NINE STAR HEGEMON BODY ARTS

The village was now completely surrounded by hundreds of elite, armored guards. Sharp arrows were point at the villagers, Xiao Hua amongst them. Their faces were pale with fright.

There were already three people lying on the ground with arrows stuck in them, their blood dying the ground beneath them.

"Speak, have you seen this person?" One of the middle-aged troops in golden armor coldly shouted, showing off a piece of paper with a handsome youth with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Who else could it be but Long Chen?

"We've already said, we've never seen anyone called Long Chen and we don't know what you're talking about. Why did you have to recklessly kill our villagers?" Xiao Hua's face was deathly pale as she angrily retorted.

They had no idea where this group of men had come from. But they had immediately surrounded the village, and the three hunters which had just gone out were directly shot to death.

This both shocked and infuriated them. But in front of hundreds of pointed arrows, they didn't dare make any reckless moves. Some of them were grinding their teeth, wis.h.i.+ng to charge forward.

"Hmph, looks like you won't cry until you see your coffins. Go slaughter those children first. Let me see if they'll tell the truth." That middle-aged man snorted and ordered some of his subordinates forward. They immediately pointed their arrows at the dozen children.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, do you dare?" The village chief angrily roared and threw those children behind him.

"Kill them." That middle-aged man's expression was icy cold and he didn't even bat his eye at the elder. In his eyes, these villagers were just a bunch of weeds.

"Fine, kill us! We're not afraid! Brother Long Chen will definitely come kill you as revenge for us!" One of the children suddenly struggled free of one of the adults' guard and angrily pointed at that man.

"Little kid, what nonsense are you saying?!" The village chief hastily shouted at the child to stop, but it was already too late.

That middle-aged man's eyes brightened and he coldly sneered, "As expected, Long Chen did come here. Kill them all. We'll keep searching; he can't have run far."

Receiving that order, those troops that had arrows pointed at the terrified villagers all emotionlessly released their arrows, shooting out a rain of arrows at the villagers.

"f.u.c.k off!"

A harsh shout suddenly shook their eardrums and a figure rushed over like a wild gale, arriving in front of Xiao Hua and the others. With a shake of his sword, a terrifying Sword Qi ferociously fell.

The majority of those arrows were all shaken away by Long Chen. But there were still around a dozen of them that managed to slip through and hit the villagers. Pained cries rang out intermingled with the weeping of the children.

"Zhou Weiqing, you d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d, all of you can go to h.e.l.l!"

Long Chen's killing intent overflowed. He recognized that middle-aged man as Zhou Weiqing, also known as Manhuang Hou!

That b.a.s.t.a.r.d actually wanted to kill unarmed villagers, including the children. He was truly a b.a.s.t.a.r.d amongst b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, especially in the eyes of Long Chen who had been saved by these villagers.

"Parting Wind Slice!" Long Chen's broadsword cut across the air in front of him, and a Sword Qi invisible to the naked eye shot out like a crescent moon, immediately cutting through those stupefied troops.

That ferocious Sword Qi surged over before those troops had even reacted, immediately cutting them into pieces. Blood filled the air.

Hundreds of elite troops had been killed with a single slash of Long Chen's sword. The current Long Chen truly was just like a death G.o.d. Unending killing intent overflowed from his body.

Only Manhuang Hou managed to escape that calamity. As soon as he had seen an uninjured Long Chen appear, he knew the situation had turned sour.

The reports had stated that Long Chen was already on his last breaths. Even if he managed to survive, he should still be heavily injured to the point where he might die at any time.

But the fourth prince had stated that if he was dead, then he wanted to see his corpse, and if he was alive, then he wanted him captured. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to set his heart at ease. He had sent warriors accustomed to pursuing and tracking as well as hunting dogs. After half a month's chase, they had finally found this village.

They were certain Long Chen had either pa.s.sed through here or was currently hiding within the village, recuperating from his wounds. So Manhuang Hou had directly wanted to kill these villagers who were hiding his existence.

And he had truly guessed right. Long Chen truly had shown himself, but unfortunately, the result was not what he had presumed. When a perfectly healthy Long Chen had appeared, Manhuang Hou had been scared witless.

Even back then during the Phoenix Cry Lantern Festival, Long Chen had still managed to kill Huang Chang, his name shaking the empire. Manhuang Hou was only at the early stage of Blood Condensation. How could he possibly be a match for Long Chen?

He had thought he would be able to capture a tiger on its deathbed, but he had miscalculated. Seeing Long Chen strike, he had quickly retreated without even thinking about it. At the same time, he also took out a s.h.i.+eld to protect himself.

By the time Long Chen's Sword Qi had reached him, he had already fled to the edge of the attack. But even so, the s.h.i.+eld in his hand was still broken and he spat out blood.

But Manhuang Hou truly was an expert. He was someone who had already seen blood before. Resisting the intense pain from his stomach, he used his full strength to flee deep into the forest.

"You want to run?"

A sinister ruthlessness appeared on Long Chen's face. Kicking up an arrow from the ground, he flung it forward.

The arrow shot through the air like lightning. Manhuang Hou, who was fleeing for his life, didn't realize that an arrow that could take his life was right behind him.

The arrow pierced right through his armor. The great force behind it had been so great that the golden armor was unable to pose even the slightest bit of resistance.

Manhuang Hou's entire body was shaken by that force and he was sent tumbling through the air into a huge tree dozens of meters away.

He violently spat out blood. That arrow had violently shaken his inner organs.

"Don't kill him Little Snow!" Long Chen suddenly noticed a white light dash towards Manhuang Hou and hastily shouted out. He was leaving Manhuang Hou alive because he still had some use for him.

