"I'm not afraid."
Hearing Chen Heng's words, Zhang Ya shook her head and said, "I'm just worried that you will be harmed by others if you go to the Flowing Cloud Sect. The Flowing Cloud Sect will definitely be filled with dangers; please think about this carefully, clan brother."
"It's fine."
Looking at Zhang Ya, Chen Heng smiled and said softly, "It will just be a bit bothersome."
"Since clan brother is not going to change his mind," hearing Chen Heng's words, Zhang Ya deeply breathed in and bowed as she said, "Please bring me with you. I'm willing to go with clan brother to the Flowing Cloud Sect."
Hearing this, Chen Heng felt quite surprised.
It was obvious that this trip to the Flowing Cloud Sect would be incredibly dangerous, and yet Zhang Ya seemed unhesitating and resolute to go with him.
Even Chen Heng could not help but feel somewhat touched and surprised.
"Since that's the case, then let's go together," he smiled and gave his reply.
After a few days, Chen Heng officially set out.
He left from Nine Peaks City and slowly headed into the distance, gradually getting closer to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
Time gradually passed.
Soon, it had been half a month.
During that half a month, news of what had happened had finally spread, and it was heard by Chen Heng.
"The Flowing Cloud Sect was attacked?"
Hearing that news, Chen Heng felt quite surprised.
The Flowing Cloud Sect naturally wanted to suppress this news.
It was just that the noise from that night had been too great, so even if the Flowing Cloud Sect wanted to suppress the news, it was impossible.
As such, in the end, this news reached Chen Heng.
"Not bad." Standing in front of Chen Heng and listening to the news from the intelligence gatherer, Zhang Ya looked delighted, "This is an opportunity. Clan brother, Junior Apprentice Sister Hou is most likely fine."
She looked at Chen Heng as she said seriously, "According to that intelligence gatherer, that night, there seemed to be some commotion from the prison; it seemed that some important prisoner escaped. Perhaps that was Junior Apprentice Sister Hou."
As she stated her guesses, she began to become excited, "If that is the case, maybe there's no need for us to head to the Flowing Cloud Sect; we can just return to Nine Peaks City and await her return."
Hearing her words, the other Zhang clan's people's expressions slightly changed.
If all of that was true, then they indeed no longer needed to go to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
Chen Heng would not have to put himself in danger either.
They would be able to avoid all that was ahead of them.
They all felt quite excited and looked towards Chen Heng.
Chen Heng remained silent for a while before smiling.
"Interesting," he chuckled as he looked into the distance.
Under his gaze, the Fortune in the distance became a sky net, covering everything in the land.
"There are other powers joining in?"
Looking at the sky net in the distance, Chen Heng's expression was calm as he thought to himself.
It was certain that Hou Juan would not have been able to do all of this by herself.
To the Demon Sect from 30 years ago, the Flowing Cloud Sect was not a big deal, but within the Yue Kingdom, the Flowing Cloud Sect was the current overlord.
Hou Juan was only a Foundation Building cultivator, and if she wanted to shake an existence like this and cause such chaos, it would be impossible.
As such, it was definitely someone else who had acted and muddied these waters.
This had given Hou Juan the opportunity to escape.
Chen Heng could not help but wonder where she was right now.
Standing there, Chen Heng fell silent for a while before speaking, "We will continue on to the Flowing Cloud Sect."
Hearing this, all of the Zhang clan's people felt quite startled.
"W-Why…" Zhang Ya looked confused and looked at Chen Heng, meeting his gaze.
Chen Heng's expression was serene and had a deep gaze, as he calmly looked at her.
Meeting his gaze, Zhang Ya did not continue to speak and only opened her mouth before lowering her head.
Following this, the group continued onwards.
A few days passed.
"As expected, something happened in the Flowing Cloud Sect."
Looking at the Flowing Cloud Sect's ambassador in front of her, Zhang Ya thought to herself.
