Chapter 48 - Unexpected Event

The Crimsonflame Mountain Range occupied an area of 5,000 km, but who would have imagined that it was actually a grand formation?

As they swiftly dashed within the Crimsonflame Mountain Range, Chen Xi recalled what Ji Yu had said earlier and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

Earlier at the foot of the mountain, the reason he was staring blankly was that he was communicating with Ji Yu. According to Ji Yu’s inference, the Crimsonflame Mountain Range before his eyes was a terrifying formation that gathered the baleful qi of heaven and earth, and only a grandmaster of talisman formations would be able to set-up such a formation!

Chen Xi’s attainments in the Dao of Talismans wasn’t bad, but he was merely able to craft talismans. Moreover, he was only able to craft first-grade basic talismans. Whereas only when his talisman crafting attained a standard above the ninth-grade talisman master could he be called a talisman formation master.

Talisman formation masters were divided into three levels: namely the high-level, intermediate-level, and low level. Above those was the grand talisman formation master. Further above that was the talisman formation grandmaster, and one who was able to become eminent amongst talisman formation grandmasters was able to be called as a supreme talisman formation grandmaster!

Furthermore, a figure that was able to become a supreme talisman formation grandmaster had surely attained an unbelievable level in the Dao of Talisman Formations. Within the cultivation world, only immortal figures around the Earthly Immortal Realm were able to attain this level in the Dao of Talismans Formations.

Moreover, the Dao of Talisman Formations was practically the most obscure and profound existence amongst all Daos, and also the Dao that expended the most amount of time. Unless it was some cultivators with heaven-defying natural talent, otherwise, it was absolutely difficult for someone to tread to the end of this path.

Thus it could be seen how terrifying of an existence a supreme talisman crafting grandmaster was!

“This grand formation ought to have fallen into disuse due to having no one to preside over it for years, otherwise, the baleful qi it gathered would absolutely not have leaked out. Like the boundless sea of baleful beasts you saw all this way are probably formed after a long time of accumulation of the baleful qi that’s leaked from the grand formation.”

Ji Yu’s voice unhurriedly sounded out within Chen Xi’s mind once again. “Kid, didn’t you want to gather Netherezim Baleful Qi? Why don’t you head to the core of this formation and search there? You might be able to collect some treasures used to set-up formations.”

“The treasure to collect baleful qi?”

“Exactly, it’s utterly impossible to set-up a grand formation like this one without a formidable treasures as the foundation of the formation. Moreover, it’s precisely because of the existence of these treasures that there are innumerable baleful beasts wreaking havoc everywhere within the Southern Barbaric Nether Domain.”

Chen Xi pondered for a moment. It was exactly as Ji Yu had said, baleful beasts were formed from baleful qi. If there wasn’t the boundless baleful qi to sustain it, those baleful beasts would have been annihilated a long time ago. How could they possibly be inexhaustible as they were now?

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Should I go explore the foundation of the formation?

Chen Xi was palpitating with excitement when he heard Ji Yu’s descriptions, but when he thought of how he was still following Du Qingxi’s group and he still had to head to the sword immortal’s abode, he couldn’t help but be slightly hesitant.

“Chen Xi? What are you doing!?” A stern shout exploded by his ear.

At this moment, their group was heading forward on a precipitous and windy ledge within the Crimsonflame Mountain Range, on one side was a chilly precipice and on the other was a bottomless chasm.

Mountain wind whistled by, seeming to want to blow them away, and below the chasm was crimson-red fog that ceaseless roiled. Numerous bloody beasts seemed to stay within the bottomless chasm, and sharp and terrifying beast roars would frequently echo out, causing chills to run down one’s spine.

Due to their cultivation being restrained, Du Qingxi and the other Violet Palace Realm cultivators were unable to fly, and thus as they walked between this precipitous cliffs, they were all extremely cautious, as they were deeply afraid that an accident would occur.

Whereas Chen Xi instead walked at the front of the group. This was Chai Letian’s arrangement and the purpose was self-evident. If a mishap was to appear ahead, Chen Xi would be the first to bear the brunt of it. It didn’t matter if Chen Xi died or not, what was important was that he would be able to buy some time for the people behind him to react.

