Chapter 20 – Every Day the Protagonist Wants to Capture Me

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Chapter 20: Direct Confrontation

Behind him was the buzzing of the swarm of demonic insects. They were not yet close but the scent of blood filled the air. The local tyrant Chu Yu’s eyebrows drew together. He did not hesitate and hurled a fire talisman in their direction. The demonic worms that had evolved into insects instinctively feared fire so their flying speed was slow as they pursued him.

Chu Yu was a little relieved and sped up Xun Sheng. He turned his head then ran into a pure, white jade-like beautiful face.

WTF!

Chu Yu almost jumped from the shock. He clenched his teeth to push down a feeling of horror and turned the horror into surging anger: “Why did you not go back to the city?!”

Xie Xi came flying up on his immortal sword, with his white robes flying, messy hair, and slightly pursed lips. He said, in a tone as though he was wronged: “Da Shixiong said he would never leave me.”

When did I say that?

Chu Yu recalled how he would coax the protagonist in the past but he still did not remember when he said that. The demonic insects were buzzing nearby so Chu Yu had to withdraw and throw out another fire talisman. “Xie Xi! You won’t listen to your Shixiong?! Go back to the city and I’ll come back to you!”

Formerly the original Chu Yu would only call Xie Xi “trash” and later Chu Yu called him “Shidi” or “Xi-er.” This is the first time that Chu Yu called him by his full name. Xie Xi’s face turned pale but he didn’t back down: “Da Shixiong, I can help you! I won’t let you face the danger alone!”

Three years ago in Qinghe town, Xie Xie knew he was too weak to help suppress the water demons. For three years he has been working hard to catch up to Chu Yu, to surpass him and to protect him. Now he’s really in danger.

Chu Yu did not want Xie Xi to wade into these dangerous waters – he should not have been in Fang Ye City at all. At this time Xie Xi should be in Yuan Chen Peak, cultivating in a spirit cave, safe and sound, not desperately fighting for his life here!

Chu Yu was angry: “Do you want to be punished?!”

Xie Xi’s face was pale: “I follow Shixiong’s teachings.”

Chu Yu was extremely angry. He saw that they were getting close to the river and sighed: “Stay close to me.”

Before they reached the banks of the river, the demonic insects became agitated. The water of the river is torrential and immeasurably deep. The demonic insects instinctively dread fire and water. Fire and water are their nemesis but the demonic insects were only restless for a moment before they settled down.

Chu Yu, on his flying sword, stopped over the river, placing himself in front of Xie Xi’s body: “Stay behind me; do not move. Shixiong will protect you.”

His protective stance was similar to that of an adult who needs to protect a three-year-old child. Xie Xi was startled and murmured: “Shixiong.”

Chu Yu must focus his attention to the main task at hand; there was no time to attend to other things. He stared at the hundreds of black demonic insects and quickly made a series of hand seals. His hands released an enormous ray of blue light that filled the sky with its power and made the waters of the river below surge. There was a shock of thunder, like an angry dragon.

When he finished the hand seals, three enormous, long, and slender water dragons hovered over the river, majestic-looking and with exquisitely beautiful scales. They roared loudly in a high-pitched tone then charged towards the demonic insects.

This technique was the result of Chu Yu’s three years of practice.

Blue rays of light cluster together densely. The hem of Chu Yu’s robes fluttered. From behind, his figure was straight and relaxed, truly as if he was an immortal who descended into the mortal realm. Xie Xi extended his hand almost unconsciously and when he touched Chu Yu’s back, Chu Yu’s body unexpectedly went limp and fell down.

“Shixiong!”

Xie Xi hurriedly embraced Chu Yu. Lifting up Chu Yu, he kicked Xun Sheng and took control of it, hurriedly saying: “Shixiong, what happened to you?!”

Chu Yu, pale and weak, shook his head: “The spiritual energy consumption of that technique was a little too much. I’m just exhausted, that’s all …”

The three water dragons cast water arrows from their mouths and used their claws and tails to attack the demonic insects. The two forces fought each other with equal ruthlessness. Neither one had any intention of giving way to the other. This Qi technique was quite powerful. The water Qi can only change into that form after the cultivator has reached the Core Formation stage. Chu Yu was skilled at using this technique after three years but even so, his Qi energy was still depleted by its use.

In addition, he also spent a lot of his spiritual power to flee to this place. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have almost collapsed just now.

