Chapter 40: You’ve Been Surrounded by Me Alone!

Facing the Crown Prince’s instructions, Zhao Gongming was puzzled.

“Ah? Your Highness, aren’t we staying here to stake out that Young Master Chu Yuan?”

Ji Xuanyuan replied, “This matter is more important.”

Zhao Gongming showed a look of difficulty. “Your Highness, please forgive my incompetence. That black-robed person’s movement technique is incredibly strange. I truly cannot lock onto his whereabouts.”

Ji Xuanyuan also found this a headache.

‘That complicates things…’

‘Where would Junior Brother go next?’

‘Wait! He likely came here because of the City Lord’s request.’

‘Next, he should be investigating the location of the Demon Path Alliance stronghold.’

‘And just now, it seemed an evil cultivator escaped…’

Thinking of this, Ji Xuanyuan had an idea. “City Lord Fang, did you mark the evil cultivator who just escaped?”

Fang Henian cupped his hands. “Of course! Given that evil cultivator’s cultivation, he is likely an official of the Demon Path Alliance. By relying on him, we should be able to find the stronghold.”

Ji Xuanyuan nodded. “Then let us set off now!”

Fang Henian frowned. “We can, but Your Highness… are you really not waiting for that Young Master Chu Yuan… wait! Could it be???”

In his view, the Crown Prince had traveled specifically because she cared for Chu Yuan.

Logically speaking, it was impossible for her to have her attention diverted so easily by an unknown powerhouse.

Unless???

In an instant, Fang Henian realized something.

‘Unless the expert who just acted was that Chu Clan orphan?’

‘Is… is that even possible?’

‘That kid is just an orphan!’

‘But… where would he get so many magical treasures?’

‘And be generous enough to give them to someone else???’

‘Impossible!’

‘Absolutely impossible!’

Fang Henian found it difficult to connect the two.

But thinking back to yesterday’s bet regarding the formation, he felt otherwise.

‘Speaking of which, the formation that boy set up yesterday was also quite ingenious…’

‘Could the two really be the same person???’

Regardless, Fang Henian did not ask any more questions. Instead, he said, “Yes! Your Highness, I shall lead the way immediately.”

Following his senses, he led the entire group toward the target stronghold.

***

At the same time.

Chu Yuan, clad in the Phantom Ethereal Dharma Robe, had pursued his target to a hidden valley.

Standing atop a nearby tree, his brows narrowed as his Divine Sense focused on a certain cave entrance obscured by a formation.

Ordinary cultivators might pass by without a thought, but with his current Divine Sense strength, he could perceive the abnormality.

Deep inside the cave, seven or eight evil cultivators were drinking and eating.

The leader was a man with a leopard-like head and round eyes, his face dark. He was the leader of this stronghold, Chilian Zhenren.

“Brothers, work a bit harder these next few days. There isn’t much time left until the Divine Grade Auction!”

*Clatter, clatter, clatter!*

At that moment, the hook-nosed cultivator stumbled inside, his face deathly pale.

“Not… not good!”

Seeing the battered Old Eagle returning in such a state, Chilian Zhenren laughed. “What’s wrong? Old Eagle, don’t tell me you failed to rob someone and got robbed instead?”

The hook-nosed cultivator clutched his wound and said urgently, “Yes! Outside Xuanji City, a tough one appeared! One person killed more than ten of my men!”

“One person?”

Chilian Zhenren raised an eyebrow and teased, “Heh! Old Eagle, with your team’s strength, you actually encountered someone tough? Did you run into some old monster in the Domain Transformation Realm? Hahaha!”

The surrounding evil cultivators burst into laughter.

“One person killing more than ten? Hahaha, do you think this is a storybook?”

“Exactly! Within a thousand miles of Xuanji City, where would such an expert come from?”

“Right! Even City Lord Fang Henian only has a middle-stage Essence Accumulation Realm cultivation.”

Old Eagle stamped his feet in frustration. “It’s true! That man struck incredibly fast. I saw the situation was bad and ran…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a cold male voice suddenly drifted from the cave entrance.

“He’s telling the truth.”

The cave fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

Everyone turned toward the sound. A black-robed man stood at the entrance with his hands behind his back.

