Zhang Ruochen did not stop for a moment after he left the Hugestone City. He was ready to get back to the Devil Martial City as fast as possible.
“The Royal Family of Square Commandery and the headquarter of Poisonous Spider Club would know I’ve taken the account book away and send many masters to kill me. I should get back to the Devil Martial City before they catch up with me.”
He hurried on with his journey as if he was a ghost-like shadow skimming over the vast snowfield, leaving only a harsh sound of the wind blowing through.
Han Qiu had also practiced a mysterious skill that made her body as light as swallows, easily moving across the snowfield without leaving a single trace. She followed Zhang Ruochen closely behind and said, “My friend, if I’m not mistaken, you should be the young master who recently rose to fame, Chen Ruo, aren’t you?”
Hearing Han Qiu’s sound, Zhang Ruochen frowned and cast a glance at her. He said coldly, “Don’t follow me.”
Zhang Ruochen had been watching her for a while and treated her as a potential enemy as she was a close friend of Zhang Tiangui.
However, Han Qiu knew nothing about it. She simply thought that this mysterious teenager was weird and difficult to get along with.
“You didn’t deny it, which means you really are Chen Ruo.”
Smiling, Han Qiu continued to add on, “The School of the Martial Market and Yuntai Suzerain are on good terms all along. Since we have had a pleasant cooperation in the black market, could you allow me to take a look at that account book?”
Zhang Ruochen did not want to talk to her. He gathered the Genuine Qi in his body to his feet, completely wrapping up his legs with Spiritual Fire.
His speed had greatly doubled.
So did Han Qiu. She sped up, caught up with him again and asked, “Is it true that I will die if I were to take Saint’s Light Pill and continue to practice after reaching the Advanced Stage of the Heaven Realm? Or you’re just trying to scare me?”
“You are annoying! Don’t follow me anymore, otherwise, I won’t go easy on you.” Zhang Ruochen could not help but feel a bit annoyed.
Han Qiu gazed at Zhang Ruochen with a feeling of frustration. She was the daughter of the Master of Yuntai Suzerain and a startling beauty as well. She did not expect him to give her the cold shoulder when she took the initiative to befriend him.
Up until now, no man dared to use such a tone to talk to her. Even Zhang Tiangui, the first genius in the 36 commanderies of the Omen Ridge, took every means to please her.
“If you want to get rid of me, then I must follow you.”
She decided to challenge Zhang Ruochen. She followed him closely, keeping her pace at the same speed as him.
As night closed in, Zhang Ruochen stopped his journey.
Both Han Qiu and Zhang Ruochen looked weary after a one-day journey. The long journey had consumed a great amount of Genuine Qi, and thus, they had to stop and take a rest.
“WHOOSH!”
Zhang Ruochen waved his arm, drawing a line in the snow.
He looked at Han Qiu and said, “I’m warning you, I will not go easy on you if you cross this line.”
Zhang Ruochen took a Blood Pill and sat down cross-legged once he finished his sentence. He held two Spiritual Crystals in hands, absorbing Spiritual Qi from the Crystals, in order to restore his Genuine Qi.
Han Qiu refused to obey him. She puffed out her chest and said defiantly, “Our cultivation is more or less on the same level. What can you do to me, even if I cross this line?”
Nevertheless, she did not cross the line as she did not want to challenge his bottom line. She also took out two Spiritual Crystal, pinching them in hands and began to practice.
The feathery snowflakes kept falling down onto the ground and the snow began to accumulate. Only two hours later, the accumulated snow had reached Zhang Ruochen’s waist.
Another two hours had passed, the thick mantle of snow had now reached Zhang Ruochen’s chest.
His shoulders, arms, legs, and head were completely covered by the accumulated snow. It was hard to notice that there was a man sitting cross-legged in the snow.
Suddenly, rumblings rang out in the sky above. The Red Spider Vessel, like an iron mountain, flew over the dark sky, heading toward the direction of Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu.
On the top of the Red Spider Vessel stood more than ten warriors in purple robes, who were looking for Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu.
Han Qiu stopped her practice as soon as she heard the sound echoed from above. Her body could not help but move a little.
“Don’t move! It’s the Poisonous Spider Club. They have caught up with us. We shouldn’t underestimate their power. It is far beyond our resistance.”
Zhang Ruochen’s voice reached her ears.
Actually, Zhang Ruochen had considered driving a Red Spider Vessel to return to the Devil Martial City. But eventually, he dropped the idea as it would be easy to be spotted by the top masters of Poisonous Spider Club and Square Commandery.
Of course, Han Qiu had also heard of the Red Spider Vessel. Feeling a little nervous, she asked, “What can we do now?”
“We’re now covered in snow and ice. They won’t notice us as long as we hold our breath,” said Zhang Ruochen. He closed his eyes again and reabsorbed all his Genuine Qi to be kept in his body. Then, he became motionless as if he was turned into a rock.
A moment later, the Red Spider Vessel flew away, disappearing into the sky.
“BOOM!”
Han Qiu flew out from the huge pile of snow into the midair like a beautiful fairy. When she landed on the ground, she looked at Zhang Ruochen who was on the opposite side of the line and said, “Those Evil Warriors had left, shall we leave too?”
Zhang Ruochen came out from the snow and said, “Don’t use ‘we’, I don’t really know you.”
“But you were the one who started using it. So I followed you,” said Han Qiu.
“That was because I was afraid you’d get me into trouble once you’re found.” Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment and continued, “Why are you following me?”
