Chapter 36

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/

Chapter 36: Hero Saves Beauty

In addition to the sorrow of parting, Lou Yun was still worried about Chang Xiang, who hadn’t given any news for two days. He couldn’t help calling out again in his heart, but it remained like a stone sinking into the sea, with no response at all.

"Perhaps Brother Chang had some urgent matter and left temporarily!" Lou Yun comforted himself.

This was Lou Yun’s first time leaving home since growing up. Watching the scenery pass by outside the carriage window, the gloom in his heart gradually gave way to curiosity about the outside world.

Originally, Lou Tianzhi had planned to arrange someone to accompany Lou Yun to the Ancient Weapon Academy, but Lou Yun refused. His reason was that he was now an adult and needed to experience some things independently; if even a minor task like enrollment required company, he wouldn’t be capable of great deeds.

This idea was naturally supported by Lou Tianming and others, so this time, they only sent a mid-level magical weapons master to act as the coachman, mainly because Lou Yun didn’t know the way.

The Ancient Weapon Academy was located in a valley called Chaoyun Valley on the outskirts of Tianrang City, in the heart of Gu Feng Nation. It took about a month to get there from Lingjiang City.

Along the journey, Lou Yun meditated and cultivated inside the carriage during the day while they traveled. At night, they found places to stay overnight. Like this, more than twenty days passed peacefully without incident.

On this day, the carriage was galloping along the road, and Lou Yun was still sitting inside cultivating. Suddenly, his spirit sense stirred, and he sensed two intensely active energy fluctuations not far away.

These energy fluctuations were clearly emitted by magical weapons masters. Lou Yun had encountered such things several times on the journey, but since they didn’t provoke or involve him, he hadn’t paid attention.

However, this time was different. Xiao Huo, who had been very quiet all along, became unexpectedly restless in this moment. It darted back and forth on Lou Yun’s body while making "ji ji" squeaking sounds, as if something urgent was occurring.

Lou Yun opened his eyes and stared puzzled at Xiao Huo’s strange behavior. Suddenly, an idea struck him: he remembered Xiao Huo’s trait was loving to eat fire and its ability to find celestial fire locations through its innate nature. Could Xiao Huo have sensed celestial fire nearby just then?

Lou Yun pointed at Xiao Huo’s nose and said, "You greedy little thing, have you smelled food?"

Xiao Huo instantly stopped leaping around and repeatedly nodded its head up and down. Its two fiery red eyeballs slowly transformed into two dancing balls of flame.

After such a long time together, Lou Yun knew Xiao Huo’s eyes turned into flames when it found food, so this further confirmed his guess was correct.

He quickly called for the carriage to stop. He asked the coachman to find a resting spot and then, taking Xiao Huo with him, rushed straight into the forest beside the road.

After entering the forest, Xiao Huo seemed much more anxious than Lou Yun. It leaped ahead of him and while running, kept looking back frequently, seemingly urging Lou Yun to keep up and not get lost.

In no time, both had penetrated deep into the woods, and Lou Yun’s spirit sense sensed the two active energy fluctuations much more clearly.

While running, Lou Yun turned over thoughts: Could the celestial fire Xiao Huo sensed reside within one of those two magical weapons masters? If so, he wasn’t sure about their cultivation. If they were too powerful, even if he found it, he wouldn’t be able to forcibly seize the celestial fire!

Right then, a sinister laugh suddenly reached Lou Yun’s ears: "Heh heh, little girl, no need to struggle. You won’t escape today."

Lou Yun hastily called Xiao Huo to halt. He hugged it and hid behind some grass. Peering out through the cracks in the grass, he saw two people about ten meters ahead. One was female, and judging by her build, she seemed young. As her head was tilted, her face was unclear. She held something like a ribbon in her hand, likely her magical weapon, and lay on the ground with her chest heaving rapidly as she gasped for breath. A trace of blood stained the corner of her mouth, clearly showing she was injured.

The other was cloaked entirely in black robes, hiding any appearance. But from his sinister laugh, it was obviously a man.

Though unsure of the specifics, seeing this scene made it appear the black-robed man was about to harm the woman.

The woman panted heavily and spoke: "Who are you? Why are you capturing me?"

The black-robed man gave another sinister chuckle: "Little girl, with your low skill, I barely deign to kill you. But you happened to see what you shouldn’t have. Plus, you’re probably connected to that old coot. I have a grudge with him, so blame your bad luck!" He waved his hand, and a sword appeared in it, slowly advancing toward the woman.

Seeing the sword, Lou Yun was shocked: it was entirely black, and it wasn’t a common weapon but a magical weapon!

Magical weapons are formed when each magical weapons master condenses absorbed heaven and earth spiritual energy. Spiritual energy has no color, so most magical weapons are white. Any color arises only from the wielder’s five-element attributes and is usually faint. While black is the color of earth in the five elements, an earth-attributed magical weapon had never been heard to be completely black!

Around the black magical weapon in the black-robed man’s hand, a light black gas swirled, giving a deeply sinister impression. The woman gazed at it and showed obvious fear on her face.

The woman’s injuries were clearly grave, leaving her utterly defenseless. She could only watch helplessly as he drew nearer, powerless to stop him.

