Chapter 25: Shouldn’t… Not in Front of So Many People…

Lin Chuyun’s face changed. Wait, could the Demon Beast under the sand be a snake?

The giant serpent in the stone cave earlier had left a significant psychological shadow on Lin Chuyun. The thought of so many snakes crawling around him instantly made his scalp tingle. Decisively, he summoned the Azure Wood Sword and used a Sword Flight Art to break free from the sand.

Nearby, Yan Sha also reacted, stepping onto his scimitar and flying to Lin Chuyun’s side. Feng Xixing stood on a thin sheet of ice, floating above the sand.

Behind them, Bai Linghan had already mounted his Green Water Sword and flown into the air. Only Wang Jianbai was still struggling in the sand. Seeing the sand about to bury his chest, he was in a complete panic.

“Junior Brother Bai!!” Wang Jianbai’s injuries hadn’t recovered at all, so he could only call out to Bai Linghan. “Save me, quickly save me!”

A flicker of irritation crossed Bai Linghan’s eyes. He glanced at the strange churning beneath the sand. Although something could be seen crawling near Wang Jianbai, it never actually attacked him.

Could it not be a Demon Beast?

Bai Linghan waited a moment longer. Seeing that Wang Jianbai was still fine, he descended. He extended a hand to Wang Jianbai, his eyes full of worry. “Hurry, Senior Brother, Linghan will save you.”

Wang Jianbai looked up joyfully, but the moment he reached out to grasp Bai Linghan’s hand, his expression suddenly changed.

Before he could speak, Bai Linghan seemed to sense something. Without hesitation, he urged his Green Water Sword and swiftly ascended high into the air.

Wang Jianbai was jerked downward with force. In the blink of an eye, he was dragged into the sand and vanished without a trace.

The entire desert fell silent. Only the gravel underfoot continued to churn, making a soft rustling sound.

Lin Chuyun stared at the spot where Wang Jianbai had disappeared, a chill rising in his heart. His Spiritual Consciousness was sharper than the others, allowing him to sense something densely packed together beneath the desert.

“What on earth is that…”

“I don’t know.” Yan Sha punched downward. However, this time, his flames only burned out a very small pit before being quickly swallowed by the sand. Everyone only saw a dark shadow dart rapidly beneath the sand.

“It can’t really be snakes…” Lin Chuyun muttered quietly.

Just then, Bai Linghan’s screams for help came from behind them. They turned to look and saw something extending from the sand, wrapping around Bai Linghan’s ankle and dragging him down.

That was…

Lin Chuyun squinted, a flash of shock appearing in his eyes.

It was actually a tree branch!

As if realizing it had been discovered, the Demon Beast stopped hiding. Countless branches burst forth from the sand, filling the sky with their web. Even Lin Chuyun and the others came under attack.

Yan Sha reacted the fastest, using his flames to instantly burn away the branches trying to entangle him before quickly retreating.

Feng Xixing also swiftly dealt with the branches around him and moved back. Lin Chuyun, by contrast, seemed hesitant.

Lin Chuyun looked uncertainly at Bai Linghan in the distance. Because his ankle had been caught first, Bai Linghan’s situation was not good. Although he was still trying to cut through the branches, they were extremely tough and difficult to sever.

Seeing that Bai Linghan was about to be pulled into the sand, Lin Chuyun frowned.

Bai Linghan also seemed to realize Lin Chuyun might save him. He looked over with a pitiful, imploring gaze.

Feng Xixing’s heart sank.

So Lin Chuyun was still unable to let go of Bai Linghan!

Feng Xixing watched Lin Chuyun coldly. Aside from anger at being deceived, there seemed to be another emotion spreading. He ground his teeth, his gaze sweeping over the delighted surprise in Bai Linghan’s eyes. A cold smirk flickered at the corner of his lips.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Xixing manipulated a wisp of Ice Qi, attaching it to Yan Sha’s neck.

Yan Sha shivered from the cold and instinctively looked back. He saw that Junior Brother Feng, who had already clearly escaped, had somehow fallen back into the Demon Beast’s attack range. Not only was his ankle caught, but the ice sheet beneath him was about to shatter.

“Junior Brother Feng!!!” Yan Sha roared and decisively dove forward.

Lin Chuyun heard Yan Sha’s shout, turned to look, and nearly had his heart stop from fright.

