Chapter 329 Ambush
When Chen Xi saw the reactions of the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng, he completely confirmed his inference.
Actually, since before he’d entered Firecrow Town, Chen Xi had felt something was slightly amiss. He hadn’t flown in midair and had always moved in an extremely concealed manner as he approached Firecrow Town.
He naturally acted like this for the sake of taking precautions against the assassins of the Blacksun Pavilion.
Moreover, he was confident that by relying on his formidable Divine Sense and Ripping Echo’s obstructive effect towards the Divine Sense of others, even a Rebirth Realm cultivator would find it difficult to notice him.
However, it was precisely under circumstances like this that Qiao Sheng who only possessed a cultivation at the Golden Hall Realm had noticed him. Qiao Sheng seemed as if he’d expected Chen Xi’s arrival since long ago and was waiting there for a long time. Moreover, he didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised when he saw Chen Xi trudging on the ground and not flying in the sky.
This was only one of the questionable points, and since Chen Xi had just arrived here, he wasn’t sure if his doubts were unnecessary.
But when he entered Firecrow Town and especially when he entered Firecrow Tavern and saw Crimson Matthiola and Wu Fuxi, he instantly understood that his arrival was probably known by the Blacksun Pavilion since long ago. Moreover, they’d set up a trap beforehand.
Crimson Matthiola and Wu Fuzi appearing within the tavern was indeed extremely normal, but Chen Xi’s Divine Sense had always been enveloping the surroundings, and he quickly noticed that after he stepped into the tavern, Scarecrow Zhang and Skull Li put down what they were doing before approaching the tavern. Moreover, they didn’t enter the tavern but concealed themselves in the shadows instead.
This was a cause for curiosity. For what reason would two renowned villains of Firecrow Town be willing to stay in a dark corner under the piercingly cold winds, yet be unwilling to step into the bustling and warm tavern?
The thing Chen Xi felt was most unusual was that besides Qi Yin, four of the five great villains of Firecrow Town had actually gathered together!
A tiny tavern under such a normal night was instead capable of gathering four great villains with entirely different natures. This in and of itself was extremely unusual, right?
Chen Xi didn't have the delusion of thinking that these four great villains had come to welcome his arrival.
Then, there was only a single reason, someone had already arranged everything before Chen Xi arrived at Firecrow Town, and they were waiting for Chen Xi to arrive before gathering the top strength of Firecrow Town to kill him!
He utterly didn’t have to guess who arranged all of this, as there was no one besides the Blacksun Pavilion that possessed such great ability to mobilize these great villains to do their bidding.
But it was extremely obvious that in the eyes of the Blacksun Pavilion, there great villains didn’t have much hope of killing Chen Xi, so they asked the tavern owner to prepare a fake map.
The plan of the Blacksun Pavilion’s assassins was extremely thorough, and they clearly saw through the hearts of people. They’d precisely utilized his intentions of wanting to quickly enter into Gloom Forest and avoid the ambush to produce this fake map, and their objective was none other than to make Chen Xi carry along the fake map and enter into a trap where they’d laid in ambush since long ago.
Of course, all of this was the conjectures in Chen Xi’s heart. But the panicked and dejected reactions of the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng before him caused him to instantly confirm that all his deductions were true!
“I heard that both of you are members of the Darchu Dynasty’s Darchu Soulguard, and the materials gathered from the Gloom Forest by the villains here would be handed in to the Darchu Dynasty via the two of you. I presume that both of you frequently stow away some wealth secretly to line your pockets.” Chen Xi looked at the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng who turned pale from fear, and he said indifferently, “Logically speaking, this is a great source of wealth. As members of the Darchu Soulguard, I presume the Blacksun Pavilion would it make it difficult on the two of you if the two of you were unwilling to do something. So, why did the two of you follow their instructions and intend to kill me?”
The tavern owner laughed miserably. “Money moves the heart. Guest, you ought to know as well that so long as there’s sufficient benefit, anything could happen in this world.”
