Chapter 14: Tortoise of Slaughter Awaken
They were scattered searching for the unknown "We're a suicide squad paving the way for him. We surrendered our swords. How do they expect us to defend ourselves if we run into some demonic creatures" Yaliang complains.
"Be quiet" Qingyang shushed.
Lingjiao was in front of the group "You shall find the entrance of a cave where the monster lives before it gets dark, or else you'll have a rough time" her level of cultivation wasn't enough to have a sword, but the branding iron she held doesn't need to be heated to serve it's purpose.
"Wangji, how are you feeling? I should've brought medicine" Chun spoke as they sat a good distance apart "It's fine, thank you for your help and concern" Xue glanced at his legs "We can treat you wound properly, let's go over-"
"You! Childe Wen ordered you to find a cave, not to talk of secrets" Lingjiao yells.
Suddenly, somebody shouted from the side, "Found it!"
Wang LingJiao didn't have the time to pay them any more attention. Having rushed over, she took a look at it, then beamed, "Young Master Wen! They found it! The entrance!"
It was a hole in the ground, hidden quite well beneath an old banyan tree. The first reason as to why they couldn't find it was that entrance was rather small, not even five feet in width, and the second that the thick, tangled roots and vines weaved a firm web, blocking the entrance. Above it, there was also a layer of leaves and branches, mud and stone, and thus it was almost unnoticeable.
Pushing aside the rotten leaves and mud, cutting away the roots, and the dark, eerie hole had been revealed.
The entrance led to deep underground. The cold air plunged into everyone's face, sending chills down their back. Nothing was heard of the pebble that had been tossed inside. It was as though it had sunk into the sea.
Wen Chao was ecstatic, "This must be it! Quick, everyone, get down there!"
Zixuan couldn't hold it any longer. He spoke coldly, "You brought us here, saying that we'll be hunting a beast. Then, if I may ask, what sort of a beast is it? Informing us beforehand would allow us to cooperate with more efficiency so that we wouldn't be as confused as last time"
Wen Chao, "Inform you?"
He stood up, first pointing at Jin Zixuan and then at himself, "Just how many times do I have to make myself clear for you to remember? Don't get it wrong. You are only the cultivators who serve me. I'm the one who gives the orders. I don't need others to tell me their suggestions. I am the only one who directs the battle and commands the troops. I am also the only one who can conquer the beast!"
He spoke the words 'only one' with great emphasis. The lofty voice and arrogant tone evoked both laughter and hatred within the ones who listened. Wang LingJiao scolded, "Didn't you hear what Childe Wen said? Get down there, quick!"
"Well he did say he was the only one who can conquer it so why not let him be the only one to go down" Chun spoke in a 'as a matter of fact' tone. Wen Chao smirks at her before suggestively gazing at Xue, this silenced her.
Chun and Zixuan were standing at the very front. Holding back their anger, Chun was the first to grab onto the thick vine before jumping down without hesitation, Zixuan follows. No matter what creatures haunted this cave, facing them would be much more comfortable than facing Wen Chao.
The people following the two, entered the hole one by one. Since the group of forcibly gathered disciples had their swords taken away, they could only crawl down slowly. Their feet finally touched the ground after sliding down for almost thirty feet.
Wen Chao shouted a few things from above ground. Having ensured that it was safe underground, he flew easily down, sword under his feet, Lingjiao in his arms. A while after, the disciples and servants also landed one by one.
Jiang Cheng whispered, "Hopefully the prey he wants to hunt this time won't be anything too difficult. I don't know if there are any other exits here. If the ghoul or beast flips out inside of here, such a long vine might break in half and it'd be hard for us to even run away" Chun leans on him "I bring them down and you guys make a run for it?" he looked at her displeased by the idea "Relax, I was joking.."
