The Immortal Emperor Returns

Chapter 374 Groin Attack

The surviving students and acolytes of the Sanctuary of Tetrarchy assembled at the main square and each of them gulping hard apprehensively, craning their necks.

At the center of the square was the more-than-a-hundred-kilogram skewered carcass of a gigantic peacock on a spit over a huge bonfire.

The flames sizzled and flared up excitedly with incessant cracklings at every golden drop of fat dripping down. Slowly, the roasted meat slowly took on a gold-copper burnish as its aroma wafted around the square.

Chu Xun sliced a piece of meat and deposited it into his mouth. The meat tasted crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and juices burst out with every bite. The flesh of the Eighth-grade Beast Lord peacock contained much nourishment inside that could be a boon to anyone’s cultivation of powers.

“Dig in, everyone!”

At that signal, everyone mobbed the spit like a pack of ravenous wolves.

Chu Xun carved off a large piece of peacock steak for Jing Hong.

“I’m not eating that,” scowled Jing Hong with disgust. Kong Yiming’s once in his human form made her feel that eating his meat was the same as eating human flesh.

But she was the only one. Everyone else hardly had any qualms as they gobbled down on their share of succulent peacock meat, their mouths all greasy with fat.

The roasted meat immediately turned into energies once ingested, enriching their physical properties and the meridian channels of their powers. It was a meal that one could never have too much of.

“Tell us about what you saw down there, Brother. About the Subterranean Devils,” said a recovering Yue Fandie, tearing a bite off a dozen-or-so-kilogram slab of meat with hardly any regard for decorum and appearance.

Yan Wushuang bobbed his head too. His hands were heavily bandaged from the severely-bruised muscles and fractured bones. While most people would take up to a hundred days to recover, he would at least need a few days, especially with his left shoulder scapula all smashed up during the battle.

“You have no idea! For three years I’ve been so worried about—” Yan Wushuang paused to chew his meat before mumbling with a full mouth, “—you. Next time you’re off to another field trip like this, remember to leave codices of your magic. I’ll be sure to find you a successor to continue your lineage.”

Chu Xun felt rather pleased to hear the first few words only to be miffed by the other half of his sentence. In fact, he would have given Yan Wushuang a good walloping if not for the wounds he now carried.

“Uncle, you seemed to be considerably stronger since coming back,” remarked Yue Hongbo, mumbling as he chomped down on his roasted meat.

Every head turned to look at Chu Xun. It was true; he could slay Eighth- and Ninth-grade Human Kings as easily as snapping his fingers now when he used to need more time and effort dealing with such enemies in the past.

“You’re right; I’ve had a breakthrough,” revealed Chu Xun truthfully. With the enhancement of his soul during his three-year-long astral projection, he had ascended when he returned to his body. As of right now, he was halfway past the Golden Core Stage.

“Tell us the tale about your adventures against the Subterranean Devils, Uncle,” said Yue Jingchou.

Chu Xun felt a knot in his gut. His experiences in the sealed domain were more of a “torment” than an “adventure”. In fact, he was so close to dying down there. But he could ill afford to tell everyone how he had virtually been bullied like a child lest he should want his reputation to be wiped on the ground like a stained kitchen rag. After all, no one would find out what happened down there.

He started by first telling his swashbuckling derring-dos at the domain where the Subterranean Devils were sealed, regaling his friends and comrades about how he had killed and slain monsters, toyed with a strange, hairy hermit, and finally a gritting battle against the Fourth Demon Lord.

The stories left Yue Fandie and the rest gawking with their jaws hanging.

“What is this Highly-curved Space?” asked Yan Wushuang suddenly.

Chu Xun explained it very simply, “A dimension where an hour there is a day out here.”

Yue Fandie and the others all gasped in silence and shock again. Such a magical place?!

“Can we go inside to train?” Yue Fandie shone with enthusiasm and said, “If you can go head-to-head against that Fourth Demon Lord, I say we go in and occupy a spot for yourself! You can call yourself the Fifth Demon Lord!”

“That’s right! After all, you’re already the Devil! Crowning yourself the Fifth Demon Lord won’t be far off anyway,” added Yan Wushuang with equal fervor.

