parentshiftbook Chapter 43: Who exactly are you!
Chapter 43: Who exactly are you!
"puff."
The warm sunlight shone on the river. Zhang Ping, with his head down, drifted with the current.
After drifting for about half an incense stick's time, he found a flat spot on the riverbank and climbed ashore.
He coughed up a mouthful of water, shook his head, checked the time, and realized that two hours had passed since he left Ghost Cloud Mountain.
"Such a powerful move, the Rotating Divine Skill?"
Recalling the white light that Chongxin had unleashed, Zhang Ping still felt lingering fear.
"Could it be the power of a Bone Forging Realm martial artist?"
With the aid of the Ghost Blade's divine power, he had already reached the edge of the Refining Realm, and knew that no Refining Realm martial artist possessed such power.
"Is half a step into Bone Forging this terrifying?"
Suppressing his speculations about the Bone Forging Realm, he got up and determined his location.
Drifting downstream, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'm on the right track back to Songping County. Another ten days to half a month's journey, crossing two more mountains, should get me there.
"Never mind, filling our stomachs is the most important thing."
Zhang Ping shook his head and smiled bitterly, his face contorted with embarrassment. This attack had really screwed him over.
Rushing to defend against the monstrous beasts, they left nothing behind. The materials gathered at Ghost Cloud Mountain, and even the longsword, were all lost. [A major foreshadowing]
Especially that longsword that can seal the heart of the mountain swamp, it must be some kind of divine weapon.
"What a pity, what a real pity..."
After casually hunting two wild animals, Zhang Ping started a fire.
As night fell, the surrounding area was deserted for miles around, with only the roars of wild beasts echoing in the air.
Fortunately, there were no powerful demons lurking nearby, otherwise he would have had to flee in panic again.
"I wonder if Brother Qin and Sister Quan Hong have escaped danger..."
He was tearing at the roasted meat in his hand, muttering to himself, when he suddenly saw the water churning on the river beside him.
Zhang Ping immediately threw away the roasted meat, stood up warily, and was ready to flee at any moment. The wilderness of this world was too dangerous, with unpredictable demons and monsters, and even more bizarre beasts that ate human flesh.
When he saw what was happening in the river, he was stunned.
"The curator?!"
A figure broke through the water and landed heavily on the shore.
Chongxin also saw Zhang Ping, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, clearly not expecting him to have survived the turmoil.
"Master, what's wrong with you..." Zhang Ping stepped forward to examine Chongxin, his gaze sweeping over the wounds all over his body, with a bloody hole in his chest from which blood was still seeping out.
"Cough cough... Have you seen anyone else?" Chongxin had barely opened his mouth when he coughed up two mouthfuls of blood.
He was badly injured in the battle with the two ferocious beasts. Even a half-step Bone Forging Realm cultivator couldn't withstand it, let alone the fact that the water was the two beasts' home ground.
"I didn't see it." The two sat down by the fire, and Zhang Ping shook his head, not going into details about their escape.
Chongxin didn't press the matter further. His gaze shifted slightly, revealing a hidden meaning. What he was plotting in his heart remained a mystery to everyone.
"Master, please have something to eat." Zhang Ping was truly surprised to run into Chongxin here, and was momentarily embarrassed, unsure of what to say.
However, it would be good to meet someone who knows the way; otherwise, it would be quite a hassle to find Songping County on one's own.
"No rush. Zhang Ping, what level have you reached now?" Chongxin stared intently at him, his probing intent undisguised.
Zhang Ping's heart sank, but he forced a smile: "I just broke through to the mid-stage of Body Tempering a few days ago, but I'm stuck now. I'm afraid I'll have to settle down for a while before I can make any further progress."
Chongxin remained silent, simply gazing at him quietly.
The atmosphere suddenly became eerie. Zhang Ping tensed up.
"Come back with me."
"Huh? Go back where?" He didn't react for a moment.
Chongxin stood up: "The creatures that attacked us earlier were strange beasts with the bloodline of black dragons. I killed one of them, and it sank to the bottom of the river. Its single horn is extremely valuable, but the other one is guarding the corpse. I am still recovering from my injuries, and it will not be easy for me to deal with it alone."
"You will come with me." The tone left no room for argument, and the gaze was fixed firmly on Zhang Ping's body. This was no longer a discussion, but an order, or rather, coercion.
"...Okay." Zhang Ping hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to go.
However, he couldn't tell how much strength Chongxin still possessed, or whether he could defeat him in a fight, given the immense power of Chongxin's previous Rotating Divine Skill.
He nodded slowly.
……
The night was dark.
The two quickly reached the section of the river where the battle had taken place. Along the way, Zhang Ping secretly observed Chongxin's condition. On the surface, his injuries seemed minor, but his true condition was hard to say.
This battle completely shattered the bond between the two.
Chongxin noticed his gaze but didn't care. He was just a Body Tempering Realm apprentice; if he dared to resist, he would be killed.
