Chapter 39 – Purple Fire Transforms to Sword, Fleeting Shadows! Life and Death in an Instant!

On the deserted road, the massive Shangfu Bird took three steps in two, abruptly arriving before Lu Chen.

Gazing at this insignificant prey that didn’t even reach its chest, a flicker of excitement flashed in the Shangfu Bird’s eyes as it viciously pecked at Lu Chen with its sharp beak.

Boom!

The hard cement ground proved as fragile as tofu before the Shangfu Bird’s razor-sharp beak. Instantly, a massive crater was smashed open, sending countless fragments flying into the air.

Fortunately, Lu Chen reacted swiftly, evading with his movement technique almost the moment the Shangfu Bird attacked, instantly appearing mid-air.

Seeing the Shangfu Bird with one head still buried in the cement ground, Lu Chen decisively struck.

Sword Technique… Water Dragon’s Roar!

Roar!

The rapidly vibrating sword blade emitted metallic sounds as it pierced toward one of the Shangfu Bird’s necks with air-rending force.

But as a Spirit Beast at its peak Foundation Establishment Stage, the Shangfu Bird’s power far exceeded Lu Chen’s expectations.

Facing Lu Chen’s attack, the Shangfu Bird showed no intention of dodging, instead choosing to trade injury for injury.

Its other two heads attacked in coordinated fashion, viciously striking at Lu Chen who was still mid-air.

This instantly placed Lu Chen in a dilemma.

If he continued his attack, he could indeed severely damage one of the Shangfu Bird’s heads.

But he himself would be simultaneously struck by the beaks of the other two heads, with no time to evade.

Judging by the attack power the Shangfu Bird had previously displayed, being hit by just one beak would leave him either dead or severely injured, let alone being struck by two simultaneously.

Therefore, in that split second, the combat experience honed through hundreds of deaths in Instances allowed Lu Chen to make the optimal decision.

Movement Technique… Flowing Cloud Step!

Bang!

Lu Chen forcefully stomped mid-air, the air beneath his feet rippling like a Lake Surface, creating layers of Qi waves.

His body flowed with this momentum, slipping between the two attacking beaks of the Shangfu Bird, and landed on an empty spot not far away.

This slippery evasion clearly took the Shangfu Bird by surprise.

Its previously ground-embedded head lifted up, all three heads staring at Lu Chen from a distance, eyes filled with curiosity.

It seemed puzzled how this creature, clearly not at the Foundation Establishment Stage, possessed flight-like capabilities.

Equally astonished by Lu Chen’s performance was Bailing, standing in the distance.

Initially, Bailing had become curious about Lu Chen in the noodle shop for two reasons.

First, using her special innate talent, she had sensed his astonishing Spirit Root Aptitude.

Second, she detected that his Qi was balanced and harmonious, clearly indicating he had achieved Major Achievement in some Righteous Path Cultivation Manual.

What did these two points signify?

They signified that Lu Chen not only possessed remarkable talent, but definitely had exceptional Comprehension Ability as well.

After all, ordinary people his age would be doing well just to master one or two Spells and fully utilize their strength, let alone achieve Major Achievement in a Righteous Path Cultivation Manual.

Yet beyond these two qualities, Lu Chen had given her another tremendous surprise.

Despite the clear disparity in strength, he had repeatedly evaded the Shangfu Bird’s attacks.

Of course, this was partly because the Shangfu Bird wasn’t taking the fight seriously, only employing basic physical attacks.Yet for an ordinary Qi Condensation Stage cultivator, evading these attacks would not be an easy task.

Interesting. This guy is far too intriguing.

At this moment, Bailing couldn’t help but recall Lu Chen’s background.

A person who lost both parents at the age of eight had, relying solely on his own efforts, reached his current level.

If she and Lu Chen were to swap places, could she have achieved what he had?

The answer was clear: no.

No one understood better than her what it had truly taken to attain her current strength.

Family background, talent, resources, and luck—all were indispensable.

But in Lu Chen’s case, she saw only talent and luck.

Without family background or resources, she absolutely could not have reached his achievements at his age.

