Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 773

In just a hundred breaths, before the little princess and her companions could even recover from the mirage they had just witnessed, a sandstorm that blotted out the sky swept in.

At first, it was just a gentle breeze that stirred up dust and ruffled their clothes and hair, but it quickly became violent, without any gradual change. The wind howled and made their clothes flutter loudly.

The wind was still carrying sand and dust, so they could just experience the gale. They couldn't afford any accidents. In the blink of an eye, Chen Xuan's true essence silently emanated from his body, covering the surrounding ten-zhang area invisibly. The raging wind could no longer affect them, as it was blocked by the invisible barrier of true essence.

"Master is already making his move, I haven't had enough of experiencing it yet," the little girl muttered, blinking her big, watery eyes.

Almost speechless by her words, Chen Xuan turned around and threatened, "If you like it so much, how about I throw you over there so you can feel it properly?"

"No way, forget it," the little girl said, shrinking her neck and sticking out her tongue, looking timid.

The sandstorm was now very close. From a distance, it resembled a surging, rolling wave, but as it drew near, it blotted out the sky, like a high wall pressing down or a celestial river being reversed, plunging the entire world into darkness. Moreover, numerous large and small tornadoes raged within, accompanied by thunder and lightning, creating a shocking and oppressive scene.

Faced with such power of heaven and earth, individuals appear too insignificant and fragile. Even those who trust Chen Xuan, including Xia Mei, who possesses top-tier innate cultivation, cannot help but show a look of surprise on their faces. They subconsciously move closer to him to find a trace of security.

The earth trembled and shook, and a raging storm, mixed with endless sand and dust, swept in with overwhelming power, engulfing Chen Xuan and his companions in just a moment.

Being there, the power of heaven and earth is right beside you. The awe and shock are hard to describe, yet they are powerless against it. The strong contrast makes it feel unreal, as if you are cut off from reality.

Despite the chaos around them, an invisible barrier protected Chen Xuan and his companions from any impact. The sandstorm obscured the sky, plunging the world into darkness, as if plunged into eternal night, to the point where they could barely see their own hands. Occasionally, a flash of lightning would streak across the sandstorm, casting flickering light on their faces.

That invisible barrier of true essence was like a stubborn rock, remaining unmoved despite the surging waves, its ten-zhang radius seemingly independent of the real world.

Watching the sand and wind sweep past, like countless fine knives rubbing against the invisible barrier of true essence, yet not even a ripple was caused, as if the barrier of true essence was absolutely smooth and unaffected by any force.

"This...!" Xia Mei, who possessed top-tier innate cultivation, was deeply shocked and subconsciously glanced in Chen Xuan's direction, finding it utterly unbelievable.

The old man really did it, and his expression was calm and composed, showing no signs of strain, as if he were just doing a trivial matter.

Xia Mei had always known that her husband was very strong. During this period of time, she had encountered several grandmaster-level experts, and none of them could withstand a single blow from her husband. But this was the power of heaven and earth! Her understanding of her husband's strength was refreshed once again.

Honestly, she knew that if she were to face the power of heaven and earth, she could barely manage, but it definitely wouldn't last long, and she would be in a terrible state afterward. But her husband? He simply stood there and did nothing, yet the terrifying sandstorm was kept several feet away. Incredible was not enough to describe her feelings.

Xia Mei was not an ignorant person; she knew that the Grandmaster realm was very powerful. However, her husband's methods had clearly exceeded her understanding of Grandmaster-level experts. This was something that no Grandmaster-level expert she knew could accomplish. Just how astonishing was her husband's cultivation? It was beyond comprehension, impossible to fathom.

At that moment, her gaze towards Chen Xuan faltered for a split second, as if her heart had been squeezed tightly. No one even noticed that her legs under her skirt tightened slightly, but this unconscious emotion only lasted for a moment.

She was a woman too, and even though she was getting older, she still couldn't help but feel strange emotions in front of a strong person like Chen Xuan. Admiration for strength was ingrained in her genes, and sometimes it was beyond her control.

Now she truly understood why so many stunningly beautiful girls were willing to follow her master. Each of them was a star, with their own advantages in family background, appearance, and strength. They were all outstanding among their peers, yet they were still happy to be with him.

Who wouldn't be attracted to a man like their master? He exudes a fatal charm to girls just by standing there. He doesn't need to say a word or do anything; countless girls will flock to him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xia Mei noticed that although everyone was still stunned by the power of heaven and earth, they were all staring at Chen Xuan with adoration, almost to the point of being speechless.

'If my husband weren't the princess's husband whom I watched grow up, and practically my junior, I probably would have been irresistibly drawn to him. To be honest, it's really tempting, but reason has to restrain instinct. Sigh.'