If they could really put to use the advantages of such a miraculous place where training for an hour could achieve the same results as others do in one day, they could easily become the most powerful beings alive on this Earth after a year or so inside.

“Dream on. The Subterranean Devils are sealed inside there. If anything happens to the enchantment that holds the seal, all hell could break loose,” said Chu Xun sternly. He could not allow anyone to go through what he had been through down there; the sheer toll of the anguish below could easily turn anyone mad.”

As he spoke, Chu Xun caught Jing Hong eyeing him furtively with the hint of a grin. He shivered. “Did she see through my lie?”

“What is it?” he asked her hastily. Surely, she had not yet discovered his lie?

“Nothing,” Jing Hong smiled thinly, shaking her head, “It’s good that you’re back.”

“Have you thought about me in these three years?” he asked earnestly.

Jing Hong sank into reticent silence for seconds before she nodded. “I did.”

She was not lying. She could not bear to. For three long years since his departure, she waited just as long with yearning.

Chu Xun grinned and opened his arms wide.

“Come give him a hug, hug, hug…” chortled Yan Wushuang in the background.

Jing Hong stood up and Chu Xun followed after her, their eyes locked in a gaze filled with raw passion.

It tasted even sweeter than honey. Jing Hong finally acknowledged him. He drew nearer, eager to wrap his arms around Jing Hong and pull her close. But with a blur of white, she was gone and Chu Xun’s arms caught nothing but air.

That struck everyone by surprise and a peal of laughter broke out as even the acolytes of the Sanctuary joined in the chortle.

Left in a lurch, embarrassed Chu Xun spun on his heels to see Jing Hong standing some distance away, beaming at him with a lovely smile.

“For three years you’ve scarpered off, you should thank the stars that I’m not blaming you,” she said in coquettish jest, “How could you even ask for more?” It was the first time she showed such a coy, girlish side to him.

“You belong to me. How is that asking for more?” said Chu Xun, vanishing and reappearing beside her in a flash.

Shocked, Jing Hong wanted to flee but it was too late. Chu Xun’s speed far dwarfed hers. Before she could take another step, Chu Xun’s arms had coiled around her slender waist.

Blushing furiously, she hissed, “Let me go! People are watching us!”

“I’m only hugging my woman. Let them look if they want to,” Chu Xun guffawed heartily.

It was the first time Chu Xun hugged her. His warm breath caressed her skin, threatening to make her knees buckle but she locked them, her hands settling quickly around Chu Xun’s waist before she knew it.

“I’m so sorry,” Jing Hong whimpered anxiously.

Unfazed, Chu Xun remarked, “There’s nothing to be sorry about in hugging your man.”

“Can you let go of me?” she squeaked as timidly as a mouse. She could hardly breathe.

“Of course not!” Chu Xun constricted his hold even tighter instead, pulling her so close that they were literally pressed against each other. “Did you know that I once thought I would never hold you in my arms ever again?”

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” chorused Yan Wushuang in the background.

A chorus that was soon joined by Yue Fandie and everyone else of the Sanctuary of Tetrarchy.

Being so close to her, he beheld her beauty and found himself mesmerized. He had hugged Jing Hong just like this during his former lifetime, and thank Heavens he could do it again now.

Chu Xun gazed at her longingly, enthralled by the perfect face of the woman in his arms who was staring back at him with her deep eyes brimming with love’s suffusion that also made her lips quivered as if willing him to come closer.

“Ch-chu… Chu Xun! That’s enough!” squealed Jing Hong, her face furiously red as she saw herself in his eyes.

“Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!” Yan Wushuang chanted; his eyes were as large as tea saucers.

Everyone clenched their fists in anticipation, rooting for Chu Xun quietly with not even a sound across the square.

Chu Xun drew closer and closer so that Jing Hong could feel his warm breath coming stronger and stronger.

Bang!

“AWW!” screamed Chu Xun with such pain that tears welled in his eyes, whatever amorous atmosphere dissipated in a puff of brimstone.

Jing Hong looked just as startled herself, grappling with total panic between consoling Chu Xun and uttering speechlessness. In her anxiety, she had accidentally lifted her leg and kneed Chu Xun in his groin.