He immediately forgot all about Bai Linghan and turned back without hesitation. The Azure Wood Sword in his hand flared with Spiritual Light. Countless sword silhouettes manifested in the air, instantly severing the branches surrounding Feng Xixing.

The Demon Beast seemed to realize this person was not to be trifled with and slowly retracted its branches.

Lin Chuyun pulled his little disciple onto the Azure Wood Sword and rapidly retreated to safety. Bai Linghan, meanwhile, could only be dragged beneath the desert in a gaze full of resentment.

Feng Xixing allowed himself to be held by Lin Chuyun, listening to the frantic pounding of his heart by his ear. All he needed to do was thrust the Ice Blade in his hand forward once, and this person’s eyes would never wander again, his heart would never waver, and he would never do those irritating things again.

But…

Lin Chuyun had still chosen to save him.

Feng Xixing closed his eyes, the killing intent within them gradually fading.

The sand slowly calmed. Seeing the Demon Beast retreat, Lin Chuyun set Feng Xixing down and put away the Azure Wood Sword.

Yan Sha also landed nearby, his expression somewhat complicated. No wonder he’d thought Lin Chuyun’s Spirit Sword seemed familiar at first.

“How is it, are you alright?” Lin Chuyun hurriedly checked Feng Xixing for injuries.

Flustered by all the touching, Feng Xixing felt his ears turn red and quickly stepped back. “I’m fine, Shizun.”

Only then did Lin Chuyun sigh in relief.

“What now?” Yan Sha scratched the back of his head.

In his view, if a fellow disciple was in danger, they should naturally go rescue them. But he wasn’t completely brainless. Junior Brother Feng clearly disliked Bai Linghan and Wang Jianbai and probably wouldn’t be willing to save them.

But Junior Brother Feng seemed to listen to Lin Chuyun quite a bit…?

Speaking of which, he’d actually initially thought Junior Brother Feng and Lin Chuyun were a couple. It was a good thing Lin Chuyun didn’t know about that, or he’d likely be beaten to tears.

Yan Sha felt like he’d just escaped death.

Lin Chuyun, however, didn’t speak. He stared in the direction Bai Linghan had been taken, his expression very grim.

If he remembered correctly, in the original book, the Demon Beast guarding the Purple Ice Soul Stone was a giant Tree Demon!

In the original story, hadn’t this Demon Beast just squatted next to the Purple Ice Soul Stone, not moving a muscle? Why had it come all this way specifically to capture people this time?

Was this the fortune of a protagonist?

Lin Chuyun didn’t believe for a second that Bai Linghan would be eaten by the Demon Beast. In the original book, Bai Linghan also ran into danger every other day, but every single time someone saved him. He’d turn danger into opportunity and take the treasure.

No doubt it would be the same this time. He just didn’t know who would be the hero saving the beauty this time.

The thought of Bai Linghan taking the Purple Ice Soul Stone filled Lin Chuyun with displeasure.

“Immortal Lord… Lin?” Yan Sha spoke cautiously.

For a while now, Lin Chuyun had been staring in the direction Bai Linghan was taken, his expression extremely ugly, as if he were angry. And Junior Brother Feng wasn’t speaking either. The aura around him was growing colder and colder, almost freezing enough to form ice.

Lin Chuyun came back to his senses and glanced at Yan Sha. “It’s nothing.”

Yan Sha didn’t believe him, but he dared not ask further. He just quietly asked, “Does Immortal Lord want to go rescue Junior Brother Bai?”

After all, the entire Star Point Sect knew how much Lin Chuyun liked Bai Linghan. It was already surprising enough that Lin Chuyun had chosen to save Feng Xixing first this time. He wondered if Lin Chuyun was regretting it now.

Lin Chuyun thought for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded. “This Lord will go take a look.”

The Purple Ice Soul Stone was too precious; he couldn’t just give up. As long as he had this spirit stone, and could find some other materials, Feng Xixing would be able to forge a Life-bound Spirit Sword that was no weaker than the Azure Wood Sword.

Lin Chuyun quickly made his decision. However, Feng Xixing’s expression turned utterly cold.

He looked at Lin Chuyun and thought this person was simply detestable—even less agreeable than when he was a cat.

But what infuriated him the most was that despite being so angry, he still couldn’t muster the slightest killing intent toward Lin Chuyun. He could only act like a sulking brat, turning around and walking away without a word.

