Chapter 275 - My Father is Great!
Chapter 275 My Father is Great!
Silvery sparkles glittered in the sunlight behind the tip of Jiu You’s spear, captivating and mesmerizing all that beheld the Sacred Relic in awe.
Everyone gawked with disbelief. How could a little girl like her own a Sacred Relic?!
Naturally, that included Lin Qingfeng and the elderly man named Mu as well.
Whoosh!
The steel-gray spear rounded over in a powerful sweep with sparkling glitters trailing its wake.
There was hardly time for Lin Qingfeng to complain nor protest. Frantically, he injected his Internal Breath into his sword and swung it, firing magical bolts at his opponent.
Boom!
The energy missiles from both combatants met and erupted in a powerful explosion.
Jiu You thrust her spear furiously, its tip snapping around ferociously like a serpent’s jaw, firing volleys after volleys of magical bolts at her opponent, aiming them at his vital points.
Lin Qingfeng’s sword jabbed and lunged, very much like a serpent as well, its tip launching a fusillade of energy bolts itself.
Bang! Bang!
The burst of light blinded everyone watching, along with the staggering force of the shock waves that rippled whenever their blows met.
Jiu You pounced at her opponent, her spear coming down hard in a vicious hack.
Lin Qingfeng quickly raised his sword to deflect it away.
Clang!
Fiery sparks spurted everywhere. With an unmistakable crack, Lin Qingfeng sank almost a foot lower; despite being able to hold on to himself, the powerful force of Jiu You’s blow had crushed the timbers of the dais beneath Lin Qingfeng’s feet.
The wooden dais that constituted the dueling ring was built from strong red birch wood.
With a violent twist of her spear, Jiu You gave a fierce heave, while Lin Qingfeng held his sword across his chest, its edge grinding hard against the steel of the spear before Jiu You’s heavy push blasting him through the wood of the dais and out into the open.
A large burrowing hole led out from the middle of the dais, all made by Jiu You forcing Lin Qingfeng out like a battering ram.
Lin Qingfeng stood up, his eyes with disbelief, failing to understand that he would have lost in such a ludicrous manner.
“Anyone else?” Jiu You roared from atop the dais, holding her spear triumphantly.
Joy and awe filled the elderly man named Mu. With a gaze at Jiu You like he had just found a legendary treasure, he could not believe he had found a little girl of such potential. Not because of her looks, but her prowess in battle. Just eight or nine at age, she had trampled down two Human Kings in one go – an impressive feat, both remarkable and shocking.
Jiu You trotted over happily to him for the Herb of Seven Stars.
“Little one,” said the elderly Mu, still wearing a gentle smile.
Jiu You spun around, brandishing her spear menacingly at him. With her childish voice, she growled, “You wish to fight me, right?”
The elderly Mu was startled to hear this before he grinned as if suddenly thrilled. “Very well, we can have a go if you’re into it.”
“All right then,” agreed Jiu You readily, “But do you have more magical herbs to spare?”
The elderly man smiled and produced another small box. He unlidded it. A soft glimmer poured out, and sitting inside the box was a bright red-colored lingzhi herb.
Blood Lingzhis are extremely nourishing for warriors, and this particular herb appeared to be at least a thousand years old, cultivated with rich magical properties.
Jiu You gulped hard with a hungry look, being eager to swallow the lingzhi herb whole.
“Little one, do you want this?” the elderly man cooed enticingly.
Jiu You bobbed her head like a naive child and said, “But you’re old enough to be my grandpa. Fighting with you doesn’t seem right. How about my father? If he wins, the lingzhi belongs to me. But if he loses, I’ll even give you back the herbs I won just now.”
“Your father?!” the elderly man’s gaze panned through the crowd and found Chu Xun. He shook his head, feeling let down; there was hardly any hint of Internal Breath from the man, indicating him as merely an ordinary person.
“Little girl, I’m afraid your father is no match for me.”
“Rubbish. My father is great – in fact, the greatest there is.” Jiu You beamed with pride.
In fact, he was not the only one; all around the dais, many shook their heads. No matter how they looked, Chu Xun looked nothing more than a pretty face with no other use. To them all, what Jiu You said was merely the words of a loving daughter’s admiration for her father.
“How about you asking your father first, little girl?” A voice called from the crowd derisively.
To their surprise, she really did throw her head back and asked loudly, “What do you think, Father?”
If only he had not brought her here, Chu Xun grimaced quietly. Right at this very moment, Chu Xun only wanted to give Jiu You a good disciplining.
“No, I won’t,” said Chu Xun flatly.
The remark elicited a peal of laughter from the crowd.