Since they needed to scout the path at the front, Wen Chao ordered his servants to provide them with a few torches. The ceiling of the cave was both high and broad, unreachable by the light of the torches. The deeper they went, the more spacious the echoes sounded. It was likely that they were already more than a hundred feet below ground.
They didn't know how long had passed when they had finally arrived before a deep pool of water. The water was eerily black. Stone islets of all sizes were also protruding from the surface. And there was no other path before them. Chun almost tripped "What's wrong?" Xue knows she isn't that clumsy "I thought I was jut being paranoid, the energy here is fluctuating" she whispers.
A few of the boys noticed her "Chun-jie are you feeling sick?" She hushed Huaisang "Don't worry it was dark so I didn't see the rock"
Wen Chao felt irritated. After cursing a few words, he suddenly had an 'idea', "Find somebody, hang them up, and let out some blood to lure the thing out"
Beasts usually craved blood more than anything. It'd definitely be lured out by the scent of the blood and the immobile human being hanging mid-air!
Lingjiao immediately pointed to a girl "How about her?"
It was the girl from Lanling Sect 'MianMian'. Most of the people that the sects sent here were boys. Thus, toward the few girls, Wen Chao couldn't help but pay more attention, especially MianMian.
Qingyang realized that she really was the one who had been chosen. With a face brimming with fear, she staggered a few steps back. Wen Chao remembered that he never had the chance to have her yet and felt that it'd be a pity, "This one? How about someone else? Jie Chun maybe" Xue glares at him.
Lingjiao had a slight fear towards Chun "Why someone else? I choose this one. Don't tell me that you'll miss her?" She let loose her coquetry, and Wen Chao's delight was over the moon.
"Nonsense. Do whatever you want. Everything is up to JiaoJiao!"
MianMian knew that if she was hung up, she probably wouldn't be able to come back down alive. She tried to run away, but wherever she fled, the people dispersed around her.
Chun grabs Qingyang and stood in front of her as she glares at the Wen disciples who tried to come near "..Th-Thank you" she grips on Chun's sleeve her voice barely above whisper.
"M-Move to the side!" Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian flinched as they saw that Chun was indifferent. Zixuan and Wangji unexpectedly stood in front of the two girls as Xue steps forward.
Seeing that the situation wasn't good, Wen Chao warned, "You can't understand human speech? Or do you want to be a hero?"
Zixuan lifted his brows, "It wasn't enough for people to be flesh shields for you, and now you want live humans to bleed for you to use as bait?!"
Wei Wuxian found this somewhat surprising, So Jin Zixuan really does have some nerve.
Wen Chao pointed at them, "You want to rebel, huh? Let me warn you, I've been tolerating you for a very long time. Right now, hang the brat up with your own hands! Or else none of the people from your sects can expect to return!" Chun glares at him as she hugs Qingyang while her other hand was gripping on Xue's clothing.
However, one of the GusuLan Sect's disciples on the side trembled at Wen Chao's threatening words. He rushed over, but before he can grab MianMian his wrist was caught by Chun and Wangji's immediately struck the disciple to the side.
Although he didn't say anything, the look he gave at the disciple was clear to everyone—it truly is a shame that the GusuLan Sect has taught a disciple like you!
Wen Chao was enraged, shouting, "How dare you! Kill them!"
A few of the Wen Sect's disciples unsheathed their swords, rushing toward them. Zhuliu, stood behind Wen Chao with his hands folded behind him. He never attacked, as the thought that they were at a loss in terms of their current state, weaponry, and sheer numbers.
Wen Chao spat, "Talking back to me—what did you think you are? People like you really do deserve to be killed" Chun made sure that Qingyang and Xue were never touched, she was itching to subdue everyone but if she didn't manage to control it, the cave might collapse on them.
A grinning voice came from the side, "That's right. All those who oppress others and do evil relying on the power of their clan should be killed. Not only that, they should be beheaded for tens of thousands to revile so that those to come would beware"
Hearing this, Wen Chao spun around, "What did you say?" Wei Wuxian pretended to be surprised, "Do you need me to repeat it?" He did so.