Xia Mei sighed inwardly. It was both a blessing and a curse for any girl to meet her master. If she could stay by his side, she would be blessed with good fortune. But if she met him and then had no chance to be with him, she would never meet anyone more dazzling than him in her remaining years.

Chen Xuan's ease was not feigned; it was genuinely effortless. By following his own natural path, he was able to easily neutralize the violent power, even more effortlessly than precisely controlling the force of his attack. Rather than saying he was fighting the storm, it would be more accurate to say he was guiding and neutralizing the violent power. However, even a grandmaster of the same level would find it difficult to achieve such ease and grace.

"Even Brother Gou could withstand sandstorms after mastering his martial arts, so can we. In fact, we can handle them a thousand times easier than him. There's no comparison at all, since our cultivation systems are on completely different levels," Chen Xuan muttered to himself, feeling a little smug. He even unconsciously put his hands on his hips.

He doesn't usually like to show off, but it's quite amusing for him to occasionally put on a show in front of his wives and friends. It's one of his little pleasures, just like the little princess said, he's like a child who hasn't grown up.

"Who is Brother Dog? My husband knows someone like that?" the little princess asked curiously after hearing his muttering.

The little girl blinked her big eyes and asked, "Yes, the dog that Master mentioned is really powerful, right? It can even withstand storms!"

"Well, Brother Dog, he's a very interesting person. Some people say he's a small account of some big shot, but I don't know if it's true or not. If he were here, with his talent and childlike heart, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to match him in cultivation," Chen Xuan said vaguely.

Chen Xuan understood how terrifying his cultivation talent was, but Brother Gou was like someone with cheat codes, his performance was simply limited by his world rank.

Seeing that he casually brushed it off with a few words, although everyone was curious about who the "Dog Brother" he mentioned was, they did not ask any further questions. Their attention was once again focused on the surrounding sandstorm, and they could not hide their shock.

How many people in the world can have such an experience? To be with Chen Xuan, how blessed they are by heaven! Being by his side is like standing on a mountaintop, experiencing things that countless people wouldn't even dare to dream of. The ground beneath their feet trembled, the wind howled in their ears, the world lost its color and sandstorms raged, yet they could not harm them in the slightest. Several times, tornadoes even crashed straight into them, only to crumble before that invisible barrier. The sense of security and peace they felt was breathtaking.

"This thing is just endless. Although it doesn't affect us, it gets quite boring after a while, and it's also inconvenient to travel in this situation. I don't mind, it's just a little inconvenient. Oh well, you guys do as you please, I'm going to lie down for a while," Chen Xuan said listlessly, stretching and strolling towards the carriage. He could handle the sandstorm with just a little distraction, he was pretty steady.

Others, however, didn't find it boring. This was an experience they might only have once in a lifetime, so they had to make the most of it.

The little girl, still young and carefree, curiously ran to the edge, reaching out to touch the sandstorm so close at hand. She expected to be stopped, but to her surprise, she actually reached out. In an instant, she felt a strong gust of wind blowing against her hand, and countless grains of sand struck her like tiny knives. They wouldn't hurt her, but they would definitely hurt. She quickly pulled her hand back, and in just a few breaths, her fair little hand was covered with red spots, and the stinging pain shot into her brain.

He instinctively stuck out his tongue, then looked at the sandstorm so close at hand and was filled with fear. He dared not imagine what would happen if he stayed in it. He was afraid that in no time he would be blown away by the sandstorm and left with only a skeleton. Even the skeleton would not be spared.

"Don't be naughty, it's very dangerous. Even if I were to get caught in it, my true energy would be exhausted and I would be in danger of losing my life if it went on for too long," Xia Mei stepped forward to warn her. There was an element of exaggeration in her words, but it was also true. With her cultivation level, she could not survive in a sandstorm for long. Couldn't she bury herself underground or run away? Directly enduring it would be a sign of a madman.

With an awkward smile, the little girl repeatedly said she wouldn't dare to do it again.

Inside the carriage, Chen Xuan lay lazily. Everyone else was outside watching the storm, and no one was there to play with him. The image of the city that appeared in the mirage kept popping into his mind. Could that city have an actual origin? If so, where was it, and what kind of creatures were they fighting against?

Thinking of those bizarre creatures emanating gray mist, Chen Xuan felt an instinctive aversion and disgust, as if they were naturally on the opposite side.

But then again, if the images in a mirage don't have a real source, how could they appear?

Unable to figure it out, he simply stopped thinking about it. Why waste my brain cells? He decisively closed his eyes for a short rest, diverting some of his attention to maintain his true energy to cope with the storm.

He didn't know how much time had passed when, in his half-awake state, someone softly called out in his ear, "Brother Chen, the wind has stopped. Sister Qianning asked me to ask you what your plans are next?"