Pursing her lips, Jiu You trotted back to Chu Xun, and she whispered to him how much she wanted that Blood Lingzhi so that she could immediately ascend into Second Grade.
“Father... come on... Please?” Jiu You tugged and tugged at Chu Xun’s hand like a baby wishing for a new toy.
The corners of Chu Xun’s lips twitched irritably. “Enough of this, or I’d have you dumped into the wilderness for the wolves.”
That evoked disdainful glares from the people who heard him.
“My friend,” the elderly man had come over, “Can you tell me from whom your daughter learned how to fight?” Then he caught sight of Yu Cheng and Winsome Widow, “Are you both the teachers of this little girl?”
Yu Cheng and Winsome Widow waved their hands hastily instead; how on earth could they possibly train a terrifying little minx of pure carnage and destruction like Jiu You?
“So, what’s her teacher’s name?” The elderly man pressed again.
“My teacher is my father!” chirped Jiu You merrily.
That made everyone stare at them in silence before they broke into guffaws a split-second later. Some were even saying how lucky Chu Xun was, to have such an obedient and smart little girl who tirelessly tried to uphold her father’s reputation.
Not willing to beat around the bush any longer, the old man asked directly, “Little one, are you willing to be my student?”
“No,” Jiu You refused bluntly. Following Chu Xun allowed her to have anything she could ever want, she mused, whereas becoming this old bag of bones’ student seemed to carry much risk and uncertainty.
The old man hardly looked offended. Mistaking her refusal as ignorance of his strength, he tried again. “Trust me, little one. I really am stronger than your father.”
“I don’t know about that. I say you fight against my father, and only then we’d see who the better man is,” insisted Jiu You.
“I won’t object to a test, but your father is against it,” the elderly man said.
Chu Xun groaned, caught in another sticky situation all thanks to Jiu You, again. With a little pinch on her bubbly cheeks, he scowled, “All right then. Just this once. If you ever pull off something like this again, I’ll have you sent to Emperor Ao’s as punishment.”
Looking rather pleased, Jiu You giggled playfully.
Chu Xun hopped up the dais. He looked at the elderly man and greeted, “If you would please.”
The elderly man apparently did not expect this. He was surprised, with a tinge of admiration for Chu Xun’s courage to step forward and accept the duel.
“So be it then,” said the elderly man, intending to help Chu Xun retain as much dignity as possible even in defeat. He ambled to the far edge of the dais and stood there. “Let me see what you can do. If I make but only one move, you win.”
The warriors below watched with glee and anticipation, expecting Chu Xun to fail. Every one of them knew the elderly man – Mu Tian, an Elder of the Sanctuary of Tetrachy and a Fourth-grade Human King. No one had even the slightest doubt that Chu Xun would fail, for even a Third-grade Human King could not force Mu Tian to move an inch.
Yu Cheng and Winsome Widow watched with just as much eagerness themselves, their eyes betraying a faint hint of prospect.
Jiu You grinned mischievously.
“If I win, can you agree to a condition?” asked Chu Xun.
“Win?! Was this man speaking for real!? Winning?!” Mu Tian could have sworn he heard wrongly. “Very well,” he said gently, “If you win, I’d agree to anything.”
It was words that he did not expect to take seriously.
“All right then, are you ready, old man?” asked Chu Xun.
Mu Tian nodded, slightly peeved.
Swoosh!
Chu Xun vanished in the blink of an eye and appeared right before Mu Tian. His hand came up and rested on his chest right before the elderly man could realize what was happening, before Chu Xun released a huge burst of Hong Meng Immortal Qi.
Bang!
The huge eruption of force blasted Mu Tian off his feet. He crashed a thousand meters away, the box containing the Blood Lingzhi that he was holding fell out of his hand, and Chu Xun quickly summoned it by magic to himself before tossing it to Jiu You.
Every one of the warriors watching from below was stunned like statues.
“Elder Mu...”
The first man Jiu You defeated and Lin Qingfeng gasped with shock before they rushed off to help Mu Tian up.
Luckily for him, Mu Tian did not crash to the ground; he staggered a few steps backwards when he landed and managed to steady himself. He raised a hand to his two subordinates, indicating he was fine. But he could do nothing to wipe away the shocked expression on his face as he gazed up at Chu Xun.
“Who are you...” breathed Mu Tian with disbelief. Not only this stranger was powerful, but he was just too fast – so fast that he was sent flying into the air even before he could barely react.
Chu Xun saluted and was about to introduce himself when Jiu You stepped in between and cut him off, declaring loudly in her childish voice, “My father is Chu Xun.”
