{"id":7369,"date":"2025-08-08T09:39:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T07:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=7369"},"modified":"2025-08-08T09:39:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T07:39:04","slug":"the-second-male-lead-fled-on-the-spot-chapter-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/the-second-male-lead-fled-on-the-spot-chapter-17\/","title":{"rendered":"The Second Male Lead\u00a0Fled On The Spot – Chapter 17"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

They had met twice, and both times, Qin Yuwen tried to invite him to travel together.<\/p>\r\n

For some unknown reason, Qin Yuwen seemed very eager to form a connection with him.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui suddenly remembered something Xie Liufeng had told him before\u2014someone was tracking his whereabouts.<\/p>\r\n

Although Qin Yuwen only showed the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage… given the current situation, even if it wasn\u2019t Qin Yuwen himself, this matter was very likely related to him.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui didn\u2019t reveal any of these suspicions on his face. He simply asked: “May I ask where exactly the formation you mentioned is located?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Qin Yuwen thought he had agreed to accompany him, and was overjoyed. He quickly told him the location of the formation\u2019s core.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui released his divine sense to investigate the area Qin Yuwen mentioned.<\/p>\r\n

It was a small maze formation. Not very lethal, but quite complex. For cultivators not specialized in formations, it would be easy to get trapped.<\/p>\r\n

But that was all.<\/p>\r\n

The formation had never been of high level to begin with. After so many years of neglect and lack of spiritual energy maintenance, it was already very fragile.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui withdrew his divine sense, drew his spiritual sword, gathered his spiritual energy into it, and slashed toward the core of the formation.<\/p>\r\n

The core shattered in response.<\/p>\r\n

The mist in the forest suddenly cleared a lot.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui sheathed his sword and looked at Qin Yuwen: “It\u2019s gone now. You may go wherever you like.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Qin Yuwen: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He lowered his head, a hint of killing intent flashing through his eyes, but he spoke in a tone full of sorrow: \u201cDoes Fellow Cultivator Xie dislike me that much?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui feigned ignorance: “We only met by chance. Why would you say that, Fellow Cultivator?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Qin Yuwen lifted his eyes and spoke gently: “I feel that Fellow Cultivator Xie looks very familiar. Even though we\u2019ve only met twice, I feel like we hit it off, and it makes me quite fond of you.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Since the roundabout approach didn\u2019t work, he could only try being direct.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui firmly cut off any deeper conversation: “Thank you for your kind words, Fellow Cultivator.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He couldn\u2019t help but think of Xie Liufeng again.<\/p>\r\n

Xie Liufeng also liked to talk nonsense, but compared to this very forced kind of nonsense from the person in front of him, Xie\u2019s version was much more endearing.<\/p>\r\n

Qin Yuwen was nearly speechless from the brush-off but still forced a gentle smile: “Fellow Cultivator Xie, you\u2019re really interesting. How about we exchange communication talismans?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui replied apologetically: “Sorry, I come from a poor background. I don\u2019t usually use such expensive things.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Qin Yuwen: \u2026<\/p>\r\n

After waiting for a while and confirming that this so-called chance encounter really had nothing else to offer, Chu Xinghui politely said goodbye and continued on his way to find Cheng Yu.<\/p>\r\n

After he left, the friendly and kind expression on Qin Yuwen\u2019s face completely disappeared.<\/p>\r\n

He stared darkly at Chu Xinghui\u2019s retreating figure and snapped a branch off a nearby tree.<\/p>\r\n

Since the polite way didn\u2019t work, he wouldn\u2019t mind using other means.<\/p>\r\n

*<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu was quite lucky. As soon as he landed, he found himself in a safe grassland area.<\/p>\r\n

He was very self-aware about his own strength, and didn\u2019t blindly run toward Chu Xinghui. He just wandered around the landing area, waiting for Chu Xinghui to come find him.<\/p>\r\n

By the time Chu Xinghui found him, Cheng Yu was so bored that he had nearly plucked all the flowers and grass around him.<\/p>\r\n

As soon as he saw Chu Xinghui, Cheng Yu rushed over tearfully: “Brother! You\u2019re finally here!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui took a step back to stop him from pouncing and asked: “How have things been during this time?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu\u2019s landing spot had excellent conditions. There should be many cultivators passing through to rest.<\/p>\r\n

Sure enough, Cheng Yu said: “I\u2019ve met a few people and gathered some information. This secret realm is huge, and everyone landed in all sorts of environments, but the center seems to be that building on the mountain. So now, almost everyone is heading there.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

The most valuable treasures and rare inheritances in secret realms were usually hidden in buildings.<\/p>\r\n

This secret realm had such an eye-catching structure right from the start, and it was located at the center\u2014clearly a fat piece of meat placed in plain sight.<\/p>\r\n

Following Cheng Yu\u2019s words, Chu Xinghui looked toward the mountain in the distance.<\/p>\r\n

The mountain was tall and vast. Even from far away, they could vaguely see the large buildings on it.<\/p>\r\n

No matter where one landed in the secret realm, their gaze would be drawn to that mountain.<\/p>\r\n

The mist in the forest had blocked the view earlier, so it wasn\u2019t as clear.<\/p>\r\n

Now, without the mist, the buildings appeared even grander and more resplendent\u2014especially a tall tower standing at the mountain\u2019s peak.<\/p>\r\n

As he stared longer, Chu Xinghui felt himself getting closer to that tall tower. He \u201csaw\u201d rotting wooden stairs, spider webs covered in dust, a tightly locked cellar, and\u2026 a damaged bronze bell with strange patterns hanging at the top of the tower.<\/p>\r\n

