"No, no, I was forced into coming," the little white bunny responded in a hurry, blinking its large red eyes innocently. It was afraid of suffering the same fate as the rest.
Ling Xian nodded. He believed the bunny. From the beginning to the end of the battle, he hadn’t spotted the bunny once. Not to mention the bunny’s tiny breaths couldn’t even compare with those of cultivators who had just entered the first realm. This creature wouldn’t dare come after Ling Xian. There were much better ways to die.
The little bunny was covered in a layer of the whitest, fluffiest and softest fur imaginable, and had a pair of bright misty eyes that would not look away from Ling Xian. It was a nervous little creature. It bowed with its paws and asked in a weak, trembling voice, "Can…can you spare my life?"
"Since you hadn’t come to kill me, and you didn’t try just then, I can spare your life this time." Ling Xian gave it a warm smile. The bunny was adorable. He bent down and gently petted its little head. This gesture frightened the creature. It tried to back off but, sensing that this would displease the killer, it stopped trying to move and kept its head still.
"You are afraid of me?" Ling Xian petted the bunny gently on the forehead. It was indeed silky smooth.
The little bunny nodded, then quickly shook its head from side to side. Fear exuded from its big bright eyes. It lowered its gaze onto its tiny paws.
Ling Xian smiled again. The murderous aura that saturated the battleground vanished in an instant. Eyeing this hapless, adorable little creature, he assured it, "Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you."
"Really?"
The bunny was a naïve little creature. Hearing Ling Xian’s promise, it believed him in a heartbeat. Suddenly, the fear that moments ago paralyzed it had all but disappeared. The bunny let out an adoring smile, pulled out a carrot-shaped elixir and handed it to Ling Xian.
"An elixir of the eighth realm?"
Ling Xian was taken aback by this surprise. This little thing, not too shabby! Despite the weak Qi, it possessed an elixir of such quality! Perhaps it was very lucky, or perhaps it was hiding the true magnitude of its power. However, he quickly shook that thought out of his mind and let out an involuntary laughter. That would be ridiculous. You are way too suspicious.
The little bunny in front of him breathed the tiniest of breaths; crawling in fear. Its ruby eyes reeked of terror. This gentle creature could barely be considered a beast. Not a chance in heaven this thing could fight a real battle.
Ling Xian did not accept the elixir. Instead, he patted the bunny’s head again and said, "Ok, you may go back and tell the Bare Winged Crane, if it wants to kill me, it needs to come to me itself so we can settle this."
Upon finishing his last word, Ling Xian stood up, flapped his wings, and flew away.
This bloody battle had lasted too long. The Thousand Mile Crane had long vanished. But luckily for him, he had planted a magical scent on the Crane before it flew away. Now, he could easily track down the Crane by following that magical scent.
Ling Xian established the connection following a short pause. Then, with another flap of his wings, he morphed into a flash of light and sped towards the west.
Even though the little snow-white bunny had a sharp pair of eyes, it couldn’t pick up more than a faint, broken trail where Ling Xian had vanished. However, eyeing his departure, the bunny became puzzled. This killer was not as cruel and scary as everyone claimed. He was rather gentle.
The bunny pulled out the elixir that moments ago it tried to offer to Ling Xian and swallow it after a few crunchy bites. With a satisfied smile on its face, it happily hopped away.
It was headed to see the Bare Winged Crane to deliver Ling Xian’s message.
...
This was an ancient fortress inhabited by trees that touched the heavens.
This was a heavily wooded area where life prospered. Peeking through the branches of giant trees were the warm rays of the falling blood moon.
This once peaceful forest was now the scene of yet another bloody battle.
The belligerents of this battle were the Clans of the Fang and the Ling.
The previous agreement, as set by the Headmasters of each Clan, called for the battle to begin only after every member of each Clan had arrived. However, after a long wait, Fang Yun was not found. The most powerful member of the Fang Clan, the gifted cultivator of the seventh realm, Fang Han, decided that he had waited long enough. Thus, roughly an hour ago, the Fangs began their attack on the rival Ling Clan.
