Chapter 1449: Laughing at Severing Ties Fury Surges in Three Calamities

"Xu Xiaoshou is in great danger, so what does that have to do with me?"

"If it weren't for the note left by Ba Yue, I wouldn't even know who Xu Xiaoshou is..."

Cao Erzhu hoisted the table and ran even faster upon hearing the noise.

He could easily tell that when he revealed his real name, Yu Zhiwen's reaction showed she clearly recognized it!

And the only reason she wanted him to stop was probably one thing:

To get him involved in trouble!

Cao Erzhu had helped Ba Yue with so many things, big and small, and he knew all too well how troublesome these little immortals could be.

By now, he already regretted giving his real name.

"The situation in the small town sounds really serious..."

"My old man won't let me go back, but if I don't take a look, I'll keep worrying..."

Explosions kept coming from the direction of Chang De Zhen, and even through the deep mountains, Cao Erzhu could still hear them.

That must mean some massive chaos was unfolding there.

Thinking back to what his old man had said about "turbulent times," Cao Erzhu felt both worried and not so worried.

He wondered if, when he returned to the town again, everything would be as peaceful as before.

All that would await him would probably be another scolding from his old man.

"But I have to go check it out, even if just from a distance—my old man needs someone to take care of him..."

The surrounding heaven and earth array lit up with intricate Dao Wen, and the girl named Yu Zhiwen was chasing him at an incredible speed.

Cao Erzhu no longer wanted to talk.

He subtly released a trace of Ling Yuan from his Qi Hai.

"Boom!"

Thunder exploded.

He stowed the table back into his ring.

Cao Erzhu shattered the space and transformed into a streak of purple lightning, darting through the mountain wilderness and forests without touching a single leaf.

In an instant, he reached the mountainside.

"This..."

Behind him, Yu Zhiwen, who had nearly caught up to his tail, saw the lingering shadow suddenly dissipate in the distance through the Qing Yuan Shan array, and her expression changed.

"He's really not simple!"

Such speed was beyond what a Xian Tian Lian Ling Shi could achieve—it was on par with Zhan Dao or Tai Xu levels!

Yet, the stronger Cao Erzhu was, the more delighted Yu Zhiwen became.

As long as this person could be persuaded, there might be a way to break the Dao Dian Zhu's scheme against Xu Xiaoshou.

Just as Yu Zhiwen was about to activate the Qing Yuan Shan array for a Tian Ji teleportation, a sword hum echoed from afar.

"Whiz!"

A dark green sword shadow soared across the sky, overflying the low airspace of Qing Yuan Shan and zeroing in on Yu Zhiwen's location.

In the moment when the dark green from the horizon intersected with the purple lightning in the mountains...

"Gu Jian Xiu?"

Cao Erzhu caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye and saw the semi-transparent figure of a young man.

He recognized it as the first realm of Gui Jian Shu that Ba Yue had demonstrated: Yu Hun Gui Shu—the old man had taught it for so long, but he still hadn't mastered it.

At the same time,

Xi's gaze glanced slightly downward, sensing what seemed like a streak of purple lightning flashing through the forest below.

"An illusion?"

The purple lightning passed through the forest without a sound.

Aside from the initial explosion when Cao Erzhu shattered space—which Xi hadn't heard—nothing else left a trace.

Xi quickly pulled his focus back, chuckling self-deprecatingly.

He must have been struck dumb by Kui Lei Han's lightning, seeing shadows everywhere, all just remnants of Fa Shen Xing Jie.

That was the original Che Shen Nian, after all!

Surviving a single glance was lucky enough—how could it be everywhere?

And in the forest below, there wasn't even a Lian Ling Shi in sight!

As his spirit condensed and he landed, Xi's body solidified.

He touched down right next to Yu Zhiwen.

"I've seen you, Zhiwen girl."

Even though they had met multiple times, upon landing and seeing the woman's face clearly, Xi still didn't dare look too long—it would make him lose focus.

He cupped his fists. "Dao Dian Zhu sent me to Qing Yuan Shan, saying... hmm?"

He paused.

Xi glanced over and noticed Yu Zhiwen's expression seemed a bit anxious.

He skipped the pleasantries—after all, Dao Dian Zhu's order was to come see Zhiwen girl, and if he wasn't here, she was.

With a Tian Ji Shu Shi around, we can just follow her lead—no need to think.

Xi asked directly, "What happened?"

Yu Zhiwen didn't think twice and pointed toward the direction where Cao Erzhu had fled, urgently saying, "Cao... uh!"

She suddenly stopped.

