NABC Chapter 2130 Crossing the River and Destroying the Bridge
Chapter 2130 Crossing the River and Destroying the Bridge
Next was the Vengeful Demon Wei Zhaoting. Although the beast bone greatsword in his hand was made of a special material and had not broken, the terrifying force transmitted by it rushed into his soul body with overwhelming force.
His already cracked arms were like glass struck by a heavy hammer; the cracks instantly widened and spread, and eventually, a small portion of the soul in his arms exploded, releasing a torrent of death energy.
"puff!"
The two vengeful demons simultaneously spewed out thick, viscous blood mist, their aura cascading down like an avalanche.
Gu Wenqing was the most seriously injured. His soul was almost half transparent, and the burning black flames were as weak as a candle in the wind. He was already critically injured and on the verge of death, and his consciousness was beginning to blur.
Wei Zhaoting was slightly better, but his soul was severely damaged, and his aura was extremely weak, making it difficult for him to even maintain levitation.
The final straw that broke the camel's back did not come from external enemies, but from their own uncontrollable, violent, and volatile power.
The critically injured and dying advisor Qing was the first to give in, and the violent power that had been forcibly amplified within him completely lost its last shred of control.
"Do not……"
Gu Wenqing only had time to let out a faint, soul-wrenching roar filled with endless resentment and unwillingness. His entire soul suddenly swelled and deformed violently, and the cracks on his surface widened abruptly, emitting a blinding, chaotic black light.
next moment.
"Oh!"
With a muffled roar that seemed to come from the depths of the earth, Gu Wenqing's soul exploded, transforming into a violently churning and rapidly spreading mass of dense black mist and chaotic death energy.
Within the black mist, faint remnants of soul light could be seen, flickering for a brief moment before vanishing completely like ashes, dissipating into the world. A powerful vengeful demon at the mid-stage of the Tai Cang Realm had thus perished, its body and soul scattered.
Witnessing his companion's gruesome demise, Wei Zhaoting, already terrified by his severe injuries, instantly lost his composure. This momentary lapse in concentration was undoubtedly fatal for him, who was already on the verge of collapse.
How could Cao Feiyu and Chang Guwu let such a good opportunity slip by?
Cold moon!
Cao Feiyu pointed her fingers like a sword, and then pointed at the air.
Within the sword formation, all the moonlight sword energies suddenly merged into one, transforming into a deadly sword beam refined to its extreme. Ignoring the thin death energy defense hastily set up by Wei Zhaoting, it instantly pierced through the location of his heart and soul core.
Xunfeng - Soul-Splitting Wind!
Chang Guwu's figure drew close, his folding fan tracing two shrill arcs, one aimed straight at the man's brow and sea of consciousness, the other slashing horizontally at the man's waist and abdomen, the core of his soul power. The power of the wind blades penetrated his body, frantically tearing at his already fragile soul structure.
"what!"
Wei Zhaoting let out an extremely shrill scream. His soul was like a shattered porcelain vase, covered with cracks, and death energy and soul power poured out like a flood bursting its banks.
"boom!"
Almost immediately after Gu Wenqing exploded, Wei Zhaoting followed in his footsteps. Unable to withstand the internal and external pressure and the backlash of power, his soul exploded and transformed into a second rapidly spreading black mist of death. His soul light was annihilated, and he was completely destroyed.
The dust settled slowly.
The dense aura of death and the turbulent flow of energy, having lost their source, began to slowly dissipate and settle.
In the center of the square, only two fading black wisps of mist remained, along with terrifying trenches and a scene of utter devastation plowed out by the violent energy.
Shi Pojun stood with his blade drawn, his eyes as sharp as ever, his fighting spirit undiminished. Chang Guwu closed his folding fan, gently exhaling a breath of stale air. His dark green robe was stained with a little dust and deathly aura, but his eyes remained bright.
Cao Feiyu's face was as pale as paper. She leaned on her sword, her delicate body trembling slightly. Clearly, the outburst just now had aggravated her serious internal injuries. However, when she looked in Chen Fei's direction, her eyes were filled with a sense of relief.
Chen Fei, however, remained standing slightly behind throughout, calmly observing the swiftly concluded battle. The illusory image of the Undying Mirror above his head had already quietly dissipated after the illusions of the two vengeful demons were completely suppressed.