Over the past few days, the Flowing Cloud Sect had been continuously sending people and hurrying them; it seemed that they wanted Chen Heng to hurry up and get to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
The Flowing Cloud Sect had not been this hurried in the past.
Evidently, something had happened in the Flowing Cloud Sect.
It seemed that Hou Juan most likely had escaped from the prison like the rumors had said.
It was because of this the Flowing Cloud Sect was in such a hurry to get Chen Heng to go there.
"It's likely that something happened in the Flowing Cloud Sect, and Junior Apprentice Sister Hou is no longer in the prison," Zhang Ya thought to herself as she frowned, "It's just that clan brother still has not changed his mind. Clan brother, just what are you thinking?"
She thought to herself as she looked at Chen Heng.
Needless to say, Chen Heng had definitely realized this as well. If even she could tell this, then with Chen Heng's wisdom, it would be impossible for him not to tell.
However, despite this, he was still following the plan from before and was still heading to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
This made them feel quite surprised.
Zhang Ya wanted to ask but did not know how to.
"Forget it."
She shook her head and thought to herself, "Whatever it is, clan brother has his own plans. As long as I stay by his side, that will be enough."
She had long since resolved herself to follow Chen Heng to the death.
Since that was the case, there was no need to hesitate or ask anything.
It was enough to just follow Chen Heng's side.
Time gradually passed.
Soon, it had been another few days.
On the ground, a figure was slowly walking towards the outskirts of the wilderness.
Faint sunlight fell on that person's body, and anyone who was here would discover that this was a strange-looking woman.
The woman wore white clothes and had many wounds over her body. Her face was very pale, but her speed was not slow at all.
"I have to go faster, faster…"
As she walked on the path, she held her chest and did her best to walk on.
Over the past few days, she had scouted out much information, including the travels of the Zhang clan's people.
By now, Chen Heng was not too far away from the Flowing Cloud Sect.
She had to stop Chen Heng and the others here and tell them everything, or else it would be too late.
"Cough, cough…" as she walked, she continuously coughed up blood.
.........
Violent pain filled her body, but she did not care and only desperately went on.
It was just that as she headed onwards, the backlash in her body became more terrifying, causing her body to become weaker.
Within her pain, her consciousness gradually became more and more hazy.
...
"We're nearly there," Zhang Ya sat in the carriage as she looked out and said to Chen Heng, "Clan brother, there's still time to change your mind. If we turn back now, they might not be able to catch up to us."
By now, they were quite close to the Flowing Cloud Sect, and the Flowing Cloud Sect's cultivators would be able to sense Chen Heng and the others' existence.
Under such circumstances, it was quite dangerous for them.
If the Flowing Cloud Sect's Profound Understanding cultivators directly acted, apart from Chen Heng, no one else here would be able to escape.
However, despite this, Zhang Ya was not afraid.
The rest of them were not that important; as long as Chen Heng could leave from this place, the Zhang clan would survive.
As such, it was not too late to change his mind just yet.
"It's too late." Sitting within the carriage, Chen Heng closed his eyes and shoko his head, "Did you smell it? That faint scent of blood."
Chen Heng slowly opened his eyes and looked into the distance as he spoke.
"What?"
Zhang Ya was stunned.
Bang!
In the distance, a clear sound rang out, accompanied by ripples of magic energy and a stench of blood.
It was quite faint, but everyone sensed that scent of blood.
"Enemy attack!" Sensing those ripples of magic energy, Zhang Ya's expression slightly changed as she shot out of the carriage.
She left from this place and quickly rushed into the distance.
However, after seeing the scene in the distance, her expression greatly changed.
"Junior Apprentice Sister Hou!"
In the distance, there was a figure standing there. It was a man dressed in black robes, with a dignified appearance.
In his hand, he was tightly grabbing onto a figure by the neck.
That person was someone Zhang Ya was quite familiar with—it was Hou Juan.
