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Chapter 460: Encountering the Celestial Demon Swarm
Chapter 460: Encountering the Celestial Demon Swarm
Inside the tent, Qiu Ruofang had already made her decision.
The next step was to plan and strategize for the journey to the northeast to investigate thoroughly.
Surprisingly, Qiu Ruofang displayed a strong and assertive demeanor before the group.
She firmly decided to follow Su Chen's plan and thoroughly inspect the northeast direction.
Qiu Ruofang's determination left Su Chen with no choice but to step forward and accept the task of searching for the Celestial Demon Swarm's traces in the northeast.
While others might not be able to discern the hidden messages within the Celestial Demon Swarm's traces, Su Chen understood them.
The northeast direction was the area these Celestial Demons were guarding.
In their actions, they had been avoiding and dodging the northeast.
These signs were not something ordinary people could notice.
Even if the Celestial Demons weren't intentionally avoiding detection, the traces of ordinary Golden Demons and Earth Demons would still be difficult to understand without extensive knowledge of demons.
With so many people present, Qiu Ruofang directly announced the upcoming arrangements.
Su Chen would accompany them to the northeast to investigate the Celestial Demon Swarm's movements.
The others would split into three defensive lines, blocking as many directions leading to the camp as possible.
These three lines were primarily defensive, gradually moving towards the center of the wilderness.
After all, sending a single team to the northeast would likely result in a concentrated attack by the wilderness Celestial Demons.
Currently, no one knew how many Celestial Demons were in the wilderness.
It was impossible to send a single team into that area.
Upon hearing these arrangements, several elders proudly stood up.
"I have no objections to investigating the northeast direction.
However, since Miss Qiu has such high regard for this young man, I am genuinely curious to see how capable he is in dealing with demons.
Let's have him accompany us this time.
Let him showcase his abilities alongside us.
That way, when it comes to assigning him credit and reputation later, this old man won't have to argue with you."
As the elder finished speaking, Wei Huifang from Huayan Sect and elders from Starlight Gate echoed his words.
Their proposals had two intentions: they didn't believe in Su Chen's abilities, and they were responding to Qiu Ruofang's earlier assertiveness.
Hearing these suggestions, Qiu Ruofang clearly wasn't willing to agree.
But Qiu Xingtian immediately spoke up, accepting the proposal.
As her brother, he secretly hoped that Su Chen would lose face.
Qiu Ruofang's favoritism towards Su Chen, even without any other relationship, was something he found hard to accept.
If Su Chen lost face, perhaps her high regard for him would diminish.
"Elder Wei, when Su Chen accompanies you to the northeast, you must ensure his safety.
If anything happens to him..."
"If something happens to me, nothing will happen to him.
He will definitely return safely, so rest assured."
These two elders' exchange provided Qiu Ruofang with the excuse she was looking for.
However, Qiu Ruofang didn't need an excuse; she was determined to insist on her decision.
She had the qualifications and ability to do so.
Su Chen also directly agreed to this arrangement.
He had come here to help Qiu Ruofang resolve the difficulties her family was facing.
Arguing with others was pointless.
Moreover, he was well aware of his own capabilities.
The only concern was the team Qiu Ruofang was leading to the northeast.
Without his leadership, the northeast was a rather vague direction.
Su Chen wasn't sure if Qiu Ruofang's team could find the Celestial Demon Swarm.
If they failed this time, he would accompany Qiu Ruofang on another trip.
Su Chen was confident he could resolve the current difficulties.
The assembly concluded around dusk.
After leaving the central tent, Su Chen and Qiu Ruofang found a secluded spot.
They continued discussing the situation and had their evening meal.
This included the key points to focus on when heading northeast.
Su Chen emphasized several critical aspects to Qiu Ruofang.
Since their previous trips to the northeast had yielded no results, it was clear that they had overlooked many crucial details.
This time, Qiu Ruofang needed to pay attention to the plain terrain and many positions that were difficult to conceal.
The less suitable a place was for hiding, the easier it was to overlook.
After Su Chen finished his instructions, it was Qiu Ruofang's turn to give her own.
