âImpossibleâŚâ Tang Zhenâs pupils contracted. He suddenly recalled something. âThat canât be. How did you shake off the soul-painting?â
Cheng Qian smiled without sound. That grin held an indescribable implication inside it, a layer of unfamiliar weariness floating upon its surface, and a hidden feeling of difficulty that he forcibly suppressed beneath it.
Yan Zhengming was startled, but before he could react, the ground under his feet violently shook.
Right; since the Golden Lotus had wilted and the Leaf had been taken, Da Xue Mountain would inevitably collapse.
âSo thatâs why,â Cheng Qian whispered, holding the little Leaf. âIf demonic cultivator come, this Leaf will only recognize the leader of many demons, then, right? No wonder the leader is also called âLord Beimingâ, with that implication. Tang Zhen, have you ever heard of any preceding case of a demonic cultivator ascending?â
Tang Zhen gave an arrogant and mocking smile. âEffort always begets results, little friend.â
When he said that, he vaguely resembled how he had when he had said his farewell to Tong Ru and descended Fuyao Mountain two hundred years ago.
Cheng Qian calmly looked at him. Gradually, all the wrath and iciness on his face faded away, and slightly inconspicuous self-mockery and grief floated up. He seemed to be looking at Tang Zhen, yet also seemed to be looking at something else through him.
His eyes were melancholy, and piteous.
The minute Cheng Qian ever started frowning, Yan Zhengming knew that he was going to start cussing something out. At this time, he wasnât sure if it was his misperception or what, but he got the overall feeling that he could see a bit of his own listlessness out of the otherâs eyes.
Cheng Qian apathetically raised the Leaf he held, then used his fingers to forcibly twirl open the not-yet-opened thing with no gentleness.
Tang Zhenâs expression finally changed. He could no longer keep his airy demeanor up, eyes emitting the bloodied qi unique to demonic cultivation; vermillion red, and ferocious-looking. âHold on. What are you doing?â
âHow many troubles in this world have been born out of nothing because of you peopleâs delusions?â Cheng Qian answered indifferently.
âNo, you canâtââ
The other suddenly clapped his palms together, and without the slightest bit of mercy, that Leaf was broken into bits at once.
Tang Zhen was stupefied in disbelief for a long time, then let out an inhuman shriek, charging at him in near insanity. He no longer took pains to conceal the sky-soaring demonic qi about himself, his entire form turning into a cloud of black fog.
Yan Zhengming actually really wanted to shriek, too â That was the Golden Lotus Leaf of Da Xue Mountain, a human-world treasure everyone had heard of before! The fucking thing was worth a lot of money!
And yet this wastrel, Cheng Qian, had just crushed it!
All these trashbags that didnât have mouths to feed were much too reckless!
However, the Site was constantly crumbling, there was a major devil of unknown power right in front of him, and Cheng Qian appeared to be extremely unstable, both physically and mentally. Despite wanting nothing more than to make him go kneel on a rolling pin for a month, Yan Zhengming had no choice right now but to pull Cheng Qian behind him and raise his sword to greet Tang Zhen.
A loud noise came from deep inside the Site. In the distance, the huge ice layer began to crack in large chunks.
Tang Zhen had nothing of his gentlemanly appearance left. His eyes were so red, they were nearly seeping blood, and black qi coiled about his face; clearly, demonic qi had tangled up with him long ago.
Still, as soon as they exchanged blows, Yan Zhengmingâs hand that held his sword was shocked numb by him. He couldnât help but be astonished â had Han Yuan never been qualified to inherit Beiming because he had no chance to defeat the previous Lord Beiming, or was it because of Tang Zhen?
And this wasnât even his real body, it was just a phantom!
Several other ghosts emerged out of nowhere, ice crystals from the Site on their bodies, and neatly lined up behind Tang Zhen.
Yan Zhengming didnât dare to be careless, using one hand to complete a hand seal and fully open the qi field of his source wooden sword. Overbearing sword qi paid no mind to the continuously-falling ice chunks around, pressing right in on Tang Zhen.
