Chapter 50 – Fellow Disciples

Lu Chengye stroked the bow after wiping off the golden arrow. This Burning Sky Bow was the true treasure – the value of this heaven-grade magic weapon was thousands of times higher than that of an earth-grade magic weapon.

If this bow belonged to him…..as soon as Lu Chengye thought of taking the bow for himself, he recalled the twisted, hateful look on Xue Ren’s face when he told him to kill Cao Zirui.

He couldn’t help but shudder. Although this was a true treasure, if he tried to take it from Xue Ren, he would likely die without a burial place.

Xue Ren was cruel and ruthless, but he was also very patient and cautious. He was like a venomous snake waiting in the dark, waiting to bite once the victim was off guard. 

However wicked Lu Chengye was, he wasn’t stupid. He knew that he couldn’t fight against Xue Ren. So he put aside his greedy thoughts for the moment and focused on honestly completing the task assigned to him.

Xue Ren had already planned out Cao Zirui’s demise, deducing and calculating it step by step. But he still hadn’t foreseen the extent of his master’s partiality, which was so tilted that Xue Ren couldn’t even see the whole picture.

The Floating Island Secret Realm was not a very dangerous training expedition for Cao Zirui, who was already at Foundation Establishment. But his master still fretted over him, and gave Cao Zirui a defensive magic weapon that didn’t require much spiritual power to activate and could automatically protect its owner at a critical moment.

It was actually from Sect Leader Ji’s private collection, not the sect’s. The users of magic weapons were recorded in the Armory Pavilion, so Xue Ren knew that Cao Zirui carried several of them on him, including the Water Soul Bead that required active input of spiritual energy to activate. However, he was unaware of his master’s additions to Cao Zirui’s arsenal, and there were flaws in his murder plan because of this.

Cao Zirui managed to escape the first strike of the Burning Sky Bow.

However, Cao Zirui was completely unaware during his escape that the bell that seemed to be giving him warning was actually the key to Lu Chengye locating him in the dense jungle.

Although he couldn’t see Cao Zirui’s location, the bell in Lu Chengye’s hand, which was exactly the same as the one on Cao Zirui’s waist, was able to point him in the right direction. He shot the second arrow.

And Cao Zirui escaped again.

Although Lu Chengye was annoyed, he was also pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Fang Yang.

There would not be a third time. The second arrow missed its target because he’d shot from a distance without aiming well. This third arrow couldn’t miss at such a close distance, right? 

But it actually failed.

The Water Soul Bead was also an earth-grade magic weapon, and in terms of defensive capabilities, it was actually a little stronger than the private item given to him by Sect Leader Ji before.

Therefore, during the first attack, although the magic weapon had automatically blocked a fatal blow, Cao Zirui was still injured. 

But just now, when Cao Zirui activated the Water Soul Bead, he and Fang Yang had escaped injury while wrapped up inside it.

In fact, it stood to reason that under the attack of a heaven-grade magic weapon, Cao Zirui, whose cultivation level had fallen to the Qi Refining stage, should have absolutely no chance of survival unless he possessed another heaven-grade magic weapon.

However, as Xue Ren had said, Lu Chengye was not a strong enough bowman. He couldn’t even use the divine bow with his own spiritual power, and could only pull the bowstring with the earth-grade magic weapon, the Sun-Chasing Arrow.

The power of the two magic weapons, heaven-grade and earth-grade, did not become stronger when superimposed. Barely one tenth of the Burning Sky bow’s true power was able to be unleashed.

Even this one tenth was enough to leave Cao Zirui and Fang Yang with no ability to fight back, forcing them to flee for their lives.

As he watched the two run farther away, Lu Chengye just stood there leisurely, not in a rush to catch up.

Where could they go? As long as Cao Zirui didn’t remove the bell, he could hunt them down even if they ran to the ends of the earth.

In actuality, Cao Zirui may look impressive, but he was actually as stupid as Fang Yang. Even now, he didn’t know that the one who truly wanted him dead was his shixiong, who had gifted him the bell.

Sharpening the axe would not delay the cutting of the wood. Instead of rushing to catch up, it was better to prepare well first.

Lu Chengye took a few spirit stones out of his storage bag and, with great heartache, infused their spiritual power into the golden arrow.

There was no magic weapon in the world that didn’t require spiritual power to drive it. Whether it was Cao Zirui’s magic weapon that had blocked the first arrow for him, or the Sun-Chasing Arrow in Lu Chengye’s hand, they were able to stockpile spiritual power.

But magic weapons were not like the human body, which could actively absorb spiritual power. The spiritual power stored in the item would always deplete more and more as it was used. 

Likewise, its power dropped lower and lower.

