Chapter 393: Mutual Destruction
Chapter 393: Mutual Destruction
...
Alone on the road, Fang Che only felt his divine sense in turmoil, overwhelmed by the constantly overflowing divine soul power, making it almost impossible for him to think.
Yet, he maintained his usual vigilance.
When his divine sense power was unusable, his eyes became exceptionally agile.
After walking down two main streets, he was about to turn.
Just then, three people approached from the front—Hong Erquezi, Jing Xiuyun, and Zhao Ying'er.
The three of them had intentionally left early to report in person to Fang Che.
Little did they expect that they would still be half a step late, encountering him on the road.
"Chief Fang!" Jing Xiuyun waved.
Zhao Ying'er's face turned red, and she followed Hong Erquezi, asking with concern, "Are you feeling better today?"
"Much better," Fang Che replied gently. "I encountered a slight issue during cultivation, which caused a disturbance in my divine sense. It's a minor problem."
"That's not a minor problem. You should take good care of yourself these days. I have some Soul-Calming Grass and Mind-Shocking Pills, but they're only Marquis-level, and might not be very effective..."
Zhao Ying'er's face reddened slightly, and she said with a hint of embarrassment, "You should keep them for yourself."
Fang Che smiled and said, "If I were to take those, I'd probably need to consume a thousand or eight hundred of them..."
"Hahaha..."
Jing Xiuyun and Hong Erquezi both laughed.
"What did you find during your patrol today?" Fang Che asked as he moved his feet, speaking as he walked.
Since standing still made his head hurt more, walking helped divert some of his attention. This question was merely a casual inquiry.
However, this question led to a significant discovery.
"We did find something. The Ning Family Manor is indeed abnormal, and there are major suspicions."
Zhao Ying'er took out a small notebook, which detailed their findings.
"Initially, we noticed... gradually discovered... until today..."
"No one enters or leaves, and from a distance, we observed that most people are concentrated in the main house, rarely dispersing. The others also stay in their own rooms, rarely stepping out of their doors."
"Servants do go out to buy things, but they always use the back door and buy in bulk. However, they rarely light a fire, giving the impression that they are highly skilled cultivators who can be self-sufficient."
"There are female family members, but they appear very subservient from a distance. Without being summoned, none of them leave their rooms."
"On the second day of our observation, we felt like someone was watching us, but we couldn't find anything."
"..."
As they reported their consecutive findings, Fang Che's brows furrowed with increasing concern.
Based on these reports, he could conclude that the Ning Manor was definitely abnormal and the issue was significant.
How could the Ning Manor, which had existed for so long, have been closed off for so many years? If not, then it must be a recent development.
Although there are abnormalities, it doesn't seem necessary to be this cautious, right? Not even celebrating festivals?
"Alright, I'll go and check it out tomorrow."
Fang Che frowned, looking worried.
If they happened to be on the right track and encountered the Nightmare Demon, with the Frostblade Sword unable to descend from the sky, any delay could mean that whoever went might not return alive.
The three of them shared the same concern, "Chief Fang, if we've really found the target, our strength is insufficient."
"What else can we do?"
Fang Che's eyes revealed a sharp expression, and he said calmly, "If there's truly no other way, we can only use our lives to create an opportunity. But under no circumstances can we allow the Nightmare Demon to escape from the Cloud Continent!"
"Even if it costs us our lives to take down this old demon, it's worth it!"
The three of them nodded simultaneously, their faces showing a determined expression.
Fang Che's words were true; a demon like the Nightmare Demon, who had no regard for human life, was worth sacrificing for if it meant his death.
Just then...
A loud clash reverberated through the entire Cloud Continent, as if two weapons had clashed.
The sound came from a distant place.
Fang Che turned his head, his eyes narrowed, "It seems that Sword Master has made a discovery and is engaging in combat..."
Jing Xiuyun and the other two felt their hearts racing from the sudden vibration, their faces turning pale. "Sword Master is indeed worthy of his title..."
Two more vibrations followed, and then a distant howl gradually faded into the distance.
"Sword Master must have driven off his opponent."
Zhao Ying'er's heart relaxed.
However, Fang Che frowned, "The opponent is very strong..."
Even the Frostblade Sword couldn't guarantee a kill, and the opponent managed to escape. How powerful!