Chen Xi turned his head back and he saw Chai Letian staring coldly at him with rage vaguely visible within his gaze, and Chen Xi couldn’t help but be slightly stunned. This fellow wants to look for trouble with me again?

It wasn’t Chen Xi’s fault that he would guess like this. Since the day they’d departed from Bloodbath City, an intense competition unfolded between the pair of love rivals, Duanmu Ze and Chai Letian. As the leader, Chai Letian arrogantly ordered Duanmu Ze about at every chance, like he’d already taken Duanmu Ze to be a servant. Duanmu Ze was naturally inwardly extremely hateful of this and went against Chai Letian in all respects. So long as it was an order of Chai Letian’s, he wouldn’t comply with a word of it, moreover, he would also drag Chen Xi along to go against Chai Letian, causing him to be extremely infuriated.

It was precisely because of this that Chao Letian was not only infuriated with Duanmu Ze, but also hated the ‘accomplice,’ Chen Xi. Along the way, he’d constantly reprimanded Chen Xi for seemingly nothing, as if is he didn’t do so it would be insufficient to prove his identity as the leader.

Even a weakling had a temper, and no matter how great Chen Xi’s endurance was, he still couldn’t help himself from feeling a trace of disgust and detest towards this Starnet Palace disciple.

“Chen Xi, what’s wrong? Is someone finding fault with you?” Duanmu Ze shouted out from behind. As a good brother that acted together, he naturally had to express his displeasure when he saw Chai Letian looking for trouble with Chen Xi.

“I’m finding fault with him?” Chai Letian sneered. “We only have a day’s time left. If we aren’t able to leave the Crimsonflame Mountain Range in time, then we’ll surely miss the opportunity to enter the sword immortal’s abode and benefit Su Jiao’s group for nothing. Are you willing to see this outcome?”

“But what does this have to do with Chen Xi?” Duanmu Ze asked rhetorically.

The nearby Du Qingxi frowned as well. During the journey here, she’d noticed the secret struggle between Duanmu Ze and Chai Letian. But as the person concerned, it wasn’t proper for her to butt in and stop the fight between two rivals in love. However, at this moment, when she saw Chai Letian targeting Chen Xi for no reason caused her to be unable to restrain herself from getting enraged.

“Could it be that everyone hasn’t noticed that since Chen Xi led the group, our speed has obviously slowed down significantly? This fellow is obviously delaying us intentionally!”

Chai Letian said coldly, “I even suspect now that he might be a spy sent over from Su Jiao’s side to delay our pace, in order to hold us up and miss the opportunity to enter the sword immortal’s abode!”

I’m delaying?

I’m a spy?

It’s truly as the saying, if you wish to incriminate someone, you’ll meet no difficulty in finding pretext!

Chen Xi was stunned, and the detest he had towards Chai Letian’s behavior in his heart had reached the utmost limit.

“Haha! You said Chen Xi’s a spy from Su Jiao’s side? Do you know what sort of relationship Chen Xi has with Su Jiao? Truly fucking absurd!” When he heard this explanation, Duanmu Ze who’d always been extremely caring about his bearing couldn’t help but swear.

“The one who asked Chen Xi to lead was you, the one who said Chen Xi’s delaying the group is also you. Brother Chai, have you got something wrong?” Du Qingxi’s voice was chilly, and her words made no attempt to conceal her displeasure.

“Oh, looking for trouble with Chen Xi again? Truly causing one to be unable to continue watching by.” Song Lin opened his drowsy eyes, and a strand of cold light appeared within his pupils.

“You can’t put it like that. Brother Chai is only thinking for the sake of everyone, as our target is the sword immortal’s abode after all. If others enter it before us, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be good for anyone, right?”

“Hmph! I and my brother support Brother Chai. According to my observation, that kid is obviously delaying!”

“Yes, my brother is right.”

“Everyone, stop quarreling. Actually, Brother Chai is doing this for all our sakes.”

The Myriadcloud Institution’s Yu Haobai, the Windsoar Institution’s Du Quan and Du Kui, and the Azurewood Institution’s Murong Wei all spoke out, but leaned towards Chai Letian’s side and supported him.

