Chapter 93, Attacked from All Sides and No One Gets Off Easy!

Translator: Raznick

 

Cloud Province, Flying Horse Mountain.

 

Flying Horse Mountain was originally an obscure mountain in Cloud Province, visited by rogue cultivators seeking herbs, but by no means a place of significance.

 

Such a small mountain held little appeal for ordinary cultivators.

 

However, due to the widely circulated rumors that the lair of a Flood Dragon was located within the waters of the Grey River in the mountain’s vicinity, it had attracted an influx of cultivators gathering here.

 

Most of those gathered didn’t care who had spread the rumor; they were focused on one thing: finding the Flood Dragon’s nest and claiming the Flood Dragon eggs.

 

Prior to this, cultivators had no concrete idea of just how powerful a Flood Dragon could be.

 

But after the failed joint attempt by the five Violet Palace cultivators of Cloud Province, during which one was killed in retaliation, everyone now knew of the Flood Dragon’s might.

 

In light of this, hearing that there was a Flood Dragon egg within its lair and that it could be obtained, no cultivator could resist the temptation!

 

Humans were all creatures of imagination, and cultivators were no exception. Every rogue cultivator had once entertained innocent fantasies, dreaming of the day they might inherit the legacy of a Golden Core Stage or even Nascent Soul cultivator. They envisioned how, with the aid of the immortal pill left behind by their predecessors, their cultivation would soar, allowing them to condense a Golden Core within a century and attain immortality.

 

While a Flood Dragon egg may not compare to the imagined legacy of a high-ranking cultivator, obtaining one would still be life-altering for a low-level cultivator. If you had a Flood Dragon as your spirit pet, who in their peer group could stand against you? With the support of a grown Flood Dragon at your side, wouldn’t securing a Foundation Establishment Pill and procuring treasures to open up your Violet Palace be anything but assured?

 

Despite knowing that this hope was slim at best, it didn’t deter cultivators from Cloud Province from setting their sights on Flying Horse Mountain. When Zhou Chun arrived at Flying Horse Mountain, he found the once desolate mountains and valleys teeming with the figures of cultivators. The majority were Qi Refining cultivators, but there were also a few elusive Foundation Establishment cultivators among them.

 

Before searching for the Flood Dragon, Zhou Chun noticed that there weren’t many Foundation Establishment cultivators around. Likely, these cultivators knew they lacked the power to stand up to the Flood Dragon. But things were different now that they knew where the Flood Dragon’s nest was and that there were eggs inside.

 

With such a huge temptation, some Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t resist the temptation. They might not be able to fight the Flood Dragon themselves, but maybe they could steal one of its eggs or sneak into the nest while it wasn’t there to take some of its bloodline treasures.

 

Thinking along these lines, quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators had come to Flying Horse Mountain.

 

Since so many cultivators were gathered here and this place wasn’t a market, clan estate, or sect compound where someone would enforce order, chaos was inevitable.

 

Even though Zhou Chun had only been there for an hour, he’d already witnessed several fights between cultivators.

 

Having witnessed a rogue cultivator being burned to ashes by another cultivator’s mystical art, Zhou Chun had never seen such chaos in his life. He became even more cautious, going so far as to take out his prized possession, the Shooting Moon Edge, and strap it onto his back. This was both a deterrent against anyone with malicious intent and a precaution for when danger struck—allowing him to immediately activate his artifact in defense.

 

While most cultivators were preoccupied with their pursuits, Zhou Chun observed that along the banks of the river stretching a hundred miles around Flying Horse Mountain, numerous cultivators risked it by plunging into the water to search for the Flood Dragon’s nest. He often overheard discussions among cultivators about discovering water demons in certain areas and the casualties that followed.

 

By now, there was no doubt among anyone regarding the location of the Flood Dragon’s nest within the river segment near Flying Horse Mountain.

 

Because otherwise, it was hard to explain why there were so many water demons related to Flood Dragon in this relatively unknown area.

 

The Flood Dragon hid its nest using some kind of mystical art, making it difficult to pinpoint its exact location.

 

Zhou Chun wasn’t the type to look for trouble, even if someone told him where Flood Dragon’s den was—he wouldn’t bother verifying whether it was real or not.

 

Why would anyone risk their life by trying to raid a dragon’s lair? Only fools with death wishes do that.

 

Instead, Zhou Chun found himself a high peak in the mountains along the river and settled in, waiting for things to unfold.

 

He was certain Green Lotus Monastery’s higher-level cultivators would soon make their move to slay the dragon—and they’d definitely have a way to find Flood Dragon’s nest first.

 

He just had to keep watch from his perch, waiting for the showdown between the cultivators and the Flood Dragon to begin.

 

—

 

What Zhou Chun hadn’t expected was that he barely stopped at the mountain before trouble found him.

 

“Hey there, tough guy! This mountain is ours. Go find your own!”

 

Atop the peak, three men with late Qi Refining cultivation appeared where Zhou Chun stood. Without hesitation, one of them spoke aggressively, demanding his departure.

 

Zhou Chun furrowed his brow and turned to the man who had spoken, addressing him coldly: “Sir, you’re being a bit presumptuous here. This mountain is unclaimed territory, and I arrived before any of you. Why should I be the one to leave?”

