C15 People Who Are Not in the Plot

Su Chen reached out to pull, and before he could grasp the situation, he was flung away. Yet, Zhang Sanfeng had skillfully controlled his strength, so when Su Chen landed, he was unharmed, albeit a bit dazed.

Vital energy coalesced, and a palm charged with a century of vital energy struck down in an instant, but Emperor Shun of Yuan remained unmoved as if the strike was merely a friendly greeting. With a light tap of his foot, Zhang Sanfeng quickly retreated to Su Chen's side, seizing him and dashing out of the hall without a second thought. Zhang Sanfeng realized he was no match for his opponent and that escape was the best option.

"Don't rush off so soon?" Zhang Sanfeng was quick, but Emperor Shun of Yuan was quicker, materializing in front of Zhang Sanfeng and repelling him with a palm strike.

"Pfft." A mouthful of fresh blood escaped Zhang Sanfeng, who staggered back three steps before neutralizing the force of the blow. Clearly, he had sustained internal injuries from the encounter.

"Sir, your martial prowess is extraordinary. Surely, you have surpassed the Innate level!" exclaimed Zhang Sanfeng, astonished.

"Haha, well done. You've actually managed to neutralize my palm force."

"Sage Zhang, are you alright?" Su Chen inquired, genuinely concerned.

"Thank you for your concern, Su Chen. I'm alright, just a bit of internal injury," Zhang Sanfeng reassured, wiping the blood from his lips with a smile.

"Perhaps we should run? Trust me, we can make it," Su Chen suggested confidently, bolstered by the presence of the Goldfinger.

Zhang Sanfeng appeared hesitant upon witnessing Su Chen's assured demeanor. "If you're confident, then I'm at ease. But it's rare to encounter such a master. I'm inclined to test myself and see just how wide the gap is between me and someone of the Innate realm."

"Alright," Su Chen agreed, not holding him back. He recognized the battle-ready gleam in Zhang Sanfeng's eyes, reminiscent of a dormant volcano on the verge of eruption. "Just be careful."

With a slight smile, the aura of the Innate peak burst forth anew. Su Chen, prepared this time, swiftly moved aside. A turbulent stream of energy encircled him, and a Tai Chi diagram faintly materialized behind him, bearing a resemblance to the image in the treasure box.

Emperor Shun of Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, "You've mastered the martial arts from the treasure box."

"One could say that," Zhang Sanfeng responded. The technique was indeed inspired by the images within the treasure box.

Su Chen scoffed from the sidelines. The treasure box was merely a ploy to entice Zhang Sanfeng; it couldn't possibly contain any real martial arts.

"Please, go ahead." Standing tall with one hand gesturing outward and the other inward, legs apart, Zhang Sanfeng assumed the opening stance of the Tai Chi form he had created.

"Very well." Su Chen marveled inwardly. Though an amateur, he could appreciate the elegance of the posture; it was unmistakably authentic Tai Chi.

"Let's see what's so extraordinary about the martial arts from the treasure box," Emperor Shun of Yuan declared, no longer hesitating. His fist clenched, he aimed a punch at Zhang Sanfeng's midsection.

Zhang Sanfeng traced a circle with his left leg, gracefully spinning his body to narrowly evade Emperor Shun of Yuan's punch. Using the momentum of his turn, he landed a palm strike on the Emperor's back.

Emperor Shun of Yuan was taken aback, feeling the residual force of the palm on his back. How could he, an Emperor, be wounded by someone at the peak of Innate cultivation? "Is this the martial arts of the treasure box? Truly remarkable. Again!"

No longer holding back, Emperor Shun of Yuan unleashed his full power, his speed nearly impossible to track. Yet, each time he nearly struck Zhang Sanfeng, the latter would deftly dodge at the last moment, leaving the Emperor both frustrated and astonished.

Seizing an opportunity, Zhang Sanfeng executed a powerful Tai Chi Parry and Punch without hesitation. The robust energy was released fiercely, and he immediately retreated, escaping the Emperor's reach.