Chai Letian never expected that only reprimanding Chen Xi would actually cause such a situation to appear, and he couldn’t help but think inwardly. Isn’t this kid, Chen Xi, an abject disciple from an impoverished family? Why would Du Qingxi’s group of three be so protective of him?

What should I do?

If I compromise, then wouldn’t it mean that I’m admitting that I was looking for trouble with Chen Xi?

That won’t do!

I absolutely can’t compromise. All along the way here, this kid has gone against me with Duanmu Ze in all respects. I should use this opportunity. It would be better to eradicate this kid, and in no event will I let him off!

As he thought up to here, Chai Letian rubbed the scar on his left cheek as killing intent flashed within his eyes, then his right hand stretched out like lightning to suddenly grab onto the back of Chen Xi’s clothes, then he swung his arm, directly tossing Chen Xi into the nearby chasm!

Chen Xi completely never expected that Chai Letian would actually do this, and when he reacted to Chai Letian’s actions, his entire body had already been tossed out tens of meters away to be atop the chasm. His body was in mid-air and he had no place to push himself against, and could only watch on as he drifted down like a rag, falling down towards the chasm.

Chen Xi didn’t exclaim in shock, nor did he shout. He only tightly closed his lips and stared fixedly at the figure that became further and further away. His rage was like burning and boiling lava that flowed throughout his body, causing his eyes to instantly go red from being filled with blood, and numerous blue veins popped out on his handsome face, revealing billowing hatred within his savage appearance!

Chai! Le! Tian! So long as I don’t die, I’ll surely extract your soul and torture it with flames, then I’ll burn your bones and scatter your ashes! I’ll cause you to be unable to achieve rebirth forever!

...

At the side of the precipice beside the chasm, the mountain winds were like howling dragons.

It was deathly silent and only the howls of the bitter mountain wind resounded in the air.

No one had expected that Chai Letian would take Chen Xi by surprise and attack him, and they furthermore never expected that Chai Letian would not even say anything before directly tossing Chen Xi into the chasm!

This unexpected event arrived too swiftly and practically occurred in an instant. At the moment everyone hadn’t even reacted to it, Chen Xi had already fallen into the chasm that was filled with roiling crimson-red fog and disappeared.

“Dirty dog! Fuck your mother! I’ll fucking kill you!” Duanmu Ze was the first to recover from his shock, and he roared furiously as he leaped out wanting to fight Chai Letian to the death.

The nearby Song Lin hurriedly stopped him, then shouted explosively. “Calm down! The chasm is just to our side, could it be that you want to fall in as well?”

“Why did you do that!?” Du Qingxi’s expression was like ice, and flames of rage burned brilliantly within her clear eyes.

“It’s only an ant, his death makes no difference. Why make such a big deal of it?” Chai Letian smiled as he patted his hands as if he’d done something of little importance.

“You... So ruthless!” Chai Letian’s attitude of not caring in the least caused Du Qingxi to be angered to the point her body lightly trembled. “If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have agreed to form an alliance with you.”

Chai Letian frowned and said, “Qingxi, I’ve already tolerated him all the way here. You want to have a falling out with me for the sake of an annoying little ant?” His voice was low and vaguely carried a trace intimidation.

Du Qingxi’s expression froze and a wisp of powerlessness and dejection poured out from her eyes. She could have a falling out with Chai Letian, but the Du Clan behind her would absolutely not allow it, causing her to be unable to do so.

“Let me go! I’ll fucking kill this dirty dog!” Duanmu Ze was still shouting in rage.

Song Lin tightly held onto him and shouted explosively via voice transmission. “Wake up! Do you want to bring a disaster to your Duanmu Clan? That Chai Letian is nothing to worry about, but the Nether Transformation Realm ancestor behind him is someone that our clans are absolutely unable to go against!”

“Could it be that we’re going to just let it go at that?” Duanmu Ze muttered in dejection.

A wisp of inexplicable bitterness surged at the corners of Song Lin’s mouth. “What else can we do? We can only hope that Chen Xi can survive. Don’t forget that he’s also a formidable body refiner. Even if he has nowhere to push himself against and save himself, but falling down the chasm might not be lethal...” His voice grew weaker and weaker, lower and lower. Obviously, he himself wasn’t confident of what he said.