Chapter 12

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Chapter 12: Adversaries on a Lone Path

In the mountainous terrain, beneath the dense canopy of ancient pines, a silhouette stood with an air of stillness. Though a significant distance remained between them, Fengyun Wuji could sense the potent aura radiating from the figure.

“Brother ahead, could you offer an aid?” Fengyun Wuji called out in desperation. The monstrous bird pursuing him was rapidly approaching, its mighty wings causing an uproar as earth and stone rained down. With exceptional evasive maneuvers, Fengyun Wuji had managed to keep the creature at bay, despite its clear superiority. It was a testament to his resilience that his three years of cultivated energy had been pushed to their limits. But after several hours of intense exertion, his strength began to wane. Upon spotting a fellow human, Fengyun Wuji couldn’t help but cry out for assistance. Surely, anyone from the ancient human race, with their formidable power, would be capable of dealing with such a beast.

The distant figure seemed momentarily stunned, clearly unprepared for the encounter. Recovering from the surprise, it transformed into a streak of light, zigzagging at high speed towards Fengyun Wuji.

“Hahaha, you spurn the path to heaven and instead seek the gates of hell. Boy, I’ve finally found you,” a brazen voice echoed through the landscape. As the figure drew closer, Fengyun Wuji discerned the identity of his would-be savior and felt a pang of regret. This was not a rescuer but the Hanchi Demon King, You Wuxie, recently imprisoned by the elders of the Hidden Valley.

You Wuxie’s eyes betrayed a fierce and vengeful intent, his purple robe swelling as it caught the wind. With a mere flick of his wrist, he unleashed a chilling blast that pierced Fengyun Wuji’s weary body, sealing his acupoints. With a swift motion, he hoisted Fengyun Wuji under his arm.

The monstrous bird, having navigated around a towering peak, traced its way back, letting out a shrill cry upon seeing its quarry being snatched away. It tucked its wings and, like an arrow, closed the gap with astonishing speed.

“Hmm, what’s this…” You Wuxie was taken aback, clutching Fengyun Wuji as he stared at the approaching creature.

Though somewhat caught off guard by the creature’s appearance, You Wuxie did not seem overly concerned. As it neared, he snorted coldly, stepped forward, and struck at the creature’s golden, sharp beak with his palm. The Hanchi Demon King’s technique, shrouded in mystery, exuded an overwhelming coldness that seeped into the very marrow.

“No wonder you’ve walked right into my trap… Ah! A Fire Phoenix and Bluebird… Damn it, how did you provoke such a creature?” As You Wuxie’s palm was about to connect, the creature flapped its wings, unleashing a burst of intense flames. Twelve magnificent tail feathers extended from its rear, rapidly increasing its size to a more formidable form, enveloped in scorching flames capable of melting metal and stone.

You Wuxie’s strike sent the creature reeling back a hundred feet, but he himself was repelled hundreds of miles away.

Ah! You Wuxie let out a scream as Fengyun Wuji noticed his right hand trembling incessantly, with wisps of smoke rising and a faint smell of burning flesh. His palm was pitch black, with a barely visible flame flickering in the center.

Fengyun Wuji couldn’t help but gasp; the creature’s sudden transformation and immense power had caused a dramatic increase in temperature within a hundred-mile radius, to the point where even the mountains and rocks showed signs of melting, making it nearly uninhabitable.

“You actually provoked such a strange bird. Your martial arts are not profound, but your ability to cause trouble is indeed impressive,” You Wuxie remarked with resentment, casting a glance at Fengyun Wuji. He then closed his eyes, focused his energy, and began to heal his injuries. A series of pattering sounds indicated that a cold frost was rapidly accumulating on You Wuxie’s arm, forming a thick layer of ice armor in the blink of an eye, encasing his entire arm. However, when it reached the center of his palm, the ice halted its advance, and the seemingly illusory flame revealed its formidable might, preventing the ice from moving forward.

You Wuxie opened his eyes, gazed at the flame in his palm, and his face turned pale as he looked up at the bird-like creature overhead, which resembled a scorching sun. He picked up Fengyun Wuji and fled at top speed, like a panicked dog. Fengyun Wuji noticed that the flame from the creature on You Wuxie’s palm had gradually receded beneath his skin.

The wind howled in their ears as they passed by. With the support of powerful internal energy, the two gradually pulled away from the creature. Once they could no longer see the terrifying beast, You Wuxie landed on a towering peak, flicked his fingers, and pointed at the acupoints on Fengyun Wuji’s chest, throwing him aside, and snorted coldly, “Don’t move around.”

Then he sat down cross-legged, and a thick cold air burst from his body, freezing the ground beneath him. However, the flame that had not been suppressed in time had turned into a huge blaze that enveloped You Wuxie, and the ice layer that had just formed melted in an instant. You Wuxie shuddered, and a more powerful cold air burst from within him, finally weakening the raging flames, which gradually subsided into his body. It was not until nightfall that You Wuxie awoke from his meditation.

You Wuxie opened his eyes, and they emitted a red light, like two lanterns. He glanced at Fengyun Wuji on the ground and said coldly, “Boy, you are quite good. When we first met, you pretended to be from the Blade Domain, causing me to lose face. When we met again, you actually provoked a creature like the Fire Phoenix and Bluebird, planting an immortal true flame in my body. What should I do with you?”

Falling into the hands of such an evil person, Fengyun Wuji was also in great distress, but now he was at the mercy of the butcher. What could he do? He sighed and replied, “What do you want to do? Falling into your hands is also my bad luck. But you said I pretended to be from the Blade Domain, which is a bit absurd. From beginning to end, I never said what I was. It’s all your own judgment.”

“I say you pretended, you pretended, and you can’t deny it,” You Wuxie said angrily, but his next words relieved Fengyun Wuji, who thought he was going to die: “Hum, I didn’t expect this time to cause a disaster and get a fortune. I practiced the Cold Ice Formula and introduced such an immortal flame, which was a death sentence, but I didn’t expect that with the help of this immortal flame, I realized the Ice and Fire Formula. Water and fire complement each other, and ice and fire merge, and the power is much greater. I will spare your life for now. However, don’t be too happy. I still want the Xuanming Volume. Isn’t Zhao Wuji with you? Where is he now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been with him for long, and then we separated.”

“Hum, you think I’m easy to fool. Zhao Wuji, I know him too well. You saved him, and he must be grateful to you. But you, I have recently heard some clues. It turns out that you are still a newcomer. Knowing the truth, he will help you. Looking at the direction you came from, is it in the Hidden Valley?” Zhao Wuji is not stupid. He exposes his lies in one sentence, and his inference is even more shocking to Fengyun Wuji.

“You are so sure, why don’t you go to that Hidden Valley to find him? Hum, you think you are smart, why did you run away in a panic the first time?”

Even with You Wuxie’s thick skin, being exposed to the bottom, he felt a bit embarrassed: He had just been captured by the Hidden Valley and didn’t know how to escape. Where else would he dare to go back and get caught in the net? Fengyun Wuji saw this point and dared to squeeze him with words.

“Hum, I’m too lazy to talk to you.” You Wuxie waved his sleeve, turned around, waved his hand, and took some dry branches from the mountain. A trace of fire from the bottom of his right hand popped out, and the fire stack started burning. Under the dark night sky, the two sat around the fire, not saying a word. Fengyun Wuji was thoughtful, while You Wuxie didn’t dare to say anything.