Chapter 398: Chapter 196: Times Have Changed (2)

He was a rising star in the Central Plains Martial Arts world.

Then, someone else dug up the fact that Zhao Rui had once fought the demon-possessed Cangwu Zi for hundreds of rounds to a standstill.

Furthermore, he had been directly involved in the incident that led to Cangwu Zi’s descent into demonism.

As a few of these reputation-boosting stories spread, everyone came to know of this ridiculously impressive figure.

Unfortunately, he was dead!

So, as the stories continued to circulate, the narrative shifted. He was painted as arrogant, conceited, and full of himself.

It became: no matter how amazing someone is, if they don’t live long, they’re nothing but trash!

The way these rumors were fueled was rather strange, but at the very least, it got Zhao Rui’s name out there.

"If he doesn’t die, who does?"

"What right does he have to live? He’s just an ordinary student who got a little lucky. What gives him the right to look down on me?"

"How am I worse than him? How do I not measure up to that Miao Miaomiao... or you? In terms of Martial Arts, looks, or figure, how can you possibly compare to me?"

The more Luo Min spoke, the angrier she became. She flew into the air and lunged for Qin Rui.

Wang Dalong and the other man hurried forward to block her.

The three of them joined forces to resist Luo Min’s attacks.

"You’re a bunch of weaklings, what right do you have to compare yourselves to me? When my Holy Lotus Sect takes over Dongqi, I’ll make you wish you were dead."

Luo Min’s face was pale and grim. It was obvious that practicing the Demon Skill had greatly affected her temperament.

The three were furious, but unfortunately, the gap in their strength was too great. They lasted about ten moves before Luo Min struck them down one by one.

A wicked smile touched Luo Min’s lips. Her figure blurred, and in an instant, she was beside Qin Rui. She extended her claw-like fingers and placed them at Qin Rui’s collar.

"I’m going to rip your clothes off and let everyone see just how good Zhao Rui’s girlfriend’s body really is!"

Luo Min cackled menacingly.

"That’s enough, Luo Min!"

Just then, a man in a mask standing on the wall stopped her with a cold voice.

"You’ve gone too far,"

the man said coldly.

"Too far? What? Are you trying to protect her? Don’t tell me you have a secret crush on her too?"

Luo Min stood up, displeased, and stared coldly at the masked man.

"How dare you speak to me like that now?"

the masked man said icily.

"I am in charge, you are subordinate. Are you defying the Sect Leader’s command?"

Luo Min was completely unafraid, her expression cold and sinister as she looked at him.

"This is not a Sect matter. I advise you to restrain yourself. Don’t force my hand."

The masked man’s tone carried a hint of frost, as if he would strike the moment Luo Min made a move.

"So, you’ve taken a fancy to Zhao Rui’s woman. Figures. Not a single man is any good."

Luo Min sneered and withdrew her claw-like fingers from Qin Rui.

"Alright, it’s getting late. We should be leaving."

The masked man glanced around at the familiar place, the familiar surroundings, and spoke with a hint of emotion.

"You’re getting off easy. Just you wait. The day my Holy Sect arrives will be the day you see me again, haha!"

Luo Min laughed wildly, her once-pretty face now looking sinister and terrifying.

"I don’t know if the Holy Sect will arrive, but you probably won’t be around to see it."

Just then, a somber voice boomed like a clap of thunder, echoing over the entire Martial Arts Arena.

’This voice?’

The masked man was startled, the hairs on his body standing on end.

"Zhao... Zhao... Zhao Rui, you..."

Luo Min was so frightened she staggered back, nearly falling to the ground.

"Captain Zhao! It’s Captain Zhao’s voice!"

The eyes of the terrified and tense crowd in the Martial Arts Arena instantly lit up.

One by one, they began to shout in excitement.

"Zhao Rui isn’t dead!"

"This is great!"

"I knew he couldn’t die! The good die young, but a scourge lives... ahem, ahem!"

One could tell from the comment that it was Cai Zhengyang who had spoken.

While everyone was chattering away, Zhao Rui’s figure gradually appeared at the entrance of the Martial Arts Arena. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

He walked slowly, but with a strange, inexplicable rhythm that seemed to calm everyone’s minds.

By the time he walked in, the crowd, who had been exhausted by fear, tension, and dread, felt as if they were basking in brilliant sunlight.

Not a trace of their weariness remained.

"Luo Min. It’s been a while."

Zhao Rui looked at the woman before him, with strange patterns drawn at the corners of her eyes and bizarre clothing—the very picture of a Witch.

