Chapter 139: This Young Master Vents

Chapter 139: This Young Master Vents

First came silver light. Then came a mouth full of sickly sweet, bitter death. Chen Haoran unconsciously inhaled, and his lungs were filled with stinging air. As soon as he started to feel the burn, his qi adjusted, and the feeling vanished. The burning did not go away; however, instead of poison, it was adrenaline that now set his lungs aflame. Chen Haorans hands flew to his empty back, and he whirled around to find Phelps fallen on the ground behind him. A single panicked thought called an antidote pill to his hand, and Chen Haoran fell to his knees, trying to feed the pill to Phelps.

It was in vain.

Phelps was perfectly fine.

Through his sense, he could feel the shifting of poisonous air as Phelps breathed. Just before it entered his body, the air met a film of his qi serving as a filter; the heavy poisonous elements were lightened and separated from the air before he breathed it in. It was an intricate working of Phelps floating power that required a deft and deeply ingrained control of qi to have it constantly operate.

Phelps blinked hazy eyes at Chen Haoran and haphazardly swung a claw. Chen Haoran allowed the blow to hit him to no effect and stuffed the antidote pill into Phelpss mouth. He saw the problem in an instant, as instinctual Phelps reaction to filter out the poisonous air was he still breathed in some of the poison. Honestly, that made his feat all the more impressive. Chen Haoran knew he was talented, but this was a bit ridiculous. Had he always been like this? Were it not that he was so focused on Phelps with his sense, he might not have even noticed what he was doing.

Clarity returned to Phelpss eyes as the antidote did its work, and with it came recognition. An aborted squeal became a raspy cough, black gunk being spat out with every heave, the remains of the poison after being neutralized. Chen Haoran flipped him over and patted his back, softly encouraging Phelps and, at the same time, finally observing their surroundings.

They were surrounded by trees, similar to the jungle outside but more wretched in appearance. Their bark was dark, and their trunks twisted, their branches grasping claws festooned with sickly green leaves with dropping pointed ends like a canopy of knives hung overhead. There was no underbrush or plant life growing beneath these trees. Theirs was a choking shade, not a shield, and the ground was rough and broken through with large roots that seemed to want to strangle each other to death with how inter wrapped they were. The air was thick and unpleasant with a subtle green tinge. It was heavy to breathe and opaque enough at a distance to make even his Liquid Meridian vision little better than a normal mans. However, the poisonous air was remarkably less deadly than hed thought for a place that presumably drew energy from the Green Hell.

Chen Haoran had scoured the area for danger with his sense and found none, which was why he was able to focus on attending to Phelps. Actually, setting eyes on the place, however, instilled a creeping sense of dread in his heart. No matter how much his sense told him there was nothing threatening around them, the jungle did not inspire any sort of safety.

His observing the area also made another thing clear.

Xie Jin and Bao Si were gone.

Despite being right next to him when the silver light bloomed, they were now nowhere to be seen. Was Phelps here then because he was clinging to Chen Haoran? Would Xie Jin and Bao Si be here with him if he had been faster? If he had been at a higher Layer? There were other possible answers. Perhaps Phelps didnt count towards whatever criteria the silver light used to teleport them. Despite other potential answers, however, there was always an inexorable attraction to the one that made everything your own fault.

Phelps hacked up one final wad of black gunk and squeaked at him with a scratchy voice. Chen Haoran picked Phelps up and wiped his mouth of black residue. Not gonna lie, buddy, this place reminds me of the Spa Cavern in all the worst ways.

Unexpected entrance into a mysterious secret realm? Check.

Hostile environment? Check.

Visibility shot to hell? Check.

Being used to mysterious ends by local power? Well, that remained to be seen.

Pan Gong had confidently told him the trial entrance would be a gate theyd take turns walking into, not a teleport. He didnt think it was a lie. At least, there was no reason for Pan Gong to lie to him. He didnt think this was some plan by the Garrison to exploit them either. Or rather, the Garrison was definitely planning to exploit them. They just didnt need to be sneaky about it. The Crystal Transformation Shaman certainly wasnt when he press-ganged Chen Haoran into service.

