Chapter Seventeen: Reversal

The spiritual energy within Chu Jie surged wildly, so much so that even his breath spilled out in dazzling, multicolored light. He charged forward like a rampaging mammoth, smashing through every wall and barrier in his path. The pursuers behind him clung relentlessly to his heels, but fortunately, the Nine Dragon District was not like the outer city; most inhabitants here were weak and powerless.

Chu Jie raced ahead like a streaking beam of light. The two elders chasing him leapt and pursued relentlessly, while the "Reincarnation Scroll" within Chu Jie’s body operated at full force, making him feel as if his entire being was set ablaze.

“Ah!” Luo Long howled furiously at the sky, rising to his feet and glaring venomously in Luo Huang’s direction.

“Bring Lin Po Hu to me!” Luo Long’s eyes narrowed, murderous intent overflowing.

The leader at Luo Long's side trembled at his rage and replied, “Young master, Lin Po Hu was killed by Chu Jie.”

Luo Long’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing. “Who is Chu Jie?”

The leader pointed at the figure already streaking far ahead. “That’s Chu Jie.”

Luo Long suddenly turned, staring at the rampaging Chu Jie, his fists clenched. “Chu Jie! I’ll grind your bones to dust!” With a decisive glint in his eyes, he drew a tattered little sword from his breast.

Luo Long, heart aching, placed a supreme-grade black crystal atop the sword. The short blade—barely as long as his arm—erupted with radiant light. Luo Long leapt, landing atop the sword.

Locking his spiritual sense onto Chu Jie, Luo Long shot forward like thunder!

A streak of brilliance pierced the heavens, the shrill whistle slicing through the air. Chu Jie glanced back and saw Luo Long streaking after him, riding a battered sword.

“Chu Jie! I’ll kill you!” Luo Long snarled, his face twisted with rage.

Chu Jie said nothing, continuing his wild flight.

“Three years! I prepared for three years! And you snatched the prize from me! I’ll skin you alive!” Luo Long roared in fury.

“Young master, though Chu Jie has consumed the Xuan Heaven Lotus, he cannot digest it within an hour… If you cut him open in that time, the lotus might still be preserved,” an elder below called.

“Uncle Chen, Uncle Wang—attack from both sides! I’ll tear this brat to pieces!” Luo Long growled viciously.

The Nine Dragon District erupted into chaos, dust swirling, but Chu Jie’s body was the Nine Tribulations Physique, fully awakened at the ninth level—its strength astonishing. Just a single stride propelled him far ahead, like a powerful leopard streaking through the district.

Luo Long wielded the Spirit-Breaking Blade, its edge sweeping forth, his boundless fury pouring into the void as he assaulted Chu Jie!

Bang!

Chu Jie was instantly engulfed in a barrage of blade-light. Countless dazzling rays shredded his clothes in a heartbeat, yet only left tiny white marks on his skin.

“Incredible physique!” Luo Long marveled inwardly, but his gaze soon darkened with ferocity. “In the outer district—heaven and earth, I’ll see how you escape the Luo family’s hunt!”

“I’m still alive!” Chu Jie roared, running even faster.

“Damn you!” Luo Long, face twisted with rage, urged his flying sword still faster.

They had left the Nine Dragon District behind. The air reeked with acrid stench, and before Chu Jie stretched an endless cluster of tents. He gritted his teeth and charged in.

But the moment he entered, regret washed over him: this place was full of elderly and children—weak, frail, unable to defend themselves.

It was the exile zone for the elderly and children of the outer districts—the harshest living environment of all.

Seeing Chu Jie burst in, with a horde of wild-eyed cultivators behind him, the elderly and children scrambled back into their tents, afraid to show themselves.

“Chu Jie, die!” Luo Long shouted, his blade shimmering in his palm as he hovered in midair, his sword radiating faint light beneath his feet.

Roar!

A dragon formed of blade energy blasted forth. Chu Jie dodged its sweep, and three tents below were obliterated in an instant.

Glancing sideways, Chu Jie saw several elders reduced to ashes by Luo Long’s blade energy. Sorrow flickered in his eyes. Behind him, another dragon of blade-light tore through the air, roaring toward him.

This time, Chu Jie didn’t dodge. Spiritual energy thickened around him, and he let the blade energy strike his back.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Blades rained down like a sudden storm, smashing Chu Jie and bending his back, shredding his upper garment. Though his Nine Tribulations Physique protected him, his back was still scored with wounds—superficial, but bleeding nonetheless.