Emperor Shun of Yuan staggered, a hint of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. He was wounded, and it appeared to be a serious injury. Su Chen's keen eyes caught the trace of blood instantly, and his face lit up with a smile. This was the prowess of a true master!

Yet, he failed to notice Zhang Sanfeng's ashen complexion. For him to execute such a move was incredibly draining on his vital energy, and it wouldn't be long before he might have to make his escape.

"It's indeed magical," Emperor Shun of Yuan said nonchalantly, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "But that's as far as it goes. Your technique may be extraordinary, but it still has its weaknesses."

A sinister smile played at the corner of Emperor Shun of Yuan's mouth. In an instant, a finger appeared out of nowhere in front of Zhang Sanfeng's chest. As blood sprayed, Zhang Sanfeng was hurled backward, slamming into a pillar in the hall before coming to a stop.

"What just happened?" In the brief moment it took for the finger to appear and Zhang Sanfeng to be thrown, Su Chen was shocked to find Zhang Sanfeng on the ground, a large, blood-soaked wound on his chest indicating a severe injury.

"Cough." A mouthful of blood, laced with fragments of bone, spilled from Su Chen's mouth. He could see clearly that these were pieces of shattered bone.

"Predicting my moves by the airflow of the attack is clever. But the difference in our levels is not something that can be overcome by mere trickery."

Emperor Shun of Yuan pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the fresh blood from his finger. "Reveal the martial arts secrets of the treasure box, and I will spare your life. And you, Immortal, disclose your origins."

"Hey, hey, is that any way to address an Immortal? I am an Immortal! Would you believe I could call down lightning to strike you dead?" Su Chen appeared completely unfazed as he stepped over to Zhang Sanfeng and began to feign examining his injuries.

Emperor Shun of Yuan paid no mind to Su Chen's antics. He had scrutinized the Immortal thoroughly many times before, finding that Su Chen was merely an ordinary man, devoid of any vital energy and showing no signs of martial training.

"Immortal," the emperor chuckled, "I apologize for my earlier discourtesy. Now, would you be so kind as to tell me about your background?"

"Never mind, I'm leaving. I hope you're still as brazen the next time we meet." Su Chen had intended to engage him further, but Zhang Sanfeng's condition didn't allow for any delay.

"Leaving? To where exactly..." Emperor Shun of Yuan's mocking tone seized up as Su Chen vanished abruptly before his eyes. Zhang Sanfeng, despite his grave injuries, disappeared along with him, as if neither had ever been there at all.

In the Untamed Tribe's headquarters nestled within the Untamed Ridge, the doyen, Shou Kun, and their peers were in the midst of a council within the central Temple of Stone when their expressions suddenly shifted. In an instant, they vanished from within the temple.

Meanwhile, in a guest room of the stronghold, a figure flashed into existence: Su Chen, accompanied by the gravely wounded Zhang Sanfeng. In all the worlds Su Chen could traverse, only two possessed extraordinary powers: the world of the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre where Zhang Sanfeng hailed from, and this, the World of the Untamed.

Confronted with Zhang Sanfeng's critical condition, Su Chen instinctively chose the World of the Untamed. Back in Su Chen's Primal World, Zhang Sanfeng's injuries would have been a death sentence, with payment merely prolonging the inevitable. His internal organs were pulverized; survival was improbable, and no hospital would dare take on such a patient.

Whether healing was possible in the World of the Untamed remained to be seen. After all, Zhang Sanfeng had sustained his injuries while aiding Su Chen.

Upon arrival in the World of the Untamed, Su Chen was taken aback. The guest room was exactly as he had left it, which was normal enough. However, the abnormality lay in the figures materializing one after another, reminiscent of a respawn point in a video game. Su Chen couldn't fathom their sudden appearances. Had it not been for the sight of the doyen and the fact that Zhang Sanfeng was hanging by a thread, Su Chen might have fled long ago.