Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue watched without blinking. They never thought Long Feiye would be so good at fistfighting. Gu Qishao and Bai Yanqing’s jaws had already dropped at the sight.
“Long Feiye, you seemed to have met your nemesis,” Gu Qishao muttered to himself.
Bai Yanqing was full of doubts. He finally remembered the man who rescued Mu xin from his clutches. He was certain he had killed that man, an orphan of the Poison Sect. Could he have anything to do with these people?
Soon enough, Long Feiye and the white-robe man’s movements had turned into a blur. They were fighting with both legs and fists in mid-air, their figures like wind or shadows as they vied in the skies.
“Princess, if it’s hand-to-hand combat, His Highness and this man are evenly matched. His Highness won’t suffer large losses,” Gu Beiyue muttered.
“Even so, they can’t keep dragging this on!” Han Yunxi was getting restless. She had no idea who the white-robed man was or his origins, which made her worried. If that man decided he was unhappy and used poison against Long Feiye, it’d only take a few minutes to take effect! She refused to see Long Feiye in any danger.
Her brain scoured for solutions as she watched, hoping to find a way to stop them. She wanted to know if this man was friend or foe. But after wracking her thoughts, she came up with nothing.
At this moment, a fist punched Long Feiye in the gut, sending him tumbling from the air.
“Long Feiye!” Han Yunxi shrieked. She ran towards him, forgetting all about the invisible wall. Unexpectedly, she managed to reach him without any obstacles.
The sealed dimension had disappeared. Gu Beiyue hurried over as well, only to see blood trickling from Long Feiye’s mouth as he sported a ghastly complexion. A worried Han Yunxi used the detox system to scan him before being certain that he hadn’t been poisoned.
“It’s only an internal injury, no big deal,” Long Feiye murmured. He refused help from Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue to stand up on his own, then cupped his fist at the white-robed man. “This one has lost.”
Perhaps the observers couldn’t tell, but Long Feiye was very clear that this man was extremely strong. Whether it was internal energy or martial arts moves, they exceeded all his expectations. He never thought Cloud Realm Continent would house such a high-level expert.
The white-robed man slowly straightened out his clothes. He didn’t pay Long Feiye any particular attention, but fixed his gaze on Han Yunxi and said coldly, “What’s your name?”
Han Yunxi’s expression was ugly as she ached for Long Feiye’s sake. Although Long Feiye said he was all right, how could that bleeding be anything so trivial? She examined the man and demanded moodily, “Who are you? What’s your name? It’s not like we charged in here on purpose. Furthermore, I have a right to be here as the Poison Sect’s descendant. Who gave you the right to beat people up?!”
“Those who are inferior deserve to be beaten,” the white-robed man replied coldly.
“You!” Han Yunxi was fuming. She retorted, “Does that you get to beat up anyone inferior to you?”
“If the son-in-law of I, Han Chen, is inferior, then he deserves to be beaten,” Han Chen[1] said coldly.
Han Yunxi’s group was stunned.
Son-in-law?
Could it be…
“Isn’t my father dead?” Han Yunxi looked at Bai Yanqing in astonishment.
Did Bai Yanqing lie to us?
Bai Yanqing was firmly gagged by the vines and couldn’t speak. He furiously shook his head, showing that he was ignorant too.
Han Chen waved his hand to dismiss the sealed dimension. The fields and cloudy blue skies all vanished, leaving a vast underground hall in its wake. Around them on the walls were a mosaic of luminous night pearls that illuminated the s.p.a.ce like day. As the white-robed man vanished from sight, Lil Thing gave a shriek and scampered forward. Han Yunxi and the rest chased after it, with Gu Qishao carrying Bai Yanqing on his back. After pa.s.sing through a few tunnels, they entered a towering palace hall. There was a magnificent altar in the room while the walls were covered in luminous night pearls and multicolored gemstones, making it appear like a jewelry box.
The center of the hall had a tall platform, on top of white laid a framework of large white bones--the remains of the snow wolves. Lil Thing had long ran to the bones and was now hugging them while wailing with tears.
This was the true grave of the snow wolves!
Although they were nothing but bones now, the pile of skeletons still inspired respect in people’s hearts. The reverence wasn’t just for the snow wolves, but the mysterious powers of Mother Nature. Currently, Han Chen was standing on the platform. Unlike Gu Beiyue’s ethereal white robes, Han Chen’s were lined with a golden collar and sleeves. Beneath the top layer was an embroidered hem of gold, adding to his mysterious and distinguished air.
No matter where he stood, he always looked high and lofty, an indifferent G.o.d peering down upon mortals.
He loomed over Han Yunxi as he spoke. “This Honorable One is the priest of the Snow Wolf Clan. It was one of my subordinates who rescued your mother by chance. You are this Honorable One’s daughter and the blood that flows in your vein is the pure line of the Blood Wolf Tribe. It has nothing to do with the Poison Sect.
“Wait for me at the sacrificial altar in ten years’ time and I’ll teach you the art of sealing dimensions. Once you’ve mastered it, stay here to guard against attackers and cultivate.”
Everyone was shocked by his words. He really is Han Yunxi’s father? But why did Bai Yanqing say her father was already dead? Back then...just what happened?
Bai Yanqing’s reaction was highly exaggerated. He struggled as he attempted to brea free of the vines gagging him. Seeing this, Gu Qishao hesitated before freeing his mouth.