Right then, Shuang Ren was unsheathed with a shing, all of the frigid qi of the Site appeared to get stirred up by it. Taking advantage of Yan Zhengming stalling Tang Zhen, Cheng Qian flashed over like an apparition, his swordâs shadow slippery, one move of Subtlety appearing to be all-pervading, bisecting several of the ghosts behind Tang Zhen.
âImp. You two are pushing too hard.â Tang Zhenâs face had turned ugly. His hundred-year arrangement had been shattered by Cheng Qianâs palms, making him nearly go mad, the repercussions of his primordial spirit having been locked up with the Soul-Devouring Lamp for such a long time exploding out without any sort of cushioning. âYou really think that chunk of Wish-Granting Stone on Fuyao Mountain is set up nicely?â
He flicked out a sleeve, which collided with Yan Zhengmingâs swordwind. The demonic qi rent to shreds by the sword qi seemed to have an even sharper edge. âAnd that you two alone would be able to kill me?â
Tang Zhen laughed aloud. âYou destroyed the Leaf. I can wait for the next one, but will you be able to?â
What did that mean? Yan Zhengmingâs thought quickly revolved, but he didnât get to reason it out in time â the very next moment, the ghost that Tang Zhen occupied burst open without prior portent, its force no lesser than that of a normal cultivator that had blown up their own primordial spirit.
He ran away!
The teetering Site completely collapsed. Tumultuous waves crashed into the torn-open surface, Tang Zhenâs ghosts melting into Beimingâs waters before them. Yan Zhengming only had enough time to grab Cheng Qian, forcibly summon a barrier of body-protecting true essence, and then become submerged.
The pressure of the most demonically-aligned seawater in the world was too much for him to bear. His breathing stuttered as he had the momentary illusion that he was getting buried alive. Aside from how tightly he held Cheng Qian, he seeming to be disconnected from all of his surroundings, unable to even feel the primordial spirit sword he had place elsewhere.
They somehow did not float up in the water. The unparalleled pressure of the ocean was like a palm with no give, pushing them to the bed of Beiming.
At the same time, Li Yun, a thousand li away, noticed the primordial spirit sword lightening in his hand. That glimmering sword qi flickered a few times, then dimmed down, as if it had lost its connection to its owner.
He startled, after which his face suddenly paled. âSomething happened to our eldest!â
Shui Keng hadnât yet recovered from the feather turning to ash in her hand. âWhat are you talking about, brother?! Donât scare me!â
Li Yun, who had just been so glib-tongued, was now somewhat rambling. âThis spirit sword⌠he left it to me, and I felt⌠the connection suddenly breakââ
A piercing blast boomed through the air, cutting him off. Startling in fright, he looked up to see that Han Yuan and Jiang Peng had stayed their hands at the same time, each separating. The set-up of the array of those outside had been completed, and looked especially familiar â it was actually the exact same Demon Extermination Array as from the base of Tai Yin!
Black clouds rolled in the highest skies. The White Tiger disciples had never seen such a thing before, successively drawing back in disorientation, and then a massive sabre descended from the air, pointed directly at Han Yuan. He did not avoid it, tilting his head back to look at the sabrelight in the cloud cover with a sneer on his face, immediately after which he flew up to meet it.
This isnât right! Li Yun thought, throat dry. Doesnât Bian Xu know that the Bureau already used this Array against Han Yuan before? Has he actually gone stupid in his age? Why is he doing the same old trick?
Jiang Peng had suddenly lost his opponent, looking up at the big sword in the air. For some reason, he didnât give chase for an attack.
With but a crisp sound, the Demon Extermination Sabre formed of black clouds met the demonic dragon. Sabrewind was all-encompassing, paring flat the summit of the mountain closest to the two of them in an instant. Wind and thunder surged. Delicate sparks burst out of the dragonâs scales, stretching out like a string of fireworks beneath the sabrewind.
