nucmednet Chapter 406 Return to Yangcheng
Chapter 406 Return to Yangcheng
Faced with Wu Qinghuan's concerned inquiry, Xu Nian did not hide anything and answered directly, "Niannian foresaw the danger ahead, and I was really worried about your safety."
"Danger?" Wu Qinghuan frowned slightly upon hearing this. She knew that with her and Xu Nian's formidable strength, there were very few people in the world who could truly threaten them. However, since Nian Nian had already issued a warning, the situation was likely far from optimistic.
“I’ll have Niannian take another closer look at the situation,” Xu Nian said, turning her gaze back to Niannian.
Niannian let out a soft meow: "Meow..." Then, it waved its little paws, drawing golden streaks of light in the air. These streaks intertwined to form a mysterious and complex pattern.
This time, the picture is much clearer.
Wu Qinghuan was injured by a mysterious person dressed in black robes.
The man in black robes exuded a terrifying aura, like a demon from hell.
"This……"
"Qinghuan, you should return to the Yangcheng headquarters first." Xu Nian's tone was unusually firm, as if he had already made up his mind. "I will go alone to explore the legendary seventh level of Dao essence." Because he knew that this journey was fraught with danger, he could not allow his beloved Wu Qinghuan to be placed in such a great risk.
"No! I'm going too." Wu Qinghuan shook her head without hesitation, her attitude resolute. How could she just watch Xu Nian face those potential dangers alone?
"Don't worry, it's really alright." Xu Nian gently held Wu Qinghuan's hand, his voice as gentle as water, yet the determination within it was undeniable. "Only if you stay here safely can I set off without any worries." In truth, he knew very well that Wu Qinghuan's own strength was quite formidable. However, certain scenarios that had already surfaced in his mind forced him to act with extra caution.
“But…” Wu Qinghuan still wanted to try again, after all, she was really worried about letting Xu Nian go into danger alone. However, before she could finish speaking, Xu Nian interrupted her. Xu Nian slowly shook his head, his bright, star-like eyes now filled with unparalleled confidence and determination.
Seeing the scene before her, Wu Qinghuan couldn't help but shake her head gently, then let out a long sigh. "Ah... well then, since you've made up your mind to go, you must be extra careful on your journey!" Her words were full of deep concern and care for the other person.
Hearing this, Xu Nian smiled slightly, a smile as warm as the spring sunshine, making people feel incredibly at ease and comfortable. He said softly, "Don't worry, Qinghuan, you don't need to worry too much about me." However, despite saying this, he knew very well in his heart that this trip would definitely not be smooth sailing.
Just then, something unexpected happened. A tiny, snow-white kitten named Niannian suddenly appeared out of nowhere and landed squarely on Wu Qinghuan's delicate shoulder. It affectionately rubbed its little head against Wu Qinghuan's pink cheek, emitting soft meows, seemingly trying to soothe her anxious heart in this unique way.
Wu Qinghuan was clearly stunned by this sudden scene and was momentarily at a loss for words. After a while, she came to her senses, reached out and gently stroked Niannian's little head, and said with a smile, "I will definitely take good care of Niannian, so you can go without worry."
Xu Nian gazed deeply at Wu Qinghuan, his eyes filled with affection and reluctance. Then, he resolutely turned around, his toes lightly touching the ground, and like a golden lightning bolt, he sped off towards the market. In the blink of an eye, his figure transformed into a dazzling golden light, swiftly disappearing into the distant horizon.
Wu Qinghuan stood silently, her gaze fixed on the direction Xu Nian had gone, lingering there for a long time. Her heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions: worry, fear, and above all, a fervent hope for Xu Nian's safe return. However, deep down, she firmly believed one thing: Xu Nian would overcome all obstacles and return to her side unharmed. Because in her eyes, Xu Nian had always been invincible and unstoppable.
……
……
……
In that instant, a dazzling golden light flashed, and Xu Nian's figure vanished from his spot like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he was already a hundred miles away from his original location.