Moreover, during Lu Chen’s brief exchange with the Shangfu Bird, Bailing had clarified one thing:

Lu Chen was definitely not a wicked follower of the Black Lotus Sect who had used the Five-Spirit Blood Pill Technique.

The Five-Spirit Blood Pill Technique was a deviant art akin to a cuckoo occupying a magpie’s nest.

Its core principle involved refining the Spirit Roots of other geniuses into blood pills to enhance one’s originally mediocre Aptitude.

But what belonged to others would always remain others’.

No matter how many methods one employed, it was impossible to fully make them one’s own.

Thus, any pseudo-genius who used the Five-Spirit Blood Pill Technique was almost certain to have an unstable Realm.

They would never exhibit the profound and solid cultivation foundation that Lu Chen displayed at this moment.

As for whether this could all be an act by Lu Chen?

Absolutely not.

Because no one could hold back in a life-or-death crisis.

Applying pressure to suspected Black Lotus Sect members to force them to reveal their flaws was a tactic Bailing had repeatedly and successfully employed.

Although she had often been criticized by her superiors for this unconventional investigative approach and had even faced numerous disciplinary actions,

she still preferred to do things this way.

Her motto was: I’ll admit my mistakes, but I’ll never change.

In her view, this was the most efficient way to conduct investigations.

Even if she ended up misunderstanding someone,

she could always apologize later. After all, she only used words to intimidate—her actions were always measured.

But what Bailing didn’t realize was that not everyone in this world could be appeased with a simple apology after being wronged.

After all, any long-standing rule was not the result of a whim.

They were all special principles distilled from countless trials and experiences.

The moment Bailing chose to abandon the rules, she had to bear the risks that lay beyond them.

On the road, Lu Chen gazed at the Shangfu Bird and Bailing in the distance.

He had no idea why they had suddenly targeted him, nor why they had launched an attack without warning.

But one thing was clear to him: the duo of this woman and bird was exceptionally powerful.

So powerful that even if he used every means at his disposal, he had only a slim chance of seriously injuring them.

Moreover, he had realized that he seemed to have been pulled into some unknown space by Bailing.

If he couldn’t find a way to escape this mysterious realm, even if he managed to seriously wound Bailing, he would still be trapped.

At this moment, Lu Chen felt as though he had been cornered in a hopeless situation.

Yet, the more dire the circumstances, the calmer his thoughts became.

He had only one chance to strike.Both Shangfu Bird and Bailing possessed strength far surpassing his own.

Once they got serious, he stood no chance of victory whatsoever.

Therefore, he had to exploit Bailing’s underestimation of him to seize that fleeting opportunity.

Man proposes, heaven disposes.

Even with only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, he would still fight with all his might.

After all… what if he won?

Lu Chen raised his head, his eyes filled with determination.

The sudden shift in his aura made Bailing’s heart tremble, giving her an indistinct sense of foreboding.

But the moment this thought emerged, she immediately dismissed it.

Ridiculous! This guy was nothing more than a Qi Condensation Stage fourth-level student.

No matter how much of a Genius he was, he absolutely couldn’t pose a threat to her, who was at Foundation Establishment Stage fourth level. Absolutely!

Not to mention she still had Shangfu Bird, also at Foundation Establishment Stage, assisting from the side.

She couldn’t see any possibility of Lu Chen harming her.

Absolute strength brought absolute confidence.

And what absolute confidence brought… was absolute arrogance.

In this world, there would always be those who paid the price for their arrogance.

Although prepared for a desperate fight, Lu Chen didn’t rush to attack. Instead, he asked: “Who are you?”

Bailing was taken aback, thought for a moment, then replied: “Bailing, Agent of Qingzhou Shanhai Division.”

“Is there any grievance between us?”

Bailing shook her head.

“No.”

“I see…”

Lu Chen nodded, then retrieved ten tall Azure Profound Color puppets from his Storage Bag.

These ten puppets were entirely Azure Profound Color, emitting an aura comparable to Qi Condensation Stage seventh-level cultivation.

