The Immortal Emperor Returns

Chapter 314 A Fight to the Death!

Chu Xun charged ahead and flung his fist furiously.

Zang Fengling howled with excruciating pain, and two punches from Chu Xun was enough to shatter his rib cage.

“Thanks so much, Master Sexual Dysfunctional!”

After that, ignoring his howl, Chu Xun easily slid off his Storage Ring.

“Give it back!” cried Zang Fengling.

“Why should I give back something I took with my own ability?” smirked Chu Xun.

Caught between agonizing pain and seething frustration, Zang Fengling finally fainted.

That enabled Chu Xun to return his focus on Pan Chengfeng.

The latter was already wary. Seeing Chu Xun streaking at him, he handled his golden halberd that shone again brightly as he thrust it at his foe.

Clang!

Sparks erupted and sprayed into the air, and a punch from Chu Xun’s fist blasted him off his feet, still clinging on to his halberd.

“How dare you offend the Chamber, you country oaf?!” Pan Chengfeng shrieked desperately with surprise and startlement.

“Quit hurling threats at me, or you’ll die even faster,” growled Chu Xun flatly.

He chased after a falling Pan Chengfeng and sent a quick two-punch salvo, which Pan Chengfeng managed to deflect with two shrill clangs, yet still, he coughed up mouthfuls of blood, and the halberd was flung out of his grasp from the impact.

Chu Xun quickly seized the long pole arm and spun around, swinging the long halberd furiously like a bat.

Bang!

Pan Chengfeng reeled off into the distance like a baseball.

Chu Xun bolted after him and removed his Storage Ring.

“So, who else wants a fight?”

Chu Xun waved his halberd at everyone, looking as imperious and indomitable as ever.

No one dared attack him – not when Seventh-grade Human Kings failed miserably in the attempt. The Human Kings of the Zang Family retinue and the Chamber of Purple Garments all stood back, as terrified as a hare before a snake.

Zang Fengling looked absolutely pitiful and miserable. The blow Chu Xun gave him with the halberd smashed almost every one of his rib and just the slightest movement was enough to give him the most torturous jolt of pain that cold sweat would immediately ooze out of his skin and he won’t be able to speak.

“We’ll take our leave, Master Yan. See you,” said one of the chieftains of a score of explorers.

“Do come to my place for a drink, Master Yan.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d be taking my leave, Friend.”

Everyone else said their greetings and goodbyes to Chu Xun and Yan Wushuang. The former was too powerful – being able to incapacitate Seventh-grade Human Kings with a mere couple of punches – and what was more, he was nowhere near being kind or forgiving. He would not only bash up anyone who dare anger him, he would even rob their possessions too. So it was best for them to just quickly leave.

“Please stay,” a powerful voice resounded through the air.

That surprised everyone, and heads turned in its direction. From afar, several figures streaked through the air and drew nearer rapidly.

They were members of the Bloody Moon Tower.

Clad in their usual garb or deep crimson red and armed with long sabers painted in the color of blood, members of the Tower held true to their macabre outlook of being harbingers of death and despair.

Yan Wushuang stepped to Chu Xun’s side and stood abreast with him.

“Do stay, everyone,” said a man with a pallid-white complexion and a bright red dot on the center of his forehead. His eyes were a red flush of blood that only made him a creepy person.

But what was more disturbing was his terrifying powers that gave off a palpable tension and uneasiness just by standing near him.

That would place his level at least an Eight-grade Human King.

That filled Zang Fengling with glee, if not solace. He knew why the men of the Tower were here: to exact retribution upon Yan Wushuang and that country bumpkin.

“I’ll hold him back, Liu. Take the men back to the Yan Family residence quickly and get help,” whispered Yan Wushuang urgently.

With hardly any drop in his voice, Chu Xun muttered casually, “Why do we need help?”

Yan Wushuang stared at him. Can’t he feel how powerful this man is?! We’re no match for him!

“Nie Zicheng of the Bloody Moon Tower,” announced the man.

“I am here with questions that I hope you can provide me with answers, Master Yan.”

“What might they be?”

“We have members of the Tower killed in an inn not long ago. I wonder if you know who was responsible for that.” Nie Zicheng’s voice came as soft as a woman’s that one might wonder he was one instead.

“I killed them,” muttered Yan Wushuang, knowing full well that Nie Zicheng already knew the answer to that.

