“Don’t look now! They’re about to catch up to us!”
Zhao You leaned against a tree, panting with anxiety.
It had already been seven days since they were being hunted by the Zhengyi Sect. On the second day after escaping from the sect, they had barely rested in a nearby town when the pursuers from the Yu Ye Sect caught up. Wanted posters were everywhere. They seemed afraid to openly hunt for the Holy Maiden, only labeling them as fugitives, specifying that the woman must be captured alive, while the man’s life or death did not matter.
Forced into a corner, they dared not stay at inns, traveling by day and resting by night, eating and sleeping outdoors.
Dusk was approaching, and they were now in a dense forest.
Zhao You found it hard to understand this strange demonic sect girl. Normally, being hunted by traitors should elicit some anger, but Hua Yan seemed overly excited, as if this were something to be happy about. Everything seemed novel and interesting to her, making her appear quite… unsophisticated.
For example, she was currently engrossed in reading “The Righteous Chronicles: The Ultimate Sentiment of Heaven and Earth,” a book produced by the Guchuan Hall.
“Wait a minute! This is a critical part! I’m almost done!” Hua Yan complained, clutching the book. “The Righteous Chronicles is already up to the eighth part, but our sect’s library only has up to the fifth part. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for the update. And the author always stops at the most crucial points. Will Hero Shang be able to save Ouyang Wanwan…”
Zhao You was exasperated: “Can’t you read it later?”
“But…”
“Do you want to find Young Great Hero Lu or not?”
“I do!” Hua Yan hesitated for a moment, torn as she held the book. “Alright, let’s get moving then.”
On this point, Zhao You was also quite puzzled.
Initially, he thought Hua Yan was seeking revenge on Lu Chengsha—after all, many demonic sect members had indeed died at Lu Chengsha’s hands. But as they traveled, he realized Hua Yan seemed more like she was eagerly going to meet a long-admired senior. Watching the stunningly beautiful girl from the corner of his eye as they traveled, Zhao You’s feelings were extremely complicated.
He hoped Young Great Hero Lu would uphold justice but also felt that this demonic girl, despite being bold and willful, didn’t deserve death…
More importantly, over the course of their journey, he had developed some fondness for this demonic girl who had eloped with him, disregarding even her sect…
No! Zhao You!
He told himself, you absolutely cannot fall for this demonic girl!
Hua Yan was oblivious to his inner turmoil. Despite losing all her internal strength and being hunted, it did not dampen her good spirits while traveling.
Moreover, being chased by the demonic sect gave her a sense of being part of the righteous path.
Father was right; being a good person feels truly wonderful!
She now seemed just like Hero Shang from *The Righteous Chronicles*, who was being pursued by the Red and Blue Fiends. Despite the numerous dangers he faced along the way, he remained devoted to the safety of the martial world and his beloved Ouyang Wanwan…
Hua Yan’s eyes were full of anticipation. “When will we finally meet Great Hero Lu?”
Being gazed at with such admiration and trust by the young girl, Zhao You couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his heart. In an instant, he awkwardly looked away.
No! Zhao You!
Even if this demonic girl has deeply fallen for you, even if she admires you greatly and would die for you, as a young hero of the righteous path, you must not engage in a love that would shake the heavens, make the ghosts weep, and defy your masters and ancestors!
“No, no, you… I…”
Hua Yan immediately became unhappy. “How can you go back on your word? Aren’t you a disciple of the righteous path?” She pulled out a silk fan and shook it vigorously, the cold glint of a hidden blade flashing beneath it. “Do you know that someone like you would be turned into feed for raising Gu worms in our sect…”
Though clearly a threat, her actions appeared quite charming to Zhao You.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Zhao You forced a stiff tone: “Soon… soon! The Sword Conference hosted by the Dongfeng Buye Pavilion will be attended by all the sects, and Great Hero Lu will definitely be there. This year it’s being held at the Dangshan Sect, I originally…”
“What originally?” Hua Yan blinked her eyes.
As a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, Zhao You was supposed to attend as well, but he got separated and lost his way, somehow ending up in demonic sect territory.
He coughed, his face a bit red. “Nothing, just follow me.”
“Okay.” Hua Yan nodded. “What is this Dongfeng Buye Pavilion?”
Zhao You was shocked. “You don’t even know that? You’ve at least heard of the Dongfeng Buye Inn, right?”
“No…”
What a bumpkin!
Zhao You immediately felt a sense of superiority, like a city person looking down on a country bumpkin. “The Dongfeng Buye Inn is currently the largest chain inn in the martial world. They’ve sponsored the Sword Conference for the past few decades. They even rank young heroes. Look…” He took out a small booklet from his pocket and raised his chin. “This is last month’s guidebook from the Dongfeng Buye Pavilion.”
“Let me see!” Hua Yan snatched it and flipped to the second page, immediately seeing a ranking of martial world threats.
Seventh: Demoness of Heavenly Fire, Tiancan Sect.
Hey, this is too fast!
She had just inherited her mother’s position last month, and now her name was already on the list? Her title had only just been decided recently!
And she hadn’t even done anything yet!
Their sect leader had done so many wicked things and was only ranked third. This was too unfair!
Upon looking further down at the ranking reasons, she saw that all the great deeds her mother often boasted about were now attributed to her. It was said that although this girl had not been in the martial world for long, rumors claimed she had been trained by the Fiery Flame Demoness herself. Her poison techniques and charm skills were even more formidable, surpassing her predecessor, and if given time, she would become a major threat. It was best to eliminate her while she was still young.
In simple terms, they had just swapped her mother’s name for hers. This was…
Hua Yan wailed, “…This is too unfair!”
Zhao You looked at the booklet, then at the beautiful girl beside him, who was stomping her feet in anger, her face puffed up like a bun.
Stay calm! Do not be swayed! She is not cute at all!
Hua Yan turned to the next page and barely calmed down. She quickly flipped through a few more pages until she found the list of young martial heroes Zhao You had mentioned.
Lu Chengsha was prominently ranked second, while the first place was left blank.
Zhao You explained, “The first place was someone who appeared out of nowhere and then quickly disappeared, without even leaving a name. It might just be a rumor.”
“I see.” Hua Yan’s anticipation reignited. “So Great Hero Lu Chengsha is truly the most powerful in the righteous path now?”
“Aside from the older grandmasters, he probably is… Watch out!” Zhao You pushed her as a green-tipped arrow whizzed between them. Turning his head, he saw a leader in purple robes lowering his bow, leading several disciples in green robes towards them.
Thinking that he had to act like a man, Zhao You steeled himself and said, “We should split up. I’ll draw them away, and you can escape. Head south and you’ll find the Dangshan Sect. I… you… we’ll meet at the Dangshan Sect!”
Hua Yan: “?”
Draw them away?
Zhao You immediately changed direction and ran opposite to Hua Yan. He ran with his head down, and before long, there was no sound behind him.
Am I running that fast?
Zhao You looked back and saw that the demonic sect pursuers were turning away, heading straight for Hua Yan as if he didn’t exist.
“Hey, hey, hey!! I’m over here! Come after me!! Chase me!!!”
Zhao You jumped and shouted.
The demonic sect pursuers glanced at him.
—”Who is this guy? Should we chase him?”
—”The Sect Master said the man isn’t important, just ignore him.”
—”Okay.”
Saying this, they continued to pursue Hua Yan without looking back.
“Don’t go!!! Come back!!!!”
Hua Yan had no idea what he was thinking, using her movement techniques to dodge and flee like a butterfly among flowers, while thinking that this person was too unreliable.
When disaster strikes, everyone flies their separate ways!
Sigh, forget it, he’s not really a righteous hero anyway.
It’s just a pity that her internal strength hasn’t recovered yet; otherwise, she would have run far away by now.
As Hua Yan was thinking this, a whistling wind suddenly filled her ears.
It was sunset, and the dense forest was filled with shadows from the overlapping branches and leaves. Apart from the occasional chirping of birds and the rustling of falling leaves, it was initially very quiet. But this wind came swiftly and eerily.
It sounded like weeping, like a low moan.
Like a sudden fierce winter wind in the middle of March.
Following this was a strong killing intent, distant yet near, sweeping in like a sandstorm. Hua Yan instinctively looked up.
In the gaps between the shadows of the trees, half was the faint light of dusk, the other half had already sunk into darkness. In her line of sight, a figure in black suddenly appeared.
He stood precisely at the boundary between dusk and darkness, cool and solitary, as if he were the axis that divided the world.
Just standing there, he exuded an overwhelming killing intent.
Time seemed to stop in an instant.
The tree shadows stopped swaying, leaves ceased falling, and the howling wind seemed to vanish.
All was silent.
Hua Yan could clearly hear her own heartbeat, pounding loudly in her chest, each thump echoing in her ears.
In her vision, it seemed like that single person was the entire world.
Even many years later, when Hua Yan recalled this moment, she would still feel her heart race.
But at that time, she could only stare blankly as the man in black, carrying the killing intent of the entire night, stepped forward with an unstoppable force, engulfing the light and tranquility.
For a moment, Hua Yan even felt like she was going to die.
Fortunately, this killing intent was not directed at her.
“Who are you? Move aside…” the pursuers demanded.
The man in black did not speak. He simply drew the longsword from his back, as if speaking was unnecessary.
But this single action caused the faces of the demonic sect pursuers to change instantly: “Lu… Lu Chengsha, are you Lu Chengsha?”
Hua Yan’s mind exploded in an instant.
Lu! Cheng! Sha!
Is this man in black really Lu Chengsha?
The answer had been elusive despite her efforts, and now it came effortlessly!
Hua Yan almost forgot she was still being pursued. She fixed her gaze on him and finally remembered to take a good look at this renowned hero.