Fang Che now understood what the Frostblade Sword was doing. It seemed that in this area, high-level experts from the Only Righteous Sect had arrived, and it wasn't just the Nightmare Demon.
There were other powerful individuals, perhaps even more than two. The Frostblade Sword had to constantly monitor these three formidable enemies.
The Nightmare Demon must not be allowed to escape.
The other demon must not be allowed to cause harm...
"So that's how it is..."
Fang Che's heart was at ease. In this situation, as an absolute high-level expert, the Frostblade Sword was responsible for these powerful demons. When there was no activity in the Guardian Palace, these major demons were the Frostblade Sword's responsibility! If he were in the Frostblade Sword's position, he would also prioritize these demons.
After all, their actions could bring disaster to the people.
Ordinary patrols were handled by the Guardian Palace's personnel, and if there were any signs of activity, the Frostblade Sword, who monitored the entire region, could descend later without issue.
However, if the Frostblade Sword descended during normal times, leaving the area of high-altitude deterrence, it might be too late to stop the demons if they made any moves.
"It's not easy for Sword Master. I've been unfairly blaming him these days."
Fang Che was quick-witted, and from this battle, he inferred everything, including the Frostblade Sword's dilemma.
The four of them continued talking, and the topic shifted to the Frostblade Sword.
They were already approaching the Scholar's Residence.
"We're almost home. Since you've come this far, why not come to my place?" Fang Che suggested.
"No need."
Jing Xiuyun glanced at Zhao Ying'er and said, "We're passing through this way, and after a few more miles, we'll reach where Sister Qin lives. Let's go and chat with Sister Qin."
"Oh?"
Fang Che turned to look at Hong Erquezi and smiled, "The Guardian Palace is taking your lifelong matters seriously, Second Cripple. If you dare to cause trouble in the Guardian Palace again... Hmm."
"I-I won't dare, I won't!"
Hong Erquezi clasped his hands together, pleading for mercy.
"I guess you won't dare anymore. If this guy dares to be so shameless again, we'll go straight to Qin Fang!"
Jing Xiuyun said, "I'll say he went to the red-light district and slept with the ladies there. With our means, it's not difficult to plant some scent or traces on him, and he won't be able to detect anything."
"Sister ah! My dear sister ah..."
Hong Erquezi was dumbfounded.
"I'm just a commoner... my dear sister ah..."
Hong Erquezi almost knelt down.
"Hahaha..."
The three of them burst into laughter.
Just then, Fang Che's eyes suddenly focused, and he saw a shadowy figure in the alley across the way. A black-clad figure appeared, head lowered, walking towards them.
Although he couldn't use his Divine Sense at the moment, he instinctively felt something was amiss.
"Be careful!"
Fang Che whispered a warning, then reached out to grip the hilt of his blade, taking a step forward to shield the three behind him.
The black-clad figure was still dozens of zhang away from the four of them, head lowered, moving forward like a ghost.
Fang Che coldly shouted, "Stop there!"
But the figure didn't stop; instead, it continued to advance.
Zhao Ying'er and the other two also sensed something was wrong and drew their weapons.
Suddenly, the black-clad figure, who had been walking slowly, transformed into a flying figure in an instant, rushing towards them like a flash of lightning. A cold light appeared abruptly.
At the same time, the street across from them seemed to be rolling up, along with the earth, a howl rose up, pressing down on the four of them.
"Earthquake!"
A cold light flashed in Fang Che's eyes.
This person could actually trigger an earthquake! Jing Xiuyun and the others felt their hearts tremble as the ground rolled up, shaking the mountains and the earth, leaving them in awe.
Clang!
Fang Che's long blade in hand, he unleashed his Divine Sense seal with a boom.
Although it wasn't time yet, he couldn't wait any longer!
Divine Sense power erupted like a volcano. His body leaned forward, and with a movement of his feet, the power of heaven and earth surged from his body, carrying the sun, moon, and stars, along with the blade's energy, he fiercely pushed back!
A torrent of killing intent, murderous aura, and killing will shook the heavens and the earth.
His body became a blade of light within the grand power.
Heaven is blind to hate!
Boom!
Two rays of light collided in mid-air.