Han Qiu’s expression became serious and said, “Okay! Let’s get straight to the point. The account book you obtained in the black market has the transaction records between the Royal Family of Poisonous Spider Club and Square Commandery. If you send it back to the School of the Martial Market, the situation will be unfavorable for Yuntai Suzerain.”
“So you killed Army-guarding Marquis in order to prove that Yuntai Suzerain is innocent?” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Is it not enough?” Han Qiu replied.
Zhang Ruochen said, “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. Why do you have to deliberately explain anything? According to the Martial Market Bank’s intelligence system, if it really has nothing to do with Yuntai Suzerain, none of you will be involved in this affair.”
Han Qiu shook her head and said, “What if there is someone in the Martial Market Bank who wanted to frame us? So, it’s better for me to follow you to the Devil Martial City so that you can bring me to the top management of the School of the Martial Market. Then, I will explain to them in person.”
“Aren’t you afraid that Yuntai Suzerain is really involved in it? If Yuntai Suzerain really intends to cooperate with the black market, there’s no way they will tell you,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Han Qiu replied firmly, “Yuntai Suzerain is the overlord of Omen Ridge. There is no need for us to take the risk to cooperate with the black market. How about we do a deal, Chen Ruo?” “I will escort you back to the Devil Martial City. Once we are back in the City, you can take me to the top management of the School of the Martial Market.”
Smiling, Zhang Ruochen shook his head and said, “It is safer for me if you don’t follow me.”
Han Qiu gritted her teeth angrily and replied, “As a strong fighter on the Earth Board, how could I hinder you? Furthermore, I have sent a message to Yuntai Suzerain with my ‘Signal Flare’. They will dispatch masters to come to our aid very soon.”
“You have a Signal Flare with you?” Zhang Ruochen’s expression turned gloomy in an instant. He had a bad feeling about this.
However, Han Qiu did not notice the change in his expression. Instead, she said complacently, “The Signal Flare is expensive, but with my status, it’s only natural that I carry one with me. It allows me to send a message back to Suzerain calling for help at a crucial time.”
The Signal Flare was a treasure which was made from “light” message-sending inscription and could send out messages as fast as possible. Most of the Signal Flares are one-off.
Certainly, it was very difficult to refine a Signal Flare and that was why it was invaluable. Even the Heaven-Realm warriors could not afford it.
Han Qiu had misunderstood Zhang Ruochen. He was not amazed by the Signal Flare she was carrying, but for an entirely different reason. He asked angrily, “Did you mark our position when you sent messages back to Yuntai Suzerain?”
Han Qiu smiled and said, “I have left our Yuntai Suzerain special marks throughout the journey. They will catch up with us as soon as they see these marks.”
Feeling a strong sense of impending crisis, Zhang Ruochen said, “Is there any Royal Family member of Square Commandery in the top management of Yuntai Suzerain?”
“A couple of…”
Han Qiu’s expression also changed instantly. She said,”Are you worried that they will leave the Yuntai Suzerain and come to kill us?”
“They must be already on the way!” Zhang Ruochen sighed.
This matter would determine the survival of Square Commandery, there was no way they could just stand by and watch.
They must have planned to kill Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu on their way to the Devil Martial City.
And Han Qiu was looking for even more troubles by leaving marks on the road.
“We must leave here now, otherwise, they will catch up with us,” Zhang Ruochen said with a serious expression. However, just when he moved a step, he suddenly heard something. He felt a sensation of imminent danger, and it was approaching them rapidly.
Shortly after, a wind rose up and rustling sounds echoed throughout the entire snowfield. A hoarse voice rang out from the wind, “It’s pity you have just realized it. It’s too late for you to leave now!”
The dissociated Spiritual Qi in the air was gathered and took shape into two tremendous wind blades. Carrying a devastating power that could slice through everything in the path, they swung toward Zhang Ruochen and Han Qiu.
Standing in the snow, Zhang Ruochen felt a surge of sharp Qi billow coming in from his front, blowing the thick snow off the ground. Zhang Ruochen could not see anything except a vast expanse of white.
“SWISH!”
The wind slashed through Zhang Ruochen’s Genuine Qi cover, and his clothes were ripped and torn.
Here came the strong enemy! Zhang Ruochen gripped the Abyss Ancient Sword tightly and rotated the Genuine Qi in his body. A nine-meter diameter Blood Wave appeared under his feet with a loud noise and began to rotate rapidly.
“SWISH-”
The Abyss Ancient Sword turned into a bright full moon, swung toward the two huge wind blades as they closed in.
“BOOM!” It sent Zhang Ruochen flying backward.
He could not withstand that overwhelming power.
As that happened, Zhang Ruochen immediately infused all his Genuine Qi into the Ice-fire Kylin Armour.
Inscriptions in the armor had been activated, letting out the Kylin’s roar in a low tone. An illusory image of the Ice-fire Kylin wrapped tightly around him.
“BOOM!”
One of the wind blades came slashing down on him and sent him flying dozens of feet away, crashing into the deep snows.
Another one attacked Han Qiu in a similar way. She groaned and spit out a mouthful of blood as she fell down heavily onto the ground, leaving behind a big ten-meter diameter gaping hole.
“Bam!”
Taking that hole as the center, the accumulated snow within the radius of tens of feet had been blown away. It formed an arc of Qi billow which flapped on a row of coniferous pines nearby. At that moment, all the trees had completely frozen up.