“Junior Brother Feng?” Yan Sha saw Feng Xixing silently heading off in another direction and quickly called out, “Junior Brother Feng, where are you going?”

Feng Xixing completely ignored him.

Lin Chuyun also hadn’t expected Feng Xixing to just turn and leave. He quickly reached out and grabbed him. “Where are you going?”

Feng Xixing turned back, glaring coldly at Lin Chuyun’s fingers gripping his sleeve. Even though he could easily shake him off with a small wave, he couldn’t muster any strength at all. He could only reply stiffly, “Since Shizun insists on going to save Bai Linghan, Xixing will not accompany you.”

“…” Lin Chuyun was speechless. “Who said I was going to save him?”

Feng Xixing’s icy expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained it. Still, it only looked like empty bluster, and his voice inexplicably grew quieter. “Shizun just said he was going to take a look.”

“…How does ‘going to take a look’ mean I’m going to save him?” Lin Chuyun said helplessly, pulling his little disciple back and conveniently flicking him on the forehead.

Always making wild guesses, your temper as volatile as the weather. If you weren’t still fairly obedient, your teacher would have long… long ago spanked you!

No one had ever flicked Feng Xixing’s forehead before. He stood there somewhat dazed, holding his forehead.

Seeing his innocent expression, Lin Chuyun couldn’t bear to bully him further and could only explain, “I said I’m going to take a look, so I’m just going to take a look. Since your teacher said he’s given up, I definitely won’t go back on my word.”

Yan Sha, hiding to the side, was practically stunned. What was he hearing? Lin Chuyun didn’t like Bai Linghan anymore? How could Lin Chuyun suddenly not like Bai Linghan?!

His gaze drifted over to Feng Xixing. He noticed that after Immortal Lord Lin explained, Feng Xixing’s expression had instantly softened considerably. Combined with the fact that he’d previously misunderstood the relationship between this master and disciple pair, Yan Sha formed a… preposterous conjecture in his mind.

No way…

“Then why must Shizun go take a look?” Feng Xixing pressed.

Lin Chuyun looked at him helplessly. “Naturally, it’s because that treasure Yan Sha mentioned should be in that direction.”

Yan Sha jolted when he was suddenly named. It took him a moment to react.

“Is what Immortal Lord Lin said true?” Yan Sha instantly became excited.

Lin Chuyun nodded, but his expression suddenly turned serious.

“However, there is one thing this Lord must make clear to you beforehand.”

Lin Chuyun stood in front of Feng Xixing, clearly demonstrating his protective stance. “If this Lord has guessed correctly, this treasure is of great use to Xixing. Therefore, when the time comes, this Lord likely won’t be able to yield the treasure to you.”

Yan Sha was startled. He asked, “Does Immortal Lord know what the treasure is?”

Lin Chuyun nodded and said, “If my guess is correct, it should be Purple Ice Soul Stone.”

The moment the words “Purple Ice Soul Stone” were spoken, both Yan Sha and Feng Xixing were shocked.

Ice Soul Stone was already a rare, premium-grade mineral, only appearing in places of extreme ice and cold.

And Purple Ice Soul Stone, as a mutated variety, required even more stringent conditions. It could only appear at the critical boundary where fire and ice merged—in volcanic lands beside frozen lakes.

Yan Sha felt conflicted for a moment. Purple Ice Soul Stone was indeed more useful for Feng Xixing, but he had also searched for so long. Giving up just like that felt somewhat unwilling.

Feng Xixing looked at Lin Chuyun standing protectively before him. Only after a long while did he close his eyes. When he opened them again, the emotions in his gaze had been completely suppressed.

He looked at Yan Sha and took out the Gold-Devouring Rat’s Demon Core. “How about this: if we do obtain the Purple Ice Soul Stone in the end, this Demon Core will go to you.”

Yan Sha already had a Life-bound Spirit Sword. To him, Purple Ice Soul Stone was just a stone that countered his element but was utterly useless otherwise. But the Gold-Devouring Rat’s Demon Core could be used to upgrade a Life-bound Spirit Sword.

Thinking this over, Yan Sha happily agreed.

Seeing the two come to an agreement, Lin Chuyun sighed in relief and finally had time to ponder his spirit power problem.

To save Feng Xixing just now, he had forcibly used a sword technique. His internal spirit power had been drained by another large portion. He didn’t know how much longer the remaining power would last.

Surely… he wouldn’t suddenly turn into a cat?