Among the four regions, there is a special place.
It does not belong to any of the four regions—east, south, west, or north—but is located in the center of the four regions, hence it is called the "Central Region." Its geographical location is uniquely advantageous, surrounded by mountains and crisscrossed by rivers, naturally forming a terrain that gathers spiritual energy. The concentration of spiritual energy here is the highest in the four regions, even three times denser than the imperial city of the Northern Region.
For this reason, the Central Region has become a place of longing for cultivators from the four regions—sects stand like stars, with hundreds of sects of all sizes; powerful families occupy their own territories, and those with deep foundations are no less than the top sects; resources are inexhaustible, with spiritual veins, mineral veins, and medicine valleys everywhere. It is a true fertile ground for cultivation, but also the most dangerous arena.
"Master, this disciple wishes to go to the Central Region for training." In the courtyard of the Qingyun Sect, Xiao Chen bowed to Lin Zhou and said. Having experienced the Northern Region War, he understood his own shortcomings more and more. The trials in the Central Region might allow him to grow faster.
Lin Zhou was watering the radishes in the vegetable garden when he heard this. Without even looking up, he said, "Go ahead, and remember to bring me some 'fruit' from the Central Region. I heard it's quite sweet."
“…Yes, Master.” Xiao Chen’s lips twitched; he hadn’t expected his master to be focused on this.
The road down the mountain felt both familiar and strange. Xiao Chen didn't head directly to the Central Region, but instead took a detour towards the south of the city—the "Azure Stone City" where he had grown up.
Although he later joined the Qingyun Sect, Qing Shi City held many childhood memories for him, and it would be a lie to say he had no feelings for it. He didn't know when he would return from this trip to the Central Region, and he wanted to see it one last time.
The closer you get to Qing Shi City, the stronger the familiar atmosphere of everyday life becomes. The old locust tree at the city gate is still there, but the guards on duty are new faces; everything feels both familiar and strange.
"Almost there..." Xiao Chen felt a warmth in his heart and quickened his pace.
"See, I told you so! If we stayed here, we could definitely catch him!"
A mocking voice suddenly rang out from the teahouse at the city gate.
Xiao Chen paused, looked up, and saw seven or eight figures sitting in the teahouse. The one in the lead was the Xuan Tian Sect Elder of the Void Refinement stage who had rescued Zhao Feng in the Northern Region last time. Several powerful cultivators stood beside him. Among them was a young man with a handsome face and arrogant eyes. He was Zhao Feng's younger brother, Zhao Hao.
Besides them, there were several cultivators at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, who were clearly the core strength of the Xuantian Sect.
"The people from the Xuantian Sect... have actually tracked me all the way to the Southern Region." Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed, and he instantly understood—they were determined to silence him before he went to the Central Region.
Zhao Hao stood up, walked slowly to Xiao Chen, looked him up and down, and clicked his tongue and said, "Xiao Chen, we have no grudges against each other, but who told you to offend my brother and dare to ruin the Xuan Tian Sect's affairs? You've grown too fast, so fast that we have to take you seriously."
Elder Lianxu sat in the tea stall, holding a teacup, not even raising his eyelids. His tone was calm but carried a murderous intent: "Surrender and I'll give you a quick death. Otherwise, today is your death day." He clearly didn't take Xiao Chen seriously—a junior who had just broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, even with Xiao Zhan protecting him, was alone at this moment. What could he possibly do?
Xiao Chen gripped his rusty iron spear tightly, his spear intent quietly gathering. He could sense that the opponent's lineup was stronger than the last time in the Northern Region: two elders at the early stage of the Integration Realm, three at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and three at the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. Such power was enough to sweep away any medium-sized sect in the Southern Region.
"You dare to make a move in the Southern Region?" Xiao Chen's voice was icy. This place is extremely close to Qing Shi City; once a war breaks out, innocent people will inevitably be affected.
"Hmph, if we kill you, who will know it was us?" Zhao Hao sneered. "Make your move!"
Before he finished speaking, the three Nascent Soul stage cultivators attacked simultaneously, their spiritual energy transforming into three streaks that aimed directly at Xiao Chen's upper, middle, and lower body, blocking his retreat to Qing Shi City!