Then, he clearly heard a long, deep bell ring in his ears.<\/p>\r\n

In the next moment, all the illusions receded from his mind like a tide.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui\u2019s heart trembled. He immediately looked away from the mountain.<\/p>\r\n

That mountain\u2026 clearly wasn\u2019t as harmless as it seemed.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cYou felt it too, right?\u201d Cheng Yu rubbed his arms in fear as he watched his reaction: “Even though everyone\u2019s heading there, that building gives me creepy vibes. So\u2026 are we going along with the crowd?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment and asked: “What\u2019s your main goal in this secret realm?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu answered immediately: “To collect herbs.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He was working toward becoming a second-tier alchemist.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui asked again: “What about me?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu thought for a moment: “You\u2019re the\u2026 partner I hired?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui nodded: “That\u2019s right. I\u2019m here to make money.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He concluded: “So we\u2019re not here to throw our lives away. We should prioritize looking for herbs that can earn us money.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

\u201cAs for that mountain\u2026\u201d Chu Xinghui commented neutrally: “It helped us eliminate a lot of competitors.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Whether they joined the chaos later could be decided in time. But for now, while everyone was focused on the mountain, they could quickly scour the secret realm.<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu eyes lit up after figured it all out.<\/p>\r\n

*<\/p>\r\n

Avoiding the crowded areas turned out to be a very effective strategy. Chu Xinghui and Cheng Yu spent ten days collecting many useful spiritual materials in the secret realm.<\/p>\r\n

But others had the same idea. Even though they were careful, they still encountered several conflicts.<\/p>\r\n

Like this time, for example\u2014they had just killed a late-Foundation-stage beast, and not far away, another group was arguing over the ownership of a spiritual herb.<\/p>\r\n

Since the conflict didn\u2019t involve them, Chu Xinghui didn\u2019t pay attention. He cut through the beast\u2019s heart with one clean stroke, skillfully dismembered it, and stored the useful parts, then began wiping blood off his sword.<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu, working as a team, cleaned the area and peeked toward the noise: “Sounds like things are getting lively over there.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui finally finished cleaning the blood, sheathed his sword, and said casually: “I\u2019ve always been timid. I don\u2019t like sticking my nose into trouble.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu couldn\u2019t resist his human curiosity and peeked for a while\u2014suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure: “Hey, that looks like Ming Xiao!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui fell silent for a moment, then sighed and started walking toward the commotion: “Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Since it was someone they knew, they couldn\u2019t just ignore it completely.<\/p>\r\n

*<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao faced a few rogue cultivators, trembling with rage: “No matter how long you argue, I found this herb first and already picked it. I absolutely won\u2019t give it up!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

He had stayed behind just to wait for this herb to mature. No way he would give it up so easily.<\/p>\r\n

But these rogue cultivators were clearly not good people. One sneered: “Little friend, you\u2019re wrong. This secret realm has no owner, and neither do its treasures. Who said picking it first makes it yours?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

His companion was even more impatient and drew his weapon: “Enough talk. This kid is stubborn. Since he\u2019s alone, let\u2019s just take it. He\u2019s got other good stuff too.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao gritted his teeth and pulled out a high-grade magic weapon to fight back.<\/p>\r\n

Suddenly, a bright sword light swept in, easily blocking the enemy\u2019s attack.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui caught the strike and pulled Ming Xiao behind him. His gaze turned cold: “Fellow Cultivator, since the item was already taken, isn\u2019t it unreasonable to continue pestering him?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao stood behind him, dazed by his sudden appearance.<\/p>\r\n

The enemies stared warily at the newcomers. Sensing that both of them were early Foundation-stage cultivators, their wariness turned into mockery: “A couple of newbies, daring to meddle in others\u2019 business?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui didn\u2019t answer, but raised his sword and secretly sent Ming Xiao a voice transmission: \u201cHow many of them can you handle?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

To his surprise, Ming Xiao blushed and replied nervously: “I\u2026 I\u2019m not a sword cultivator. I\u2019m a formation cultivator.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Otherwise, he wouldn\u2019t have ended up in this situation.<\/p>\r\n

Cheng Yu was surprised and joined the voice transmission: “Aren\u2019t you from the Beiyue Sword Sect?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao muttered: “Who says being in a sword sect means I have to be a sword cultivator?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui: \u2026<\/p>\r\n

He looked at the three fierce-looking late-Foundation cultivators and one peak Foundation cultivator eyeing them, and felt this was truly a tragic revelation.<\/p>\r\n

So, he quickly changed tactics: “When I count down from three, we move.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao pulled out his formation disk and hesitantly asked: “We\u2019re charging them together?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

His disk was solid\u2014it could probably be used to smash someone.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui replied calmly: “We\u2019re running away together.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ming Xiao: \u2026<\/p>\r\n

Without changing his expression, Chu Xinghui slapped a movement talisman onto his sword and quickly called out: “Three, two, one\u2014\u201d<\/p>\r\n

The rogue cultivators, unsure of what he was planning, instinctively raised their weapons.<\/p>\r\n

Chu Xinghui grabbed his two helpless companions, mounted his sword, and quickly flew away.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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They had met twice, and both times, Qin Yuwen tried to invite him to travel together. For some unknown reason, Qin Yuwen seemed very eager to form a connection with him. Chu Xinghui suddenly remembered something Xie Liufeng had told him before\u2014someone was tracking his whereabouts. Although Qin Yuwen only showed the cultivation level of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-second-male-lead-fled-on-the-spot","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TheSecondMale.png?fit=300%2C419&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7369"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7371,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7369\/revisions\/7371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}