Hearing this, Zhuliu seemed to ponder as he glanced at Wei Wuxian. Wen Chao erupted, "How dare you say such absurd, outrageous, and pretentious words!"
Wei WuXian first lifted the corners of his mouth with a 'pfft', then immediately burst into unbridled laughter.
Under everyone's shocked eyes, he laughed so hard that he was out of breath, clutching Jiang Cheng's shoulder as he spoke, "Absurd? Outrageous? I'd say you're the one who's all of those! Wen Chao, do you know who was the one that said those words? I'm sure you don't, do you? Let me tell you. This was said by the most famous cultivator of your sect, the one who founded the entire thing, Wen Mao. You dared say that one of your ancestor's remarks are absurd and outrageous? Well said, very well said!"
Wen Chao's complexion switched between red and white. Wei Wuxian added, "Right, what was the punishment given to those who insult famous cultivators of the Wen Sect again? I remember that it was execution, right? Yes, very well, you can go die now"
Wen Chao couldn't hold himself back any longer, unsheathing his sword and lunging at Wei Wuxian. With that, he lunged out of Zhuliu's range of protection.
Zhuliu was about to go after them and Jiang Cheng noticed so he picked up a fallen sword before rushing in. Zhuliu effortlessly deflected his advances and pushed hin back "Wanyin!" Chun had already put the two to safety before going up to Zhuliu.
Even if the sword wasn't her she forcibly exerted spiritual energy to it and went head on with him. With a cry from Xue who was cut near the shoulder, she got distracted which led Zhuliu to disarm her "Chun get back!" before Jiang Cheng can grab her she flips back and as her feet lands, a force shook everyone's core.
Zhuliu's eyes widened 'It can't be...how can she? Was it her?' Jiang Cheng rushed to her side checking if she got hit by the hands of the melter.
Wei Wuxian who had snatched the sword and reversed the situation, subduing Wen Chao with just one move as he leaped on an islet keeping his distance from Zhuliu. With his other hand he pressed the sword onto Wen Chao's neck, warning, "Nobody move. If you're not careful, I might just decide to let some blood out of your Childe Wen!"
Wen Chao screeched "Stop moving! Stop moving!" The disciples surrounding MianMian's protective squad finally ceased their attacks.
Wei Wuxian shouts, "Core-melting Hand, you're not moving either! You know how the temper of the Wen Sect's leader is. Your master is in my hand. If he loses just one drop of blood, then not one of the people here should hope to live on, including you!" Zhuliu put his arms down as Wei Wuxian had expected. The only person who diregarded the whole situation was Chun who rushed to Xue's aid.
Seeing that the situation was under control, Wei Wuxian was about to speak when he suddenly felt that the entire ground below him had trembled.
He was on guard at once, "Is it an earthquake?"
They were currently inside of an underground cave. If an earthquake or a landslide happened, it'd be extremely terrifying whether their entrance was blocked or they were buried alive. Yet, Jiang Cheng replied, "No!"
But Wei Wuxian felt that the shaking of the ground had intensified. The blade almost touched Wen Chao's throat quite a couple of times, making him scream.
Xue immediately shouted, "It's not an earthquake—what's moving is the thing under your feet!" Wei Wuxian had noticed as well. It wasn't that the ground was trembling, but that the islet that he landed on was rising. The area above the surface of the water grew larger and larger. This wasn't an islet, but a large creature that had been hidden within the depths of the pool—right now, he was standing on the shell behind the back the beast!
It's head rose from underwater. Before Wen Chao can scream, Wei Wuxian cover his mouth. A few people flinched "Hush, its vision is bad. Don't make a noise and it won't attack us" Wangji stated. The creature's head went near the two with a brief growl, Wen Chao pulls off Wei Wuxian's hand "Wen Zhuliu save me!" this cause him to his servants.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone