Chapter 153 It's Xie Beilun Again

Chapter 153: It is Xie Beilun Once Again

The old man, named Wu Chang, was a resident of Wu Family Village just outside East Wood City. He usually made a living by gathering firewood. Lying on the ground covered in blood was his son, Wu Ji, who was only fourteen or fifteen years old. Because children of poor families matured early, young Wu Ji often accompanied his father into the mountains to gather firewood to help support the household.

Every time the father and son entered the city to sell firewood, they usually arrived quite early. However, today, because Wu Ji had fallen ill, they were somewhat late. By the time they reached the city gates, the sun was already high in the east, and a long queue had formed. The Wu family father and son had no choice but to join the end of the line.

When the sun reached its zenith, it was finally their turn to enter the city. Anxious that their firewood would not fetch a good price, the father and son pushed their cart and rushed desperately toward the interior of the city the moment the guards finished their inspection.

Just as the Wu family father and son stepped into the gateway of the city, a group of cultivators descended from the sky. There were several cultivators riding second-grade and first-grade flying spirit beasts.

Although the gate guards did not recognize which clan these cultivators belonged to, both the city magistrate and the commander of the city guards had given strict instructions that a large number of cultivators would be passing through today. The guards were told to keep their eyes open and avoid offending these cultivators. Therefore, as soon as they saw the cultivators flying in the sky, several guards immediately halted the flow of people entering the gateway, clearing a path for the descending cultivators.

The arriving party was none other than the cultivators of the Golden Flame Sect. For reasons unknown, Xie Wenyuan landed his flying spirit beast right at the city gate, intending to walk into East Wood City on foot.

Seeing the path cleared by the guards, a surge of secret excitement welled up within Xie Wenyuan. He had personally led the Golden Flame Sect into the ranks of third-grade sects, and now, a century later, it was once again he who would lead the Golden Flame Sect into the ranks of fourth-grade sects. Look at how the guards of East Wood City eagerly cleared the way the moment they saw him...

As the Golden Flame Sect party entered the city gate tunnel, Xie Beilun took the lead, walking at the very front. Catching sight of the mortals walking ahead, Xie Beilun let out a loud laugh. Transforming into a blue blur, he crashed through the crowd, sending people flying in all directions and scattering their belongings across the ground.

The firewood cart of the Wu family father and son was overturned, and their bundles of firewood were scattered everywhere.

Wu Ji was young and hot-blooded, and with his feverish body, the sight of someone wrecking his firewood cart triggered his adolescent temper. He flew into a rage, thrusting his neck forward and shouting at the laughing Xie Beilun, "Bastard! How—how can you just go around crashing into people? You smashed my family's firewood, and you've knocked down so many people! What kind of person are you, how can you..."

Hearing this, Xie Beilun laughed aloud and flicked his sleeve. A wave of golden Qi struck Wu Ji squarely in the chest. The innocent boy was instantly sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, coughing up a mouthful of blood in mid-air before crashing heavily onto the ground far away.

Old man Wu Chang had seen his fair share of immortals. Seeing his son coughing up blood from a mere flick of a sleeve, he immediately realized this young man was an immortal whom a mere mortal like him could not afford to offend. Terrified, he rushed to cradle the bleeding Wu Ji and began to bitterly plead with Xie Beilun, who was stepping closer and closer.

"Young master! Immortal lord, I beg the immortal lord to spare my son's life! My son is blind and has offended the immortal lord. Please spare his wretched life..."

Xie Beilun walked up to Wu Ji, planted his foot on the boy's body, and wore a cold, mocking smile on his handsome face. "Old man, just now your son called me a bastard. Did you hear that clearly?"

Old man Wu Chang hugged Xie Beilun's legs, kowtowing against the ground with loud thuds. "Immortal lord! Immortal lord, please spare my son's life! He is young and ignorant, and has offended you. I beg you to spare his life!" Because he kowtowed with such force, a large patch of blood quickly seeped out onto his forehead.

The horrifying scene frightened the onlookers, causing them to scatter like startled birds. In the blink of an eye, the wide gateway of the East Gate of East Wood City was completely deserted.

"I beg the immortal lord to spare my son's life! I beg the immortal lord to spare my son's life..."

The old man's wretched, crying supplications echoed through the gateway.