Thus, the reason Cao Zirui and Fang Yang were safe and sound after being hit by the third arrow was not entirely due to the strong defensive capability of the Water Soul Bead, but also because the attack power of the Sun-Chasing Arrow had weakened.

The energy consumption of the magic bow was enormous, and there wasn’t enough spiritual power left in the Sun-Chasing Arrow to shoot it again. He needed to replenish the spiritual power of the magic weapon.

Of course, his own spiritual power wasn’t sufficient, so he had to use spirit stones.

Not just one or two, but hundreds.

After the energy in the spirit stones was completely absorbed by the Sun-Chasing Arrow, they became ordinary stones. Lu Chengye counted them out with an aching heart while absorbing their spiritual power.

He had suffered a huge loss, and squandered a year’s savings.

Forget it, forget it. Once Cao Zirui is dead, all the treasures in his bag will be mine, Lu Chengye thought to comfort himself.

When the Sun-Chasing arrow was filled with spiritual power, Lu Chengye took his first step in pursuit.

He traveled much faster than Fang Yang and Cao Zirui, because they had specifically escaped into the dense jungle to avoid his pursuit.

The dense vegetation obscured their vision and slowed them down, so Lu Chengye should also be unable to see them and be hindered by the branches growing across the ground.

They thought themselves clever.

But they were unaware that Lu Chengye didn’t need to have them in his sights at all. He didn’t enter the jungle, but instead went around through a clear area, and the distance between the two parties increasingly shrunk.

Fang Yang dragged Cao Zirui through the jungle. Although it had been Cao Zirui dragging him at the beginning, the other disciple had begun to lose strength after running for some time.

Fang Yang had only just started to flee, but Cao Zirui had been running for his life for some time now, and the wound on his shoulder had yet to stop bleeding.

Although his spiritual power didn’t drop any further, it showed no signs of recovery. He was lucky that his cultivation level had stopped at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

If he fell below the ninth level, he wouldn’t have been able to activate the Water Soul Bead. He and Fang Yang would have both died in the attack just now.

Cao Zirui’s body was getting weaker. Cold sweat soaked his collar, but he couldn’t stop, because stopping meant death.

Fang Yang knew this as well, so when he saw Cao Zirui’s increasingly pale face, he couldn’t do anything about it despite his anxiety.

He glanced back while running, but there was no sign of Lu Chengye. Had they lost him?

Fang Yang gradually slowed his pace, intending to give Cao Zirui a rest.

However, just as he was about to stop, Feng Ye warned him again from where he was dealing with the siege of monsters under the sea: “Don’t stop!”

Almost at the same moment, the bell began to ring again.

Fang Yang immediately turned his head and saw that dazzling stream of fire again! The flowing fire burned everything, immolating all of the branches that blocked its path.

How was this possible?! They had clearly left Lu Chengye far behind them, so how was he able to catch up and attack from the side?

Cao Zirui thought the same thing, but no matter how unbelievable it was, it was indeed happening.

Lu Chengye had actually circled around them and launched his attack.

This isn’t right. Does Lu Chengye have a method of tracking them? Feng Ye thought as he dodged the mouth of a fish that attempted to swallow him whole.

But before he could figure it out, the continuous attacks from the monsters interrupted his train of thought again.

The golden arrow struck again, and Cao Zirui reached into his storage bag once more. Under Fang Yang’s stunned gaze, he took out another dark blue bead that was exactly the same as the previously shattered Water Soul Bead.

Fang Yang: “……” How many did he have?

History repeated itself as an enlarged bubble once again protected the two disciples.

But this time, when the bubble burst, Cao Zirui clutched his chest and stumbled back. For some reason, it felt as if the power of the golden arrow had increased.

Although he had blocked it again, his chest ached from the shock, and a fishy sweetness crept up his throat. He did his best not to show it.

After the Water Soul Bead shattered, the golden arrow flew back to its owner’s hand to be prepared for the next shot.

Fang Yang didn’t dare remain here, and immediately grabbed Cao Zirui to escape again.

However, after dragging him forward just a couple of steps, Cao Zirui dropped to his knees in exhaustion. He really couldn’t run anymore.

The aftermath of the golden arrow had reflected back onto him. His hands and feet were numb from the shock, and he didn’t have the strength to run.

Seeing his pale face, Fang Yang also realized the extent of his weakness.

But they couldn’t stop here. Under Cao Zirui’s shocked gaze, Fang Yang gritted his teeth, squatted down, and hefted Cao Zirui onto his back.

Before Cao Zirui could react, Fang Yang had already set into motion. He began to run, but his speed wasn’t as fast as when he was unencumbered before.

Cao Zirui clutched Fang Yang’s shoulder with one hand, and couldn’t help but purse his lips and whisper in Fang Yang’s ear: “You don’t need to carry me…..”

