The Chen Clan was currently bustling as the entire Mansion was filled with dense amounts of figures that were das.h.i.+ng about, and they were shouting out to their children in a confused mess.
These were the family, disciples, servants, and so on and so forth of the various powers of Pine Mist City. For the sake of avoiding the invasion of the pack of beasts, they could only temporarily leave their homes and hide within the Chen Clan that was protected by the Grand Qi Atomic Sword Formation.
But the number of people was indeed a little bit on the high side. Amongst the powers of Pine Mist City, larger powers had a few thousand people, whereas smaller powers had a few hundred people. When all of them swarmed to move into the Chen Clan on the same day, how bustling the Chen Clan was at this moment was obvious.
Fortunately, the bags of valuables of these people could be stored within storage Magic Treasures, so even though 10,000 plus people had gathered in the Chen Clan Mansion, it didn’t seem to be crowded.
But this caused the attendants and the servants of the Chen Clan to be extremely busy. They had to distribute houses and residences, had to help maintain order, and sometimes they even had to help people of other clans find their children that had been lost within the crowd, causing them to seem as if they wished for nothing more than to grow another pair of hands and legs.
“G.o.d d.a.m.n Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, if you continue running about, then watch out or you’ll be eaten by demon beasts!
“Little Brother, may I know if you can arrange our residence? Oh, these are some spirit stones, it’s just a little token of my respect, please accept it.”
“What? There aren’t enough residences? We have to build our own houses on the practice grounds? Alright, we can only do that. You over there, go cut some rocks. I need them to be in cubes and bound together to build a house!”
A chaotic mess of voices clamored in the sky above the Chen Clan Mansion, and this had also become the only bustling place in the entire Pine Mist City, whereas, the other areas of the city had become deathly silent long ago and only some wild dogs were running about.
Amidst this clamorous atmosphere, Chen Xi and Mu Kui returned.
Swoos.h.!.+
When they saw Chen Xi, the dense ma.s.s of people on the way had automatically moved aside to form a straight path as the clamorous voices became silent along with this, and all their gazes carried dense reverence and respect as they looked at Chen Xi.
Most of the people here were seeing Chen Xi for the first time in many years, and when they saw the Jinx that everyone ridiculed in the past had grown to become a legendary figure of Pine Mist City now, everyone gasped repeatedly with admiration in their hearts.
There were even some people that regretted having ridiculed and insulted Chen Xi in the past and felt fearful because of this; there were also some people that beat their chest and stomped their feet from the regret of not forming a friendly relations.h.i.+p with Chen Xi all those years ago. The expressions of all living creatures in the world had been fully revealed at this moment.
But when they saw the jade green eyed Mu Kui whose body emitted a trace of faint demonic qi as he followed closely behind Chen Xi, everyone present was shocked in their hearts.
A demon cultivator!
And it’s even a Golden Core Realm greater demon!
Some people with discerning gazes had instantly discerned Mu Kui’s ident.i.ty and cultivation, causing them to feel their scalps go numb, and they almost didn’t dare believe their eyes. Why is a Golden Core Realm greater demon following behind Chen Xi?
Most shocking to them was the when this greater demon followed behind Chen Xi, he had his head lowered with an obedient expression on his face, and he simply seemed like a loyal servant and didn’t possess the slightest bearing of a Golden Core Realm expert.
What’s going on?
Could it be that Chen Xi has subdued this Golden Core Realm greater demon?
When they thought up to here, Chen Xi’s strength became even deeper and more unfathomable in their hearts, and their hearts even carried a trace of blind adoration. Who in Pine Mist City could compete with a figure that could subdue a Golden Core Realm greater demon as his servant?
In the crowd was a pretty young woman that was hesitating over and over again before finally summoning the courage and decided to say h.e.l.lo to Chen Xi. However, right when she intended to shout out, she was stopped by the white clothed young man by her side instead, and he said via voice transmission in a low voice, “Junior Sister, Chen Xi can’t be compared to the past now. Perhaps he has already forgotten us. How embarra.s.sing would it be if you go greet him and he doesn’t recognize you.”
The pretty young woman was stunned, and then she looked at the young man with an honest appearance and said via voice transmission, “Senior Brother Qu, you think like this as well?”
The young man with an honest appearance hesitated for a moment before nodding as well.
These two men and one woman were no one else but the Redleaf Inst.i.tution’s Lu Shaocong, Qu Cheng, and Duan Ying. The three of them had once been surrounded by a pack of Silverwind Leopards in the outer area of the Southern Barbaric Mountain Range, and they were rescued by Chen Xi, allowing them to be lucky enough to keep their lives.
