Chapter 190: If I Said I Was Just Passing By, Would You All Believe Me

For many years, the Tree Demon Clan has been passing on its legacy in this area. They were not a weak clan.

While most Tree Demons were typically between the cultivation levels of the first and third realms, there were also stronger individuals at the fourth and fifth realms.

However, among the five elements, fire was overpowering to wood. The raging fire posed a significant threat to their clan members and they had no choice but to ask for assistance.

Nevertheless, Chu Liang felt hesitant to venture into the forest fire.

None of the Tree Demons who entered the forest had returned. The dangers within the forest were entirely unknown. While he wouldn't have to worry about fire weakening him as it would the Tree Demons, there was still a chance that the entities inside the forest were much stronger.

After a moment of contemplation, Chu Liang decided to use the strand of golden hair.

Such an item was most suitable for exploring unfamiliar and perilous territories.

He asked the Golden-Furred Hou to stand guard beside him as he sat cross-legged on the ground. Then, as he activated the Golden Hair Strand, the clone appeared in the center.

The clone had no enchanted tools; instead, it wore a Flying-Sword Bracelet specially crafted by the Mount Shu Sect. This ensured that even in case of loss, he wouldn’t feel any pain.

As for the Golden-Furred Hou, Chu Liang had no intention of bringing it along inside the forest.

Instead of having the fifth-realm spirit beast protect his clone, Chu Liang chose to keep it here to safeguard his actual body.

When Elder Qinghuai saw this, he immediately praised, "Wow! What an amazing divine technique! With this clone, you can explore with peace of mind."

Chu Liang instructed, "Please take care of my body. I will be right back."

"Young Hero, please don’t worry!" Elder Qinghuai said.

As he raised his hand, countless vines immediately sprang up from all around, quickly intertwining to form a dense cluster resembling a treehouse.

The treehouse shielded both Chu Liang’s body and the Golden-Furred Hou beside him from all sides.

"As long as I am alive, no one will touch your body." Elder Qinghuai declared solemnly.

"Thank you." Chu Liang said with a nod.

"Young Hero, there’s no need to thank me. You are doing the Tree Demon Clan a huge favor!" Elder Qinghuai exclaimed.

Without saying anything, Chu Liang smiled. Then, he turned around and stepped into the sea of fire.

Flames billowed!

Just as his figure soared to the outer perimeter of the fire scene, he felt an incredibly intense wave of heat rushing toward him. Even without getting close, just the scorching temperature was unbearable for an ordinary person.

These flames were definitely not ordinary!

Chu Liang immediately activated the circulation of his foundational qi to protect his body. Only then could he venture deep into the sea of fire and proceed forward.

Under such intense heat, his foundational qi continuously evaporated, depleting rapidly. For an ordinary cultivator at the Golden Core Realm, they might not have been able to endure for long. Just staying here for a short moment would have depleted most of their foundational qi. If they were to encounter danger, the situation would be very dire.

With the replenishment of two ultimate-tier Golden Cores, Chu Liang could easily restore the foundational qi consumed at this level. He could maintain his peak cultivation to handle any potential dangers that might arise.

This highlighted the significance of recovery speed.

After searching all the way, Chu Liang soon arrived at the depths of the valley. Many charred bodies lay around. Dead wild beasts scattered all around the mountains, their limbs broken and incomplete, indicating that they were not killed by fire.

Chu Liang proceeded cautiously.

The trees in this area lay charred, reduced to mere skeletons of their former selves. Yet, the flames that ravaged them held an ominous aura, stubbornly clinging to rocks, cliffs, and even skeletal remains.

It was no wonder the Tree Demons were so afraid. Ordinary fire might not have caused them much harm. But just the touch of this type of unknown fire would result in death.

Hiss...

Chu Liang was soaring through the air when he suddenly felt a chilling sensation amidst the intense heat, sending a shiver down his spine.

The feeling of imminent danger struck him, and instinctively, he sprang away from his current position. In the blink of an eye, he beheld a colossal fireball hurtling down from above, its descent accompanied by a thunderous boom as it exploded upon impact with the ground.

Boom! Rumble!

It was as if a raging sea of flames rippled outwards in all directions.

Caught in the ferocious shockwave, Chu Liang was flung several zhang away. Despite hastily searching with his divine sense, he found no trace of the enemy's presence.

Chu Liang moved with the momentum of the shockwave propelling him and pretended to collide against the side of a nearby rock wall, falling onto his back.

He closed his eyes and laid perfectly motionless, pretending that he had died.

Chu Liang speculated that since all the bodies he had seen earlier were mutilated, the enemy in hiding might prefer to torture and kill its prey using its teeth. He reasoned that if he were to pretend that he had lost the ability to fight back, it might lure the enemy out of hiding.

As long as it revealed itself, Chu Liang would have achieved his goal. After all, he had ventured into this place solely to investigate what had happened inside. He had no obligation to resolve the matter further.

For a moment, silence engulfed the surroundings, broken only by the loud crackling of the fire.