A fierce battle ended with the self-destruction of two vengeful demons. However, besides the faint aura of death, there seemed to be a faint, otherworldly presence in the air.
Shi Pojun sheathed his sword and stood there, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Chen Fei's calm face before looking at Cao Feiyu's pale face. Something flickered slightly in the depths of his eyes.
The air still carried a faint smell of decay and blood, mixed with the scent of freshly turned soil and broken stone dust.
"Finally, we've killed those two troublesome guys."
Chang Guwu let out a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing slightly.
He raised his hand to brush away the dust and fine crystals of death energy that clung to his dark green robe, a relieved smile appearing on his face.
Although the battle was not long, the two vengeful demons' strange illusions and tacit cooperation put a lot of pressure on them and took a toll on them, especially since Cao Feiyu was still carrying a serious injury.
He turned his head, his gaze passing over the gradually subsiding aftershocks of energy, and landed on Chen Fei not far away.
His smile became genuine and filled with undisguised admiration, and his voice rang out loudly: "We were able to finish this battle so quickly thanks to this young man who stepped in at the crucial moment and used a brilliant method to break through that annoying illusion."
Otherwise, we would probably have been entangled with these two slippery fellows for a long time, wasting our energy and risking unforeseen complications. Young brother, you deserve all the credit.
Chang Guwu spoke with great sincerity, clearly deeply impressed and grateful for Chen Fei's miraculous illusion-breaking skills.
At this moment, Shi Pojun had already put the massive, door-wide blade into his sleeve and disappeared.
He slowly turned around, his gaze like two tangible probes, landing on Chen Fei, especially lingering for a moment in the space above Chen Fei's head where the lingering effect seemed to still remain.
Those sharp, hawk-like eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly for a moment, a glint of light flashing in their depths, but it was quickly concealed by their usual composure.
A scrutinizing chuckle appeared on his face. His voice was soft, yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "The Immortal True Light Mirror?"
"Junior Brother Chen, you truly have exceptional talent."
Shi Pojun's voice was unhurried yet clear, as if he were savoring the weight of each word.
"In such a short time, you have actually comprehended this technique, which is known for its difficulty, obscurity, and slow progress, to the point that you can see through the illusion of the vengeful demon so easily... Tsk tsk, this level of comprehension is truly amazing. Even I, your brother, have not achieved such a level after practicing this technique for many years."
Shi Pojun's words sound like praise, but upon closer examination, they contain a rather strange implication.
Shi Pojun did indeed cultivate the Undying True Light Mirror, a technique that was quite well-known within the sect. It placed extremely high demands on the cultivator's spiritual aptitude, mental fortitude, and comprehension, and progress was slow.
He asked himself how much effort and time he had spent on this skill, and how his unwavering will had enabled him to achieve considerable mastery, allowing him to resist and see through ordinary illusions to a certain extent.
However, the mirror light that Chen Fei just used, with its clear, pure, and penetrating charm, was clearly beyond what could be described as simple resistance or partial understanding; it was a reflection and stripping away that was close to the essence.
what does this mean?
This means that Chen Fei's mastery of this technique has completely surpassed that of Shi Pojun.
Shi Pojun's smile remained unchanged, even becoming more gentle, but his eyes, which were looking at Chen Fei, were as deep as an ancient well, making it impossible to discern the true emotions churning within them.
Faced with Chang Guwu's straightforward praise and Shi Pojun's subtly sarcastic astonishment, Chen Fei remained calm and composed, showing neither arrogance nor fear. He slightly bowed, his posture composed, his voice clear and gentle:
"You flatter me, both of you. I was merely fortunate to be there at the right time. My cultivation technique is only slightly able to counter such sinister illusions. It was purely by chance. If you hadn't been directly restraining me and fighting against a powerful enemy, how could I have achieved anything with my meager skills?"
Chen Fei's answer was humble and appropriate, without mentioning his crucial act of breaking the illusion.
Having said that, he stopped dwelling on it and turned his gaze to Cao Feiyu, who was leaning on her sword and had a pale face. His eyes showed concern and his tone softened: "Senior Sister Cao, can your injuries still hold up?"
Cao Feiyu had just forcibly intercepted the Bone Sword's essence to protect Chen Fei, and then immediately activated the Cold Moon Soul-Locking Sword Formation to coordinate the attack. This had already aggravated her old injuries, and now her internal energy was churning like boiling water, and her internal organs felt like they were on fire.
