The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 177: Who Are You?

Who Are You? . . .

Song Jue gingerly touched the wounds on his face, a sense of vindication washing over him. "Well, I'm feeling somewhat better now, hearing this... That little rascal will finally face the consequences, no matter how arrogant and shameless he is..."

With an air of contentment, he continued, "Speaking of that, I actually find it quite satisfying."

Cha Nan-Tian was taken aback by Song Jue's response. He gazed at his sworn brother in utter disbelief. [What manner of man are you? Is this how an uncle should react? This is truly a rarity in the world...]

Unbeknownst to him, Song Jue had endured quite the ordeal at the hands of Cha-Eun Xiao in recent times. The experiences had nearly driven him to madness, rendering him unable to put his feelings into words, let alone discuss them with Cha Nan-Tian. Shame had kept him from revealing the extent of his torment.

But what could he have said?

"Your son is a true genius, a marvel, a legend. Actually, he's more like a complete monster. He outmatches me in experience, intelligence, and cunning. He's even physically superior... Well, he hasn't surpassed me in strength yet, but he effortlessly subdued someone much stronger than me. He played tricks on someone far more capable than I. It's only a matter of time before he surpasses me in every way..."

"I'm being driven to the brink of insanity by your dear son."

"All those troubles he's caused? I couldn't resolve most of them. I've merely pretended to assist him..."

However, Song Jue couldn't bring himself to voice these thoughts. The embarrassment and anticipation of Cha Nan-Tian's reaction were too much to bear.

For Cha Nan-Tian, those unspoken words might have elicited responses like, "What on earth are you babbling about? Xiao Xiao is a monster? My son is a monster, huh? You, an old coot older than my son, can't even handle a sixteen-year-old kid? What have you been doing with your life? Eating dog food or something? You can't manage a teenager?"

Or perhaps it would be more like, "You're so much stronger than him, and yet you can't control him? Have you been eating rice your whole life, or have you been feasting on...well, you get the idea. Are you out of your mind?"

Cha Nan-Tian would likely retort in such a manner. He had a tendency to speak his mind without reservation, especially to his brother.

So, Song Jue kept his silence.

[I see. I'll leave you to deal with your son. After you realize the kind of monster he is, you'll probably be weeping in private somewhere.]

Cha Nan-Tian's countenance grew darker as he sat in Cha-Eun Xiao's room, his breathing heavy with frustration.

No one could have foreseen that a war god of his stature would find himself in such a state.

Outside, the sky continued to darken, and Cha-Eun Xiao had yet to return home.

Cha Nan-Tian's heavy breathing filled the room, while Song Jue remained frozen in place, scarcely daring to draw a breath. He clung to a corner, praying silently for Cha-Eun Xiao's swift return. [I can't endure your father's frightening countenance any longer. Please hurry home and relieve some of this unbearable pressure... I must owe my life to you. I don't even dare to exhale loudly in front of your father, and here I am, playing the fool and acting as your scapegoat...]

The gods, it seemed, were listening.

Having savored the delights of reigning as a monarch in Ling-Bao Hall, Cha-Eun Xiao had finally returned home. He stealthily made his way to his room, noting the darkness that shrouded it.

A faint smile curled on his lips. [Uncle Song is quite the adept pretender. He's endured this for so long. I must admit, I'm rather impressed...]

Cha-Eun Xiao entered his room and chuckled softly, addressing the darkness. "Uncle Song, I'm back. Have you had enough rest for today?"

Silence greeted his words.

Yet he sensed the presence of others in the room, more than one. Instantly, he grew wary and asked again, "Uncle Song?" As he spoke, he felt his body involuntarily shift away from his previous position.

A faint sound of movement emanated from the spot where he had been standing.

Alarmed, he demanded, "Who are you?"

Subtle details often revealed the truth. That slight movement suggested the presence of a masterful superior cultivator in the room, surpassing anyone Cha-Eun Xiao had encountered since his rebirth. Even Song Jue was outclassed, and even Guan Zheng-Wen, Master Guan from the royal house, and the number one assassin, Ning Bi-Luo, all fell within this person's range.

Cha-Eun Xiao was certain that if this man reached Song Jue, the latter wouldn't stand a chance to react. Calling out to Song Jue twice with no response, Cha-Eun Xiao grew anxious. [Did this man kill Uncle Song?]

Fueled by this thought, Cha-Eun Xiao's killing intent surged. His left hand met his right with a clap, summoning a golden glow and frigid qi that enveloped his body. Carefully scanning his surroundings, he sensed a sudden movement behind him.

