Chapter Eighteen: Gone in a Flash

Su Xiaoxiao had already left. With the internal troubles resolved, the external threats were hardly worth worrying about. The reason Chen Hongxu insisted on waiting for the Weapon Spirit to awaken before launching the final assault on the Spring Day Shrine was, naturally, because he wanted the Weapon Spirit's constant vigilance. Otherwise, back when he first took command of the temporary team, he would have already faced the Grand Priest of Spring Day Shrine alone, without further hesitation.

After all, according to the Bear's account, the Grand Priest specialized in raising shikigami and summoning faceless female ghosts. Chen Hongxu had thoroughly calculated their odds of victory, only assuming responsibility when absolute safety was assured. He wasn't foolish; as a newcomer, he could have easily just followed the backup team, avoiding danger instead of recklessly risking his life to play the hero.

Although the Grand Priest's possession by his shikigami caught Chen Hongxu off guard, after being struck by the black flames on his back, he discovered that his own internal energy could effectively extinguish the black flames and repair his body. He then decided to carefully scheme against Su Xiaoxiao, the only variable being the mysterious Grand Priest, who, given his ability to instantly discern Chen Hongxu's origins, could surely also see through his concealment.

Yet, there was no time left for weighing advantages and disadvantages; feigning death wouldn't cost him anything. Besides, having been beaten half to death by his classmates often enough, this sort of performance was second nature to him.

Chen Hongxu smiled, straightened his body, and clasped his fists in salute to the Grand Priest, expressing the gratitude he hadn't voiced earlier.

Though the Grand Priest still stood at two meters tall with a fierce countenance, Chen Hongxu clearly sensed the dense black mist in his eyes gradually fading away.

The Grand Priest waved his hand oddly and said calmly, "You inheritors from China are determined to fight to the end; I will not intervene. My time is short. I hope you will fight with all your strength. This is the request of a dying man, and I ask you to respect it."

"Inheritor? Su Xiaoxiao?" Chen Hongxu had no time to ponder further, as the Grand Priest would not give him another moment to be distracted.

The black mist that had shrouded the Grand Priest began to withdraw from his body, gathering behind him in a swirling motion.

Chen Hongxu's gaze sharpened as he stared at the increasingly ordinary Grand Priest and the shadow forming behind him, remaining silent.

After a while, the old priest returned to his kindly appearance, his height shrinking to normal. However, his once ruddy face suddenly turned deathly pale, as though heavily powdered, exuding an aura of vitality lost and imminent death. Meanwhile, behind him, the faceless shadow with two heads and four arms was already brandishing its limbs, and with a swish, it passed through the priest's body, drifting toward Chen Hongxu.

Chen Hongxu looked at the priest behind the shadow, hesitated, and resolved to display his true strength. He knew this would allow the priest to better gauge him, possibly causing future trouble, but the priest's determination to face death moved him. He decided to act, fearless.

A tangible red glow radiated from Chen Hongxu's body, a clear sign of his internal energy at its peak. In the past, this would have been his strongest state; he should have engaged the shikigami in combat directly. But now, he raised his left hand, and a red shadow rapidly took shape, clearly forming a sword.

The old priest watched the weapon forming in Chen Hongxu's hand, smiled with a complicated expression, nodded in satisfaction, and muttered words Chen Hongxu could not understand.

What Chen Hongxu held was no mere manifestation of internal energy. Ever since he accidentally externalized the Weapon Embryo, he discovered its additional uses. When he asked the Weapon Spirit where to find a suitable weapon, the spirit scoffed at him for a long while.

A House of Weapons lacking weapons?

The Weapon Embryo was, of course, the best weapon. However, because Chen Hongxu's strength was lacking, each time he formed the Weapon Embryo, it consumed part of the Weapon Spirit's or the Embryo's energy.

At this moment, the Weapon Spirit was rolling and whining in Chen Hongxu's consciousness, muttering, "You don't love me, so you only hurt me..."

Chen Hongxu had no time to argue with her. Before the shikigami could approach, he wielded his blade, seemingly able to sever anything, and charged straight toward the fierce shikigami.

