Chapter 587
**Chapter 430: Though Distant, They Must Be Punished; Loyal and Dutiful**
"To think that the merchant ships of Jiu Shan Sect are all made of external alchemical artifacts!"
At this point, she couldn't help but glance at Zheng Fa, admiration shining in her eyes. "Could it be that you anticipated this, Senior Brother?"
Well, he had anticipated it, but to be honest, without your intelligence, it wouldn't have been so perfect!
"Now, our Golden Core brothers in the sect don’t even dare to descend the mountain..."
Ye Shimei continued, looking at Zheng Fa with a hesitant expression. "So, what should we do…?"
"Follow me down the mountain."
(End of this chapter)
Zheng Fa flew down the mountain with his little junior sister in tow.
Ye Shimei watched Zheng Fa's back as he soared ahead, biting her lip, torn between words.
"Fourth Senior Brother... are we really going?"
Zheng Fa didn’t turn back.
Ye Shimei gritted her teeth in silence, feeling a mix of indignation and understanding. She knew her relationship with this Fourth Senior Brother was merely average; he was not intentionally ignoring her, just naturally reserved.
After a moment, she finally heard him speak:
"If you're scared, you can go back."
At his words, Ye Shimei hesitated.
More than a dozen Golden Core brothers had perished at the hands of Jiu Shan Sect, and now, whenever the matter was mentioned in Chong Xuan Sect, everyone fell silent, fear gripping their hearts.
The bounty from Haori Mountain was tempting, but one needed to be alive to claim it, right?
Following Li Hao down the mountain, how could she not feel anxious?
Yet, she had an inexplicable three parts confidence in this Fourth Senior Brother—
She had extensive connections within the sect, and she had gathered all the information about Li Hao's recent activities on the mountain.
Others might not know, but she understood:
Li Hao had not only caught the attention of their master but had even been to the peak of Shen Huo Mountain and met the Transformation God!
Now, every disciple of Chong Xuan Sect felt their lives were hanging by a thread.
Only this usually low-key Fourth Senior Brother seemed to hold a glimmer of hope.
Otherwise, why would she be trying to curry favor?
This Senior Brother knew that so many Golden Core disciples had died under that Shen Xiao battleship, yet he still dared to descend the mountain. He must have some confidence, right?
Perhaps he harbored some hidden strategies?
With that thought, Ye Shimei steeled her resolve. "Senior Brother, if you go, I’ll go with you!"
Zheng Fa turned to glance at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
His friendship with Ye Shimei was partly to gather information about the movements of Chong Xuan Sect, to avoid the disciples of Jiu Shan Sect falling into traps.
And partly...
To bear witness!
...
"Senior Brother... I... I want to go back!"
Ye Shimei looked up at the cluster of Shen Xiao battleships in the sky, her voice trembling with emotion.
She never expected that this Senior Brother had no strategy at all.
This Senior Brother was truly fearless!
Ahead of them was a storage warehouse in the market, where the Shen Xiao battleships were likely unloading their cargo. Unexpectedly, two uninvited guests had arrived.
Zheng Fa stood firm, the spiritual energy of the "Feng Tian Da Fa" swirling around him like flames, causing the air to crackle and boil.
His fierce demeanor drew the attention of over thirty Shen Xiao battleships, their prows aimed directly at the two of them, the purple-blue external alchemical artifacts lighting up.
Ye Shimei stood behind Zheng Fa, swallowing hard.
These external artifacts had claimed the lives of more than ten Golden Core cultivators from their sect!
Among the disciples of Chong Xuan, who didn’t harbor trepidation when discussing these strange flying ships?
Yet here was her Fourth Senior Brother, standing alone, blocking over thirty battleships!
Han Qi stood at the bow of one ship, watching Zheng Fa with a gulp.
Master... please take it easy!
...
Zheng Fa's internal "Zao Hua Yu Tu" transformed into the most common type of personal magical treasure in Chong Xuan Sect—the Xuan Huo Jian.
The Xuan Huo Jian emerged from his dantian, floating behind his head, golden flames swirling around him, making Zheng Fa appear as if he were a fire god descending to the mortal realm.
Ye Shimei took three steps back, staring in shock at this once unfamiliar Fourth Senior Brother.
She finally understood why their master had said this Fourth Senior Brother had the potential for Nascent Soul.
She herself was a Golden Core cultivator, but when this Fourth Senior Brother unleashed his power, she felt unworthy to stand beside him!
Zheng Fa maintained his silent persona, not speaking, but with his body enveloped in golden flames, he soared into the sky, charging toward the fleet of battleships!
Han Qi waved his hand, and thirty Shen Xiao external artifacts roared, unleashing heavenly thunder like a net, descending upon Zheng Fa.