The man in black wore a tight-fitting outfit with silver-trimmed narrow sleeves, his tall figure further accentuated by the attire. His long hair was tied high with a dark blue ribbon, and a similar dark blue tassel hung from his sword. Though his appearance was not striking, his aura was overwhelming.
If she had to compare, he was like a divine weapon, sealed for a century and then released, its sharpness and indomitable edge as potent as ever. One could sense the aura of slaughter from afar.
He moved swiftly, like a shadow, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside Hua Yan.
Hua Yan blinked.
The gust of wind stirred her clothing.
Before it settled, Lu Chengsha had already flashed past, his gaze unwavering.
“Run…”
“Run…”
Someone started the cry, and the previously fierce pursuers now fled for their lives, scrambling back even faster than when they were chasing her. Unfortunately for them, Lu Chengsha had no intention of letting them go.
With Hua Yan’s eyesight, she could barely catch a few glimpses of him. Then, there were flashes of sword light, blood splattering everywhere, and not a single scream was heard.
In no time, when Lu Chengsha finally stood still, there was no one left around him.
Several towering trees had been cut by Lu Chengsha’s sword. In the midst of the swaying shadows and falling leaves and branches, the blood seeped into the soil, framing the tall and slender young man in a cold and desolate scene.
The world fell silent once more.
He was the only black amidst the scattered red.
Hua Yan vaguely recalled what Shui Se had once told her.
Back then, she had merely listened.
Now, she could almost picture it, even more striking than described.
After finishing, Lu Chengsha remained expressionless. He simply wiped his sword and sheathed it.
Lu Chengsha’s sword looked more like a knife. The blade was unusually wide, appearing simple and heavy. It looked like a plain black iron sword with no qualities of a treasured weapon. Yet moments ago, the swordsmanship it displayed was sharp and unstoppable.
Is this the power of a true hero of the righteous path?
Hua Yan was convinced that even at her peak, with all her internal strength, she would have less than a thirty percent chance of defeating Lu Chengsha.
He was truly… incredible!
Before Hua Yan could finish marveling, Lu Chengsha had already turned and started to leave.
“Hey… wait!”
Realizing this, Hua Yan lifted her skirt and ran after him. “Are you Lu Chengsha?”
It seemed Lu Chengsha only now noticed her existence. His cold, dark eyes glanced at her indifferently, then looked past her as if she were no different from the pursuers he had just dealt with.
Hua Yan finally got a clear look at his face.
Judging by his features alone, one might think he had a gentle appearance, with soft eyebrows and eyes. However, beneath that cold, almost icy expression, any hint of warmth was shattered into pieces. His pitch-black pupils held no warmth, only sharp coldness and a killing intent that kept people at a distance, reminding Hua Yan of predators like eagles or leopards.
But this did not dampen Hua Yan’s enthusiasm.
As she regained her composure, she thought: This is the aura a true hero of the righteous path should have!
“I’ve admired you for a long time and have always wanted to meet you! Really!” she said excitedly, not knowing what else to say. “Where are you going? To uphold justice? Can I come with you? I’ve always admired heroes like you since I was a child. My father’s bookshelf is filled with The Chronicles of Martial Heroes…”
Lacking internal strength but still having her agility, Hua Yan’s speed was much faster than an ordinary person’s. However, it was difficult to talk while chasing someone, so without thinking, she took out a Invincible Strength Pill and swallowed it—despite disliking Yu Ye, his medicine was still effective. Instantly, she felt a surge of energy and continued to chase him with renewed vigor.
“Great Hero Lu, listen to me, I really…”
Half an hour later.
“How long do you plan to follow me?”
His voice was low and cold, with a hint of hoarseness from not speaking often, but it still had a clear and pleasant tone.
Hua Yan was surprised. “So you can speak!”
This was the first time she had heard him speak since following him, and she was astonished.
Lu Chengsha finally stopped, his eyebrows furrowing, and his cold eyes showed no trace of pity or sympathy as he repeated, “Stop following me.”
The tone clearly indicated that strangers should stay away.
“No, if I don’t follow you, what if I get killed?”
“…”
“I’m being hunted by the demonic sect! It’s very dangerous!” Hua Yan tried to appear more fragile, her big eyes welling up with tears, and started to spin a tale: “My parents were killed by the demonic sect, and now I have no one to rely on. If they catch me, who knows what they will do to me? They might even sell me to…”
Unfortunately, before she could finish, he turned and walked away.
“Hero, don’t walk so fast.” She quickly chased after him. “Slow down and wait for me.”
“……”
“By the way, are all righteous heroes as powerful as you?”
“……”
“Your sword is so unique! What’s its name? I can’t guess just by looking at it.”
“……”
“Aren’t you able to speak? Talk to me!”
“I don’t know.”
“Hey! You responded to me!” Hua Yan happily quickened her pace, catching up to Lu Chengsha’s side. “You’re really nice!”
Hearing this, Lu Chengsha’s steps faltered for a moment, then he walked even faster, ignoring her no matter how many questions she asked.