Little Snow stopped when he heard Long Chen's call. He had already arrived right at that huge tree and was motionlessly staring at Manhuang Hou.

Seeing that Manhuang Hou was under control, Long Chen quickly ran over to the villagers, bending over to examine their arrow wounds. There were three people who had been struck through the vitals and had already died. Amongst them was even a seven-year-old child.

This made Long Chen feel as if it was his own heart that was being pierced. This had been brought on by him. For a moment he was filled with hate, however he didn't know whether that hatred for for Ying Hou, the fourth prince, Manhuang Hou, or himself.

He quickly gave the injured people some medicinal pills. As long as they hadn't died immediately, Long Chen's medicinal pills would ensure that they would completely recover.

The other villagers also rushed to help the wounded. They also gathered up their dead, and the entire village mourned.

"I'm sorry village chief." Seeing the old man's tears streaming down his face, Long Chen was filled with regret. This was his own mistake.

"Child, this isn't your fault. Don't be guilty." The old man shook his head.

But the more he was like this, the worse Long Chen felt. If it hadn't been for him, such a calamity would definitely not have befallen the village.

"Long Chen, your heart is something we all understand. We're all a family, so don't be like this." Xiao Hua's comforting voice came from the side.

Long Chen took a deep breath and said to her, "Xiao Hua, I'm about to leave."

Her body shook and she was overwhelmed with shock. "You… you want to leave us?"

Looking at her desolate expression and her uncontrollable tears, Long Chen could only quietly reply, "I'm sorry, but I must leave. You've also seen that I have enemies. If I don't leave, a huge disaster will befall the village." Lightly brus.h.i.+ng back her hair, he gently continued, "The village has already paid too high a price for me. I don't dare stay with you. I hope… I hope you can forgive me."

Xiao Hua hit away Long Chen's hand and miserably cursed, "You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you liar, I hate you!"

After saying that, she ran off to her own room and slammed the door shut.

Long Chen sighed. Looking at that tightly closed door, he didn't say anymore. Thinking back to when he had just awoken, he recalled Xiao Hua's sweet and satisfied smile when she said he was her man.

"Child, don't feel too bad. If you want to leave, then leave. Remember, if you don't like the outside world, you can always return. This place is also your home," sincerely said the old man as he patted Long Chen's shoulders.

"Many thanks village chief." The village chief's approval did make him feel a bit better.

"As for Xiao Hua, I'll console her. Don't worry, she is a sensible child. She'll slowly come to understand this."

Long Chen nodded. He took out a few medicinal pills from his spatial ring. These medicinal pills were varied in quality, but in the worst ones would still be miraculous medicines in the eyes of these hunters.

Now that the forest divinity had left, the village no longer had her support. They would only be able to rely on themselves in the future. Long Chen left behind large quant.i.ties of healing medicines as well as a recipe for a medicinal liquid that they could make on their own.

The village already had a couple such recipes, but they were incomparable to Long Chen's. Other than medicinal pills, Long Chen also wrote a couple experiences and insights that pertained to the Qi Condensation realm's cultivation. He also left behind the Breaking Wind Fist, Windchasing Steps, and other techniques of that level for them.

That was in the hopes that the village would hopefully be able to nurture some experts. If the village had a couple Blood Condensation experts, they would definitely be much safer.

He also left behind a dozen Blood Breaking Pills. As long as someone advanced to the ninth Heavenstage of Qi Condensation, they would immediately advance to Blood Condensation after taking one of them.

Using a medicinal pill to break through would cause your realm to be flawed. But even so, to these people, that was not something to complain about. Without Long Chen's a.s.sistance, they would be unable to step into Blood Condensation in their whole life.

Only be doing all this could he feel at ease. Long Chen trusted that from today onwards, the village would only continuously grow stronger.

Now they had medicinal pills, Battle Skills and weapons. In the future, even if they didn't have the forest divinity, they would still be able to survive very well.

When they arrived at the village gate, the entire village gathered over to reluctantly say goodbye to Long Chen. There were even some children who tightly hugged his leg, not letting him leave.

This scene truly did cause Long Chen to feel sad inside, but he had to leave. The only thing he regretted was that Xiao Hua continued to stay locked in her room. It seemed she really did hate him now.

After saying goodbye, Long Chen was just about to leave.

"Wait!"

Long Chen paused and slowly turned back. Xiao Hua opened her door and ran right up next to him.

Her originally bright eyes were now red and filled with pain.

"Long Chen, I know I can't keep you. I made this just now. I hope you can forever wear it on your body."

Saying that, Xiao Hua took our a necklace that was made from some multi-colored rocks.

"Haha, perhaps this gift is too poor and will be laughed at." Xiao Hua laughed mockingly at herself. But although she smiled, tears fell from her eyes.

"I'll properly keep it in my care. But how about you come with me?" Long Chen couldn't help feeling his heart ache when he looked at Xiao Hua.

Her eyes brightened for a moment, but they quickly dulled again. She shook her head, "We are people who live in different worlds. I can't leave my family. I just hope that when you look upon this necklace in the future, you'll remember that there was once a girl… whose heart… yearned to go hunting with you… and make babies."

Towards the end, Xiao Hua's voice ended up becoming choked with emotion. After forcing out those last words, she fell into Long Chen's embrace and began to weep and bawl.

Long Chen didn't know how managed to leave in the end. He felt his own heart shattering. This was the first time he experienced being so helpless. This was a helplessness that a higher cultivation base could not resolve.

Dragging the half dead Manhuang Hou, Long Chen disappeared within the depths of the forest.