sonovelo Chapter 644: Easier Said Than Done
Chapter 644: Easier Said Than Done
Chapter 644: Easier Said Than Done
"The grudges of the past have already been settled. Why do you persist in this relentless pursuit..." Du Wuhen said as he stood at the center of the encirclement, his long scythe resting against his shoulder.
Shadows clung to him like a second skin, and black winds coiled around his figure, howling softly in the still air.
"Settled?" Feng Chaoyang retorted sharply. "This ends when a blood debt is paid for with blood."
Without hesitation, he ruthlessly summoned three General's Constellation Orbs. The radiant spheres drifted into the air, circling him slowly. Misty qi spiraled off them, forming a nebula-like haze that shimmered faintly with light.
The disciples of the Celestial King Sect encircled Du Wuhen, standing several feet apart. Wisps of mist trailed behind each one, like ribbons that stretched and merged into the swirling starry mist around Feng Chaoyang.
Du Wuhen knew well the formidable nature of Celestial King Sect’s Star Nebula Formation, so he had no intention of engaging in a prolonged standoff.
His eyes locked onto Feng Chaoyang, appearing ready for a direct confrontation. However, the moment he raised his scythe, his body twisted sharply, slashing towards a Celestial King Sect disciple behind him.
He was trying to escape!
His action set the entire formation in motion, causing the members of the Celestial King Sect to rise into the air. As the wind from Du Wuhen’s scythe roared toward one of them, the mist encircling the disciple twisted sharply. In the blink of an eye, the disciple vanished and was replaced by someone else.
Boom!
The disciple vanished in an instant, and Feng Chaoyang appeared in his place.
Feng Chaoyang had previously been at the center of the formation!
The three orbs orbiting Feng Chaoyang flared and accelerated, merging into a solid ring of radiant light.
Du Wuhen’s scythe tore through the air, colliding against it with a thunderous crash.
In that moment, the starry river seemed to fracture—the swirling mist of light scattered violently. His strike carried immense force, but it still wasn’t enough to shatter the defense.
Feng Chaoyang stepped forward and pushed one of the glowing orbs from his chest. The orb shifted from defense to attack, shooting out as a beam of light that smashed into the shaft of Du Wuhen’s scythe.
Du Wuhen quickly raised his scythe to block, but the impact exploded with a deafening roar, and blinding light engulfed him.
A sharp cry of a bird echoed through the air moments later.
A gust of azure wind burst forth, lifting Du Wuhen high into the sky. The Azure Wind Onyx Bird had revealed its true form! Riding the force of the explosion and the bird’s incredible speed, they soared upward like a flash of lightning.
"Sky Net!" Feng Chaoyang shouted, leaping into the air as soon as he saw that Du Wuhen was attempting to escape. A dozen Celestial King Sect disciples followed, rising like pillars of light. In perfect unison, they wove a massive net across the sky.
Du Wuhen unleashed a barrage of ferocious wind blades, but they were all repelled by the light net, halting his ascent instantly.
He lowered the Azure Wind Onyx Bird again, skimming the ground like a storm, swiftly reaching the entrance of the mountain.
A refined-looking man stood at the mountain entrance, waiting in silence. The distant explosion caught his ear, and he turned just in time to see Du Wuhen charging toward him atop the divine bird, moving at blistering speed. There was no time to react.
Du Wuhen recognized him instantly. The man was an honored ally of the Lei Family who had accompanied Lei Ren earlier. His presence confirmed Du Wuhen’s suspicion. They had foreseen his escape route.
Fury ignited within Du Wuhen, his killing intent rising like a storm. The Azure Wind Onyx Bird showed no sign of slowing.
With a sharp stomp of his foot, Du Wuhen commanded the bird to lower its right wing by three chi.
Meanwhile, Fang Zizai lingered at the entrance, waiting for Zhuo Yuxiang. As time stretched on, the growing commotion from the Lei Family Residence made his heart race.
Unease crept over him, and he considered going back for now.
Unexpectedly, he found himself in this situation.
By the time he thought to dodge, it was already too late. Without exceptional cultivation, he stood no chance against Du Wuhen’s killing intent and full-force attack.
