Chapter 47: The News
Editor: Rainystars
Just like the world outside, the Hidden Territory itself experiences the changing of the seasons and witnesses the shifting between the sun and moon.
In this very moment, the sun is beaming brightly over the mountains, valleys and the endless sea of grass. Even the inside of the damp cave is lit up with light and warmth.
After two days of intense meditation, supported by the tremendous healing powers of the Majestic Blood, Ling Xian’s injuries had mostly recovered. The physical lashes of his wounds had all but disappeared while broken bones reattached and entangled blood vessels realigned.
Ling Xian had recovered well in both body and soul.
His internal injuries would require more time to fully recover, but such injuries did not diminish his powers to fight a good battle.
Moments ago, Ling Xian had sensed that someone was spying on him from outside his cave. Further sensing that the stranger had summoned powers intended for an attack, he opened his eyes, activated the Eyes of Execution, and landed behind the intruder in a blink of an eye.
A bloodstained sword settled gently against the intruder’s neck, readied for the kill.
Even though the sword was not forged from the purest of Qi and could not be considered a distinct treasure of the realm, it is one of the nine weapons of the Eyes of Execution. Legend has it that its powers extend beyond Heaven and Earth, undefeatable even in the deepest realms of hell.
The Sword of Extinction was now drenched in the blood of magical creatures of the Hidden Territory, making it even more powerful and unpredictable.
All accounts identify this sword as a creation of the Heavens, but in reality, it was a weapon forged in the underworld, intended for killing, intended for inflicting pain.
According to the legend, the more blood the sword spills, the more powerful it becomes. Under its first owner, the sword had been engaged in a battle that annihilated an entire city.
That city was no ordinary city. That city was one of the nine major cities of the Taoism Community, home to countless warriors and unimaginable forces. The fall of the city further strengthened the supremacy of the sword.
Today, 120,000 years later, the second Master of the Eyes of the Extinction has emerged. The Sword of Extinction, the feared killing machine of history, has returned.
Tomorrow, the sword will ignite a bloody storm that will swipe through the entire Taoism Community, threatening the existence of all beings.
"Gulp…"
Fang Yun’s face turned a ghostly shade of white as he swallowed hard. Examining the bloodstained sword from less than an inch away, he could sense its killer intentions through his body and soul.
The warmth of the land had suddenly turned into a bone-chilling ice storm.
[Dammit, how did he do that? Was that a technique or a weapon?] Fang Yun was overcome by regret. He regretted making a move, then he regretted pondering for so long before making that move. He should have acted on instinct and finished him with a single strike.
[Surrender or unleash the fireball and fight for my life?] Fang Yun quickly weighed his options. He instinctively wanted to toss the fireball but hesitated as he evaluated his chances of survival.
"You can try. Let’s see if your fireball is faster than my sword," Ling Xian said calmly as if seeing right through the intruder’s motives.
Bizarre, mysterious, powerful.
Fang Yun felt a mixture of these feelings. He dared not move, or unleash any weapons. He felt safer leaving the option to his opponent.
"My advice, my sword is faster. And don’t you think about taking me with you. Your powers can’t hurt me," Ling Xian explained peacefully.
The fireball is one of the most entry-level tricks a cultivator can have, its damage limited. Even if released by a cultivator of the sixth level, its powers will not be lethal. For Ling Xian, this trick was too easily expelled.
Fang Yun examined Ling Xian closely. Though the more he observed, the more uncertain he became of his opponent’s true depth. So he decided not to act rashly and let out a forced smile more hideous than laughter, "A misunderstanding, the most unfortunate misunderstanding. I was passing by and mistook you for a beast. Please spare my life."
"Misunderstanding? Beast?"
Ling Xian laughed out loud as he shook his head. This one, who intended to kill him, is now lying about mistaking him for a beast. How shameless!
Fang Yun’s heart sank as he realized Ling Xian was not buying into his lie. However, he couldn’t change his tactics now, so he insisted with a bright smile, "Friend, this is truly a misunderstanding. Lower your sword and let me leave?"
"Ha, funny." Ling Xian threw him a deadly glare then turned to the Xuan Ming Snake and asked, "There is a beast outside the cave, do you see him?"
"Ssssss…" The Snake waved his tongue. It was not the brightest creature, but it understood the implications perfectly. Shifting its gaze onto Fang Yun, the Snake responded, "Of course, Master has the keenest of eyes. There is a beast disguised as a human, we should kill him!"
