Don't rush

Xu Linglong fixed her gaze tightly on Chu Xingchen, but she could not pierce through the concealment of the Innate Primordial Dao-Stabilizing Dual-Qi Pearl. She was unable to clearly see the fluctuations of Chu Xingchen's aura or the current state of his cultivation.

"What, regretting that you only sent a small avatar today? Did you think I was too afraid of death to show up?"

As Chu Xingchen spoke, he leaped into the air and looked at Xu Linglong with a provocative expression:

"Wasn't all this commotion just to draw me out? I've played the good guy to the end and given you the chance."

"With your cultivation, it shouldn't take you long to get here in person. So, do you want to truly decide the victor between us today?"

Xu Linglong's gaze flickered with uncertainty before she let out a cold sneer:

"You're just relying on the Innate Primordial Dao-Stabilizing Dual-Qi Pearl to hide your aura. Even Bai Xuanling didn't come. It's not even certain if you are the real Chu Xingchen. If you really want to fight it out, why don't you put away your magical treasure first."

Chu Xingchen stepped toward Xu Linglong without showing the slightest weakness:

"If you don't have the guts, just say so. Don't try to coax me like a child. If you lack even this bit of courage, then the so-called Heavenly Demons are nothing much. The outcome has already been decided. Surrender your weapons now, and I might be willing to spare your life."

Xu Linglong narrowed her eyes and drew her bow to a full moon, aiming straight at the approaching Chu Xingchen with a faint smile on her lips:

"With such a sharp tongue, I do believe you are Chu Xingchen. However... time is no longer on your side."

Chu Xingchen glanced down at the ritual array below:

"Are you referring to the ritual array down there? The so-called Heavenly Demon Realm that little Donggua mentioned?"

"These little tricks can't scare me. If this ritual array was truly invincible and guaranteed victory, you would have used it long ago. Why would you have let a Heavenly Demon die?"

"These stalling and bluffing tactics are a bit laughable. I won't pay them any mind. The world is currently locked down, and the traces of three Heavenly Demons are already being tracked. There is no longer any breathing room for you across the Five Continents."

"Now, if you have nothing else to say..."

Chu Xingchen looked at Xu Linglong with killing intent in his eyes and said:

"Then I'll see you next time. You lured me here, so you must understand the consequences."

"After today, the world will be turned upside down, and we will not rest until one of us is dead."

"My life is yours to take, but I hope you can bear the price!"

Hearing these words, Xu Linglong remained silent. She simply released the bowstring, and a crimson light flashed straight toward Chu Xingchen.

But in the very next moment, Xu Linglong's body was cleaved apart by a sword strike from a Tribulation stage cultivator of the Xiaoyun Palace.

Xu Linglong's eyes stared straight at Chu Xingchen, wanting to see if the arrow she had released could truly pierce through him.

However...

She dissipated completely before she could see it.

The instant Xu Linglong dissipated.

The arrow shooting straight at Chu Xingchen was only slightly worn down by the Innate Primordial Dao-Stabilizing Dual-Qi Pearl, and then it struck him squarely.

Chu Xingchen's figure, hovering in the air, was directly blasted by the arrow. He turned into a streak of light and crashed into the ground, smashing out a large crater.

He neither dodged nor blocked it.

Cold sweat beaded on Donggua's face as he watched this scene while panting heavily. His brain short-circuited for a moment.

Was Chu Xingchen purely acting?

Had his cultivation not recovered at all?

How dared he be so arrogant like this?

Just a moment ago, he had a face full of righteousness, mockingly ridiculing Xu Linglong for speaking nonsense. In the end, was he the one speaking nonsense?

Donggua struggled to move his body, trying his best to look at Chu Xingchen in the crater.

No matter what, just based on today's performance, Donggua was completely convinced by Chu Xingchen.

No wonder he was the Child of Destiny. Facing life and death without a hint of cowardice—with such a performance, Xu Linglong probably really believed that Chu Xingchen had already recovered.

As expected, those who could reach such a position were all top-tier geniuses.

Just as Donggua looked over.

Two streaks of rainbow light arrived from the horizon in the blink of an eye, landing beside Chu Xingchen.