Chen Xi nodded in deep agreement. Isn’t the ambush of the Blacksun Pavilion that’s aimed towards me this time because those old freaks covet the treasures in my possession?
Clang!
The Talisman Armament in Chen Xi’s hand emitted a low and clear cry as it revealed killing intent. Even though the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng were members of the Darchu Soulguard, since they dared scheme against him, then they could only pay with their lives.
The expressions of the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng instantly turned to extreme terror as their souls almost left their bodies. Never had they imagined that this maleficent existence still didn’t intend to let them off after they spoke the truth.
“If you don’t kill them, then I can bring you along to the Gloom Forest.” It was at this moment that a calm and indifferent voice that didn’t care any emotion sounded out from outside the tavern.
Subsequently, a strong young man walked into the tavern. His figure was tall and impressive, his expression resolute and indifferent, and the outline of his face was clearly defined as if it was carved by a blade. A pitch black longbow that was suffused with a dim and cold light hung on his back, and his entire body emitted a fierce and firm aura that was ferocious.
“Qi Yin?” Chen Xi spoke out in surprise. Based on this person’s appearance, he was indeed extremely alike to one of the five great villains, Qi Yin, who frequently stayed in the Gloom Forest to fight and kill demon beasts.
The young man nodded indifferently and said, “You’ve probably guessed it as well. The Blacksun Pavilion has laid an ambush in the Gloom Forest and are waiting for you to walk into it. They entered with the map I drew, so I know the location of their ambush, the forces that form the ambush, and their battle capabilities like the palm of my hand.”
Chen Xi went silent for a moment before asking. “Why are you telling me all this?”
Qi Yin turned around and pointed out of the tavern. Under the pitch black night sky, numerous people were standing there silently. Shockingly, it was all the villains that had escaped calamity in the tavern earlier.
“I didn’t kill them, so you want to repay me?” Chen Xi seemed as if he’d understood something.
Qi Yin said indifferently, “If they die, then there’ll be no one to gather materials with me, and if I can’t hand over sufficient materials, I won’t be able to live for long.”
Chen Xi said, “You’re afraid of the Darchu Dynasty’s siege?”
Qi Yin didn’t say anything this time and just nodded.
“Alright, I can spare their lives. But you must first answer a few questions of mine.” Chen Xi pointed at the tavern owner and Qiao Sheng and said with a calm voice, “The truth of your answers will directly affect their fate.”
Qi Yin didn’t hesitate in the slightest to reply. “Alright.”
Chen Xi asked directly. “How many of them are there?” The ‘them’ here naturally pointed towards the assassins of the Blacksun Pavilion.
Qi Yin said, “163 assassins and three commanders at the Golden Core Realm, and they’re divided into three teams. The first batch of assassins are lying in ambush within the Gloom Forest, and they total 53 people. They’re led by a Golden Core Realm commander.”
Chen Xi continued with his questions. “A commander level assassin? Do you know who it is?”
Qi Yin’s didn’t dally in the slightest, and he answered directly and straightforwardly. “The 76th on the Blacksun Pavilion’s Golden Core Rankings, Commander Rose.”
Chen Xi was stunned, and then he nodded.
After he found out that the Blacksun Pavilion would be carrying out an ambush against him, he’d found out about a great deal of information related to the Blacksun Pavilion. The assassins that served within the Blacksun Pavilion had a strict hierarchical system, and they could roughly be divided into commander level assassins and ordinary assassins.
According to the difference in their cultivations, they were divided into Golden Core, Rebirth, Nether Transformation, Earthly Immortal assassins. Every single realm of cultivation was divided into commander level assassins and ordinary assassins.
The Blacksun Pavilion had even established a few types of perfect rankings that were directed towards the strength of the commander level assassins. The Blacksun Golden Core Rankings, the Blacksun Rebirth Rankings, the Blacksun Nether Transformation Rankings, and so on and so forth.
Moreover, only assassins that were capable of being ranked in the top 100 of the rankings possessed strengths that were at the top of their respective realm. Merely in terms of strengths, they were even more formidable than some top Golden Core Realm experts in the Darchu Dynasty.