Although it seemed that Fang Yang and Lu Chengye had some old grudges between them, Cao Zirui knew that Lu Chengye’s target was actually him. If he and Fang Yang were to separate, there was a ninety-nine percent chance that Lu Chengye would give up on Fang Yang and hunt Cao Zirui instead.

Fang Yang had gotten involved in this matter by happenstance. If not for Cao Zirui, he could have kept living well.

But Fang Yang’s reply was: “Ah? What are you talking about, ah?”

Cao Zirui thought he hadn’t heard his low voice, and started to repeat himself. 

But before he could finish speaking, Fang Yang interrupted him: “You saved me twice. If I don’t take you with me, wouldn’t that make me ungrateful? In that case, what would be the difference between me and Lu Chengye? It’s not worth being someone like him.”

Cao Zirui hesitated: “But…..”

Fang Yang said he’d saved him twice, but the danger he saved him from had been Cao Zirui’s own fault, so it really didn’t count at all.

“No buts,” Fang Yang cut in again. He secured Cao Zirui more tightly to his back and kept going: “We’re fellow disciples, aren’t we? Sect Leader Ji, your master, also said that we should help each other out.”

Fellow disciples…..Cao Zirui silently recited these two words, feeling that they were very complicated. A fellow disciple was hunting him down by all means, while another was protecting him at the risk of his own life.

Suddenly, he realized that the words “fellow disciples” weren’t that complicated , but human nature was.

“Cao Zirui,” Fang Yang suddenly called out.

“En?” Cao Zirui said with some confusion.

“My name is Fang Yang,” he said, introducing himself again.

“I know.” Cao Zirui didn’t understand. Hadn’t he already said his name?

Fang Yang grinned with a mouthful of white teeth and said: “You just met me today, but I’ve known about you for a long, long time.”

“We entered the mountain gates on the same day. Among the group of registered disciples, you were the one wearing the most conspicuous clothing.”

Cao Zirui thought over Fang Yang’s words. His family was well-off, and although his parents were mortals, his family was affluent and powerful.

When he joined Lingxiao Sword Sect, he had not yet changed into the sect’s black and white uniform. A farm boy like Fang Yang would naturally choose to wear ordinary coarse linen clothes, but he was wearing expensive silk, which was indeed very conspicuous. 

“The moment I saw you, I felt that you had a certain aura…..how should I put it…..like a crane standing in a flock of chickens? Yeah, a crane standing among chickens,” Fang Yang continued.

“I was right, you really are a long-legged crane. There were so many disciples, but you were the only one chosen by Sect Leader Ji and accepted as his personal disciple. I really envied you, ah,” Fang Yang lamented sincerely.

Cao Zirui was a little surprised. He was actually aware that many people envied him or were jealous of him. 

It had been like this since he was a child. With his family background, it would be strange if he didn’t attract the jealousy of others.

Perhaps influenced by the adults in their families, the other children always looked at him like this, sometimes accompanied by sour ridicule.

Children were sensitive. Once he realized he was being excluded, Cao Zirui no longer liked playing with others. And over time, he developed a cold face like an iceberg.

It was still the same when he joined the sect. Everyone envied his talent and status, but nobody was willing to admit their jealousy out loud.

They had clearly never spent time with Cao Zirui, but they had already made up their minds that he was different from them, this favored child of heaven who was high above everyone else and difficult to approach.

No one had ever frankly admitted their envy like Fang Yang just did, so Cao Zirui was very surprised.

Then Fang Yang continued: “You’re really amazing. Sect Leader Ji didn’t choose the wrong person. I watched your competition, and you are the well-deserved champion.”

Cao Zirui was a little embarrassed by the youth’s sincere praise, and his habitually expressionless face turned a little red.

“But,” Fang Yang said in a sonorous, powerful voice: “I will surpass you!”

This time, Cao Zirui was completely stunned by Fang Yang’s bold words.

“Cao Zirui, I will surpass you!” Fang Yang repeated loudly.

He was shouting it to Cao Zirui, but also to himself.

“So you can’t die before I defeat you.” Fang Yang exerted force where his hands clutched Cao Zirui’s knees, muttering again: “And I can’t die either.”

Cao Zirui realized that Fang Yang hadn’t said this because he had confidence, but because he wanted to cheer him up.

After a moment of silence, Cao Zirui replied. He wound his arm tightly around Fang Yang’s shoulders: “Fang Yang.”

It was his first time saying Fang Yang’s name.

He continued without waiting for a response: “We will definitely survive. But…..”

He smiled unconsciously, and the iceberg melted with it: “You want to surpass me, but it won’t be that easy.”

“Haha, just wait and see!” Fang Yang responded with an identical smile.

The two youths fled together with an arrow nocked to a bowstring behind them, ready to be fired again.

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Chapter 49 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 51