Chapter 42 The So-Called Righteous Path

Chen Xuan returned to the Southern Route army with a mind full of churning thoughts.

They say that when you are in the martial world, you cannot help yourself. Now it seemed there was truly some truth to those words.

He had no choice now but to act as an undercover agent.

Furthermore, although Old Man Liu had acknowledged the existence of the great opportunity earlier, he had not revealed its specific location, which meant Chen Xuan's quest remained incomplete.

Originally, he had intended to make an early escape once [Quest One] was finished, but leaving now felt somewhat unsatisfactory.

"Damn it! I've already killed Cui Qingzheng, so it's a battle to the death anyway. If I don't go after them, they'll come after me," Chen Xuan thought to himself.

The only thing to watch out for was whether people would grow suspicious since so many had gone out to scout, yet he was the only one who returned alive.

Well, suspicions were bound to arise.

However, as long as he stuck to his story and they had no concrete evidence, they likely wouldn't dare to kill him.

There was always a risk to be taken!

Besides, once this matter blew over, he would flee to the ends of the earth where no one could ever find him.

All the way back to the Southern Route army.

As soon as he stepped back into the base camp, he saw Zhou Qing, one of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou, standing before a large tree with a face full of sorrow and indignation, striking the trunk wildly. Thud, thud, thud—the blows made the tree tremble violently, sending dead leaves fluttering down, and the knuckles of his fists were already bleeding.

"Brother Zhou, what is wrong?"

Chen Xuan walked over and asked with curiosity.

Zhou Qing's eyes were bloodshot. He turned around, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed, pleading, "I beg Hero Jian to uphold justice for me!"

Chen Xuan was taken aback.

"What on earth has happened? Get up first."

Hot tears streamed from Zhou Qing's eyes as he gritted his teeth and said, "Hero Jian, my second brother has been injured by villains, and my third and fourth sisters have been abducted. When I went to demand justice, not only did no one pay any heed to me, but I was driven away instead. If my inner strength hadn't been of a mild nature, they would have framed me as a spy for the Five Poisons Cult! I beg Hero Jian to seek justice for me!"

"Such a thing actually happened? Who did this?" Chen Xuan asked.

"Fang Yu, the son of Fang Xuanwen from the Soaring Dragon Martial Hall. He coveted the beauty of my third and fourth sisters, lured them into a courtyard, and drugged them all into unconsciousness. When my second brother rushed to their rescue, he was almost killed by Fang Yu!" Zhou Qing said, gritting his teeth.

A cold shiver ran through Chen Xuan's heart.

The martial world was perilous indeed; that was not the slightest exaggeration.

When all was said and done, the Four Heroes of Yunzhou were simply too naive. Having just stepped into the pugilistic world, they believed they could traverse it relying solely on chivalry, completely unaware that the various dark and sordid truths were a hundred times more terrifying than any sect or clan.

Earlier, when everyone was gathered at the manor, scumbags didn't dare to act rashly. But now, with the force split into four routes and no elders watching over them, it undoubtedly provided those villains with an opportunity to expose their dark, innate nature.

"I can help you inquire about this matter, but if there is no evidence, there is nothing I can do," Chen Xuan said.

He didn't mind handling matters within his power, but if it was beyond him, self-preservation was the only option.

"Hero Jian, please take me with you. I can point them out in person, and the sword wound on my second brother's body cannot be faked!" Zhou Qing said hastily.

"Alright, follow me," Chen Xuan nodded.

The two of them walked toward the front of the base camp.

At the entrance of the base camp, several young men dressed in the uniform of the Soaring Dragon Martial Hall had been standing there all along, casting cold gazes at Zhou Qing outside.

Because Zhou Qing had not completely left the vicinity, they found it inconvenient to silence him permanently; otherwise, Zhou Qing would have already been a corpse.

Seeing Zhou Qing return together with that fellow Jian Feiwu, the expressions of several of them instantly turned icy.

"Halt!"