Suddenly and silently, a flat and elongated head covered in red scales emerged from behind the nearby rock wall. Despite its entire body being engulfed in flames, its crimson-gold vertical pupils radiated a chilling coldness.

Then, the creature's torso undulated out, revealing a pair of grotesque red-flesh wings, fully exposed before Chu Liang.

It was none other than a large winged python covered in red scales! Its massive body stretched over ten zhang long!

"Winged Fire Python!"

Chu Liang recognized it at first glance. It was a Winged Fire Python! An extremely ferocious spirit beast!

According to legends, there was a Winged Fire Python with eight wings, a mystical beast at the eighth realm of cultivation known as the Heavenly Origin Realm. This creature wreaked havoc and caused immense slaughter. If it were to grow another pair of wings, it would ascend to become a snake god at the ninth realm, known as the Profound Realm!

Fortunately, the immortal sects worked together to eliminate this threat.

Although remnants of the Winged Fire Python still existed in the mortal realm, they were unable to thrive. They inhabited the western areas of the Evil Demon Mountain and dared not disrupt the human lands.

How did this Winged Fire Python come here? Although it wasn’t fully mature, it was a spirit beast at the fifth realm!

I can’t beat it!

Chu Liang immediately made up his mind.

With a clang, his flying sword soared, its sword energy lingering as he himself flew out!

Although he was in the cloned body, he could feel every sensation. With no intention of dying, he promptly took control of his sword and fled!

Hiss...

A trace of coldness flickered in the vertical pupils of the Winged Fire Python as it abruptly spread its pair of flesh wings.

Boom!

The massive creature soared into the air, transforming into a winged dragon in an instant, engulfed in flames, and fiercely pursued Chu Liang!

It wasn’t hunting for food. Its cruel and ferocious nature drove it to instinctively rend all living creatures asunder!

Chu Liang focused and manipulated his flying sword to its fullest extent, deftly navigating around the mountain walls twice!

Crash!

The Winged Fire Python persisted in its pursuit until it realized that its body was trapped and coiled around a massive and thick pillar.

Hiss!

Feeling a surge of embarrassment, the Winged Fire Python grew furious. As It struggled violently, its massive body inadvertently crushed the pillar into pieces.

In the meantime, Chu Liang had escaped the sea of fire!

Since Chu Liang had formed the two ultimate-tier Golden Cores, it was his first time manipulating the sword to fly at full speed. All he felt was the rush of wind and sparks, with the constant risk of losing control looming over him!

If it wasn't because of his prior rigorous training in fine control, he might have crashed and fallen off his flying sword.

The speed propelled by the two Golden Cores was terrifyingly fast!

Whoosh!

The sword light disappeared in an instant, returning to the forest where it had just been.

After he landed, he caught his breath and was just about to explain to the Tree Demon Clan what he had discovered inside when he felt another bone-chilling sensation.

Suddenly, he felt this murderous aura!

The Winged Fire Python caught up? It can’t be!

This was Chu Liang's first thought.

But the attack came several times faster than the Winged Fire Python, and Chu Liang couldn’t dodge at all. As he turned around, he saw darkness slashing at him!

Swoosh!

Blood splashed, and his head and body separated, lying in different places.

Where the darkness emanated from revealed the presence of a masked blade wielder with a crow perched on his shoulder.

"If you are not dead yet this time..." the Dual Wielder muttered coldly.

Simultaneously, he raised his hand and summoned a black banner, which he then aggressively planted into the ground.

Bang!

It was the Soul-Suppressing Banner!

If the soul left the body, it would have been caught by this banner and be trapped there.

However, the banner showed no movement even after several moments had passed.

"What’s going on?" The Dual Wielder frowned and said, "Why have I never been able to actually kill him? Why?"

"Maybe it's just because you are very unlucky?" A voice nearby sounded. Chu Liang’s figure was seen walking over from the other side.

Another one? How many more times do I have to do this?

The Dual Wielder thought to himself.

𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The Dual Wielder glared at Chu Liang, who appeared suddenly. He didn’t utter a single word but simply tightened his grip on the blades, exuding a display of murderous aura.

However, at the very next second, his murderous aura vanished.

As the surrounding light flickered and the aura of demons intensified, towering ancient trees began to morph into humanoid forms. One, two, three... more than two hundred members of the Tree Demon clan assumed human shapes.

The Dual Wielder found himself right at the center, surrounded by them.

There were over two hundred pairs of eyes staring at him.

A drop of cold sweat slowly trickled down his forehead.

In his thirty years as an assassin, it was probably the first time he had encountered such a situation.

He had thought he had stealthily killed someone, only to turn around and discover himself suddenly encircled by a multitude of individuals.

It felt really awkward.

However, he was an experienced assassin. At this moment, he displayed no signs of panic. In contrast, when confronted by the gaze of over two hundred pairs of eyes, he spoke a sentence with cold determination.

"If I said I was just passing by, would you all believe me?"