Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Narrow Encounter, Satisfying My Grudge

Huo Hengxuan straightened up, raising his head to gaze at the stagnant, boundless starry sky.

"Sss... sss..."

His body, which had been like a pile of rotten flesh, began to heal rapidly, with bones growing like trees and flesh crawling like slime molds.

Due to the rapid growth, it emitted an eerie, dense sound.

In mere seconds, metabolic regeneration occurred, and a completely new body was born.

Though covered in blood, it was clear that this body was no longer old, resembling a young man whose features were heroic and handsome, with only the eyes showing traces of his former elderly self.

Only the head of mottled white hair remained unchanged.

Time seemed to have reversed on Huo Hengxuan, bringing back the Liang Kingdom God of Slaughter, the young general who once dominated the battlefield forty years ago.

Even more terrifying was the aura emanating from him—an incredibly strong and horrifying presence.

This aura was as powerful as the oppressive feeling given by the star-filled sky, causing one’s heart and liver to tremble!

It was even steadily rising, forming a stance of defiant confrontation!

The once clear sky began to gather endless clouds of calamity, thunder rolling and surging into a vortex at the center, obscuring the vast expanse of the heavens.

This was the reason Li Hongling turned pale with fright.

Huo Hengxuan was asserting his Dao against heaven and earth!

Li Hongling immediately realized she had overlooked an extremely fatal issue.

Huo Hengxuan was not a newly emerged Grandmaster Realm...

He had been in the Grandmaster Realm for many years.

Yet, in these many years, few have ever discussed what his Dao was—a strange occurrence.

Stranger still, Huo Hengxuan himself seemed indifferent, as if never caring about asserting his Dao into the Profound.

For decades, he had only done two things.

One was to kill enemies, the other to defend Liang Kingdom.

Because of Huo Hengxuan’s ruthless methods, with hundreds of thousands killed by his hands, many assumed his Dao was slaughter, emotionless.

But at this moment, Li Hongling realized what many overlooked might be the Dao Huo Hengxuan had quietly practiced all along.

His Dao was not to kill, but to protect!

And just moments ago, he used his own life to protect Da Liang’s slim chance of survival.

Finally asserting the Great Dao, earning recognition from this world, he crossed that threshold, entering the profound and mysterious Upper Three Grades!

Furthermore, for reasons unknown, Huo Hengxuan’s aura did not stop at the Profound Profound Realm but soared, seemingly passing through the sea of suffering by sheer karma, stepping onto the shore of the Dao—

Huo Hengxuan became a Saint.

This terrifying thought appeared in Li Hongling’s mind, shaking her heart and spirit.

She took a deep breath, decisively turned, and fled towards the outskirts of the Imperial City as a black shadow.

No matter what method Huo Hengxuan used to become a Saint, he was no longer someone she could contend against.

Once the seed of cowardice arises, it spreads like wildfire, unstoppable.

Taking advantage of the gathering Dao-proving thunder tribulation and the suppression still on Huo Hengxuan, she needed to quickly find herself a way out.

In the blink of an eye, Li Hongling dashed a hundred zhang away, her injuries worsening, blood surging, which she forcibly swallowed down again.

"Sss!"

She pulled out a piece of Invitation Incense from her bosom and lit it in the wind.

Instantly, the entire incense burned to ash, transforming into a wisp of blue smoke that drifted away, faintly forming the image of a burly elder.

This elder had a magnificent beard and mustache, holding a longsword, with a thick and gentle aura.

He was none other than the Martial Saint—Mu Zhao.

This Invitation Incense was Mu Zhao’s last resort left to Li Hongling.

Not to be used unless in times of life and death.

...

On the city wall, Qingcuo intended to chase after, but was firmly held by Huo Hengxuan.

Qingcuo turned back, her body slightly trembling, eyes filled with sorrow: "General, why..."

Huo Hengxuan shook his head: "Today, three people must die here."

"But you’re not one of them; you little girl aren’t qualified."

He actually smiled at Qingcuo, kindly like an ordinary elder, reaching out to touch the girl’s head.

This warmth was akin to being by the Quchun Riverfront.

The girl wept blood tears, the redness in her eyes fading.

The life-bound Blood Child Gu was removed.

Huo Hengxuan spoke gently:

"Someone will help you kill Li Hongling and avenge you. From now on, follow him and see where he can go."

Qingcuo was taken aback.

That person...

Before she could react, Huo Hengxuan gave a hard push.

Qingcuo found herself uncontrollably falling backward, and after regaining balance, seeing herself at the edge of the wilderness, faced with chaotic Black Armor Army campsite.

The edge Black Armor Army were all ordinary people, with only rough martial skills, and the formation had been breached, naturally they suffered heavy losses.

Not far away, Li Hongling’s staggering figure continued rasping out a hoarse call:

"Where is the Black Armor Army? Quickly prepare the Profound Celestial Horse, escort me away!"

She exuded a distinctly fleeing wolf-like sense of disgrace.

The soldiers were initially stunned, then recognizing the disheveled, mad-woman-like figure as General Fei Feng, Li Hongling, quickly brought her the battle-only Profound Celestial Horse, infused with demonic beast bloodline.

When exerted fully, these horses could cover a thousand miles with a single bound, able to traverse a grand prefecture in a day.

However, running like this would directly exhaust the horse to death, normally cared for more lavishly than humans, a thousand times more valuable, not casually commanded.

Li Hongling mounted the horse, her heart slightly relieved.

Yet she did not ride far.

"Boom!"

A white light burst through the black tide, landing before Li Hongling, revealing Chen Kuang who clasped the mother and daughter.

Meeting on a narrow road.

Chen Kuang released the mother and daughter, initially stunned as to why Li Hongling appeared before him.

But then, feeling his own strength not yet declining below the Moon Embrace Realm, his eyes shone brightly.

"Good timing!"

Chen Kuang advanced in large strides, the slender Dragon’s Gums revolving in his hand, hovering in mid-air, manipulated with a flick.

"Sss!"

The front hooves of the Profound Celestial Horse were instantly severed.

"Whinnying—"

The celestial horse neighed longingly, collapsing to kneel.

Li Hongling’s pupils contracted, thrown out by inertia, tumbling twice before half-kneeling to stabilize, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood, the sword qi left within by Huo Hengxuan raging, unable to suppress any longer.

She suddenly looked up at Chen Kuang, her expression twisted, gritting her teeth and growling:

"You’re courting death!!!"

Chen Kuang strummed the strings again, the sound of the zither and the sword resonated, sweeping forward an immense, invisible Sword Will, slicing countless Black Armor Guards’ bodies.

Li Hongling swiftly retreated, barely evading, glancing back to see a massive sword scar splitting the ground, her scalp numbing instantly.

She took a deep breath, all too familiar with Chen Kuang’s aura.

Moon Embrace Realm!

Then, she sneered coldly, "Through crooked means forced elevation, how long can the cultivation last? I advise you to flee early now, to have a chance at survival."

"Stopping me now, wastes precious time, you gain nothing!"

Chen Kuang walked forward, step by step.

Heard her words, a flash of cold light in the eyes, his killing intent surged.

"You’re wrong, if I break your leg now, and quell a chestful of anger, that’s the greatest benefit!"

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com