Chen Xuan wasn't still half asleep. He lazily opened his eyes and said, "If it's still early, let's continue on our way. Didn't you say you were bored? There's nothing much to do in this desert anyway. If it gets late, we'll find a place to camp and rest for the night."

Chen Xuan wasn't surprised to see Guo Qingxue by his side. He guessed that the little princess was creating opportunities for her to cultivate their relationship. His wife was impeccably thoughtful; she was truly touching.

"Oh, it's only afternoon now, there's still plenty of time before it gets dark. The food is ready, I'll go tell them, and we'll continue our journey after lunch," Guo Qingxue nodded.

As they spoke, Chen Xuan opened his eyes and saw her large breasts. He then realized that his head was resting on her lap, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils. He blinked and got up, saying, "Xue'er, how long have you been here? Why didn't you call me?"

“It’s been a while. I saw that Brother Chen was sleeping soundly, so I didn’t want to disturb him. Why don’t you lie down for a while longer? The dishes are still being served,” Guo Qingxue said with a smile, clearly delighted to be close to Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan, who had gotten up, shook his head and said, "I've slept well. Let's go out. Xue'er, you smell so good. If you keep going like this, I won't be able to resist teasing you."

"Brother Chen, you're really bullying me!" Guo Qingxue lowered her head shyly and said, "I don't mind."

Pinching her pretty cheek, Chen Xuan laughed, "What can you do in such a short time? You're mine now, there's no rush." ​​As he spoke, he noticed her subconsciously rubbing her thigh, and Chen Xuan immediately asked apologetically, "Is your leg numb?"

Still reeling from her embarrassment, Guo Qingxue felt a pang of disappointment that Chen Xuan had managed to refrain from making any advances towards her. Her expression froze for a moment, thinking to herself, "Shouldn't he call me 'Dad' even when we're being affectionate?" She quickly realized her mistake and shook her head, saying, "It's alright, as long as Brother Chen is comfortable, I'm fine."

"You guys have spoiled me rotten. Let's go, don't keep them waiting," Chen Xuan said, taking her hand.

Sure enough, the sandstorm had stopped after I got off the bus, and the sky cleared up again. It was as if everything before was just an illusion, if one ignored the drastically changed environment around them.

Chen Xuan removed the True Essence Barrier. The sand that had piled up two or three meters high on the outside was flowing towards the center like water as the barrier was removed, but Chen Xuan pushed it away with a wave of his hand. Otherwise, they would not have had much room to move.

Looking at the crater formed by the surrounding sand, Xia Mei was once again slightly shocked and subconsciously murmured, "Master can not only easily deal with the storm, but also remain at ease for several hours. How much true energy must this consume, yet Master doesn't seem to be struggling at all. It's simply unbelievable!"

Chen Xuan, with his keen ears, heard her low spirits and proudly said, hands on his hips, "Aunt Mei, don't make a fuss. This is nothing. The energy you've used up isn't even as fast as I can recover. Back when I was only eight, I could generate an inexhaustible supply of internal energy. Now, if I were to fight someone, I could fight for three days and three nights without my true energy becoming depleted. Of course, I only fought for that long because I was full. It would be so much easier to finish someone off in one move. Wouldn't it be better to spend that time cuddling with my wife?"

"Yes, yes, yes, my husband is amazing, isn't he? Look how capable you are! Come and eat, we still have to travel later," the little princess called out speechlessly from a distance. Why are you showing off to us? I never see you showing off to outsiders. Isn't this more interesting?

After a quick clean-up, they set off again while it was still early. The place where Liu Zhenwei and Guo Jinglong fought back then had been completely covered by yellow sand, and no trace of it could be seen anymore.

Two days later, they left the desert and entered the Jing Kingdom. They spent a few more days playing on the grassland. However, to Chen Xuan's regret, after wandering around, he did not find the Eagle Tea Tribe from back then. Originally, Chen Xuan wanted to visit their tribe to reminisce, but he had no choice but to leave.

Years ago, Chen Xuan obtained chili peppers by chance from their tribe. He liked them and, without any deliberate promotion, the chili peppers spread to neighboring countries over the years, adding a new flavor to the tables of everyone from royalty to commoners.

After entering the country and traveling around for a few months, Chen Xuan felt a strange sense of homecoming, probably because Jingguo was his home and had people he cared about.

I wonder how Old Deng is doing now. Does he get bored without me arguing with him? Tsk, the old man is probably living a more carefree life than I am.

Next, I'll visit the Miao siblings, then pay a visit to Master Gao, then head south home, and then every few days I'll bother Old Deng—it's been a long time since I've seen him with his beard bristling and eyes wide open… (End of Chapter)