He couldn’t help but shake his head.

’In the end, she was once my classmate. I really can’t understand why she holds such a huge grudge against me.’

’We barely even interacted.’

’How did it come to this?’

"You... you’re still alive? How is that possible? How could you have returned from Gui Xu?"

"Oh? As you can see, I have."

After speaking, Zhao Rui’s gaze suddenly shifted to the masked man on the wall. He smiled faintly and said, "Zhang Kui, long time no see. I trust you’ve been well."

"Zhang Kui?"

Qin Rui’s eyes wavered, her face a mask of disbelief.

"Zhang Kui, is it really you?"

The masked man shook his head and slowly removed the mask from his face. It was Zhang Kui, no doubt about it.

"Zhao Rui... I never thought we’d meet again under these circumstances."

Zhang Kui’s face was deathly pale, as if he were seriously injured.

"Yes, I didn’t expect this either."

Zhao Rui gave a faint smile and then said, "If you don’t mind, let me kill someone. We can talk after."

Zhang Kui froze, just about to speak,

when he saw Zhao Rui’s figure flicker and appear right in front of Luo Min.

"You’re going to kill me!"

"You’re going to kill me!"

"Why?! Why?! You’re going to kill me just for this bitch? She..."

With a sharp SNAP, her words cut off abruptly.

How could she possibly resist the current, powerful Zhao Rui?

Luo Min’s body fell to the ground, stunning everyone present.

"You... you’ve changed, too."

Zhang Kui’s voice held a slight tremor. They had once been good friends. But even though he himself had reached the Dharma Realm, he was still so shocked by Zhao Rui casually killing someone mid-conversation that he broke out in a cold sweat.

"The times have changed,"

Zhao Rui said coldly.

"Yes, the times have changed. Seeing you like this... I can rest assured."

Zhang Kui gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"Want to find a place to catch up? I’ll call Li Xinran."

Zhao Rui said this casually, as if nothing had happened, while standing right next to Luo Min’s corpse.

"No, some other time. Can I take the body?"

"Of course."

"Thanks!"

Zhang Kui put his mask back on, and with a flicker of his body, appeared before Zhao Rui. Without another word, he bent down, grabbed Luo Min’s corpse, and with a WHOOSH, leaped onto the wall and vanished from sight.

"Zhao... Zhao Rui!"

Qin Rui was a little frightened. It wasn’t until Zhao Rui opened his arms that she flew into his embrace.

She began to sob loudly.

The surrounding team members watched this scene, each with a different expression on their face.

There was fear, apprehension, excitement, and alarm.

A lot had happened in the past year or two, but to see someone so openly and casually killed right before their eyes

still sent ripples through their worldview.

"The times have changed. You all should go out and see for yourselves."

Zhao Rui comforted Qin Rui for a moment, then looked up at the crowd and spoke.

"Captain Zhao!"

"Captain Zhao!"

Perhaps his words had an effect. Starting with one person, the shouts gradually swelled into a roar that echoed through the Martial Arts Arena.

...

「In the Wall-Facing Chamber in the front hills of Mingcan Courtyard.」

Zhao Rui, Qin Rui, and the others sat across from each other. The group stared at his face, looking him over and over again.

"What are you all staring at?"

"It’s just unbelievable. Did you really take a trip to the Gui Xu World?"

Li Xinran, who had rushed over after hearing the news, asked with a curious expression.

"Of course! The genuine article."

"What’s it really like there?"

"It is what it is. Like a primeval forest, but with ancient city walls, ancient tribes, palaces, Sects..."

"You can just imagine it as an ancient world full of Exotic Beasts."

"Ah! So those Exotic Beasts really are from Gui Xu? Will there be more and more of them? Will they gradually take over all of Blue Star?"

Li Xinran’s almond-shaped eyes went wide as she asked in terror.

"That’s an inevitable trend. And that’s why the times have changed."

Zhao Rui’s sharp brows knitted together as he spoke with a serious expression.

"Can’t the Court handle it?"

"I don’t know, but to a certain extent at least, the entire social order will descend into chaos..."

Hearing his words, Qin Rui and the others couldn’t help but lower their heads in contemplation.

They understood what Zhao Rui meant.

With the invasion of the Gui Xu people, the rampage of the Exotic Beasts, and even the Holy Lotus Sect fanning the flames,

it would be impossible for the world to ever return to the peaceful era of the past.

In an era where might makes right, everything had indeed changed.