In Fang Han’s mind, the most powerful member of the Lings present was only a sixth realm cultivator. For the Fangs, behind him, there were two cultivators of the sixth realm and six of the fifth realm. The outcome of the battle had been all but decided.
And the outcome was nearly just as he had expected
After a gruesome battle that lasted no longer than an hour, most of the Lings had already been heavily injured. With a few Lings still holding on, the battle had temporarily stalled.
Unfortunately, none of the Lings had yet suffered a fatal injury.
Ling Fei was deadlocked in a crucial battle with one member of the Fang Clan. The two were evenly matched, from spells to fighting techniques. There was no clear winner.
And there was Ling Feng, the other gifted student who had reached the sixth realm of alchemy. He was slightly at a disadvantage with his spells, but he was holding on just fine.
As for Ling Tian Xiang and Ling Zhan, they had paired up to confront the gifted Fang Han.
However, they were clearly struggling. Their clothes had been ripped, and their blood spattered everywhere. Even together, they were on the verge of defeat.
This was not unexpected. They were facing a seventh realm cultivator, not a small gap.
Simply put, without using any spells, the strength of a sixth realm cultivator was six. Likewise, it was seven for a cultivator of the seventh realm. Seven will always defeat six in a direct confrontation.
But this scenario only refers to when spells aren’t a factor.
If the complexities of spells were incorporated into a battle, adding in different techniques, it was not impossible for a lower leveled cultivator to defeat a higher leveled rival.
During the battle of the Ling Clan, Ling Xian, then a cultivator of the fifth realm, defeated a fellow pupil of the sixth realm by unleashing the powerful Heaven Shadowing Palm Technique.
Fang Han’s spells and techniques were unrivaled inside the Fang Clan. Moreover, he was not a delicate flower trapped inside a cozy greenhouse. Since he was a child, he had been fighting and slaughtering beasts. Fang Han was an experienced killer.
Expectedly, even working together, Ling Tian Xiang and Ling Zhan were no match for Fang Han. They did not stand a chance.
"Aunty, we’re no match for him, what do we do?" Ling Zhan was growing anxious. Spinning his two-meter long metal spear, Ling Zhan was pulling out all stops.
Ling Tian Xiang fared no better. Her breaths became increasingly heavier with each attacking stroke. Swinging her sword almost blindly and without much thought, her antics resulted in no physical harm to Fang Han.
"There’s nothing we can do. Just hold on a moment longer. Perhaps Ling Xian will come."
This thought gave Ling Tian Xiang a renewed sense of empowerment. She bit down on her lip, recalling Ling Xian’s bravery, and fought on.
KILL!
Ling Tian Xiang’s face remained ice cold as she launched another round of merciless attacks.
"Don’t know where you find this much confidence in him. From the beginning of this battle until now, you’ve mentioned his name 13 times, not counting the ones before the battle." Ling Zhan let out a bitter laugh. Admittedly, he knew Ling Xian was the strongest amongst all the students. He also knew he was nowhere near as gifted. But at this moment, Ling Xian was completely oblivious to what’s happening here!
Leaving our fate to him? How foolish!
But Ling Zhan had no other ideas against this genius of the Fang Clan. He was praying that Ling Xian would somehow learn about this battle and come swiftly to their rescue.
"You two dare to have a little chat amongst yourselves when you’re fighting a genius like me? You have no respect for me, and no respect for your own lives," Fang Han sneered coldly. Shaking his arms, Fang Han let out a pair of dragon claws. His left claw snatched the opposite end of Ling Zhan’s metal spear, while the right one seized the tip of Ling Tian Xiang’s sword. Unleashing a powerful spell, the two were instantly knocked backward.
"Tunnn, tunnn, tunnn..."
