Where Did Chen Xuan Go

The other races gathered around began whispering among themselves when they saw Zilan Yin.

With Zidian among Shui Shu’s people, her victory was practically guaranteed.

Putting aside Zidian’s ability to fight opponents above his level, even if he couldn’t do that, a fourth-stage Boundary-Breaking cultivator would still completely overpower the few people on Shui Yuanyao’s side.

Zilan Yin was indeed a genius, but she was still far behind Zidian.

As for Xu Mu, he had only reached the Transcendent Realm. He might be able to fight above his level, but the experts he faced could do the same. In that case, he would have no advantage.

“Ninth Princess! Are you all right?”

A Black Moon Clan elder with a crescent moon on his forehead immediately flew over from a distance.

“It was Zidian! Zidian tried to kill me!”

Zilan Yin was already awake and had returned to her original appearance. Her face was pale, blood covered various parts of her body, and she looked extremely weak.

Hearing this, Shui Yong shook his head slightly from afar. “You took the initiative to stand against Zidian. The fact that he let you live is already an enormous act of mercy.”

“He didn’t let me go! If Xu Mu hadn’t helped me, Zidian would have killed me several times already!”

Zilan Yin snarled at Shui Yong.

Upon hearing this, a glimmer gradually appeared in Shui Zheng’s eyes. “Is that really true?”

“Patriarch, don’t get too excited. You don’t really think Xu Mu can defeat Zidian, do you?”

Shui Yong shook his head slightly. “Don’t set your hopes too high. The higher you stand, the harder you fall.”

Shui Zheng clenched his fists. That was indeed true. He had originally thought that Xu Mu and Zilan Yin might be able to fight Zidian together.

But judging from Zilan Yin’s injuries, it was obvious that the two of them were no match for him.

Now that Zilan Yin had escaped, Xu Mu could only face Zidian alone. He might already have lost by now.

Shui Zheng had already made up his mind. Once Shui Shu obtained the position of patriarch, he would immediately lead his people and break away from her faction.

He would reveal to everyone that Shui Shu was a member of the Eternal Life organization.

Whether they believed him or not would be up to them.

Everyone waited there for a while longer before the swamp below began to shake again.

Boom! Boom!

Two people emerged in succession this time. They were Chen Xuan and Xu Mu.

As soon as Chen Xuan appeared, he immediately fled north. Xu Mu did not follow him, instead leaping toward Shui Zheng’s side.

When Shui Zheng saw that Xu Mu was covered in wounds as well, he seemed to age several years in an instant.

Xu Mu had returned first, while Zidian was still inside. The outcome was already set in stone.

“Xu Mu, are you all right?”

When Zilan Yin saw Xu Mu, she rushed toward him despite her injuries. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.

[Affection +20]

She had been terribly afraid that Xu Mu would be killed by Zidian. After all, Zidian was far stronger than she had imagined.

Now that she saw Xu Mu return safely, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“See? I’m perfectly fine.”

Xu Mu discovered that Zilan Yin’s filial piety score toward him had actually become positive. It was only two, but that was still much better than being regarded as a stranger.

“I’m completely convinced by you now. Zidian couldn’t even kill you!”

Zilan Yin’s tear-filled eyes were full of admiration.

From a distance, Shui Yong smiled when he heard this. “Third Elder, go back and spread the news.”

“Yes!”

An old man in the distance nodded slightly.

Since Xu Mu and Zilan Yin, the two strongest fighters on Shui Yuanyao’s side, had both escaped, there was no need to think about who the final victor would be.

Gurgle, gurgle…

At that moment, bubbles began to rise from beneath the swamp.

The next instant, a group of people emerged from it.

They were Shui Yuanyao and Shui Shu. In addition, Zhang Ye’an and a mixed-blood individual who had been accompanying Shui Shu also came out with them.

Seeing that Shui Shu had returned, the Third Elder did not hurry to leave. Instead, he stayed to confirm the news.

The moment Shui Shu emerged, she looked around anxiously and shouted, “Where’s Chen Xuan? Where is Chen Xuan?”

Shui Yong impatiently asked, “Second Elder, who won in the end?”

“Who else could it be? Naturally, it was me! My people brought the treasure out. Where’s Chen Xuan?”

Shui Shu continued looking around.

Upon hearing this, the last sliver of hope in Shui Zheng’s heart shattered completely.

As for the spectators in the distance, their expressions did not change much.

With Zidian having joined their side, it would have been strange if they had still lost.

“Chen Xuan? You mean that Transcendent Realm cultivator you brought along?”

Shui Yong asked curiously.

“That’s right, that kid. Where did he go? He was the one who brought the treasure out.”

A smile appeared on Shui Shu’s face as she spoke.

“But that kid ran away just now.”

Shui Yong suddenly frowned and pointed toward the north.

“What? Why did he run? I haven’t even rewarded him yet.”

Shui Shu turned around in confusion.

“It’s simple. I happened to run into him outside the Black Tower, so I took the treasure from him.”

As Xu Mu spoke, he took a wooden box from his spatial ring. He opened it and placed the crystal inside into Shui Yuanyao’s hands.

Everyone present was so shocked that they fell silent.

Shui Yuanyao stared at the crystal in his hand, unable to believe his eyes.

Although Xu Mu had previously said that Chen Xuan was his friend, Shui Yuanyao had lived long enough to witness many friends betray one another. Moreover, Chen Xuan had been following Shui Shu.

A woman like her was far too skilled at manipulating men. Perhaps Chen Xuan had already fallen for her.

But now that the treasure was in his hands, Shui Yuanyao finally understood that Chen Xuan was truly loyal. He had actually managed to resist Shui Shu’s allure.

“Hahaha! Hahaha!”

When Shui Zheng saw the treasure in Shui Yuanyao’s hands, he could not help bursting into laughter.

He walked over to Xu Mu and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Xu Mu! Thank goodness we had you!”

“This was all thanks to Senior Shui Yuanyao’s brilliant plan. He deliberately had me lie in wait outside because he correctly predicted that after Shui Shu obtained the treasure, she would hand it over to one of her people for safekeeping. After all, she couldn’t use her powers.”

Xu Mu shifted his gaze to Shui Yuanyao.

Shui Yuanyao’s old face flushed. This was supposedly a test of his abilities, but thinking about it carefully, he had barely helped at all.

Shui Shu’s face had already turned ashen. She said darkly, “You cheated! The treasure was clearly obtained by my people first.”

“Second Elder, our rules never said that whoever obtains it first gets to keep it. We made it perfectly clear: the person who brings it out and lets the Grand Elder and me witness it is the winner.”

Shui Zheng spoke calmly.

“You…”

Shui Shu then turned her gaze toward Xu Mu. “You’re courting death!”

“What are you trying to do? Second Elder, this isn’t like you at all.”

Shui Yuanyao immediately stepped in front of Xu Mu. This young man was his benefactor now.

“This test was supposed to assess the experience of both sides. What kind of experience does it demonstrate for Xu Mu to steal our treasure?”

Shui Shu still refused to accept the result. In order to become patriarch, she had climbed all the way from being a mixed-blood whom anyone could bully to where she stood now. She had endured countless hardships along the way.

Now that the position of patriarch was within reach, Xu Mu had ruined everything.

“Senior, do you really have the nerve to say that? The moment we entered, you had Zidian try to kill us. Why are you pretending to be the victim now that I’ve taken action?”

Xu Mu’s expression was indifferent.

“That’s right! Shui Shu, I haven’t even settled Hai Jie’s death with you yet!”

Shui Yuanyao shouted angrily.