Chapter 336

Chapter 336: Pursuing the Criminal by Day (Part Two)

In the dense forest, Wang Chen moved swiftly, his feet barely touching the ground. He glided over or brushed against the wild grass and vine roots, his movements ghostly, silent, and as fast as a loosed arrow.

Like all talismans, the tracking talisman had a limited duration of effectiveness, its power gradually waning over time.

Wang Chen suddenly halted, activating another tracking talisman.

As he passed through a grove of trees, the terrain ahead became steep, and the sound of a babbling stream reached his ears.

The traces on the ground grew chaotic.

Wang Chen’s eyes flashed as he unleashed his divine sense.

He stopped the chase and said in a deep voice, "Come out!"

The surroundings fell eerily silent, with no response.

Wang Chen shook his head, preparing to summon his flying sword.

Suddenly, a thicket a few dozen steps ahead rustled, and a gray-clad figure emerged.

One after another, gray figures appeared, forming a half-circle around Wang Chen.

They remained silent, their cold gazes fixed on him, revealing hints of murderous intent.

In their hands, they held crossbows shimmering with metallic light.

The silver-white arrowheads were aimed directly at Wang Chen.

Upon closer inspection, one could see intricate runes carved on the crossbows and arrows.

Wang Chen feigned ignorance and asked, "Where are the villagers you kidnapped?"

"Hehe."

The first gray figure laughed, "Village Chief Wang, are you chasing us to ransom them back or to snatch them away?"

His laugh was hoarse and aged, brimming with confidence: "If you’re thinking of snatching them back, I advise you to think carefully and not act impulsively."

Wang Chen glanced at him and replied, "Which faction do you belong to?"

Organized bandits usually had their own names, and these individuals were clearly not a disorganized group; they also recognized his identity.

They must be significant!

"We have no faction."

The gray figure was cunning: "Just a few poor brothers trying to make a living. Village Chief Wang, everything can be discussed; why must you push so hard?"

"You’re stalling for time."

Wang Chen asked with interest, "Waiting for someone?"

The gray figure hesitated, clearly hit by Wang Chen’s words.

A cruel glint flashed in his eyes: "Kill!"

Whoosh!

The moment the gray figure finished speaking, a dazzling sword light suddenly flashed before him, and a sharp sword energy sliced through the air with ferocity.

Despite the gray figure’s high alertness and full preparation for battle, Wang Chen’s decisive strike and astonishing speed completely caught him off guard.

Caught unprepared, he could only crush a spiritual symbol he held in his hand.

A burst of golden light erupted, completely enveloping the gray figure.

Poof!

The piercing sword energy tore through the golden light in an instant, yet it failed to hit its target.

The gray figure reappeared on the other side, nearly thirty steps away from his original position.

And on his chest, there was now a half-foot-long sword scar!

The bandit leader’s eyes, once filled with calm and ferocity, now revealed uncontrollable fear.

Only he knew how lucky he was to have dodged that sword!

At that moment, a rolling thunder sound surged forth, spreading in all directions.

Who knows how many birds it startled!

Thunderous sword energy!

Wang Chen was somewhat surprised that his strike had missed.

His Thunderbolt sword technique had reached the level of perfect mastery, allowing him to cut down Qi Training cultivators below the Purple Palace level as easily as slicing through melons and chopping vegetables.

He hadn’t expected the bandit leader to evade it.

This bandit leader’s cultivation level was at most perfect mastery in Qi Training.

However, Wang Chen didn’t dwell on it; after all, protection artifacts and talismans were common, making it not surprising that one could block or dodge thunderous sword energy.

In such circumstances, all he needed was to follow up with another strike.

If one strike wouldn’t do, then he would take another!

Wang Chen formed a spell with his hands, and the Wind and Thunder Sword swiftly soared upward, drawing a graceful arc in the air.

The sword tip once again pointed at the gray figure.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A flurry of silver-glinting crossbow arrows shot toward Wang Chen!

These crossbows were evidently enhanced with special powers, their speeds unimaginably fast, almost reaching Wang Chen the moment they left the crossbow.

Wang Chen’s response was simple: he shot up into the air like a sprout breaking through the ground.

All the crossbow arrows missed, with the most threatening ones merely grazing the soles of his boots.

“Form the formation!”

The bandit leader let out a heart-wrenching roar.

For a Qi Training cultivator wanting to confront a Purple Palace master, the best strategy was to rely on the power of formations.

A well-constructed defensive formation could absorb the strength of hundreds or thousands of low-level cultivators, causing higher-level ones to hesitate and not dare to engage directly.

Even if they could force their way through, it would come at a very high cost.

This group of bandits certainly couldn’t have set up a defensive formation in advance; the array they formed was a battle formation that could, to some extent, gather everyone’s power.

Resisting the Purple Palace was not just a fantasy.

However, how could Wang Chen possibly give them the chance to form their formation at ease? The Wind and Thunder Sword, which had just begun its dive, abandoned its original target and shot toward the nearest bandit.

Poof!

This bandit was truly unlucky; he didn’t possess the life-protecting spirit symbol that his leader had, and in an instant, the Wind and Thunder Sword pierced through his body, rendering his magical shields as fragile as paper.

[Heavenly Merit +7]

Wang Chen ignored the information that popped up in his vision and controlled the flying sword to slay the other bandits.

“Aah!”

Screams echoed one after another as bandits fell, one by one.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

While dealing with the weaker foes, Wang Chen caught sight of fireballs hurtling toward him from the corner of his eye.

At the same time, a streak of light silently appeared behind him, shooting straight toward the vital point at the back of his neck!

This was the true counterattack from the enemy!

Suspended in mid-air, Wang Chen had become a living target.

However, none of the attacks could escape Wang Chen’s divine sense, including those of the attackers.

In the next moment, Wang Chen suddenly dropped downward.

Before his feet touched the ground, he swiftly turned around and threw a punch at the streak of light pursuing him.

Unbreakable Vajra Fist!

Boom!

The seemingly sharp streak of light was instantly shattered, and a small flying sword trembled as it was sent flying away.

Countless cracks appeared on the sword’s body.

Beside a large tree a hundred steps away, a middle-aged female cultivator spat blood violently, her eyes filled with horror.

This flying sword, which she had refined day and night with her vital blood, could not withstand Wang Chen’s bare fists. Not only was her killing move broken, but her divine soul was also severely injured.

The middle-aged female cultivator realized that she and her companions had gravely underestimated Wang Chen’s strength, and her regret was beyond words.

Just as she prepared to escape, a giant Fire Crow swooped down from above.

Boom!