“T-T-That’s Chu the Devil...”
The mere mention of the name made everyone cower backwards.
The expressions of Mu Tian, Lin Qingfeng, and the first middle-aged man fell solemn instantly.
That was hardly helped by Chu Xun’s bloody reputation. Trouble seemed to follow in his wake.
Mu Tian set aside any apprehensions and walked to them, greeting, “I see. It’s Immortal Chu. Pray forgive my earlier impudence.”
In truth, Mu Tian was so irate on the inside that he dangled on the brink of spewing expletives. In fact, it was all he could do to prevent himself from yelling, “You’re Chu the Devil for crying out loud! Yet, you’re here pretending like an ordinary person?!”
Chu Xun returned a salute again, saying, “I was the one being discourteous. Pray forgive me.”
The warriors around them reeled with terror, especially those who had been mocking Chu Xun, their hearts racing with anxiety.
They secretly muttered to themselves. “Has the Devil arrived at Lanzhou!? That would have been the single-most-important news today. But why? Has anyone here angered him so much that he decided to come?”
“If I may ask your reason for visiting here, Immortal Chu?” Mu Tian asked. Before a legend synonymous with carnage and power, Mu Tian would never dare behave haughtily.
“I have a favor to ask of the Sanctuary,” Chu Xun revealed candidly.
“And is this your way of asking a favor?” grimaced Mu Tian quietly, faintly peeved.
Chu Xun guessed his thoughts, shooting a stern glare at Jiu You. He flicked his wrist and produced three magical herbs: two of those Jiu You won in her first two duels, and a High-grade Celestial-eyed Elixir Grass.
“I can only hope that you overlook the child’s misbehavior and forgive her,” Chu Xun said.
“The Devil is not as cruel as the rumors go, it seems...” mused Mu Tian. He waved his hand facetiously, “Nevertheless, a loss is a loss. At least, herbs like those are things the Sanctuary is able to afford.”
Not wishing to argue against his show of goodwill, Chu Xun returned the herbs into his Storage Ring.
“Old man,” then he said, “I wish to see the Lord of the Sanctuary. Can you take me to him?”
“I’m afraid you have come at an inconvenient time,” said Mu Tian, his eyes flashing apprehensively, “Our Lord has sealed himself in solitary meditation. You might have just made an empty trip for nothing.”
“Hey, you’re going back on your promise, old man!” scowled Jiu You, narrowing his eyes at her, “Everyone here heard you said that you would do anything for Chu Xun if he won!”
Mu Tian’s face went pink, knowing full well he did really make that promise, albeit flippantly. He grumbled quietly deep within himself, “And you were the one who had put me up to it!”
Hastily, he said, “I am trying to keep my promise, but the Lord of the Sanctuary is currently in meditation, and he would not see anyone.” “You might have put me up to this,” he thought quietly, “But I am entitled to some tricks of my own! I might have promised to make the introduction, but it is the situation now that prevents it, not me!”
Chu Xun’s face hardly shifted, but his gaze looked several degrees colder. “If you refuse to do this favor for me, then I’m afraid I’ll have to see the Lord using my way.”
“This is the northwest, not your usual territory, Chu the Devil! What makes you think you can do as you please here!” growled Mu Tian, equally displeased himself.
“So is this the Sanctuary’s brand of hospitality?”
“Others might fear you, Chu the Devil, but we of the Sanctuary don’t. Whatever your reasons for coming here, I suggest you toe the line so long as you step on the soil within our circle of influence.”
“You wish to experience death, old man?” Jiu You snarled angrily. She unlidded the box and took out the Blood Lingzhi and gobbled it all down before taking up her spear again and thrusting its tip menacingly at Mu Tian.
Everyone – even Mu Tian included – watched with their eyes twitching with incredulity. The rumors were true: those who served Chu Xun were either mad or freakish. That was a thousand-year-old Blood Lingzhi, not some apple plucked off a tree. Ingesting a herb of such incredible potency would kill anyone.
Jiu You’s face burned as red as apples as her aura burgeoned. The strong physical constitution of her demonic physique allowed the ingested Blood Lingzhi to take effect almost immediately; she would need a duel to help inspirit her ascension to the next level.
“Sit down quietly,” Chu Xun instructed. He placed a hand to calm Jiu You’s impetuous behavior.
Then he transmitted several spurts of Hong Meng Immortal Qi to help her and conjured an enchantment to keep her from being disturbed.
With everything done, Chu Xun stared frostily at Mu Tian. “I am here to ask a favor, not to pick a fight. But I will never shy away from one – if thwarting me is what you seek.”