberations and were dispersing to leave.

Suddenly, the green-robed youth glanced to one side and let out a strange cry, his voice panicked and urgent.

"Look!"

Following the direction of his pointing finger, they saw that at some unknown time, the stone chamber where Xu Zhi resided had become completely empty, with not a single figure in sight.

On the stone wall, several lines of text had been carved with a sword weapon.

"Today you plot to take my life; I will let past offenses go. If there is a next time, do not blame me, Xu, for being impolite!"

Amidst the crowd's shock and suspicion, Jiao Jiao Jizhong slowly paced forward and recited the carved words.

His expression underwent a series of changes; he spat fiercely and said with disdain:

"Fled? When? He actually escaped without even my noticing; it seems he does have some ability after all!"

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Jiao?"

the green-robed youth hurriedly asked: "What should we do now?"

"What is there to 'do'? Since faces have been torn off, then kill him and seize his flying sword!"

Jiao Jiao Jizhong sneered and mocked:

"Since he has already noticed something amiss yet still dares not take the risk and act, he is truly a cowardly rat! Without even the courage to draw his sword and kill, he is merely a soft persimmon; is he not entirely at my mercy?"

Having spoken, a yellow cloud arose beneath his feet, supporting his body as he flew upward.

"Find him! Bring me his head!"

The green-robed youth and the others responded in a clamor, transforming into streaks of escaping light and searching in all directions.

And just as this crowd searched the mountains and drained the seas.

Elsewhere, Xu Zhi, who was running wildly, was suddenly drawn into a strange void.

Sunlight was bright, starlight like day—

"Ever since you entered this Earth Abyss, I have been watching you."

"... Ah?"

Xu Zhi, already terrified, heard this strange voice and was even more startled.

"Generation after generation of the Red Dragon Xu family were heroes, each a heavenly genius; even during the reign of Crown Prince Changming, they could not be subdued by force..."

In a brief, muffled silence.

That strange voice finally sounded again, shouting in self-abandonment, with even a hint of a sobbing tone:

"But how, when it passed to your generation, did it become this ghostly state?! What sin has Heaven committed exactly!

I beg you, don't tell me! You are the only remaining shoot?!"

"What?" Xu Zhi was momentarily bewildered and at a loss.