Chapter 1714 (Raw 1726):
Xiao Chen hesitated for a moment, then followed.
He could not keep his injuries effectively in check. If he delayed, they would worsen. Hence, it was worth trusting this little cat this once.
Xiao Chen followed the white cat, who moved quickly and took many turns. Unexpectedly, they managed to avoid the encirclement perfectly, not meeting a single enemy.
Many times, the two even brushed by various sect disciples. However, the other party did not discover them in the end.
One hour later, the little cat brought Xiao Chen to a valley where hundreds of flowers bloomed. After venturing deep into the valley, they stopped before a hot spring.
The white cat resumed human form and looked at Xiao Chen. "They should not be able to find this place for now. You can rest here for a bit."
Xiao Chen's mind was fatigued. The Tyrant Saber seemed to weigh even heavier in his hand.
"Many thanks for saving me!"
The young cat-eared girl said calmly, "You saved me once before. I have to return the favor, right? This hot spring has wondrous effects on treating injuries. When I go out and get injured, I come here and have a soak. Quickly recover from your injuries. This is as much as I can help you. They will find this place sooner or later."
Xiao Chen understood. While the Fiendish Demon Battlefield was large, it could be considered small, as well.
The disciples who came to the Fiendish Demon Battlefield were all elite outstanding talents. They could make guesses based on the conditions of the various possible locations.
There would also be numerous people who specialized in tracking. When working together, they would not have difficulty finding a person.
If all of them came here, the young cat-eared girl would not be able to block them all. Clearly, she could not possibly help him until the very end.
Xiao Chen already felt very grateful that the young cat-eared girl could buy him so much time. Naturally, he did not resent her decision.
As the young cat-eared girl looked at Xiao Chen, who entered the hot spring, a trace of shock darkened her eyes. She simply had not expected the other party, who just left the temple, to kick up such a huge storm in the Fiendish Demon Battlefield.
A Dao Tool!
For nearly a thousand years, no one had managed to take a Dao Tool out of the Ten Thousand Weapon Pavilion, much less a peak Dao Tool.
A regular Dao Tool could not have sparked such an extensive mysterious phenomenon.
Dao Tools had been taken away in the past. However, each and every one of the previous times had not been like Xiao Chen's, causing such a huge commotion and shaking up the entire Fiendish Demon Battlefield. When that powerful, tyrannical air spread out and stirred up winds and clouds everywhere, the hearts of all the cultivators in this place had trembled.
Who would not fear such a Dao Tool?
Who would not be tempted after knowing that Xiao Chen was severely injured?
No one!
The thousands who entered the Fiendish Demon Battlefield were all tempted, even core disciples of Rank 3 sects. Those bottom-level existences all revealed their ambitions, thinking that they could get lucky and manage to steal it.
Once these cultivators obtained the saber, even if they could not use it themselves, they could hand it over to their sects for sale.
That way, they could gain a great opportunity for themselves.
In the past, all the cultivators who obtained a Dao Tool managed to reach the Cloud Sea Realm at the very least, without exception. Half of those who obtained a Dao Tool eventually comprehended their Dao, what more with a superior Dao Tool like the one in Xiao Chen's hands.
The opportunities and value it represented went without saying. It definitely surpassed that of any previous time.
"Perhaps he really was the right choice," the young cat-eared girl muttered to herself before turning into a white cat once more and leaving again.
This place would soon be found by others. There was no point in her remaining here.
Finding Xiao Chen a temporary haven was already a great help.
Inside the hot spring, hot water engulfed Xiao Chen's body. He felt extremely comfortable. His external wounds felt warm, healing at a visible rate.
Brat, this hot spring has some wondrous effects on your open wounds. However, it will not help your internal injuries at all.
The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's voice rang out in Xiao Chen's mind again, telling him bad news.
Xiao Chen replied, I felt it. These injuries will take at least half a month to recover from completely. The injuries left by those Great Dao Energies will be very difficult to treat.
When Xiao Chen checked the injuries left in his body by the various Dao Tools, he was shocked.
The price that he had paid to obtain the Tyrant Saber was somewhat horrifying.
In the past, it was Xiao Chen who had used Great Dao Energy to attack his enemies. This time, he had been on the receiving end—of dozens of Great Dao Energies, at that.
The Dao injuries were very difficult to recover from. These were all over his internal organs and meridians.
Even if Xiao Chen managed to treat them, he would not be able to casually circulate his Veritable Essence Energy. Just a little force could aggravate his injuries, creating a permanent hidden injury in his body.
Not to mention lighting up six stars on his 9-Star Primal Core, he could not even light up one star now.
