The following day.
Chu Xun got up to leave alone without alerting anyone.
With Yan Wushuang still injured, leaving Jing Hong here would discourage any remnants of the Zombie race from anything untoward.
Midday came when Chu Xun reached Gujiang.
A tense atmosphere hung about the city where even the average pedestrians looked fidgety and anxious.
Chu Xun arrived at the stronghold of the Rock Sect where he first discovered people watching the entrance. He circled around and slipped in quietly through the rear.
With his Divine Sense, he found Tang Rou.
The stronghold once served as seat of the You Family before their destruction at Chu Xun’s hand before the Rock Sect began occupying it.
Inside the great hall of the stronghold, Tang Rou, Jiu You, Yan Yi and his daughter, and several other Elders all braced with grim silence.
Yan Yi was pale and sickly with his injuries.
Everyone else looked gravely tensed.
“I saw people watching the entrance. I think they’re waiting for dusk to arrive,” said Yan Yi, clenching his fists tight.
“A siege to completely cut us off,” observed Tang Rou gutsily. The three years before had changed her greatly, turning her from the meek and timid lass into a much stronger person.
“Let them come! Let them come and we’ll kill them all!” intoned Jiu You in her usually-babyish voice. Yet despite her childish appearance, no one dared to underestimate her. The strongest of the defenders of the stronghold, she has had the most kills.
“The students and acolytes are disheartened. If things go on, they might crumble,” said the delinquent Yan Yan, Yan Yi’s daughter who was now a seasoned young lady and a Human King.
“They’re waiting to tire us out before killing us all,” said a shrill and irresistible female voice.
“Thank you so much, Hong Ling,” said Tang Rou to the physically-enticing vamp.
It really was Hong Ling, a Third-grade Human King now. She had come to help with the defense as soon as she heard the Rock Sect was besieged.
“Don’t mention it,” said Hong Ling ever-so jovially, “Chu Xun and I are friends. That makes you my responsibility, little lass. Or else, he’ll be so angry when he comes back.”
“I wonder where Big Brother is right now,” Tang Rou murmured, bright pink patches flushing on her cheeks.
“The entirety of the Tianwu Sect was destroyed with Wu missing,” said Yan Yi morosely, “Even the Palace was attacked and the Sanctuary of Tetrarchy is still ravaged by fire and blood. Without reinforcements, I don’t know how long we’re gonna hold here.”
“Take the time to rest. They’ve been attacking for seven nights, I don’t think they’ll be eager to spare us tonight,” observed Hong Ling quietly.
Everyone bobbed their heads and sank into contemplative silence.
“WHO GOES THERE! SHOW YOURSELF!”
Jiu You bellowed suddenly, her silver-steel spear materializing in her grasp. It emitted a bright spark and shot right at the great door, plunging through the thickset door with a loud crunch and leaving a hole in it.
Everyone stared at the door apprehensively.
Not a sound came after that.
“Who goes there!? Show yourself!” cried Yan Yi too, raising a hand to fire a bolt at the door.
Hum!
A purplish barrier of light rose up, rising with bright effervescence like a curtain of amethysts to protect the door.
Yan Yi’s energy bolt struck the barrier of light, eliciting huge splashes from its surface like a stone falling into water.
Everyone kept their eyes peeled on the door warily.
Creak!
The door pivoted on its hinges slowly as a tall figure slowly came into view.
Everybody was stunned with disbelieving expressions across their faces.
“Big Brother!” cried Tang Rou, a hand coming up to cover her mouth almost instantly.
Jiu You threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Tang Rou hesitated for one split-second, allowing Jiu You to beat her and reached Chu Xun first.
Chu Xun strode in casually and looked around, wearing a grin, “What’s this? Has everyone forgotten about me?”
“Master!”
Overwhelmed with euphoric excitement, Yan Yi immediately plopped to his knees and bowed.
So did the rest of the Rock Sect.
Chu Xun helped Yan Yi to his feet. “I see you’ve suffered a lot in my absence.”