The two challengers each took seven steps backward and smashed into a giant tree. Blood seeped through their teeth and down the sides of their mouths.
Immediately, a wave of panic swept through the Ling Clan. Their resistance had been driven by their faith that together, Ling Tian Xiang and Ling Zhan could defeat Fang Han.
What they just witnessed sent shivers down the spine of every Ling fighter. The brief moment of shock that paralyzed them gave their opponents the perfect opportunity to end the battle. Suddenly, massive trees came crashing down under the powerful spells unleashed by the Fangs.
The same happened to Ling Fei and Ling Feng, defeated by a moment of hesitation.
"I’m very curious about this Ling Xian you all speak of. A genius you say. Is he a real genius, or simply lucky." Fang Han approached Ling Tian Xiang, who was desperately searching for her breath. "Even if he is a real genius, he’s no match for me. A lucky fellow, only you people would consider him a genius and think highly of him."
"On the contrary, you’re no match for him," Ling Tian Xian responded coldly. "Don’t even think about it. He can flick a finger, punch out all your teeth, and make you swallow them."
"Oh? You have such confidence in him." Fang Han was not angry. He was confident, rather, unjustifiably confident. He was an arrogant youth, disrespectful even towards the Clan Leader himself.
As for Ling Xian, he was no more than an ant in his shoe.
"What a shame. You were waiting for the ant that would come and save your colony, but he never showed. If he had come, I would have finished you all together." Fang Han sighed regretfully, albeit without an ounce of real sympathy. Glancing across the scattered, defenseless crowd, Fang Han let out a cold smile and said, "Let’s kill these ants and move on to other colonies."
"Yes, brother!" At Fang Han’s command, the victorious fighters of the Fang Clan closed in on their defeated rivals, getting ready to finish the job.
The last flash of hope faded from each member of the Ling Clan. Everyone shows weakness in the face of imminent death. Desperate cries could be heard from miles away.
A sense of hopelessness descended on the Ling Clan.
"Fang Han, you may kill us here today. One day, we’ll be avenged!" Ling Tian Xiang cursed through her teeth. Hope against hope, Ling Xian would come and save her once more.
"Avenged?"
Still riding in the clouds, Fang Han eyed Ling Tian Xiang with much amusement. He let out a hideous laugh. "Ha ha, I’m amongst the candidates for the next generation Clan Leader. I reached the seventh realm of alchemy when I was merely 18. Who would dare kill me? Who would dare kill me?"
One question asked consecutively. Pure arrogance. Pure conceit.
However, no one could argue with what he had just said. Everything he spoke of was true. It wasn’t about who he was, but what and when he managed to achieve what he has achieved. Only a genius could reach the seventh realm at the tender age of 18.
Fang Han continued to advance on his defeated opponents, who were now holding their tongues in silence. Enjoying what he perceived as a twisted display of admiration, Fang Han demanded one more time.
"Who would dare kill me?"
But this time, a voice sounded without warning. A deep, thunderous voice that awakened the fighting will within every member of the Ling Clan.
"I DARE KILL YOU!"
“I dare kill you!”
The voice was composed, peaceful but deadly. The tone had a murderous, vengeful vibe to it that injected light into the dark, hopeless eyes of the defeated Lings.
A spark of hope had been ignited.
The voice simultaneously wiped the smirks off of the faces of the Fangs. Especially Fang Han, the strongest of the Fang pupils, who had always enjoyed the praise and admiration of others. Who dared to talk to him this way?
However, not only did the voice speak to him this way, the person who uttered the words spoke them in such a casual and demeaning tone, it was as if he was placing a dinner order at a restaurant. This had infuriated Fang Han and reignited his third for blood.
“Who’s there? Come into the light!”
Fang Han demanded. It didn’t matter who spoke the words, they would suffer the worst form of retribution.
“Who are you? How dare you speak to me this way! Come into the light!”
“Such arrogance, are you bored of being alive?”