At this moment, even knowing he might not be the black-robed man’s match, Lou Yun couldn’t stand by and let her die. He quietly set Xiao Huo aside and signaled with his eyes not to emerge. Then he burst from the grass with a shout: "Stop!"

Clearly, both were taken aback someone had appeared then. They turned their heads simultaneously. Lou Yun still couldn’t see the black-robed man’s face because he wore a demon mask.

After several rapid dashes, Lou Yun stood shielding the woman before him, confronting the black-robed man.

The black-robed man sized up Lou Yun head to toe, suddenly letting out a strange laugh: "Hahaha! Seems I’ve been careless. Didn’t expect anyone else around here! But kid, you didn’t even weigh your own strength before daring to play the hero saving a beauty, huh? Beginner two-star magical weapon? Hah! Truly beyond your abilities!"

Hearing the opponent immediately identify his magical weapon level, while his own spiritual sense couldn’t gauge the man’s cultivation—just that alone told Lou Yun he was certainly no match.

"Yeah, I’m beyond my abilities. Unlike you, a grown man bullying a weak woman! Truly a worthy effort!" Lou Yun retorted.

Just then, the girl behind Lou Yun coughed twice and managed, "Young hero, run! You’re no match for him!"

Lou Yun had just seen the girl’s face clearly. Though smeared with blood and grime, it couldn’t hide her delicate features, tinged with a youthful innocence. She likely was younger than him. Hearing her warn him to flee even now, he found it impossible to abandon her and escape.

Lou Yun reversed his grip and drew the Stone Sword. He eyed the opponent warily as he slowly retreated beside the girl. Reaching out, he tried to help her up. His plan was to see if she could walk. If so, he’d hold off the black-robed man here while she made her escape.

He managed to pull the girl to her feet, but she swayed weakly, collapsing back against Lou Yun. Clearly, she lacked even the strength to flee.

Seeing the Stone Sword, the black-robed man froze momentarily. "You own a magical weapon? Why use a common weapon instead?"

The unique, feminine scent of the girl drifted persistently into Lou Yun’s nose. Under different circumstances, this might have been delightful. But now, his mind was fraught with despair. Alone, even if he couldn’t win, he could have tried to flee. But the girl couldn’t run, and he couldn’t defeat the enemy. This meant both were going to die here!

Despite this, arm supporting the girl, sword pointed at the black-robed man, Lou Yun still spat out stubbornly, "Your grandpa does whatever he wants!"

The black-robed man shook his head. "I didn’t expect you to be so stubborn. But since you wish to die, I’ll oblige!"

As soon as the words fell, the black-robed man’s obsidian sword hissed with an acrid wind, stabbing towards Lou Yun.

He utterly underestimated Lou Yun. This thrust didn’t use a single shred of weapon techniques. It relied purely on his own weapon spirit power to kill him.

Lou Yun instinctively raised his sword to parry. Clang! He blocked it! But it felt like striking solid rock. The jarring impact traveled instantly from his palm to his shoulder, numbing his entire arm and freezing half his body. What happened next nearly made him drop his sword.

The black mist swirling around the black-robed man’s sword, exploiting the contact between blades, coiled around the Stone Sword! Instantly, the obsidian blade was enveloped in a layer of dark haze.

This added layer felt unnaturally heavy. Gradually, it pressed Lou Yun’s entire body downwards!

What in the world is this? How can something so bizarre happen? Horror seized Lou Yun’s mind.

Stuck holding the girl with one hand and struggling to bear the immense weight of the sinking Stone Sword with the other, Lou Yun watched as the black-robed man casually rested his own magical weapon on his shoulder, looking utterly relaxed as he waited for Lou Yun’s inevitable collapse.

Just as Lou Yun felt he couldn’t hold on any longer, he suddenly recalled the Fusang Fire. Could it burn away this black mist?

Out of options, he had to give it a try!

Abruptly, a plume of flame erupted around Lou Yun’s right hand holding the Stone Sword! Within an instant, it engulfed the entire blade. Almost simultaneously, the clinging black mist hissed and vanished completely. The unnatural weight on the sword lifted immediately.

It worked!

But another shock awaited him. Seeing the flames on the Stone Sword, the black-robed man gasped in utter astonishment: "Fusang Fire!"

Just by seeing the flames, he had named them! It was obvious he possessed deep knowledge of various fires.

After uttering those words, he seemed momentarily petrified, frozen in place. Seizing this chance, Lou Yun hastily lowered the unconscious girl to the ground. Finally freeing both hands! At least he could wield his magical weapon now, gaining a fraction more fighting ability.

The black-robed man didn’t move, and Lou Yun dared not either. His mind raced, desperately seeking any possible way of escape. Witnessing that single thrust had convinced him; even ten of him together were no match. Survival, not victory, was the goal now.

After a moment, the black-robed man snapped out of it. A sinister chuckle escaped him. "Heh, kid… truly, I searched tirelessly, only to find it effortlessly delivered! To think you carry the Heavenly Fire Fusang… Hahahaha!"

Lou Yun’s heart leaped. Earlier, it was Xiao Huo sensing the presence of a food—a Heavenly Fire—that had led him here. Now… it was highly likely this black-robed man harbored one within him too.

Sure enough! The black-robed man’s magical weapon vanished. Sss-tchh! A plume of jet-black fire ignited in the palm of his hand!