Chapter 197: Rescued
Boom… The ground shook violently; the entire forest seemed to tremble before returning to silence. Looking around, the area where the three members of the Mi Jiao clan stood was now terrifyingly sunken—a huge pit the size of a palm had appeared in what was once flat ground, sinking about fifty to sixty centimeters deep. The three of them were pale as death, standing frozen in place, drenched in cold sweat!
As that terrifying aura appeared, Meilong appeared before everyone, carrying Rod on his back: “I’ll keep your skins. I’ll come back for them later. I don’t have time today!” After giving them a cold glance, Meilong once again wore an innocent smile, glanced at the others, then led Rod away into the distance.
With a speed that defied logic—moving three zhang in each step—they vanished from everyone’s sight in just a few seconds. It was only then that the three Mi Jiao clan members collapsed into the palm-shaped pit. They gasped for breath, breathing in the air as if they had been reborn, unable to say a word. Their previous arrogance and arrogance had vanished completely. In that huge palm-shaped pit, the three of them appeared so tiny, feeling as if they had survived a disaster.
The people standing behind them exchanged glances, unable to speak. Some looked at the three with pity, while others secretly laughed—this time, the Mi Jiao clan was defeated.
“A warrior at the Yin-Yang Xuan-Huang realm… truly incredible!” One of them said with a wry smile after a moment.
Soon, the others also realized the same thing—such a powerful warrior had appeared today. What was his relationship with Rod? Or did he share the same thoughts? No one knew. All they knew was that Rod had been taken away, and the matter seemed to have come to an end.
“Is the kid okay after being taken away by that guy?” Sognar asked Lilith anxiously.
“He should be fine. He won’t hurt Rod!” Lilith replied, frowning slightly in uncertainty.
“That makes sense. He wouldn’t kill the kid. There should be no problem! We’re leaving tomorrow. It seems we can only hope to see Rod there in three months!” Sognar nodded to himself. If he wanted to kill Rod, he wouldn’t have needed to take him away. Killing Rod would be effortless for him. Since he took him away, there’s no danger!
“It’s fine to stay with him; at least he’ll protect us so no one dares to attack! We can also go back in peace. There are still two months before the competition starts, and we should prepare well. The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan has been unstable lately!” Lilith nodded in agreement.
Speaking of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan, both of them instinctively wore amused expressions. That night, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles were set on fire, and in the battle in South City, dozens of people attacked Rod alone. Even the Grand Elder and the Sixth Elder, along with the old man from the Nash family, failed to achieve anything despite their combined forces; instead, they suffered heavy losses and were left in a mess. It was truly a loss of both people and resources.
This defeat dealt a severe blow to the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles. They would surely suffer a lot in the time ahead!
After sighing, the people present slowly left. Since Rod had been taken away, there was no need for them to stay. In no time, over a dozen people left, leaving only Boshe, the head of the Nash family, two middle-aged members of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles, along with Sognar and Lilith. Of course, there were also three members of the Mi Jiao clan, sitting collapsed in fear inside the palm print.
These three were quite lucky. Everyone had seen the terrifying power of that palm strike—the ten-meter-wide palm sank deep into the ground, showing just how immense its force was. Yet the three weren’t hurt at all, proving how perfectly Melon controlled his energy. Looking at the collapsed trio, Sognar and Lilith exchanged smiles again. What funny guys, what funny Mi Jiao clan. Tomorrow, in Dark Moon City, and perhaps even at the Source of Darkness, things would surely get wild again.
After that, Sognar and Lilith also left without delay, flying away into the distance. Only the treacherous members of the three clans remained in the area. The Mi Jiao clan members still looked pale and listless, which was heartbreaking to watch.
……
As for Rod, who had been taken away, he had lost consciousness since that strong man carried him away. He recognized this man—during the battles he’d fought in this forest lately, he had lost all three times without any chance to fight back. It was this man who had faced him, incredibly powerful and unfathomable. Every move he used left Rod in great pain, yet he showed no intent to kill him.
Knowing he had no ill intentions, Rod simply entrusted his life to him. His consciousness gradually faded, and he fell into a coma.
