Grassroots Travel: The Star Lord of Another World

Chapter 168: There is a bright future in another village

The light at the cave entrance seemed to be a symbol of despair, ruthlessly swallowing up the last hope of Gao Xingchen and others. The voice of Fire Cloud Evil God was like a death warrant, echoing in the empty cave, and every word struck their tense nerves.

"Are we really going to die here?" Elder Li murmured in a low voice, his tone full of reluctance. The members of the action team looked at each other, and despair spread among them.

"No, there is still a glimmer of hope!" Gao Xingchen suddenly raised his head and looked towards the cave entrance with a determined gaze, "Xiao Hei!"

Before he finished speaking, a black lightning streaked through the air and rushed straight towards the Fire Cloud Evil God. Xiao Hei's speed was as fast as a ghost, and in the blink of an eye he was in front of the Fire Cloud Evil God, with his sharp claws and fierce gusts, fiercely grabbing his face.

Huoyun Evil God obviously did not expect this sudden attack, and hastily raised his arms to block it. With a loud "bang", Huoyun Evil God was knocked back several steps, and his arms went numb.

"Where did you come from, you beast? How dare you be so presumptuous in front of me!" The Fire Cloud Evil God roared angrily. Just as he was about to teach Xiao Hei a lesson, he suddenly felt a strange movement behind him.

"Not good!" Huoyun Evil God's heart was filled with alarm, but before he could react, a scream came from behind him. He turned around suddenly and saw that the men who had surrounded the cave entrance had fallen in a pool of blood.

“Who is it?!” Huoyun Evil God was shocked and angry. He looked around but could not find the attacker.

"No need to look for them, they left long ago." A cold voice came from the cave entrance. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw several figures slowly walking in.

The leader was wearing a black cape and a mask, so his face couldn't be seen clearly, but from his upright posture and sharp eyes, one could feel a strong sense of oppression. Behind him, there were several masked men dressed in the same way. They all exuded a cold murderous aura, and it was obvious that they were not ordinary people.

"Who are you? Why do you want to interfere in my affairs?" asked Huoyun Evil God vigilantly.

"We are here to rescue them." The man in black said calmly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter. "If you know what's good for you, get out of here. Otherwise..."

The man in black did not continue speaking, but the threat in his tone was self-evident. Although Huoyun Evil God was arrogant, he was not stupid. He knew that he had met a tough guy today, and that continuing to tangle with him would only bring him trouble.

"Okay, just wait for me!" Huoyun Evil God glared at Gao Xingchen and others fiercely, then fled the cave in a hurry with the remaining men.

The crisis was resolved, and Gao Xingchen and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. Elder Li looked at the man in black with gratitude, clasped his fists and said, "Thank you all for your help. May I ask your name, benefactor?"

The man in black shook his head and said calmly, "It's just a small favor. Don't worry about it. We have other things to do, so we'll take our leave now."

After saying this, the man in black turned around and left with the others, disappearing into the night.

Gao Xingchen looked at their departing backs, full of doubts. Who were these people? Why did they help them? And Nan Li seemed familiar with these men in black. Did she know something?

"Nanli, do you know them?" Gao Xingchen couldn't help but ask.

Nan Li was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Well, they are my... friends."

Friend? Gao Xingchen's heart moved. It seemed that Nan Li's past still had many secrets that he didn't know.

"Let's go, it's time for us to leave." Nanli didn't explain too much and turned to walk towards the depths of the cave.

Gao Xingchen looked at her deeply, and then followed her. He knew that now was not the time to ask questions, and when everything was settled, Nan Li would naturally tell him the truth.

The group continued to grope forward in the cave. After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally arrived at a spacious underground space.

"Where is this place?" Gao Xingchen asked curiously.

"This is our secret base." Nan Li explained, "We have stored some supplies here so we can rest for a while."

Gao Xingchen nodded and looked around, and found that this underground space was very hidden. If there was no one leading the way, it would be impossible to find this place.

"It seems that you have been prepared for a long time." Gao Xingchen sighed.

"It's better to be safe than sorry." Nan Li said calmly, "We have always been preparing for the worst."

