62: Chapter 62 The Storm Temporarily Subsides

In the darkest moment before dawn, Ye Chen held Xiaoyu, who had fallen into a deep sleep after crying herself to exhaustion.

He took temporary shelter in a remote mountain cave.

The cave was not deep, barely enough to provide cover from the wind and rain, but its entrance was hidden by vines and scattered rocks, making it quite secluded.

He gently placed Xiaoyu on a patch of ground covered with dry grass and covered her with his outer coat.

Only then did he lean tiredly against the cold stone wall, letting out a long sigh of relief.

As his tensed nerves relaxed, the aftereffects of consecutive fierce battles and overexertion surged in like a tide.

His Meridians stung, his Dantian was empty, and his chest felt waves of tightness.

In particular, the final execution of the 'Ice Fire Annihilation Slash' had nearly drained all of Ye Chen's True Essence and mental energy.

At this moment, a strong sense of weakness swept through his entire body.

However, he did not dare to immediately sink into a deep state of meditation.

He had to recover some mobility as quickly as possible and leave this area.

Although the main force of the Black Wind Stockade had been destroyed and its leader executed, there was no guarantee that there weren't some fish that escaped the net.

Or that he wouldn't be targeted by other factions who came hearing the news.

Ghost Old Man's escape also meant the news of him killing Black Wind Fiend would inevitably spread, and the trouble would only be greater then.

Ye Chen forced himself to stay alert, took out the silk pouch Lin Qingxue had given him, and poured out several Medicinal Pills for healing and True Essence recovery to consume.

As the pills entered his stomach, they transformed into a gentle medicinal power that dispersed.

It nourished his damaged Meridians, and a faint warm current also arose within his Dantian.

He then took out the jade box containing the remaining small portion of 'fire spirit marrow.'

Opening a small crack, he absorbed the pure and gentle Earth Fire Origin from within, coordinating it with the Ice Lotus Imprint.

He slowly repaired his body and restored his True Essence.

When the sky began to brighten slightly, Ye Chen opened his eyes.

Although he was still far from a full recovery, his mobility was no longer hindered, and his True Essence had recovered by thirty to forty percent.

He looked at Xiaoyu beside him, who was still fast asleep but no longer had a furrowed brow, and a flash of softness crossed his eyes.

In any case, Xiaoyu had been rescued, and that was the most important thing.

He checked the Storage Pouch he had scavenged from Black Wind Fiend's body.

There were quite a few things inside: gold and silver treasures, some common Medicinal Pills, several low-grade Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals, and a few pieces of decent quality Ore.

What truly caught Ye Chen's attention were two items.

A black token, neither metal nor wood, engraved with strange runes.

On the front was a ferocious wolf head, and on the back, the character 'Fiend' was engraved; the material was hard, with faint fluctuations of spiritual power.

It seemed to be the identity token of the Black Wind Stockade's leader.

The other item was an unsigned secret letter with only a few words written on it:

“In three days, at the Mass Grave, Ye Chen will surely arrive. Once successful, the person and goods will be cleared. Delivery at the old place. —— Shadow”

The letter paper was ordinary and the handwriting was scrawled, making it impossible to tell whose handwriting it was.

But the signature 'Shadow' caused Ye Chen's eyes to narrow.

Was it 'Shadow Fiend'? Or another code name?

This letter was clearly a proof of transaction between Black Wind Fiend and someone else, and the target was precisely himself, or even Xiaoyu.

Was it the remnants of the Wang family, or the lineage of the Ye family's Grand Elder?

Or was it someone else entirely?

Ye Chen put away the token and the secret letter, his doubts deepening.

As expected, there was someone behind Black Wind Fiend.

Rescuing Xiaoyu this time only temporarily resolved the immediate crisis; the true mastermind was still hidden in the shadows.

“Brother...” A weak call interrupted his thoughts.

Ye Chen quickly looked over and saw that Xiaoyu had woken up, her large, swollen eyes looking at him timidly.

“Xiaoyu, you're awake? How do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable?”

Ye Chen quickly knelt down and touched her forehead.

He carefully checked her wrists and ankles, fearing the bandits had harmed her.