 

Unfazed by Zhou Chun’s words, the man responded with a brazen tone: “I’m as aggressive as I want, tough guy. What are you gonna do about it?”

 

Before Zhou Chun could respond, the man suddenly barked: “Since you insist on staying, let us show you what happens when you don’t play nice!”

 

All three men—like they had agreed beforehand—simultaneously summoned their artifacts and launched an assault on Zhou Chun.

 

Among them was one man at the Eleventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage, with two others at the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining. All three possessed formidable strength.

 

Fortunately, Zhou Chun was also on guard. As soon as the three of them made a move, he immediately acted to counter them.

 

He first summoned the Shooting Moon Edge to fend off the attacks from two artifacts, then activated the Augur Pendant to block the remaining assault.

 

He slapped his storage bag, summoning the Golden Scale Shield to protect himself. He also released the Rock Turtle.

 

The massive Rock Turtle emerged, and the three individuals who had been attacking Zhou Chun were startled. They hastily retreated and created some distance from him while reinforcing their own defenses with protective mystical arts.

 

But just as they thought they had escaped harm’s way, sharp stone spikes erupted from the ground beneath them, flipping them onto the dirt.

 

Simultaneously, the Rock Turtle opened its mouth, emitting a beam of yellow light that transformed into a boulder aimed at one of them.

 

“You lot—who are you? You and I have no grievances. Why do you want to kill me?”

 

Taking advantage of the fact that several people were shocked by the appearance of Rock Turtle and the offensive was temporarily suspended, he finally had the opportunity to look at the three people and angrily asked the biggest doubt in his heart.

 

He was not a fool, how could he not understand the intentions of these three people?

 

At first, he thought that these three people were just bullying others and wanted to monopolize this mountain. After all, in Cloud Province, it was common to see cultivators who acted as domineering as them. But now, the three people actually killed him without saying a word, and Zhou Chun had to suspect that there must be something else.

 

“Who among you is the mastermind? Why do you want to do such a cruel thing to me?” Zhou Chun stared at the three people with a burning gaze. He knew that he was not a famous figure, and he had never offended anyone in this Cloud Province. But now, these three people wanted to put him down.

 

None of the three responded and adjusted their tactics: one person was responsible for restraining the Rock Turtle, and the other two used the talismans in their hands to launch a crazy attack on Zhou Chun.

 

But when it came to fighting just two people, Zhou Chun wasn’t as strained.

 

His background wasn’t something an ordinary cultivator could compare to.

 

He braced himself and prepared for the fight, using Shooting Moon Edge to block and intercept their artifact, while performing the Elemental Armor Art to reinforce his defenses. Occasionally, he’d also throw out one or two talisman as a support skill.

 

At the same time, he would command the Rock Turtle to use its mystical art to interfere with their attacks, preventing them from fully focusing on him.

 

The Rock Turtle’s own safety wasn’t a concern; no enemy could break through its shell.

 

But what Zhou Chun never imagined was that while he was holding his own against three opponents, exchanging blows evenly, and not giving an inch, pretty soon, there came a man and woman, seemingly a couple, who were middle-aged and heading straight towards the battlefield. And from their determined expressions, it was clear they weren’t there to help him.

 

After all, he didn’t recognize them.

 

Not coming to help him, but charging straight toward the battlefield—needless to say, the outcome was predictable.

 

This only solidified Zhou Chun’s earlier suspicion that these individuals were specifically targeting him.

 

“You’re Xu Kaishan’s accomplices!”

 

All at once, Zhou Chun pieced together a critical realization, his face contorting in shock as he bellowed at his opponent.

 

At his words, the men’s expressions abruptly shifted, their eyes flashing with malice as their assault grew increasingly ferocious.

 

This confirmed Zhou Chun’s suspicions beyond doubt.

 

He was both astonished and enraged, his desire to retreat growing stronger by the moment.

 

If these foes shared the same faction as Xu Kaishan, then they must be backed by Foundation Establishment cultivators—or even worse, Purple Manor cultivators.

 

These people were here to kill him and silence him.

 

As Zhou Chun’s thought of retreat began to take hold, his opponent noticed his intention and commanded the supporting reinforcements to surround and block his retreat from behind.

 

Clearly, they had no intention of letting him leave alive.

 

Zhou Chun knew he could no longer afford to hesitate or show any reluctance.

 

He quickly retracted the Rock Turtle and then bravely withstood the wave of attacks from the three opponents in front of him.

 

Drawing out a second-grade talisman called the Wind Travel Talisman that had been given to him by Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi, he activated it on the spot.

 

Instantly, azure-colored spiritual light enveloped Zhou Chun, and with merely a thought, his body swiftly rose into the air.

 

“He’s trying to escape—stop him!”

 

The outcry came from the same man who had spoken to Zhou Chun earlier. He raised his hand and launched a superior first-grade Fire Snake Talisman directly at Zhou Chun.

 

But this was nothing but a fantasy.

