Chapter Eighteen: Green Deer Mountain

At dusk, the light was no longer bright.

Chen Xuan moved quietly. Although he inevitably stepped on dry branches and fallen leaves, no loud noise was made as he swiftly approached several people from Qinglu Mountain through the forest.

“Ang…”

Four strong, blue-skinned elk lowered their heads to drink from the lake, each carrying a rider on their back. The riders were all in their twenties, hair tied in topknots, dressed in blue robes.

“Wang Chan’s ‘Yellow Millet Dream’ really can produce something valuable. Just one word from him led us to find this great place, Little Stone Lake,” a Qinglu Mountain disciple said as he jumped off his elk and gazed at the lake with admiration.

“He’s gained even more. Now his Huahua strength has surpassed five thousand jin, rivaling any genius of his age!”

“The gap between people is truly like heaven and earth…”

“…”

The group spoke quietly, their voices filled with envy and even a hint of jealousy.

The leader of the four frowned and scolded them, “Our talents are lacking, our Huahua path cut short early. We can only hope to consume more rare treasures and attempt a second Huahua transformation… If not for junior brother Wang Chan’s deep sense of righteousness and generosity in providing opportunity and information, we would never have a chance to change our fate in this lifetime!”

The other three instantly changed expression and quickly echoed his words.

“Yes, senior brother Chu, we always remember junior brother Wang Chan’s kindness…”

The path of Qi training begins at the Huahua stage.

Most can only undergo their first Huahua transformation, while only a few outstanding talents have the chance to break their physical limits and achieve a second!

“Junior brother Wang Chan has done a lot recently…”

Chen Xuan had drawn very near and now paused, hiding not far away. He was intrigued by this information and preferred to wait until dusk grew darker before taking action.

He was astonished—Wang Chan’s Qi training progress was advancing so rapidly.

Over the past half month, Chen Xuan’s own fortunes had been continuous, growing visibly stronger each day, yet he was only slightly ahead of Wang Chan.

Most importantly, Wang Chan was not advancing alone but leading all his Qinglu Mountain companions forward together.

The “Yellow Millet Dream,” based on a lifetime of experience within the dream, was truly miraculous!

No wonder Qinglu Mountain would forgo recruiting new disciples along the way to hasten Wang Chan’s journey to the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

“That senior brother Chu is about to undergo his second Huahua transformation.”

Chen Xuan muttered to himself. From senior brother Chu, he sensed a very dangerous aura, his blood and Qi boiling as if he had recently consumed a rare treasure, forcibly pushing beyond certain limits.

Senior brother Chu stood with hands behind his back, his demeanor solemn, eyes fixed on the lake.

“At the darkest hour, the mature treasure fish will leap out of the water, attempting to cross the mountain and pass through the Dragon Gate. This is the only chance to catch them.”

This was a secret Wang Chan had revealed. The treasure fish could only be caught once they were on land. Although they had yet to capture one, as long as they followed the right path, success would come someday.

Some Qi practitioners from Chiya City foolishly tried to catch treasure fish in broad daylight, a laughable folly.

Without the courage to stay overnight deep in the mountains, what future could they hope to seize in the Southern Wilderness?

The four from Qinglu Mountain stared intently at the lake, patiently waiting for the right moment. At that instant, Chen Xuan moved, stepping out from the woods like an agile leopard, rapidly approaching them.

“Who’s there!”

Senior brother Chu was alert, instantly turning his head to glare at Chen Xuan emerging from the forest. “It’s dark now. Why aren’t you leaving the mountain? What are you doing here?”

“Lost my way. Saw some people here, so I came to ask for directions,” Chen Xuan replied calmly, stepping forward without stopping.

“You’re stupid, walking north all the time! Isn’t that Chu State to the north?” one disciple laughed heartily, thinking the lost young man utterly ignorant of the most basic knowledge.

“Oh, that makes sense. You’re really good people.”

Chen Xuan pretended to suddenly understand and quickened his pace, closing to within a dozen meters of them.

He was about to make his move!

“Take care of him. We appear here at night; it’s best no one else finds out,” senior brother Chu whispered cautiously.

“Ah?”

Chen Xuan paused briefly at the sound, momentarily halting his steps.

“Makes sense.”

The three disciples exchanged glances. Senior brother Chu was thorough—if all Qi practitioners followed their example and came at night to catch treasure fish, how would they make progress?

The three drew their swords and advanced on Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan was stunned. Qinglu Mountain’s style shocked him again—one sentence deciding the fate of a lost youth. Such decisiveness was ruthless.

The crucial question was: did they really think they were being thorough?

Who in Xiaohe Village didn’t know Qinglu Mountain roamed here at night?

“What do you want by getting so close to me?”

Chen Xuan asked nervously.

He had only intended to capture them, interrogate for information, and if they were not great villains, avoid unnecessary killing. But now... death seemed inevitable.

“Your life, of course,” the three drew near with mocking yet pitying smiles.

“Swish!”

In the next moment, Chen Xuan struck, grasping a sharp blue jade hairpin and slicing a golden-white afterimage through the throat of the foremost disciple.