“Certainly not, Master!”
“We have!”
Words from Yan Yi and his daughter each conveyed their varying sentiments.
Yan Yi scowled at his daughter, urging her to not speak brashly to Chu Xun.
“Glare all you want, Father, but it’s the truth. We are a part of the Chu Mansion but our Master, in all his wisdom, had decided then to take a prolonged field trip that lasted for three years while we’re stuck here alone and helpless! I could barely count the times we nearly died and have we not suffered? Of course, we did!” complained Yan Yan with resentment and frustration laced in her voice.
“Yan Yan, you are nudging impertinence!” barked her father.
“It’s fine,” Chu Xun waved easily, “She’s right. It’s unbecoming for me to have abandoned you all for three years.”
“Big Brother…” whimpered Tang Rou coyly for all the troubles and difficulties she had endured.
He smiled and opened his arms wide. Putting aside all modesty, Tang Rou threw herself into him.
“You’ve grown up, Tang Rou. You’ve grown up to be a strong woman and I’m pleased with that!” Tang Rou had matured a lot and it must have been hard for a person as meek and soft-spoken as her.
“All right, Mr. Chu ‘Irresistible is your middle-name’ Xun. Enough being all lovey-dovey with your little lover here. Surely you’ve noticed me too?” teased Hong Ling. Once swooning towards Chu Xun in the past, Hong Ling had buried those affections and had remained friends with him. In truth, she was also elated to see Chu Xun that her voice was practically fluttering.
Hong Ling’s teasing left Tang Rou blushing furiously. As much as she did not want to leave Chu Xun’s arms, the embarrassment compelled her to let go of him.
“I believe I owe you a great thanks, Hong Ling,” grinned Chu Xun. He did not expect her to come to help defend the Rock Sect in his stead.
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“Come on, I expect something better than just ‘thanks’,” she grumbled.
“All right. Come here and let me give you a hug for everything you’ve been through,” Chu Xun spread his arms again like an albatross.
Hong Ling’s face went red as she giggled. “Why am I getting the feeling that you’d be happier than I am with this hug?”
Even so, she walked up to him and hugged Chu Xun, albeit only momentarily. They let go of each other quickly.
“What about me!” quipped Yan Yan as if annoyed to be left out.
“I’m still popular with the ladies, it seems. Every lady here showering me with hugs and kisses,” Chu Xun chuckled, shaking his head.
He gave Yan Yan a little hug as well.
“I see the three years of absence did little to cure that narcissistic streak of yours,” observed Hong Ling.
Yan Yi came up, thinking that he could get a hug from the Master, only to be brusquely rebuffed.
“Come on, man. You’re not beautiful. You’re not even a lady,” teased Chu Xun.
Yan Yi giggled obtusely. Chu Xun’s return appeared to be the rallying cry that they needed to lift up everyone’s spirits.
“It’s official: I’m a beautiful lady,” Jiu You’s babyish voice announced proudly.
Chu Xun chuckled dryly, “All right, beautiful lady. Now let go. I’m suffocating.”
“Never,” Jiu You adamantly refused to let go.
“Since when have you become so clingy?” a dubious Chu Xun muttered.
“I’m too young last time. But now, it’s a competition between Tang Rou and me. We’re seeing who gets to marry you,” Jiu You muttered her shocking revelation.
Chu Xun stared at her. He pried away her arms and put her back down. He studied her from top to bottom and grinned. “You’re still a little girl to me.”
She pouted, annoyed at Chu Xun’s opinion, “Strange! Why am not I growing any taller!?”
Chu Xun chuckled again, amused. Demons normally have a greater lifespan compared to humans. Every ten years of a demon’s age equates to one year for humans.
“It’s all right. In a few more decades, you’ll grow taller,” he said to soothe her nerves.
“Ah?! A few more decades?! Won’t that make me old and wrinkled?!” Jiu You pouted again, her lips puckered with displeasure, “No. I’m marrying you now. Or else, your and Tang Rou’s baby would be growing faster than I am.”
