Chapter 302: Intense Battle with Chen Qingshu

Soon after, Wang Mingjiang and Wang Changfeng met up with Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng briefly explained what had happened. The twin-eyed rat had been running outwards, indicating that their target had definitely left the market city.

"This person must be Chen Qingshu. Chase him quickly; don't let him escape. The scent won't last forever."

Outside the market city, the twin-eyed rat sniffed the air a few times before darting towards a distant dense forest. Wang Changsheng and the other three followed closely.

Several hundred miles away, inside a hidden mountain cave.

Chen Qingshu applied some pale silver liquid to his body, changed into a long red dress, and took out a green pill, swallowing it. His features blurred, transforming him into a fair-faced woman. His Adam's apple disappeared, and his lips were red and teeth white, though his chest was a bit flat.

The liquid he applied was called Spirit-Dispelling Fluid, used to remove body odor and prevent tracking by scent.

He then took out rouge and powder, applying them to his face, and sprinkled some fragrant powder on his body, making himself appear even more beautiful and captivating.

But he wasn't finished. He swallowed a light blue pill and declared, "My name is Ye Yunshang."

His voice had completely transformed into a woman's. With his features, attire, and voice all female, the pursuers would certainly not recognize him.

It was precisely this trick that had allowed him to escape the pursuit of the Taiyi Immortal Sect.

Unfortunately, he only had one Shape-Shifting Pill and one Voice-Changing Pill left. He would have been reluctant to use them had Wei State not started scrutinizing foreign cultivators. Although these two pills were Tier-2 elixirs, they were extremely precious as they required Tier-3 demonic cores for their refinement, and their effects only lasted for seven days and seven nights.

Chen Qingshu swayed his slender waist and walked out.

Leaving the cave, he released a red flying shuttle, jumped onto it, and with a hand seal, the shuttle shot through the air.

He hadn't flown far when four streaks of spiritual light approached from a distance, blocking his path. It was Wang Changsheng and the other three.

"Fellow cultivators, what is the meaning of this?" Chen Qingshu asked, feigning composure.

Wang Changsheng and the three others exchanged glances. The red-dressed woman before them, in both appearance and voice, was clearly female, completely unlike the Chen Qingshu they were pursuing.

"Esteemed Immortal, we are apprehending a rogue cultivator. Have you seen any unfamiliar cultivators in the vicinity?" Wang Mingjiang asked in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on Chen Qingshu.

"No, I haven't seen anyone. I'm on my way to the market city to purchase goods. Are you four trying to kill me for my treasures?" Chen Qingshu frowned, taking out a red pipa and showing a wary expression.

Chen Qingshu's displayed cultivation level was Foundation Establishment Stage Eight. Before confirming his identity, Wang Changsheng and the others would not act rashly.

"Please don't misunderstand, Immortal. We bear no ill will; this is merely a routine check." As Wang Changsheng spoke, he released the twin-eyed rat. The rat sniffed a few times but showed no reaction.

Wang Changsheng and the three others looked hesitant. The red-dressed woman before them was clearly a different person from Chen Qingshu, yet it seemed too coincidental to encounter her precisely where their tracking led them.

If they were to attack, Wang Changsheng was confident he could eliminate the opponent, but if it caused a delay and allowed Chen Qingshu to escape, that would be troublesome.

Wang Ruyan's beautiful eyes gleamed as she smiled and asked, "Sister, what kind of fragrant powder do you use? And where can I buy some? I'd like to get some for myself too."

"I use crabapple balm; I made it myself."

Wang Mingjiang suddenly shouted loudly, "Chen Qingshu, you have harmed your fellow sect members! Today, we are ordered to apprehend you. Surrender immediately!"

The red-dressed woman showed no abnormal reaction to this, frowning as she said, "Chen Qingshu? Are you referring to me? If you want to kill me for my treasures, just say so; there's no need to falsely accuse me."

After saying this, his right hand rested on the strings of the pipa.

Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in the depths of Wang Ruyan's beautiful eyes. Her jade lips moved slightly, evidently using a sound transmission spell.

"Uncle Twenty-One, it seems there's been a misunderstanding. This Immortal isn't the person we're looking for. Let's make way for her!"

Wang Changsheng and the three others stepped aside. Chen Qingshu cast a protective barrier on himself, then controlled the red flying shuttle and flew towards the market city.

However, he hadn't flown far when Wang Changsheng and the others each took out a Tier-2 Hundred Sword Talisman. They activated them, transforming them into hundreds of golden miniature swords that surged forward, striking Chen Qingshu one after another.

Chen Qingshu had been keeping a close watch on Wang Changsheng's group. The moment they attacked, he inwardly cried out in alarm and quickly summoned a green shield, which expanded in the wind to block in front of him.

A series of muffled thuds ensued as thousands of golden miniature swords repeatedly struck the green shield. The shield successfully blocked all of them, though some faint sword marks were left on its surface.

"A high-grade defensive artifact? It's him then. Better to kill the wrong person than let him escape."

A cold glint flashed in Wang Changsheng's eyes. In one breath, he released five Tier-2 flying puppet beasts, which spread their wings and pounced on Chen Qingshu.

Wang Ruyan and the other two also each summoned three Tier-2 flying puppet beasts, which charged at Chen Qingshu from all directions, creating an astonishing momentum.

Witnessing this, Chen Qingshu ceased his pretense. It was clear his opponents intended to take his life, so there was no point in continuing the charade.

He made a hand seal, and eighteen two-foot-long green flying swords shot out. After a blur, they transformed into hundreds of green flying swords, meeting the incoming Tier-2 puppet beasts.

A series of muffled clangs of metal resounded as all the Tier-2 puppet beasts were destroyed.

Wang Changsheng's expression grew increasingly solemn. As expected of a disciple from the Taiyi Immortal Sect, his strength was formidable.

Chen Qingshu was wielding a high-grade flying sword, while Wang Changsheng and his group had only released low-grade Tier-2 puppet beasts, which simply couldn't withstand the attack.

"You fools who don't know your place, die!" Chen Qingshu sneered, made a hand seal, and hundreds of green flying swords rushed to strike Wang Changsheng and the others.

Wang Ruyan, without panicking, summoned the Golden Flood Dragon Cauldron. It expanded against the wind, emitting a vast golden aura that enveloped the incoming hundreds of green flying swords, drawing them into the cauldron until they vanished.

Chen Qingshu made a hand seal, and a series of crisp sword hums, subtly mixed with muffled metal clangs, emanated from within the Golden Flood Dragon Cauldron.

Wang Mingjiang released a gourd artifact, which spewed forth a large expanse of white cold air that transformed into a massive white ice python, pouncing on Chen Qingshu.

Wang Changfeng waved a red banner, and a large patch of crimson flames materialized from thin air, forming a colossal crimson firebird that spread its wings and swooped down on Chen Qingshu.

Chen Qingshu frowned, opening his mouth. A several-zhang-long green long rainbow shot out, meeting the white ice python and the crimson firebird.

"Boom!"

The white ice python and the crimson firebird were shattered by the green long rainbow. The green long rainbow was, in fact, a two-foot-long green flying sword with a lifelike green snake carved into its hilt.

"Roar!"

A deafening dragon's roar echoed, and a massive white ice flood dragon charged at Chen Qingshu, baring its fangs and claws.