Their conversation focused on ensuring Su Chen's safety.
Although there were many Transcendent Powerhouses protecting him, they were up against the Celestial Demon Swarm.
Qiu Ruofang remained worried.
She didn't trust Wei Huifang's promise to protect Su Chen.
"Elder Wei of Huayan Sect always speaks grandly, but in reality, when faced with difficulties, he does as he pleases.
"To be honest, I've always been worried about going out with them," she admitted.
Su Chen, however, waved her concerns away with a smile. "Remember when we were in the wilderness east of Zhou Kingdom, hiding from the Heavenly Demons? In the end, didn't we manage to escape safely? I have a clear understanding of these monsters. If I encounter danger, I wouldn't rely on them for help. I would just run away on my own."
After this explanation, Qiu Ruoshang felt somewhat reassured. She still couldn't shake her concerns about Wei Huifang, but she was more at ease knowing that Su Chen could handle the situation himself.
In the wilderness, Su Chen had seemed like a seer, with an uncanny ability to predict the movements of the Heavenly Demon. This foresight allowed them to detect danger in advance, making it less threatening.
In the camp, the elders of various sects wore solemn expressions. Initially, they had thought that Qiu Ruoshang was merely attracted to Su Chen's appearance and his sweet-talking ways. But now, it seemed that Qiu Ruoshang genuinely recognized and respected Su Chen's abilities.
The elders, however, were not as easily convinced as Qiu Ruoshang. "Let's go and see for ourselves. Let's find out what's so extraordinary about this young man that even the talented third miss of the Qiu family admires him."
In another tent, several elders from different sects were discussing the matter. "I think we should bring more of our junior disciples along. Let them learn from this young man named Su Chen. His martial prowess isn't exceptional, but he has earned Qiu Ruoshang's recognition. Let our juniors observe and see what methods he's using. If he can deceive Qiu Ruoshang, there must be something special about him."
The other elders nodded in agreement. Even if they couldn't gain any benefits from Qiu Ruoshang, they could still observe other exceptionally talented martial artists.
After making their decisions, the sects prepared their junior disciples for the journey. In total, there were seven Transcendent Powerhouses, over ten Fifth Stage Perfection guards, and a few young disciples like Su Chen, making a group of sixteen.
After resting for a night, the group set off in the afternoon of the next day. They chose to depart in the evening because it would still take some time to reach the frontline from the camp. By the time they arrived at the frontline and ventured deeper into the wilderness, it would be close to dawn. This timing was ideal for exploring the wilderness.
Several teams set out, with the key focus being on Qiu Ruoshang's squad. However, the others also had to be prepared for any contingencies.
Su Chen followed Wei Huifang and the others, heading north.
As they left the frontline and ventured north, they could see traces left by the monsters if they paid close attention.
These senior disciples would occasionally stop to teach their juniors how to identify the traces left by monsters and what each mark meant.
With nothing else to do, Su Chen joined them to listen. These seniors had years of experience dealing with monsters, and they did have some insights.
Su Chen could sense their abilities, but their explanations about the traces were inaccurate. The marks they encountered along the way were deliberately left by the Heavenly Demon to mislead them, and the demon had made them more subtle, making it even harder for the group to find them. This made the traces seem even more credible.
Unbeknownst to them, they were discussing the very things the Heavenly Demon had intentionally left behind.
During the explanation, Wei Huifang noticed Su Chen listening in. A smile appeared on his face. "Young Su, with your exceptional ability to deal with monsters, you shouldn't need to listen to our explanations, right?"
Upon hearing Wei Huifang's words, Su Chen politely apologized and moved a little further away. Their explanations held no value for him. He had initially considered warning them, but now he decided against it.
As Wei Huifang and the others continued their discussion, they pointed at Su Chen and whispered among themselves. They believed that Su Chen's actions just now had revealed his true abilities. If he were truly capable, he wouldn't have eavesdropped just now.
Even when Su Chen heard these whispers, he didn't bother to argue with them.
After examining some of the traces, Wei Huifang and the others came to a conclusion: there were likely no Heavenly Demon ambushes along this route.