Standing among these ten Azure Mystic Puppets, Lu Chen calmly said: “Though there wasn’t before… now there is.”

Hearing this, Bailing laughed, mocking Lu Chen’s overestimation of his abilities.

Just a few Qi Condensation Stage puppets—did he really think they could cause her any trouble?

Could the Azure Mystic Puppets cause trouble for Bailing?

Naturally, they couldn’t.

But their existence could allow Lu Chen to grasp that fleeting, singular chance for victory.

Seeing that Lu Chen had stopped speaking, Bailing also felt the atmosphere turning somewhat unusual.

It seemed she might have taken the joke… a bit too far.

If she had followed procedure from the start—identifying herself and inquiring about Lu Chen’s situation—judging by his character from the files, he would most likely have cooperated with the investigation.

But at this moment, her pride wouldn’t allow her to back down, nor did she want to admit her mistake.

Moreover, given the current situation, even if she told Lu Chen the truth, he probably wouldn’t let it go easily.

Since that was the case, let this misunderstanding between them be resolved the way Cultivators do!

After all, in the Immortal Cultivation World… strength reigns supreme!

“Little Shang, go tear apart that scrap metal for me.”

“Screech!”

Shangfu Bird cried out, then charged fiercely at the ten Azure Mystic Puppets Lu Chen had just released.

In response, Lu Chen advanced together with his puppets.

Bang!

The Azure Mystic Puppets, crafted from thousand-year Azure Darkwood, were as fragile as toys before Shangfu Bird.

In just one encounter, four Azure Mystic Puppets were dismantled by a single peck from Shangfu Bird.

The remaining six leaped high, embracing Shangfu Bird’s head in a suicidal manner.

Although their actions were undoubtedly like a mantis trying to stop a chariot,

they nonetheless created a rare opportunity for Lu Chen.Lu Chen, who had been holding back all this time, suddenly erupted with astonishing speed.

Seizing the moment when the Shangfu Bird was briefly entangled, he shot past it with incredible velocity, heading straight for Bailing behind it.

Watching Lu Chen charge toward her, Bailing remained completely at ease.

Who gave you the courage to engage in close combat with a Foundation Establishment Stage Body Cultivator?

Even if I stand still, you couldn’t harm a single hair on my head!

Thinking this, the arrogant Bailing couldn’t even be bothered to summon her Magic Treasure, simply standing in place waiting for Lu Chen to approach.

But in the next second, Bailing’s expression changed drastically.

Dragon’s Roar… Sky Piercing Strike!

“Roar!”

A deafening dragon’s roar suddenly erupted on the quiet road.

Lu Chen gripped his sword with one hand, the violently vibrating blade releasing astonishing Sword Intent.

The Spiritual Power around him materialized, coalescing into a vivid silver-white Flood Dragon.

Seeing the ferocious silver-white Flood Dragon charging at her, Bailing swiftly raised both arms.

Intricate golden patterns emerged on her fair arms, forming a pair of golden gauntlets that blocked the terrifying silver Flood Dragon.

How could a Qi Condensation Stage cultivator execute such Swordsmanship?!

Boom!

The moment Lu Chen’s silver Flood Dragon collided with the golden gauntlets, it instantly dissipated into specks of light.

Even the Magic Sword in his hand couldn’t withstand the impact of the collision, snapping in half.

Though half the blade remained lodged between Bailing’s arms, it couldn’t advance further.

When everything settled, Bailing looked at Lu Chen’s pale face and unstable aura.

She realized he was at the end of his rope.

That was close—I almost got defeated by an inferior opponent.

Confident of her victory, Bailing looked at Lu Chen who was within arm’s reach.

She sighed: “What a pity. If not for the vast gap in our cultivation, that sword strike might have actually injured me.”

As she spoke, Bailing released the broken sword and prepared to tell him they didn’t need to fight anymore, that it was all a misunderstanding.

But just as she relaxed her guard, Lu Chen smiled.

“Who told you… I only have one sword?”

Bailing’s pupils contracted as a strong sense of danger surged within her.