"See? Even my pet says you are a beast. I was right. Any last words? I give you that much." Ling Xian mocked him. He twisted the sword gently against Fang Yun’s neck as he spoke. A splash of fresh blood seeped out.
"No, no, please, friend, look at me. I am human, I am no beast."
Fang Yun was losing his footing. He quickly examined the youth in front of him again, the black, blood-soaked cloak, a giant snake, and suddenly a bold guess erupted inside him.
A young fellow, dressed in black, sustained heavy injuries, accompanied by a Xuan Ming Snake.
He suddenly recalled the details of the conversations exchanged during his battles with the beasts of the Hidden Territory, that a Kill Order had been issued against a human who was murdering his way across the magical realm. As he matched the details of those conversations with the young man in front of him, his heart began to jump uncontrollably inside his chest.
It’s him!
It must be him!
He is in the presence of the mass murderer!
Fang Yun nearly laughed out loud at his own recklessness. How incredibly moronic was he to initiate a fight with this man? Was he tired of living?
This man was the killer of men and beasts, the murderer of magical beings.
This man took on hundreds of hideous beasts solo and emerged victoriously.
This man had forced the rulers of the beasts to issue a Kill Order and unite all creatures of the Hidden Territory in eradicating him.
[Dear mother, I want to come home…]
Hopelessness was now written all over Fang Yun’s face. He had completely abandoned any attempt at escaping or retaliating.
If Ling Xian was determined to kill him, Fang Yun had wanted to take a gamble and put up one last fight. However, now against this cold-blooded killer, he knew the situation was hopeless.
Though he could not simply submit to fate without a fight. He continued to strategize.
"You are indeed human, but I will treat you like a beast." Ling Xian elevated himself and observed his captive from above. He continued, coldly, "What? You can mistake me for a beast but not the other way around?"
"No, no, no, you can treat me as anything you wish. Only that you spare my life." Fang Yun bowed. He could not reveal his true identity. The Fang name was enough to threaten most people, but against their archenemy, death would come even more swiftly.
His only hope was begging to be spared.
"I will never leave anyone who wishes to kill me alive," Ling Xian responded sternly.
This is how he is, a kind and understanding man until he is provoked. Once provoked, all hell breaks loose.
Fang Yun had to force himself not to react with anger. He continued to beg, screaming as he went on, "Friend, I have an elder mother who’s over 80 years of age, and a suckling child, please, let me go, let me live!"
"Ha! Look at you, 18 years of age at most. Your mother gave birth at 62? If you want to make up a story, at least make sure the math adds up!" Ling Xian couldn’t contain his laughter. He had had enough of this. He had made up his mind to end this now.
Fang Yun sensed it too. Instinctively he called out, "Please, don’t!"
"What else do you have to say?" Ling Xian frowned impatiently.
"I have news that will be of great interest to you. I will exchange it for my life," Fang Yun said with much difficulty. He had been pondering whether or not to deal this last card. Now, he had no choice. His knowledge of the imminent attack on the Ling Clan was his last hope.
The fate of his clansmen, the survival of the entire Fang Clan, nothing mattered anymore to Fang Yun. If he were to be known from this day forward as a traitor, then so be it.
"Oh? Perhaps the location where the treasure is hidden?"
Ling Xian glanced over at the Xuan Ming Snake. He found it amusing that both his captives had wanted to exchange such information for their lives.
"No, no, this is news regarding members of the Ling Clan who had entered the Hidden Territory. I have urgent news regarding their fate." Fang Yun let it all out. As his voice trailed off, he felt an enormous sense of relief.
"Hmm?"
Ling Xian’s expression suddenly darkened. The entire cave froze.
"Speak now, tell me everything!"
Chapter 48: A Desperate Rescue
Editor: Rainystars
The air inside the cave dropped to freezing temperatures.
Against the backdrop of the dark forest, a murderous vibe exploded from Ling Xian’s pores, filling up the air inside and around the cave.
Fang Yun’s words made him uneasy.
Most of the people from the Ling Clan who were currently inside the Hidden Territory were of no concern to him. However, Ling Hu was like a little brother to him, as well as the beautiful little madam who had taken a liking to him.
Those two must be rescued.
The Xuan Ming Snake flicked its tongue, gazing up at Ling Xian, puzzled as to why the master was fuming all of a sudden.
