Ye Chen had a deep impression of Zhou Hai.
Back in Woniu Town, Zhou Hai had ridden through on the "Fiery Lion Beast," leading his squad down the main road and causing quite a stir.
Ye Chen still remembered someone nearby saying that the Fiery Lion Beast Zhou Hai was riding had reached the level of a rank eight Demon Beast.
A rank eight Demon Beast!
That was even more powerful than the Snake Demon of Mirror Lake.
Ye Chen remembered Zhou Hai riding the Fiery Lion Beast, entering Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain ahead of schedule, and now unexpectedly encountered him here by the shore of Mirror Lake.
From what Zhou Hai said, it seemed he intended to snatch their recently hunted innate snake gallbladder and the sword fragment in his hand.
"Spiritual Instrument Fragment?"
Ye Chen's mind stirred at Zhou Hai's words about the broken sword in his hand being a fragment of a spiritual instrument. Judging by Zhou Hai's demeanor, this fragment must have an extraordinary origin.
"Zhou Hai, the son of an elder of the noble seventh-class Heavenly Net Sect, even you want to rob us of these trifles?"
Lin Jing obviously knew Zhou Hai's identity too. Her pretty face turned pale at this moment. With Zhou Hai's group's strength, if they really robbed them, they wouldn't have the slightest ability to fight back.
Let alone Zhou Hai himself with a True Qi seventh layer Realm, not to mention the rank eight Demon Beast Fiery Lion Beast he rode. Even the seven or eight youngsters following him were each at the True Qi sixth layer Realm.
With such a squad in the Silent Ridge Mountain Region, it seemed they could walk sideways without any problems.
"Rob? I am indeed going to rob you of your things, what can you do about it?"
"Since you know my identity, better leave everything behind quickly! Out of the kindness of my heart, I might even spare your dog lives. Otherwise... heh heh, every year many Sect Disciples die in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, a few more because of you won't bother me!"
Zhou Hai, riding atop the "Fiery Lion Beast," said arrogantly after hearing Lin Jing's words.
The seven or eight youngsters following him laughed loudly: "Leave the things, and then beat it. Our Young Master is kindhearted and merciful—for sparing your dog lives, you should feel grateful!"
The triumphant jeering of these people made Hong Man, Fang Shan, and Lin Jing's expressions incredibly ugly. Zhou Mo turned ashen with fear, but only Ye Chen's expression remained calm.
"What are you hesitating for, what, thinking of putting up a fight?" One of Zhou Hai's lackeys, seeing Ye Chen and the others not moving, spoke out sharply.
Another youngster even brazenly provoked: "Young Master, how about we make a move and teach them a lesson?"
Zhou Hai, sitting on the Fiery Lion Beast, seemed superior. He looked at Ye Chen and the other four as if they were playthings in his hand: "Look, my men are getting impatient. How about this—I'll count to three, and if you want to run, run fast. If not... then stay here forever."
Zhou Hai drew out the word, calling out leisurely.
"What do we do? What do we do?"
"Jing, should we leave the items behind? We can't provoke these people!"
Knowing they were no match for Zhou Hai's group, Zhou Mo grew so frightened his scalp tingled, and he quickly called out to Lin Jing.
Seeing Lin Jing yet to decide, Zhou Mo could no longer bother about the others as Zhou Hai's long drag on the word "one" ended, and he ran away like a startled rabbit, even seeming to have recovered from the injury caused by the Silver Patterned Snake Demon.
"This kid sure knows how to make a fast getaway!"
"But his antics, they are even worse than a dog..."
Watching Zhou Mo's frightful and disgraceful escape, the youngsters following Zhou Hai laughed loudly, enjoying themselves.
They found it interesting to see the five-member squad before them falling apart.
At this moment, Zhou Hai continued to call out the second number with a drawn-out voice.
Seeing Zhou Mo run away and Zhou Hai's squad behaving carelessly, Hong Man and Fang Shan also became a bit restless, continually looking towards Lin Jing: "Senior sister, what should we do?"
"Ye Chen, you've got a plan, right?"
Lin Jing too seemed unsure, anxiety clearly present in her eyes.
Ye Chen glanced at the expressions of the others, then turned his gaze back to Zhou Hai and his group. Zhou Hai's mocking gaze and the proud laughter of his subordinates caused a slight flash in Ye Chen's eyes.
No matter what Lin Jing and the others decided, the idea of him handing over the sword fragment was out of the question.
This sword fragment could potentially allow him to truly enter the third major stage of the Sword Dao Realm—Comprehending Sword Intent. Was he to give up this rare opportunity just because of these people in front of him?
One at the True Qi seventh layer and eight at the True Qi sixth layer? Along with a rank eight Demon Beast Fiery Lion Beast?
If it was on flat ground, he might really have no way to deal with them.
But this was Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain!
Ye Chen made his decision in an instant.
Then, he looked at Lin Jing and smiled faintly: "Senior Sister Lin Jing, I'm afraid we won't see each other again until next time."
"In a moment, no matter what happens, you all don't need to worry about me. Remember, focus on protecting yourselves."
Ye Chen's words gave Lin Jing a jolt in her heart, and she had a bad premonition.
Her eyes hastily sought Ye Chen's: "Ye Chen, you're not thinking of..."
Before she could finish, Ye Chen had already taken a step forward. His voice then clearly spread across the area: "I've never seen someone rob others' belongings so righteously."
