Chapter 177: Making a Countercharge
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Chen Fei also cultivated archery, but his approach diverged from the previous one.
Certainly, precision was the bedrock of archery. Yet, within this fundamental premise, a myriad of specialized techniques emerged. Chen Fei’s bow and arrows leaned toward robustness and weightiness, focusing on employing sheer force to subdue opponents.
For example, had the same arrow been loosed by Chen Fei, it would have torn through the earth, shattering upon impact.
Much like a mighty cannon, against a less skilled martial artist, it would inflict harm, if not death.
The arrow before him concentrated its energy at the tip, leaving no room for waste. Its sole objective was piercing power.
Determining the stronger or weaker was intricate, reminiscent of comparing swords – one slender, the other broad. While both were swords, their trajectories were vastly different.
Several figures approached Chen Fei, yet most halted upon observing his Marrow Tempering realm cultivation. Clearly, these individuals didn’t deem the Marrow Tempering realm’s strength noteworthy.
However, one person boldly strode towards Chen Fei. A stern expression mirrored that of Pan Baoxue’s as he scrutinized Chen Fei.
“This place does not extend hospitality. Depart now to preclude misconceptions.”
Lei Yingchao, detecting no threat from Chen Fei, ordered him to leave. This time, over fifty individuals had congregated for the Dreamlike Lotus’s sake.
Unquestionably, the spiritual weapon took precedence. Without it, numbers held little significance.
At present, more than forty individuals attacked the Dreamlike Lotus, with over ten on standby to thwart any potential snatch attempts.
Chen Fei remained silent, gazing at the struggling Dreamlike Lotus from a distance. The powerful Core soul energy’s impotence against the warriors indicated the impending demise of this mystical ingredient.
Regret tinged Chen Fei’s thoughts. Initially, he had planned to request the Dreamlike Lotus from Bacca after concocting the Ice-cold Soul Elixir. Even securing a portion of the plant, be it seeds or leaves, would’ve sufficed.
Now, with over fifty adversaries present, rashly charging forth held no promise of success.
With Bacca’s assistance, they might at best disrupt the enemy’s operation, but this wouldn’t advance Chen Fei’s cause.
Not far away, Pan Baoxue stood beside Ma Xuefei and ingratiatingly spoke, “Senior Martial Sister Ma, it’s that person. When I first entered the Mystic Realm, before even acquainting myself with the surroundings, he charged over with a group of demonic beasts and implored me to aid in blocking them.”
“He asserted it was assistance, but it was, in truth, an attempt to exploit me as a diversion for his escape.”
Ma Xuefei’s brows furrowed upon hearing Pan Baoxue’s account.
Having launched the warning arrow moments ago, Ma Xuefei observed Chen Fei’s calculated withdrawal, a maneuver that intrigued her. Moreover, his possession of a bow and arrow piqued her curiosity.
However, Pan Baoxue’s words obliterated any favorable impression of Chen Fei. Provoking a demonic beast and then, instead of devising an escape strategy, seeking to drag others into peril was truly ignoble.
“Senior Martial Sister Ma is correct. I sensed something awry then, and 1 immediately distanced myself, vehemently rebuffing his plea.”
Pan Baoxue ardently agreed, “But guess what? He’s astonishingly shameless. Despite my escape, he continued rushing toward me and even had the audacity to reprimand me, blaming me for not rescuing him!”
“A bona fide scoundrel,” Ma Xuefei scoffed.
“How utterly shameless!”
Pan Baoxue fumed, “He’s still holding a grudge after all this time. Back then, I barely managed to escape. Thankfully, distance allowed me to flee. Otherwise, the consequences would have been dire!”
“Absolutely shameless,” Ma Xuefei sneered, her disdain for Chen Fei evident.
“Senior Martial Sister Ma, I’ve mulled over this incident. With this person’s abrupt appearance, intuition tells me there’s more to it. I suspect he harbors ulterior motives.”
Pan Baoxue glanced at Ma Xuefei, assessing her response, and whispered, “We’re on the brink of obtaining the Dreamlike Lotus; we can’t afford to falter. It might be prudent to subdue him now. Once we secure the Dreamlike Lotus and find no additional complications, we can consider releasing him.”
Ma Xuefei’s expression subtly shifted. Though she despised Chen Fei’s actions, forcibly apprehending him was more drastic than she believed necessary. Moreover, it wouldn’t necessarily serve her well.
“Senior Martial Sister Ma, he seems to be departing,” Pan Baoxue added.
Ma Xuefei’s expression flickered subtly. Presently, she possessed only two jade tokens. While traveling with a group in the mystic realm provided some safety, opportunities to acquire jade tokens had become scarcer.
By now, over half the time within the mystic realm had elapsed, leaving three jade tokens unclaimed. If Ma Xuefei claimed not to feel anxious about this, it would undoubtedly be a falsehood.
Ma Xuefei glanced at Chen Fei. With a Marrow Tempering realm cultivation, venturing alone in the mystic realm indicated a certain level of capability and courage.
If Ma Xuefei had encountered Chen Fei alone, she might have hesitated about whether or not to act. However, given the crowd surrounding them, and particularly Lei Yingchao’s protective stance and interest in her, Ma Xuefei felt more confident.
Moreover, Lei Yingchao already possessed other means to acquire five jade tokens two days before the end of the mystic realm’s duration. Thus, capturing Chen Fei now might result in Ma Xuefei obtaining this metal token.
“Senior Martial Sister Ma, he seems to be leaving,” Pan Baoxue added timely.
At this moment, Chen Fei was attempting to extract information from Lei Yingchao, particularly concerning the spiritual weapon.
However, his questions were falling on deaf ears. It was evident that Lei Yingchao was keen on driving them away.
“Goodbye!” Chen Fei shook his head slightly, planning to turn and depart. Staying here any longer seemed unnecessary; it was better to follow Bacca and search for other targets.
Chen Fei was endeavoring to glean information from Lei Yingchao, specifically about the spiritual weapon. Yet, his inquiries were falling on deaf ears. It was evident that Lei Yingchao was eager to drive them away.
“Whoosh!”
The sound of an arrow cutting through the air reached Chen Fei’s ears. In the next instant, the arrow pierced through him, but instead of flesh and blood scattering, Chen Fei’s form dissolved like mist.
Swiftly soaring through the air, the figure left behind was an illusion – a ruse that Chen Fei had orchestrated.
“Senior Brother Lei, this person ventured here alone. There might be a trap. It’s prudent to apprehend him and conduct thorough interrogation,” Ma Xuefei’s voice chimed in, causing Lei Yingchao to furrow his brows.
Wasn’t this complicating matters? However, Lei Yingchao detected the jade token’s resonance emanating from Chen Fei’s body, deducing Ma Xuefei’s motivation.
“Whoosh! Whooosh! Whoosh!”
Several more arrows whizzed forth, blocking Chen Fei’s escape route. Their intent was unmistakable: Chen Fei wouldn’t be permitted to leave unscathed.
“Stay awhile, won’t you? We can have a little chat,” Lei Yingchao quipped, advancing toward Chen Fei.
Since an attack had already been initiated, it was clear that Lei Yingchao was siding with his own. In a swift motion, he reached Chen Fei’s side and extended his hand, aiming to clutch Chen Fei’s neck.
The Iron Capturing Palm, a technique to break stone and grasp iron, was executed with ease. Capturing someone was equally effortless.
Lei Yingchao’s cultivation reached the later stage of the Visceral Tempering realm, merely a step away from its pinnacle. While he wasn’t the highest-cultivated individual present, his combat prowess was on par with the other Visceral Tempering realm peak cultivators.
This was why Lei Yingchao was assigned to guard the area. His strength was trusted.
Thus, as he executed the Iron Capturing Palm, an aura of suppression engulfed from all directions, leaving no escape route. In the face of such an attack, even a Marrow Tempering realm warrior would be left with no choice but to submit; there was no way around it.
Even if one had reached the Visceral Tempering realm, dealing with this situation required careful consideration. Otherwise, capture might occur within a few moves.
“Bang!”
The Iron Capturing Palm failed to seize Chen Fei, the strike landing in thin air and emitting a muffled sound.
Lei Yingchao looked somewhat surprised at Chen Fei, who stood several meters away. The instantaneous shift in position was incredibly ingenious, catching Lei Yingchao off guard and allowing Chen Fei to evade.
Chen Fei adeptly sidestepped not only Lei Yingchao’s Iron Capturing Palm but also the arrows sent by Ma Xuefei. This forced Ma Xuefei to approach, intensifying her intimidation factor.
“I’ve already retreated voluntarily. What’s the meaning behind this?” Chen Fei’s brows furrowed. If he hadn’t used the aerial maneuver, he would’ve been in a sorry state.
With numerous opponents and exclusive rights to the Dreamlike Lotus, Chen Fei understood their perspective. They had the power to monopolize the mystical ingredient, so why would they share with others?
However, why compel him to stay?
Because of the jade token?
Chen Fei glanced upward, spotting Pan Baoxue in the background. He squinted his eyes, a glimmer of understanding emerging. Most likely, this person had played a covert role in this situation.
However, it probably concerned the jade token as well. Chen Fei had obtained this jade token from Bacca, and he couldn’t easily stow it within his spatial grid-
Pan Baoxue wore a smug expression as he observed Chen Fei. He vividly remembered the arrow that Chen Fei had shot at him. As for who was right or wrong, Pan Baoxue cared little for such matters.
Presently, Pan Baoxue sought to vent his frustrations because he had the means to do so in this position.
“Arriving alone defies logic. Sir, do you think you can challenge the Dreamlike Lotus by yourself? If you clarify your intentions, you’ll be allowed to leave later. Your hasty departure suggests ulterior motives. It’s better to stay put and avoid self-deception!” Lei Yingchao bellowed, lunging at Chen Fei, his intent already fixed.
This rhetoric resonated with the other vigilant individuals, prompting them to realize that Chen Fei might indeed be a scout dispatched by another team to scout the situation.
At this point, apprehending Chen Fei wasn’t entirely without reason; at the very least, it was reasonable.
Chen Fei looked at Lei Yingchao, drew his bow, and let an arrow fly. The arrow transformed into a streak of light and raced towards Lei Yingchao.
Lei Yingchao sensed the arrow’s force, his surprise evident. The arrow’s potency far exceeded what one could expect from a Marrow Tempering realm practitioner.
Even though he knew that Chen Fei had arrived alone and must possess some reliance, the arrow’s power astonished Lei Yingchao.
Lei Yingchao prepared to intercept the arrow, but he suddenly realized that it wasn’t aimed at him. Instead, it sailed past him and charged straight behind him.
“Be cautious!” Lei Yingchao shouted. The arrow wasn’t aimed at him, but at someone behind him. This was completely unexpected.
“Bang!”
“Ah!”
Pan Baoxue’s pained cry reverberated as he clutched his arm. At some point, it had been severed..