“Such candor befits a champion like you, Master Yan. Allow me to convey my admiration.”

“One more question. Perhaps you might be able to answer that too, Master Yan.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Four of ours attending a meeting at your residence, Master Yan, but they haven’t been seen since then. What are their whereabouts?”

Yan Wushuang almost thought his heart took a skip. All four of the men he spoke of were dead.

Meanwhile, Chu Xun was studying Nie Zicheng with interest from head to toe, thinking, what is he? Man or woman?!

His appearance and voice matched exactly those of a woman’s, although he still retained his Adam’s apple.

“They’ve gone home,” interjected Chu Xun sneakily before Yan Wushuang could respond.

“Oh? Home, you say? And what home is that?” asked Nie Zicheng with a cryptic smile.

Chu Xun grinned. “Go east after you are out of the Kunlun Mountain and return to Yanxue City. Then, you’ll come upon a cross junction. Take the left turn and go for another 3 miles, then turn right. Go for another 3 miles and turn left and go on for yet another 3 miles. Dig a hole in the ground. Don’t ever stop. Once you reach almost a million meters, you’d find yourself in another world. There, you’d find a river and a bridge called Naihe Qiao – the Bridge of Helplessness – which is kept by an old lady who will offer anyone who passes the bridge a bowl of soup. Remember to ask her not to add coriander into the soup. After the bridge, go into the city nearby. I’m sure you’ll find them there.”

Everyone gawked with silence, for there was no one soul around who failed to miss how Chu Xun was making a fool of Nie Zicheng. Does he really not fear death?! Or does he really think he can outmatch an Eight-grade Human King?!

“That’s a funny joke, my friend,” Nie Zicheng’s smile grew broader.

“I can say the same about you. Until now, I still can’t tell whether you’re man or woman.” Chu Xun answered with a smile.

That would have sounded immensely insulting to any other people’s ears.

And Yan Wushuang did not fail to miss the corners of Nie Zicheng’s eye jerking with intense irritation right as soon as those words escaped Chu Xun’s lips.

Hehehehe...” Nie Zicheng hissed, “Somehow, I don’t find that funny.”

“It’s not a joke; I’m serious,” Chu Xun uttered flatly.

The pall of gloom and malice hanging over Nie Zicheng’s head only darkened.

“I can attest to that, Senior!” Zang Fengling’s screams came blaring suddenly, “That fool is the one who killed the four members of the Tower that day!”

“Is that so?! Is that Zang Fengling of the Zang Family?!” Nie Zicheng gasped after taking almost a second to look closely.

The renown of Zang Fengling’s prodigious talent was not unheard of to him, although he never expected to see him so haggard and pitiful.

The shame and humiliation were so hard to bear for Zang Fengling. Never before had he ever been in such a sorry state.

“Shuddup, Sexual Dysfunctional. What comes out of your trap is just as useless as your kidneys,” snapped Chu Xun. (PS – kidneys are important to men’s sexual health in Chinese medicine)

“I believe you owe me an explanation, Friend,” said Nie Zicheng coolly.

“What is there to explain? Those men insulted me so badly that I had to kill them.”

“No one kills a member of the Tower and gets away with it,” muttered Nie Zicheng darkly.

“As if members of the Towers are more divine and holy,” scoffed Chu Xun, “It’s not my fault – those sanctimonious fools had it coming.”

Gods Almighty, everyone around them reeled with terror. This idiot really can’t control his tongue, can he?

“So, you’re seeking death too, aren’t you?” Nie Zicheng hissed with malice gleaming viciously in his eyes.

“Aw... I don’t wanna die,” Chu Xun looked up and peered up the distant sky, saying in a deep voice, “So many have tried to kill me... But alas... It’s always them who first fall... Well... I guess that’s what you get for being invincible... It’s the loneliness of being unconquerable...”

Each and every warrior nearby gaped in silence. Of all times, this fool chooses now to pretend a hero...

“Then tell me,” said Nie Zicheng again, “Who do you think will fall if I try to kill you: will it be you or me?”

“But why would you want to kill me?” uttered Chu Xun with feigned ignorance.

Huh?!

That left Nie Zicheng dumbstruck beyond words.

“You killed men of the Tower. For that, you must die. It is my duty.”