Immediately, a dazzling sword light rose like the morning sun, emitting countless sword beams! It was Fang Che's simultaneous sword attack! The person across from them had never expected that the Guardian Palace's Chief Elder would have such power to control the grand force! It was completely beyond expectations.
Although his cultivation was much deeper than Fang Che's, crossing a major realm to reach the Sovereign level, he was still no match for Fang Che when he unleashed the grand force. Even though he was stronger than Shang Mengyun, he wasn't much stronger.
Boom!
The two lights collided in mid-air.
The black-clad figure's body was almost completely skeletal, having been slashed by Fang Che's blade. A bone frame collided with the wall, and several bones snapped with a crack.
Fang Che's body staggered back, blood spurting from his body, his legs, arms, and head...
All of them were covered in blood.
His mind was almost in a daze.
Just now, he had fought with his life on the line! If it weren't for the protective garment, he might have been dissected by his opponent by now.
His Divine Sense was erupting within his consciousness, and as Fang Che unleashed his control, the Divine Sense stirred, causing a painful sensation in his mind, like a terrifying storm.
He couldn't even control his body.
In the middle of the wise scholar's residence, Zhao Ying'er heard Fang Che's furious roar and saw him fighting desperately. The sword was already in her hand.
Something's wrong! Fang Che is fighting...
"Chief Fang!"
Seeing Fang Che's body covered in blood as he staggered back, Zhao Ying'er's heart ached, and she shouted, rushing forward.
Just then, from the direction Fang Che had retreated, a black-clad figure appeared like a ghost from the void, holding a long spear that transformed into a howling hurricane!
It pierced straight towards Fang Che's back of the head.
The wind howled, and the killing intent surged.
Hong Erquezi and Jing Xiuyun roared and rushed forward, but it was already too late.
Fang Che's body was still retreating from the backlash, and he couldn't control himself.
Just as the spear was about to pierce his back of the head!
Suddenly, a slender figure flew up into the air.
Zhao Ying'er.
She was the closest to Fang Che, and when she saw him being pushed back, she immediately flew to support him, the person she cared about the most.
As the spear appeared, Zhao Ying'er was less than a zhang away from Fang Che, and without even looking back, she instinctively leaped up, using her body to block the spear aimed at Fang Che's back of the head.
A sword desperately lifted!
Slap!
The spear pierced Zhao Ying'er's back.
It seemed to have encountered some kind of obstruction, and with Zhao Ying'er's body, it stabbed towards Fang Che's back.
In the chaos of his Divine Sense, Fang Che felt the crisis and desperately turned around, only to see Zhao Ying'er's pained expression as she faced him.
A sharp crack sounded, and the tip of a spear pierced through Zhao Ying'er's chest, causing blood to congeal.
Zhao Ying'er, unable to control the pain, tilted her head back, her hair flying as blood was about to gush from her mouth. But fearing it might spray onto Fang Che's face, she clenched her teeth, determined to keep her mouth shut.
The spear tip flashed with light, like an enraged dragon charging at Fang Che.
"Ahh!"
Fang Che's face contorted in rage, and he let out a hysterical roar as he lunged forward, his chest meeting the spearhead.
Another crack sounded.
The spearhead pierced his body, but the precious robe given by Han Chenyin blocked it, though the sharp pain and ferocious force still pushed his body back, his feet leaving the ground as he was forced to retreat.
Click, click, click...
Several ribs in his chest were broken.
Zhao Ying'er collided with Fang Che, managing to press both hands firmly against his chest and push him away: "Go..."
As she spoke, blood gushed from her mouth like a fountain.
Behind Zhao Ying'er, a black shadow appeared in mid-air, its eyes filled with cruelty. It held a spear, its hair blowing wildly in an invisible hurricane, as it thrust the spear forward with all its might.
As it exerted force, blood bubbled from Zhao Ying'er's mouth...
"Die..." Fang Che grabbed the spear blade at his chest, his eyes fixed on the enemy's, as he unleashed all his Divine Sense power in a desperate attempt to survive!
Boom!
A massive surge of Divine Sense power and killing intent erupted, leaving nothing in reserve.
This was the first time Fang Che had ever unleashed his power to such an extreme.