Moreover, during the Southern Barbaric Nether Domain trials, Duan Ying was almost killed by the Li Clan’s Eldest Young Master, Li Huai, and at the critical moment, it was Chen Xi who pa.s.sed by that had saved her.
To Duan Ying, Chen Xi had undoubtedly allowed her to regain her life twice, and her heart was filled with grat.i.tude that contained reverence and admiration towards Chen Xi. At this moment, when she suddenly saw Chen Xi, she naturally felt it difficult to restrain the excitement in her heart, and she wanted to greet Chen Xi and convey her thanks.
But when she saw Lu Shaocong and Qu Cheng objecting her decision, she hesitated once more. Right, Chen Xi’s strength is formidable and surpa.s.ses all the cultivators in Pine Mist City now, and he has even become sworn brothers with the Supreme Elder of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect. His status is extremely lofty, causing him to already not be someone I can have a friends.h.i.+p with as someone of the same generation. If I act rashly and disturb him now, then not to mention anything else, what should I do if Chen Xi doesn’t recognize me?
“Seven or eight years have pa.s.sed already, I’m afraid Chen Xi already doesn’t remember the relations.h.i.+ps from the past. Not to mention we and Chen Xi were strangers that met by chance, and we’d even received his help on many occasions. How could we dare go disturb him?” Lu Shaocong sighed. He wanted to cling onto his friends.h.i.+p with Chen Xi as well, but unfortunately, reality was something he was unable to resist as well.
“He’s walking over!” said Qu Cheng abruptly.
Lu Shaocong and Duan Ying were stunned, and then they raised their eyes to look over in unison. Sure enough, they saw Chen Xi was already less than 3m away from their group, and they couldn’t help but think in their hearts. Will… Will he recognize me?
At this moment, even if they’d already mentally prepared themselves to be disregarded by Chen Xi since long ago, their hearts still disappointed them and started thumping, and they felt as if time had stopped, causing them to feel both antic.i.p.ation and at a loss.
However, to their disappointment, Chen Xi didn’t recognize the three of them, and he instead brushed past them and walked forward.
So he really doesn’t remember me anymore…
Lu Shaocong, Qu Cheng, and Duan Ying felt an indescribable sense of loss in their hearts. They even acutely noticed that their fellow disciples behind them looked at them with a gaze that had become peculiar, and it seemed like they were mocking and ridiculing them, causing them to feel even more awful in their hearts.
“If I knew earlier, I wouldn’t have told them. Now we’ve become a joke instead. How can we lift our heads up in the Redleaf Inst.i.tution in the future?” Duan Ying was extremely upset, and she regretted that she’d told these fellow disciples about some of her connections with Chen Xi.
“Now that it has come to this, you don’t have to be depressed, Junior Brother Duan. After all, we and Chen Xi aren’t people on the same path any longer.” Lu Shaocong consoled.
“Alas.” Qu Cheng sighed heavily instead.
Right when the three of them were upset, they suddenly felt the surrounding atmosphere had become strange, and it seemed that the gazes of everyone present had looked over towards them, causing them to be slightly perplexed.
“After parting for so many years, you three are still together.” A warm voice resounded out by their ears, and when they raised their heads, they noticed that Chen Xi was suddenly standing before them!
“You… Why have you come back again?” Duan Ying asked foolishly as she’d already been shocked by this scene to the point her mind went blank.
“Sorry, I was constantly thinking of things earlier, and I didn’t pay attention over here.” Chen Xi spoke apologetically. He was indeed thinking about things earlier. Because of the appearance of the ancient FiendG.o.d, he had to deal with it carefully, and it was only by Mu Kui’s reminder that he noticed the three of them.
It wasn’t strange that Mu Kui would remind him as the expressions and auras of Lu Shaocong’s group of three were different from the others because of their excitement, so it naturally drew his attention, causing him to report it to Chen Xi.
“We three are good friends in Redleaf Inst.i.tution, so we’ve always stayed together.” Lu Shaocong hurriedly replied, and he seemed to be happy that Chen Xi didn’t disregard him.
“Mmm, mmm.” The honest Qu Cheng only nodded, and he seemed to be excited to the point he was even unable to speak.
It wasn’t only they who felt excited as a layer of great waves had even arisen within Chen Xi’s heart, and it was unable to calm down. When he saw Lu Shaocong’s group of three, he unconsciously recalled all the things in the past, the Zhang General Store’s Uncle Zhang, the Clear Stream Restaurant’s Old Man Ma, Pei Pei, and Qiao Nan… Presently, all of these people were gone.