Without hesitation, he countered with an attack.

In the darkness, an enormous hand, as if defying the laws of nature, shot towards Cha-Eun Xiao's neck through an inexplicable path. In a nimble maneuver, Cha-Eun Xiao took a step back and executed a swift turn. His voice rang out, demanding, "Where is my Uncle Song? Who are you?"

The intruder remained mute, his massive hand continuing its rapid advance towards Cha-Eun Xiao's neck.

The first strike had been swift, but the second was even quicker, almost blindingly so. Cha-Eun Xiao barely had time to evade. Fortunately, his wits served him well. He extended his golden hand and struck at the wrist of the oncoming giant appendage.

A resounding collision filled the room.

While Cha-Eun Xiao briefly reveled in his successful defense, he suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his arm. The impact from the clash had nearly shattered it. Alarmed, he swiftly withdrew his arm, his face contorted with agony.

Cha-Eun Xiao believed he had overestimated his opponent, but in truth, he had gravely underestimated the man before him. The golden-handed strike had been infused with frigid qi, pushing the limits of Cha-Eun Xiao's current cultivation level. He was confident that even grandmasters at the Tianyuan Grade would be reluctant to face such a devastating attack. It should have been an unstoppable strike, yet this enigmatic man remained unscathed while his own arm appeared on the verge of breaking. Cha-Eun Xiao marveled at the stranger's incredible cultivation strength.

The mysterious adversary appeared somewhat surprised by the ineffectiveness of Cha-Eun Xiao's attack but continued to advance, his hand reaching menacingly for Cha-Eun Xiao's neck. It seemed impossible to evade.

Cha-Eun Xiao's golden-handed counter had not been particularly successful, but it had momentarily slowed the man's relentless advance. Within a short span, Cha-Eun Xiao had employed eighteen different evasive maneuvers while unleashing eighteen palms and fists against his assailant in the darkness.

Aware that neither the golden hand nor the frigid qi could harm this formidable foe, Cha-Eun Xiao primarily used the latter to stall his opponent. The man's speed was astonishing. Although his relentless strikes were aimed solely at Cha-Eun Xiao's neck, they were executed with such immense force that Cha-Eun Xiao could only focus on defending himself.

The man, displaying an insurmountable level of cultivation, made no effort to dodge Cha-Eun Xiao's counterattacks. His colossal hand remained dangerously close to Cha-Eun Xiao's neck at all times, illustrating sheer determination.

In a moment of calculated decision, Cha-Eun Xiao stamped his foot on the floor and propelled himself away with lightning speed. Realizing the insurmountable strength of his opponent, he opted for retreat, seeking the opportunity to devise a new plan. Persistently defending against this relentless attacker would only lead to a more precarious situation, potentially robbing him of any chance of survival.

His resolve unwavering, Cha-Eun Xiao wasted no time in escaping the room. However, the man's enormous hand moved with unnatural swiftness, seemingly transcending the boundaries of time and space. Before Cha-Eun Xiao could fully exit the room, the hand clutched his foot in a vice-like grip, faster than even the speed of light.

Without time to panic, Cha-Eun Xiao swiftly contorted his body and sent a concealed throwing knife hurtling toward the man's throat. Simultaneously, he directed two lightning-fast needles at the man's eyes. He channelled the full power of the frigid qi into his ensnared foot, instantly rendering it as icy cold as a millennia-old glacier. Such a chilling touch would have frozen an ordinary person in their tracks.

The stranger released a disdainful chuckle and barked, "Where did you learn such wicked techniques?"

With a deep inhalation, he expelled his breath forcefully, akin to a mighty river in motion. His exhalation created a tempestuous gust that sent the thrown knife and needles plummeting to the floor. With a swift motion, he seized Cha-Eun Xiao and propelled him back into the room, his grip firm around Cha-Eun Xiao's throat.

Cha-Eun Xiao, in that moment, felt a sense of resignation. His struggle ceased as he grappled with the realization that his adversary's strength surpassed his own by an insurmountable margin. The intruder's formidable power exceeded the limits of the Land of Han-Yang, surpassing the ranks of Tianyuan or Lingyuan cultivation. This was cultivation at the Mengyuan Grade, and it was a formidable mastery at a high level.

Confronting such an opponent, Cha-Eun Xiao had no means of escape, let alone mounting a counteroffensive. Even if the man simply stood there, allowing Cha-Eun Xiao to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks, none of his attacks would cause any harm.

In the Land of Han-Yang, this man stood as an invincible force. The question remained: Who was this enigmatic figure, and what were his intentions?