That elicited peals of laughter from everyone.
“Don’t worry. I’ll marry you when you get older,” giggled Chu Xun in jest. Little did he expect that this little joke would cause quite a ruckus in the future.
Everyone sat down.
“Have you found out who’s attacking this place?” asked Chu Xun.
“The Broken Souls Cult,” said Yan Yi, “Dark-hooded cloaks – classic Broken Soul Cultist outfit.”
“How powerful are they?”
“Very. The group now surrounding us is about fifty men strong. But they do not act together. Each time, they attack in squads of ten, each led by an Eighth-grade Human King.”
“Eighth-grade Human Kings? How did you even survive them?”
Eighth-grade Human Kings should have easily made short work of the defenders.
Yan Yi looked rather sorry. “Every time they launched an assault, the Eighth-grade Human Kings would only stay back, allowing his men to advance while he kept up the rear. In fact, up until now, they only sought to wound us, not to kill us.”
“They’re toying with us like cats with voles. Come the day they grew bored, they’d just kill us then,” interjected Hong Ling, whose vast experiences told her the invaders’ intentions immediately.
“I agree with Hong Ling, Big Brother,” added Tang Rou grimly, “They sounded a retreat every time they wounded us as if to make sure we carry fresh wounds at all times.”
Anger burned in Chu Xun’s eyes. Coldly, he said, “Tonight, everything will be different. The hunters will become the hunted.”
“But Big Brother, they have at least five Eighth-grade Human Kings. Do you really think you can handle them?” muttered Tang Rou with concern.
“Erm…” paused Chu Xun before he chuckled, “Don’t worry. I’ll finish them off in a jiffy.”
That caught everyone by surprise before their faces broke into smiles and grins. Finally, after so long, they could turn the tables on the invaders and finish them all in one fell swoop.
Jiu You snuggled up close and stretched out her little hand, “Where’s my silver spear?”
“I don’t have it,” Chu Xun shook his head.
“You’re bluffing. You must have kept it somehow.”
Chu Xun chuckled. He waved his hand and a burst of golden light glittered brightly and a shiny golden halberd appeared in his grasp.
The very same which he had retrieved at Kunlun Mountain – a High-grade Sacred Relic with great powers.
“Use this one from now on.”
Jiu You craved for it right from the moment Chu Xun conjured it. She took over the polearm and felt its weight and balance with immense satisfaction. The weapon felt very much stronger than her silver spear.
Everyone looked on with envy.
Then Chu Xun conjured another weapon and gave it to Hong Ling: a pair of dual sabers. The dual-handed Middle-grade Sacred Relic let off a cold glimmer.
She was pleased to receive it and she knew better than to refuse that gift. Muttering words of thanks, it had been ages since she began hoping for a Sacred Relic of her own and these dual-handed sabers would work just fine.
Chu Xun produced one more weapon: a saber with a long and jet-black blade. The sharp weapon, a Middle-grade Sacred Relic, was gifted to Yan Yi.
To Yan Yan, he asked what weapons she would love and her answer prompted him to give her the Thundering Hammer.
The Hammer let loose a thunderous rumble as soon as it appeared. Yan Yan brandished and waved it and a stray thunderbolt from the powerful weapon easily leveled part of the furnishing in the courtyard.
“What about you, Rourou? What weapon do you like?”
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Tang Rou gave it a moment’s thought before answering that she would love a sword. Swords have always been a favorite of hers.
Chu Xun took out a sword – an exquisitely-forged Middle-grade Sacred Relic with a dangerously sharp edge.
Tang Rou loved its appearance very much. Her eyes squinted like a pair of crescent moons when she beamed at him.
Chu Xun was like Santa Clause, giving out Sacred Relics that would have been so rare for the average warrior. Yet these Sacred Relics were nothing to him; his plundering of Louis Krieg’s personal vault alone yielded more than a dozen such Relics.
With everyone each armed with a Sacred Relic of their own, Yan Yi and everyone bided their time with tremendous anticipation. Dusk could not have come any quicker before.