Xie Xi frowned. He lifted Chu Yu closer to his chest, held on tightly to his waist with one hand, and used the other hand to insert spiritual energy into his body.

The demonic insects shouldn’t be an urgent threat right now. Xie Xi looked at Chu Yu’s pale face. Xie Xi’s lips tightened; he wanted to take Chu Yu to a safe place immediately so Chu Yu can recuperate.

Xun Sheng suddenly leapt out of its sheath and lit up as it was activated. There was a clanging sound as the immortal sword blocked an attack from behind.

Xie Xi’s face was expressionless as he looked behind him where there were people dressed in the black, hooded robes of a cultivator. They looked murderous and their spiritual auras were black.

So obvious! They were too lazy to even disguise their spiritual power.

Xie Xi’s eyes darkened: “Demonic cultivators.”

The dazed Chu Yu was suddenly jolted to alertness. He tilted his head and looked behind his back. He couldn’t help but tremble – Xie Xi was focused on the wrong thing.

WTF! Young man, can’t you see the hundreds of blood-red demonic insects behind those men?

If you kill this group then another group will appear, and so on, generation after generation, endlessly!¹

A few of the demonic cultivators opposite them hissed. They didn’t seem to want to respond to Xie Xi’s statement.

The expression on Xie Xie’s face remained unchanged. He calmly looked at the demonic insects and said: “Yu Shou Sect.”

Three years ago, in the small town of Qinghe, the ones who stirred up the water demons were the people from Yu Shou Sect. At that time Chu Yu was still puzzled about the reason why the demonic cultivators came all the way to Jiao Xiu. Now that he saw them here, he realized that it was probably because of these demonic insects.

The eggs of these demonic insects grow in spirit veins.² Once the eggs are laid, they root themselves in the spirit vein and are impossible to remove unless the spirit vein itself is removed. But removing the spirit veins would make the entire place for miles around barren and devoid of Chi. Those cultivators below Nascent Soul stage will be unable to draw on the almost nonexistent spiritual energy remaining in that place.

Chu Yu was afraid that the Yu Shou Sect knew where to find the demonic insect eggs. They found this information and sent people to protect the eggs three years ago. The fact that they did not immediately send a Nascent Soul stage cultivator is probably because they thought that pulling out the spirit veins and sending a powerful demonic cultivator would make too big a commotion. They might attract so much attention that they wouldn’t be able to escape from Jiao Xia. However, now they are at war and one less demonic cultivator won’t be missed from the war front.

But even so, right in front of them now is a cultivator in the late stage of Core Formation, six Foundation Building stage cultivators, and hundreds of demonic insects. This is not something Xie Xi can handle without assistance.

What to do? Is this the end?

Chu Yu regained some strength and gasped: “Shidi, let me go.”

The child was not afraid of him and held him tightly.

Xie Xi’s eyes flashed: “No!”

Chu Yu said helplessly: “I’m alright.”

Xie Xi looked away silently, pretending not to hear him.

=□=!!! This d***ed child is unexpectedly disobedient!

The people who were ignored had black faces: “These two big, strong men³ are too chatty! Don’t you know that your deaths are near!”

The blood-red demonic insects buzzed.

Xie Xi’s face was solemn as he quickly exchanged Xun Sheng with Duan Xue. He was about to start swinging Duan Xue when suddenly there was a flash of light as a flying sword appeared beside him. Five Tian Yuan Sect disciples, with their swords in their hands, wearing different colored robes, appeared.

Song Jingyi lead the group. He stood in front of them, holding his sword. He used the metal element Qi, very powerful and domineering, but when he struck out, there was a clanging sound.

His sword bounced off.

Song Jingyi turned and stood on his sword. The expression on his face was somewhat ugly. These blood-red demons are obviously worse than the black ones.

That Core Formation Period cultivator saw a few people suddenly rush out and he let out a hoarse low laugh: “Tian Yuan Sect?”

Song Jingyi raised his head and said grimly: “Exactly. How dare you show your faces in the righteous sects’ territory! You’re looking for death!”

The Core Formation cultivator was stunned for a moment then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Nice! Yes, you have great courage! I’d like to see whether you can kill these defective creatures or whether they will eat you?”

With these words, the swarm of demonic insects that had been staying still became restless. The expression on Song Jingyi’s face changed slightly as he fought to hold back his fear. He turned back and roared: “Chu Yu! What are you waiting for?”

…. Brother, it turns out that your confidence was actually based on me?

Chu Yu’s mouth twitched: “My spiritual energy is exhausted.”

