System Possession, One Sword Shocks the Gods

139: Attacked on the way back, the compass begins to appearLeaving the Star Shattering Ravine, Ye Chen did not return by the same route, choosing instead a more secluded path that bypassed the outer perimeter of the Meteorite Mountain Range. He knew well that the Dark Hall would not let this matter rest, so he had to erase his tracks as much as possible.

The incomplete chaos monitoring compass in his hand, though not fully repaired, was already beginning to show its supernatural properties. It was no longer cold and lifeless, but instead resonated faintly with Ye Chen’s chaos primordial fetus, emitting a warm, lustrous glow. The slowly rotating Chaos Vortex at the center of the compass seemed capable of absorbing the brilliance of the stars, causing the ancient patterns of the sun, moon, and stars on its surface to emit an extremely faint starlight at night.

Following the ”Elementary Star Sensing Method” instilled by the starship wreckage, Ye Chen attempted to activate the compass. As his Divine Sense sank into it, he felt as if he were suspended in the boundless starry sky, able to vaguely sense his approximate location, as well as spots within a hundred miles containing special stellar energy or spatial fluctuations. This function seemed simple, but in the treacherous Meteorite Mountain Range, it was akin to gaining a pair of eyes that could foresee dangers.

As he traveled, he familiarized himself with the various wondrous uses of the compass while consolidating his cultivation at the Earth Fiend Realm Third Layer Peak. Although his newly comprehended ”Judgment Sword Intent” was still only in its nascent stage, it had already greatly increased the power of his guixu sword. The Sword Intent carried an inherent, awe-inspiring righteousness that possessed a powerful suppressive effect on the Demonic Path.

Five days later, he was approaching the edge of the Meteorite Mountain Range. By his estimation, with two more days of travel, he would be able to completely leave this dangerous area.

However, just as he was passing through an area filled with strange, crimson rocks and scorching, volatile Spiritual Qi, the chaos monitoring compass in his chest suddenly transmitted an extremely faint, yet warning-laden vibration! The rotation speed of the Chaos Vortex at the center of the compass suddenly accelerated slightly!

”Something’s wrong!” Ye Chen became alert instantly, immediately stopping his footsteps. He reined in all his aura and hid behind a massive crimson rock. His Divine Sense, combined with the compass’s sensing ability, spread forward like mercury spilling onto the ground.

A few miles ahead lay a relatively open valley. A fierce chase was unfolding within it!

The ones being chased were none other than the Azure Wood Sect Disciples he had met once before—Lin Waner! But at this moment, only the Senior Brother at the Earth Fiend Realm Second Layer remained by her side. Both were in tattered clothes, covered in wounds, their auras weak, as they desperately urged a green-leaf-shaped flying Magical Artifact to flee in a panic at a low altitude.

Chasing them were five Dark Hall Cultists dressed in black robes, their cuffs embroidered with twisted crescent moon marks! The leader, whose aura was cold and sinister and whose cultivation was at the Earth Fiend Realm Fourth Level, was the very same deacon who had been scared off by Ye Chen outside the Star Shattering Ravine! He now wore a cruel smile like a cat playing with a mouse, following unhurriedly behind, occasionally waving a malicious strand of Demonic Astral Power, forcing Lin Waner and her companion to dodge in a disheveled state, yet he did not deliver a killing blow immediately, evidently toying with them.

”Heh, little beauty from the Azure Wood Sect, and that piece of trash! Run! Keep running!” the deacon laughed hoarsely. ”Hand over that ’Red Flame Iron Bone Flower’ you have, and obediently tell us where that meddlesome brat from before went, and perhaps if I’m in a good mood, I can give you a quick death!”

Lin Waner gritted her teeth, her delicate face filled with stubbornness and despair: ”Dream on! Even if we die, we will not hand the item over to you Demonic Path evil-doers! And we will never betray our benefactor!”

The Senior Brother glared furiously as well, and although his injuries were not light, he still shielded Lin Waner behind him.

”Stubborn!” The deacon’s face darkened, losing his patience. ”Since you are courting death, then I shall grant it to you! Move, take them down! Just leave one breath to search their souls!”

Hearing this, the four Condensing Yuan Realm Peak cultists behind him immediately accelerated, like four streams of black smoke, pouncing on Lin Waner and her companion from different directions, their Devilish Qi ominous and their attacks ruthless!

Seeing that Lin Waner and her companion were about to be captured, a cold glint flashed in Ye Chen’s eyes. He originally did not want to meddle in other people’s affairs, but since these Dark Hall people were so arrogant and even intended to harm him, how could he stand idly by?

Moreover, he noticed that the deacon had an inconspicuous black jade pendant hanging from his waist, which was currently emitting faint spatial fluctuations, seemingly a Magical Artifact for transmission or positioning. He had to finish this quickly, otherwise, it might attract more enemies!

He hesitated no longer, his figure shooting out from behind the rock like a ghost, his speed so fast that he left a faint afterimage in his wake!

”Huh? There’s someone else?!” The deacon noticed him immediately and turned his head abruptly. When he saw Ye Chen’s face, he was stunned for a moment, then his face revealed a hideous expression that mixed extreme surprise and malice!

”It’s you?! Truly, one searches high and low for something, only to find it without any effort! Brat, you actually dare to appear!” The deacon was ecstatic and immediately abandoned Lin Waner and her companion, his Devilish Qi locking onto Ye Chen. ”Surround him for me! Don’t let him run! This person is a wanted criminal strictly ordered by the superiors!”

Hearing this, the four cultists who were pouncing on Lin Waner immediately changed direction and, together with the deacon, surrounded Ye Chen in the center.

Lin Waner and her Senior Brother had a narrow escape and looked at the suddenly appearing Ye Chen with a mix of shock and joy. ”Benefactor!”

Ye Chen nodded slightly at them, signaling them to step back. His gaze swept calmly over the five Dark Hall Cultists surrounding him, finally landing on the deacon.

”It seems the lesson I gave you last time wasn’t enough.” Ye Chen spoke indifferently.

The deacon felt a chill in his heart under that gaze, but thinking of the strict orders from his superiors and the promised generous rewards, greed overcame his fear, and he sneered: ”Brat, stop being arrogant! Last time you only succeeded because of a sneak attack! Today, with the five of us joining hands, we will surely extract your soul and refine your spirit! Attack!”

At his command, five fierce strands of Demonic Astral Power erupted simultaneously, blasting towards Ye Chen from five directions! The Devilish Qi surged, ghostly shadows flitted about, sealing off all avenues of retreat!

Facing the encirclement, Ye Chen didn’t even use his guixu sword. With a thought, the chaos primordial fetus within him rotated, and he activated the 【Chaos Myriad Transformations】 Divine Ability!

He raised his left hand, palm facing upward, and a wisp of Chaos Gang Qi surged out, instantly transforming into a ball of leaping pure white flames—supremely Yang and rigid, the very nemesis of the deacon’s Demonic Technique!

His right hand formed a sword finger, and the Chaos Gang Qi transformed into condensed Geng Metal Sword Qi, peerlessly sharp, piercing straight towards the throat of a cultist on his left!

Simultaneously, he opened his mouth and exhaled, a gas arrow containing the power of wind and thunder whistled out, shooting towards another cultist on his right!

His footwork was profound, his figure drifting like willow catkins, easily evading the other two attacks!

Multitasking, switching attributes with ease!

”Boom!” ”Swish!” ”Bang!”

The pure white flames collided with the deacon’s Demonic Astral Power, and the Devilish Qi melted like ice and snow! The Geng Metal Sword Qi instantly pierced through a cultist’s protective Devilish Qi, bringing forth a spray of blood! The wind-thunder gas arrow blasted the other cultist, sending him flying backward, his entire body scorched black!

In one encounter, two Condensing Yuan Realm Peak cultists were dead or heavily injured!

The deacon and the other two cultists were dumbfounded, their offensive momentum stalling involuntarily!

”He... how did he become this strong?!” The deacon’s heart was filled with raging waves. How long had it been? The opponent’s strength seemed to be several times greater than when they were outside the Star Shattering Ravine!

Ye Chen did not give them a chance to catch their breath. He moved again, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, and the guixu sword finally left its sheath!

