The twilight of early summer does not come quickly.
As the sun sinks into the western mountain, the misty scenery reflected by the evening glow surrounds the field.
Cool, misty winds blow, bringing a faint chill to the scorching earth and calming it down.
Machichi City, at the city gate.
Zhang Qian's eyes were bleak and anxious as he looked at Chen Yun, "Master Chen, are you really going alone?"
Chen Yun held the barrel of gunpowder and nodded slightly, "Her target is the Juzhu Fruit and the Gathering Qi Pearl. It's about me. If the plan fails, and she gets the Juzhu Fruit and the Gathering Qi Pearl, she won't go to any great trouble to wait for you outside the city after you leave. By then, you can still help me collect my remains. But if the plan succeeds, perhaps I will be injured too, and then you can come to rescue me."
The barrel of gunpowder in his hand is full of strange symbols.
It looks a bit like a spell, but it's not.
Ah, it's just Arabic numerals and English letters and so on. In this world, people can't make sense of them.
Chen Yun is going for this effect.
The symbols were carved on purpose by Chen Yun to confuse the enemy for the next move to ensure his plan worked. If others could understand them, they might not fall for his trap.
He still didn't believe that anyone in this world could understand Arabic numerals and English letters. If there were, then it could only be said that he was unlucky.
Zhang Qian took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I understand."
Hearing the sound, Chen Yun nodded and turned slowly to leave the city gate.
As Chen Yun and Zhang Qian had said, if the plan failed, they would surely die. It was better for him to go alone than to risk both their lives together.
After all, regardless of the Juzhu Fruit or the Gathering Qi Pearl, Zhang Qian had not experienced them. How could Chen Yun expect him to face the danger with her?
Moreover, if the plan fails, Zhang Qian living can not only help him collect his remains but also spread the news of his death to their master, allowing them to seek revenge.
If the plan succeeds, Chen Yun believed that there was a high likelihood that he would be injured due to the explosion of the gunpowder barrel. With Zhang Qian as a backup, he wouldn't die out in the wilderness.
That's why Chen Yun must go alone in facing Lin Feiyun, this strong enemy.
Chen Yun touched the improvised quick access pocket on his waist, where he had stored the Flaming Seal he had drawn in the afternoon. He might need it later.
He walked away with determined steps.
Zhang Qian stared at Chen Yun's back for a long time before suddenly revealing a fierce expression, "Damn it, Master Chen sacrificing himself to spare me is too generous. I Zhang Qian cannot just live by stealing life!"
He glanced around, spotting a blacksmith's shop nearby.
Zhang Qian ran straight over to the middle-aged shopkeeper and said, "Give me a strong bow and several arrows."
The shopkeeper immediately replied, "How about a stone strong bow?"
Zhang Qian said, "Alright."
Currently, armor, crossbows, spears, halberds, and equipment for full armor are all prohibited items.
There are five types of weapons: bows, arrows, swords, wooden shields, and short spears. Private individuals are allowed to hold them. Blacksmith shops can sell them.
Soon after, the shopkeeper came out with the strong bow, quiver, and arrows.
After paying the money, Zhang Qian slung the quiver over his back and carried the strong bow as he left.
As he walked, he had a determined expression on his face, preparing for death.
…
On the imperial highway.
The Chen Yun who had stuck magic talismans on his legs was speeding towards Xigou City in the west at full throttle.
He knew that if Lin Feiyun was desperate to obtain the Gathering Qi Pearl and the Juzhu Fruit, she would definitely try to recover a little from her injuries before continuing to pursue him.
However, the imperial highway was flat with no place to hide, and even if the gunpowder barrel exploded, he would be injured too.
Therefore, Chen Yun had to choose a suitable place for a "battlefield."
When he left the dilapidated temple earlier, he remembered a suitable place for a battlefield. That's why he turned around and went back.
Twenty miles, and there was no movement at all.
After another fifty miles, there was still no movement.
After about eighty miles.