Su Chen didn't argue, but he remained skeptical of this conclusion.
How could those signs, deliberately left by the Celestial Demons as a decoy, be used as a basis for judgment?
In fact, Su Chen was more inclined to believe that the Celestial Demons had set an ambush in this direction.
By intentionally leaving faulty traces, they were clearly trying to lure them.
The team's progress was slow, and Su Chen had joined this squad for safety, primarily to intimidate the Celestial Demons in the wilderness.
But as they moved forward, Su Chen noticed the genuine traces left by the Celestial Demons.
Finally, he understood their intention.
They were planning a major disaster in this area, intending to inflict heavy casualties and eliminate many experts.
This way, the group led by Qiu Xingtian would focus their attention on the north.
These Celestial Demons were indeed good at scheming.
All the troubles occurred in the north and northwest, and the impact was significant, resulting in numerous casualties.
Under such circumstances, whoever took command would focus on these two directions.
Continuing further, they hadn't ventured too deep.
But Su Chen had already sensed something amiss; the distant Celestial Demons were maneuvering.
These Celestial Demons had circled around from the north and were preparing to launch a surprise attack from the northwest.
The Celestial Demon swarm, nine Celestial Demons!
With the help of his Celestial Demon-hunting talent, Su Chen saw through their plan.
Aside from these Celestial Demons, there were also dozens of Earth Demons lying in ambush to the north.
In their relaxed state, they might not be able to avoid the demons' surprise attack.
Upon realizing this, Su Chen stopped in his tracks and spoke up.
When Su Chen mentioned the presence of an ambush ahead, the several seniors all laughed.
"Young Su, seeking attention will not earn you recognition.
You don't need to prove yourself in this manner; it's too easy to verify.
Additionally, I can tell you that based on the traces left by the Celestial Demons, even if they have set an ambush, it would be deeper in the north.
We're not far from the frontline here, and they wouldn't dare to make a move at this location."
Several seniors refuted Su Chen's words.
Some spoke even more, with a hint of mockery.
They had called their juniors to join them and hoped to gain some insights from Su Chen through conversation.
But during the journey over the past two days, Su Chen's conversations with them had been sporadic and disjointed.
This made him seem out of place.
They hadn't exchanged many words, and it was impossible for him to learn anything.
Because of this, many in the group became even more dissatisfied with Su Chen.
"If you truly believe there's an ambush of Celestial Demons ahead, you can stay here. Don't follow us any further."
Wei Huifang's words were meant to provoke Su Chen.
But upon hearing this, Su Chen nodded and readily agreed.
"Facing an attack from the Celestial Demon swarm, I indeed fear for my life.
Thank you for your understanding, seniors."
Su Chen's candid decision to stay behind stunned the others in the group, especially the younger disciples.
They, too, began to feel afraid when facing the Celestial Demon swarm, as they might not be able to escape either."
Seeing the performance of their juniors, the elders of various sects frowned, their faces filled with displeasure.
"The Celestial Demons are cunning, do you really think he can discern their movements?"
Several elders couldn't help but shake their heads at the behavior of their younger generation.
They blamed them for their cowardice and for failing to understand the situation.
In this situation, the young disciples actually believed Su Chen.
After a few scoldings, the junior disciples obediently took a few steps forward.
They signaled their stance, indicating they wouldn't retreat with Su Chen.
But by this time, the elders of their sects were already displeased.
Their faces turned stern, and they glared at the juniors.
"Since you're so afraid, then wait here.
Wait and reflect while you're at it. The world is complex, and with us elders by your side, we can help you distinguish right from wrong.
But later, when you're on your own, what will you do? Now, this Su Chen has fooled you, will you believe anything anyone famous says in the future?"
The elders of the various sects scolded their juniors together.
Using this opportunity, they aimed to provide them with more learning experiences.
And Su Chen naturally became the example they criticized and taught.
After the scolding, the seniors left their juniors behind.
The elders and guards of the sects proceeded forward.
They were ready to take action and prove that Su Chen was speaking nonsense.
(End of Chapter)
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