Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 201: A Smooth Resolution

Zhou Jing’s expression changed the moment he regained consciousness. These two sudden changes shocked him deeply. He had thought that even if the Tianyin Sect possessed some secret techniques and Xue Feifei was some extraordinary being, given the time limits and foundational constraints, how far could she really progress even if trained?

Yet, the strength Xue Feifei demonstrated upon emerging from seclusion far exceeded his expectations. Even with his own half-century of cultivation, he couldn’t fathom the depth of her skills. The illusory light surrounding her made him feel compelled to worship her, leaving him unable to muster even a hint of hostility or desire to attack.

The melodious flute sounds, like celestial music, had a profound impact on his mind, almost making him forget the purpose of his mission. Such developments were already beyond Zhou Jing’s expectations, but the howls coming from below only increased his unease. Though he still didn’t know whether the caller was friend or foe, he grew more cautious. Seizing the chance to regain his focus, he shouted at the group, “Wake up, you idiots! Han Wendong, take your men and surround her. The rest, fight quickly and decisively—before things get worse!”

Zhou Jing’s roar finally pulled everyone’s attention back, and they began to act as if waking from a dream.

“Damn it, we’re always sent ahead for everything, and put in danger first. Who the hell are you? Using us as mere pawns! Ugh!” Han Wendong grumbled inwardly while directing his men. Given Xue Feifei’s demonstrated strength, he knew Zhou Jing was using them as a test, so he wasn’t entirely confident.

Sure enough, before they could get closer—while Zhou Jing’s men were dealing with the wounded, the fallen, and those crying, as well as the Tianyin Sect disciples surrounding Sect Master Qiao—Xue Feifei suddenly became blurred and illusory, seemingly vanishing right before their eyes. As Han Wendong and the others were stunned, a high-pitched, beautiful melody rang out. Soon after, streams of musical notes poured forth, accompanied by the roar of clashing energy and cries of pain.

Zhou Jing hadn’t expected Xue Feifei’s attack to be so sudden. The musical notes he heard felt like the actual energy blasts emitted by a master fighter.

Seeing his subordinates unable to withstand the attack, he couldn’t help but channel the energy from his dantian and shout, “Fierce Battle Across the Vast Lands!” This not only mitigated the musical attacks but also granted him a small, silver-glinting battle knife in his hand, which he swung through the air, colliding just barely with Xue Feifei’s musical assaults.

Another loud roar echoed. Although Zhou Jing felt as though he was fighting against air, the actual struggle between him and Xue Feifei had already begun. At this moment, Xue Feifei’s figure became visible, standing right beside her master, Master Qiao. She was playing the jade flute, emitting high-pitched sounds aimed at Zhou Jing.

No one outside could interfere in their fight—the intense energy around them created a barrier like a magnetic field, preventing others from approaching even slightly.

With a “Boom~,” a cloud of white mist suddenly erupted between the two, as the energy surged outward. Those around them retreated, using their own energy to defend themselves. Meanwhile, the two fighters stood firmly on opposite sides: Xue Feifei still holding the flute, while Zhou Jing’s face turned deathly pale. His originally red face appeared even more eerie, and he stepped back half a step, clearly showing that Xue Feifei had the upper hand this time.

“Kill them! Damn it, kill them all! Leave no one alive except that Xue Feifei!” Zhou Jing, no longer calm and strategic, roared furiously.

While his anger stemmed partly from humiliation, it was mainly because Xue Feifei’s strength made him realize that today’s battle wasn’t as easy as he had thought. He no longer felt absurdity or amusement at his opponent’s weakness. Deeper still was the howl that suddenly sounded at the foot of the mountain…

That’s why Zhou Jing suddenly changed tactics, shifting from capturing to killing!

On the other side, Xue Feifei was incredibly excited—not because of her own success or her superior skills, but because of that howl, which had instantly stirred her heart. She knew—he had arrived!

A few agonized screams rang out, along with the eerie sounds emitted by the Hanchan Sect. Clearly, they had come to distract Xue Feifei, the only fighter of the Tianyin Sect.

Xue Feifei snapped out of her daze, seeing many of her sisters who had been lying on the ground now being slaughtered. She temporarily suppressed her excitement, picked up her jade flute again, and sent musical waves at her merciless enemies.