Chen Yun saw some small animals playing on a small hill ahead.
He secretly pondered, "This is it."
He slowed his pace as he thought, gradually walking to the side of the hill.
At this moment, the sky was gradually darkening, and there were almost no shadows on the imperial highway.
Suddenly, a wild cat foraging on the grassy slope of the hill turned its head towards the east, its whole body's fur stood on end as if it had sensed something, ready to run. But then it seemed to feel an enormous fear and suddenly rolled over on its back, shivering with fear!
"Here they come!"
Chen Yun's expression became serious.
He knew that wild cats are very sensitive to danger.
Since there are no large fierce beasts around, the wild cat was scared like that. It's very obvious that something terrible has arrived.
For some reason, an icy chill came from the imperial highway for a moment.
Then, time seemed to speed up like it was flowing.
The sky soon turned black and gloomy.
It wasn't pitch-black where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, but it was a starry night.
The starry sky twinkled.
A streak of meteors cut through the night sky.
A sky filled with stars, instantly covering the azure canopy above.
It looked magnificent and awe-inspiringly towering!
"It seems that the demoness is using a soul-based spell!"
Chen Yun was not surprised by the strange change in the scene.
He pretended to show a weak and scared expression, trembling with fear and screaming, "Don't kill me! Don't!"
Just as he finished speaking, he felt a brilliant light flash through his consciousness, and a mighty concept vanished.
The starry sky before him blurred and vanished instantly.
The sky is still the setting sun and the imperial highway is still filled with lingering sunlight.
There was no nightfall, so there were naturally no magnificent starry skies.
Everything that just happened felt like a hallucination.
Chen Yun knew that it wasn't a hallucination.
Because he saw a woman dressed in black clothes and black pants appear on the imperial highway about four hundred and fifty paces away.
Although he couldn't see her face clearly, just by looking at this figure, he knew it had to be Lin Feiyun!
As expected, a clear and melodious voice like that of a cuckoo bird came from ahead, "You are indeed quite smart. You know that I've trapped you with my spell."
Her voice was very soft.
But even from several hundred meters away, Chen Yun could still hear it clearly as if it was swirling in his soul.
Chen Yun pretended to show a terrified expression and stammered, "These days... I... I've thought a lot. I know that it's wrong to take your things, so... as long as you can let me go unharmed, I will return the items to you immediately."
At the same time, Chen Yun was observing his opponent.
Despite straining his eyes to their limit, Lin Feiyun's face was shrouded in a mist as if there was a veil over it, making it impossible to see any of her features.
"Humph!" Lin Feiyun coldly snorted.
This cold snort made Chen Yun's heart skip a beat as if his soul had been hit with a heavy hammer. His brain was buzzing.
"You have no qualifications to negotiate with me!"
Lin Feiyun walked slowly towards him.
A moment ago, she was several hundred meters away, and the next moment, she was right in front of him!
Chen Yun smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance. His whole body was tensed, and his muscles were pulled taut. He looked at the gunpowder barrel nonstop, and he also retreated two steps, looking like he was really scared. "You... don't come any closer!"
Lin Feiyun continued to walk slowly towards him.
It seemed that she wasn't in a hurry to take the items back, and she even took the interest to walk around Chen Yun in a circle.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp. Chirp." She let out a mocking laugh, as if a cat was playing with a mouse, "In the dilapidated temple last night, weren't you very brave? How is it that now you are afraid? Don't worry. Lin Feiyun speaks true. I said I would break your limbs and won't take your life. However, you have to think of a way to survive. After all, there are many wild beasts here, so don't let yourself be eaten again."
Chen Yun deliberately looked at the gunpowder barrel again, playing into the enemy's strength and said, "I will return the items to you. Why do you still want to kill me? Don't you think there are laws in this world? You should not play with fire! Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable!"
"King's Law? Chirp, chirp, chirp." Lin Feiyun laughed even more cheerfully, "Playing with fire is what? Can the court do anything to me?"