 

Zhou Chun found himself surrounded by swirling gusts of wind, which carried him swiftly upward to an altitude of three hundred meters before he sped toward the outskirts of Flying Horse Mountain. His speed outpaced even that of an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, leaving pursuers in his wake.

 

The group that had been closing in on Zhou Chun soon realized this and opted not to pursue further. Instead, they glared after him as he disappeared into the distance.

 

What they didn’t know was that the man fleeing from them, Zhou Chun, was far from alright. Earlier, he’d been ambushed by Xu Kaishan, nearly meeting a grisly end at the hands of that sneak attack. Now, with his enemies closing in to silence him, he’d been forced to resort to his last-ditch survival technique.

 

Yet even as he escaped, Zhou Chun couldn’t shake the fury boiling within him. He vowed silently to one day make Xu Kaishan pay for his treachery, and all those who had dared to turn against him would soon learn what true fear was.

 

This situation was completely unfamiliar territory for someone who had always sailed through life unscathed. How could he possibly swallow this bitter pill? What made matters worse was that, even now, he still didn’t know what Xu Kaishan’s backers were—not even a clue about their origin. That was just downright infuriating!

 

“Since you want to force my hand, have it your eway! This is all on you!”

 

After landing in the desolate wilderness, Zhou Chun’s eyes gleamed with ice as he devised a plan for revenge. Normally, he’d been warned by the Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi not to stir up trouble. But now that they had targeted him and were closing in, he couldn’t let them walk all over him without consequence. If he didn’t stand his ground, wouldn’t that only embolden their attack?

 

“Do you really think you can push me around?”

 

Zhou Chun rested for a while to restore his spiritual power, then began taking action. He once again used his skills to disguise himself and approached cultivators heading to Flying Horse Mountain, spreading the following rumors among them:

 

“I swear I’m telling the truth. There was this guy who was about to be killed by a water demon, when suddenly he didn’t know what secret art he used. His eyes turned into a beast’s, scales appeared on his face and body, and his hands transformed into dragon claw. He immediately tore apart the water demon that had been attacking him and began devouring its blood and flesh!”

 

“Terrible! My friend was just arguing with that freak when he suddenly turned into a half-human, half-dragon beast and tore my friend to pieces right in front of me. It even ate my friend’s heart while I watched!”

 

“Fellow Daoist, if you’re new here, be careful. Word is that over at Flying Horse Mountain, there are cultivators being controlled by the Flood Dragon using its mystical art. They act as servants, betraying other cultivators’ trust and leading them to be eaten by the Flood Dragon!”

 

“Right, and apparently these creatures have been granted special abilities by the Flood Dragon, allowing them to transform into half-human, half-dragon monsters. After transforming, they need to eat fresh human hearts and livers to revert back to their human form!”

 

…

 

One by one, rumors of questionable veracity spread rapidly among the cultivators at Flying Horse Mountain, prompting many to heighten their guards.

 

It is said that rumors die when met with wisdom.

 

Yet for those indifferent outsiders, if believing in a rumor could make them feel safer, they hardly bothered to discern its truth or falsehood.

 

Much like Zhou Chun’s fabricated tales—hard to tell what was real and what wasn’t.

 

But choosing to believe them could only heighten one’s own caution.

 

So even if many didn’t fully buy into them, they still kept a watchful eye.

 

Meanwhile, due to the diverse and questionable backgrounds of cultivators in this Flying Horse Mountain region—word of mouth spreading these rumors eventually reached certain Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even some Violet Palace cultivators.

 

In the secluded valley of Flying Horse Mountain, a middle-aged robed cultivator dressed in blue robes listened to reports from his junior disciples who had returned from gathering information. His expression immediately shifted slightly, as if recalling something.

 

He murmured to himself, “Cultivators capable of transforming into half-human, half-dragon monsters through secret art? That reminds me of a secret sect that was banished from Jing Kingdom long ago. Are they planning to make a comeback?”

 

As he spoke, the robed cultivator’s gaze turned cold, and he said icily, “If that’s the case, then the person who leaked news about the Flood Dragon’s lair is almost certainly them.”

 

His expression then flickered with doubt as he muttered to himself in confusion, “But who could have leaked their information now? Could there be more powers involved?”

 

At this point, his face darkened.

 

Cloud Province was under the jurisdiction of Green Lotus Monastery. Daring to dispatch high-level cultivators here without their consent was a direct challenge to their authority.

 

Without delay, the blue-robed cultivator quickly sent messages to several friends, urging them to gather at Flying Horse Mountain as soon as possible. He also informed their sect about the reemergence of that secret sect, requesting a thorough investigation into the matter.

 

Meanwhile, Zhou Chun was oblivious to how far-reaching his rumors had become. But he realized that this rumor was definitely something Xu Kaishan’s backing force wouldn’t want to see spread.

 

Once he noticed how quickly the rumors were spreading, his mood lifted considerably.

 

For now, his happiness came from watching his enemies suffer—after all, he couldn’t take revenge using other means anymore.

 

In fact, he even had to worry about the enemy finding him again to silence him.

 

Fortunately, he wasn’t completely alone.

 

After staying near Flying Horse Mountain for about four days, Zhou Chun welcomed Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi, who had traveled all the way from Nine Peaks.