Gao Xingchen's heart moved. He knew that the "we" in Nanli's mouth referred to her and her "friends". It seemed that Nanli's past was more complicated than he imagined, and those men in black were definitely not ordinary people in the martial arts world.

Who are they? What is the story between them and Nanli?

Gao Xingchen was full of questions, but he knew that now was not the time to solve these mysteries. He believed that one day, he would know all the truth. The Fire Cloud Evil God fled in panic, and Gao Xingchen and others finally got a break. Recalling the thrilling scene just now, Elder Li still had lingering fears, "This time, thanks to those benefactors, otherwise we might..."

Gao Xingchen nodded, but his eyes drifted towards Nanli involuntarily. Nanli was packing her luggage silently, as if the life-and-death crisis just now was just a dream. The ripples in her eyes when the man in black appeared, and the understated word "friend", left Gao Xingchen with many doubts.

"Nanli..." Gao Xingchen was about to ask, but he saw Nanli take out a black jade pendant from his arms and carefully wipe the dust off it. The jade pendant was carved in a simple style, with a faint sense of vicissitudes. There was a strange pattern engraved on the front, like a phoenix spreading its wings to fly, but with a bit more fierce and murderous aura.

"What is this?" Gao Xingchen couldn't help but ask.

Nan Li seemed a little surprised, but still explained softly: "This is a relic my mother left me."

"Your mother..." Gao Xingchen wanted to ask again, but was interrupted by Nan Li, "It's getting late, we should go."

Nan Li carefully put the jade pendant into her arms, turned around and continued walking, without giving Gao Xingchen a chance to ask more questions. Gao Xingchen looked at her back, and his doubts grew even more. Mother's relic? What was the connection between this jade pendant and those men in black?

The group traveled quickly through the mountains and forests under the cover of night. The man in black seemed to be very familiar with the terrain and led them to avoid all the sentries and finally came to a hidden valley.

"This is our temporary base." The leading man in black took off his mask, revealing a weather-beaten and resolute face. "I'm Tieying, the leader of this team."

Gao Xingchen and the others also took off their disguises and expressed their gratitude to Tieying and the others. Tieying waved his hand and said seriously: "Young Master Gao, you are welcome. The reason we risked our lives to save you is because we have a common enemy - the Fire Cloud Evil God!"

"Common enemy?" Gao Xingchen asked puzzledly.

"That's right!" A trace of hatred flashed in Tieying's eyes, "We were all victims of the Fire Cloud Evil God! In order to practice his evil skills, he killed countless innocent lives. My family and my friends all fell victim to his murderous hands!"

Tieying's voice was low and angry, and the other men in black also took off their masks, revealing the same angry and angry expressions. Gao Xingchen then realized that these men in black, both men and women, old and young, but without exception, their eyes were filled with the flames of hatred.

"The Fire Cloud Evil God has committed many evil deeds. We have long wanted to get rid of him, but we are no match for him on our own." Tieying continued, "Young Master Gao is extremely talented and is a rare cultivation genius that is rarely seen in a century. We believe that only you can lead us to completely eliminate the Fire Cloud Evil God and avenge all the victims!"

Gao Xingchen looked at the people in front of him who were full of hatred and hope, and a sense of responsibility that he had never felt before surged in his heart. He knew that the burden on his shoulders was heavier, but he was not afraid, because he knew that he was no longer fighting alone!

"I promise you, I will do my best to destroy the Fire Cloud Evil God and seek justice for all the victims!" Gao Xingchen said firmly, his eyes full of confidence. He knew that this battle would be extremely difficult, but for justice and revenge, he would never back down!

Gao Xingchen's resolute words echoed in the valley, foreshadowing that a bigger storm was about to come...

Gao Xingchen looked at the people who came together for a common goal, and his heart was filled with admiration and gratitude. He knew that he was able to escape from the clutches of the Fire Cloud Evil God entirely because of their help. At the same time, he also realized that it was impossible to completely defeat the Fire Cloud Evil God by relying on just a few of them. The Fire Cloud Evil God had been doing evil for many years, and his power was deeply rooted. Only by uniting more forces could he be brought to justice.