Han Yuan grinned while in the ninth firmament. âThereâs more than one spot in the world where a primordial spirit sword can lose connection with its owner. Your eldest might have bored himself into some mouse hole, Li Yun. What are you overblowing this for?â
Li Yunâs brows jumped up as he sharply gleaned something out of his tone.
âScourges last for a thousand years. Who in this world is more of a scourge than him?â Han Yuan continued. âAs I see it, you shouldnât have baseless fears.â
Li Yun raised his head, only for that sabrelight to be so blinding, he couldnât open his eyes. He wanted to ask the coiling demonic dragon in the sky: With that positive tone of yours, are you merely comforting yourself, or did you actually see clues in the Three-Life Mystic Site?
What had Han Yuan seen there, that day outside the Ten-Party Platform?
However, he was not given time to speak. There was a circle outside the Demon Extermination Array; the huge banner of Black Tortoise Hall rose up to face the wind, billowing, and in the arrayâs eye, a group headed by Bian Xu walked on over.
Jiang Peng, the originally-frenzied Soul-Devouring Lamp, seemed to have suddenly been switched out for a different person. He stood there quietly, thin face constantly getting off-and-on illuminated by the Arrayâs sabrelight. âAlas, this Hall Master of Black TortoiseâŚâ he mumbled, âwith a heart like that, itâs little wonder that heâs gotten so old, and yet the âinfluenceâ of the world refuses to land upon him.â
The demonic dragon had the sabre of the Array supported on his shoulder. Slightly narrowing his eyes, he looked at Bian Xu.
The White Tiger elder wasnât about to wait for him to talk, jumping out and charging ahead on his own initiative to point at Bian Xuâs nose and curse at him. âWhat is the meaning of this? The majestic Black Tortoise Hall, taking the lead in rebellion?! Youâre worse than that gaggle of raggedy demons!â
Upon hearing that indiscriminate attack, the dragon in the sky puffed angrily through his nose.
âThat pledge was set between the White Tiger Estate and the Fuyao Sect. I didnât agree to it,â Bian Xu said coldly. âThe face of your Estate changes like the pages of a book. As soon as Estate Lord Shang learned that his life was almost up, he immediately found a great backer for you all, really sparing no effort for you⌠why donât I see that backer, Sect Leader Yan?â
The elder stamped his foot. âYouâre practically qi deviating!â
Bian Xu looked calm. âMy only son is dead, my mental realm is stagnant, and thereâs no way for my cultivation base to advance further in this life of mine. My immediate lifespan is no more than a decade or two. This is what the grand Four Sages are⌠now, I have nothing. What would I be afraid of?â
Han Yuan turned into human form and crossed his arms, dropped down a bit from the air. âYou blaming me?â
The White Tiger elder glared at the shit-stirring stick that was the demonic dragon. âHomicide should be repaid with life. Brother Bian, this dragon wonât be able to atone for his sins even with a death from a thousand cuts, but the chaos of Nanjiang needs him to clean it up. Your Hall has always been benevolent in regards to working for the welfare of the peopleâŚâ
âThe welfare of the people?â Bian Xu lightly laughed. âWhen my son was murdered, why didnât you think about our Hall being the head of a party? Why didnât you bring up anyoneâs welfare?â
The elder choked on his words.
Bian Xu did not give him another chance to speak. âKill the demonic dragon! I will handle these demonic cultivators!â
With that, he waited for no one, slashing straight into the Array and charging at Han Yuan. The latter, of course, was no pacifist, but right as he went to fight back, the oath mark on the back of his hand suddenly flashed, and the black clouds in the sky began to curl like a warning; the Array started to stir.
He inwardly cursed, flipping around in midair. White Tiger Estateâs crowd promptly came up to greet this. The clear-headeded that had just flitted past Jiang Pengâs face vanished yet again, as if someone the had been temporarily affixed to him had now flown off. Giving off a bizarre shout, the word âBeimingâ was the only thing in his eyes once more, countless ghosts following him to block Han Yuanâs path.