The students of the Fang Clan had descended into chaos. They looked around, frantically searching for the person behind the voice. They couldn’t believe their ears. Someone dared to speak to their most feared warrior this way!
On the contrary, students of the Ling Clan celebrated. Naturally, they could tell it was Ling Xian that spoke those condescending words.
Ling Tian Xiang could no longer contain her excitement, at the same time she was slightly puzzled. She clenched her fist. She knew it was him, she prayed it was him. He would never let her down.
“You were looking for me?”
A voice sounded as if it was far off in the distance, but echoed directly into the ears of everyone present. The crowd’s gaze followed the sound of the voice and saw a handsome youth in a black cloak materialize out of thin air, his face bright as jade, and his hair dancing in the wind.
Behind him, a pair of enormous, magnificent snowy wings flapped gently against the wind, shedding a handful of feathers with each swing. Despite not being from the purest of Qi, the wings exuded a splendid aura that bedazzled every pair of eyes that has ever laid on them.
“You must be Ling Xian, the so-called “genius” in the words of these useless cockroaches,” Fang Han greeted with a dark smile, flashing sparks of evil out of his dilated pupils. He continued, “We finally meet, but you seem nothing special. Perhaps a slightly stronger ant, but an ant nonetheless.”
Ling Xian did not react but continued to gently flap his wings. “I dare not call myself a genius. As for an ant, if you say so. However, if you die by my hand, then you’re more worthless than an ant. Don’t you think?”
“Fine, fine, you are an arrogant ant.” Fang Han glared at the winged youth with a growing sense of hatred. Now spitting fire out of his eyes, Fang Han had dropped his usual classy façade and exposed his true nasty self.
Ling Xian did not bother to respond. Eyeing the injured gang below him, he was relieved and thankful that none of them had been wounded fatally. He assured them with a stern gaze then shifted his gaze back towards Fang Han. “This is not a good spot for a battle, not my cup of tea, but since you’ve chosen it, I’ll respect your wishes. It’s a person’s right to decide where he wishes to die.”
“What?” Fang Han was stunned. The rest of the Fangs were equally as thick, failing to understand his sarcasm.
On the contrary, the students of the Ling Clan had picked up on its meaning and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Before Ling Xian arrived, the Lings had been all but entirely defeated. Confronted with insults, abuse, and certain death, they had lost all hope. However, Ling Xian had arrived. Their will to fight on had been restored.
“A bunch of idiots,” Ling Xian sneered. Extending his mighty wings, Ling Xian shot upwards into the heavens, leaving a trail of beautifully lethal feathers.
“Let me clarify myself. This place will be where you all die.”
The words were uttered in peace but exuded pain. His gentle smile betrayed its cruel intentions. Ling Xian narrowed his eyes, loosened more feathers with his gentle flaps and created a magical cocoon that suspended him gracefully in midair.
“What an arrogant ant.” Fang Han suddenly turned opaque, a cruel and deadly shade. He flexed his fingers and muttered a spell. Just as he was about to unleash it, he changed his mind. He had suddenly thought of a better idea. “You came to save these people. Fine, I’ll murder them in front of you. I want to see how you can save them all at once, and who you would choose to save first.”
“Come now, everyone, kill these useless cockroaches, do not spare anyone!”
“Yes, brother!”
Altogether, the Fangs resumed their march and began closing in once again on their shattered opponents.
Ling Tian Xiang and the rest of the Ling Clan went pale. They had faith in Ling Xian’s skills, but he couldn’t possibly save ten people all at once.
Even Ling Xian couldn’t separate from his body to produce multiple killers.
“Who dares to move?”
Ling Xian’s expression turned to ice. He powered his wings for a lift, then, as a giant rock falling at the speed of light, his foot came crashing down to earth. The Winged Blitz unleashed a blinding flash which lit up the entire battleground.
“Paaaannnnngggg!”