Although the enemy was a skilled fighter, faced with such overwhelming Divine Sense power, especially the ancient demonic killing intent, their mind froze for a moment, and their Divine Sense went blank.
Fang Che hugged Zhao Ying'er's body with one arm and swung his sword with the other.
Crack!
The sword slashed across the black-clad figure's neck, but due to his severe injuries, he lacked the strength to sever it completely, only managing to cut halfway through the throat. Blood sprayed from the side of the neck like mist.
Hong Erquezi and Jing Xiuyun rushed forward like madmen.
Swords and knives clashed, slashing frantically.
The man, recovering from the Divine Sense attack, felt his head throbbing in pain and roared, taking two steps forward. Crack, crack! He kicked the two attackers, sending them flying with blood spurting from their mouths. Then, he reached out to push the spear with all his might.
But suddenly, Fang Che's sword flashed with light, and the Blood Spirit Seven Swords appeared.
Seeing this sword, the man's eyes widened in shock, as if he had gone dumbfounded.
"It's... Blood..."
The sword pierced his throat, and the tip emerged from the back of his neck.
Fang Che roared, and with a horizontal slash, the man's head rolled off his neck, bouncing twice before coming to rest with its face turned upwards, not showing despair but pure shock and disbelief.
It was as if he had seen something unbelievable just before death.
The body released the spear, and the man fell backwards.
Fang Che, completely exhausted, his mind a blur, lost his support and fell backwards, Zhao Ying'er's lifeless body slumping onto his chest with a thud.
The spear, protruding from Zhao Ying'er's back, was drenched in blood, its shaft pointing skyward.
"Be careful, Chief Fang..."
Jing Xiuyun jumped up, wanting to rush over.
Because... the man who had been nearly hacked to a skeleton by Fang Che was still alive, his bones almost all broken, with only one eye remaining. He dragged his broken leg, determined to reach Fang Che, a short knife clutched in his skeletal hand.
Boom...
The skeleton was slashed away by a sword.
Ye Meng, at a critical moment, descended from the sky, slashing with her sword and relentlessly pursuing, using all her cultivation to strike the skeleton with a fierce blow.
"Kill, kill, kill..."
Crack, crack, crack!
She severed the skeleton's arms and neck, splitting the corpse in two! Then, throwing the sword aside, she rushed over: "Fang Che!"
Fang Che's consciousness was almost completely blurred, and blood continued to bubble from Zhao Ying'er's body, dripping onto him.
A long spear pierced Zhao Ying'er's back, penetrating Fang Che's chest.
The two were connected like a string of sugar-coated haws.
Blood flowed from Fang Che's seven apertures, his consciousness blurred with pain, yet he clung tightly to Zhao Ying'er, infusing her broken body with the remaining power of the Boundless Dharma Scripture, using his last strength to look up and scream.
Ye Meng quickly took out a bottle of Cloud Spirit Pills, feeding one to Zhao Ying'er and then one to Fang Che.
The pill's power entered Zhao Ying'er's body, and her face briefly turned rosy before returning to its pale state.
The enemy's spear still pierced her chest, shaking with killing intent. Zhao Ying'er's internal organs were already shattered, and the pill's power flowed in and then leaked out.
But no one dared to move the spear, for any movement would hasten death, leaving no time for words.
"Zhao Priest..." Ye Meng was helpless, tears streaming down her face.
"Ying'er!" Jing Xiuyun rushed forward, "Ying'er... do you... have anything to say... quickly..."
Jing Xiuyun, also a Chief Elder, knew it was hopeless the moment she saw Zhao Ying'er's condition.
There was no saving her.
Zhao Ying'er lay on Fang Che's chest, struggling to open her eyes. Her gaze held contemplation and longing, and then she felt Fang Che's heart beating against her own chest.
Her eyes softened with a tender smile.
She wanted to look at her beloved's face one last time, but she couldn't lift her head.
Her fingers twitched slightly.
Her eyes met Ye Meng's.
She bent her fingers with all her might, pointing at Fang Che.
Ye Meng nodded through her tears, "Don't worry, don't worry..."
Zhao Ying'er's eyes smiled, and then she blinked, struggling to move her head to rest her cheek on Fang Che's shoulder, her expression filled with happiness...
Her eyes suddenly lost their sparkle.
(End of Chapter)
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