One of the youths spoke in an indifferent tone, glancing at Chen Xuan before looking back at Zhou Qing. "You are to stay out. You have been spreading rumors wildly and intentionally undermining the alliance, and you were already driven away. How dare you return? Are you not afraid of death?"

Zhou Qing shouted angrily, "You injured my second brother, forcibly abducted my third and fourth sisters, and now you turn things around and bite back! Is there still any heavenly justice in this world?"

"Utter nonsense! We know nothing of any second brother of yours!"

The youth said coldly, "And as for the third and fourth sisters you speak of, we have never heard of them. Leave at once, or don't blame us for being impolite!"

"Aren't you afraid of retribution for reversing black and white like this?"

Zhou Qing shouted furiously.

"Alright, alright, let's not argue, everyone. Do me a favor and calm down."

Chen Xuan said casually, waving his hand.

"Who do you think you are? I suspect that you, just like Zhou Qing, are trying to deliberately sabotage the alliance, and you might even be a spy for the Five Poisons Cult!"

Suddenly, a young man nearby looked at Chen Xuan with disdain and spoke up.

"Hmm?"

Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow, looked at the young man, and said, "I'm a spy? Little brother, you're not old, but your mind is quite vicious. I am with the scout group, and I've brought back major news concerning the Five Poisons Cult. You're blocking the road and refusing to let me in—if this delays the intelligence, ten heads of yours wouldn't be enough to roll! Scram!"

"You..."

The young man was filled with furious rage inside.

Never in his life had anyone spoken to him like that!

"Brother Zhou, follow me inside!"

Chen Xuan strode forward.

Zhou Qing quickly followed behind him.

However, the previous youths immediately blocked their path again.

The leading youth glared at Chen Xuan with an indifferent gaze and warned, "Hero Jian, let me offer you a piece of advice: do not meddle in other people's business!"

"Get lost!"

Chen Xuan didn't even spare him a glance and walked forward with large strides.

The leading youth didn't dare to do anything to Chen Xuan, but instead lashed out with a large hand to grab Zhou Qing, his five fingers curling into a claw with surging vital energy, launching straight into a throat-locking technique.

Chen Xuan's eyes flashed, and he threw a punch forward.

Bang!

His physical strength of 920 catties collided instantly with the other's five fingers, producing a dull thud.

The youth's expression changed, pain shooting through his fingers, and he couldn't help but take a step back, shouting angrily, "You..."

"Let's go!"

Chen Xuan said coldly.

With a look of deep gratitude, Zhou Qing quickly followed.

"Senior Brother Zhao, what should we do?" the young man asked.

"Go quickly and report this to the Hall Master and the Young Hall Master," the youth said darkly.

"Understood, Senior Brother Zhao!"

Several of them quickly dispersed.

Chen Xuan and Zhou Qing walked all the way toward the central military tent.

This matter had to be made a big fuss about before anyone would care; otherwise, the result would be the exact same as before—completely ignored.

"I am Jian Feiwu. Quickly report to the elders and tell them I have brought major news regarding the Five Poisons Cult!"

Chen Xuan looked at the several martial artists stationed outside the large tent and spoke.

The martial artists wore astonished expressions, and one of them quickly entered the tent, emerging again shortly after to cup his fists and say, "Hero Jian, please enter!"

"Let's go!"

Chen Xuan motioned to Zhou Qing, and the two entered the tent together.

Inside the tent, the three elders—Cui Xiongren, Li Zehai, and Fang Xuanwen—were discussing matters. In addition to them, there were seven or eight leaders from other small sects and factions, every single one of them an expert in the Meridian-Opening Realm.

"Hero Jian, you've finally returned. What news have you brought? Where are the others? Why didn't they return with you?"

As soon as Cui Xiongren saw Chen Xuan, he immediately asked.

Chen Xuan cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the elders, while we were out scouting, we encountered an ambush by the Five Poisons Cult. After a desperate battle, all the others died in combat, and only this humble person managed to survive by sheer luck. However, I did discover a conspiracy of the Five Poisons Cult."

"What? Everyone else is dead?"

Everyone was shocked.

"What about Tianhe? How is Tianhe?"

