Xiao Chen scoffed and let go of the whip. He turned around and looked at Murong Xian"er and the rest. "Just tag along with Perfected Immortal Qing Chen. There"s no need to worry about me." He leaned into the tip of his toe and flew upward to the Flying-cloud Stone.
The two envoys didn"t tarry either. With a scoff, they flew up to the Flying-cloud Stone as well. They began their journey westward.
On their way there, Xiao Chen leaned cross-legged against a cold slab of stone. He rested the back of his head on his hands and closed his eyes as he kept a stalk of gra.s.s in his mouth. He happily hummed a song, seemingly without a care in the world.
His behavior only served to anger the envoys further, but they dared not do anything out of fear of the group following them. One of them said, "Xiao Chen, you better not be so proud of yourself. Do you really think your allies from the Jade Qing Sect and the Xianyong Sect are that powerful? Let me tell you: since ancient times, people even stronger than you end up becoming docile once they reach Tianyuan City..."
Xiao Chen yawned. He rose to his feet and made a lazy stretch. Looking around, he said to himself, "Huh? I was wondering how we manage to reach so soon. Since we"re not there yet, let me keep sleeping. Can"t believe I can still hear mosquito ringing in my ears at this height. Hasn"t it been half a year since summer..."
"You!" The envoy wanted to scare him into submission, but little did he expect that Xiao Chen would still be so fearless. This disappointed him immensely.
Still, his behavior made the envoy sneer inwardly. "Fine! I"ll see how much longer you can keep being stubborn! I have seen so many insignificant brats like you! Once we reach Tianyuan City, trust that I"ll have my ways to straighten you out!"
Compared to the other four continents, the Middle Continent was simply ma.s.sive. Even after nearly six hours on the Flying-cloud Stone at the highest speed, they remained in the eastern border of the Middle Continent. It was now dusk, but there was still quite a distance to cover. If the stone could travel four thousand miles in two hours, they would only reach their destination at noon tomorrow the soonest.
Throughout the journey, Xiao Chen would bicker with the two envoys from time to time. When he gradually became bored of it and was close to falling asleep, the Flying-cloud Stone suddenly shook and woke him.
"What the h.e.l.l?! Don"t you know how to drive the Flying-cloud Stone?! I"m a serious criminal, you know! Can you take responsibility for it if I fall?"
He rose to his feet and reprimanded the envoys. To his surprise, they didn"t argue back. It wasn"t until he narrowed his eyes that he saw a Flying-cloud Stone stopping a short distance away from theirs. Instantly, he broke out in cold sweat.
If such large objects collide, the magnitude of the collision would be equivalent to one of an Apotheosis Realm cultivator"s attacks. Even if he were the reincarnation of a Great Golden Immortal, the collision would still reduce him into dust!
Fortunately, the Flying-cloud Stone of the Immortals" League was a top-grade one. It was layered with mystic arts that could stop the stone in a flash without throwing its occupants off. If he were riding a low-grade Flying-cloud Stone, he would probably be knocking at h.e.l.l"s door with the two unlucky souls next to him by now.
"Who are you?! Why are you blocking our way?!" The envoy on the left raised his Qi and yelled.
They could faintly see four or five silhouettes standing on the Flying-cloud Stone opposite theirs. They heard a thick voice coming from their direction. "You two can leave! Just leave him behind!"
The envoys immediately glared at Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen spread his hands and said, "What does this have to do with me? I don"t know them!" He paused momentarily before adding, "I forgot to tell you. I have more enemies than you have lice on your body. I"m a serious criminal, after all. You must protect me well."
The envoys ignored him. One of them yelled, "Friends, we"re envoys from the Immortals" League. We"re bringing back a suspect under our Lord"s orders. Please give way!"
Someone from the other group replied, "Who cares? Leave him behind, and we"ll spare your d.a.m.ned life! No, two lives!"
This enraged the two envoys immensely. However, seeing as the group had the courage to look down on the Immortals" League, they were unlikely to be some ordinary demons or monsters. Thus, the envoys suppressed their rage and remained as courteous as possible. One of them said, "Please tell us your names!"
"Listen well then. I"m the Great Immortal from h.e.l.l of the Corpse Refinery Sect!"
The envoys shuddered all over. Before they could recover their senses, someone else from the group said, "I"m Venerable Bloodied Devil from the Bloodied Fiend Sect!"
The two envoys turned even paler in the face. They wondered how on earth they drew the attention of two great Devils, who paid no mind to the laws of the Immortals" League. Not even ten lives would be enough to help them survive today.
Frightened out of their wits, one of them stammered and asked, "Forgive us for failing to recognize your greatness and offending you earlier. This is a serious criminal under trial at the Immortals" League. Please be generous and..."
"Save your breath. This guy destroyed our sect"s hundred-year-old Corpse Puppet. Today, we"re determined to take him. Scram if you know what"s good for you! Otherwise, I"ll turn you two into Corpse Puppets right here and now!"