Righteous against righteous, demonic against demonic. This fight was beyond chaotic, making it impossible to tell who was who.
Then, a minor zinging sound came from all around as something appeared to flash past the Arrayâs rim; if one had had the slightest bit of inattention, it would have been covered up by the cacophony. Others hadnât heard it, but Shui Keng had, and though she had no clue at all what it was, her feathers instantly puffed out.
Opening her eyes wide, she happened to see Han Yuan no longer be able to keep his awful temper in check, and risk suffering lightning backlash to slap the aged Bian Xu away.
The other was struck ten or so zhang away by the enraged devil, immediately spitting out blood. Yet, something weird happened â the blood-oath sigil on the back of Han Yuanâs had actually didnât backlash.
That meant⌠what?
Could it be that in such a short timespan, Bian Xu had qi deviated, and was no longer protected by the oath?
Startled for a moment, Han Yuan then looked up at Bian Xu in confusion. âWhat did you do?â
Bian Xu slowly wiped the corners of his mouth off. His face was withering up at a visible rate. Dense wrinkles crawled up the corners of his eyes like an invisible knife was carving them out. Bloody light flashed in his eyes, a ring of bizarre charms floating around his body like totems.
âWhat in the world is that?â the White Tiger elder muttered.
Han Yuan didnât make a sound, tightly clenching the heavy sword he held.
The next moment, Bian Xu was seen to suddenly spread his arms out and raise them. The majority of his grayed hair resembled dead flowers, falling out in chunks, and his voice was as hoarse as a cuckoo crowing blood as he looked up at the sky and roared, âEmperor of the SkyâŚâ
With those words said, Li Yunâs hairs stood on end. âHeâs performing Sacrifice?â
Sacrifice was one of the most malevolent curses, where mortals could use the technique to kill someone intangibly. The power of this curse had been handed down through generations, so of course one of the former Four Sages would have it.
However, once this technique was completed, his physical form, three hun and seven po, descendants, and family foundation would all completely vanish.
âHeâs using Sacrifice over his worthless, bastard son?!â the elder snarled incredulously. âHe would so far?!â
NoâŚ
A cultivatorâs lifespan was long enough, and consanguinity with children was thin. As long as he wanted to, couldnât he just be born again? As the prestigious Black Tortoise Hall Master, there were countless people that would be willing to commit themselves to him.
He was doing this for his lifetime of past glory, while todayâs Hall was on the decline.
Once his fate had left its port, no one revered him, and he couldnât even incur the justice he wanted for his murdered relations.
He was firmly trapped in the past and the present, crushed to death within his decline from the peak.
Was the one he hated most really Han Yuan, his son-killing enemy?
Or was Han Yuan just his excuse?
There was no way for any of that to be verified right now.
Han Yuan charged at Bian Xu at once, attempting to interrupt him before he could implement Sacrifice, but then a black shadow pounced over in the air. Jiang Peng came out of the Lamp to bar his way, and in the span of a breath the black dragon sword had already collided with the ghost four times.
Han Yuanâs expression suddenly twisted up, and he turned to look at Jiang Peng. âYouâre not Jiang Peng! Who are you?!â
A bizarre grin appeared on the otherâs face. âWho am I? You wonât guess it even if you dieâŚâ
Bian Xu was not influenced by them at all, making a worshipping stance. âEmpress of the Earth!â
âWhat are you all staring blankly for?! Stop him!â Li Yun shouted.
You Liangâs primordial spirit swords abruptly converged into a cluster, which shot at Bian Xu. Gripping the completely-grayed sparrow feather, Shui Keng grit her teeth and revealed her Red Crane form â wrapped in the True Fire, she swept towards the group of ghosts to open up a path on the swordlightâs behalf.
âJiang Pengâ laughed quietly, making Han Yuanâs hairs stand on end.
Han Yuan blocked Shui Keng, accurately grabbed her long bird neck, then tossed her behind him. Right then, an immense sound blasted through the air as a ghost suddenly blew itself up. The six White Tiger disciples surrounding it didnât have time to dodge, instantly exploded into pieces.
