Chapter 60: Kill!

After nearly three years of training, Xiao Chen was no longer the frail boy he once was. Now a Golden Core stage master, he possessed formidable strength. Xiao Chen had grown taller since arriving in Tiandu, standing at 1.75 meters, and had become more mature and composed. Dressed in a black high-collared long robe with a strange longsword hanging on his back, his calm demeanor and resolute black eyes marked him as a strong individual.

Xiao Chen employed the technique of stepping on air, moving rapidly through the sky. His speed was such that only a fleeting black shadow was visible. In half an hour, he had crossed dozens of mountain peaks.

"Haha! This feels great! I can move through the air now. Even though it's not flying, it's almost like it. This Ghost Shadow Divine Art is truly incredible!" Xiao Chen, relishing the sensation of soaring, couldn't help but laugh excitedly.

"Xiao Chen, how long will it take to return to Fengyue City from here?" the Ancient White Tiger communicated telepathically.

"Uh... I'm not entirely sure. It took more than a month to get here back then. Given my significant progress in cultivation, it should take about ten days now. After all, I still can't fly." Xiao Chen chuckled wryly. Thoughts of returning to the Xiao family filled him with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"Don't worry, Xiao Chen. You're no longer a waste; you're a Golden Core stage master now. The Xiao family will surely look at you with new eyes. If your father finds out, I bet he'll be grinning from ear to ear!" the Ancient White Tiger replied with a telepathic laugh.

"Hehe, I'm not in a hurry to return to Fengyue City. After the martial arts tournament, I felt my cultivation level increase along with my soul power. I think I can now refine second-grade pills, so I want to find a place to practice alchemy," Xiao Chen said with a smile.

"You don't have any herbs right now. How will you practice alchemy? Isn't there an auction house in Fengyue City? You could buy some herbs there and refine pills at the Xiao family. Wouldn't that save you time looking for herbs? Besides, you've been away for so long; your father must be worried sick. I think you should go back as soon as possible," the Ancient White Tiger suggested.

After thinking it over, Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Alright. When I left Fengyue City, the relationship between the Xiao and Wang families was already deteriorating. I need to go back and check on things. But now that I've changed so much, I doubt anyone in Fengyue City will recognize me."

"However, before going back, I need to make a stop at Qiufeng Town," Xiao Chen said with a sinister smile, a ruthless gleam in his eyes.

"Qiufeng Town? You want revenge on Sun Ming?" the Ancient White Tiger asked telepathically.

"Exactly. I'm no longer a waste. I must teach a lesson to everyone who bullied me. For a tyrant like Sun Ming, killing him would be best! With my current strength, dealing with Sun Ming is no problem at all," Xiao Chen replied coldly, his eyes full of confidence.

The Ancient White Tiger laughed telepathically, "True, think of it as helping Qiufeng Town get rid of a bully."

"Little White Tiger, there's a small waterfall on the mountain below. I'm going down to wash my face and rest. You can come out and get some fresh air too. You've been cooped up for too long, haven't you? Haha," Xiao Chen said with a smile, a youthful grin spreading across his slightly tanned face.

Xiao Chen descended slowly to the edge of the waterfall's pool. The Ancient White Tiger immediately emerged from the storage ring, now twice Xiao Chen's size, leaping into the crystal-clear pool, splashing about happily.

"Xiao Chen, come on in! The waterfall's water is cold and refreshing. It's wonderful. Hurry up!" the Ancient White Tiger called out with a laugh.

"Wow! Little White Tiger, you've grown so much!" Xiao Chen exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening.

"We divine beasts are like this," the Ancient White Tiger replied with a smile, then carefully approached Xiao Chen, its white tail sneakily wrapping around Xiao Chen's feet before giving a sharp tug.

Feeling his balance suddenly lost, Xiao Chen's expression changed, and he laughed and scolded, "You sneaky Little White Tiger, how dare you ambush me."

"Bang!"

Just before falling, Xiao Chen quickly struck the air with his palm, leaping high, and shouted, "Little White Tiger, take this!"

"Hehe, you can't hit me!" the Ancient White Tiger laughed triumphantly, flapping its massive white wings and generating a strong wind that swept Xiao Chen back into the sky.

"What?" Xiao Chen's face changed again as the powerful wind blew him back up.

"Hehe, Xiao Chen, how's that? I told you, you can't hit me," the Ancient White Tiger laughed triumphantly.

"Don't be so smug! Stepping on air!" Xiao Chen shouted, and his body, blown back into the sky, suddenly stepped on the air, moving rapidly, zigzagging left and right at an astonishing speed. In just a few breaths, he was in front of the Ancient White Tiger.

Xiao Chen laughed smugly, "Hehe, Little White Tiger, no matter how fast you flap your wings, you can't match my speed! Take this!"