“Aw... It’s a beautiful world, and yet you look like an angry person. We should be exchanging words, not fists, you see? We live in a society governed by the rule of law, see? Murdering people is against the law,” said Chu Xun earnestly.

That almost made everyone laugh. Seriously?! You talk about the rule of law now?! Of all times?!

For this exploration, the Bloody Moon Tower dispatched a total of four Human Kings – two Sixth-grades, one Seventh-grade, and Nie Zicheng of the Eight-grade.

“I suggest we cut the crap and just kill him, Presbyter Nie. Allow me the honor,” said the Seventh-grade Human King.

Chu Xun’s brows peaked curiously. “Kill me, you say?” he shouted loudly, “Come then. I’ll wallop you so badly that you’d be lucky not to soil your pants.”

Everyone stifled laughter, amused at how Chu Xun could be so crude and unreasonable at the same time.

The Seventh-grade Human King, however, was fuming. Storming at Chu Xun, he raised a fist while channeling his Internal Breath.

A corner of Chu Xun’s lips curled as he watched with interest. The long golden halberd appeared into his grasp, and he brandished it without using its magical powers and drove it hard through his foe.

Swish!

Like a keen blade slicing through leaves, the Seventh-grade Human King could not believe his own eyes as Chu Xun deftly slid by him while driving the spear through his chest. He squirmed and winced at the pain, but the more he struggled, the more blood poured out of his chest.

That’s impossible?! Even as Death was staring at him in the face, he could hardly come to terms with the fact that he was so easily killed with the halberd spearing through his protective aura like it was paper.

It must be that Sacred Relic! Even as life ebbed out of him, he could not believe it was Chu Xun’s raw strength, which had been his undoing, not the halberd.

Chu Xun brandished the long golden pole arm with the corpse of the Human King still impaled on its tip like a slab of meat, his eyes gleaming faintly with cold fury and the corner of his mouth twisting triumphantly.

“Overeager git,” grumbled Chu Xun, “To think that you achieved Seventh-grade without learning any patience.”

All that witnessed the brief bout felt a prickly sensation sprawling upon their scalps. The Seventh-grade Human King’s strength and might was on par with theirs, if not stronger, and yet his powers did little to prevent a quick and disgraceful death.

Right at that instant, their gazes at Chu Xun immediately transformed into those of fear and defeat.

Especially Zang Fengling and Pan Chengfeng, who began to realize that if Chu Xun had had any interest in killing them, they would have long been butchered like dogs already.

The former recalled the time when Chu Xun had taken ten blows from him and ended up with a slight injury while winning away his Crimson Draconic Ginseng. Chu Xun must have been hiding his strength all this time to trick him!

Nie Zicheng, however, turned grim and austere. To kill a Seventh-grade Human King with just one stroke, that would easily place Chu Xun at least on his level or beyond. Yet until now, he had been studying his foe and detected not an iota of Internal Breath emanating from Chu Xun.

“Are all members of the Bloody Moon Tower fools? You should know better than to pick a fight you cannot win. Idiot.”

Chu Xun shook his halberd and swung it, flinging the corpse off, and it landed at Nie Zicheng’s feet.

Nie Zicheng gave a funereal stare as every fiber of his being tensed with utmost wariness. For once, he began to wonder if he lacked the strength to defeat this stranger.

“All of you, go back,” he barked to his two remaining men, the pair of Sixth-grade Human Kings. He was worried that if he lost, not only would their presence hardly help, but they might end up as distractions instead.

Yan Wushuang noticed this and stepped in their way, barring them from leaving.

But Chu Xun’s hand came up, motioning for him not to interfere. The addition of two more corpses would make no difference – not when there were already so many pairs of eyes watching, and word of this fight would undoubtedly reach Yanxue City.

“You have incredible powers and skills, Friend. Perhaps you might show me a trick or two.”

Chu Xun waved his halberd back, holding it across his chest, and muttered, “A trick or two, you say? Spare me the pretenses. Just call it for what it is: a fight. A fight to the death too, since I’d never allowed any foe to walk away alive.”

Nie Zicheng stirred, unable to hold back his apprehensions. He had zero confidence at all in defeating Chu Xun.

“I’ll offer you two options. First, you win and you leave. Second, you lose and you die. Fighting you would only establish a vendetta between the Tower and me. So choose carefully. Fight me, and I shall ensure the utter destruction of the Bloody Moon Tower until the day I breathe my last.”