Chapter 306 - 306 285 My Blade Has Never Been Dull

Chapter 306: Chapter 285 My Blade Has Never Been Dull! Chapter 306: Chapter 285 My Blade Has Never Been Dull! Nanling Prefecture City.

Inside a rather luxurious tavern, Chen Yuan and a group of more than ten people sat divided across two tables. Five Ghost Children dressed in black robes masked their faces, sitting obediently to the side under Zhao Beishan’s lead.

Chen Yuan, however, sat with Yue Shan, Mo Donghe, and a few others, his gaze lowered as he ate, straining his ears to listen to the bustling whispers surrounding them.

Ever since leaving Nanling Prefecture that day, Chen Yuan and his companions had disguised themselves as ordinary travelers of Jianghu and quickly made their way toward Nanling Prefecture City because the Primordial Void Order had indicated that the Primordial Void Realm was within the bounds of the Nanling Prefecture.

It took roughly eight or nine days before they finally arrived at their destination.

Today was their second day in Nanling Prefecture City. After a night’s rest, Chen Yuan immediately decided to observe the situation; thus, after making inquiries, they came to this high-class tavern within the city.

It was said to be under the control of a sizable power in Nanling Prefecture.

The information was the most sensitive.

Chen Yuan hadn’t been seated long before he knew he had come to the right place, as several tables around him were whispering about the very matters he was interested in, with the words “Primordial Void Realm” popping up from time to time.

Chen Yuan also had a rough sense of the cultivation levels of those discussing the Primordial Void Realm. The weakest among them had reached Qi Absorption Cultivation, and there was even a Reach Profound master among them.

That was a gaunt elder with a hunched back and a sallow complexion whose qi aura was kept very low. If it weren’t for Chen Yuan’s keen perception, he might have found it difficult to notice at first.

The elder also seemed to sense something and made inconspicuous eye contact with Chen Yuan. Afterwards, both parties tacitly looked away.

Of course, the main reason Chen Yuan could lock onto this man so quickly was due to a slight warmth he felt from the Primordial Void Order, as if it were attracted to something of the same nature.

He had a Primordial Void Order on him!

However, this wasn’t of much concern to him, nor was he interested in seizing it. After all, he already had one in his possession, and this object was merely an equivalent to an admission ticket.

Even if he did snatch it, it would be useless; all his subordinates were just at Gang Condensation Cultivation. Entering the Primordial Void Realm would only be a suicide mission and would needlessly make enemies.

It wasn’t that he was afraid; he just felt it unnecessary.

“More and more people have been arriving these past few days. Who knows who has such a treasure as the Primordial Void Order in their possession?” someone at the table next to Chen Yuan muttered.

Envy was apparent on their face.

“If the news hadn’t come out, we wouldn’t even have known that the Primordial Void Realm would appear within Nanling Prefecture this time,” another person nodded in agreement.

A thought struck Chen Yuan, realizing that someone was intentionally leaking information about the Primordial Void Realm, and now it was starting to spread…

“It is said that the Heavenly Patrol Green Envoy of Nanling Prefecture has put out a word, willing to exchange ten Primordial Crystals for a Primordial Void Order.”

“Heh… whoever believes that is a fool. Once they get the Primordial Void Realm, what can you do if they don’t hold up their end? On the contrary, they could easily slap you with a crime and throw you into prison,”

someone sneered, evidently bearing a grudge against the Heavenly Patrol Bureau.

“Brother Wang, be careful with your words. It’s said that the Heavenly Patrol Bureau has many spies, and for all we know, some might be around us,” another man at the same table hastily interjected.

The one who had spoken before knew the dangers of loose lips and cast an anxious glance around the room. Upon seeing no one had noticed his grumbling, he finally relaxed.

In the tavern, the hustle and bustle continued.

Chen Yuan drank his wine quietly, occasionally opening his Heavenly Eye, hoping to find his son of fortune, but since entering Nanling Prefecture City, he hadn’t detected anything out of the ordinary.

A somewhat familiar voice approached from afar, causing Chen Yuan to involuntarily lift his head and glance sideways.

“Xiao Junior Sister, the Primordial Void Realm is too dangerous for you,”

“Gu Senior Brother, I have already made a breakthrough to the Reach Profound Realm, how can I not enter?”

A crisp female voice responded.

“Before departing from the mountain gate, the Sect Leader had already commanded that this trip…” Gu Hao, a man in green attire with a sword on his back, hadn’t finished speaking when he suddenly seemed to sense something and lifted his head to look in Chen Yuan’s direction.

Then, a shock went through his heart, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Of course, he remembered the man who had made eye contact with him. If not for him, the death of Liu Changkong would not have been so smooth.

Chen Yuan’s gaze turned sharp, and a trace of killing intent flashed briefly in his eyes.

Gu Hao!

Liu Changkong’s Senior Brother, it was because of him that Liu Changkong had dared to challenge Chen Yuan in public. It was also because of Gu Hao’s intervention that Tang Qian and the monk Fa Nan from the Gold Mountain Monastery had spoken up, putting pressure on Chen Yuan.

This was something he had already confirmed through Shi Yunlong.

He had initially thought they would meet again in Qingzhou City, but to his surprise, the opportunity had come today.

Without a doubt, Chen Yuan was determined to kill Gu Hao.

None who opposed him could remain alive!

Furthermore, he always felt that Gu Hao’s role in his fight with Liu Changkong seemed a bit contrived; surprisingly, there had been no retribution afterward, as if the matter had been truly put to rest.

But the more it seemed this way, the more it preoccupied his thoughts.

If the occasion arose, he would certainly seize the chance to meet him again.