Although Xie Xi has been transferring his spiritual power, that trickle of energy is not enough to use his powerful techniques.

Another disciple exclaimed in dismay: “Chu Yu! You’re trying to kill us!”

Chu Yu didn’t even bother to roll his eyes.

No wonder the original Chu Yu was too lazy to deal with these people. Their stupidity must be contagious.

The demonic insects started moving. Xie Xi glanced coldly at the other peak’s inner disciples then lifted and waved Duan Xue. The immortal sword’s fire leapt out and hit a demonic insect head-on. In that instant, a blood-red demonic insect fell.

The expression on the faces of the disciples from Yu Shou Sect changed: “How can it be!”

Chu Yu, still leaning weakly and unable to move on Xie Xi’s chest, felt inexplicably proud. How is it impossible? This is a unique talent – the protagonist’s halo (TN: plot armor).

Xie Xi was silent as he swung his sword horizontally. Demonic insects fell like rain. At this point, so long as Song Jingyi and the others lend them a hand, eliminating the blood-red demonic insects wouldn’t be a problem.

Song Jingyi’s face was cloudy and uncertain. He stared at the person he had thought of as “Yuan Chen Peak’s Qi Refining stage Xiao Shidi” for a long time. Then he glanced at the Core Formation stage demonic cultivator and the others. Gritting his teeth, he decisively ordered: “Retreat!”

Several of the disciples were stunned: “But, Chu Shixiong and Xiao Shidi …”

“Retreat!” Song Jingyi’s cold voice interrupted them. He didn’t hesitate a moment longer and immediately fly off on his sword. The others hesitated for a moment, looking back at Xie Xi who was fighting alone, weighing the pros and cons, and then left.

Naturally, the Yu Shou Sect disciples couldn’t let them leave that easily. The Core Formation cultivator waved and the other six people went off to pursue them.

Whenever he killed one, another would fly out from the gourd at the back of the Core Formation cultivator. Sweat appeared on Xie Xi’s forehead. The spiritual energy pouring from him into his sword was now less than it was when he began fighting.

Though he looked like he simply waved his sword around to slice the demonic insects, relaxed and unrestrained, the truth was that each sword swing consumed a huge amount of his spiritual energy. Not to mention, he had also transferred some of his spiritual power to Chu Yu.

He can’t keep this up for long.

But Song Jingyi and the others ran off.

Chu Yu repressed his anger and tried to think of a solution: “Shidi, I will count to three, then we will deactivate Xun Sheng and Duan Xue.”

Xie Xi was startled but he didn’t ask anything and just nodded.

“One.”

A demonic insect approached and mercilessly tried to bite them with its fangs. Xie Xi, holding Chu Yu, dodged but his arm was bitten. Blood welled up.

“Two.”

The Core Formation stage cultivator frowned. He seemed to think that the demonic insects were too slow. He flew forward on his sword.

“Three!”

The Xun Sheng’s blue water elemental light and Duan Xue’s red fire elemental light instantly disappeared. Xie Xi, holding Chu Yu, fell into the river.

The Core Formation cultivator was stunned by this sudden turn of events. He quickly regained his composure and sneered. He waved his sleeve and the waters of the river below were stirred up.

He spent a long time stirring up the waters but he did not find anyone. The black-robed cultivator’s eyes went cold. He went down into the water himself and searched for a while but the disdainful smile on his face turned into a disbelieving expression.

Chu Yu and Xie Xi had disappeared.

 

********

 

Translator’s Note:

• I’m exhausted! Spent two days on this because somehow my speed was extremely slow. I guess I’m stressed irl. 🙁
• The stages mentioned before are, from lowest to highest: Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Core Formation, and now, Nascent Soul. Chu Yu, Xie Xi, and the others are all one or two stages below the demonic cultivator which is why they can’t fight him head on.
• I did my best to proofread but there are probably still errors. If you spot an error, please let me know by leaving a comment. Even if you don’t spot an error, please leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love comments! 😀

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1. Skipped 这个副本到底还要不要人打了 – seemed redundant? I mean basically saying that things are repeating themselves in terms of enemies appearing.
2. In our world’s geology, a vein is a distinct sheetlike body of crystallized minerals within a rock. For example: gold veins. In a cultivation world, spirit veins are places in the earth that are rich in spiritual energy that is very beneficial for cultivators.
3. 大男人 – big man/men, in this case it is derogatory and means a person who is too proud and arrogant who looks down on people