"Such shamelessness, it truly broadens my horizons!"
As Ye Chen spoke, his sword burst forth like a torrential rain, and he swiftly moved towards Zhou Hai's location with great speed.
Ye Chen actually launched an attack on Zhou Hai's squad first!
Lin Jing was stunned, Hong Man and Fang Shan were stunned, and everyone in Zhou Hai's squad was stunned.
They couldn't believe that Ye Chen, with only the fifth level of True Qi, would take the initiative to attack, daring to challenge eight martial artists with the sixth level of True Qi, and one with the seventh level.
This was simply like an egg striking a rock!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
However, the sword in Ye Chen's hand proved that all of this really happened!
In the moment Zhou Hai's squad was stunned, Ye Chen's sword had already reached in front of them, this instant of sword light even startled their minds and spirits, causing the Fiery Lion Beast to let out an angry roar.
Torrential Rain Sword Skills' third move, Torrential Rain Filling the Skies!
Ye Chen swung his sword, producing nine sword lights, rapidly stabbing towards the nine people of Zhou Hai's team.
Not only did he attack, but his sword also chose to attack nine people at the same time.
Not only did he attack nine people, but in the blink of an eye, Ye Chen had also wounded three of them!
It was simply inconceivable!
"Haha, if you want to snatch the fragment from my hand, come and try!"
After stabbing three people with his sword, Ye Chen turned his figure, and like a bolt of lightning, he swept into the woods, leaving behind only his voice echoing by the side of Mirror Lake.
From the moment Ye Chen made his move to the wounding of three people, and then to flying into the forest, it was all in the blink of an eye.
However, what happened in this blink of an eye was unexpected to everyone.
"Damn it, courting death!"
The eyes of Zhou Hai, who was on the Fiery Lion Beast, turned instantly frosty, and he, along with his mount, burst forth like a raging fire, hot on Ye Chen's trail.
"How dare he wound us, he's outrageously bold! We can't let him go, chase!"
After their initial shock, Zhou Hai's subordinates also burst forth, chasing after Ye Chen together, including the three who were injured.
Ye Chen's lightning-fast move successfully ignited their rage, and they were even too preoccupied to care about Lin Jing, the three others, and the innate snake gall.
Lin Jing, Hong Man, and Fang Shan looked at the scene before them, still somewhat dazed.
"Ye Chen... he's really too bold," Hong Man said with a wry smile.
"Admirable, I've never seen someone so free and easy. I truly admire Ye Chen; he even dares to provoke Zhou Hai," Fang Shan also wryly shook his head.
But Lin Jing's pretty face was still deathly pale, "No, Ye Chen took action to lead them away for our sake. I can't let him face such great danger alone!"
She stomped her foot and, clutching the snow-white Soft Sword in her hand, chased into the jungle as well.
"Let's follow and see."
Seeing Lin Jing's panicked expression, Hong Man and Fang Shan exchanged a glance. After a quick clean-up of the Snake Demon's corpse, they followed behind Lin Jing into the forest.
Ye Chen heard the roar of anger and pursuit from behind him, his eyes became even more serene.
"I really didn't guess wrong."
"These people are all cultivators of the sixth and seventh layer of True Qi, it's unlikely for them to have cultivated a powerful movement technique. I have cultivated the Yellow Class mid-grade movement technique 'Startling Goose Steps' to Great Accomplishment; I'm not at a disadvantage in terms of speed."
"That Fiery Lion Beast is somewhat troublesome, but in the forest, its large body is inconvenient. Once I find denser woods and shake off the lion, it's not impossible!"
Ye Chen's action was not impulsive but fully planned.
Except for the eighth-class Demon Beast Fiery Lion Beast, which he wasn't sure about defeating, he had no fear of the others.
Having successfully cultivated the "Cross Rapid-Kill Sword Skills" to Great Accomplishment and the third move of the "Torrential Rain Sword Skills" to Minor Accomplishment, and having touched the threshold of Comprehending Sword Intent, he found it incredibly easy to handle martial artists at the sixth level of True Qi.
Furthermore, with the mysterious broken sword fragment in his hand and the strong recovery power and miraculous perception gained from cultivating the Primordial Star Scripture's "Meridian Refining Art," he had some confidence in fighting Zhou Hai with the seventh level of True Qi.
Therefore, he chose to make a move!
"Spiritual instrument fragment, for it, it's worth taking the risk!"
The five True Qi Vortices inside Ye Chen's body turned rapidly, the vast True Qi enveloping his entire body, and his speed as he fleeted through the woods was even faster than that of a Leopard Demon!
While speeding along, Ye Chen, gripping the broken sword fragment, was feeling that marvelous sensation of Sword Intent, which made the Sword Intents he was vaguely touching clearer and clearer.
"Chase, chase him for me!"
"Fiery Cloud Arrow, bring it out, shoot him down!"
About ten yards behind Ye Chen, watching him speed through the forest ahead, Zhou Hai's eyes seemed about to shoot out fire.
Ye Chen's striking his subordinates in front of everyone and then fleeing was like openly slapping him several times in the face.
Zhou Hai, who was always the one mocking others, had never suffered such humiliation before.
Under Zhou Hai's furious command, several young men behind him immediately took out several green bows and Fire Rune arrows.
Drawing the bow, releasing the arrow!
One arrow after another, bearing the glow of True Qi, shot out like torrential rain towards Ye Chen, who was speeding ahead in the forest.