Upon hearing Chen Fei's voice, Cao Feiyu gently shook her head, forcing a warm smile onto her face. Although the smile was somewhat weak due to her pain, it was incredibly genuine.
"I'm fine, it's just some old injuries that have aggravated my condition. I'll be fine after a short rest."
She paused, her gaze carefully sweeping over Chen Fei, confirming that he was indeed unharmed and even his breathing was steady. Only then did she truly breathe a sigh of relief, her voice unconsciously lowering slightly:
“When we were forced to separate before, my biggest worry was that the demon in the late stage of the Tai Cang Realm would keep chasing you... Now that I see you are safe and sound, I am relieved. Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not happen.”
Her tone was natural and intimate, and anyone could hear the undisguised worry and relief that she felt after seeing Chen Fei was safe and sound.
Shi Pojun stood to the side, a faint, enigmatic smile still on his face. His gaze swept between Chen Fei and Cao Feiyu, lingering for a moment on Cao Feiyu's unguarded, concerned expression.
"That demonic cultivator is indeed troublesome,"
Following Cao Feiyu's words, Chen Fei nodded, his tone carrying a perfectly appropriate sense of relief, "Fortunately, the stone tablet mural in front of the teleportation hall contained a strange power that temporarily blocked it, preventing it from chasing after us in time."
Upon hearing this, Cao Feiyu nodded. Just as she was about to ask Chen Fei how he found her, Shi Pojun's voice rang out from afar, interrupting her before she could finish speaking.
"Junior Sister Cao, Junior Brother Chen."
Shi Pojun took two steps forward: "Everyone contributed to slaying these two vengeful demons. According to the rules, the spoils should be distributed according to contribution. Brother Chang and I led the main attack and bore the greatest pressure, so it's reasonable for us to each take 40%. Junior Sister Cao, although you were seriously injured, you also locked down the enemy with your sword formation, which was a great contribution. As for Junior Brother Chen..."
He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Fei, his smile seeming to deepen. "Junior Brother Chen's use of a secret technique to break the illusion was indeed crucial, helping us quickly establish victory and saving us a lot of effort. How about this, Junior Sister Cao and Junior Brother Chen, you two will share the remaining 20%. What do you think, Junior Sister?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room froze slightly.
Cao Feiyu's eyebrows furrowed instantly, and a layer of frost covered her cool face.
Indeed, Shi Pojun and Chang Guwu were the main force on the front lines, suffering heavy losses. But was Cao Feiyu merely there to lock down the enemy?
More importantly, it was Chen Fei. If Chen Fei's mirror light hadn't instantly shattered the illusion that the Vengeful Demon relied on most, the three of them might have been kept in limbo by the Vengeful Demon's illusions, resulting in a prolonged and unpredictable battle.
Chen Fei's move was the key to completely turning the tide of the battle and securing victory. In some ways, its effect was no less significant than Shi Pojun's frontal assault.
According to unwritten convention, such crucial support or breakthrough measures will never be undervalued.
Chang Guwu stood beside Shi Pojun. Upon hearing the distribution plan, his brows twitched almost imperceptibly. His gaze swept over Shi Pojun's calm profile, Cao Feiyu's instantly icy expression, and Chen Fei's expressionless face, his mind racing.
From his perspective as an outsider, Shi Pojun's distribution was indeed unfair, and could even be described as harsh.
The value of Chen Fei's illusion-breaking technique in this battle cannot be overstated. Without Chen Fei, the three of them might still win in the end, but the price they paid would be far greater, the battle would drag on for much longer, and the risks would be much higher.
Logically speaking, even if Chen Fei's cultivation level is low, it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to receive 20% or even more of the credit based on this achievement alone. Adding Cao Feiyu's contribution, a combined 30% to 40% would be more reasonable.
Shi Pojun directly reduced the stake to 20%, which was to be split between the two of them. This was clearly intentional.
Chang Guwu and Shi Pojun were sworn brothers, having weathered countless storms together, and Chang Guwu knew his old friend's character well.
Shi Pojun was indeed proud and sometimes acted domineeringly, but he was by no means a greedy, mean-spirited, or ungrateful person. There must have been a deeper meaning behind his actions.
Recalling Shi Pojun's subtle attitude towards Chen Fei before, and the occasional attention he felt was somewhat unusual... Chang Guwu had some guesses in his mind.