As she laughed, the jade pendant and bell hanging from her belt clashed together, emitting a light tinkling sound.
She seemed to have heard some joke and laughed like a flower, "You this little thief, even try to use secular law to control me? It's a pity that you are still a practitioner of Daoism."
"Please, please don't kill me," Chen Yun slowly bowed his head, humbly begging for mercy while taking out the Gathering Qi Pearl and the small earthen jar containing the Juzhu Fruit, "The things you want are all here. I truly beg you not to kill me."
When he gave the items, he looked at the gunpowder barrel again deliberately.
Lin Feiyun quickly noticed, "What are you looking at?"
Chen Yun pretended to be extremely confused, quickly looking up, "No! I wasn't looking at anything!"
Lin Feiyun took the Gathering Qi Pearl and the small earthen jar containing the Juzhu Fruit and flipped them over with one hand.
A metal ring on her left middle finger flashed with light, and the two items vanished into thin air.
She still stared at Chen Yun fiercely, "What exactly are you looking at?"
Chen Yun pretended to want to look at the gunpowder barrel but dared not look, his voice still full of panic, "No! I really didn't!"
"Alright, I believe you." Lin Feiyun nodded slightly, "Since you are willing to return the items, I'll spare your life today out of respect for Zhengyang True Man."
With that, her figure vanished, and she did not break Chen Yun's limbs as she had just said.
"If she really leaves like that, it's alright. But if she still lurks in the shadows, I'm sorry, I will certainly die today!"
Chen Yun thought deeply in his heart, but he deliberately stood still without moving, keeping his eyes on the gunpowder barrel.
After about ten or fifteen minutes, he pretended to feel relieved and sat down on the grass with a thump, then patted his chest and muttered to himself, "The demoness has finally left. Luckily she didn't find this treasure, otherwise I would have lost big today."
As he spoke, the look in his eyes towards the gunpowder barrel revealed a sense of relief.
There was no sign of anything at the moment.
Chen Yun was a bit puzzled in his heart. Did the demoness really stop when she should have?
However, he did not reveal any weaknesses and continued to act out the role, "This treasure is given to me by my teacher for self-defense. It is one of the top treasures in the world. If I were to lose it today, I would definitely be criticized by my teacher when I return to the Enshan Mountain."
At this point, Chen Yun looked triumphant, "Luckily I'm smart and know that the most dangerous place is the safest. I deliberately held the treasure in my hand, which made her not find any clues."
The moment his words fell, the air rippled.
Suddenly, the voice of Lin Feiyun appeared from the void, "Oh, really? I knew you little thief had something good!"
In the next second, her figure reappeared again.
Indeed, she hadn't left!
You are digging your own grave here!
Although Chen Yun thought like this, he acted out a frightened expression again, constantly moving backward on the grass, pretending to be outspoken but cowardly, "What are you doing! This is a treasure given to me by my teacher!"
"Hand it over!"
Lin Feiyun's face showed no emotion as she extended her hand palm.
Chen Yun's heart quickened slightly upon seeing that she had fallen for the trap, sweating profusely and said, "You... don't go too far. I have already returned your things! This is my own treasure!"
"Not giving it? So be it," Lin Feiyun said three times in succession upon hearing Chen Yun's words.
Suddenly, a sense of the entire world spinning arose in Chen Yun's consciousness. The world turned black in front of him, and the magnificent starry sky reappeared once more.
But this time, the starry sky with countless stars instantly rotated rapidly, pressing down layer by layer towards the ground.
The whirlpool-like starry river seemed to press down on Chen Yun's head, giving him a sensation that the earth was higher than the sky, and his consciousness began to blur.
In a hurry, he shouted loudly for mercy, "Give it to you! Give you the treasure! Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"
"Just give me the things sooner, chirp, chirp, chirp."
As Lin Feiyun's laughter rang out, a flash of golden light appeared, and the anomaly disappeared.
Chen Yun lowered his head and handed the gunpowder barrel to her, "It's yours."
