NOVPUBChi Xing felt like he was choking as his neck was gripped tightly, struggling desperately.
However, Chi Yu was far too strong for him, with the relentless surge of the Empty Vein Realm’s might, the tawny Spiritual Energy on his hands that gripped Chi Xing’s neck was as hard as steel.
Just as Chi Xing was about to suffocate, unable to catch his breath, Chi Lei finally released his grip.
"You dare," Chi Xing took several deep breaths, followed by a series of coughs, looking at Chi Yu as he spoke.
Chi Yu let out a light chuckle, his fist covered in tawny Spiritual Energy, and delivered a heavy punch straight into Chi Xing’s abdomen.
Chi Xing screamed in agony, his body flying backward and slamming into the courtyard’s surrounding wall.
He looked at Chi Yu with a trace of fear, as flecks of fresh blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.
Chi Yu walked up to him, slightly tilting his head upward, and said indifferently, "Consider this a lesson. If there’s a next time, this punch will land on your head instead."
Chi Xing’s expression tensed slightly, wiped the blood droplets from the corner of his mouth, and quickly left the courtyard.
......
Day after day, with the sun setting and rising anew.
A new day arrived, and Xu Zimei pushed open the door to see the yard full of fallen leaves and desolation.
He frowned slightly, only to see a tall figure entering from the gate of the courtyard.
The young man stepped on the dry leaves, his aura rainbow-like, striding forward step by step.
"Is there something you want?" Xu Zimei asked with a frown.
"What’s your relationship with Qianxue?" Chi Yu asked calmly.
He lifted his head, his gaze sharp and profound, his short hair, his muscles bulging, giving off an exceptionally fit and trim impression.
"What’s that to you?" Xu Zimei responded lightly.
"If you don’t tell me, I’ll beat it out of you," Chi Yu tilted his head up slightly, his voice cold as he continued, "Only the truly outstanding are worthy of Qianxue. I will always stay by her side, making sure that she isn’t deceived by any unscrupulous people."
"Another lovesick fool," Xu Zimei shook his head and said, "If you like her, then pursue her. What’s the point of acting like a guardian? It’s just pathetic."
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Chi Yu narrowed his eyes, speaking faintly, "Let’s fight. If you lose, leave Qianxue."
"It’s meaningless jealousy. Chi Qianxue isn’t an object. She’s not someone’s prize for winning," Xu Zimei responded calmly, "And most importantly, you’re not worthy to be my opponent."
"Look who’s underestimating," Chi Yu roared lowly, his body swelling with Spiritual Energy, a reddish-brown aura enveloping him.
He took a half step back with his left foot and threw a punch directly at Xu Zimei.
The punch created a piercing sound in the air.
Xu Zimei remained calm, watching as the punch neared his face, his long hair lifted by the force of the punch.
He chuckled lightly, slowly extending his right palm and blocking it just before Chi Yu’s unstoppable punch.
The fists collided heavily with Xu Zimei’s right palm amidst a cloud of reddish-brown Spiritual Energy.
Xu Zimei stood calm and unmoved.
Chi Yu’s expression changed slightly, and he roared, his reddish-brown Spiritual Energy becoming more turbulent, his punches growing sharper.
"This fight is pointless," Xu Zimei shook his head and said calmly, "Whether you mean harm or not, offending me will cost you."
As he spoke, Xu Zimei grabbed Chi Yu’s right fist; he took a step forward as the muscles in his arm bulged slightly.
Xu Zimei grabbed Chi Yu’s wrist and flung him toward the ground.
Chi Yu’s body slammed into the ground with a "boom," a cloud of dust rising into the air.
Xu Zimei didn’t intend to stop. As he swung his arm back and forth, Chi Yu’s body followed the motion, crashing heavily onto the ground on both sides.
Xu Zimei had been tumbling Chi Yu around for quite some time, seemingly unsatisfied.
He slowly walked over to the purple Kermes tree in the courtyard, dragging Chi Yu’s already mangled body, and once again slammed him into the tree.
"Stop," suddenly a light shout was heard, and Chi Qianxue quickly came through the entrance of the courtyard.
With a light chuckle, Xu Zimei looked at the now mangled Chi Yu beside him and said in a low voice, "You got off easy, kid."
"What are you doing?" Chi Qianxue, seeing Chi Yu’s current condition, asked Xu Zimei with a slight frown.
"Someone came to challenge me, so naturally I accepted the battle," Xu Zimei said with a light laugh.
Chi Qianxue frowned slightly and looked at Chi Yu. She knew about Chi Yu’s character; probably he had brought this on himself.
Chi Qianxue sighed, took a pill out of her Storage Ring, then crouched down and put it into Chi Yu’s mouth.
Xu Zimei watched all this and indifferently returned to his room.
Once the pill entered his mouth, Chi Yu’s consciousness began to clear a little.
"Are you alright?" Chi Qianxue asked in an inexplicably soft tone while looking at Chi Yu’s current state.
Chi Yu smiled and shook his head, just quietly watching Chi Qianxue.
"I’ll take you back to your room," Chi Qianxue said.
"No need, I can manage by myself," Chi Yu’s face slightly reddened, and he quickly shook his head.
At this moment, it was only in front of Chi Qianxue that this man, obsessed with the Martial Path, would show the tender naivety suitable for his age.
Chi Yu said he wanted to get up and leave, but the injuries he had were indeed quite serious.
Even though they were just some superficial external injuries, the moment he tried to stand up, the pain in his body made him sit back down instantly.
"Enough, don’t overexert yourself," Chi Qianxue said, pulling Chi Yu by the shoulders and slowly leading him away from Xu Zimei’s small courtyard.
...…
The courtyard remained, the purple Kermes tree still standing alone, when suddenly the sound of footsteps crunching on dry leaves arose.
Xu Zimei looked toward the room’s doorway, only to see Xiao Guizi hurrying in.
"How did you come back so soon?" Xu Zimei asked with puzzlement.
He knew that Chi Qianxue should have brought Xiao Guizi here just before, but he had given Xiao Guizi a week’s time.
"Senior brother, I almost couldn’t make it back," Xiao Guizi replied with an urgent tone.
"What happened?" Xu Zimei’s brow furrowed slightly.
He knew that although Jiang Mochou had obtained the Third Battle Body, his own cultivation was only at the Condensing Vein Realm, nowhere near capable of unleashing the true power of the Battle Body.
And Xiao Guizi, being at the peak of the True Vein and close to entering the Empty Vein Realm, should not have found it difficult to capture Jiang Mochou.
...
"Senior brother, I was tracking him just fine, but midway an old man discovered me," Xiao Guizi explained.
"An old man? Do you recognize him?" Xu Zimei asked with a frown.
"I don’t know him. He took Jiang Mochou away, and he also captured me," Xiao Guizi replied: "That old man was very powerful, and I had almost no chance of resisting.
If he hadn’t been without a killing intent, I probably wouldn’t have been able to return.
Additionally, he asked me to deliver a message to you."
"What message?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Fate cannot be changed, some things are destined, and they will come to pass someday," Xiao Guizi said, "These were his exact words."