“Wow… So even a lady as refined as fairy can hit a man in his groin,” murmured Yan Wushuang as if to himself blankly.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean it! I’m so sorry!” Jing Hong whimpered in fright before she spun around and scampered off.

Everyone stared oddly at the couple, struggling to keep their giggles down.

“Hahahaha! Even a woman as regal as her could do anything so vulgar!” said Yan Wushuang, doubling over in squeals of vicious laughter. “Well, there you have it, boys and girls. Whether you’re the Devil or not, a groin strike always works. Always.”

Caught between shame and rage, Chu Xun could not believe that Jing Hong had just kicked him in the groin.

“You need to be patience, Brother,” said Yue Fandie, striding closer with a huge peacock steak. With a tone suggesting his experience and skill in the art of dealing with women, he said, “You need to take things slowly. You can’t just hug a woman and kiss her directly like a hungry wolf. That’s why she returned the favor in a similarly savage manner.”

“Leave me alone,” scowled an exasperated Chu Xun. The pain was true; even as he possessed indestructible physical properties, groins were still any man’s weakness. He really wanted to massage his private parts, but he could not – not with so many eyes watching him.

Yan Wushuang came to him, throwing him teasing looks. “So how is it going?”

“Are you looking for trouble?” Chu Xun glared at him.

“That’s the Devil for you. A blow to the groin and you’re still as good as new with your temper flaring too!”

That was the last straw; Chu Xun grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him off for a bout of walloping to vent his rage.

“Lemme go, Chu Xun! I’m not Jing Hong! I’m not the one who kicked you! What is the meaning of this!?” Yan Wushuang caterwauled for help, “I’m wounded! You’d better be soft! AWW! AWW!”

It turned out to be all Chu Xun needed to regain his mood – several minutes of exercise in walloping Yan Wushuang.

“Keep the feast going, everyone!” called Chu Xun. Barely one-third of Kong Yiming’s twenty-meter-long girth had been consumed since the feast began.

“Come on, old Yue, come here and give me a hand,” Yan Wushuang lifted an arm and gestured at Yue Fandie.

“You got that coming, you know that?” said Yue Fandie as he gnawed a big mouthful off his meat, “Anyway, I’m busy. My hands are full.”

“Let me help you, Master Yan,” Yue Jingchou came over.

“Good thing you’re better than your callous and unhelpful old man,” muttered Yan Wushuang gratefully before a loud but dull thud came, followed closely by his yowls of pain.

“You wretched rascal!? This is your ploy, is it!?” Yan Wushuang screamed with so much pain he was teetering on the brink of tears. Yue Jingchou had let go suddenly when he was helping Yan Wushuang up, allowing the latter to fall.

Yue Jingchou giggled, “Heavens, I’m so sorry. It was a mistake; my hands were slippery.”

Yan Wushuang’s nostrils puffed with exasperation. He did it on purpose! Slippery hands my eye!

“Come here, Jing Chou!” called Chu Xun, tossing him another fresh slab of meat.

“Thank you, Uncle!” Yue Jingchou caught it.

“Worthless sycophant,” Yan Wushuang rolled his eyes quietly, grimacing with pain.

The bonfire and sweet aroma of roasted meat never stopped and the merry-making went on all night.

And their banter never ceased.

“Ah? Where’s Master Yan?” yelped Yue Jingchou who pivoted around and found Yan Wushuang missing suddenly.

“You guys carry on. I’ll find him,” Chu Xun activated his Divine Sense and his astral projection found Yan Wushuang in no time.

Knowing how Yan Wushuang always loved the merry atmosphere, he found it strange. “Where is he off to alone?”

Chu Xun’s astral projection sped towards Yan Wushuang’s location.

At the far western side of the Sanctuary of Tetrarchy was a sprawl of cemeteries used to bury the Sanctuary’s dead.

Standing before a grave marker, Yan Wushuang gravely set down a slice of freshly-roasted peacock meat and filled two little goblets with wine. One he took up and gulped down its contents, the other he sprinkled its wine in front of the grave marker.

Chu Xun sighed, turning away morosely without a word. Yan Wushuang needed peace.

That was the grave of Feng Zijian, who died saving him.