"Enough, Beilun. Spare the boy's life. We have important business to attend to today. Once we establish ourselves as a fourth-grade sect in East Wood City, you can act as arrogant as you like."

Among the group, Xu Mingyuan, who had been walking behind Xie Beilun, stepped out of the gate tunnel. Seeing the tragic state of old man Wu Chang, a pang of sympathy stirred within him, prompting him to speak up.

A flash of sinister malice crossed Xie Beilun's handsome face, but he still had to heed Xu Mingyuan's words. After all, Xu Mingyuan was currently the second strongest expert in the Golden Flame Sect, and even his father would not dare completely disregard him. However...

"Since Senior Uncle Xu has spoken, this junior will let the brat off."

A flash of golden light gleamed under his foot, and a faint golden trace rapidly seeped into Wu Ji's body on the ground. Only then did Xie Beilun lift his foot, smiling as he released the Wu family father and son, and turned to walk into East Wood City.

Seeing the flicker of golden light beneath Xie Beilun's foot, a shadow crossed Xu Mingyuan's face. That scoundrel Xie Beilun actually refused to give him even this bit of face. That strand of golden light was precisely a technique from the Golden Flow Sword Qi. Once this sword qi penetrated the youth's body, unless someone versed in the Azure Wood Transforming Spirit Technique intervened, the boy would surely die.

...

"Bastard!" Upon hearing the full sequence of events from the gate guards, Zisu spat out the curse with a cold expression, her pretty face masked in frost.

"Immortal lord, I beg you to save my son! Please, immortal lord!" Old man Wu kept kowtowing to Zisu, his aged body periodically turning to look at his son. His look of sheer panic, weathered face, and blood-stained forehead brought tears to the eyes of several Huashan disciples.

Jiang Yan glanced at Wu Chang on the ground, then waved his hand at Sun Yang behind him. Receiving the order from the sect leader, Sun Yang immediately crouched beside Wu Ji, pressed a hand against the boy's wrist, and channeled a stream of earthy-yellow spiritual energy into his body to probe his injuries.

"His internal organs are all damaged, and his abdomen is suffering from severe trauma. Furthermore, there is a tyrannical strand of Golden Flame Sect metal-attribute spiritual energy circulating within him. This disciple is incapable of neutralizing it; I'm afraid only the Master's Transforming Life Powder can save this boy." Sun Yang reported to Jiang Yan after examining Wu Ji's condition.

Jiang Yan furrowed his brow. It was this Xie Beilun yet again. Master Ding Yuan's death was linked to him, and the tragic fate of disciple Wen Song's family was also tied to him. He never expected that simply entering a gate in East Wood City would lead him to a mortal injured by this very same Xie Beilun.

With injuries this severe, probably only the Azure Wood Transforming Spirit Technique could cure him. Jiang Yan made a hand gesture, and Tang Wan stepped forward, arriving before Jiang Yan with an inquiring look.

"The boy's injuries are quite severe. I'm afraid I must trouble Junior Sister to execute the Azure Wood Transforming Spirit Technique." Jiang Yan said to the puzzled Tang Wan.

Seeing the boy lying on the ground, Tang Wan tightly knitted her delicate brows. With a flick of her slender hand, a surge of verdant spiritual energy was channeled into Wu Ji's body—it was precisely the energy of the Azure Wood Transforming Spirit Technique. This technique not only assisted cultivators in recovering their spiritual energy but could also heal physical wounds. Knowing that the boy's internal organs were severely damaged, Tang Wan, with Jiang Yan's permission, initiated the treatment.

Under the influence of Tang Wan's Azure Wood Transforming Spirit Technique, the pale face of Wu Ji immediately regained a hint of color. Within the span of half a cup of tea, the ghastly pallor completely vanished from his face. Opening his eyes, he saw his father staring intently at him, alongside several ethereal young men and women standing around. Wu Ji leaped up in one fluid motion and looked around in bewilderment.

"Many thanks to the immortals for saving my son's life! Many thanks, immortals!" Old man Wu pulled his son down to their knees, continuously kowtowing and bowing to Jiang Yan, their gratitude pouring forth beyond words.

Zisu cradled Yunying and stepped back a few paces to stand before Jiang Yan. Bowing respectfully, she spoke in a steady, resolute voice, "Master, this disciple believes we can use the incident with the Wu family father and son to uproot the Xie family faction of the Golden Flame Sect entirely."