Chen Haoran slapped his cheeks. Save the reasoning for later. Find Xie Jin and Bao Si first. He pulled Phelps onto his back. The sloth wrapped his arms around his neck and finally found his voice again, squealing loudly directly into Chen Haorans ear. Fortunately, qi was the best protection against tinnitus. Chen Haoran scratched Phelpss chin. Lets hope we can find them soon, buddy.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

Chen Haoran took a moment to amend his previous statement. To find someone soon would necessarily require one to know an approximation of time with which they could compare the word soon against to judge whether or not someone was, in fact, found soon. To have such an approximation of time, however, required one to have a means of telling the time. Means that Chen Haoran was sorely lacking when the secret realm had no sun, moon, or stars in its sky and instead was just naturally bright from light that emitted from who knew where.

Lacking the ability to tell the passing of time wasnt the only thing that hampered his search. The environment proved itself to be in no way helpful at best and downright lethal at worst. It wasnt even the air. His creeping sense of danger was proven valid when he accidentally stepped on a tree root and snapped it, causing the suspiciously knife-like leaves to fall atop his head like actual knives. Their serrated edges were proven to not be for show when they acted more like a living poisonous trap than an actual place of rest. As if to add a final topping to his crummy cake, his compass didnt work either.

Yellow Dragon.

Chen Haorans silent call received an answering roar, and he surrendered control of his liquid qi. Divorced from his guiding his hand, the liquid qi condensed and narrowed into a wedge. The Yellow Dragon roared, and the wall of orange qi was wrenched open. Li Mou was revealed with a look of triumph, his sword glowing bright with flames.

Die! he roared. As he swung his sword, he slammed his qi into Chen Haorans own with brutal force. Li Mous burning sword cut through his yellow qi like butter and swung toward his neck.

Blossom-Picking Palm

The reversal was instant. Yellow qi fell back onto itself, absorbing the force of Li Mous sword and diverting it ever so slightly that the flames barely grazed Chen Haoran. In the same instant, Chen Haoran stepped forward with green palms. Twenty-five hits. One to break the wrist of Li Mous sword arm, the other twenty-four to break every single rib.

Li Mous sword flew off into the distance, and he was flung into a wall with a ghastly expelling of the air in his lungs. To his credit, he immediately rose to stand, but Chen Haoran was there in the next moment, grasping his head in his hand and smashing the back of his skull into the pyramids stone bricks until they were red with blood. Li Mou still strained against his grip despite that, orange qi bubbling along his skin. Liquid qi spilled from Chen Haorans palm and rippled with a dragons roar. Li Mous qi scattered. He groaned as blood rushed from his eyes, nose, and ears. His broken chest bulged up and down in unnatural waves, and he coughed out a river of blood and bits of flesh.

Dont, Li Mou croaked. His bloodshot eyes were wild with fear. I am a son of the Li Family. If you kill me, youll be hunted down by the Garrison forever.

Did the Garrison know everyone would be teleported? Chen Haoran coldly demanded. His voice boomed, backed by the echo of a dragons roar that trailed after every word.

Li Mou shiveredeven the echo wracking him with pain. I dont know. I dont know.

Chen Haoran squeezed, and his fingers dug into Li Mous head.

Stop, stop! Li Mou begged. We didnt expect this to happen. This wasnt in our briefing.

Where are we now?

A Trial Pyramid. Li Mou practically breathed out every word in short, panicked spurts. As long as you defeat another trialist or wait long enough, then the prohibitions inside will open, and you can receive a reward.

Chen Haoran remained stone-faced. What else do you know?

I dont know anything else. I swear. I havent been able to contact any of my co-officers.

Chen Haoran stared at the hand holding Li Mous head. The Crystal Transformation Realm Shaman outside. Whats his name?

Even in the situation he was in, the question was enough to give Li Mou pause. Are you talking about Lord Zhang Yong?

Chen Haoran growled. Is that his name?

Yes, yes, hes a shaman with the Gu Department. I dont know why hes here. He just suddenly showed up.

I see, Chen Haoran said. His voice was abruptly empty of emotion and dragon echo. Remember that name.

He crushed Li Mous skull.