Right now, her face was as pale as paper, and her aura was extremely weak, as if she would die at any moment. She was being held in mid-air by the man, and she was unable to resist at all.
"Who are you?" Zhang Ya's pupils constricted as she looked at the middle-aged man and said seriously.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man did not reply and only silently turned and looked at Zhang Ya.
In the next moment, a suffocating pressure rushed at her.
A terrifying aura blasted out, turning into a hand that stretched towards Zhang Ya.
Massive power exploded out; it was far past Foundation Building.
Profound Understanding!
At that moment, Zhang Ya thought to herself.
After 30 years, she had reached Foundation Building and was not too weak among Foundation Building cultivators.
For such an attack to cause her to feel such terror, it was definitely a Profound Understanding cultivator.
"Am I going to die?"
The hand stretched towards her, looking quite slow, but it was actually just in an instant.
Sensing that terrifying power, Zhang Ya had a look of shock as she thought to herself.
At that moment, the hand reached her.
A deafening explosion sounded out, causing the world to seem to shake.
The ground beneath split open, resulting in large cracks.
However, Zhang Ya was uninjured.
Zhang Ya breathed raggedly as she came back to her senses.
"Hm?" the middle-aged man frowned and looked out.
However, this time, he did not continue to attack Zhang Ya and instead directly attacked that carriage.
With a rumble, the entire world seemed to be covered by a massive wave of magic energy. Space itself twisted and mountains and rivers shattered, causing massive disturbances.
It was just that despite that strike being so terrifying, it did not cause much of an effect.
There seemed to be a layer of formless ripples in the surroundings, covering this area and dispersing the attack.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man could not believe his eyes and prepared to attack again.
However, at this moment, changes happened from within the carriage.
Bang! Bang!
Massive sounds sounded out like war drums, sounding incredibly clear.
Following this, a figure slowly got up and walked out of the carriage.
Boom! Boom!
In the surroundings, the space twisted and light shone out, making that figure seem incredibly divine and dignified.
The middle-aged man could not help but take a step back, looking quite shocked.
"How… is this possible?" he thought in disbelief.
Even though they were both Profound Understanding cultivators, before that person had even revealed himself and attacked, he had such terrifying might.
How was that possible?
However, he did not have the time to think about this, because in the next moment, a formless wave of light slammed into his body, sending him flying.
He flew backwards, heavily slamming into a large mountain, causing it to collapse.
Formless magic energy charged about within his body, directly injuring him.
Just this simple attack defeated a Profound Understanding cultivator.
This strength made Zhang Ya feel completely stunned.
"What are you standing there for?" a voice sounded out, sounding both gentle and imposing.
Zhang Ya instinctively turned and saw Chen Heng calmly standing there.
After getting out of the carriage, he looked as he always did.
However, in front of Chen Heng, Hou Juan was no longer in that middle-aged man's hands and had been brought over by Chen Heng.
"This…"
Looking at Hou Juan, Chen Heng inwardly frowned.
Hou Juan's situation was quite bad.
She was covered with injuries on the surface, and she also had injuries on a deeper level.
That was not a simple injury; her Spirit Foundation had been damaged.
"Just what happened?"
After examining Hou Juan's body, Chen Heng inwardly frowned.
One's Spirit Foundation being damaged was no simple matter.
Chen Heng had personally experienced this in the past.
In the past, even though he had been a True Lord and been extremely powerful, facing the destruction of his Spirit Foundation, he could not do anything about it and could only wait for death.
If this was the case even for a True Lord, then it was evident just how problematic this was.
However, this kind of injury was not something that could happen easily.
Just what had happened to Hou Juan?
However, this was not the most pressing matter right now.
Standing there, Chen Heng handed Hou Juan to Zhang Ya before turning and looking towards the middle-aged man.
By now, the middle-aged man had gotten up and was looking at Chen Heng with an unsightly expression.