CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 22: FAREWELL, ZHUO TINGQIU

EDITOR: DRAGON BOAT TRANSLATION

Zhuo Tingqiu’s situation at this moment was indeed not very good. Ever since he parted ways with Gu Qingqing last time, he had been eager to get to know Gu Qingqing and Si Lin. To his surprise, they left the next day. He used some means to learn from the City Lord Mansion that Si Lin’s sect would occasionally help Qingfeng City handle things they couldn’t deal with. So he thought of staying longer in Qingfeng City.

His cultivation had broken through not long ago, and afterwards, he thought of training himself in the Ten Thousand Miles Mountains, so that next time he met Gu Qingqing, he could show off his cultivation.

The days before had been relatively smooth, and because of this, he became a bit arrogant, unconsciously leading people deeper into the Ten Thousand Miles Mountains. As a result, he was unlucky and encountered a Fiery Flame Leopard at the peak of the fifth stage, which was in a rage because its cub had been stolen!

This placed everyone in a tough battle.

When Gu Qingqing saw him, he had already been fighting the Fiery Flame Leopard for a day. The Fiery Flame Leopard seemed convinced they had stolen its cub, remaining in a state of rage. Everyone in their group was injured. The most frightening part was that the commotion from their fight had alarmed some other demon beasts, which were now eyeing them covetously!

Zhuo Tingqiu was only ten years old. Although his previous experiences had matured him a lot, facing the threat of death again, he couldn’t remain calm. Though he gritted his teeth and held on, the fear and despair in his eyes couldn’t be disguised.

"Young Master, in a moment we will hold off the Fiery Flame Leopard, you take the opportunity to use the Teleportation Talisman to get out of here, you must escape this time!" a guard wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes fixed on the Fiery Flame Leopard, but his words were directed at Zhuo Tingqiu.

Zhuo Tingqiu had a Teleportation Talisman in his hands, but only one, given how precious such items were. He had brought only one with him this time. The guards had previously suggested he use it to leave first, but he refused. This time, he refused again.

"No, I will never abandon you!" Zhuo Tingqiu gritted his teeth, wiped away the tears about to fall, and said firmly.

The guards, though moved, were also somewhat angered. They had been trained by the Zhuo Family from a young age, and in their hearts, Zhuo Tingqiu’s safety was paramount. Now that they were in danger, they naturally prioritized ensuring Zhuo Tingqiu’s safety. The Fiery Flame Leopard was clearly on the verge of madness. If they didn’t let Zhuo Tingqiu leave quickly, they feared he would die here today!

Just as the Fiery Flame Leopard knocked away the guards attacking it and charged towards Zhuo Tingqiu, a ball of flame blocked its path, bringing joy and surprise to Zhuo Tingqiu and his group.

Mu Chen landed on the ground, wielding a Red Flame Spear, with Gu Qingqing and Jun Wu following closely.

Seeing Gu Qingqing’s figure, Zhuo Tingqiu’s expression was complicated, with surprise, joy, and shyness.

But ultimately, his joy at seeing Gu Qingqing again overwhelmed all else. He suddenly burst into astonishing speed, rushed in front of Gu Qingqing, and hugged her tightly.

Before Gu Qingqing could react, Zhuo Tingqiu was thrown aside by Jun Wu, who was beside her.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Jun Wu glared at Zhuo Tingqiu on the ground, asking coldly.

Zhuo Tingqiu was a bit dazed from the fall, completely unable to comprehend what had happened. Seeing Jun Wu’s expressionless face, he shivered, suddenly coming to his senses and realizing what he had done, his dirty face instantly flushed red, even his neck turning red.

He stood up from the ground, dusted off his clothes, and quickly explained to Gu Qingqing, "I was a bit too forward just now. I was just a bit too excited. I don’t know if you remember me, but last time in Qingfeng City, you and your senior brother rescued me. I was just very excited to see you—"

The more anxious Zhuo Tingqiu became, the less clearly he could speak, and Jun Wu’s face grew darker. Fortunately, Gu Qingqing understood his meaning.

She blinked and stopped Jun Wu from hitting Zhuo Tingqiu again, gesturing with her hands.

[I remember this little brother. He probably didn’t do it on purpose.]

Jun Wu could now understand Gu Qingqing’s gestures. Knowing that Gu Qingqing recognized Zhuo Tingqiu, his expression softened slightly, but only a little. He was still somewhat upset about Zhuo Tingqiu hugging Gu Qingqing earlier and looked at Zhuo Tingqiu with unfriendly eyes.

Zhuo Tingqiu didn’t quite understand Gu Qingqing’s gestures, but he was clever. Seeing Jun Wu’s expression, he realized that Gu Qingqing probably still remembered him, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Roar!"

Just as Zhuo Tingqiu was about to reminisce with Gu Qingqing, the Fiery Flame Leopard roared angrily from the side, startling him. Remembering the formidable Fiery Flame Leopard, he was about to pull Gu Qingqing to leave, but when his gaze fell on the Fiery Flame Leopard, he was stunned again.

"This..." At this moment, Zhuo Tingqiu was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

The once formidable Fiery Flame Leopard, which had easily overwhelmed Zhuo Tingqiu and his group, was now no match for Mu Chen. Mu Chen, wielding the Red Flame Spear, left the Fiery Flame Leopard with no room to retaliate.

The guards accompanying Zhuo Tingqiu were also astonished to see Mu Chen single-handedly suppress the Fiery Flame Leopard. The Fiery Flame Leopard was an existence at the peak of the fifth stage, yet it was being beaten so easily.

Of course, this wasn’t to say that no one could defeat the Fiery Flame Leopard, as there were indeed many experts at the peak of the sixth stage on the continent. However, those experts were usually quite old, while Mu Chen appeared so young yet was so powerful, which was what truly shocked them.

Just as Mu Chen was about to end the fight, the Fiery Flame Leopard suddenly let out an angry roar. Its body inflated like a balloon, its eyes full of hatred staring at Mu Chen.

"No good, it’s about to self-destruct!" Mu Chen’s face changed, and just as he was about to act, he heard a "boom" — the Fiery Flame Leopard’s body exploded.

Centered on the Fiery Flame Leopard’s body, the surrounding area was devastated as if a typhoon had passed through. Zhuo Tingqiu’s guards, already injured, were hit by the aftermath of the explosion and fainted one by one. Zhuo Tingqiu also spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his chest and kneeling on one knee.

In the crucial moment, Jun Wu took out the Array Plate he had earlier, protecting both him and Gu Qingqing from harm.

Mu Chen, in a moment of crisis, summoned a sea of fire to shield himself, sustaining only minor injuries. He instinctively looked towards Gu Qingqing’s direction, and upon seeing her protected by Jun Wu, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just when everyone thought the danger had passed, a black vortex suddenly appeared where the Fiery Flame Leopard had self-destructed, swallowing them all before they could react.