NovelYeni Chapter 154: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 154: The Calm Before the Storm
Listening to the melodious exchange between Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing as they discussed the strange behavior of the demonic beasts, Jiang Chen kept his thoughts to himself. He sat quietly, a picture of calm as their jade flute artifact sailed through the sky. Inside, however, his mind was a whirlpool of silent contemplation.
With Fang Yuan, the newly chosen Son of Heavenly Fate, now in play, it was clear that the upcoming grand hunt, a recurring event organized by the leaders of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, would not follow its usual pattern.
To Jiang Chen, this wasn’t just any hunt; it was a pivotal moment, a deliberately crafted stage set for the protagonist to rise in power, impressing everyone effortlessly and, without knowing it, setting the stage for deeper, more crucial events to unfold. Perhaps, this grand hunt was destined to start soon after the competition for the prestigious title of Holy Son.
Something puzzled Jiang Chen, though. His twenty-day journey with Ji Ruxue had gone unusually smoothly. There had been no challenges or incidents worth noting.
Was it possible that this training trip with Ji Ruxue would end without any significant issues? Had he misread the situation? Could this smooth journey just be a subtle prelude, setting the stage for the much-anticipated grand hunt, perhaps starting sooner than expected?
Yet, given the reported rise in demonic beast activities in other parts of the Holy Land, wasn’t this increase in threats reason enough to trigger the grand hunt?
As these questions about their unusually trouble-free journey swirled through his mind, Jiang Chen couldn’t shake off a sense of foreboding, his brow furrowing as he pondered, ’What’s really going on here?’
Suddenly, his contemplation and the tranquil surroundings were shattered by a massive explosion—a deafening boom that ripped through the silence ahead. The ground trembled violently, and a network of spiderweb-like cracks spread instantaneously across the Red Maple Heavenly Valley.
What truly captivated the trio, however, was the spectacle that followed. A monstrous, red-hued beam of energy erupted from the earth, shooting skyward, slicing through layers of clouds, and scattering them in concentric rings of chaos. The air thrummed with terrifying shockwaves, spawning fierce whirlwinds.
The valley’s red leaves were whipped into a frenzied storm, swirling like countless butterflies caught in a tempest.
"What the hell!" Jiang Chen blurted out, bringing the jade flute flying artifact to a sharp stop with just a thought. His eyes narrowed, intensely focused on the ominous red beam that seared the sky.@@@@
’Could this be the trial that Heavenly Fate has prepared for the heroine?’ he wondered silently. ’But this level of difficulty seems over the top. If Ji Ruxue were to face this challenge with only her and Xie Xiaojing’s strength, they might survive, but they’d surely come out badly hurt.’ Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced as he assessed the massive energy eruption, feeling a shiver of instinctive dread.
At the same time, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing’s eyes were also fixed on the radiant red beam cutting through the sky, their faces marked by astonishment.
"What in the heavens is that?!" Xie Xiaojing gasped, her voice filled with alarm and disbelief.
Xie Xiaojing’s face drained of color as the apex predator, a monarch among demonic beasts, bore down on them with the force of a natural disaster. Her voice spiked with alarm, "This is bad! It’s an Inquiring Journey realm demonic beast, the Mysterious Blue Sky Tiger! We need to get out of here—now!"
Ji Ruxue, gripped by the urgency of the moment, echoed her sworn sister’s fear. "Jiang Chen, we have to escape!" she said, quickly pulling out a red sphere from her storage ring. The sphere, marked with intricate black patterns, gleamed ominously.
Jiang Chen, maintaining his composure, extended his divine sense towards the crimson artifact. He immediately sensed an exceedingly volatile aura of the Inquiring Journey realm radiating from it. This was clearly a self-destruct artifact, a last-resort measure left by Ji Mingxiu for his daughter Ji Ruxue to use in the most dire of circumstances.
As he assessed the situation, Jiang Chen began to understand the likely progression of events. In the original plot, Ji Ruxue would have attempted to use this artifact to facilitate their escape. However, things were not meant to go smoothly—after all, escaping unscathed wouldn’t serve the narrative of the Son of Heavenly Fate in any way.
While Jiang Chen couldn’t predict exactly how the aftermath would link Fang Yuan and Ji Ruxue, he was certain that he, cast as the villain, would suffer severe injuries and bear the blame for failing to protect the Holy Maiden.
This scenario would tarnish his reputation as the direct disciple of the Holy Lord and jeopardize his position in the contest for the title of Holy Son, setting the stage for the protagonist, Fang Yuan, to step in and seize the title.
’Well, it seems this is what Heavenly Fate has in store for me, playing the villain,’ Jiang Chen thought grimly. Yet a subtle smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of confident defiance. ’Fortunately, I’m not your typical villain. With my System, I can change my fate.’
Indeed, from the moment Jiang Chen’s path crossed with that of Fang Yuan, the protagonist, he had deliberately deviated from the expected storyline—his cultivation base had escalated directly to the Inquiring Journey realm.
In the world of cultivation, strength is fundamental; it forms the foundation upon which all strategies are constructed. While tactics are essential, they are ultimately secondary to the raw power one wields.
As the situation escalated to its climax, Jiang Chen realized there was no more time for contemplation—it was now or never for decisive action. Stepping off the jade flute flying artifact, he cast a reassuring glance at the visibly shaken Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing. With a calm smile, he assured them, "Go ahead, both of you.
I’ll hold them off!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than he channeled a powerful surge of his Dao Origin Power into the jade flute, pushing it to its limits. The flying artifact responded instantly, shooting away with astonishing speed.
"No! Senior Brother Jiang Chen!" Xie Xiaojing cried out, her voice cracked with worry.
"Jiang Chen, what are you doing?" Ji Ruxue added in disbelief, her tone heavy, "That’s an Inquiring Journey realm demonic beast!"
Their anxious cries hung in the air, full of distress, but were quickly swept away as the artifact accelerated, carrying them into the distance.
Back at the heart of the conflict, now alone, Jiang Chen’s demeanor shifted from protective to combative. He firmly gripped the hilt of his Shadowblade Sword, assuming a solid, ready stance. His eyes, calm and unflinching, surveyed the oncoming wave of demonic beasts charging from both sky and ground, their deafening roars creating a terrifying symphony in the Red Maple Heavenly Valley.