His aura was not apparent, yet Chilian Zhenren instinctively felt a surge of palpitations.

‘What’s the situation?’

‘Logically, if an outsider entered the formation, it should have reacted!’

‘Why was this person able to enter our cave without the formation noticing at all?’

Chilian Zhenren stood up abruptly and shouted, “Who… who are you???”

Chu Yuan did not answer, calmly stepping into the cave.

His gaze swept over the gathered evil cultivators, eventually focusing on the hook-nosed cultivator.

“You ran quite fast. Unfortunately, no matter how fast you run, you’ve only bought yourself a few more moments of life.”

Old Eagle’s face turned white, and he reflexively took a step back.

Chilian Zhenren stepped forward instead, sneering. “What big words! You think you can barge into a Demon Path Alliance stronghold all by yourself?”

With a wave of his hand, his subordinates rose together, Demonic Qi surging as they surrounded Chu Yuan.

Faced with this, Chu Yuan remained indifferent.

“A bunch of nobodies. Haven’t you noticed that you’ve been surrounded by me alone?”

“Kill him!”

Chilian Zhenren didn’t bother with further nonsense and barked an order. The evil cultivators attacked simultaneously.

The Demonic Qi was overwhelming, transforming into countless black tentacles that swept toward the black-robed man!

Chu Yuan sighed and shook his head. He simply lifted his hand and flicked a finger.

A streak of spiritual light bloomed from his fingertip, tearing through the massive wall of Demonic Qi.

Wherever the light passed, the evil cultivators, led by Old Eagle, screamed as they were sent flying. They slammed heavily against the cave walls, coughing up blood.

Chilian Zhenren’s pupils constricted.

Even though he had the highest cultivation and remained unharmed, his entire body trembled as he retreated repeatedly.

“You… who on earth are you???”

Since even Old Eagle was not a match for a single strike, Chilian Zhenren knew the disparity in their strength was vast.

“Senior, you… do you know this is a Demon Path Alliance stronghold? If you kill us, the Demon Path Alliance will not let you off!”

Right at that moment, outside the cave—

Fang Henian had used a stealth art to secretly park the Imperial Carriage nearby.

“Your Highness, just as you predicted, that expert is currently inside the cave fighting the evil cultivators.”

Ji Xuanyuan was delighted. “Can you show me the situation inside?”

“Of course!”

This time, Fang Henian was prepared. He pulled a pair of Yin Yang Image-Recording Stones from his storage bag.

He flicked one of them into the cave and presented the other to the Crown Prince inside the carriage.

Ji Xuanyuan hooked her jade-like finger, bringing the Image-Recording Stone into her palm.

Injecting her Divine Sense, she perceived the scene—

Inside the cave, evil cultivators lay scattered and broken on the ground.

Chilian Zhenren, still standing, was shouting with false bravado.

Facing the threat, the black-robed man’s footsteps paused.

Chilian Zhenren thought the enemy was afraid and was about to continue his threats when he saw the man pull back his hood.

A clean, handsome face was revealed.

Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes shimmered.

‘Chu Yuan!’

Fang Henian was dumbfounded.

‘How is it really him?’

‘How can this boy have such a powerful cultivation?’

‘What… what is going on???’

The City Lord’s head was filled with questions.

In the next moment, Chu Yuan pulled an object from the Black Ring.

It was a pitch-black token.

Carved upon it were three blood-red words: Demon Path Alliance.

Chilian Zhenren’s eyes widened, and his voice trembled. “This… is that an Elder Token???”

Chu Yuan toyed with the token. “It seems you aren’t blind. To see this token is the same as seeing whom?”

“The Alliance Leader!!!”

The group of evil cultivators looked at each other and hurriedly dragged their wounded bodies to the ground, kowtowing.

“This subordinate… greets the Elder!”

Seeing this scene, both Ji Xuanyuan and Fang Henian outside the cave were stunned.

‘Is this Chu Yuan actually a Demon Path Alliance Elder???’

Ji Xuanyuan’s heart wavered even more.

‘What exactly is happening?’

‘Have I been guessing wrong all along?’

‘Is this person not my Junior Brother, but merely an evil cultivator???’