It was only after speaking that she remembered Xi wasn't on her side—he was with Dao Dian Zhu!

She wanted to chase Cao Erzhu to get him to help Xu Xiaoshou, which was completely at odds with Dao Dian Zhu's plans.

If she sent Xi after him, it would likely lead to the opposite outcome.

But how sharp was Xi?

From just the "Cao" that sounded like Cao Yi Han, from Yu Zhiwen's urgent yet hesitant expression, and from the direction she pointed...

Xi read her intention:

She wanted to chase that person—clearly, something was up!

But she was afraid that if he went, something bad would happen!

So, that fleeting flash underfoot when he flew over Qing Yuan Shan—was it really purple lightning, really Fa Shen Xing Jie?

Xi had already experienced the speed of Fa Shen Xing Jie.

He couldn't let a Tian Ji Shu Shi with weak combat ability go chasing someone, so he said,

"You wait here—I'll go after him."

"No!" Yu Zhiwen panicked. "Come back!"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Xi didn't even turn his head as he turned into a spirit form and sped away.

"Huh?" Yu Zhiwen was briefly stunned.

Worry... what on earth?

Had Xi misunderstood something?

Soon, panic flashed in her Xing Tong, and she reached out to stop him. "You can't chase him!"

But Xi was already chasing like lightning, not daring to pause for a moment.

He even feared that if he slowed down, that nearly imperceptible figure could escape Qing Yuan Shan's range and evade Gui Yu perception, so he went even faster.

By the time Yu Zhiwen tried to hold him back, there was no one around her.

"Gui Yu!"

Qing Yuan Shan briefly plunged into a eerie, shadowy realm.

Cao Erzhu's speed was astonishing, but Xi wasn't weak either, and Gui Yu was a domain technique that overtook everything, enveloping him.

At this point, Cao Erzhu sensed something was wrong.

Unlike the earlier friendliness, this time he felt like he was being targeted by a venomous snake!

Now, Cao Erzhu regretted it deeply.

That witch must have tricked his real name out of him and now sent someone to hunt him down?

—This hostility could only mean a kill!

"Stop playing tricks—show yourself."

Cao Erzhu halted, not daring to turn his back to a strong enemy.

He scanned the surrounding Gui Yu and recognized it as the domain perception technique of Gui Jian Shu—his old man had mentioned it once.

Apparently, that guy named Deng had this ability...

"Gui Yu Huan Ling!"

From the forest, a shadowy figure emerged—it was the Di Fu Ling.

As the voice rang out, the semi-transparent Di Fu Ling vanished, and Xi appeared in its place.

Cao Erzhu now faced this opponent, full of caution and gravity.

Young, with a sword, and ghostly...

He quickly pieced together the keywords.

And confirmed that this was the same guy who had soared through the sky earlier.

"A person from Lian Ling Jie!"

His old man had said that Lian Ling Jie was full of top experts like him and Ba Shu.

Seeing it today, his old man wasn't exaggerating.

Even facing someone as ordinary as a "Xian Tian" like him, this Gu Jian Xiu expert showed no relaxation.

His expression was as if he were up against a supreme foe!

Cao Erzhu refused to back down, making his own expression even more serious and guarded, and he even pulled out a stone sword, looking every bit the expert!

His old man had said Fa Shen Xing Jie couldn't be exposed.

If a fight broke out, to survive against these people, he'd have to rely on his physical body and the Gu Jian Shu taught by his old man and Ba Yue.

"Cao?"

Xi looked at the burly giant gripping a sword, his pupils narrowing slightly as he probed uncertainly.

After all, he hadn't gotten a clear look earlier.

In the Gui Yu, besides some ordinary mountain gatherers, this little giant stood out, so he came straight for him.

As he spoke, Xi felt this person looked familiar, like he'd seen him somewhere...

"I'm not surnamed Cao—I'm surnamed Luo." Cao Erzhu shook his head in denial upon hearing the name.

What Cao or Luo—I didn't even ask your surname...

Wait! Cao?

Xi nearly lost his focus, suddenly realizing what Yu Zhiwen's "Cao" meant.

At the same time, from the intelligence reports he'd read as the Yi Bu Shou Zuo, details about the Cao family blacksmith shop flooded his mind.

After the eye-catching portrait of Kui Lei Han, there was a minor, insignificant one that matched the face in front of him.

But back when he saw the portrait...

It definitely wasn't this big, right?

This guy looks just like someone from the Cao family blacksmith shop!

Xi blurted out, "You're Cao Erzhu, Kui Lei Han's son. That purple lightning earlier... you can also use the original Che Shen Nian, Fa Shen Xing Jie?"