The four separated to die willingly—such absurdity was happening; he had no reason to miss this chance.

“Pfft!”

The man instinctively touched his neck, blood spurting out!

The other two were stunned, unable to believe it. They thought this foolish Qi practitioner could be easily handled, but he had suddenly struck with lightning speed.

“Villain!”

The two reacted instantly, raising swords to strike, white misty immortal Qi lighting up the air.

“Clang!”

Chen Xuan used the hairpin to parry the heavy sword strike, then kicked another slower opponent flying over ten meters.

The man fell, coughing up blood. Such speed and overwhelming strength were beyond his reach; he was defeated in a single move.

Having observed them for a long time, Chen Xuan already had a good sense of their strength. Now, once engaged, he swept the battlefield like autumn wind scattering leaves.

“Bang!”

With his other hand, Chen Xuan unleashed a golden-white glowing fist imprint, as if holding a small sun, striking another opponent.

The man’s pupils contracted, unable to dodge, hastily defending, but his chest caved in. He was sent flying, ribs snapping; he looked near death.

In an instant, two were dead and one gravely wounded.

“That’s a master!” Senior brother Chu stared in shock. To defeat three Qi practitioners in a flash was beyond his capability. Damn—it was clear this man came prepared!

Chen Xuan did not pursue the badly wounded man but, like a wild gust of wind, surged toward senior brother Chu.

He was the strongest, about to undergo his second Huahua transformation, so he had to be eliminated.

“Buzz!”

Chen Xuan arrived instantly, raising a fist wrapped in white Qi, forming a basin-sized spectral white ape fist brimming with oppressive force.

The White Ape Technique!

He launched his strongest attack at once. By strength alone, this punch likely exceeded ten thousand jin, surging like a tempest with an unstoppable momentum.

“Foolish showoff, courting death!”

Senior brother Chu roared defiantly. He summoned a Qinglu Mountain illusion, forming a blue elk head above his fists, antlers like jade coral thrusting out.

The Little Blue Elk Technique!

“Bang bang!”

In an instant, their exchanges became fierce and evenly matched. The white ape roared, the blue elk galloped. Golden-white and blue immortal Qi collided explosively, scattering dazzling light.

Senior brother Chu was horrified. He had gained no advantage. The opponent’s skillful use of illusions surpassed his own years of painstaking practice. This man must have trained hard from youth!

“Whoosh!”

Chen Xuan was tense. Facing a master who had cultivated the Twelve Mountains and Seas Qi for the first time in combat was perilous. One misstep meant eternal ruin. Yang Family Fist, Pei Family Fist, Mountain-Subduing Fist—all his martial arts techniques combined with the White Ape illusion, leaving his opponent no chance to breathe.

“Scoundrel! Relying on martial arts, ignoring the true Qi path!”

Senior brother Chu grew increasingly anxious, completely overwhelmed by the barrage of fist imprints.

Moreover, in the war of elements, the sharp golden-white Qi of metal was most effective against the lingering blue wood Qi. His illusions were quickly shattered by the White Ape Technique. Panicked, he turned and fled.

“Effectiveness is the true path!”

Chen Xuan followed swiftly, the giant white ape fist imprint smashing down on Chu’s back without mercy, punching several holes into his body. Chu was sent flying like a ragdoll over ten meters.

“Huh?”

Chen Xuan’s eyes narrowed as Chu suddenly spat out a green Qi fragrant with grass and wood. Like a needle and thread, it rapidly stitched his wounds, life energy surging as flesh and blood sprouted and grew wildly.

Chu instantly recovered and charged into the forest.

Wood-element blue Qi seeks “the birth and growth of all things, the immortal path of alchemy.”

Those who cultivate blue Qi possess life force so tenacious it defies reason, surpassing even fire-element red Qi practitioners many times over.

“We’ll see how many lives you have!”

Chen Xuan kicked off lightly, picked up a long sword from the ground, spreading golden-white metal Qi along the blade, and pursued.

“Pfft!”

Having scouted the terrain thoroughly, he soon caught the fleeing Chu. A golden-white sword light like a crescent moon swept across, severing Chu’s head with a crisp crack.

“I’m a Qinglu Mountain disciple! Of Qinglu Mountain! How dare you kill me?!” Chu roared, green Qi erupting from his neck like countless tree roots and hands, lifting his head as if a rat, continuing his frantic escape.

He bore an unspeakable grievance. Tonight was no accident—it must be some blundering Qinglu Mountain disciple who had provoked this master and caused him to suffer.

“I’m killing all of you Qinglu Mountain disciples.”

Chen Xuan snorted coldly, throwing his sword like a meteor streaking through the sky. The sword pinned Chu’s head firmly to the ground, white Qi swirling as it tore through his blue Qi. Chu’s eyes darkened, his face pale and bloodless—he was utterly dead.

“I refined white Qi to counter you Qinglu Mountain!”

Chen Xuan recalled his white Qi, swiftly cleaned the battlefield, then returned to the lake’s edge. He dragged the one who had taken his kick—gravely wounded and coughing blood—into the shadows.

It was time for interrogation.

One survivor was enough.