Cui Xiongren's eyes widened as he asked hastily.

Chen Xuan sighed and said, "Heaven is jealous of outstanding talents; Senior Brother Zhou passed away very peacefully!"

Shocked and enraged, Cui Xiongren glared at Chen Xuan and shouted angrily, "Then how did you manage to return alive? Did you collude with the Five Poisons Cult? Speak!"

He suddenly let out a stern shout infused with inner strength, shaking the entire tent with a sudden jolt.

The leaders of those small sects and factions all felt a chill in their hearts and didn't dare to speak.

Chen Xuan and Zhou Qing were rattled even harder, their minds buzzing and their complexions turning pale.

"Brother Cui, do not lose your temper just yet!"

Li Zehai's expression darkened as he quickly intervened, looking at Chen Xuan to say, "Hero Jian, tell us the entire process in detail."

Chen Xuan took a light breath, cupped his fists, and said, "Yes, Elder."

Just as he had guessed, he was indeed under suspicion.

However, he wasn't afraid; he would simply stick firmly to his story. He refused to believe they would dare take action without any evidence.

Right away, he recounted the fabricated story he had prepared along the way. This included how Zhou Tianhe and the others had died, and how he himself had stumbled upon the conspiracy of the Five Poisons Cult. The logic had already been thoroughly vetted through repeated internal rehearsal.

"Tianhe and the others are all dead, yet only you survived. I don't believe your martial arts are stronger than Tianhe's!"

With a sinister look in his eyes, Cui Xiongren suddenly struck out with a palm aimed at Chen Xuan's chest.

Chen Xuan's expression changed, and he hurriedly met the blow with a palm strike of his own, still not daring to use his inner strength.

Bang!

With a dull thud, Chen Xuan was forced back, stumbling and feeling numbness in his arm.

"You couldn't even withstand one-tenth of my cultivation, which means you are no match for Tianhe. If Tianhe died, why are you still alive? Speak! Did you lie? Did you collude with the Five Poisons Cult?"

Cui Xiongren shouted sternly, an aura of wild ferocity erupting from his body and bearing down heavily on Chen Xuan.

"Hero Jian!"

Zhou Qing rushed forward to support Chen Xuan, but was swept aside by a fierce wave of Cui Xiongren's wide sleeve, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Brother Cui, restrain your anger!"

Li Zehai spoke up once more.

Cui Xiongren stared coldly at Chen Xuan as if he wanted to devour him alive.

To the side, Fang Xuanwen wore a faint, amiable smile from beginning to end and hadn't uttered a single word.

It was as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Compared to the three great families of Yunzhou, their Soaring Dragon Martial Hall could only be considered a mid-tier force after all. Since they had only come along to put on a show, there was no need to offend the Cui clan; otherwise, establishing a foothold in Yunzhou in the future would become exceedingly difficult.

Chen Xuan's arm felt numb, and anger flared in his heart.

Damn it, they really threw a strike!

Even though he really had done it, couldn't they at least produce some evidence instead of treating him this way without any proof?

"Elder Cui, as I said just now, we encountered a mishap on the road and were surrounded by experts from the Five Poisons Cult. In the end, we broke through in different directions and got separated. Later on, when I went back to search, I only found their corpses. I know you are in pain, but everything I've said is true. This subordinate would never dare utter a single falsehood!" Chen Xuan said.

"Even with such low martial arts, you managed to survive, while Tianhe, who was twice as strong as you, died? I don't believe it. There must be a hidden story here!"

Cui Xiongren laughed out of extreme anger.

"Every word this subordinate uttered is the truth!" Chen Xuan said, gritting his teeth.

"I will cripple your martial arts and subject you to harsh interrogation. I refuse to believe you won't tell the truth then!"

With a flash of his body and a rush of fierce wind, Cui Xiongren appeared before Chen Xuan in a split second, sending a palm crashing toward Chen Xuan's back.

Chen Xuan was shocked.

What the hell are you trying to do?!

Bang!

With a dull thud, Cui Xiongren's palm strike was intercepted by Li Zehai.