Chapter 23: The More You Talk, the Faster You Die

He was about to retreat a few steps when suddenly a scorching surge of spiritual qi rose ahead.

He looked up and saw a crimson fireball wrapped in intense heat already approaching him; he was greatly alarmed and hastily tried to activate his shield.

However, it was too late; the fireball's speed was too great, and in an instant it engulfed him.

In just a few breaths, accompanied by Chen Shao Hui's anguished cry, he was burned to ashes by that fireball, vanishing forever from this world.

Chen Shao Hui still didn't understand where that fireball came from, because he had not seen Su Chen chanting and forming hand seals, nor had he seen Su Chen use a talisman,

As Chen Shao Hui died, the flying sword also lost its spirituality and fell downward.

Su Chen's expression showed no change; he had not merely been exchanging lives with Chen Shao Hui.

Because he still had a sword qi in hand, even if Chen Shao Hui truly had the courage to perish together, he could still promptly unleash the sword qi to shatter that flying sword and thus slay Chen Shao Hui.

The difference between the two was merely whether Su Chen would lose a sword qi.

He recalled the blood blade, grabbed the flying sword that had fallen to the ground, put them into his storage bag, and turned to leave.

After taking two steps, Su Chen's brows furrowed; he felt he had overlooked something extremely important, sensing that something was amiss.

Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he finally realized the source of the unease.

Chen Shao Hui had clearly come prepared, but he and Yun Xiaoxiao had descended the mountain together; if nothing unexpected happened, they would naturally return together.

However, Yun Xiaoxiao suddenly had something come up midway, and her actions were indeed somewhat suspicious.

"Could it be Yun Senior Sister?"

Su Chen had just formed that thought when he hadn't even had time to ponder it carefully, and a gloomy laugh came from behind him.

"Su Junior Brother, I never expected you to be this formidable!"

Su Chen turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you?"

Behind him was indeed the round-faced, small-eyed You Qizhi, who was staring at Su Chen with a gaze as if looking at a corpse.

Unlike his previous humility and caution before Chen Shao Hui, You Qizhi now seemed like a different person, with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth; his aura erupted, unmistakably exuding the aura of Qi Condensation Seventh Layer.

Su Chen's face showed shock upon seeing this, for he clearly remembered that You Qizhi's cultivation had previously been only at Qi Condensation Fifth Layer, no different from his own before descending the mountain.

Seeing the shock in Su Chen's eyes, You Qizhi was very pleased.

He looked at Su Chen, with no intention of attacking, and said with a hint of pride: "Junior Brother, you've done really well; this way... I won't have to personally kill that conceited fool!"

As he spoke, he glanced toward the direction where Chen Shao Hui had died, his eyes full of mockery and ridicule.

"However, why didn't Yun Junior Sister come with you? Is she alright?"

He suddenly shifted his tone, looking at Su Chen, and the concern in his words was unmistakable.

Su Chen looked at him, fell silent for a moment, then said: "He parted ways with me midway."

Su Chen originally didn't want to answer his question, only wishing to unleash sword qi and strike him down, but seeing that You Qizhi had no intention of attacking, he also felt curious about what You Qizhi was plotting.

You Qizhi narrowed his eyes slightly, gave no answer, but his gaze gradually turned cold as he scanned Su Chen, then continued: "Seeing your good-looking skins, I just hate it!"

"Zhang Junli's pretentiously aloof nature!"

"Chen Shao Hui's relationship with the master—doesn't he just have a good elder?"

At this moment, You Qizhi for some reason suddenly became hysterical, shouting at him like a madman.

Su Chen's eyes were blank, and he said nothing.

"Even that Peng Hu, because of his honesty,

his simplicity could earn the master's favor!"

"However."

Saying this, he paused slightly, gritted his teeth, and spat out word by word toward Su Chen: "I, most, hate, still, is, you, ah!"

His eyes were blood-red, venting the resentment that had built up over a long time.

"Why were you born handsome while I was born looking like this?" He pointed fiercely at his own face.

"Why is your innate talent a heavenly spirit root, with no bottleneck in cultivation, while I was born merely a worthless five-spirit-root?"

"This heaven is unfair! How can people be born equal? Tell me what equality is!" As he spoke, he pointed at the heavens and roared in unwilling anger.

"Boom—"

A earth-shaking thunderclap boomed; the previously clear sky was suddenly shrouded in black clouds, and then a downpour fell as if someone were pouring water.

It was unknown whether this was sympathy for You Qizhi's background or a punishment for his disrespect toward the heavens.

Rain fell on both of them, not calming You Qizhi but instead making him even more frenzied.

"And that damned old geezer, truly too biased, he thought I didn't know anything, he privately gave Chen Shao Hui something you just saw, right?"

"That's a mid-grade flying sword? How pitiful that our newly initiated flying swords haven't even reached a grade."

He stared fixedly at Su Chen, his whole body soaked by rain, as if seeking an answer from Su Chen's eyes.

"You say, is this world fair?"

Su Chen remained silent; he naturally understood these things, better than anyone, for too many people are born into great wealth and auspicious fortune without any effort.

But that does not mean Su Chen would agree with his viewpoint.

Seeing Su Chen silent, he laughed, his laughter tinged with a hint of sorrow, his voice much softer: "Naturally, you naturally wouldn't understand; your talent and appearance are top-notch, so how could you understand?"

"Go die! Rest assured, I will also have the eldest senior sister, fourth junior brother, and the master all accompany you."

At this moment, the grimness, madness, and resentment in his eyes had vanished, replaced by mockery and killing intent.

He had suppressed this for far too long; he had been plotting this day for a long while; today was the moment he would trample these heaven-favored, handsome young men underfoot.

Before his words faded, an ancient-style five-colored ring was cast into the air; as it appeared, the surrounding air seemed to pause for a moment.

Su Chen's pupils suddenly contracted, his body hairs standing on end; the aura of that ring was clearly beyond a spiritual artifact, even surpassing a treasure artifact.

He merely made the decision in an instant; that sword qi instantly condensed, and a sharp sword qi shot straight toward You Qizhi.

You Qizhi hadn't yet reacted to what had happened when he felt a warm sensation on his neck; the hand that had been forming seals paused, and he instinctively reached to touch it, but could not.

Thereafter, You Qizhi permanently lost consciousness.

Su Chen looked at the Five Elements Ring floating in the air; surprisingly, it did not fall due to You Qizhi's death, and a trace of lingering fear appeared in his eyes.

He now was certain that this ring was certainly not an ordinary treasure.

At the same time, he felt immensely relieved that he had unhesitatingly unleashed that final sword qi; otherwise, he believed, that sword qi would definitely not be a match for this ring.

Su Chen walked to the ownerless ring, lightly leapt up, and grabbed the ring.

Afterward, he looked at You Qizhi, a trace of mockery in his eyes, muttering, "Your words are truly many; if you were willing to ambush me, I would surely lose."

While speaking, he searched You Qizhi's body and found only a small sword, a spirit stone, and a cultivation manual entitled Five Elements Technique.

After confirming nothing was missed, Su Chen unleashed a fireball technique using the little remaining Immortal Qi, reducing You Qizhi's corpse to ashes.