“Reuniting is fate. I don’t have any good things to give all of you, but these are three sets of yellow-rank Magic Treasures and some medicinal pills utilized for cultivating, and they’re of great a.s.sistance to your cultivation’s breakthrough.” As he spoke, Chen Xi casually flipped his hand, causing some bracers, armors, shoes, jade pendants, and other various Magic Treasures to appear. All of them were at the rank of top-grade yellow-rank with the aura of treasures circulating about them and coiled by mist. There were also a few pill bottles of extraordinary appearance that contained some medicinal pills within them. All of these were things he’d plundered from the corpses of his enemies during these years and had never made a specific inventory of them, and he’d always piled them up within the Buddha’s PaG.o.da, as they were the most convenient things to use as gifts.
“This won’t do, it’s too precious!” All of them were almost blinded by this scene, and they declined repeatedly without end.
When the surrounding people saw this scene, all of them stared their eyes wide open, and their gazes were filled with admiration. All of these Magic Treasures were at the top-grade yellow-rank, and they were all in sets. Coupled with the medicinal pills within those jade bottles, its worth was simply beyond estimation!
Of course, this was the view of the people in the surroundings. In Chen Xi’s eyes, he had no use of these Magic Treasures, and their value wasn’t really great.
“Take it. They’re useless if I keep them.” Chen Xi spoke with an undeniable tone. Along with Uncle Zhang, Old Man Ma, and the others peris.h.i.+ng from the calamity that struck them, he already didn’t have many friends in Pine Mist City. At this moment, when he saw these three old friends, besides sighing with emotion in his heart, he wanted to help them.
All three of them refused once more before accepting it as things that Chen Xi could give away wouldn’t be anything inferior. Not to mention Chen Xi had given out these gifts because he took them as friends, and this was his friendly feelings, so they didn’t have any reason to refuse anymore.
After chatting idly for a short moment, Chen Xi bid his farewells before walking towards the main hall. He wanted to discuss the matter of the ancient FiendG.o.d with Chen Hao as this matter had great implications, and it wasn’t good for him to continue concealing it.
Once Chen Xi left, the scene instantly went into an uproar.
“Junior Sister Duan, so it turns out that you really have a friends.h.i.+p with Chen Xi!”
“Good gracious! It’s an entire set of top-grade yellow-rank Magic Treasures, what extravagance!”
“Junior Sister Duan, let me see exactly what medicinal pill is in those jade bottles. Since it’s capable of a.s.sisting in the breakthrough of one’s cultivation, this type of medicinal pill can only be bought in large cities like Dragon Lake City.”
All the fellow disciples of Redleaf Inst.i.tution gushed over successively and surrounded Lu Shaocong, Qu Cheng, and Duan Ying as all of them spoke out at once, and all their words revealed dense admiration.
The three of them instead maintained their composure as they put away the treasures with glowing faces, and they didn’t say anything further, yet they were thinking excitedly in their hearts. Chen Xi agreed to invite us for a drink tonight. What should we talk about at that time?
——
“Ancient FiendG.o.d?” In the main hall, Chen Hao was horrified and almost didn’t dare believe his ears.
“It ought to be true. I’ve decided that I’ll head to the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect later. I’ll ask Big Brother Bei Heng to personally make a trip here and see if he has a plan to resist the enemy. If we’re really unable to resist it, then we’ll quickly make preparations to evacuate from Pine Mist City.” Chen Xi spoke slowly.
“But the clansmen of the various powers are at our Chen Clan. If we evacuate, then not to mention we’ll be dragging along a lot of people, our speed will be too slow. If that ancient FiendG.o.d really appears, then I’m afraid there’ll be severe consequences that can’t be predicted.” Chen Xi sighed, and his brows knit tightly.
“The matter is unlikely to be so serious. We’ll speak about it after I return from the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect.” Chen Xi decided resolutely right away, and then he said, “During this period of time, notify the other leaders of the various powers about this matter and ask them to be mentally prepared.”
“Brother, don’t worry.” Chen Hao nodded, and his expression once again became firm and calm. Always be calm when a major event occurs, this was something Chen Xi had taught him since he was young.
“I’ll leave right now.” Chen Xi nodded and stood up.
Right at this moment, a roar that resounded in the world blasted out from the depths of the mountain range, causing the mountains to enter dormancy as the myriad of living creatures s.h.i.+vered, and the entire Chen Clan Mansion was shaken by this roar to the point it shook endlessly.
This sound was like the enraged roar of the G.o.ds, and it shook the heavens and the earth!
Instantly, countless terrified sharp cries resounded out, causing the Chen Clan Mansion to be in complete chaos.