As Tian Ji outlined the connections,

Yu Zhiwen hurried over, using the Qing Yuan Shan array to locate them and teleport there.

Before her form fully gathered, she heard Xi's slightly surprised voice in her ears.

Oh no...

Her Zhu Ji Xing Tong darkened as she closed them heavily.

In her Ling Nian, she could still clearly see Cao Erzhu's twitching lips, furious eyes, and trembling arm gripping the stone sword.

"Snake! Scorpion! Poisonous! Woman!"

Cao Erzhu turned his head and roared at Yu Zhiwen, yelling the harshest insult his old man had ever used for women when he was a kid.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He had trusted Yu Zhiwen so much!

But as soon as he gave his real name, even this random Gu Jian Xiu knew everything...

Not only that, he came with hostility and even knew about his mastery of Fa Shen Xing Jie!

—When he realized he was being watched, Cao Erzhu had promptly exited the purple lightning form, so no one should have detected it!

All of this pointed to one thing: they had come prepared, specifically to hunt for Fa Shen Xing Jie!

Facing them,

Yu Zhiwen was stunned by the shout of "poisonous woman."

Xi, shocked by the "poisonous woman Yu Zhiwen" and her unknown connection to Cao Erzhu, stayed on guard against this burly man suddenly attacking.

Like needles against wheat,

The situation was on the verge of exploding!

Cao Erzhu was furious beyond measure and suddenly raised his stone sword, his anger reaching its peak...

"Don't hurt anyone!" Yu Zhiwen immediately turned to Xi, her fingers moving in a seal.

"Uh?" Xi, who had been forming a sword seal, switched to defense, directing it toward Yu Zhiwen to protect the Tian Ji Shu Shi.

Cao Erzhu fiercely lifted the hem of his robe...

Xi's pupils shrank, and his technique formed instantly:

"San Yan Dian Shou!"

With a boom, the Qing Ming gate of ghosts opened, summoning three towering Yan Gui Wangs—one holding a shield, one a tower, and one a lamp.

The three ghosts formed a triangle, fierce and menacing, their aura chilling as they guarded Yu Zhiwen from all angles.

—The shield solidified for physical defense, the tower protected the spirit, and the lamp safeguarded the soul—a perfect barrier.

"Xing He Zu Duan!"

Yu Zhiwen's seal also formed.

The Qing Yuan Shan array hummed and trembled.

Between Xi and Cao Erzhu, Dao Ze split apart, creating a spatial barrier that manifested as a brilliant Xing He, like an impassable distance of thousands of mountains and rivers.

Under this careful setup of Xing He and Yan Gui,

Cao Erzhu, after lifting his robe hem, used the stone sword to slash it off roughly and hurled the piece heavily at the ground in front of Yu Zhiwen.

"I'm not playing with you anymore!"

He turned in anger, not looking back, and strode away with a resolute silhouette.

Qing Yuan Shan fell silent in an instant.

"Woo—"

Yu Zhiwen gazed at the three roaring Yan Gui Wangs around her and the torn piece of robe on the ground, suddenly falling quiet.

Xi stared at the brilliant Xing He and was stunned for a moment.

Soon, he snapped back, glanced down at the robe piece, then at Yu Zhiwen, his expression turning strangely amused.

What on earth is going on?

I thought it was a grand showdown, but it's just severing ties?

Are you two just playing games?

"Pfft!"

Xi couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

He felt ridiculous for his earlier extreme caution and absurd for Cao Erzhu's actions.

He had expected a serious fight!

Who knew that in that burly man's eyes, a piece of robe could settle everything?

Is the world really in chaos like this?

"Tap."

Unexpectedly, in the silent Qing Yuan Shan, Xi's laugh made Cao Erzhu's distant figure stop and start trembling.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

His fist, like a sandbag, clenched with a creaking sound as he suddenly turned back.

This startled both Yu Zhiwen and Xi, because Cao Erzhu's eyes were wide with rage, his corners nearly splitting.

In his pupils, purple electric mist began to swirl.

"I'm not joking!"

Cao Erzhu crouched and roared, his anger at its peak.

Severing ties was the most serious matter in the world—why laugh?

Is this funny?

The sound waves turned into a shock, stirring up sand and stones.

When the invisible air current swept over where Xi and Yu Zhiwen stood, both felt a chill run down their spines.

"This is bad!"

Xi's face paled, and he instinctively formed sword seals with both hands, his eyes glowing with faint dark swords.

At his brow, a red light gathered.

