Martial Cultivator

Chen Yi’s cultivation realm was not high, so no matter how hoarse he made his voice, it was destined not to carry very far. In the end, only the two cultivators guarding the mountain gate actually heard him.

”Mountains and Rivers Sect?”

That cultivator cast a cold glance at Chen Chao’s group and sneered, “You mean that Mountains and Rivers Sect that shamelessly sent its disciples to the Divine Capital so that Great Liang would shelter them? How does it feel to be someone’s dog? Pretty good, doesn’t it?”

Although Chen Yi was extremely polite in front of Chen Chao, that did not mean he had a good temper. Hearing this cultivator mock them so openly, he immediately snapped, “What did you say?”

That cultivator looked at Chen Yi indifferently and said without mercy, “Get lost already. Asking for Genglou Mountain? Do you really think that with Great Liang backing you, you’re something special? If you want Genglou Mountain, you can go back and ask that martial artist to come in person to demand it. If he doesn’t dare come, what’s the point of saying all this?”

That cultivator knew quite a bit. His words were forceful, leaving Chen Yi unable to retort.

He could only turn his head back toward Chen Chao as if asking for help.

Chen Chao stepped forward and said with a smile, “Genglou Mountain originally belonged to Mountains and Rivers Sect. Purple Leaf Grotto seized it for so many years; it is time to return it. Debts are repaid, this is only natural. Yet listening to Fellow Daoist, it sounds as if you find this completely unimportant.”

That cultivator shot Chen Chao a sideways glance and sneered, “What are you supposed to be, daring to say such things in front of me? Do you really think that just because your Mountains and Rivers Sect has latched onto Great Liang, you’re no longer worthless?”

Chen Chao shook his head and said softly, “Principle is principle. It does not change because of anything else.”

The cultivator sneered, “All talk only? If you really have the ability, then fight your way up the mountain right now. Go ask the Grotto Lord whether he’s willing to return Genglou Mountain to you!”

Chen Chao let out a sigh.

Behind him, Chen Yi poked He Liang a few times and asked in a low voice, somewhat puzzled, “Fellow Daoist He, why is the Lord Warden Commander being so mild? Could it be that the rumors outside are really false, and the Lord Warden Commander has, from beginning to end, always been someone with an extremely good temper?”

He Liang thought about it and could not figure it out either. Even if his master was indeed fairly easygoing in front of them, it should not be like this.

“Master’s temper should be fairly good.”

In the end, He Liang could only say this, though in truth he himself was not very certain.

Chen Yi sighed with emotion, “It really is hard to believe. The Lord Warden Commander governs an entire nation, holds such high rank and authority, yet is actually this easygoing. It seems those earlier rumors really were untrue. Although it is true that some sects have been wiped out under the Lord Warden Commander’s hand, I imagine it was because those people were simply too relentless. The Lord Warden Commander was probably forced into it.”

But just as Chen Yi finished speaking, he saw Chen Chao walk to within less than ten feet of the two cultivators and say patiently, “Things owed to others must be repaid.”

As soon as those words fell, that cultivator only gave a cold laugh. “Courting death.”

He attacked instantly, but just as his qi began to surge, a hand seized his throat, lifted him up, and smashed him straight onto the mountain path.

The other cultivator’s expression changed slightly and he was about to make a move as well, but even that thought alone was enough for Chen Chao to send him flying with a single slap.

Then this Lord Warden Commander turned around, beckoned to the others, and said, “Up the mountain.”

He Liang glanced at the two corpses on the mountain path and was left speechless.

Chen Yi gave an awkward smile. No matter how one looked at it, it was Purple Leaf Grotto that was in the wrong first.

Still, as for this Lord Warden Commander’s temper, saying it was good seemed reasonable, and saying it was bad also seemed reasonable.

The group of four ascended the mountain at an unhurried pace. Chen Chao deliberately slowed his steps, not in a rush at all, as if he were intentionally waiting for Purple Leaf Grotto to react.

Chen Yi asked curiously, “Lord Warden Commander, today’s matter of demanding Genglou Mountain, will it not go smoothly?”

