Martial Cultivator

With Chen Chao’s appearance atop the city wall, the news that Great Liang’s young Lord Warden Commander had fought the Demon Emperor to a standstill spread throughout the world. It was no different from giving the cultivators who wished to aid Great Liang in resisting the demon race a reassuring guarantee.

After all, whether it was the million-strong demon army or those demon lords infamous for their brutality, those were not actually what worried everyone most. What worried them most was that Demon Emperor seated within the Demon Domain. His fearsome reputation was simply too overwhelming. Among the cultivators of the world, no one dared claim they could match him. But now that Chen Chao had appeared, they naturally felt reassured.

With this young Lord Warden Commander around, great undertakings were not impossible.

If fortune favored them, not only could they stop the demon army from marching south, they might even reclaim the desolate north. If that happened, they too would leave behind their own mark in the annals of history.

But in truth, after Chen Chao left the city wall, his injuries had already begun worsening rapidly. Half a day later, he could no longer even stand.

Lying upon the couch in the General’s Office, blood once again flowed uncontrollably from the corners of Chen Chao’s mouth. Sitting beside the bed, Xie Nandu continuously wiped the blood away from the young martial artist’s lips.

Yu Xiyi paced anxiously around the room. Looking at the young martial artist whose aura was growing weaker and weaker, the great sword immortal gritted his teeth and said, “How about we bring Zhu Xia here?”

Yun Jianyue glanced at Yu Xiyi, then at Chen Chao, and shook his head.

Chen Chao gave a bitter smile. “I underestimated the Demon Emperor somewhat. He left a hidden move inside my body. No wonder he chose to leave so easily at the banks of the Onan River.”

Though it had been a contest of schemes, the Demon Emperor had evidently made plans of his own as well.

At this moment, the only solution they could think of was to bring Zhu Xia here. But with injuries as severe as Chen Chao’s, no matter what method was used, it would be a life-and-death ordeal for Zhu Xia, who had only just returned alive from the gates of death herself.

Chen Chao would absolutely never agree to it.

Just as Yun Jianyue was about to speak, Chen Chao shook his head and said, “This news can’t even be told to too many people. Otherwise, why would I have forced myself to walk around atop the city wall?”

Yun Jianyue nodded. He understood Chen Chao’s meaning. Right now, the entire human race regarded Chen Chao as their sole hope. Once they learned that he had collapsed, the morale that had only just gathered together would immediately disperse.

Moreover, a great battle was about to erupt in the Northern Frontier. At a moment like this, it was even more impossible to let the truth spread.

Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu and softly said, “Although the Demon Emperor’s injuries aren’t this severe, he also won’t appear on the battlefield again anytime soon. What comes next will depend on all of you.”

Xie Nandu looked at the young martial artist whose face was pale as paper and said gently, “Don’t worry.”

Chen Chao forced out a difficult smile. “With you, of course I’m not worried.”

Yu Xiyi rubbed his already messy hair and complained, “At a time like this, can you two stop flirting already?”

Chen Chao thought for a moment, then looked at Yu Xiyi and said, “Let’s make a trip to the Sword Sect. I want to see the Sect Master.”

Yu Xiyi looked puzzled.

Chen Chao could not even be bothered to explain. Speaking itself was exhausting for him now, so he only said, “Prepare a carriage. Come with me.”

Though confused, Yu Xiyi still nodded.

Yun Jianyue said, “I’ll make a trip to Mount Xi and see if there’s a way to satisfy both sides.”

Chen Chao thought for a moment, but did not stop Yun Jianyue. He merely said, “You should know my thoughts.”

Yun Jianyue nodded. Naturally, he understood Chen Chao’s bottom line. No matter what, Zhu Xia could not be placed in danger because of him.

He said nothing more, turned around, left the General’s Office, and departed in a rainbow streak.

And just as Yun Jianyue left the General’s Office, a carriage also rolled out from the residence and headed toward Yellow Dragon Prefecture.

Finding a coachman for the carriage was truly difficult. After all, there were only so many great sword immortals in the world, and probably only this one was willing to serve as a coachman.

Xie Nandu stood atop the city wall, watching the carriage depart. Only then did the worry in her eyes gradually fade, replaced soon after by resolute determination as she turned to look northward.

Everyone had different responsibilities. One simply had to do the things one was meant to do.

......

......

Yu Xiyi drove the carriage southward at an unhurried pace. The main reason was because the sickly invalid inside the carriage truly could not withstand any jolting anymore. But during the journey south, Yu Xiyi still could not help but speak. “You’re already in this state, and you still didn’t stay with Miss Xie a little longer? The two of you probably only see each other a few times in an entire year.”

Chen Chao lay inside the carriage. Hearing Yu Xiyi’s complaints, he said softly, “The Northern Frontier needs her right now. No one knows when the demon army will march south. If I took her away and the Northern Frontier failed to hold, then both she and I would become great sinners.”

Yu Xiyi frowned and said, “Then what if your damn injuries can’t be healed? You’re really willing to spend your final days like this?”

Chen Chao smiled. “That would definitely be a loss, but there’s no helping it. More important things still have to be done first.”

Yu Xiyi grew increasingly irritated, but stopped speaking. He was genuinely afraid now. He had never seen Chen Chao in such a state before. The way he looked, he truly seemed like he could die at any moment.

If Chen Chao went silent for more than a quarter of an hour, Yu Xiyi would start suspecting that the guy had quietly died inside the carriage.

The moment he thought about something like that, he became even more agitated.

There were many people in the world who did not want Chen Chao to die, but there were not many like Yu Xiyi who just purely did not want his friend to die.

In the eyes of others, Chen Chao staying alive was the better outcome for many people. But in Yu Xiyi’s eyes, he simply did not want this friend of his to die like this. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yu Xiyi searched for something to say. “I fucking hate the Demon Emperor now. I seriously want to charge into the Demon Domain and hack him to death!”

Chen Chao said helplessly, “If you head to the Demon Domain right now, I’d have to drag this dying body of mine to burn paper money for you.”

Yu Xiyi naturally knew that would be the result. He had only said it in anger and had no actual intention of doing it, though the hatred in his heart remained intense.

“Little Chen, if you really die, then I’m telling you now, I’m not helping you take care of the girl you like. If that guy Gao Xuan steals her away later, then that’s just your bad luck.”

“Then you’re really not much of a friend.”

“That’s just the kind of person I am, so deal with it yourself. And also, if you really just die like this, can you honestly rest easy leaving behind a Great Liang Dynasty?”

“It’s true that I can’t rest easy, but if I really die, there’s nothing I can do to change it.”

“That’s why you damn well can’t die. Just hold on, I’ll search the entire world for spiritual medicine to save you, whether I have to climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of fire.”

“The fact that you’re going to see Sect Master means Sect Master definitely has a way to save you. If he refuses, I’ll slash him a few times...”

“Forget it. If it really comes down to it, I can beg him too. Anyway, just rest easy, Little Chen. If he has a way, I’ll make him save you. Definitely.”

“Little Chen?”

”Fucking talk!”

Yu Xiyi had rambled on endlessly by himself for quite a while. Seeing that Chen Chao still had not responded, he directly yanked on the reins to stop the horse, then turned around to check on Chen Chao’s condition.

“Still alive, hurry up and keep moving.”

Chen Chao’s weak voice sounded out rather helplessly. “If you delay any longer and Your Father dies at the gates of the Sword Sect, then it’ll fucking be your fault!”

Yu Xiyi gave an “oh,” not getting angry, and continued driving the carriage onward.

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