Of course, the shikigami was not a mere wooden dummy to be hacked at, but it seemed to realize time was running out and chose the foolish method of meeting Chen Hongxu head-on.

Chen Hongxu ducked to avoid the shikigami's grasp at his shoulder, but the arm he dodged elongated, clamping tightly onto him.

Glancing up, Chen Hongxu cursed himself for being foolish. Since the creature was made of swirling mist, ordinary logic did not apply.

Feeling the iron-like grip on his shoulder, Chen Hongxu tried to break free but failed. He raised his right hand and punched at the shikigami's chest.

Just as his fist was about to connect, a black membrane appeared between his fist and the shikigami’s chest, blocking his advance. With both hands gripping Chen Hongxu, the shikigami’s other two arms were not idle. Mimicking Chen Hongxu, it punched forward, its greater height ensuring the blows targeted his head. Yet, these seemingly fierce strikes were blocked by the red aura emanating from Chen Hongxu.

His expression was grave, tinged with doubt. Without time to think, he thrust the short sword formed by the Weapon Embryo forward.

"No resistance?" The sword pierced the shikigami's heart as easily as splitting bamboo.

Chen Hongxu frowned, twisted the blade, pulled it out, and stabbed again, repeating the motion a dozen times.

"What a pity, I can't hold on anymore!" The old priest looked regretfully at the shikigami riddled with wounds by Chen Hongxu. "Don't be on guard. With my strength, possession by the shikigami means certain death. It's a shame the Palace Master trusted me enough to hand over the shrine. If I were stronger and controlled the shrine's violet flames instead of black flames, your cultivation might not have been enough to extinguish them."

"This world allows no 'ifs'," Chen Hongxu replied calmly, watching the shikigami dissolve.

"Indeed." The old priest seemed to recall something and nodded with satisfaction. "Trading my old life for information about the legendary inheritor of the House of Weapons is worthwhile."

He wiped the blood from his mouth and continued, "With your strength, you must be the leader of this operation. Please grant me one humble request."

Seeing Chen Hongxu silent, the old priest explained, "I only ask you to spare the ordinary disciples of my shrine. Your mission should only require my death. If you destroy the shrine's foundation, the five major temples might seize the opportunity, and then the Palace Master's group of experts in Europe would become rootless weeds, perhaps traveling to China for sightseeing."

"Are you threatening me?" Chen Hongxu's gaze cooled.

"I wouldn't dare, merely stating the most likely outcome," the old priest replied with a smile, knowing Chen Hongxu would understand. His eyes lost focus as he murmured, "A fifth-level inheritor of the House of Weapons... May the Palace Master seize this opportunity..."

Chen Hongxu glanced at the now breathless priest, knelt down, and thrust his short sword into the man's chest. Once he confirmed the old priest was truly dead, he rose and left the hall without looking back, retracing his steps.

When Chen Hongxu returned to the courtyard where the others were still fighting, he found both sides evenly matched, each holding their own. Fan Caobao seemed to have been watching the surroundings; as soon as Chen Hongxu appeared, he quickly shook off his opponents, leaping nimbly onto a tree and shouting, "Brothers, the mission is accomplished!"

Unlike the excitement of the Chinese team, the people within the shrine, upon seeing Chen Hongxu standing proudly atop the wall with hands behind his back, all seemed to embrace a death wish. Their faces were full of sorrow, disregarding their opponents’ moves, adopting a strategy of exchanging lives.

From his vantage point atop the tree, Fan Caobao saw the situation had changed dramatically. Although the shrine’s people sought to exchange lives, someone must be willing to trade with them. Given the cunning members of the Chinese team, with the mission completed and a bright future awaiting, no one would foolishly throw their lives away.

"Wind's rising, let's get out!" someone shouted. The group, once somewhat organized, now scattered like a rabble, quickly scaling the walls and fleeing.

Fan Caobao cast a cold glance at Chen Hongxu, pointed at the shrine’s people in the courtyard, and made a throat-cutting gesture.

Chen Hongxu looked meaningfully at Fan Caobao, shook his head, and with a single leap, vanished over the wall.