Lin Feiyun took over the gunpowder barrel and stared at it carefully for a long time, as if she was thinking about how to use it.
Chen Yun sat there without speaking.
After half an hour, it seemed that Lin Feiyun still couldn't figure out how to use it.
She kicked Chen Yun's leg with her foot, "How to control this treasure?"
Chen Yun bargained with her, "If I tell you, please spare my life. Alright?"
"I've said it, you have no qualifications to negotiate. If you keep talking, I will kill you right now!" Lin Feiyun narrowed her eyes and said sternly.
Chen Yun looked miserable, "Alright, you said only to break four limbs and not kill me. As long as you keep your promise, I will tell you the method of use."
"I will definitely do what I say." Lin Feiyun was still deceiving Chen Yun.
Chen Yun sighed heavily, "This is a treasure brought back from the realm of immortals by my master, named Nine-Dragon Fire Shield Protection Spirit Barrel. Once driven, this spiritual barrel will ascend endless firelight, as if nine dragons were gathered together. It can envelop people with firelight to resist all attacks while the firelight will instantly expand and spread great destruction around. No one who is not the bearer of the spiritual bucket will be melted instantly if they touch the firelight. As for specific usage methods…"
Lin Feiyun coldly said, "Speak!"
Chen Yun looked reluctant, "The usage method is quite simple. Have you seen the black line on the spiritual bucket?"
Lin Feiyun looked down, "Yes, what about this black line?"
Chen Yun looked defeated, "As long as…as long as…"
At this point, he turned the conversation, "Do you really promise that you will only break my four limbs after I tell you the usage method?"
"Where's all the chatter coming from!"
Lin Feiyun wouldn't give any promises.
It was obvious that she had already formed the intention to kill Chen Yun.
Yes, Lin Feiyun indeed had the thought of getting the usage method of the "Spirit Barrel" and then killing Chen Yun.
Because what Chen Yun said just now, this is a treasure given by Zhongli Quan.
If she just openly takes it, then backtrack and let the wind whistle, she probably won't have any use even if she flees to the end of the earth. She will definitely be killed by Zhongli Quan, the supreme god who shattered space.
Therefore, as long as she gets the real usage method, she will definitely kill Chen Yun on the spot!
Of course, Lin Feiyun had indeed doubted whether the gunpowder barrel is as magical as Chen Yun said.
Because she felt that this was just an ordinary wooden barrel.
The only thing was that there were many densely packed, unknown "charms" or patterns on the wooden barrel, all of which were patterns that Lin Feiyun had never seen before. She couldn't help but think that this was how charms on immortals' treasures from the fairy realm looked like.
Yeah, if Lin Feiyun recognized these charm patterns, she might not believe Chen Yun's words.
Even so, she still doesn't believe it completely now.
Lin Feiyun felt that the wooden barrel posed no threat, and the dark, granular thing inside did not seem dangerous according to her spiritual consciousness, so she didn't pay it much attention and still wanted to obtain the usage method and try it out.
Chen Yun blinked and said, "It's hard to explain in detail. Let me show you a demonstration?"
"Why didn't you use this treasure for self-defense just now?"
Lin Feiyun had thought of the key issue.
Chen Yun laughed bitterly and said, "Your Daoist skills are too unpredictable, I don't have time to use the treasure…well, I will demonstrate it to you. You'll understand how to use it then."
Lin Feiyun saw how eager Chen Yun was to get back the gunpowder barrel and thought that Chen Yun wanted to use the spiritual treasure by surprise and catch her off guard.
This made her believe Chen Yun's introduction to the gunpowder barrel threefold, thinking that it might really be a spiritual treasure.
"Don't worry, just tell me!" Lin Feiyun was unwilling to return the "Spirit Barrel" to Chen Yun. After all, according to Chen Yun's description just now, this "Spirit Barrel" had great power. If it was returned to the other party to use, if it was fake she could say so, but if it was real, she feared that she couldn't control Chen Yun.