Instead of retreating, Xiao Chen advanced, his figure flashing as he dodged the sharp edge of the spear. His rusty iron spear transformed into a streak of black light, piercing straight at the Nascent Soul cultivator on the left—he chose to pick on the weak first!
"Wildfire Spear Technique - Broken!"
The spear tip, imbued with the spear intent of the early Nascent Soul stage, pierced through the opponent's spiritual energy defense, forcing the cultivator to retreat repeatedly.
"You're courting death!" Seeing this, Zhao Hao personally took action, transforming a folding fan into a sharp blade, which, carrying a fierce gust of wind, attacked Xiao Chen's back.
Xiao Chen sensed the killing intent behind him and parried with his spear. With a clang, his arm went numb—Zhao Hao's strength was actually stronger than Zhao Feng's, already at the peak of the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm!
"Attack together! Finish this quickly!" Elder Lianxu finally put down his teacup, his eyes coldly fixed on the battle.
The remaining cultivators swarmed forward. The early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators restrained Xiao Chen's movements, while the three mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators launched a frontal assault. Zhao Hao roamed around looking for openings, and the Void Refining Elder acted as a stabilizing force, firmly locking onto Xiao Chen and preventing him from being careless in the slightest.
Xiao Chen was instantly surrounded.
His spear technique remained sharp and fierce, his spear intent soaring to the heavens. Each strike forced one person back, and he was even able to counterattack and injure his opponents when surrounded by three Nascent Soul cultivators. In a one-on-one fight, with his current strength, he could even put up a fight against a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and might even win with the ferocity of his spear intent.
But now, the other side isn't giving me a chance for a one-on-one fight at all!
Early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators harassed him like flies, draining his spiritual energy; mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators launched relentless attacks, leaving him exhausted; Zhao Hao's folding fan was cunning and ruthless, specifically targeting the weaknesses in his old wounds; the most terrifying was that Void Refinement Elder, who, though he hadn't made a move, was like a sword hanging over his head, making him afraid to use his trump cards, lest he reveal a weakness and be killed in one blow.
"puff!"
Xiao Chen dodged the palm strike from the front, but was ambushed by a cultivator from the side. He was struck in the waist, his blood and qi surged, and his spear technique faltered for a moment.
"Now!" A glint flashed in Zhao Hao's eyes, and his folding fan transformed into a streak of light, piercing straight for Xiao Chen's heart!
Xiao Chen suddenly turned to the side, his folding fan grazing his ribs, leaving a trail of blood! He seized the opportunity to strike with his spear, sending the attacking Nascent Soul cultivator flying, but in doing so, he also exposed an even greater opening.
"It's over." A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the merged elder, and he finally moved.
A pressure from the early stage of the Integration Realm pressed down like a mountain, and Xiao Chen felt his whole body sink, slowing his movements by half a beat!
"Oh no!" Xiao Chen was terrified, knowing that something bad was about to happen!
Just at this critical moment, a figure in green rushed from the direction of Qing Shi City like a shooting star, shouting: "Hey! How dare you bully the few with the many in broad daylight!"
Xiao Chen looked up and saw that the figure in green was wearing a scholar's robe and holding a book. It was his third junior brother, the one who had just returned from the Northern Region!
"Third junior brother?" Xiao Chen was both surprised and delighted.
Zhao Hao and the others were also stunned—where did this hothead come from, daring to interfere in the affairs of the Xuantian Sect?
The elder frowned slightly, looking at the scholar who had suddenly appeared, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes—this person's aura was unfathomable!
The battle situation became unpredictable once again due to this sudden turn of events.
Xiao Chen clutched his bleeding waist, looked in the direction of Qing Shi City, then at the enemy in front of him and his suddenly appearing third junior brother, and gripped his rusty iron spear tightly.
In the end, he was unable to calmly take another look at his hometown.
But so what?
Let's fight!
The intent of the spear soared into the sky once more, facing off against the aura of the green figure from afar, igniting a new war in the wilderness outside Qing Shi City.
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