Yu Zhiwen...

Hadn't even reacted yet.

"Boom!"

Where Cao Erzhu stood, his afterimage shattered.

Lightning illuminated the dusk sky, turning Qing Yuan Shan as bright as day!

Xi and Yu Zhiwen only saw a sea of purple thunder filling their vision.

As the thunderclap exploded in their minds, both went blank, like facing a divine presence.

The lingering echo in their Ling Nian was the furious roar, each word deliberate:

"Fa! Shen! Xing! Jie!"

Rumble, rumble...

The clouds in the nine heavens thundered.

With his hair wild in fury, Cao Erzhu knew these two already knew about his Fa Shen Xing Jie, so he hid it no longer.

He charged forward!

His hands spread wide, as if to bridge the distance and seize Yu Zhiwen and Xi at once.

As Xi tried to resist...

Cao Erzhu's pupils narrowed, and purple lightning surged.

—This was his first time using Che Shen Nian Fa Shen Xing Jie in real combat, something he'd prepared for over twenty years.

"Erzhu, come here!"

"Today, I'll teach you one of the six variations of Che Shen Nian: the suppression type. So you won't say your old man didn't teach you good things when you sneak out."

"Remember, suppression-type Che Shen Nian strengthens '势.' It has only one burst—after borrowing the momentum, it ignores distance limits and can crush someone's spirit and will with just a glance, a fingertip, or a thought, leaving an empty shell."

"Of course, that's for high-level Lian Ling Shi against the weak. You can't do that yet. This move is mainly for interrupting enemies' reactions, right after your attack when they're about to counter..."

Fa Shen Xing Jie, suppression type!

When Cao Erzhu struck in anger, he saw the Gu Jian Xiu's movements slowing—clearly the prelude to resistance.

In that moment, his old man's teachings echoed in his ears, and without thinking, he shot a glance.

Sure enough, under the Fa Shen Xing Jie suppression, the Gu Jian Xiu turned stiff.

Likewise, the three ghosts around the witch froze.

Cao Erzhu successfully broke through to the middle of Yu Zhiwen and Xi, about a zhang away from each—beyond arm's reach.

"Erzhu, come here!"

"Today, I'll teach you another variation of Che Shen Nian: the manipulation type."

"The manipulation type is based on the release type, with fine-frequency control, used to disrupt human acupoints or Ling Zhen array patterns. But most importantly, it's for dealing with Tian Ji Shu you might face later..."

"You've gotten good at embroidery now, and you've memorized the full pattern atlas and ancient martial acupoints. What you need to do is manifest Fa Shen Xing Jie..."

Fa Shen Xing Jie, manifestation!

In the space between Yu Zhiwen and Xi, Cao Erzhu's body erupted with a violent sea of purple thunder.

In his mind, it was still his childhood lessons from his old man that he had to memorize:

Then came...

Fa Shen Xing Jie, refinement!

With a hiss, the thunder sea vanished, turning into thousands of tiny, flexible strands of electricity, like soft hairs.

Almost imperceptible,

A breeze blew, and the hair-like purple electricity swayed with the wind, like willow branches dancing in the night sky.

"Zzz, zzz, zzz..."

The purple electricity split in two, shooting toward Xi and Yu Zhiwen with Cao Erzhu's hands outstretched, piercing into their acupoints.

In an instant, before they could recover, it sealed their Qi Hai Ling Yuan, eliminating any chance of a counterattack.

Cao Erzhu roared in his heart.

The hair-like purple electricity, extending like arms, yanked them over.

Their necks were grasped in his massive palms.

"Ah!!!"

Cao Erzhu held one in each hand, like lifting two chicks, and stomped hard, turning into purple lightning. He dragged them, tearing through space fragments, and leaped to the depths of the mountains, before a waterfall.

The full moon hung high, its glow like scattered frost.

The giant raised his hands, about to slam down fiercely from the air, crushing the two helpless figures and shattering their skulls into the ground.

But that wasn't enough!

His old man had said there were souls and wills.

Even external avatars, Jian Nian avatars, Ban Sheng avatars...

These two were Lian Ling Jie experts!

What if, after they died, they could manifest in other forms and break his Che Shen Nian variations...

Cut the grass at the root—that's what a real man does, his old man had said!

Cao Erzhu roared again, old force fading as new force built.

In his mind, his old man's voice from the past timely resurfaced:

"Erzhu, come here!"

"Sword Nian, you know about that, right?"

"Just like in those stories you've read, your Ba Shu stealing your old man's things—the release-type Che Shen Nian!"