At this moment, the mysterious sensation emanating from the seventh layer of Dao essence was like countless twinkling stars in the night sky, clearly and accurately guiding Xu Nian's path and direction. Following this wondrous sensation northward, he could see a bustling market town. Without a doubt, this was the place where the seventh layer of Dao essence was hidden.
"Meow..." Nian Nian, who had been quietly perched on Xu Nian's shoulder, suddenly let out a soft meow. Its beautiful pupils, as if cast in gold, were fixed intently on the northern direction. With its innate keen intuition, Nian Nian could clearly sense that in that seemingly ordinary market, an extremely powerful and chilling force was constantly fluctuating.
As Xu Nian traversed the towering, majestic mountain range before him, he suddenly sensed an unusual and violent aura. Looking around, he saw that the once upright trees were now swaying violently, as if being forcefully pushed by an invisible hand. At the same time, a howling wind swept through, whipping up clouds of dust and gravel, making the entire scene chaotic and disorderly.
"Roar!" With a deafening roar that shook the heavens and earth, a gigantic, berserk demonic bear charged out from the depths of the dense forest. This demonic bear had blood-red eyes, and its entire body emanated a terrifying demonic aura that sent chills down one's spine. Its gaping maw revealed fangs that gleamed coldly, inspiring fear in anyone who beheld it.
However, facing such a ferocious opponent, Xu Nian remained unfazed, merely letting out a cold snort: "Hmph! A mere beast dares to block my path? It's utterly overestimating itself!" Before his words even finished, another dazzling golden light flashed, and the next moment, Xu Nian appeared abruptly in front of the berserk demonic bear as if by teleportation. Immediately afterward, he unhesitatingly swung his fist, fiercely striking his opponent.
With a deafening bang, the berserk demon bear, its massive, mountain-like body flying backward at incredible speed like a giant cannonball, crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Boom!" With this earth-shattering roar, the ground trembled violently as if a magnitude 10 earthquake had struck, and dust billowed into the sky, blotting out the sun. The enormous, furious, berserk demonic bear was struggling painfully to its feet. However, the immense power contained in Xu Nian's thunderous punch had deeply shattered its internal organs. It let out a final, mournful roar filled with resentment and rage before collapsing to the ground, utterly lifeless.
Xu Nian watched the scene before him expressionlessly, his feet never stopping as he continued striding forward. He hadn't gone far when he encountered several more waves of ferocious beasts, also in a berserk state. Among them were giant pythons as large as small hills, majestic tigers with sharp fangs, and even birds of prey capable of soaring through the sky.
However, no matter how terrifying these demonic beasts appeared, they were utterly powerless against Xu Nian. Xu Nian simply threw a single, effortless punch, instantly killing these terrifying beings that would normally strike fear into the hearts of ordinary people. To him, these so-called terrifying demonic beasts were no different from insignificant ants.
Just as Xu Nian was advancing with unstoppable momentum, suddenly, the sound of fierce fighting reached his ears from not far away. Immediately afterward, a furious roar rang out: "Stop!" Xu Nian's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked in the direction from which the sound came.
In the open space not far away, a group of disciples dressed in uniform Xuan Yun Sect attire were surrounded. Surrounding them and launching a fierce attack were a group of black-clad men exuding a chilling aura and known for their ruthless and merciless attacks. Clearly, the Xuan Yun Sect disciples were completely outmatched in this battle, struggling to hold on while constantly retreating.
Among the disciples was an elderly man, his health failing, who was desperately protecting those behind him. Despite being covered in wounds, he fought bravely against the enemy without flinching. Just then, a young disciple stepped forward, resolutely standing in front of the old man and shouting, "Elder, you must run away! We'll hold them off here!"