The surprise on Chang Guwu's face quickly faded, replaced by calm. His gaze lowered slightly, as if he were simply awaiting the final result, and he remained silent. Now that Shi Pojun had made his decision, he naturally sided with his old friend.
"Ha ha……"
A light laugh, laced with undisguised sarcasm and icy chill, broke the brief silence.
Cao Feiyu slowly straightened up. Although her face was still pale and her body swayed slightly due to the pain, the coldness and arrogance that came from her bones spread out like an ice sword drawn from its sheath.
She didn't even look at Shi Pojun; her gaze swept indifferently over the two clumps of demonic essence on the ground, as if she were looking at something insignificant dust rather than precious spoils of war.
"Senior Brother Shi has calculated things quite clearly."
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, like ice beads falling onto a jade plate, carrying a chilling coldness.
"However, such a generous gift is probably too much for Junior Sister and Junior Brother Chen to bear."
Cao Feiyu slightly raised her chin, her eyes now like two frozen pools, staring directly at Shi Pojun:
“Take all of these demonic essences. Junior Brother Chen, let’s go.”
Before she finished speaking, she had already reached out her slender, slightly cold but unusually firm hand and grabbed Chen Fei's arm beside her. The movement was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
She didn't even glance at Shi Pojun and Chang Guwu again. She forcefully raised her internal energy and was about to fly with Chen Fei towards the deep corridor on the other side of the square.
To her, Shi Pojun's actions were not merely a simple case of unfair distribution, but rather a form of humiliating disrespect.
Since our paths diverge, we should not work together. She would rather not have these two portions of the source of the vengeful demon.
However, as soon as she took a step and before she could fully move forward, an aura as heavy as a mountain appeared silently in front of her and Chen Fei, like an invisible wall.
Shi Pojun's imposing figure had appeared there at some point, blocking their path to the corridor.
He still wore that faint, enigmatic smile, but the powerful aura he exuded—belonging to the late stage of the half-step Tai Cang Realm—was like an invisible shackle, shrouding the space in front of him.
Cao Feiyu's figure suddenly stopped, and the hand gripping Chen Fei's arm tightened involuntarily. She slowly turned her head, her gaze piercing Shi Pojun like an ice pick, the coldness on her beautiful face intensifying.
"Shi Pojun, what do you want?"
Seeing this, Chang Guwu took a small step forward. Although he did not speak, his aura was already subtly connected with Shi Pojun, indicating his stance.
Chen Fei, pulled by Cao Feiyu, looked calmly at Shi Pojun blocking their way. His face showed no emotion, but a faint glimmer seemed to flash in the depths of his eyes.
In response to Cao Feiyu's words, Shi Pojun's smile not only did not fade, but seemed to become even more pronounced. However, in Cao Feiyu's eyes, that smile inexplicably revealed a hint of hypocrisy.
"Junior Sister Cao, why get angry?"
Shi Pojun's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of persuasion.
"What I just said was merely a matter of common sense, and I had no intention of belittling my junior sister and junior brother Chen."
These two portions of demonic essence are rightfully yours. Junior sister just said she didn't want them and left. If word gets out, people will say that I, Shi Pojun, am bullying my fellow disciples, seizing spoils of war, and coercing you all by relying on my cultivation.
"Wouldn't this put me in a difficult position, and also damage our camaraderie as fellow disciples?"
Shi Pojun's words were spoken in a grand and righteous manner, even positioning himself as someone who upholds the bonds of brotherhood. It was as if Cao Feiyu's refusal was the one that was immature.
Having said that, before Cao Feiyu could refute him, Shi Pojun raised his hand and made a feinting grab.
On the ground, the two clumps of vengeful demonic essence that had not yet fully condensed, about 20% of the total amount, were manipulated by him with exquisite Yuan power, plucked from the air, and floated above his palm.
"Junior sister, junior brother Chen, this is what you deserve, please accept it."
With a gentle push of his palm, Shi Pojun sent the two wisps of demonic essence flying steadily toward Cao Feiyu, hovering about a foot in front of her, bobbing slightly.
As he did all this, he still wore that faint smile, but his gaze swept meaningfully between Cao Feiyu and Chen Fei, lingering for a moment, especially on Chen Fei's calm and expressionless face. (End of Chapter)