HIDDEN EVIL [XIAO SHUXIANG THE SERIES]
444 - End of the fight

Xiao Shuxiang gasped when he heard Yang Hao's words just now. He stopped stepping and looked at the face of this man nearby.

"What do you mean, Dad?"

Although it looked faint, but Xiao Shuxiang seemed worried about something. Yang Hao was unaware of it, but started to open his voice.

Yang Hao said, "This old man heard from your mother. You know that the sect and the Cold Cloud City will be targeted by the enemy. You're the one who's planning the replacement of the people there with the undead. Doing so must have been very burdensome for you,"

"Ah, so that's..."

"What Dad wants to say is that you don't have to get involved with everything that's going on. It's not your responsibility and you're not supposed to do it all alone,"

".................."

Yang Hao breathed slowly before returning to pull Xiao Shuxiang over. He took the young man to the place where the citizens and the palace soldiers were being treated. He also spoke back.

"You have always been on the front lines fighting the enemy. Dad doesn't really have a problem with that, but every time you do it - it feels like you're pushing yourself so hard."

"I think because I'm the one who's involved with them and this is my problem" Xiao Shuxiang said softly as he said, "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"Not everything can go well, let alone as you wish. Sometimes problems always come to anyone, so you don't think that this is all because of you and that you're the one who has to deal with it."

Yang Hao reached out his hand and gently rubbed his son's head. He said sincerely, "Everyone should try to develop and protect himself. Your responsibility is limited to your safety and that of your little family. You don't have to worry about your mom and dad's safety or anyone else's. For the townspeople... They know how to survive each one."

Xiao Shuxiang was stunned for a long time when he heard Yang Hao's words just now. His facial expression was somewhat pale when he suddenly remembered something very important.

!

"I...." Xiao Shuxiang involuntarily continued to follow Yang Hao's footsteps and seemed to be shocked at something. He held his breath as he nodded, "Is this what I think it is?"

"Since when did I actually start worrying about other people?!" Xiao Shuxiang blinked a few times. His facial expression seemed to be unexpected that he had only regained consciousness after a long time.

"Dad.." Xiao Shuxiang's voice softly as he said, "What am I like in your eyes..?"

"Mn?" Yang Hao frowned and replied, "You're a good, hardworking kid. What's wrong?"

"Really?"

"What's really going on? Why are you pale?! Are you sick?! You're hurt somewhere, Xiao'Er?!"

"N-no..." Xiao Shuxiang smiled bitterly and gently pressed his forehead with a finger. He said, "How can it be like this? I am Xiao Shuxiang. Really am! Is this Majesty's name not scary anymore?! Ah, my goodness.."

*

*

Yang Hao brought Xiao Shuxiang to a large building guarded by several cultivators. The large building was the property of the Peacock Stork Association which is currently switching functions into a refugee camp.

Xiao Shuxiang had a cooperative relationship with this association and it had been going on for a very long time. Therefore, there is no rejection when many people need shelter.

When the displaced people and the association members learned of Xiao Shuxiang's arrival, they immediately rushed to see him. The newly arrived Xiao Shuxiang was shocked by this unexpected welcome.

"Young Master Xiao! That's right Young Master Xiao..!"

"This is the first time I've seen him this close. He really is the alchemist Xiao Shuxiang..!"

!!!

"Dad?" Xiao Shuxiang involuntarily held his breath. He asked, "What is all this?"

"Okay, I don't know either.." Yang Hao shook his head slowly. He was just about to speak back when someone suddenly ran over and directly hugged Xiao Shuxiang.

Surprise appeared on Yang Hao's face, as did Xiao Shuxiang himself. The figure that hugged her was none other than a little girl whose clothes and face were so dirty.

"Please save my mother..."

?!

Xiao Shuxiang flinched. He looked at the face of the little girl who was holding him. He reached out his hand, but then came to a halt in the air. He never thought that the situation would be like this.

Yang Hao gently rubbed the daughter's head and with a gentle smile said, "Your mother will definitely be treated. You don't worry. Let's show you where your mom's being treated, hm?"

The daughter nodded with Yang Hao's words, but then looked towards Xiao Shuxiang and held the young man's hand. He pulled her slowly and said, "My mom is there... He's in pain."

Yang Hao watched Xiao Shuxiang's complicated expression. This son did not say anything, but still walked while held by the girl who knew who it was. He actually did not know what Xiao Shuxiang was thinking right now, but it seemed like it was a sense of shock as this arrival of theirs stole a lot of attention.

*

*

The fight was still going on in the Middle Sun Imperial Palace, especially Dai Chen who was currently still facing off against Wu Ji Zhen.

This man is very strong and difficult to deal with. If it wasn't Dai Chen's roots that could move even without being told, then he had long since lost his life.

"Truly stubborn," Wu Ji Zhen growled and a powerful spiritual energy flowed on his sword blade. He took a breath, "All right. Since you want death, I'll grant you."

!!!

The light shot up into the sky and formed dark clouds accompanied by lightning strikes. Dai Chen was surprised as it turned out that his opponent still had incredible strength after all their fights.

Xiao Lu heard the roar of lightning in the sky and saw Dai Chen who was in a worrying situation. She herself was currently under the protection of the disciples of the Butterfly Sect when she realized the situation from her husband.

"Lan Xiao's..!" Xiao Lu exclaimed, he called out to the moon tiger who was currently carrying two wounded palace guards on his back. The moon tiger flew towards Xiao Lu when it heard his name being called.

Without hesitation, Xiao Lu took off his robe and threw it into the air. The originally transparent robe turned red and was quickly captured by the moon tiger. The Demonic Beast seemed to know Xiao Lu's intentions and carried the robe to Dai Chen's place.

