Chapter 57: Chapter 55: Benefactor, Save Me

In the dense jungle, towering trees reached for the sky, blocking out the Blazing Sun.

Between the tightly packed trees, two groups were locked in a fierce battle. One side consisted of experts clad in the attire of the Qinghuo Gang, every one of them brimming with vigor and vitality, possessing immense combat strength.

A Qinghuo Gang expert’s face was cold as he sneered, "Hand over the corpse of that Black-striped Golden Bull and all your valuables, and we might consider letting you live. Otherwise, don’t blame us for wiping you all out!"

On the other side were six young men and women.

It was clear from their attire that the six of them hailed from the same family. At this moment, they were locked in a life-and-death struggle against the Qinghuo Gang’s experts. Among them, a young man in a green battle robe and a green helmet stepped forward, wielding a three-meter-long Tiger Fang Club.

He swung the massive club with both hands, his movements powerful enough to whip up the wind. The weapon let out a sharp whistle that threatened to shatter eardrums. A fanatical battle intent blazed in his eyes. "You bastards from the Qinghuo Gang! If you want to steal my spoils of war, you’ll have to ask my Tiger Fang Club for permission first!"

BOOM—

Lui Yifa swung the Tiger Fang Club violently, a gale of explosive True Qi condensing around it as he smashed it forward.

His cultivation had already reached the Peak of the Martial Arts Ninth Stage. Most of the True Qi in his body had converted into True Essence, and his attacks carried a trace of True Essence Power. The force was so ferocious he could shatter a ten-thousand-jin boulder with a single strike.

The Qinghuo Gang expert facing him was also a master at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage.

He held a Blood-colored Battle Saber in one hand and swung it fiercely at the Tiger Fang Club.

CLANG—

Two immense forces collided violently. The ear-piercing sound was like the tolling of a great bell, utterly deafening. A terrifying shockwave of qi erupted from the clash of the two Profound Weapons, surging out in all directions. Wherever it passed, grass and trees were snapped in half, flying through the air in a spectacular display of destruction.

PFFT!

The Qinghuo Gang expert’s body shook violently as he spat a mouthful of blood. The ground beneath his feet buckled, and he sank into the earth up to his knees.

"You took a blow from my club and you’re not dead? Then take another!" A vicious glint appeared in Lui Yifa’s eyes as he leaped high into the air. His Tiger Fang Club came crashing down with the force of Mount Tai Pressing Down.

It seemed Lui Yifa was about to crush the Qinghuo Gang expert with a single blow.

But in that critical moment, the situation suddenly changed.

The Qinghuo Gang expert suddenly looked up, a venomous, cold light gleaming in his eyes. He grinned sinisterly. "Idiot. You think you can kill me? Martial Soul Talent—Poison Dragon Spike!"

BOOM!

A pillar of bloody light shot out from the Qinghuo Gang expert’s body, condensing into a ferocious, blood-colored poisonous python. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

A half-meter-long horn, laced with a poison that killed upon drawing blood, grew from the python’s head. Its massive body coiled like a spring before suddenly launching forward. With a SWOOSH, it became a streak of crimson light. Lui Yifa, falling rapidly from mid-air, had no time to dodge the incredibly fast attack.

Lui Yifa’s expression changed drastically. "Fuck, I’m screwed!"

PFFT!

The crimson streak pierced his shoulder. Lui Yifa’s body shuddered, and a purple hue began to spread from the wound across his entire body. Black smoke billowed from the injury as the deadly poison corroded his flesh. In immense pain, Lui Yifa slammed hard onto the ground and began to struggle violently.

The Qinghuo Gang expert, a savage grin on his face, pulled his legs out of the earth and limped toward Lui Yifa. "Kid, weren’t you so arrogant just a moment ago? Heh heh heh, now, let me finish you!"

He raised the Blood-colored Battle Saber high and brought it down toward Lui Yifa’s head.

’I’m done for, I’m done for... If I’d known, I wouldn’t have tried to act so cool by jumping up so high... I regret this so much...’ Poisoned and purple, Lui Yifa lay motionless on the ground. He stared at the descending Blood-colored Battle Saber, wailed in agony, and squeezed his eyes shut.

However, after a moment, he felt no pain. He couldn’t help but wonder, ’Is the poison so strong that I can’t even feel my own head being chopped off?’