Chen Xi had heard of an incident that stirred the entire Darchu Dynasty’s cultivation world many years ago.
A Golden Core Realm cultivator whose strength was supposedly capable of ranking in the top 100 of the Allstar Meeting had died miserably at the hands of a Golden Core Realm assassin of the Blacksun Pavilion in a single move. Moreover, that assassin wasn’t even ranked in the Blacksun Golden Core Rankings!
In other words, that assassin of the Blacksun Pavilion was merely an ordinary assassin and was far from being a commander level assassin.
Thus, it was obvious how terrifying the Golden Core Realm commander level assassins of the Blacksun Realm were. In the outside world, their strengths would absolutely be able to be ranked in the top 100 of the Allstar Meeting.
Of course, perhaps most of them had ages that were insufficient to allow them to participate in the Allstar Meeting. After all, only Golden Core Realm cultivators below the age of 30 could participate in the Allstar Meeting.
But, all of this was unable to help Chen Xi. He only knew that the assassins that lay in ambush wouldn’t have so many conditions imposed on them like the participation in the Allstar Meeting did.
53 ordinary assassins, and one commander level assassin that’s ranked the 76th in the Blacksun Golden Core Rankings. This is merely one of three teams of assassins… Those old freaks have really put down a lot of money. Otherwise, the Blacksun Pavilion would probably not send out so many people. Chen Xi quickly drew in his thoughts. After he recognized the approximate force the Blacksun Pavilion had sent out, he didn’t feel heavy in his heart, and a trace of scorching battle intent arose in his heat instead. If I’m able to survive the Blacksun Ambush this time, then my strength will probably raise greatly, right?
“How is their ambush distributed?” Chen Xi asked once more.
Qi Yin answered indifferently. “All of them are gathered at a natural chasm in the Gloom Forest. They have set up layer upon layer of traps and are just waiting for you to walk in.”
“They aren’t spread out?”
“They studied all of your battles. Especially that battle between you and the Maple Leaf City’s Sikong Clan’s Eldest Young Master, Sikong Hen, and the incident of you annihilating 18 Golden Core Realm cultivators by yourself. They’d studied it thoroughly a long time ago and know that spreading out their forces will only create an opportunity for you to take advantage of.” When he spoke up to here, a strange light suffused Qi Yin’s eyes as he glanced at Chen Xi. He seemed to be rather surprised at the terrifying strength Chen Xi revealed during this battle, and then his expression returned to normal and he continued speaking.
Qi Yin’s words undoubtedly indicated a single thing, for the sake of killing him, the Blacksun Pavilion had gathered detailed information related to him before arranging an ambush that was targeted towards everything he’d displayed in the past.
Perhaps I ought to change my style of doing things?
Chen Xi pondered for a short moment before suddenly realizing a problem, and he stared at Qi Yin’s eyes and said, “The Gloom Forest is so enormous. How are they so sure that I would surely walk into their ambush?”
Qi Yin’s expression still remained indifferent as he answered. “I’ve said it before. They’re laid in ambush at a natural chasm, and if you want to pass through the Gloom Forest, then you must pass through that place.”
Chen Xi thought for a moment and said with a nod, “Your answers have satisfied me extremely. Bring me into the Gloom Forest at dawn tomorrow and the matter here will be written off.”
Qi Yin seemed to be slightly stunned as he seemed to have never imagined that Chen Xi who was so anxious to leave earlier would decide to depart tomorrow now. But he quickly recovered from his shock as he couldn’t be bothered about all this, and he nodded in agreement.
“When I just arrived at Firecrow Town, I heard that you have a silent nature and rarely speak. Looks like the rumors aren’t true.” Chen Xi glanced deeply at Qi Yin before turning around to leave the tavern. He wanted to look for a safe place to rest for a while.
What does that mean? Qi Yin frowned as he looked at Chen Xi’s figure that vanished into the night sky, and he went silent for a long time.