The two streaks of light that landed were not Xu Jin and Daoist Yuyang, but Yunxiao and the Tribulation stage elder from the Xiaoyun Palace.

Immediately after, Huang Miao's figure also landed on the spot, but he didn't say much. He just glanced at Chu Xingchen a couple of times and then began to stand guard around the perimeter.

With a look of horror and lingering fear in his eyes, Yunxiao hastily reached out to help Chu Xingchen up. At the same time, he quickly took out a top-grade healing pill from his spatial ring and, without a word, brought it to Chu Xingchen's lips.

He tried hard to maintain his composure, but he couldn't help but say:

"If you couldn't handle it, why didn't you say so earlier?! It's one thing to fool Xu Linglong, but why did you fool us too?!"

A little blood trickled from the corner of Chu Xingchen's mouth as he slightly shook his head, rejecting the pill Yunxiao offered, and said:

"Cough, cough... The Dao aura inside my body is still a scattered mess. I can't take healing pills. If I eat it, something really bad will happen."

Hearing this, Yunxiao immediately moved the pill away from Chu Xingchen. This life-saving pill would melt upon touching the lips; it was concocted for emergencies, taking into account situations where the severely injured might find it difficult to even swallow.

Hearing those words, Yunxiao felt a headache coming on—he should have said that earlier! What if he had been too fast and actually fed it to him?

Chu Xingchen struggled to get up, his tone somewhat weak:

"I'm fine, just some internal injuries. Most of the energy was blocked by my protective magical treasure, but the force was simply too fierce."

The Tribulation stage cultivator of the Xiaoyun Palace wanted to reach out and check his condition, but Chu Xingchen shook his head and rejected him as well:

"Heavenly aura is circulating within my body. Probing wildly with divine sense might trigger a stress response from the heavenly aura and assault my divine sea. Don't worry, I know my own condition."

The Tribulation stage cultivator of the Xiaoyun Palace hastily retracted his hand, and even his divine sense became much more restrained.

At this moment, Xu Jin and Daoist Yuyang landed in the crater and immediately put on a show of reaching out to support Chu Xingchen.

Although they didn't know the true state of Chu Xingchen's cultivation right now, they were certain that Chu Xingchen could definitely block Xu Linglong's arrow.

Moreover, Chu Xingchen's injuries were definitely not as exaggerated as he claimed. Even if he hadn't fully recovered, he should have at least recovered more than half.

This was eighty percent an act. He probably felt that there might still be Xu Linglong's spies around, so he deliberately put on a show.

Xu Jin and Daoist Yuyang naturally cooperated extremely well and surrounded him.

Daozi Yunxiao felt his scalp tingle as he looked at Chu Xingchen's weak expression.

Chu Xingchen could have an accident anywhere, but he absolutely could not have an accident here and now.

If something happened to him, the Xiaoyun Palace would truly be in trouble as well.

Leaving aside the matter of him being the Child of Destiny, just Bai Xuanling, the only living True Immortal in the world, would probably be enough to give the Xiaoyun Palace a massive headache.

Yunxiao's expression was sincere, and his tone was earnest: "Fellow Daoist Chu! Please don't force yourself in anything. If you can't do it, just commanding from the rear is fine! I will definitely carry out Fellow Daoist Chu's ideas."

Indeed, everything is relative. If he had known earlier that Chu Xingchen was this fragile and still liked to take risks, Yunxiao would rather have let Chu Xingchen blindly issue commands and mess around; it would have been more reassuring.

Yunxiao immediately continued:

"Let's return to the Xiaoyun Palace to rest and recover from your injuries first, and then we can plan our next steps."

Chu Xingchen forced himself up and then shook his head slightly:

"It's fine. With this broken body of mine, I should contribute as much as I possibly can."

Yunxiao's tone was anxious:

"Fellow Daoist Chu! You absolutely must not let your emotions dictate your actions! Don't be in a rush! There is still plenty of time ahead!"

Chu Xingchen waved his hand and said: "I'm not in a rush..."

Hearing this, Yunxiao blurted out without thinking:

"I am in a rush!"