socalfunplaces Chapter 844: Tie
Chapter 844: Tie
Xiao Shuai clearly hadn't expected his opponent to attack so fiercely. Before the fist even reached him, the force, carrying pebbles and fallen leaves, swept towards him like a whirlwind, ripping through the air with a sharp, tearing sound. He hastily pulled back his leg to defend, his arms crossed like iron gates, tightly protecting his abdomen. His knuckles turned white from the excessive force, and the veins throbbed. Even so, the moment the fist grazed his side, a piercing pain exploded as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. He groaned, his entire body flying backwards like a kite with a broken string, his soles carving two deep furrows in the leaf-strewn ground. Pebbles and dead branches rustled as he slid a considerable distance before he finally regained his footing. He bent over, clutching his back, a surge of heat in his chest, a metallic taste rising in his throat, a noticeable flush on his face, and fine beads of cold sweat on his forehead.
The fourth brother on the other side didn't fare any better. The force of the wind generated by the other's fall grazed his shoulder like a blade, and he felt a numbness spread up his arm. He staggered back two steps, his back slamming heavily against the tree trunk beside him before he could barely regain his balance. The rough texture of the tree bark hurt him painfully. He leaned against the tree trunk, catching his breath, his face slightly pale. His shoulder was already numb, and even lifting his arm felt difficult, as if his bones had been loosened a bit.
The two men exchanged a glance, their eyes showing no fear despite the heavy blows they had just suffered. Instead, a fierce fighting spirit ignited within them, like two flames burning ever brighter in a strong wind, radiating an unyielding stubbornness. Xiao Shuai wiped his mouth, a faint trace of blood on his fingertip. He licked the blood from his lips, his body tensing again, his back slightly arched, like a cheetah poised to pounce, every muscle bulging, exuding a sharp, ready-to-strike ferocity. Lao Si, on the other hand, slowly moved his shoulders, his joints making a series of soft "crack" sounds. He took a deep breath, calming his surging blood pressure, and assumed a balanced offensive and defensive stance, his eyes sharp as an eagle, locked on the figure ahead, not daring to relax for a moment.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze. A few fallen leaves, swept up by the strong wind, hung suspended in mid-air, seemingly about to fall. Only the heavy breathing of the two men mingled with the rustling of the leaves in the wind, like the rapid drumbeats before a battle, dullly striking people's hearts and foreshadowing the start of an even more intense confrontation.
Just as Xiao Shuai's feet slammed into the ground, the soles screeching against the earth, and he was about to pounce again, Long Si suddenly raised his hand to stop him. He looked at his two disciples, still upright despite their injuries, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes—the previous test had clearly shown their progress, especially Xiao Shuai, who now possessed a calm and composed demeanor in the face of danger, a stark contrast to his previous awkwardness. He then looked at the eager Xiao Shuai, his voice steady as a rock, carrying an undeniable authority: "Alright, let's leave it at that."
Xiao Shuai was stunned, abruptly stopping in his tracks. The inertia caused him to stumble forward halfway, his face full of confusion, his brows furrowed in a knot: "Master, he attacked so ruthlessly just now, every move was powerful, he's clearly not a good guy, and he already knows where we are. If we just let him go, what if he turns around and gathers people to hunt us down? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble? We won't even have time to hide then!"
Long Si watched the figure gradually disappear into the depths of the dense forest. As the robes fluttered, the familiar aura made him instantly aware of who it was. A knowing smile, tinged with understanding and indulgence, flashed in his eyes. He knew perfectly well that the person who had just fought his disciple was none other than Long Shishen—given his status, why would he harm his lineage? That battle was merely to see if Xiao Shuai had truly improved his skills and temperament after the last life-or-death struggle, and the result clearly hadn't disappointed him.
He stepped forward, patted Xiao Shuai on the shoulder with just the right amount of force to relieve the stiffness in his shoulder caused by tension, and said with a hint of deeper meaning: "It's okay, I believe in him. Some things don't need to be taken too seriously. Leave some room for maneuver, and perhaps there will be a different outcome."
Although Xiao Shuai still had doubts, his brows furrowed, he saw his master's resolute tone and unwavering composure in his eyes, and knew there must be a reason he didn't know. He nodded, slowly retracting his stance, but when he looked in the direction the person had disappeared, he couldn't help but frown again—his master's thoughts were indeed like the water of a deep pool, beyond the comprehension of his shallow self. The fourth brother also breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing his numb shoulder, his eyes now filled with more trust as he looked at Long Si. Deep in the dense forest, the wind still blew, but it seemed to have lost some of the tense, menacing atmosphere.
The fourth brother's gaze swept slowly across the faces of the people around him, sharp as lightning. Seeing their hesitation or shifty eyes, none of them dared to make the first move. A disdainful sneer curled at the corner of his lips, and he didn't bother to argue any further. After all, their presence here was superfluous; a bunch of timid cowards were merely an eyesore. He turned, his robes tracing a clean arc in the wind, and walked into the depths of the dense forest, soon disappearing into a blurry silhouette.
After the fourth brother left, Xiao Li's mother gazed in the direction he had gone, her brows furrowed. A heavy feeling settled in her heart, as if a cold, damp stone was pressing down on it. The profound meaning in the fourth brother's eyes, and the unintentional aura he exuded as he turned away, both carried an inexplicable strangeness. But the words caught in her throat; she was, after all, just a woman of the fox clan, with mediocre cultivation, unlike the legendary dragons who could stir up rivers and seas, possessing the power to summon wind and rain and command all spirits. In this far-reaching conflict, what right did she have to speak?
She composed herself, suppressed her doubts, and looked at Xiao Shuai beside her, saying, "Alright, now that our luggage is packed and our magical artifacts are ready, let's set off quickly. The demon race's settlement is hidden deep in the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge, three days' journey from here. The mountain road is rugged, so we should leave as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications."
Long Si listened quietly, nodded upon hearing this, and said nothing more. A faint dragon aura surrounded him; though his true form wasn't fully revealed, he already possessed a calm and dignified presence. He followed closely behind Little Fox's mother, his dragon tail appearing and disappearing behind him, clearing away thorns in their path. The road ahead was shrouded in mist; internal divisions within the demon race, external pursuers, and the faintly emerging ancient secrets—they had too much to do and could not afford the slightest delay.
On the other side, the fourth brother hadn't gone far, just rounded a mountain ridge, when he caught a glimpse of several blue figures flashing across the mountain path ahead—disciples of the Ye family, each with a long sword at their waist, exuding a chilling aura, clearly heading towards the demon race. His eyes flashed, and his figure flickered almost imperceptibly, like an ink droplet merging into water, instantly disappearing into the dense bushes beside the road. His invisibility technique was a secret art of his sect, perfectly concealing his aura and blending him seamlessly into his surroundings. Unless one's cultivation far surpassed his, no one would be able to detect a trace of him.