Chen Yun had to say it honestly, "The method of use is very simple. You just need to use fire magic to ignite the black string on top of the spiritual barrel. Then the barrel will rise with endless firelight to protect the user, while also causing great destruction around."
Lin Feiyun suddenly asked a question, "Can it defend against a strong bow shot?"
Hearing this, Chen Yun was taken aback.
He really didn't expect Lin Feiyun to ask this question.
Lin Feiyun saw his hesitation and immediately suspected him.
It wasn't that she doubted the power of the "Spirit Barrel".
She was suspicious of the effectiveness of the usage method Chen Yun had just said.
She had decided, until she tested the real power of the "Spirit Barrel", she wouldn't kill Chen Yun.
Chen Yun answered quickly after a brief moment of daze, "Of course, it's fine."
"Good, I'll test it right now," she said, as her finger suddenly flicked out a flame. She continued lying, "If the method you said is really effective, I'll let you off the hook. But if it's not useful, I'll pull your soul out of your body and torture you day and night with spiritual fire!"
Seeing her about to ignite the string, Chen Yun was terrified and immediately jumped up, "Hold on! Hold on! Let me run far away first. Can you test the method after I'm far away?"
Lin Feiyun raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why do you want to let you run far away?"
Chen Yun said, "I already told you that, didn't I? The firelight from the spiritual barrel only has protective effects on the bearer of the barrel. If you activate the barrel, and I'm melted by the firelight instantly, how will you know whether the method is true or false?"
Lin Feiyun nodded, "It makes sense."
She nodded slightly, "Alright, I don't expect you to try to escape. You should know that you can't get away from my palm."
"I know."
Chen Yun stood up in a hurry and ran to the side of the mountain wall.
Lin Feiyun was watching Chen Yun's back intently to make sure he didn't run too far. Only then did she slowly walk forward a few steps and say to the eastern direction, "The little thief hiding over there, when the firelight bursts out next, just pull your bow and shoot at me. If you obey, I won't kill you."
Chen Yun then heard a startled response from Zhang Qian in the distance, "You actually found me?"
Chen Yun's heart tightened, thinking to himself, "How did Zhang Qian follow me?"
That distance is likely to be injured by the explosion of the gunpowder barrel!
However, this is the best opportunity to take Lin Feiyun's life. Chen Yun held back his words without speaking.
"Do as I say, and I'll spare your life!" Lin Feiyun specifically notified Zhang Qian, "I'm going to light it now. You better hurry and bend your bow and arrow. Don't make any small movements, okay? Let me know when it's ready."
Zhang Qian said helplessly, "Alright... I've already drawn my bow and arrow."
Lin Feiyun nodded in satisfaction before pointing her index finger, which held a flame, towards the string of the gunpowder barrel.
...
A massive boom sounded like a thunderous explosion on the ground!
Instantly, fierce flames erupted ahead!
The terrifying shockwave rippled in all directions, shaking the earth beneath it.
Even though Chen Yun had already prepared to cover his ears and curl up behind the mountain wall, he was still hit by the painful shards of stones swept up by the gusts of wind caused by the explosion, and his eardrums were almost shattered!
Fortunately, the explosion didn't last too long.
After a while, the mountain wall outside returned to tranquility.
Is he dead?
Did that witch get blown up?
Chen Yun hurriedly climbed out of the mountain wall and carefully looked towards the grassy field where Lin Feiyun had been standing.
What I saw there was a large hole blown out, the surrounding land was pitch black, and many shattered stones were scattered around. Several big trees trunks were also burning with a fierce flame.
Where is Lin Feiyun's figure?
Only a few pieces of the black cloth that Lin Feiyun was wearing were fortunate enough not to be destroyed. The fire was still burning brightly.
It was clear that Lin Feiyun, the witch, had been blown to smithereens.
Chen Yun thought to himself, "I told you not to play with fire, didn't I? Look what happened now, she's gone without a trace."
(This chapter is complete.)