A poor student of the Fang Clan, who had only managed to reach the fifth realm, was knocked over backward and sent choking on his own blood by the sheer force of the stomp even before the foot came within ten feet of him.
“Even though I can’t save the lives of ten people at once, I can…” A harrowing voice hammered down on the stunned crowd.
“I can kill ten people at once.”
Ling Xian was unstoppable. The moment his foot touched the earth, a giant wave of dust, grass, and trees were uprooted and tossed into the distance.
The ancient oak tree split in half under this powerful gust of wind. The advancing Fangs were forced into a frantic retreat.
A stampede of ten!
A power felt throughout the Cosmo.
“Couuugghh…”
As if they had been hit by lightning, the weaker, fifth realm students of the Fang Clan instantly began coughing out blood. Only Fang Han and a couple of cultivators of the sixth realm were spared of significant injury. Even then, the colors had been drained from their faces. They were not immune to the power of the Winged Blitz.
“Brother, he’s too strong!” One of the sixth realm cultivators let out in a terrified plea.
“Shut up! Don’t start discounting ourselves! I can do whatever he can do!” Fang Han shouted. However, there wasn’t a great deal of conviction in the last sentence he muttered.
On the other hand, upon witnessing the power of one against ten, the Lings had collectively let out a victorious roar.
“Ling Xian is the greatest! He can defeat a whole army! Try to stop it!”
“Ha, ha! Great stomp! He is indeed our greatest warrior!”
“I knew it! I knew these clowns were no match for our Ling Xian!”
Hearing the mutterings and cheers from around him, Fang Han clenched his fist in anger. He shouted, “Don’t be afraid of him! Follow my lead! Don’t forget our mission. Think about the punishment if we fail. You don’t honestly believe he can fight and murder all of us!”
Fang Han had shouted some sense into the students of the Fang Clan. Pushing their fears aside, the Fangs charged.
“I’m not one to brag…” Ling Xian appeared directly in front of a Fang pupil. Unmoved by his terrified gaze, Ling Xian punched through his chest, shattered his heart into pieces, and gifted the youth with a swift death.
“I said I’d kill you, and I shall.”
A frightening shadow of black and white disappeared and reappeared through the crowd like a magical butterfly, leaving behind a trail of murderous agony.
“He’s so fast!” A fighter of the Fang Clan felt a shadowy flash materialize in his peripherals. Just as he was turning around, the shadow had vanished, brushing against his neck.
Also brushing against his neck was a sharp blade.
The sharp blade of a bloodstained sword.
The fighter’s pupils dilated. He finally felt his wound. Raising his hand to his neck to stop the bleeding, the fighter fell to the ground and never stood up.
In the blink of an eye, two fighters from the Fang Clan had perished.
But Ling Xian showed no signs of slowing down. The lightning speed of the Winged Blitz launched him into the crowd and maneuvered him around his enemies. The wings, the blade, the flame. Every stop he made, someone bled. Someone died.
The Winged Blitz is the second transformational gift of the Eyes of Execution. There were no places they cannot reach. Legend has it that the speed of these powerful wings could rival that of the prehistoric, legendarily fearsome creature known as the Kun Hawk, and they only remerged every 120,000 years.
Even though Ling Xian was only a cultivator of the sixth realm, the incredible speed of the Winged Blitz had given him powers beyond more skilled cultivators.
An unsurpassable achievement.
Completely defying the laws of the Taoism Community, were the laws of nature and the universe.
The magic flame ignited burned one individual of the Fang Clan beyond recognition. Ling Xian extended his hands and the clouds darkened. Splendid stars twinkled brightly around him. Then, without warning, the stars were unleashed with the volcanic forces of the earth and disintegrated the bodies of four unfortunate souls who were in their way.
“Only three left.”
Ling Xian summoned the Winged Blitz and in an instant appeared in front of the two cultivators of the sixth realm. The Sword of Extinction in hand, