Chao Fang endured the excruciating pain in his back, staggering toward the north gate of the city, not daring to pause for a single moment.
“Miscalculated…”
If it weren’t for the Soul Strength he had gathered at the back of his heart, and the Yin Spirit Strategy he used for defense, that blow would have surely gone straight through him, leaving him chillingly cold inside.
Even so, his ribs were still broken, and his heart ached painfully from the impact.
“With such formidable power, who couldn’t he ally with to obtain a Thousand Mechanism Token?” Chao Fang couldn’t help but complain.
These hidden powers, these old coins, were too despicable.
“This isn’t over!” Chao Fang thought bitterly.
“As long as they don’t notice the mark made by my Ghosts, the advantage is still mine.” Chao Fang was full of confidence.
That person was indeed powerful, young yet practicing Soul Strength to a profound and robust extent.
But no matter how strong that person was, Tu Shan was stronger.
Even the Spiritual Light of noble families could not withstand Tu Shan’s fists, Chao Fang didn’t believe that person could either.
“Once I’ve healed, I’ll gather the twelve Heavenly Generals, join forces with Tu Shan, and then I’ll see if you won’t die!” Chao Fang’s face was filled with dark clouds.
As he fled, he plotted. Before he knew it, the silhouette of the camp was in sight, and Chao Fang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Heavenly King, you’ve returned,” a voice suddenly rang out from ahead.
Chao Fang’s heart skipped a beat. Suppressing the pain in his chest, he looked up nonchalantly, and upon seeing the person, quickly donned a warm, friendly expression, “Ah, it’s Cheng Yi the Daoist.”
“Have you had your dinner?”
Ignoring the question, Cheng Yi instead asked with a smile, “Heavenly King, venturing out at night requires caution.”
Chao Fang’s heart tensed, but his face remained composed, “Don’t worry, I have my Yin Spirit Strategy to protect me. Who could harm me?”
“Is that so.” Cheng Yi smiled, then suddenly said, “Your ribs are broken, aren’t they?”
Chao Fang’s pupils dilated sharply, then his face grew stern, “You dare to track me?”
“I was merely concerned for the Heavenly King’s safety, please forgive me,” Cheng Yi bowed and said earnestly.
Chao Fang exhaled, his face once again adopting a warm, friendly smile, “Thank you for your concern, Daoist Cheng Yi. It was indeed dangerous earlier, but that person underestimated the power of the Yin Spirit Strategy. Here I am, safely back, aren’t I?”
“Heavenly King, were you planning to use your Ghosts to harm me?” Cheng Yi asked incredulously, staring at the increasingly cold aura enveloping Chao Fang.
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Chao Fang frowned unhappily, “You are my cherished friend and sworn brother, why would I harm you?”
Yet the cold aura in the air grew more intense.
“I just wanted you to get familiar with the aura of the Ghosts, to facilitate future combat,” Chao Fang said earnestly.
“Heavenly King, I’ve been utterly loyal to you, always concerned for your safety, and yet you consider killing me!” Cheng Yi glared darkly at Chao Fang.
“You found out and still deny it!”
“Heavenly King, have you been true to my trust?”
“You don’t deserve it!” Cheng Yi roared furiously.
He quickly took out a Bronze Bell from his bosom.
Clang!
The sound, akin to a temple’s bronze bell, exploded abruptly.
Eleven Ghosts were instantly shocked out of their invisible state.
“Soul Capturing!”
A vast expanse of black smoke suddenly stopped in place, as if insects trapped in amber, suspended mid-air.
Chao Fang’s mind shook violently; he was momentarily bewildered.
Soon after, horror struck his heart, and he swiftly came back to his senses.
This Cheng Yi, he also has a Magic Artifact?!
Pff!
A soft sound, and the just-awakened Chao Fang looked down incredulously at his chest where a dagger was embedded.
“You…” he glared at the close Cheng Yi.
Instinctively, his hands gathered Soul Strength, trying to push the assailant away. But after exerting half the effort, he suddenly felt his entire body go limp.
Poison?! A poison that could harm a Shell Soul expert?!
That’s right, he was provoking me just to silence me for good.
He planned to kill me from the very beginning!
“I confided in you wholeheartedly, and yet you choose to strike at my life first?” Cheng Yi stared coldly at Chao Fang.
“You were unkind, don’t blame me for being unjust,” Cheng Yi said indifferently.
He pulled out the dagger and stabbed Chao Fang’s chest and abdomen twenty-three times on the spot.
Chao Fang, watching the dagger that was reddened with green, clearly poisoned, had an expression of utter despair.
Confided wholeheartedly? Unkind and unjust?
Traitorous subjects and treacherous villains!
Pfft!
A spurt of blood couldn’t be held back any longer and sprayed out.
It was as if a floodgate had opened; in the next moment, blood gushed out from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth. Within just five or six breaths, his chest was soaked with blood.
Chao Fang glared at Cheng Yi, only managing to scratch Cheng Yi’s face a few times, leaving behind several bloody trails, before he thudded to the ground.
Very quickly, he became a blood-drenched gourd, twitching and trembling.
Cheng Yi stood in the night, looking indifferently at Chao Fang until the latter’s blood soaked the dark ground, until he was completely silent.
“For the sake of the path one lives, for the sake of the path one dies. Heavenly General, may you have a good journey.”
…
The tent of the Logistics Army in Dingyou Camp was quiet and still.
The sated Logistics Army men had been put to sleep by Chen Mu again.
Black smoke swirled around his right hand as an emerald jade gourd the size of a fist appeared.
“Is this the Thousand Mechanism Token?”
The gourd had no opening, its surface smooth and emanating a faint green glow, as if it were a solid jade stone polished to a high shine.
But with a gentle shake, one could detect a subtle shift in its center of gravity. It was as though there was some liquid inside the gourd.
“It’s a pity Jie Jia is not here,” Chen Mu sighed.
All along, as long as one provided money, Jie Jia would answer any question and there was nothing he didn’t know.
“It’s not too late to ask when I get back.” Chen Mu regretfully put away the Thousand Mechanism Token and began to ponder his departure.
He had not dared to travel alone before. But now, a single fight had proven that his strength was far beyond any ordinary Shell Soul.
The Ghosts, which once terrified him, could now be captured and killed by him. It seemed he might… not need to be so afraid of Ghosts anymore.
Of course, he would still need to sneak around when traveling; he couldn’t be reckless.
“Wild ones are fiercer; one cannot judge by the domesticated ones,” Chen Mu admonished himself.
“But as long as I don’t run into a nest of Ghosts, I should be able to escape,” Chen Mu thought to himself.
With caution, it shouldn’t be difficult to make it back to Nanyang Prefecture City… well, assuming he didn’t get lost.
Without navigation, and as a man who usually stayed at home, it was already a rare feat for him to tell directions when outside.
How to accurately find the way and successfully reach Nanyang Prefecture City was indeed a problem.
Chen Mu turned his head towards the Logistics Army men.
Having spent a long time with them, they were quite to his liking. If he left abruptly, these people would be implicated.
Sun Enqi, as his nominally “Uncle Seven,” would likely be implicated and face severe punishment.
“I need to think of a way to avoid implicating these people,” Chen Mu pondered.
“No rush, after all, the Thousand Mechanism Token has been found,” Chen Mu smiled, contentedly stretching and preparing to sleep.
“It’s just a pity about that Soul-Calming Stake.”
Since the Yin Spirit Strategy could still perceive it, it couldn’t be used any further.
“My air conditioning and refrigerator, oh…”
…
“Chao Fang is dead?” Tu Shan stared incredulously at Cheng Yi.
“I killed him,” Cheng Yi said flatly.
“You’ve got some nerve!” Tu Shan’s hair and beard stood on end as he grabbed Cheng Yi by his chest, effortlessly lifting him.
His entire body was tense like a fierce beast, his cold gaze pinned on Cheng Yi.
“I have successfully taken control of the Yin Spirit Strategy,” Cheng Yi said calmly, looking down at Tu Shan’s hand, large as a fan.
Narrowing his eyes, Tu Shan slowly set Cheng Yi down, “Chao Fang died quite unjustly.”
“I want a Thousand Mechanism Token,” Cheng Yi said, looking up calmly at the intimidating Tu Shan.
Tu Shan’s eyes bulged, his right fist clenched as he raised his hand to smash the Taoist’s head.
“I only want one,” Cheng Yi stated, staring at Tu Shan calmly.
Tu Shan raised an eyebrow, “Just one?”
Cheng Yi nodded, “You must give it to me first.”
Tu Shan came back to his senses, his face breaking into a smile as he smoothed out the fabric on Cheng Yi’s chest, “Alright, I’ll give you one first. All the rest are mine thereafter.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll attack the Startling Swan Gang,” Cheng Yi nodded, “to seize their Thousand Mechanism Token first.”
“Splendid!” Tu Shan said with a satisfied smile.
“After succeeding, I will immediately prepare for the blood sacrifice,” Cheng Yi continued, “and all the gains will be yours.”
Tu Shan paused, then burst into hearty laughter, “Chao Fang died at the right time!”