The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 3227 Testing and Annihilation
But just as he was about to lift his foot, his arm was firmly grabbed by a large hand.

That hand contained astonishing strength, pulling him back instantly and preventing him from moving forward at all.

Zhou Zixing felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that Qian Ying was determined to stop him.

"Elder Zhou, let's wait and see!" Qian Ying said in a low voice, gesturing to Chen Mo and Ouyang Nan. Her voice was extremely low, as if she was afraid of alerting something. "Their strength should be enough to deal with the shadowy figures. After all, some shadowy figures just rushed out from our side, and we don't know if more will appear."

His tone sounded reasonable, as if he were considering the bigger picture, and every word he spoke was for the safety of everyone. But Zhou Zixing caught a strange glint in his eyes, a test, a calculation, a cold, sinister attempt to use someone else to do his dirty work, which flashed by in an instant.

Zhou Zixing looked at Qian Ying with a furrowed brow and great anxiety in his heart: "We can't be sure if that dark figure is the same one that just disappeared over here. Let's go and check it out first."

His voice was also very low, but the urgency in his tone was hard to hide.

After all, he couldn't afford to offend Chen Mo, and that young man's strength was definitely beyond what he and Qian Ying could handle. Since this young man didn't want to reveal his strength, he would pretend not to know, and then personally cover for him to leave a good impression.

Old Qian, I'm doing this all for you! If you really mess with this young man, you won't even know how you died.

Unfortunately, Zhou Zixing wanted to go, but Qian Ying didn't want him to.

Qian Ying's hand gripped Zhou Zixing's arm like an iron clamp, her innate true energy surging silently, exerting pressure without warning. The true energy wasn't violent, but it carried a gentle, yin-like power, gradually making Zhou Zixing's arm numb and unable to exert any force.

His gaze remained fixed on Chen Mo, his eyes flashing with a complex light—a mixture of curiosity, apprehension, and, above all, naked killing intent.

If the shadowy figure could reveal Chen Mo's true strength, that would be ideal. After all, he had previously suspected that this young man's true cultivation level might be even higher. He suspected that the strength Chen Mo had displayed was merely the tip of the iceberg, and that his true cultivation level might be even higher, perhaps... no less than his own!
This uncertainty was something he couldn't tolerate; he had to find out the young man's true strength before he could feel at ease.

This thought filled Qian Ying with both excitement and fear. She was excited because if Chen Mo was truly hiding his abilities, she would have the opportunity to use him as a tool to eliminate this major threat; she was fearful because if Chen Mo's strength truly surpassed her own, wouldn't all her scheming over the past few days be as laughable as a clown?
If Chen Mo can withstand the shadowy figure, it means he was indeed hiding his true strength, and we need to be more vigilant in the future, perhaps even reassessing our relationship with Chen Mo; if he can't withstand it and is killed by the shadowy figure...

Qian Ying's lips twitched slightly. He had wanted to kill this young man for a long time. Ever since Chen Mo and Qian Wantong fought, he had been thinking about it. If he died now, wouldn't that be just what he wanted?

Even Ouyang Nan was brought up, which made him even happier. That woman had refuted him at the meeting, contradicting his proposal in front of so many people. Where could he put his old face? This matter was like a thorn stuck in his heart, causing him pain from time to time.

“Elder Zhou,” Qian Ying lowered her voice, her tone slightly seductive, “look at that young man. His movements are steady, and his breathing is long and deep. He is obviously not using his full strength. If we intervene rashly, it will seem like we don’t trust him. It would be better to observe the situation and then act if there is real danger.”

These words sounded grand and dignified, but Zhou Zixing felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew Qian Ying's plan, but he was powerless to break free. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Mo and Ouyang Nan fought against the shadowy figure. He secretly prayed: "Please don't reveal your strength. Please drive the shadowy figure away as soon as possible. It's not that I didn't want to help, but I was blocked. Don't blame me later. Blame that old bastard Qian Ying."

At this moment, the battle on the field has reached a fever pitch.

To avoid revealing himself, Chen Mo deliberately suppressed his strength, keeping his attacks only slightly above the peak of the tenth level of the Acquired Realm. His fist techniques appeared fierce, but in reality, they were well-controlled, each move perfectly positioned at the "half-step Innate" level, neither appearing too weak nor arousing excessive suspicion from Qian Ying. Ouyang Nan also cooperated perfectly. Knowing Chen Mo's intentions, she attacked the shadowy figure with all her might, leaving her defense entirely to Chen Mo. Her attacks were like a storm, each strike aimed directly at the shadowy figure's vitals, forcing the monster to retreat repeatedly. However, its attempts to quickly disappear into the darkness were thwarted by Chen Mo.

She trusted Chen Mo to protect her.

The two fought the shadowy figure in this way, so naturally the battle lasted quite a while.

The shadowy figure moved with incredible speed and moved with an eerie motion, like a swirling mass of ink, constantly flickering at the boundary between firelight and darkness.

Chen Mo moved with the ease of a leisurely stroll, yet he always managed to deflect the shadowy figure's attacks at the last second. His palm strikes appeared calm, but contained subtle variations; each parry was perfectly timed, neutralizing the shadowy figure's offensive without appearing too effortless.

Ouyang Nan unleashed her full power, raining down punches upon the dark figure. However, the figure's movements were far too unpredictable, always finding a way to escape through gaps, causing her attacks to repeatedly miss.

"Gah—!"

The dark figure let out a sharp screech, seemingly enraged by the entanglement between the two. Its body suddenly accelerated, transforming into a black lightning bolt, weaving back and forth between the two, its sharp claws stirring up gusts of bloody wind, its attacks becoming increasingly fierce.

Chen Mo frowned slightly, knowing he couldn't delay any longer. He secretly transmitted his voice to Ouyang Nan: "Prepare to close the net. Finish it off within three moves."

Ouyang Nan immediately nodded in agreement, increasing her speed once again to attack the shadowy figure with all her might.

The shadowy figure seemed to sense the danger, paused, and tried to retreat. But Chen Mo had already anticipated its reaction, and with a downward strike of his palm, an invisible force quietly blocked its retreat.

"Now!" Chen Mo shouted.

Ouyang Nan's energy surged, and her right fist aimed straight for the shadowy figure's throat, containing all her power.

The shadowy figure had nowhere to dodge and could only take the blow head-on. It crossed its claws, trying to block the sword strike, but Chen Mo's palm strike came from the other side, hitting its ribs squarely.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, the dark figure flew out like a rag doll and crashed heavily to the ground.

A hint of resentment flashed in the shadowy figure's crimson eyes, but fear was far more intense. It seemed to want to disappear back into the darkness and escape, but Chen Mo and Ouyang Nan's attacks were relentless and persistent.

"It's over," Chen Mo said calmly, striking the shadowy figure squarely on the head with a palm strike. Remembering the shadowy figure's fight with Qian Ying, how it could still explode despite being severely injured, he imbued it with a wisp of true essence, sending it directly into the shadowy figure's head and churning its brain.

Even with its abundant energy, the shadowy figure couldn't withstand this attack.