Shhh—
A cold glint flashed. In a breath, the onyx bird’s wing sliced through cleanly, severing Fang Zizai’s head from his body.
Fang Zizai’s headless body remained standing, as if he was still awaiting someone’s arrival.
Du Wuhen shot past the mountains in an instant, but the Celestial King Sect disciples pursued him relentlessly.
The Azure Wind Onyx Bird’s speed was unmatched. Even as Feng Chaoyang transformed into divine light, the distance between them only grew.
"Assist me!" Feng Chaoyang’s voice rang out.
The disciples responded immediately, forming hand seals and thrusting their right hands forward. Over ten beams of mist solidified, striking Feng Chaoyang’s back and propelling him forward like a shooting star.
Jiang Yuebai replied, "I believe we'll find it soon."
"Hah." The Whale-Riding Immortal gave a wry smile. "Easier said than done."
Chu Liang stepped forward, extending the brocade box. "Here."
The lid creaked open, and inside lay a fragment of the scroll. Its unmistakable aura and craftsmanship left no doubt it was real.
"I... Uh..."
The Whale-Riding Immortal had only just begun to settle into the melancholy that had been brewing within him when it was abruptly cut short. His smile of sadness hung awkwardly on his face, and a twitch tugged at his brow as his composure wavered.
After a long, awkward pause, he finally spoke. "Where... exactly did you get this fragment of the map?"
WHERE DID YOU GET THIS PIECE...
Chu Liang pointed at the Fierce Draconic Colt beside him. "I got it from this colt."
The Whale-Riding Immortal felt lightheaded. I spent years traversing the nine provinces, chasing shadows and dead ends. Yet, you casually found three of them. Doesn’t this make me look dumb?
Though it was hard to accept, the sudden realization that he finally had all four pieces of the Divine Ruins' scroll left the Whale-Riding Immortal teetering between confusion and excitement.
For a moment, he didn't know what expression to make.
"So..." The Whale-Riding Immortal held the final piece in his hand, glancing between Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai. "That’s it?"
Jiang Yuebai nodded. "Yes."
A long silence followed. Then, Whale-Riding Immortal exhaled deeply, the weight of years of searching easing from his shoulders.
"There’s only one step left, but it will take time. For now, we part ways," he said. Then he turned to Chu Liang and sincerely expressed his gratitude. "Chu Liang... thank you."
Without this kid, who knew when they would have found those three parts of the map.
After their farewells, the Whale-Riding Immortal left with Jiang Yuebai.
Chu Liang wasn’t sure what the final step involved, but it was clear it wouldn’t be simple.
As he watched them disappear into the distance, Chu Liang let out a long, quiet sigh.
Parting is always the sorrow of the sentimental... he mused.
He then mounted the Fierce Draconic Colt, preparing to leave Cliffhold Bastion.
The Fierce Draconic Colt seemed to sense his mood, pacing gently and lifting into the air. As they glided low over the mountain entrance, a faint prickle ran down Chu Liang’s spine. Someone was watching him.
Below, Chen Huang stood near the entrance, his eyes fixed on the sky.
After freeing the Lei Family’s beasts as promised, he went there and had been waiting for Zhuo Yuxiang. However, even though he waited for a long time, she never appeared.
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
When Chen Huang finally heard movement and thought his beloved had arrived, he turned eagerly... only to see a servant riding the Fierce Draconic Colt, drifting through the sky.
His expression darkened, annoyance flickering in his eyes.
What kind of lowly servant dares to ride a spirit beast?
Chu Liang, already in a sour mood, noticed Chen Huang glaring at him. He shot back a glare of his own.
One man was missing his beloved woman while the other one had just parted from his beloved woman. The two lonely men clashed with their eyes.
Irritated, Chen Huang wasn’t about to offer kindness to a mere servant and barked, "What are you staring at?!"
...
Moments later, a blaze of fire streaked across the sky as Chu Liang, feeling refreshed and revitalized, rode the Fierce Draconic Colt straight toward Mount Shu.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Chen Huang lay in a crumpled heap—bruised, battered, and sprawled across the dirt.
Tears welled in his eyes as he whimpered softly.
"You could’ve just stared... Did you really have to hit me that hard? Uwaaaaah..."