His creaking roots shot up as the moon tiger dropped the robe it was carrying. It was just that just when the root belonging to Dai Chen came into contact with the robe, Wu Ji Zhen's attack hit it.

!!!

"Your Majesty..!"

The two palace warriors who were on the backs of the moon tiger shouted to Dai Chen. They could not help, the coming shock wind and the lightning strike as the explosion spread. The two could only close their eyes and hold firmly on the moon tiger.

Lan Xiao actually wanted to help fight Wu Ji Zhen, but he had the task of bringing the injured people to the safest place. Even today, the pressure of such a powerful force terrified the humans it brought.

"Chen'Ir..!" Xiao Lu shouted. He was worried that Dai Chen would not survive, but there was nothing he could do now. The blast from the attack that Wu Ji Zhen had addressed to her husband was incredible and even the ground and buildings that entered the scope of the explosion appeared to be on fire.

Wu Ji Zhen himself snorted. He had already ended his one troublesome opponent. He even watched how the roots before him turned into burning wood chips and disappeared in the air.

Wu Ji Zhen turned his head and was only about to target those who had already taken the life of his disciple when something suddenly happened. The thick dust that was accompanied by the flames slowly faded and began to reveal the body of a standing person.

!!!

"W-how is that possible?!" Wu Ji Zhen was surprised instead of playing. His eyes widened when he knew that the figure he saw was Dai Chen.

"No way..." Wu Ji Zhen was shocked and then growled furiously. "You should be dead..! How can you be alive and well!"

"Ah... That one had indeed come close," Dai Chen reached out his hand and his five creeping roots appeared on the ground swiftly.

The root is the name of Dai Chen's roots. It was created from natural energy and had never left Dai Chen until now. The three were like the guards and protectors of Dai Chen, it could be said they were inseparable.

They look like the roots of a plant in general, but are very strong. And now, change has taken place at those roots. Even Dai Chen himself could feel it very clearly.

It now has an ancient carved pattern of red like the color of a robe thrown by a tiger the previous month. Anyone knew that the aura coming out from those roots was not as usual.

Not only the Qingwei, but also the aura present on Dai Chen was different. A flash was seen in the Central Sun Emperor's eyes when one of his roots emerged from the ground and was right before Dai Chen.

!!

The appearance of the roots blocked Wu Ji Zhen's view so that the man was unaware of what movement Dai Chen was making. But still he was prepared with his sword now.

Wu Ji Zhen flinched, he sensed it and immediately jumped back. Simultaneously, a root appeared in the ground - right where he stood before.

It was just that while in midair, Dai Chen suddenly appeared right beside Wu Ji Zhen and gave a kick until the leader of the Bloody Mist Sect was bounced very far away.

Just a kick, but Dai Chen's power was so strong. He did not wait and then extended a hand. The chi moved and then turned into a bow that was now held by Dai Chen.

Without hesitation, Dai Chen pulled his bow and an arrow was created. The slash from the arrow broke the wind and led to the place where Wu Ji Zhen hit the ground.

When it broke the air, the dart that shot out underwent a color change to be transparent. Wu Ji Zhen who was currently coughing blood growled furiously and tried to stand back up.

!!

It was just that just when Wu Ji Zhen woke up, something suddenly hit his stomach and he was shocked. His eyes widened and his eyes began to fall.

The previously transparent arrow had now returned to its original form and that was also what made Wu Ji Zhen shocked. He was about to touch and release the arrow that hit him when the burning sensation suddenly came.

Uhh!

A shrill cry sounded not long after. Wu Ji Zhen could not help it, let alone pull the thing stuck in his stomach. He screamed loudly even to the point of falling.

A bit of the tip of Dai Chen's arrow was inside Wu Ji Zhen's stomach. The object underwent a change and gave rise to many roots. The next incident was the most terrible thing.

The roots of the arrows spread rapidly to every organ within Wu Ji Zhen and this was what made the man in great pain. It did not take long until the roots penetrated out from Wu Ji Zhen's skin including from his neck, face, and head.

The roots quickly grew and became a tree before bursting violently. The defeat of the leader of the Bloody Mist Sect had a strong effect on the fight that was going on in various places.

The members of the Bloody Mist Sect who were currently fighting fiercely against the Butterfly Sect disciples felt a huge blow on their chests. At the same time, every member of the Bloody Mist Sect shouted in pain and shocked his opponents.

Xiao Lu who was currently in the palace was seen watching how the roots were creeping out from the bodies of the Bloody Mist Sect disciples and in large numbers. Even the appearance of those roots made a wiggle on the body of the cultivator he saw.

!!!

Not only Xiao Lu, even the disciples of the Butterfly Sect were staring in horror at the scene right in front of them. In an instant, the roots that came out became a tree with leaves dripping with blood.

"God... Wh-What's that?!" a Butterfly Sect disciple stared in horror at what he saw. The surprise was clearly visible on his face.

It was not only the Xiao Lu brothers who felt the shock to this horror, but also those who were elsewhere. Even Ling Qing Zhu who was currently in Flower Dew City was also shocked to witness how the members of the Bloody Mist Sect were shouting in pain.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Miss Ling, get away from there..!"

Ling Qing Zhu heard the cry and immediately jumped back. His eyes widened as he watched the members of the Bloody Mist Sect fall down one by one. Strange roots came out from their bodies and it did not take long until the bodies of the members of the Bloody Mist Sect were overgrown with trees.

"How did this happen?!"

"Did they die?"

One of the Butterfly Sect disciples heard his colleague speak and he examined a member of the Bloody Mist Sect. Once seen it was already proof that their opponent was dead, but he just wanted to make sure it came back.

!!

"They are gone..."

******