He was no longer the same person as before. At twenty-one, he was but a minor character, but now at twenty-two, he had risen like a hidden dragon, breaking through to the Reach Profound Realm, and climbing into the top fifty of the Hidden Dragon List,

Additionally, backed by the support of the Taoist Divine Palace, he was now in no way inferior to him in any aspect.

And on the Hidden Dragon List rankings, Gu Hao was only two places ahead of him.

Hidden Dragon List, number forty, Flying Rain Sword, Gu Hao!

When Chen Yuan’s gaze met Gu Hao’s, Gu Hao was also staring back at him.

The atmosphere between the two was tense. Gu Hao appeared calm, but a trace of almost imperceptible surprise flickered in his eyes; although he was not from Nanling Prefecture, he had clearly heard of Chen Yuan’s reputation.

What truly made him take note was when Chen Yuan entered the top hundred of the Hidden Dragon List. At first, he thought it was just a coincidence of name and surname, without associating it with Chen Yuan.

But as more and more information came into his hands, he became certain that the Demon Sword Chen Yuan was the same Heavenly Patrol Envoy who had killed Liu Changkong.

What he hadn’t expected was that Chen Yuan’s growth was so rapid that he now stood at the same level as himself….

The silent eye contact between the two also drew many onlookers’ comments. Yue Shan and others discreetly gripped their weapons, while Gu Hao’s sister by his side looked at them suspiciously, wondering what they were thinking.

Eventually, it was Gu Hao who broke the silence. He nodded slightly, stepped forward a few paces, and spoke calmly,

“What a small world, Lord Chen, it has been a long time.”

Chen Yuan’s mouth curved into a smile,

“It is rare that Brother Gu still remembers Chen.”

“With the Demon Blade’s name spread throughout Qingzhou, how could Gu forget?” Gu Hao looked at Chen Yuan with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

‘Demon Blade…’ The Miss with the surname Xiao frowned and looked at Gu Hao to inquire,

“Who is he?”

Gu Hao’s gaze shifted, and he introduced warmly, “This is none other than Lord Chen Yuan, ranked forty-second on the Hidden Dragon List and nicknamed ‘Demon Blade.’ Yes, that’s right, the one whom Brother Liu challenged recently was him.”

A trace of chill flashed in the eyes of the Miss with the surname Xiao as she stared directly at Chen Yuan, “Did you kill Brother Liu?”

Chen Yuan nodded indifferently with a cold laugh, “Not only did I kill him, but I also had his entire family annihilated. Do you have a problem with that?”

“You…” The woman named Xiao was momentarily speechless.

Seeing this, Gu Hao’s heart sank, knowing that his sister had not yet let go of that guy with the surname Liu, and immediately said,

“Lord Chen, this is my sister Xiao Qingmu.”

Chen Yuan glanced at Xiao Qingmu. She was tall and slender, wearing a purple dress, with curved willow brows and skin as creamy as congealed milk, her appearance was considered above average. However, upon knowing his identity, she seemed cold and apparently had issues with him.

“Lord Chen, as an imperial officer, how can you act so cruelly?” Xiao Qingmu said in a stern voice.

“The Liu Family colluded with demon fiends from the Demon Dao, harming the common people. What is wrong with exterminating such a family? If we’re talking about cruelty, perhaps you should inquire in Cao County about the kind of atrocities the Liu Family committed.”

“I, as an official, cannot turn a blind eye to evil. How can I tolerate the Liu Family harming people?”

Chen Yuan’s expression turned solemn, and his aura changed instantly, exuding righteousness.

Xiao Qingmu furrowed her brows, indeed shaken by Chen Yuan’s demeanor. Could it be that the Liu Family truly deserved their fate?

Gu Hao snickered in his heart. Did he not know the truth? This was just Chen Yuan’s side of the story. After all, weren’t those from the Heavenly Patrol Bureau always like this?

After Chen Yuan publicly revealed his identity, the man from the table earlier, who had quite a few complaints about the Heavenly Patrol Bureau, turned pale, and with an anxious heart, he swiftly signalled his few friends with a glance to leave the inn.

“Isn’t Lord Chen exaggerating a bit? As far as Gu knows, the Liu Family was wiped out simply based on accusations, not because they truly colluded with demon fiends from the Demon Dao.”

Gu Hao interjected at the right moment.

There was no possibility of reconciliation with Chen Yuan for him; moreover, he had to show animosity. First, to win his sister’s affection for him, and second, for others to see.

The incident of him almost coming to blows with Nanling’s Green Envoy, Tao Qingyuan, for his brother’s sake had earned him quite a reputation, painting him as a good senior brother defending his junior.

Even the Sect Leader had inquired about it once and praised him for protecting his fellow sect members.

Now facing the murderer of Brother Liu, he could not afford to show warmth. If there was a chance, publicly defeating Chen Yuan would only add to his reputation.

Of course, facing the ever-rising Chen Yuan, he was still quite cautious at heart.

Chen Yuan laughed, looking straight at Gu Hao and saying word for word,

“If I say the Liu Family colluded with demon fiends from the Demon Dao, then they did. If you want to stand up for the Liu Family, are you ready to die?”

Hearing Chen Yuan’s threatening words, Gu Hao’s face couldn’t help but show a hint of anger. He turned to look at Xiao Qingmu by his side, saw that she was looking intently at him, and then said,

“So the Demon Sword Chen Yuan is renowned for being ruthless and arrogant. Today, Gu has seen it for himself. What, does Lord Chen want to try if my treasured sword is sharp or not?”

“Swish!”

The Yan Ling Saber in Chen Yuan’s hand was drawn halfway in an instant. His expression serious, he slowly rose and said,

“My saber has never been dull!”

——————

Thanks to several readers from qq reading for the rewards, their names are not listed one by one.