Chapter 353 This Round Is Mine

As the Ancestral Cult’s experts charged in, Chen Fei showed not a trace of fear. Instead, a playful smirk spread across his face.

“Chen Fei! Stop pretending! I don’t believe you can still swing that sword!”

The same evil cultivator who had taunted him earlier now laughed coldly.

“Nether Sting — Pierce!”

A black shadow condensed before him and shot toward Chen Fei like a viper.

Though he mocked Chen Fei, he clearly didn’t dare go all-in. His body betrayed his words — this was just a testing spell.

Chen Fei shook his head.

“Senior Brother Barbarian… looks like this round is mine.”

With a casual flick, Chen Fei lifted his sword upward — not to slash but to smash. The massive impact obliterated the incoming black shadow.

That’s right — smashed it!

The Wufeng Greatsword was no longer the oversized slab of metal it used to be. Now, it was sleek and ruler-like in form, but its weight had drastically increased.

Even without infusing it with sword energy, just a physical strike from this thing could crush the bones of a Miao Realm cultivator!

Whoosh!

Chen Fei’s figure vanished and reappeared directly in front of the evil cultivator.

“Don’t believe me? Try taking a swing!”

The cultivator’s face changed drastically. He had clearly misjudged. Gritting his teeth, he summoned layers of dark shields in desperation, praying that Chen Fei was bluffing.

But reality showed no mercy.

Chen Fei’s sword smashed through the shields layer by layer, crashing straight into the man’s chest with a thunderous impact.

Boom!

The evil cultivator was flung backwards like a ragdoll, slamming into the ground with a sickening thud.

“He’s a demon! A demon!”

“Run! Something’s wrong with this guy!”

“As long as one of us survives, the Blood Ghost Formation holds! Just hide and live!”

The battle instantly reversed.

Those who had been surrounding Chen Fei now scattered in panic, scrambling to escape rather than challenge him.

Barbarian Brother, having just cut down two foes, jogged back to Chen Fei’s side with a strange look.

“You… you’re really okay?”

Chen Fei chuckled and shook his head. Then he raised his eyes to the dense blood mist overhead.

Outside the Muto Barrier

Mu Yunshu and the others stood facing off.

When the cultivators of the Evil Sect Alliance saw Chen Fei surrounded, they had all clapped and laughed, assuming the battle was won.

Except Yan Wujiao, who stared at Chen Fei with gleaming eyes, as if he had expected this twist.

When Chen Fei unleashed the Undying Flame, a flash of realization crossed Yan Wujiao’s face.

The sect masters and elders of Tianqing Sacred Land had shown concern when Chen Fei was surrounded, especially at the appearance of King Anan. That kind of pressure would have crushed most young disciples.

But Chen Fei turned the situation around.

“As expected from the Old Ancestor — his judgment is truly extraordinary.”

“How long has Chen Fei even been here? Not even a full year!”

“To be exact, six months and three days. From Half-Step Xuan Realm to Peak Miao Realm. His talent is astonishing!”

The group couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Mu Yunshu, meanwhile, exhaled quietly in relief. But when she saw Yan Wujiao smiling to himself, her heart tensed.

Now she understood.

“So that’s why he made such a seemingly ridiculous wager. He knew something…!”

Although their sects stood opposed, Mu Yunshu respected Yan Wujiao’s capabilities. To take a disorganized mess of cultists and forge them into a cohesive force — that alone was something she couldn’t do.

And Yan Wujiao didn’t act often, but whenever he did, the outcome was decisive.

From how things stood now… it seemed he had set his sights on Chen Fei.

That was definitely not good.

“As expected of Tianqing Sacred Land,”

Yan Wujiao said with a chuckle.

“I must admit, I underestimated you all.”

He smiled cheerfully, but Tian Zheng frowned.

The old demon king had never liked Yan Wujiao — too sly, too secretive. Even if Yan Wujiao had helped free him, there was always a price.

Tian Zheng, once a proud demon emperor, despised schemes and politics.

“In a few days, the demon race will reclaim our old territory,”

Tian Zheng suddenly declared.

Mu Yunshu’s gaze sharpened. Cold.

Tian Zheng merely scratched his ear lazily.

“Don’t look at me like that. I wasn’t just talking to you —

Sect Master Yan, that includes you as well.”

This sparked instant anger among Yan Wujiao’s followers.

“What do you mean by that, Tian Zheng?!”

“A beast is a beast — you can’t expect loyalty from them!”

“Ungrateful monster! Have you no shame?!”

Tian Zheng bared his fangs and snarled.

“Yan Wujiao, your people are really annoying. I wouldn’t mind devouring a few.”

Yan Wujiao, still smiling, waved a hand casually.

“I agree. I’ll have my people retreat from the southern province immediately.”

“Glad to hear it,”

Tian Zheng replied. He turned to Mu Yunshu.

“You lot should leave as well. I won’t stay long. As for the future… we’ll see.”

With that, he leapt into the sky, transforming into a white streak and vanishing into the distance.

Neither Mu Yunshu nor Yan Wujiao made a move to stop him.

“Seems like I’ve lost this round. Fine then, I’ll withdraw.”

Yan Wujiao nodded with a gracious smile.

“As for Dongting Nation, I’ll honor our wager.”

His followers were stunned.

“Wait… we’re just… leaving?”

But no one questioned him aloud. With the sect master gone, they followed without hesitation.

No one wanted to provoke Tianqing Sacred Land’s wrath.

“Sect Master!”

The elders and disciples of Tianqing gathered around Mu Yunshu.

She shook her head.

“Yan Wujiao wouldn’t act without reason. But the most important thing now is to investigate the Fire Sect Master’s death.”

“I’ve confirmed it — the evil sect wasn’t responsible.”

That left everyone stunned.

“Impossible! If not for Yan Wujiao’s ambush, how could a Heaven Dao Realm master fall to the likes of the Ancestral Cult?!”

Only Elder Wang Situ’s eyes flashed with unease. But he hid it well. No one noticed.

“Sect Master… about what Tian Zheng said…”

“Inform the frontlines to withdraw from East Forest Province,”

Mu Yunshu ordered calmly.

“That region is about to change hands.”

Seeing their uneasy expressions, she added:

“Tian Zheng’s return might not be a bad thing. Recently, a major event has occurred among the demon clans —

The Li Gang Clan’s leader has ascended to the Heaven Dao Realm and renamed himself: Tian Qi.”

In the evil sects, once someone broke into the Heaven Dao Realm, they would take a new name — always beginning with “Tian.”

As the saying went:

One mountain cannot hold two tigers.

Whether Tian Zheng would lead a revenge campaign or not, he and Tian Qi would likely fight for the demon throne first.

And that… was a rare piece of good news for Tianqing Sacred Land.