34: Chapter 34 The Pact of the Ruins

The next morning, Shen Wuchang agreed. "This old man will accompany you to the Middle-layer Ruins." He set down his wine bowl, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. "But there are two conditions. First, you must follow my orders in everything and not act on your own. Second, if things don't look right, retreat immediately; no lingering for a fight."

Chen Yuanji nodded. "Deal!"

"When do we set out?"

"In ten days," Chen Yuanji said. "I need to further consolidate the Middle Stage of Dan Power, and I need to finish teaching Lu Yao the basics of the Drilling Fist."

Shen Wuchang had no objections and continued drinking. For the next ten days, Chen Yuanji focused all his energy on cultivation and teaching. Every morning, he went to the White Birch Forest to engage in actual combat with Rank Three Yao Beasts under Bai Xue's guidance. Every afternoon, he returned to the tribe to teach Lu Yao the Drilling Fist. Every night, he cultivated the Essentials of Gang Jin, consumed the Blood Lingzhi medicinal liquid, and polished his inner core. Lu Yao's progress was rapid; her physical constitution was far stronger than that of the Human Race. She mastered the basic essentials of the Drilling Fist in just five days. A single punch from her could leave a half-inch deep fist print on greenstone.

"Not bad." Chen Yuanji inspected the fist print on the greenstone. "But it's not enough. The essence of the Drilling Fist is the 'drill.' The power must rotate as it strikes out like a drill bit. Your current fist power is still straight."

Lu Yao nodded thoughtfully and continued practicing.

On the night of the ninth day, while Chen Yuanji was cultivating in his room, he suddenly heard a faint whistling sound from the sky. He opened his eyes and walked to the window. Under the moonlight, a streak of pale golden light flashed across the horizon at extreme speed, heading toward the Deer Clan Tribe. That golden light... it was the Tiandao Sect! Chen Yuanji's heart tightened, and he quickly stepped out of the house. Shen Wuchang had also come out, standing in the courtyard and looking up at the sky with a heavy expression.

"It's not Zhou Xuanji," he whispered. "It's a Faxiang Realm, just one person."

"Even one person is enough to give us a run for our money." Chen Yuanji gripped the short blade at his waist.

The golden light landed outside the tribe and transformed into a human figure. It was a middle-aged man with a cold face, wearing a golden long robe with a blood-red character for 'Heaven' embroidered on the chest. Elemental power fluctuations of the Early Stage Faxiang Realm spread out like a tide. The tribe members were startled awake and walked out of their houses, looking at the figure in terror. Lu Yao ran to Chen Yuanji's side and grabbed his sleeve.

"Brother Chen, who is that?"

"Someone from the Tiandao Sect." Chen Yuanji shielded her behind him. "Don't be afraid."

The middle-aged man stood at the tribe entrance, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally landing on Chen Yuanji.

"Chen Yuanji, come with me. Elder Zhou wants to see you."

"Why didn't Zhou Xuanji come himself?" Chen Yuanji asked.

"Elder Zhou has important matters to attend to and cannot come in person." The middle-aged man's tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable authority. "Come with me, and save him the trouble of making the trip himself."

"And if I don't go?"

"Then don't blame me for being impolite."

The middle-aged man raised his right hand and spread his fingers. A vast amount of elemental power surged from his palm, transforming into a giant golden hand that reached out to grab Chen Yuanji. Shen Wuchang moved; he struck out with a palm, his gray palm power colliding with the giant golden hand with a dull thud. The giant golden hand was shattered, but Shen Wuchang was forced back three steps, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

"Early Stage Faxiang Realm." Shen Wuchang wiped away the blood. "This old man can still handle this."

The middle-aged man looked at him and frowned. "Shen Wuchang, you're an old thing in the Void-Piercing Realm. Isn't it embarrassing to fall so low as to be a bodyguard for an ant?"

"This old man is happy to do it. What's it to you?"

The middle-aged man stopped talking and formed hand seals. Countless rays of golden light appeared around him. These lights condensed into golden arrows that shot toward Shen Wuchang, blotting out the sky. Shen Wuchang drew circles with his hands in front of him, and a gray light shield enveloped him. The golden arrows struck the shield, producing a dense 'bang bang' sound. The shield trembled violently but did not break.

"Kid, run quickly!" Shen Wuchang shouted.

Chen Yuanji did not leave. He let go of Lu Yao's hand, telling her to retreat, then took a deep breath, circulating the inner core in his Dantian with all his might. He kicked off the ground, his body shooting toward the middle-aged man like an arrow from a bow. His right fist, carrying the full power of his blood and Qi, traced a golden arc in the air. The middle-aged man hadn't expected him to dare to take the initiative to attack; he was slightly stunned and casually struck out with a palm.

Fist and palm collided with a "Bang!" Chen Yuanji was sent flying back, crashing heavily onto the ground as blood overflowed from his mouth. The middle-aged man only took one step back, looking down at his palm. There was a shallow fist print on his palm that throbbed with a faint pain.

"Interesting." A hint of surprise flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes. "Without cultivating elemental power, you are the first who could injure me."

Chen Yuanji climbed up from the ground and wiped the blood from his mouth. The Faxiang Realm and the Divine Ability Realm were on completely different levels. He could win against someone in the Early Stage Divine Ability Realm, but fighting someone in the Early Stage Faxiang Realm was like an egg striking a stone.

"Kid, don't push yourself." Shen Wuchang stood in front of him. "This old man said to follow my orders. Now, take Little Lu and the others and go."

"Elder Shen!"

"Go!"

Chen Yuanji gritted his teeth, turned to grab Lu Yao's hand, and ran toward the back of the tribe. The middle-aged man wanted to give chase but was blocked by Shen Wuchang.

"Your opponent is me."

"Courting death."

The middle-aged man no longer held back. His Early Stage Faxiang Realm elemental power erupted fully as he struck a palm toward Shen Wuchang's chest. Shen Wuchang took the blow head-on, blood spraying from his mouth, but he did not retreat. His hands gripped the middle-aged man's wrists tightly.

"Go quickly!"

Chen Yuanji did not look back, pulling Lu Yao into the dense forest of the back mountain. Behind them, the aftershocks of the battle grew more distant, but every collision made the ground tremble violently. Lu Yao's hand was shaking, but she didn't cry, simply following closely behind Chen Yuanji.

"Brother Chen, will Elder Shen die?"

"No." Chen Yuanji's voice was calm, but there was a fire burning in his eyes. The Tiandao Sect again. One day, he would make the Tiandao Sect pay the price!

The two ran through the dense forest for half an hour, finally shaking off the aftershocks of the battle. Chen Yuanji stopped and leaned against a large tree to catch his breath. His chest throbbed with pain; the middle-aged man's palm strike had injured his internal organs. Although it wasn't severe, it would take time to recover.

"Brother Chen, where do we go next?" Lu Yao asked.

"To the White Birch Forest," Chen Yuanji said. "To find Bai Xue."

Lu Yao nodded and supported him as they walked toward the White Birch Forest. The sky gradually brightened, and morning mist filled the dense forest, swallowing their figures. From the direction of the Deer Clan Tribe, a few muffled booms could be heard before everything fell into silence. Chen Yuanji didn't know if Shen Wuchang was alive or dead, but he knew he couldn't look back. Turning back meant certain death; he could only move forward. The White Birch Forest came into view, and Bai Xue's figure appeared among the birch trees. Her golden eyes watched them as if she had known they would come.

"Come in." Bai Xue turned around. "Zhou Xuanji's people won't chase you here."

Chen Yuanji supported Lu Yao as they walked into the White Birch Forest.