"Splash!"

As Xiao Chen's fist quickly shot forward, just half an inch from the Ancient White Tiger, it suddenly turned into a puff of white smoke and disappeared. With a splash, Xiao Chen plunged headfirst into the pool.

"Haha! Tricked you, didn't I? I knew you'd end up in the water!" the Ancient White Tiger laughed, happily splashing the water with its paws and wings.

"You sneaky Little White Tiger! You're asking for it!" Xiao Chen's head popped out of the water, and he immediately scolded with a laugh, splashing the water back at the Ancient White Tiger.

Not to be outdone, the Ancient White Tiger also began splashing, its large white wings sending water flying at Xiao Chen. The two engaged in a fierce water fight, their laughter echoing throughout the small waterfall's pool.

After half an hour, both Xiao Chen and the Ancient White Tiger, tired from playing, relaxed in the cool water by the pool's edge, enjoying it like a hot spring.

"Little White Tiger, are you still at the mid-Golden Core stage?" Xiao Chen asked, resting his head on the Ancient White Tiger's body while washing its white fur.

"Yeah, the spiritual energy in the human world isn't suitable for my cultivation, so my progress is slow. Soon enough, you'll surpass me. But that's okay, I'm just happy to have you with me," the Ancient White Tiger said with a smile.

Xiao Chen smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't abandon you. After all, we're good friends. Hehe, your fur is so smooth, Little White Tiger."

"Of course! I am, after all, a supreme divine beast!" the Ancient White Tiger boasted, raising its head proudly.

"Help! Save my people! Somebody help!" A heart-wrenching cry for help suddenly echoed through the quiet mountains, reaching Xiao Chen's ears.

"Little White Tiger, someone's there. Quick, back into the storage ring!" Xiao Chen, with his keen hearing, quickly said, jumping out of the pool and racing toward the source of the voice.

"Xiao Chen, five men in black are chasing a boy. They're wearing black masks, and I don't know who they are. They're just ahead of you," the Ancient White Tiger communicated telepathically.

"Got it!" Xiao Chen nodded, leaping onto the tree branches and swiftly moving forward.

In no time, Xiao Chen saw five men in black, armed with knives, chasing a boy about his age. Xiao Chen's expression turned icy cold, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

"Stop!" Xiao Chen shouted fiercely, appearing in front of the five men in black.

"Brother, help! Please save my people!" The boy, seeing Xiao Chen appear, immediately knelt and begged for help while kowtowing.

"Stand up!" Xiao Chen glanced at the boy and then looked at the five men in black, frowning. "Who are you? Why are you chasing him?"

The Ancient White Tiger communicated telepathically, "Xiao Chen, only one of them is in the Foundation Establishment stage. The other four are at the Awakening stage. Killing them will be easy."

"Kid, don't meddle, or we'll kill you too!" one of the men in black said coldly, spinning his knife, and a flash of white light gleamed from its blade.

"Brother, step back!" Xiao Chen told the boy behind him, then slowly drew the divine sword from his back, his aura suddenly changing as a powerful, domineering energy erupted.

"Damn brat, you're courting death! Kill him!" one of the men in black shouted angrily, swinging his knife as the five of them rushed forward.

"Ghost Shadow Divine Art!" Xiao Chen murmured, using his movement technique, holding the divine sword, and with a powerful step, his figure turned into a black line and shot forward.

"Shh-shh-shh!"

Xiao Chen's movements were swift, and his attacks were clean and precise. In the blink of an eye, four black-clad men at the Heart Movement stage had their throats slashed by Xiao Chen's sword. Four streams of blood sprayed out simultaneously, and they died on the spot.

The remaining black-clad man, who was at the Fasting stage, couldn't react at all, and he didn't even see how Xiao Chen had attacked. By the time he realized what had happened, the four men were already lying on the ground, causing him to tremble all over. If his mask were removed, it would surely reveal a face filled with extreme terror.

"W-Who are you?" the black-clad man asked in fear, his whole body collapsing under the overwhelming aura emanating from Xiao Chen.

"My name is Xiao Chen!" Xiao Chen replied coldly. With a swift swing of the divine sword in his hand, a stream of blood spurted from the black-clad man's throat.

A boy hiding behind a tree witnessed Xiao Chen's ruthless actions, turning pale with fright and trembling uncontrollably.

Retracting his divine sword, Xiao Chen turned to the boy, smiled, and said, "Don't be afraid; they're all dead. You can come out now."

"Th-Thank you!" the boy stammered, still somewhat scared.

"What happened? Why were these black-clad men chasing you?" Xiao Chen asked curiously.

"I am from the Nei Gu Clan. I don't know who they are. Today, many black-clad men attacked us. Brother, please, you must save my clan," the boy said, tears streaming down his face, his eyes filled with fear and despair.