But just as Xue Feifei used all her strength to sever those people’s heart vessels, the demonic sound of the Hanchan Sect forced her to defend herself, while also having to deal with Zhou Jing, who appeared in an instant. Several silver blades struck like lightning, forcing Xue Feifei to stop playing. She quickly formed a flute pattern with her jade instrument and met those silver lights head-on. In an instant, the surrounding cold air became oppressive, shocking Zhou Jing greatly. He never expected that Xue Feifei, despite being at close range, possessed such profound skills. At least in terms of internal strength, she was by no means inferior to him—how young was she even? Could the essence of heaven and earth truly be so miraculous? As he thought this, Zhou Jing channeled more energy into his attacks, using simpler moves of slashing and chopping, realizing that he had no advantage in terms of the sophistication of his techniques compared to Xue Feifei—there was a huge gap between them. So he focused on his strengths, relying on his solid internal strength to suppress her. However, after several extraordinary experiences and the adjustment of yin and yang in the Chu Tianyu region, Xue Feifei’s internal strength was already strong enough to match Zhou Jing even without the fusion of the Green Dragon energy. Now, with that energy’s help, she hardly felt any fatigue when using it. Even without considering her internal strength, Zhou Jing would not be a match for her in close combat, but the demonic sound of the Hanchan Sect consumed a great deal of her energy, forcing her to constantly resist its interference while dealing with Zhou Jing. At the same time, the cries of pain from her injured sisters on the ground resounded again. The disciples of the Tianyin Sect, who had been crying sadly in front of Sect Master Qiao, were also inspired by Xue Feifei’s emergence and returned to battle, each holding their instruments. Yet due to the huge disparity in strength, cries of pain from the Tianyin Sect disciples continued to be heard. After all, aside from Xue Feifei, all the other disciples, including the old Sect Master Qiao, were outmatched against these fierce opponents and could hardly resist for long. The cries came one after another, at an increasingly rapid pace, causing Xue Feifei great anxiety. Her movements became slightly chaotic, allowing Zhou Jing to seize the opportunity and launch several quick attacks, barely turning the tide in his favor.

Suddenly, in just an instant, a powerful aura and intense fighting spirit enveloped the entire mountain platform. The screams that had been echoing moments ago ceased abruptly. Before Xue Feifei could even take a look, the screams started again, louder and more frequent this time, with the voices shifting from female to male…

Xue Feifei’s tense expression relaxed, and her joy was beyond words. Seeing her happy expression, Zhou Jing’s heart trembled. His ears weren’t deaf either—it seemed the thing that worried him had finally happened…

At that moment, neither of them had the heart to continue fighting. Taking advantage of the change in tactics, they both stepped back simultaneously, stopping their combat and turning to watch the battle unfolding nearby.

There stood a handsome man in his early twenties, with muscular build, dark skin that shone like brocade. He threw punches with wind-like speed, each strike devastating. As he moved, everyone from the Hanchan Sect and the Fake Souls faction was knocked to the ground without exception—none could withstand him. Either they were killed by a punch to the head or a kick to the groin, or their sternums were crushed by the force of his attacks…

It was like a fierce storm, bringing waves of bloodshed and brutality, making it seem as if one were in hell.

In the blink of an eye, all of Zhou Jing’s men around him lay dead on the ground. Judging by the man’s tactics, they were likely dead on the spot.

Only a few highly skilled and agile individuals managed to dodge his attacks and retreat to Zhou Jing’s side, staring in terror at the man’s deathly figure.

What made Zhou Jing feel utterly despondent was that the man was walking straight toward Xue Feifei, who, with joy and excitement, embraced him willingly…

“It’s over! My husband has arrived!” Seeing the man’s terrifying killing power and brutal methods, that was the only thought left in Zhou Jing’s mind!

It was indeed Chu Tianyu. Although a series of events over the past time had brought about tremendous changes to him—both in his physical appearance and overall demeanor—Xue Feifei didn’t hesitate at all. Even without any natural connection through dragon energy, just by looking at Chu Tianyu’s eyes, she could instantly recognize him. After all, through every day and night in the valley, she had engraved every detail about him in her heart.

Neither Chu Tianyu nor Xue Feifei said a word; they simply leaned against each other silently, feeling each other’s breath and warmth. Xue Feifei had so many questions about Chu Tianyu’s changes, and she also had so much to share about the joy of reuniting after so long…

But Chu Tianyu didn’t have many thoughts at the moment. He was completely immersed in a wonderful state. He felt that Xue Feifei in his arms was like a cool spring, nourishing his entire being. What struck him the most was that the fierce energy within him seemed to calm down under the influence of her energy, blending together in a harmonious way. The sense of comfort he felt was indescribable.

“Who’s there? The Soul Organization is here on business. Unrelated friends, please stay back—otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences!” Zhou Jing, who was standing aside, had no choice but to speak with a grim face and a threatening tone.

Chu Tianyu once again confirmed that he hated this damned fake Soul Organization the most! Not only did they keep showing up persistently, but they also dared to appear at the most perfect moment for him—when he was feeling the most comfortable and relaxed. That person, claiming to belong to the Soul Organization, had a face of unknown color, slanted eyes, and inverted eyebrows—clearly a scoundrel who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

“What’s your name?” Chu Tianyu suddenly asked, his expression blank, having put aside his emotions.