“Hmph! Didn’t expect you to be so merciful!” Luo Long raised a brow, slashing at Chu Jie once more.

Chu Jie scanned the area, then bent his legs and raced toward the sparsest patch of tents.

The group surged forward in pursuit. The exile zone was small; after only a few breaths, Chu Jie had crossed it.

Bang!

Blade energy crashed from the sky, tearing the void and carving a massive trench in the earth. The soil rolled back—had Chu Jie not dodged in time, he would have been badly wounded.

Hovering midair, Luo Long’s eyes flashed. “Drive Chu Jie into the Luo family’s spiritual medicine zone! Then catch him like a rat in a trap!”

The elders beside Luo Long nodded, subtly herding Chu Jie.

Chu Jie noticed the thinning crowd ahead, until he finally entered a medicine garden.

The garden was encircled by a spiritual array, shimmering with enchanting light.

The moment Chu Jie rushed in, he realized he was trapped. The garden spanned dozens of miles; normally no one dared trespass, and the array rarely activated. Had Chu Jie not blundered in, it wouldn’t have activated now.

“Hahaha! Chu Jie, let’s see where you run now!” Luo Long entered the array, holding the Luo family’s token, his face twisted in a sinister grin.

The guards of the medicine zone relaxed when they saw Luo Long arrive. “Young master, this—”

Luo Long waved them away. “Leave us.” The servants withdrew.

Seeing Luo Long advancing, Chu Jie, though cornered, bit his lip and bolted to the side.

The array’s light formed a wall of spiritual energy. Chu Jie squinted, then punched it hard.

Boom!

A muffled thud echoed—the wall remained unmoved, nearly breaking Chu Jie’s arm.

“Hmph! Not even you, nor a peak Spirit Gathering cultivator, could shatter this array!” Luo Long laughed skyward.

Chu Jie glanced around. Indeed, the medicine zone was full of Spirit-Gathering Grass, and precious herbs dotted the ground. The Luo family clearly cared for this place.

Luo Long’s face twisted into a wicked smile. “Now you can’t escape! I’ll make you taste every torment!”

He didn’t rush forward, knowing a cornered beast fights hardest. Besides, Luo Long wanted to toy with Chu Jie, to vent his overwhelming hatred.

He had prepared the Xuan Heaven Lotus for three years! Three years! Victory was assured, yet Chu Jie snatched it away.

Seeing the murderous intent in Luo Long’s eyes, Chu Jie retreated desperately, sprinting as far as he could. Every moment bought was precious.

Yet his gaze never left Luo Long—if he must die, he would take Luo Long with him.

The medicine zone spanned dozens of miles, but Chu Jie soon reached its center.

Here, at the heart of the array, floated a crystal the size of a person, radiating spiritual energy and powering the formation.

Chu Jie saw a lifeline—he raised his fist and struck it fiercely.

Bang!

The crystal trembled, ripples exploding outward, shaking the ground for ten meters around Chu Jie.

“Hmph! Even the Luo family elders would need more than an hour to break that crystal! You, a mere nobody, don’t stand a chance!”

Chu Jie summoned his spiritual power and punched again.

Bang!

This time, lightning crackled for twenty meters around the crystal. Chu Jie grinned and unleashed another punch, alternating fists against the crystal.

Bang!

Now a hundred meters around was engulfed in thunder, and Luo Long felt an ominous chill, hastily retreating.

Boom!

With another punch, the entire medicine zone was bathed in a sea of lightning.

Yet what surprised Chu Jie was that, despite the raging thunder, the herbs on the ground remained unharmed.

Lightning as thick as a bowl struck Chu Jie, causing pain, but his formidable Nine Tribulations Physique withstood it.

Meanwhile, Luo Long and his party could only escape the lightning by sitting cross-legged on the ground; if they stood, the lightning would bombard them relentlessly!

Their bodies were incomparable to Chu Jie’s—now, the situation had completely reversed. Luo Long sat, gnashing his teeth, unable to move.

Chu Jie, protected by his physique, roamed the medicine zone freely.

He observed—the thunder would last at least the time it takes incense to burn. Seeing Chu Jie approach a nearby herb, Luo Long’s eyes nearly popped. “Chu Jie, stop! That’s the Soul-Burial Flower, a century old! It’s barely seventy years—don’t ruin such a treasure!”

Chu Jie’s gaze was full of disdain. He stomped the radiant Soul-Burial Flower into mush and turned, grinning savagely. “What did you say?”