"This information in exchange for my life. What do you say?"
Despite the cold, murderous stare Ling Xian was hurling at him, Fang Yun felt this was his last hope of staying alive. Regardless of the danger, he must hold on to this glimmer of hope.
"Do you think you have the privilege to bargain with me?"
Ling Xian continued to stare at his captive with the cold, icy gaze that made his captive tremble with fear. During his constant battles with countless beasts over the past few days, Ling Xian had come close to meeting his creator many times. This man did not scare him.
Fang Yun bit his tongue with all his might. His body shook uncontrollably. Despite staring at death himself, Fang Yun knew if he revealed the details of the plan and the hiding place of the Ling Clan, he would be killed for it immediately after. Stubbornly, he responded, "If you do not agree to spare my life, I won’t tell you anything more."
"Good, very good."
In the blink of an eye, Ling Xian disappeared and reemerged violently in front of Fang Yun, one hand clutching his throat, lifting his body off his feet and quietly said to him…
"Speak up."
Fang Yun’s face turned dark purple, deprived of oxygen, and nearly burst of blood. Dangling off the ground by no less than three feet, Fang Yun frantically clung onto Ling Xian’s arms, desperately trying to relieve the pressure that was crushing his throat. "…No, yo...you don’t promise me, I won’t say…"
"You have no right to bargain with me." Ling Xian tilted his gaze, tightening his grip.
Near suffocation, Fang Yun was overcome by a pain he had never felt before. The last sparkles in his eyes were diminishing. "F…fine. Kill me then. But those students of the Ling Clan, they’ll come with me to the afterlife."
The afterlife?
Without breaking his gaze, Ling Xian let go of his hand.
Fang Yun collapsed to the group, gasping for air. He felt relieved that he was still alive, but also prideful that he made Ling Xian concede.
However, just as this thought crossed his mind, the cold voice of a ruthless killer rang out.
"When dealing with a madman, I have to lose my mind first."
With a flick of his finger, a silvery strand of flame dashed towards Fang Yun. Within seconds, Fang Yun’s body became fully enflamed.
"AHHHHHH… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Fang Yun let out a devastating cry of pain. His insides felt like an explosion of fireworks that no earthly spell could contain. The explosion entangled his organs, strangling his heart and melting off his skin until he felt and looked inhuman.
His bodily fluids were slowly evaporating into thin air, his skin cracking into painful blisters, his cries growing more desperate with each passing second. Finding Ling Xian’s gaze from across the billowing flame, Fang Yun could not resist the pain any longer and yelled, "I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything! Kill the flame!"
"Thought your bones would be a little sturdier than this." Ling Xian waved his hand, and the Flame of Purity vanished in an instant.
"Spare me, I beg you, stop the torture." Fang Yun again collapsed to the ground, his heartbeat on the verge of stopping. Gasping for air, more than half of his entire body had suffered repairable burns. Patches of his skin had melted off. His body no longer resembled that of a living human.
"Then speak up. I hate listening to nonsense. Tell me only what I need to know." Ling Xian did not raise his voice when he spoke, yet to Fang Yun, each word sounded like thunder piercing through his eardrum. He hurried, "Students from the Ling Clan, who are inside the Hidden Territory, have been surrounded by the Fangs. Not sure if the battle has already started, but by now it should have."
"The Fangs..." Ling Xian hissed, grinding his teeth. "How well trained are these students from your House?"
"Well…" Fang Yun hesitated. He didn’t wish to divulge that information. However, he wanted the Flame even less. "One of the seventh level, then three of the sixth level, everyone else is of the fifth."
The seventh level?!
Ling Xian grew agitated. The sixth level was the highest any of the Lings had managed to reach. They would have no chance against the Fangs. "Location?"
"This I don’t know, but we can follow him." Fang Yun gestured. The Thousand Mile Crane landed swiftly in front of them.
"A Thousand Mile Crane?" Ling Xian frowned. Suddenly, everything before him became crystal clear. "You are a student of the Fang House. No wonder you’re privy to this information. You were summoned and on your way to kill my brothers."
"Yes, you guessed it. Kill me if you want, just make it clean and swift." Fang Yun admitted. His burned body reminded him that this killer was not one to be messed with, or lied to. He had no more cards left. Life or death was entirely up to him.