After returning to Qingyun Sect, Gao Xingchen was worried. He pulled Nanli aside and told her everything about Tieying and the others, including the things about Nanli's mother's relics. "I suspect that your life experience is not simple, and may be inextricably linked to this mysterious organization. Don't worry, I won't force you to say anything you don't want to reveal, but I hope you can understand that there are some things that you can't bear alone."

Nan Li listened quietly, with a rare touch of emotion on her cold face. She had been deliberately hiding her past, but she didn't expect Gao Xingchen to be so keenly aware of it. She looked at Gao Xingchen's sincere eyes, and a warm current surged in her heart. She had always been used to being alone, locking herself in a cold armor. It was Gao Xingchen's appearance that made her feel the long-lost warmth and trust.

"Thank you, Xingchen." Nan Li's voice was a little choked up, "There are some things I can't tell you now, but I promise you that one day, I will tell you everything."

Gao Xingchen nodded. He knew that everyone had their own secrets, so he chose to respect Nan Li's choice. "No matter what happens, I will be by your side." He gently held Nan Li's hand, his eyes firm and gentle.

At the same time, Elder Li was pacing anxiously in the room. He was relieved that Gao Xingchen and Nan Li returned safely, but the threat of Fire Cloud Evil God was still like a huge rock pressing on his heart. At this time, Gao Xingchen pushed the door open and told him and Tieying and others the plan.

"Join forces with other forces?" Elder Li pondered for a moment. "This is indeed a good idea, but we need to think long-term. The Fire Cloud Evil God is full of tricks, and we must formulate a foolproof plan to take him down in one fell swoop."

Gao Xingchen nodded. He knew that a bigger storm was coming, and they were ready to meet the challenge.

After returning to Qingyun Sect, Gao Xingchen and Elder Li had a long talk all night. The dim candlelight illuminated their solemn faces, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it seemed as if even the air had frozen.

"We must unite all the forces we can." Gao Xingchen tapped his fingers lightly on the map, his eyes sparkling. "Captain Tieying told me the contact information of their organization. We can try to contact them. In addition, those sects and families that were persecuted by the Fire Cloud Evil God are also potential allies."

Elder Li stroked his graying beard and nodded slowly, "You are right. The Fire Cloud Evil God has made countless enemies over the years. As long as we make a call, I believe many people will be willing to respond. But..." He frowned, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, "The Fire Cloud Evil God is unfathomable, and he is cunning and changeable. We must come up with a foolproof plan, otherwise if we alert him, the consequences will be disastrous."

"I understand." Gao Xingchen pondered for a moment, "We need to make a careful plan to catch them off guard, so that we can take them down in one fell swoop." The brave and fearless figures of Tieying and others, as well as Nanli's cold but determined eyes, appeared in his mind, and a raging fire ignited in his heart. In order to protect this land and the people around him, he will do his best!

In the next few days, Gao Xingchen and Elder Li began to make intensive preparations. While contacting various forces, they stepped up their training to improve their own strength. Gao Xingchen even put all his energy into the research of the "Star Shield" formation. He felt that this formation might have deeper mysteries that have not yet been discovered.

On a moonlit night, Gao Xingchen was practicing formations in the martial arts arena as usual. Xiao Hei lay lazily beside him, occasionally looking up at him, and then quickly closed his eyes and dozed off. Suddenly, Gao Xingchen felt a strange energy wave surging from his body, echoing the twinkling stars in the night sky. His heart moved, and a flash of inspiration came to his mind, as if he had grasped something key.

He held his breath and concentrated, injecting spiritual power into the core of the formation, muttering something. As he moved, the originally dim runes of the formation began to emit a dazzling light, and a powerful energy wave quickly spread around him. Xiao Hei was awakened by this sudden change, jumped up suddenly, and looked at the scene in surprise.

Gao Xingchen was pleasantly surprised to find that his control over the "Star Shield" had improved to a new level. Not only could he manipulate the formation more flexibly, but he could also integrate the power of the stars into it, greatly increasing the formation's defense and attack power. This unexpected gain gave him more confidence, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

However, what Gao Xingchen and his friends didn't know was that danger was quietly approaching. Huoyun Evil God was no ordinary person. With his powerful intelligence network, he had already known the plans of Gao Xingchen and his friends...