âJiang Pengâ raised his head with a smile, looked at Han Yuan, and mouther the word âbangâ.
Han Yuan turned into the dragon, that demonic qi that originally terrorized people forming a protective barrier that engulfed everyone.
The ghosts then successively self-destructed in midair, the sound like thunder, much sharper than the blades of the tactless Demon Extermination Array. After such a short moment, Han Yuan was no long able to sustain his magic dragon form, reverting to a human and falling from the sky like a broken kite.
His panlong robes were soaked in blood. Now, he actually had become âraggedyâ, to quote the Whiter Tiger elder.
Expression overcast, he waved off Shui Kengâs hand that went to help him up, barely managing to stand up while supporting himself on his sword.
Shuzhongâs thousands of mountains suddenly began to quake incessantly together. Bian Xuâs form rose into the air like mad as he shouted, âMy fleshââ
His old skinsack burst like a torn-open bag, turning his entire body into a mangle skeleton that showcased crimson musculature and eerie white bones, like a corpse being skinned alive.
And yet, he went on without regard. âPrimordial spiritââ
That meat-only corpse burst. An orb of light resembling a cultivatorâs sanctum of immortality lightly surged up, Bian Xuâs primordial spirit seated within it, encased in dense, bloodied qi.
Bian Xu could no longer speak using a mouth, a bellow like a vast bell bubbling out from the suspended, uncovered inner sanctum. âAnd soul!â
With that said, Sacrifice was completed. The phantom image of the Soul-Devouring Lamp suddenly vanished, and the group of ghosts suddenly flew off in different directions like swallows. Bian Xuâs midair inner estate sharply contracted into a dot, then detonated.
When Gu Yanxue died, the East Sea had been turbulent for one day and night. In his life before, Bian Xu had been quite unknown amongst the Four Sages, but the aftermath of his death was more world-shaking than any otherâs.
All of Shu branched off of this location. This invisible attack rushed out in all directions at a rapid velocity.
Mountains collapsed. Not a single bird, beast, bug, or fish had time to escape. Villages seemed to get wiped off the face of the earth. This entire stretch of land was immersed within boundless darkness, fresh resentful souls rising up all over the place, and the phantom of the Lamp showed back up on the horizon like it was welcoming a full feast.
No sun nor moon could be seen. It was as if the only thing left was the Lamp rife with evil, inhaling ghosts from every direction non-stop.
Han Yuanâs pupilâs violently contracted.
He would not deny his own massacres. Innumerable cultivators had died by his hands outside of Vermillion Bird Tower. He understood that if his life was forfeited right now, it would be a result of his crimes.
But it was cultivators that planted causes to receive their effects. Why did the innocent mortals living here have to suffer such a fate?
Those faces that were getting sucked into the Lamp swept past him, one by one. His pupils had nearly shrunken to pinpoints.
The cause that Tong Ru had once planted was finally responding in such a brutal way.
Jiang Peng, who had been trying to obstruct Han Yuan, spread out his arms, smiling like his wish had been granted. He was bathed in slaughter that could not be described. Arms open, he allowed Bian Xuâs forbidden technique to bowl over him.
His body fell to pieces like a walking corpseâs, revealing a specter-like figure together with the Soul-Subduing Lamp.
Shui Keng covered her mouth when he recognized who the spirit was.
Soon after, the rolling forbidden technique came over to crush them. Han Yuan frantically shoved Shui Keng far away, then took up his dragon form once more, roaring. His body stretched out like a million-li-long mountain ridge or city wall, twisted into a huge circle where he was, end connected to end, in an attempt to forcibly stop the onslaught with his own flesh.
Tang Zhenâs eyes within the Soul-Devouring Lamp met his. The former chuckled, shaking his head.
Then, he reached out a hand to make a claw. A claw composed of ghosts swept down from the air, directly sticking itself into the body of the demonic dragon.