Ye Shimei watched this scene, her breath catching for a moment.
A wave of worry surged within her...
No matter how powerful the Fourth Senior Brother was, he was still just a Golden Core cultivator.
Could he withstand such a thunderous onslaught?
But Zheng Fa didn’t dodge; he met the storm of lightning head-on with his bare body.
His Chong Xuan uniform tore apart, revealing a strong physique.
In Ye Shimei's eyes, this Fourth Senior Brother was like a wave crashing through the terrifying tide formed by the lightning, emerging unscathed!
Not only that.
From the Xuan Huo Jian behind him, four fierce fire dragons emerged, surrounding a Shen Xiao battleship, beginning to refine it!
The disciples of Jiu Shan aboard the battleship turned pale with fear.
She gaped, watching Zheng Fa's back, as if in a dream.
All Zheng Fa did was tear his own shirt...
He had practiced the "Wu Lei Fa Ti," giving him a resistance to lightning that even Yan Wushuang envied.
Now, with his Dao body and Fusang wood sharing the same root, he was practically at the level of Dao fruit.
These Shen Xiao battleships... even a scratch would feel like a mere tickle to him.
In Ye Shimei's eyes, this scene was a display of Chong Xuan's genius, triumphing over the evil Shen Xiao battleships of Jiu Shan Sect.
In Zheng Fa's eyes...
This scene could almost be translated to:
Zheng Fa: "Where's the cargo?"
Han Qi: "In the storage bags!"
Zheng Fa: "You know the rules!"
Han Qi and Zheng Fa exchanged glances, and suddenly Han Qi shouted:
"This guy is too strong! The sect master has ordered, life is paramount! Abandon the supplies!"
With that, he turned the ship around, leading the other disciples to unleash divine thunder at the four fire dragons, rescuing the trapped Shen Xiao battleship and fleeing without hesitation.
Ye Shimei watched as her Fourth Senior Brother seemed a bit reluctant, taking a couple of steps forward to call out:
"Senior Brother! The warehouse!"
Zheng Fa's face showed some regret, but he glanced at the warehouse below and stopped.
He turned to Ye Shimei and said, "It's a pity we couldn't capture a Shen Xiao battleship to avenge our brothers."
Ye Shimei felt a jolt in her heart at his words and sincerely said, "Senior Brother, your might is such that even these Shen Xiao battleships can't harm you..."
"Just some external artifacts. Ordinary Golden Core cultivators would be afraid..."
He didn’t finish his sentence, but Ye Shimei sensed an innate pride emanating from this Fourth Senior Brother.
...
Watching the Shen Xiao battleships flee, the cultivators in the market looked at Zheng Fa and Ye Shimei with anxious and fearful eyes.
Ye Shimei, facing the crowd's eager gazes, felt a rush of exhilaration.
But Zheng Fa's expression remained calm, as if he took no pride in his achievements.
Ye Shimei's expression faltered, feeling that this Senior Brother was even more unfathomable than she had thought.
Zheng Fa looked at the storage room filled to the brim with spiritual artifacts and pills and said:
"Help me take this to the Tong Shi Cave for exchange."
Ye Shimei had no reason to refuse and quickly replied, "Of course!"
...
Ye Shimei, carrying the looted goods, strode confidently into the Tong Shi Cave.
Inside, the Golden Core disciple in charge had changed— the previous one had been killed by the Shen Xiao battleship of Jiu Shan Sect.
This new one was from the Transformation God elder lineage, and he had always been at odds with Ye Shimei and the other original Golden Core disciples of Chong Xuan. Seeing her expression now, he coldly remarked, "More than a dozen brothers have died in the sect, yet you seem quite pleased."
Ye Shimei knew his sorrow over the death of their fellow disciples was feigned, but his intent to make things difficult for her was genuine.
But that remark was truly heartless.
The other disciples in the cave looked at her with a mix of anger.
"Pleased?" Ye Shimei slammed her hand on the stone table in front of the disciple, raising her voice, "You all cry day and night, can that bring any threat to Jiu Shan Sect?"
The disciple was taken aback, then sneered, "And you can?"
"I can't, but my Fourth Senior Brother Li Hao can!"
With that, she waved her hand, and a storage bag the size of a small mountain piled up in front of everyone.
"This..."
"This is the magical artifacts and pills my Senior Brother Li took from Jiu Shan Sect..."
Instantly, the cave fell silent.
Everyone stared at the chaotic pile of storage bags.
The disciple in charge, seemingly in disbelief, opened each storage bag to inspect.
After a full incense stick's worth of time, magical artifacts, pills, and spiritual talismans filled the floor to the ceiling, crammed into half of the Tong Shi Cave.
"These are indeed all from Jiu Shan Sect!"
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