[You consumed 3000 experience points, cultivation advanced to Qi Condensation Stage Seventh Layer]

[Cultivation: Qi Condensation Stage Seventh Layer (7100/30000)]

[You consumed numerous Qi Gathering Pills, rapidly recovering Spiritual Power…]

[You consumed numerous Blood Replenishing Pills, rapidly recovering health…]

Somehow, Lu Chen remotely controlled the game character on his phone.

The game character allocated experience points to cultivation while frantically consuming pills to replenish his nearly depleted Spiritual Power and heal his body damaged by violent spiritual energy.

In an instant, not only did Lu Chen recover to his peak condition, but his cultivation level skyrocketed!

And all this happened in just one second.

Divine Power: Purple Dawn Divine Fire!

Purple flames transformed into a sword, fleeting as a glimpse—life and death hung in a single moment!

Lu Chen’s empty left hand gripped a small saber as purple mystical flames condensed into a blazing blade, shooting toward Bailing’s throat with astonishing speed.

This caught Bailing completely off guard—she had mistaken him for being exhausted, or perhaps he truly had been exhausted, but instantly recovered.

At this life-or-death moment, Bailing could only react instinctively. She leaned back to dodge while subconsciously punching Lu Chen in the chest.

Sslash!Bailing took a sudden step back, clutching her throat as she stared in disbelief at Lu Chen, who had been sent flying by her punch and now lay in the nearby rubble.

Drip, drip…

Fresh blood trickled from between her fingers, splattering onto the asphalt road.

Just a little more, just a little more…

Her heart still racing, Bailing looked down at the cracked fish-shaped jade pendant hanging from her chest, feeling a wave of lingering fear.

If not for this Protective Treasure, Lu Chen’s sneak attack might have succeeded.

In the distance, Lu Chen struggled to lift his head from the rubble, his face etched with regret as he witnessed the scene.

“An inch… I was ultimately just an inch short…”

“If I had used the Sword I’m familiar with, perhaps this strike… would have ended her.”

“In the end… I was just a bit unlucky.”

Though the outcome was already decided, Lu Chen forced his severely injured body upright, leaning against the wall as he slowly sat up.

His arms hung limply, and several of his ribs were broken.

With injuries like these, merely sitting up was an effort.

And all this was just from Bailing’s reflexive punch.

Yet, even in such a wretched state, he looked toward Bailing not far away and smiled—a carefree, unreserved smile.

“Next time, if there is a next time… you won’t be so lucky.”

“This time… I lost.”

Seeing Lu Chen gravely wounded and unable to continue fighting, Bailing fell silent.

At this moment, Bailing wasn’t concerned about her own injury.

It was merely a superficial wound. What worried her was that punch of hers.

She really hadn’t held back much in that strike!

This is bad, really bad.

How did things come to this?

Just as Bailing was about to retrieve an Elixir from her Storage Bag to treat Lu Chen’s injuries—

A golden Staff tore through her ‘Mountains and Seas Scroll’ and slammed heavily right in front of her.

The next second, a tall figure emerged from a rift in space nearby, radiating immense pressure.

The pressure was so overwhelming that it forced Bailing and the Shangfu bird not far away to their knees instantly.

“Bailing, I believe I warned you to exercise restraint.”

“Your Shanhai Bureau… is far too overbearing.”

Yu Tianqi stepped before Bailing, his expression dark.

Looking down at the kneeling Bailing, he spoke in an emotionless tone, “If you enjoy breaking the rules, then even if you are Elder Bai’s granddaughter, today I must teach you a proper lesson.”

“After all, rules aren’t just restrictions—they are also a form of protection.”

“Stand up. This time… I’ll be your opponent.”

Staring at the suddenly arrived Yu Tianqi, Bailing’s heart filled with bitterness.

Reaping what I sowed… I truly am reaping what I sowed.

If only I had followed the Shanhai Bureau’s enforcement guidelines from the start—presuming innocence until proven guilty, questioning first before acting.

Now I have to face a Golden Core cultivator while only at the Foundation Establishment stage, even if his Foundation is injured.

But… do I have what it takes?!

(End of Chapter)