What's more, Zhang Ping from Lishan Town ruined his plans.
"Go into the water." Chongxin pointed to the dark, murky river surface.
The night was dark, and large numbers of dead black fish floated motionless on the surface of the water. The carnivorous fish had long since fled, and the shadowy figures of enormous corpses could be vaguely seen sinking into the depths of the river.
"Hmm?" Seeing Zhang Ping hesitate, Chongxin glanced at him coldly.
Suppressing his anger, Zhang Ping slowly made his way to the riverbank and leaped into the water.
Just as he entered the water, Chongxin on the shore suddenly swung out a palm, his powerful qi and blood slamming fiercely into the dark figure in the water!
The shadowy figure was instantly startled, and its enormous eyes, as big as lanterns, snapped open!
With a single palm strike, Chongxin didn't hesitate, turning and speeding away into the distance at an astonishing pace.
Caught off guard by the aftershocks of the qi and blood, Zhang Ping was left alone, with Chongxin nowhere to be found, and he was locked on by the unicorn beast.
Enraged, he cursed, "You old bastard! I'll fuck your wife to death!" Before the curse had even finished, the fox spirit's concealment activated instantly.
Instead of fleeing to the shore, he twisted his body like an eel, channeling the power of the water and plunging rapidly into the depths of the river.
The unicorn roared deafeningly, its sonic attacks relentlessly pursuing it!
If he gets bogged down by this attack, with his current strength, he'll be badly injured even if he doesn't die! Plus, that old bastard on the shore is watching him like a hawk; if he's not careful, he'll be done for today.
He had already cursed all eighteen generations of his ancestors in his heart. He did not activate his divine power state, but only pushed the power of the beast patterns all over his body to the limit.
With one chasing and the other fleeing, the unicorn was quickly lured away.
On the riverbank, Chongxin witnessed this scene, a shrewd smile playing on his lips. Fortunately, he encountered Zhang Ping; otherwise, this one-horned unicorn might have slipped through his fingers.
He stroked his beard triumphantly, then plunged into the water, dove to the giant fish's corpse, and with a chop of his hand, severed its single horn.
As the horn detached from the body, its color quickly turned black, and the tip of the horn flaked off.
Upon seeing this extraordinary sight, Chongxin was overjoyed!
"That's right! It really is that race! They haven't been wiped out!"
Unicorn Arowana!
This is an extremely ancient mythical beast, almost extinct in the Wei Kingdom, having been hunted to near extinction! For decades, no trace of it has been heard of, only degenerate black fish are everywhere, with vastly different values.
"With this unicorn dragonfish, not only can injuries be healed, but breaking through to the Bone Forging Realm is also possible!"
"At that time, I, Chongxin, will surely have a place in the capital!"
His face was filled with undisguised ecstasy.
However, the next moment, his expression changed drastically!
The unicorn dragonfish that had left has actually returned!
"Damn it! How could it be so fast?!" he cursed, desperately trying to muster his remaining strength and rush toward the shore.
He was too late! He was trapped on the river by the unicorn dragonfish.
Looking at the riverbank just a few hundred meters away, Chongxin's face was ashen.
"You beast! Since you're courting death, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
A great battle erupted!
Both sides were at their last gasp, but Chongxin's situation was even more perilous, with every move in the fight potentially fatal.
The river, which had been quiet for half a day, began to boil and surge again.
The chest wound bled profusely with each violent movement, severely impairing blood circulation. Chongxin knew that if he delayed any longer, he would surely die; he had to act quickly!
"You beast, die!"
He let out a low roar, gathered all his remaining strength, and charged fiercely at the unicorn dragon fish!
Having lost its mate's horn, the unicorn arowana had already gone berserk. Its massive body, topped with the pale horn, charged forward with equal ferocity!
In the darkness, a blinding red light of blood and qi suddenly exploded, illuminating the night sky.
a long time……
Panting, Chongxin struggled to climb ashore, his life force nearly exhausted.
On the river, the unicorn dragonfish barely floated on the surface, its pale horn on its head dull and lifeless.
"Hmph, I'll spare your life today." In the end, he won.
Chongxin looked at the unicorn in his hand, a smug smile spreading across his face.
Just as he was about to turn and leave,
His body suddenly froze.
He mechanically lowered his head and looked down at his feet.
Two streams of water emerged silently from the river surface, like supple ropes wrapping around his ankles, firmly imprisoning him in place.
"It's been a long time, my dear curator..."
A deep voice came from behind him. Chongxin turned around abruptly.
His pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints!
In the darkness, the river waters surged and rose like living things, coalescing in mid-air to form a menacing throne.
The water flowed like swirling mist.
A massive figure sat majestically on the throne, his aura mysterious and unpredictable.
Three-meter giant.
The moment he saw that face clearly, Chongxin could no longer contain himself.
A roar bursting with shock and rage ripped through the night sky:
"Who exactly are you?!"