Originally, according to his thinking, as long as Chen Chao appeared in person and announced the title of Lord Warden Commander, Purple Leaf Grotto would naturally and obediently present Genglou Mountain. But judging from the attitude of those two guarding cultivators, Purple Leaf Grotto had likely long known that Mountains and Rivers Sect and Great Liang would be joined by marriage, yet they still did not seem to fear the Great Liang Dynasty in the slightest.

Why?

In theory, even the Infatuation Daoist Temple was extremely wary of Great Liang. Could this Purple Leaf Grotto really have more nerve than Infatuation Daoist Temple?

Chen Yi could not figure it out.

Chen Chao said calmly, “Things that have already been swallowed are difficult to spit back out in the first place. What’s more, this Purple Leaf Grotto has other intentions.”

Xu Qiu said with some worry, “Other intentions? Does the Lord Warden Commander truly intend to venture into danger alone?”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Purple Leaf Grotto wants to gamble. Then this official will accompany them for a round.”

After continuing up the mountain, they could faintly hear the sound of bells ringing.

Chen Chao raised his head and saw figures flickering along the mountain path. Quite a few daoists swept down from above, each stepping on special foreign lands, clearly part of some kind of formation.

From this, it seemed that either Purple Leaf Grotto had been guarding against Chen Chao coming to cause trouble all these years and had long made preparations, or else this Purple Leaf Grotto truly was not a hollow name, with deep foundations, and had long been prepared for outsiders forcing their way up the mountain.

Chen Chao could feel that after stepping into the mountain gate, waves of aura rose throughout Mt. Tai Xuan.

At this moment, when Chen Chao looked up again, he saw a gigantic purple leaf slowly appear in the sky. From that purple leaf, countless purple lines spread outward, and in the end they faded from sight, impossible to perceive.

This was the mountain-protecting grand formation being activated.

Chen Chao gave a self-mocking smile. “Looks like we’re all going to be treated as turtles in a jar.”

Once a mountain-protecting grand formation was activated, it naturally meant that the few of them were being treated as turtles in a jar.

To be more precise, it was Chen Chao who was being treated as the turtle in a jar. As for the others, Purple Leaf Grotto likely did not take them seriously at all.

Chen Chao stopped and looked toward the purple-robed daoists who appeared on the mountain path. There were a full sixteen of them. Fifteen were at the Great Beyond Realm, and among them, the purple-robed daoist whose robe was a deeper shade was a daoist sage

“We came to ask for Genglou Mountain. What is the meaning of this?! Not wanting to return the mountain is one thing, but are you planning to kill people as well?”

Noticing Chen Chao’s gaze, Chen Yi quickly understood and spoke up.

The purple-robed daoist standing at the center said coldly, “Chen Chao, you come to my Purple Leaf Grotto to kill people, yet you don’t dare report your own name, and instead hide behind Mountains and Rivers Sect?”

Chen Chao smiled and said, “I just heard those two say that if one wants to demand Genglou Mountain, then this official has to come in person and fight all the way up?”

The purple-robed daoist sneered. “If you truly have that ability, then giving you this Mt. Tai Xuan wouldn’t be impossible either.”

Chen Chao gave an “oh,” nodded, and said, “Alright then. This official will reluctantly accept this Mt. Tai Xuan. But let me say this first: this official is not good at fighting, I only know how to kill.”

The purple-robed daoist merely let out a mocking laugh and said nothing.

Chen Chao laughed freely and said, “Since you’ve already made up your minds to wait for this official to come up the mountain, now that this official is here, what are you standing around for? Are you planning to send people one group at a time to wear this official down with lives, or are you going to swarm all at once? Anyway, you’ve already activated the mountain-protecting grand array. However you kill this official, outsiders won’t know. In this official’s view, you might as well all come at once, to avoid dragging things out..”

Before the words had finished, Chen Chao was no longer where he stood. His figure vanished directly from the spot, and when he appeared again, he was already in front of that purple-robed daoist. Chen Chao did not waste words and simply threw a punch.

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