Xiaoyu shook her head and lunged into Ye Chen's arms, her small body trembling slightly again.

“Brother, I was so scared. Those bad people were so mean, they tied Xiaoyu up and even hit Grandpa Wu who was watching over us... Brother, did you chase them all away?”

“Yes, I chased them all away. No one will bully Xiaoyu anymore.”

Ye Chen gently patted her back, comforting her.

“It's my fault for not protecting you well.”

“I don't blame you, Brother.”

Xiaoyu buried her small face in Ye Chen's chest, her voice muffled.

“Brother is the strongest. Those bad people couldn't beat Brother.”

Ye Chen felt a pang of heartache, further strengthening his resolve to become stronger.

Only by possessing absolute power could he protect those he wanted to protect and not fear any schemes or plots.

After comforting Xiaoyu, Ye Chen took out some dry rations and water, and the two of them ate a simple meal.

Then, he carried Xiaoyu on his back and set off once more.

Ye Chen had to reunite with Lin Qingxue and the others as soon as possible and then find a way to enter Qingyun City. The Tianyun Sword Sect selection was imminent, and he couldn't miss this opportunity.

Moreover, only by entering the Tianyun Sword Sect and obtaining stronger protection and resources could he truly rid himself of these troubles that followed him like maggots on a bone.

This time, Ye Chen was even more careful, sticking to deep mountains and old forests, avoiding all possible paths and human presence.

It wasn't until evening that he made a large detour and returned to the vicinity of Luoxia Valley.

He did not enter the valley directly but first observed for a long time from a high point outside the valley, confirming there were no ambushes or abnormalities.

Only then did he send out the signal he had previously agreed upon with Lin Qingxue.

Three bird calls of varying lengths.

Not long after, from the direction of the bamboo cottage in the valley, three similar insect chirps responded. It was the signal that it was safe.

Ye Chen breathed a sigh of relief and, carrying Xiaoyu who had long since fallen asleep again, quickly entered the valley.

In front of the bamboo cottage, Lin Qingxue, Lin Dong, Liu Yiyi, and Chen Feng had already been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Ye Chen return safely with Xiaoyu on his back,

the hearts of everyone finally settled, and looks of relief appeared on their faces.

“Brother Ye! Xiaoyu!” Lin Dong was the first to rush forward.

“Young Master Ye, are you alright?” Liu Yiyi also asked with concern.

Lin Qingxue stepped forward quickly, first looking at Ye Chen's pale face and the undried bloodstains on his clothes.

Then she looked at the sleeping Xiaoyu on his back, a flash of heartache and lingering fear crossing her beautiful eyes as she whispered,

“It's good that you're back. Come inside quickly.”

Everyone returned to the bamboo cottage.

Ye Chen placed Xiaoyu on the bed in the inner room and covered her with a blanket.

Lin Qingxue had already prepared hot water and clean clothes, and she also took out the best healing Medicinal Pills.

“I'm fine, just superficial wounds. A few days of meditation will suffice.”

Ye Chen smiled at everyone, indicating he was fine.

He briefly recounted the battle at the Mass Grave from the previous night, omitting details like the 'Ice Fire Annihilation Slash.'

He only said he had fortunately killed Black Wind Fiend, dispersed the bandits, and rescued Xiaoyu.

Even so, the listeners were still terrified by the tale.

Black Wind Fiend, who was at the Lun Hai Jing Fourth Level and a notoriously fierce bandit leader, had actually been killed by Ye Chen?

Although they knew Ye Chen's strength had greatly increased, this achievement was still too shocking.

“Young Master Ye, you...”

Scarface had also returned at some point, standing at the door with a complex expression.

He had clearly rushed back after gathering information.

“I just got word that the Black Wind Stockade ambushed you at the Mass Grave, but instead, they were wiped out by you? Even Black Wind Fiend is dead? Qingyun City is going crazy with the news right now!”

Ye Chen nodded and took out Black Wind Fiend's token and the secret letter.

“Brother Scarface, have you seen this before? And this letter, can you tell whose hand it is?”

Scarface took the token and the letter, examined them carefully, and his expression became increasingly solemn.