Xiao Chen even had to continue suppressing his strength, using only half of his Veritable Essence Energy.
I can help you eliminate the Dao injuries in your body. However, it will take some time. Quickly work on recovering your internal injuries. Leave your Dao injuries to me. The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's voice sounded somewhat weak. However, it was still firm and forceful; Xiao Chen did not dare to delay.
In reality, this was not the time to relax yet.
There were two or three thousand sect disciples outside searching everywhere for Xiao Chen. There were also many cultivators who were good at tracking or had special bloodlines, narrowing down the search area.
—
Outside the valley, the people searching for Xiao Chen mainly split into three.
One group comprised the sect disciples of the Black Cave Mountain; another group, the Confucian scholars of the Heavenly Shaking Mountain; and the last group, the monks of the Potala Mountain.
The many true inheritors of Black Cave Mountain were led by the second strongest of the Divine Firmament Sect, the Berserk Saber Liang Zimo. In the absence of Shangguan Lei, he had the most prestige.
The leader of the Heavenly Shaking Mountain's Confucian scholars was the Confucian Institution's Meng Qi. For some reason, Bai Yu, who was second only to Wang Yueming in the Heavenly Shaking Mountain, did not participate.
The Potala Mountain's leader was the Profound Light Temple's Zhen De, Zhen Yuan's junior brother; the two were disciples of the Venerable Xuan Bei.
Four hours later, the three groups arrived outside of the valley at nearly the same time.
"The various signs show that the trail of Xiao Chen's aura ends in this valley. There is a very good chance that Xiao Chen is hiding here," the Berserk Saber, Liang Zimo, said softly as he looked at the valley. A trace of fervor flashed in his eyes.
Liang Zimo had heard that the Dao Tool Xiao Chen obtained was a saber. As a bladesman himself, he was even more interested in this Dao Tool than the others were.
The Confucian Institution's Meng Qi held a sword in his embrace as he looked at the valley. Then, he said indifferently, "It looks like we have come to the same conclusion. However, this valley is very large, and our Mental Energy cannot scout too far ahead in this Fiendish Demon Battlefield. If he puts in his full effort to hide from us, he will not be easy to find."
A look of disdain flashed in Liang Zimo's eyes. He smiled coldly and said, "That's no problem. Bring Hua Yunfeng out."
Before the gaze of the true inheritors of the various blessed lands, Hua Yunfeng, who was covered in wounds and bound, was dragged forward.
Faced with the temptation of a Dao Tool, the Black Cave Mountain true inheritors, who should have been allies, actually turned on one of their own. This was a true eye-opener.
However, after the Confucian Institution's Meng Qi thought about it, he understood.
The Divine Firmament Sect and the Purple Flame Sect were both Rank 4 sects of the Black Cave Mountain. However, the Divine Firmament Sect had always been suppressing the Purple Flame Sect.
If the Purple Flame Sect obtained the Dao Tool, the one under the greatest pressure would be the Divine Firmament Sect, followed by the other sects of the Black Cave Mountain, then finally the other two blessed lands.
Before the temptation of a Dao Tool that could upset the rankings of the various large factions, the previously agreed-upon alliance did not count for anything.
Hence, it was rather logical that the Divine Firmament Sect committed such a contemptible deed.
The Berserk Saber, Liang Zimo, took a deep breath before shouting ferociously, "Xiao Chen, I know that you are in there and can hear me. Your senior brother Hua Yunfeng is in my hands. I'll give you ten seconds. If you do not come out, I will break off one of his fingers and will continue until I chop off his entire hand."
The might of thunder in Liang Zimo caused his voice to roar like thunder, echoing throughout the valley and reverberating endlessly.
—
Inside the hot spring, Xiao Chen heard Liang Zimo, and his expression instantly changed radically.
Without even thinking, he charged out of the hot spring, carrying the saber.
Brat, I have not removed even half of the Dao injuries in your body. Don't be rash.
The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's anxious voice rang out in Xiao Chen's mind.
The warm water of the hot spring had washed away all the blood on Xiao Chen's body as well as his fatigue. After four hours of recovery, his injuries had improved significantly.
The only remaining problem was the Dao injuries left by the many Great Dao Energies.
Xiao Chen ignored the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's words. He opened the Heavenly Eye, and his vision enlarged continuously until he saw Hua Yunfeng, who was pushed to the ground.
Damn it…
As Xiao Chen held the Tyrant Saber, a murderous intent surged out of his eyes. If not for trying to buy Xiao Chen time, given Hua Yunfeng's strength as one of the three strongest direct inheritors of the Black Cave Mountain, he would not have ended up in such a sorry state by fighting against six alone.