"Very good, looks like you’re ready to die," Ling Xian commented casually. Tossing his sleeves to the wind, the Thousand Mile Crane flapped its wings, flew out of the cave and towards the east.
The Thousand Mile Crane is a cleverly designed machine equipped with intricate systems that controlled its thoughts and moves. However, the one thing it couldn’t do was identifying friends from foes.
The Crane had orders to find Fang Yun, deliver the message, and arrive at the location as a guide. It had not been programmed to ensure the person it was guiding was indeed Fang Yun.
That function does not yet exist on the messenger birds.
Ling Xian eyed Fang Yun one more time. He intended to kill me when I was injured. He was on his way to kill members of my House. These two crimes alone were enough to justify a death sentence.
However, if Fang Yun did not stumble upon an injured Ling Xian and proceeded to try to kill him, Ling Xian could not have learned about the plan. By now, all members of the Ling Clan would have already been murdered.
It doesn’t matter now. This man can’t live. He needs to die.
Ling Xian made up his mind. He turned away and exited the cave. Readying himself for a journey the Crane had set on, Ling Xian left the Snake with an order. The words echoed throughout the wilderness as he lifted off into the East.
"Xuan Ming Snake, you heard him, clean and swift…"
...
The sun burned through the midday calm, turning miles and miles of land into a sea of gold.
Above this boundless land, a tiny mechanical crane glided effortlessly through the air, followed closely by a speeding young man in a black traveling cloak.
Only 14 or 15 years of age, the youth possessed the appearance and demeanor of a legend.
If only he were smiling and pacing like an academic, anyone would have been swayed.
But this handsome face reflected of a murderous rage.
"Hold on, wait for me."
Ling Xian was worried sick, fastening his pace, anxious to get there before the battle began.
He was not particularly concerned with the fate of most people there. But neither Ling Hu nor Ling Tian Xiang must be harmed. Thinking of those dearest to him, Ling Xian forced his powers downward into his legs, frantically trying to fasten his pace even further.
It’s a shame he couldn’t fly. He hadn’t reached the foundational level in his training. If only he had a pair of wings.
Wings?
Suddenly, he remembered, the second transformation ability he had… was a pair of wings!
Overcome with delight, Ling Xian transformed one of his pupils black and the other one white. Waves of thin, murky smoke evaporated from his pores and surrounded his body. Sadly, regardless of how hard he tried, he could not sculpt anything close to a pair of wings.
"Perhaps I’m too weak? Need more training as a cultivator?" Ling Xian pondered for a moment. Then, spitting out a mouthful of blood, he was determined to force the wings out.
Unfortunately, despite the promising glow that lit up his body, he could not transform.
"Sigh… looks like I definitely need more training." Abandoning this idea, he kept running.
Almost immediately after Ling Xian decided he had no option but to continue running, an earth shattering stampede approached him from behind, followed by a wave of deafening roars.
"Damn, beasts." Ling Xian turned around and was confronted with a terrifying scene.
An army of more than a dozen hideous beasts of the ninth realm raced towards him. The ground shattered behind them, turning dust into clouds, erasing the line separating heaven from earth, and earth from hell.
The beasts’ thundering roars were filled with anger and hatred, all directed at Ling Xian.
Ling Xian’s heart sank. Had he been healthier, these beasts would have been no match for him. However, his injuries were still healing, and his focus was elsewhere, with Ling Hu, with Ling Tian Xiang. He didn’t have, and couldn’t use, the powers he needed to battle these beasts.
There was no other choice, he had to flee. He injected all the powers he had into his legs, but two legs could not outrun four. Within moments, Ling Xian found himself surrounded by herds of angry, red-eyed, bloodthirsty beasts.
"The roof falls just when it starts to rain. Can’t believe they found me right when I’m needed elsewhere." Ling Xian was irate. He wasn’t overly concerned with his own life. Worst comes to worst, he’ll slaughter out a path lined with their blood and corpses.
However, this will waste too much time. Perhaps by then, Ling Tian Xiang and the rest of the House would have turned into corpses.
There was no use worrying. Ling Xian sighed softly. Gazing upon the Emerald Eyed Snow Lion, who was missing its left eye, Ling Xian greeted it as an old friend. "What a coincidence. We meet again. Looks like your left eye has gone completely blind."
The lion flew into a fit of rage. Its vicious roar sent the earth trembling and birds fleeing.
"You damned human! Come to die!"
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received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
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