The sword light was not flashy, just simple and direct stabs, slashes, points, and chops, but every sword strike contained Chaos Sword Intent and a trace of nascent Judgment true intent! Wherever the sword edge passed, the Devilish Qi retreated on its own, and the Protective Aura was like paper!

”Puchi!” ”Ah!”

Two more screams rang out, and the other two Condensing Yuan Realm cultists were instantly killed!

In the blink of an eye, only the deacon at the Earth Fiend Realm Fourth Level remained in the field, along with the heavily injured cultist who had lost his combat capability.

The deacon’s face turned deathly pale. Looking at Ye Chen, who was like a god of slaughter, he had no more Battle Intent and turned to flee!

”Want to leave now? It’s too late.”

Ye Chen’s cold voice rang in his ears. The guixu sword arrived first despite being launched later, and a condensed gray sword qi, as if traversing space, instantly caught up with him!

The deacon was terrified, desperately urging all his Demonic Astral Power to set up layers of defense behind him!

”Judgment—Severing Sin.”

Ye Chen softly spat out the four words. On that gray sword qi, a hint of pale golden Judgment artistic conception flashed and vanished.

”Sshh!”

The Demonic Astral Power defense set up by the deacon, the moment it touched the sword qi, encountered its nemesis and disintegrated layer by layer! The sword qi plunged into his heart without any obstruction!

The deacon’s forward-lunging figure suddenly stiffened, and he slowly lowered his head, looking at the sword tip protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with despair and disbelief.

”You... who... exactly... are you...” He spat out a few words with difficulty.

Ye Chen sheathed his sword, and the deacon’s body slumped to the ground, his aura extinguished.

In the snap of a finger, five Dark Hall Cultists were all wiped out!

Ye Chen didn’t even look at their corpses, waving his hand to flick out a few wisps of Chaos fire, turning them into ashes. He walked to the heavily injured cultist, and without waiting for the other party to beg for mercy, he directly pointed his finger at the center of his brow, forcibly searching his soul with his Divine Sense!

A moment later, he withdrew his finger, and that cultist was already dead. Through the soul search, he learned that this group was indeed ordered to search for his tracks on the outer perimeter of the Meteorite Mountain Range, and that the Dark Hall had already dispatched more experts who were on their way! At the same time, he also confirmed that the black jade pendant on the deacon’s waist was indeed a short-range communication Magical Artifact; the fluctuations from the battle just now had likely already attracted attention!

”This place is not suitable for a long stay!” Ye Chen frowned slightly and turned to look at the shaken Lin Waner and her companion.

”Benefactor!” Lin Waner hurried forward and bowed deeply again, her eyes filled with gratitude and lingering fear. The Senior Brother also struggled to stand up and salute.

Ye Chen waved his hand, took out the jade box containing the pure starfall orchid, and handed it to Lin Waner: ”This is the starfall orchid you wanted. Leave the Meteorite Mountain Range quickly and return to the Sect.”

Lin Waner took the jade box and felt the pure stellar energy within, even more grateful: ”Many thanks, Benefactor! This kindness and virtue will never be forgotten by the Azure Wood Sect! May I ask for Benefactor’s honorable name?”

”A name is just a code.” Ye Chen did not reveal it and urged, ”Go quickly, the Dark Hall people will arrive soon.”

Seeing that Ye Chen did not wish to reveal his identity, Lin Waner did not dare to ask more. After bowing again in thanks, she and her Senior Brother supported each other and hurried away.

Ye Chen watched them disappear from sight, then glanced at the ashes that the Dark Hall Cultists’ corpses had turned into, his expression solemn.

He lowered his head to look at the chaos monitoring compass in his hand, seeing the Chaos Vortex at the center pointing towards a direction deep within the Meteorite Mountain Range, flashing with a warning light.

”It seems that bigger trouble is still to come...”

He did not delay any longer, chose a path in the opposite direction from where Lin Waner and her companion had left, and his figure turned into a green rainbow, fleeing rapidly into the distance.

He had to leave the Meteorite Mountain Range as soon as possible and inform Shadow Guard Commander-in-Chief Nangong Qing about the news that the Dark Hall might be sending reinforcements, using the hidden dragon ring.

The storm had not ceased; instead, it showed signs of intensifying.