“This token is Black Wind Fiend's 'Black Wind Command'; seeing the command is like seeing the leader himself. This letter... the handwriting is scrawled and intentionally disguised, so I can't tell.”

“But the signature 'Shadow'—I'm afraid it really is 'Shadow Fiend'! Could it be that the Black Wind Stockade was being controlled by 'Shadow Fiend' from behind? They kidnapped Xiaoyu and lured you there for...”

“For the things on me, or simply to get rid of me.”

Ye Chen cut in, his eyes cold.

“It seems true that 'Shadow Fiend' won't stop until I'm dead. The Wang family and the lineage of the Ye family's Grand Elder are likely involved. Perhaps even...”

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning.

It was even possible that higher-level individuals within Qingyun City were secretly driving all of this.

“This matter is of great importance and must be reported to the Master immediately.”

Scarface said in a deep voice.

“There's no rush.”

Ye Chen shook his head.

“The priority is the Tianyun Sword Sect selection. With the selection imminent, we cannot let ourselves be thrown into disarray. Furthermore, I have killed Black Wind Fiend and rescued Xiaoyu.”

“In the short term, the other side shouldn't dare to act easily again. I should take this opportunity to go into seclusion for a few days to fully recover from my injuries, stabilize my cultivation, and prepare for the selection.”

He looked at Lin Qingxue.

“Qingxue, your injuries also require rest. Luoxia Valley should be safe for now, so we will rest here for a few days. Brother Scarface, I'll have to trouble you to keep a secret watch on the movements in Qingyun City, especially news of the Tianyun Sword Sect's envoys and the movements of the Wang and Ye family remnants.”

“Alright! Rest assured, Young Master Ye, leave it to me.” Scarface nodded heavily.

“Brother Ye, we will protect you during your meditation!” Lin Dong and Chen Feng also said.

Liu Yiyi nodded silently, her eyes resolute.

Lin Qingxue looked at Ye Chen and said softly, “Go into seclusion with peace of mind; I will take good care of Xiaoyu.”

Ye Chen felt a warmth in his heart and nodded.

Having these friends around made him feel less isolated and helpless.

Over the next few days, tranquility returned to Luoxia Valley.

Ye Chen entered a quiet room next to the bamboo cottage and began his seclusion.

He not only needed to recover from his injuries but also needed to fully digest and absorb the gains from the Molten Fire Abyss and the consecutive bloody battles,

transforming them into tangible strength.

Ye Chen consumed Medicinal Pills and absorbed the remaining power of the fire spirit marrow, using the Ice Lotus Imprint to harmonize ice and fire, tempering his Physical Body, Meridians, and True Essence over and over again.

The ice-fire cyclone within his Dantian rotated with increasing smoothness, and its aura became more condensed and profound.

Although he still hadn't broken through to the Wheel Sea Realm, he felt that the barrier was already as thin as a cicada's wing.

Perhaps all it needed was an opportunity for it to happen naturally.

More importantly, his comprehension and control of the 'Ice Fire Seal' had become more profound.

Although every use consumed a massive amount of energy, its power was truly terrifying and would become his true trump card.

...

Five days later, Ye Chen emerged from seclusion.

His entire aura was restrained, his eyes shone with divine light, his injuries were fully healed, and his cultivation was stabilized at the absolute Peak of the Meridian Opening Sixth Level.

With every movement, there was a faint flow of ice and fire Dao rhythm, adding a touch of unfathomable character to his presence.

Upon emerging, the first piece of news he learned from Scarface made his eyes narrow.

The Tianyun Sword Sect selection would officially begin in three days at the 'Trial Sword Platform' in the center of Qingyun City!

All young Cultivators who had obtained a recommendation or were confident in their strength could participate!

The envoys responsible for the selection had already arrived at the City Lord's Mansion.

It was said that they were two Elite Disciples from the inner sect of the Tianyun Sword Sect, with unfathomable cultivation!

The center of the storm was finally about to open.

Ye Chen looked toward Qingyun City, Battle Intent rising in his eyes.

Tianyun Sword Sect, here I come.