Bai Yanqing instantly shouted at Han Chen, “Just who are you? You’re lying! All priests of the Snow Wolf Clan were female. In the past, those priestesses married into the Poison Sect. The Snow Wolf Clan has long since stopped existing, so there’s nothing but the Poison Sect in this world! Only the Poison Sect!”
Han Chen finally deigned to look at Bai Yanqing. He was neither angry nor amused, his tone flat. “You’re the direct bloodline descendant of the Poison Sect?”
“Exactly! This old man has inherited the poison storage s.p.a.ce!”[2] Bai Yanqing proclaimed loudly.
Han Chen suddenly laughed. It was only a soft chuckle, but that proud and light sound made others feel instantly inferior. Bai Yanqing looked at him as his heart began to waver with dread.
“The Snow Wolf Clan has both Light and Dark priests. The Light Priests wors.h.i.+pped the snow wolves while the Dark Priests wors.h.i.+pped Heaven and Earth. The Light Priests were in charge of all affairs related to the Blood Wolf Tribe while we Dark Priests never got involved with matters of the secular world. When the Snow Wolf Clan was annihilated, our Dark Priests departed to the Mysterious Continent to track down the origins of the l.u.s.tbite energy. After generations of hard work, we have already staked out our own territory in the Mysterious Continent and established the Wolf Sect. In comparison, the useless Light Priests were reduced to intermarriage with the Poison Sect and lost everything.”
Han Chen looked at Bai Yanqing before his lips quirked into a smile. In a flash, he was standing in front of the man and bending down to grab him by his collar. Coldly he declared, “Your bloodline is already tainted, so you have no right to holler at this Honorable One. If you don’t shut up, I have ways to kill you even without the l.u.s.tbite energy.”
A formless energy emanated from his hand gripping Bai Yanqing, stunning the man into silence. He could clearly sense the invisible power threatening his life. Behind him, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi were equally dumbfounded. Whatever power Han Chen possessed was clearly superior to the l.u.s.tbite energy, which was why he could kill Bai Yanqing if he wished.
Gu Qishao croaked, “The Mysterious Continent is located beyond the Ice Sea north of the Wintercrow Clan. It’s a world where martial prowess takes precedence...”[3]
Han Yunxi had never heard of that continent, but Long Feiye had. He once wondered whether the l.u.s.tbite energy came from such a place, but now it seemed his guesses were right.[4] In Cloud Realm Continent, l.u.s.tbite energy was already considered the strongest form of power, but it probably didn’t even touch the higher ranks of strength on the Mysterious Continent. At most, it’d take a middling rank. Since Han Chen referred to himself as “Honorable One,” he had to hold a high rank in the Mysterious Continent’s Wolf Sect.
Bai Yanqing was so sh.e.l.lshocked that his heart began to tremble, but he couldn’t help but ask, “What is your relations.h.i.+p with Mu Xin?”
Could it be that she betrayed me long ago for this man? That’s why she used the excuse of enmity between the nations to reject me?
Bai Yanqing couldn’t accept such a truth! Back when he was with Mu Xin, he had done his share of crooked deeds, but Mu Xin said she forgave him already! Had she been lying to him? With methods like these?
Bai Yanqing felt like an idiot. Unresigned to the possibility, he hollered, “What’s going on? When did you and Mu Xin meet? Speak!”
“Heheh, earlier than you,” Han Chen replied expressionlessly.
Bai Yanqing froze. Before he could speak, Han Chen hauled him up by the collar and threw him aside. He crashed against the wall and slumped down, unconscious. The simple toss belied the ma.s.sive strength that Long Feiye and the others could sense.
“What a racket. Take him away,” Han Chen said icily.
A few black-robed men immediately appeared to drag Bai Yanqing out of sight. He might have been nearly insane with rage, but Han Yunxi was still rational. She asked, “You’re lying. You just said meeting my mother was a coincidence, but now you’re claiming you knew her long ago. Which one’s the truth?”
If they knew each other before, why didn’t this guy save Mu Xin if he was so strong? And why didn’t he ever look for me over the past few years?
Han Chen ignored Han Yunxi and walked to a tea table. Puzzled and angry, Han Yunxi chased after him and asked, “What’s going on? If you’re my father, why would you let mother marry into the Han family? Why didn’t you bother with me for all these years? Are you still a man? You have the face to call yourself my father? Were you enjoying yourself, watching Bai Yanqing bullying us?”
Han Chen looked at the woman before him. It was a long time before he finally said, “You’re nothing like me and even less like your mother.”
“You sound as if you know my mother very well,” Han Yunxi said. Her mocking words were meant to probe him for answers.
But Han Chen remained unaffected. He simply said, “La.s.s, you can consider to have pa.s.sed the Wolf Sect’s test. Leave now. Find me again in ten years.”
Han Yunxi was going to ask him more questions, but his words thoroughly incensed her. She coldly retorted, “If you don’t tell me what’s going on now, I’ll go to the Mysterious Continent myself. I’m sure the Wolf Sect members know the truth!”
Han Chen’s gaze grew frosty. “La.s.s, are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m giving you a warning!” Han Yunxi shot back.
1. Han Chen (韩尘) - Chen means “of the mortal coil,” more or less.
2. There’s a bit of Chinese here that doesn’t make sense, talking about “three orders” or “three levels,” so I decided to leave it out. Whatever he meant, he wouldn’t impress Han Chen anyways.
3. In other words, a very typical male MC cultivation kind of power-struggle world!
4. This seems to be a continuity error because GQS clearly suggested the group all run away to the Mysterious Continent while HYX was being threatened by General Mu to become a voluntary hostage. HYX didn’t seem surprised by the mention of the continent then.