"This is utter nonsense! How could I abandon you all!" The old man roared, his hair standing on end in fury. At the same time, the longsword he gripped danced with lightning speed, forming an impenetrable defensive line in a blur, attempting to repel the relentless attacks from the men in black. However, despite the old man's best efforts, his strength was ultimately limited. As time passed, his stamina waned, and his defenses began to crumble.
At this critical moment, a dazzling golden light suddenly pierced the sky, instantly illuminating the entire battlefield. In the blink of an eye, the old man appeared like a ghost before the group of men in black. "Xuanyun Sect?" Accompanied by a deep and authoritative question, a figure could be vaguely seen within the golden light.
"Who goes there?! How dare you ruin our plans!" The men in black were startled by the sudden turn of events and screamed in alarm. But before they could react, a chilling voice rang out: "The one who will kill you." The speaker was Xu Nian, his tone devoid of any emotion, as if these men in black were nothing more than ants in his eyes.
The words had barely left his lips when the golden light suddenly burst forth, so dazzling it was impossible to look directly at it. Immediately afterward, a piercing scream echoed through the sky, but in an instant, all sound ceased. When the light faded, everyone looked closely and saw that the group of men in black, who had been so menacing just moments before, had vanished without a trace, leaving only a pile of black ashes drifting in the wind.
The scene unfolding before their eyes was so shocking that the elders and disciples of the Xuan Yun Sect were all dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes. They had never witnessed such terrifying and unparalleled power before. For a moment, everyone stood frozen in place, as if petrified.
The old man was the first to come to his senses. He composed himself, hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Xu Nian, and said with tears of gratitude, "Thank you so much for saving us, senior. Our Xuan Yun Sect will never forget your great kindness!"
In response to the old man's thanks, Xu Nian simply waved his hand and replied casually, "It's nothing, not worth mentioning."
Seeing Xu Nian's calm attitude, the old man felt even more awe and cautiously asked again, "May I ask your honorable name, senior? If there is an opportunity in the future, my Xuanyun Sect will definitely pay a visit to express our gratitude."
Xu Nian hesitated for a moment, then slowly uttered two words: "Xu Nian".
Upon hearing the name, the old man trembled and muttered to himself, "Xu Nian..." His eyes revealed undisguised shock, clearly indicating that he was familiar with the name and had likely heard some rumors about him.
"Senior, are you Xu Nian, who once single-handedly killed two of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect's protectors?" A disciple who looked quite young suddenly exclaimed in astonishment.
The man standing before them nodded slightly and replied softly, "It is I." Those two simple words seemed to possess boundless power, leaving everyone present in awe.
"What?! It really is you!" Upon hearing the confirmation, the disciples of Xuan Yun Sect could no longer contain their excitement and cheered. They never imagined that they would one day be able to witness this legendary figure—Xu Nian!
At this moment, the elderly man who had been leading the group quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Xu Nian, and said again, "Thank you so much for saving us, senior. If you hadn't arrived in time, we would probably be dead today. We will never forget this kindness and will definitely repay it in the future!" As he spoke, the old man's eyes were already moist, and his eyes were filled not only with deep respect for Xu Nian, but also with indescribable gratitude.
However, faced with such sincere thanks, Xu Nian simply waved his hand casually and smiled indifferently, saying, "It's nothing, not worth mentioning. You all don't need to be so polite." Then, he changed the subject and asked, "However, I wonder why you all have encountered such a calamity, being chased all the way here by this group of men in black?"
Upon hearing this, the old man hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Senior, we were sent by our sect to attend an auction in the market. Who would have thought that a group of men in black would suddenly appear halfway there and attack us without saying a word? If it weren't for your righteous help, senior, the consequences would have been unimaginable!" After saying this, the old man couldn't help but sigh, his face showing lingering fear.
Upon hearing the words "marketplace," Xu Nian's heart skipped a beat. It turned out that, as far as he knew, the legendary seventh level of Dao essence was hidden within this marketplace. It seemed this journey was destined to be fraught with difficulties, and many unexpected challenges awaited him...