DRIP! DRIP!

Two drops of warm liquid dripped onto his face. Stunned, Lui Yifa opened his eyes. He saw that the Qinghuo Gang expert’s Battle Blade had fallen to the ground. The man’s eyes were frozen in a furious glare. A hole had been punched clean through his chest, piercing his heart, and blood was gushing from the wound.

"Are you alright?" a calm voice asked from beside him.

Jiang Chen’s figure appeared at his side. He frowned slightly as he looked at the paralyzed, purple-hued Lui Yifa.

"You’ve been poisoned?"

Jiang Chen turned and searched the dead expert’s body, finding a Jade Bottle. He took out a pill, stuffed it into Lui Yifa’s mouth, and said, "This should be the antidote!"

Just two breaths after swallowing the antidote, the purple hue on Lui Yifa’s body began to fade. As he regained his mobility, he hurriedly said to Jiang Chen, "Thank you for saving my life!"

"It was nothing."

Jiang Chen said calmly, waving his hand.

Ever since Zhao Ritian had captured Little White and tried to kill him at the slightest disagreement, Jiang Chen had harbored no goodwill toward the Qinghuo Gang.

Furthermore, he had killed Zhao Ritian. Sooner or later, the truth would come out, and he feared the Qinghuo Gang would discover what he had done.

Adhering to the principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Jiang Chen had decided to save Lui Yifa.

"No, no, no! To you, my savior, it may have been nothing, but to me, Lui Yifa, it was the gift of life! You’re like a second father to me; you’ve given me a second chance to live! This is a debt higher than the mountains, deeper than the seas, more profound than even the Celestial Demon Grand Canyon! Please, savior, tell me your name. When I return home, I will erect a Spiritual Position for you in my family’s ancestral hall and make daily offerings of incense, candles, and spirit money!" Lui Yifa declared, patting his chest with utmost seriousness.

Jiang Chen felt his face twitch. ’Holy shit! You don’t set up a Spiritual Position for a living person! You’re the one who should be receiving offerings of incense and spirit money!’

"Uh..."

Lui Yifa looked puzzled. He stared at Jiang Chen for a moment before a look of sudden realization crossed his face. "You can’t set up a Spiritual Position for a living person? Ohhh, no wonder my old man beat the crap out of me when I put his Spiritual Position in the ancestral hall back then. Savior, thank you for your lesson! Now you are not only my lifesaver, but also my mentor! Please, tell me your esteemed name! When I get back, I’ll have it carved onto a plaque, frame it, and hang it in the main hall of the Lui Family!"

Jiang Chen: "..."

If not for the look of utter sincerity on Lui Yifa’s face, Jiang Chen might not have been able to resist the urge to give the guy a sound thrashing.

He rubbed his forehead. Fearing what other crazy ideas Lui Yifa might come up with, he said, "My name is Jiang Chen... and forget about the Spiritual Position and the plaque for now. Your friends are about to be overwhelmed!"

"Huh?"

Startled, Lui Yifa looked toward the battle not far away. The Lui Family experts were being fiercely suppressed by the Qinghuo Gang and were steadily losing ground.

Lui Yifa grabbed his Tiger Fang Club and cupped his fists toward Jiang Chen. "Savior, please wait here for a moment. Allow me to go and slaughter those Qinghuo Gang mongrels."

"Uh, they’re not weak. You should be careful," Jiang Chen reminded him kindly.

Lui Yifa waved his hand, his face brimming with confidence. His robes fluttered as he strode forward like a hero, charging into the heart of the battle. His supremely confident voice echoed back, "Don’t worry, Savior! They’re just a few punks. Killing them will be as easy as slaughtering chickens. Give me the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and I’ll have them dealt with. Savior, await my triumphant return!"

Lui Yifa was fast. With the mournful whistle of a hero heading into the fray, he plunged into the battle.

His movements were grand and sweeping, his battle cries loud and fierce. He had the air of a Grand General!

Jiang Chen nodded to himself. ’He’s so confident. He must have an ace up his sleeve.’

However, just as Jiang Chen was marveling at the world-conquering, "who but I?" aura Lui Yifa had projected just moments before, a miserable, tragic, pitiful scream echoed from the front...

"Aiya! Oh my god! I knew I shouldn’t have jumped! Savior, help me!"