Unfortunately, he didn’t see Melon’s powerful move; otherwise, he would likely be stunned as well. Such a strong opponent—wasn’t it like an elephant dealing with an ant? That was the gap in their strength. What seemed like a leisurely progress was actually as fast as the wind. After about half an hour, under Melon’s leadership, Rod was carried into a hidden cave. Placing Rod on the bed in the middle, the old man sighed bitterly: “This kid really has guts! If it weren’t for our fate connecting us, I wouldn’t even bother with you! Now, trouble is bound to follow—those old guys will come after me again!” He grumbled discontentedly, pouting. Walking over to the other side, he took out a small brown ceramic bottle and, with reluctance and apparent pain, pulled out a pill about the size of a thumb. His expression twisted as he said, “I’m doing you a favor, you damn kid. This is the Longyang Pill—something I even hesitate to use. I’m giving it to you now; I’ll see what you use to repay me! If you can’t pay back, have those old guys on your side do it! They have plenty of stuff!” As soon as the pill appeared, a pleasant fragrance filled the cave, showing just how extraordinary it was. As if comforting himself, Melon trembled as he reluctantly forced the Longyang Pill into Rod’s mouth. Once inside, it instantly turned into a cool liquid that slid down Rod’s throat. “Damn it! The Longyang Pill is gone just like that!” The name of this pill would drive everyone in the Dark Source crazy if heard by others, sparking a frenzy to obtain it. He had spent immense effort to steal it from others back then, overcoming numerous obstacles and breaking through the competition among hundreds of strong fighters. He even hid in this desolate place for hundreds of years for it! He had never dared to use it, yet now he gave it away to this kid he had only known for less than half a month. His face twisted as he watched Rod’s complexion gradually turn red and a faint red glow emanate from his body. Full of reluctance and frustration, he almost wanted to pound his chest in despair.
In the darkness, Rod could only feel a cool breeze flowing through his meridians as if it had a life of its own. Under its nourishment, the speed at which his demonic energy healed increased exponentially. Meanwhile, the dark energy belonging to Old Nash no longer ran rampant; it seemed to fear this icy breeze and was forced back into his dantian, where it was gradually dissolved, integrated, and absorbed by his own combat energy. The situation was getting better and better.
The pain diminished, and a hint of color returned to Rod’s pale face. His expression relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
……
Day gradually broke, and Dark Moon City was in chaos. A thousand meters around the city was reduced to ruins—the devastated battlefield was terrifying and utterly gripping!
The debris, the cracks in the ground, especially that massive hundred-meter-wide crater in the center, were hard to believe! Everyone had felt the intensity of last night’s battle. After all, even the weakest person in Dark Moon City could be considered strong on the continent, as even the worst of them possessed the strength of a Golden Warrior. Such intense fluctuations in battle energy were naturally detectable.
Yet no one expected it to be this terrifying.
The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle was set on fire, and after being besieged, it was turned around and attacked. They returned in disarray, suffering heavy losses. This incident became the hottest topic of conversation. Even the Nash family was implicated again, along with the Mi Jiao clan. That man named Rod, the one who survived the God-Destroying Thunder Calamity, stepped onto the stage once more.
Dark Moon City was insane, and the source of darkness was also going mad. Everyone was frantic. Who exactly was this Rod, so formidable? How did the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle, the Nash family, and the Mi Jiao clan suffer such misfortune? Or had they lost all sense of decency and been playing tricks on others? Where was the dignity of the four great families? Where was the pride of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle? What remained of the Nash family’s strength?
Chatter filled Dark Moon City. Everyone discussed it over tea and meals. From the young to the old, from men to women, no one was unaware of this incident or of Rod.
The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan, the Nash family, and the Mi Jiao clan all disappeared from everyone’s sight. Whether out of fear of ridicule or shame, their mansion doors remained tightly closed, with no one in sight.
Especially the mansion of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan—filled with smoke and debris from the fire, it was in utter ruin.
Inside the palace, everyone was sighing. Aida’s face was cold as she stared at her sister and Lord Boshe in front of her, filled with anger and concern. This time, she truly hated them—especially after learning all the news from outside. She hated that her sister and family did not support her, yet she was also relieved by Rod’s strength and courage! She was glad Rod wasn’t dead and had managed to escape.
This day would be forever remembered by the Source of Darkness. On this day, a young man named Rod stepped onto the stage of history to begin writing his legendary life. On this day, the Source of Darkness was agitated and excited, yet also worried and troubled.