The two envoys felt sweat drench their back. Neither of them could take even a single hit from these Devils. But if they allowed these Devils to take Xiao Chen away, their punishment would be too terrifying even to imagine.
Xiao Chen was startled. "What the h.e.l.l?! Why the heck are the Devils here?! Falling into the hands of the Corpse Refinery Sect is a thousand times worse than falling into the hands of the Immortals" League!"
Thinking of this, he immediately turned to look behind him. Seeing Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and the rest rushing over on their Flying-cloud Stone made him relax a little. In a mocking tone, he said, "Hey, two great envoys, I"m a serious criminal you know. You need to protect me well."
The two envoys, who had long lost their minds to fright, also sighed in relief after seeing Xiao Chen"s friends catching up to them. One of them immediately regained some courage and said solemnly, "Sorry, this is a criminal under trial at the Immortals" League. There"s no way we can hand him over."
"You"re courting death!"
Suddenly, an attack imbued with boundless strength struck them. The entire Flying-cloud Stone shook and nearly shattered into pieces. The force knocked into the envoys and sent them flying. Fortunately, the defensive formation on the stone kept the two of them from falling off.
They were now truly shaken to the core. The Flying-cloud Stone had a defensive formation for protection and yet their attacker was able to send them flying with just a flick of his sleeve. The word "terrifying" alone wasn"t sufficient to describe the level of his cultivation. When they saw the Xianyong Sect"s Flying-cloud Stone, they acted as if they had found their savior. They hastily said, "The Devils up ahead want to kidnap him!"
Over on Perfected Immortal Fengxi"s side, Murong Xian"er, Qingluan, Ziyun"er, and the rest were all present and saw what happened. Worried as they were, they knew they couldn"t fly freely between two Flying-cloud Stones like Fengxi and the rest. It was so high up too. They could only worry helplessly.
Qingluan looked rather anxious. Cupping her hands in obeisance, she said, "Three seniors, please save my Master. We must not let him fall into the hands of the Devils."
Yu Yifeng and Perfected Immortal Qing Chen were frowning. Fengxi and the Elder of the Pavilion of Thoughts said nothing. The Great Immortal from h.e.l.l smiled and said, "So it"s you, Perfected Immortal Fengxi. Are you going to interfere?"
Both their cultivations had reached the Nirvana Realm. Fighting at high alt.i.tude would just bring disaster to the rest. Everyone was waiting for Fengxi"s response. Little did they expect to see him shake his head moments later.
"No, I"m just going to Tianyuan City to watch the Immortal"s Sword a.s.sembly in three months. I just happen to pa.s.s by."
These words surprised not just the envoys, but Xiao Chen as well. Was Fengxi, that old thing, really going to watch him get kidnapped and do nothing? He hoped Fengxi was just acting up because of the two envoys.
Qingluan panicked. "Please save my Master. If you"re upset at the envoys" lack of manners earlier, I"ll kill them right now!" She immediately glared daggers at the envoys.
The envoys shuddered and one of them hastily said, "Perfected Immortal Fengxi, we"re all Orthodox cultivators. How can you watch these Devils do as they please? Aren"t you worried that I"ll report this to our Lord? If they leave with Xiao Chen today, you won"t escape the blame either!"
Fengxi sneered. "Do what you want. What does your arrest have anything to do with me? I"m off to see sword duels!" He maneuvered the Flying-cloud Stone and flew away. The envoys jumped in fright. "Please halt, Perfected Immortal!"
In the distance, the Great Immortal from h.e.l.l was laughing heartily. Moving as fast as lightning, he split the protective barrier of the Immortals" League"s Flying-cloud Stone and charged through it.
The two envoys were so frightened that their souls nearly skyrocketed to heaven above. The Great Immortal from h.e.l.l laughed merrily. "Two b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! You called me a Devil, didn"t you? Very well! I"ll kill you both and bring your bodies back to refine into Corpse Puppets! Then I"ll send a big gift to your Lord in three months!"
"No, no, no! You misheard us, Senior!" One of the envoys shook his head while frantically waving his hand. Seeing the Great Immortal from h.e.l.l walking over to him, his face went pale with fright.
The other envoy hastily saluted Fengxi. "Perfected Immortal, save us!"
Fengxi sneered and mocked them. "I"m just a disciple, you know. I don"t have the right to save two great envoys from the Immortals" League like you."
"No, no, no! Not at all, Perfected Immortal! You absolutely have the right to do so!" The two envoys were so frightened that they were speaking incoherently.
Fengxi waved his hand. "So be it! Hey, Old h.e.l.l, I don"t care if you want to kill or refine those two into Corpse Puppets. But him..." He pointed to Xiao Chen. "You can"t touch him."
Xiao Chen sighed in relief. In contrast, the two envoys went as white as a sheet of paper.