“Zhou Jing, the Soul…” Before Zhou Jing could finish speaking, Chu Tianyu rushed forward. It wasn’t some kind of light martial skill, nor did it give off a surreal feeling, but his speed was astonishing—so fast that it seemed impossible to react. Before one could even realize he was charging, a gust of wind hit them, and a dark shadow rushed toward them from afar.

With a “bang,” Zhou Jing’s vision went black. His nerves seemed to explode, and he lost consciousness on the spot, his body being thrown several feet away.

Zhou Jing, who was in a deep coma, probably never expected retribution to come so quickly. The surprise attack he had just used himself was soon turned against him. What surprised him even more was that such a seemingly formidable and ruthless expert would also resort to surprise attacks—proving that one should never judge by appearance. What a miscalculation!

To outsiders, it seemed as though Zhou Jing had just stood there, talking calmly with someone, when he was knocked down by a straight punch before he could finish speaking, as if it were a child’s game, leaving everyone around stunned.

Chu Tianyu’s attack didn’t stop with Zhou Jing’s fall. Taking advantage of his subordinates’ shock, he unleashed a series of deadly punches, each one precise and devastating. The scene was unbearable to watch. Yet Chu Tianyu’s speed, angle, and technique were astonishing; without sufficient skill, outsiders couldn’t even follow what was happening.

It took another minute after Chu Tianyu severed the head of the last man before the disciples of Tianyin Gate finally realized what had happened. Once they understood, vomiting sounds arose one after another…

In fact, Chu Tianyu’s tactics had deep intentions. Since the strategy of the fake divine soul was to capture live captives, many female disciples of Tianyin Gate were also captured and laid at their feet. After assessing Zhou Jing’s character, Chu Tianyu feared he might use hostages to threaten them, putting them at a disadvantage. So, he decided to take action first, deliberately showing off his strength and speaking in a contemptuous tone to keep Zhou Jing under control. While Zhou Jing was distracted answering, Chu Tianyu launched a surprise attack, securing a quick victory and preventing any further complications.

Thus, Chu Tianyu thought it was better to strike swiftly when the enemy was unprepared rather than talk too much.

Xue Feifei shared Chu Tianyu’s mindset and fully understood his intentions. However, after Chu Tianyu killed all his enemies, his bloodthirsty and wild behavior filled her with unease. Combined with his sudden change in temperament, she was left stunned.

Just then, a melodious piano tune suddenly sounded. Though it lacked power, the melody was extremely precise, and the transitions between notes were smooth, creating a sense of immersion and relaxation for those who listened.

Hearing the sound of the zither, Chu Tianyu’s internal turmoil caused by killing enemies eased slightly, and he unconsciously followed the melody back. Xue Feifei was also awakened by the zither’s tune and saw her master struggling to play the harp on the ground. The piece “Fujiang Water Tune” was played in a melodious and soothing manner that touched the heart deeply. At that moment, Elder Qiao coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of blood—it seemed that trying to play the instrument again had triggered his previous internal injuries. “Master…” Xue Feifei cried out in shock, rushing to her master’s side to examine her injuries carefully. “Cough… don’t worry about me first. Use the music to calm the murderous aura in Tianyu’s body… It’s likely the influence of the Ink Dragon energy… cough…” Elder Qiao spoke intermittently with great difficulty. Although her master didn’t finish speaking, Xue Feifei understood her intention. She knew all too well about the Ink Dragon energy. If, as her master said, changes in Tianyu’s body, temperament, appearance, etc., were caused by it, then his situation was extremely dangerous. If things went wrong, just like what happened in Motuo, not to mention her, all the sisters present would suffer! In fact, Elder Qiao had stumbled upon the solution by chance. After hearing Xue Feifei describe what happened in Motuo and Chu Tianyu’s situation, she had firmly remembered the matter of the Ink Dragon possessing someone. Today, seeing Chu Tianyu’s appearance and behavior, which matched Xue Feifei’s description exactly, and witnessing his fierce killing spree, she couldn’t help but think of the Ink Dragon. She assumed Chu Tianyu’s actions were influenced by the Ink Dragon energy, so she tried to play a peaceful and soothing melody to ease his violent aura. Although Chu Tianyu’s condition wasn’t as she thought, it wasn’t that serious either. The beautiful zither music indeed calmed him greatly, soothing the restless energy within him. Especially when he heard the familiar and melodious “Erquan Yingyue” played by Xue Feifei, his whole being relaxed and immersed in joy. The originally restless and uncontrollable energy within him seemed to find a balance, calming down like a little rabbit… Unexpectedly, the problem that had troubled Chu Tianyu and his senior brother Liu Xiangshi was solved just through these beautiful and melodious flute sounds!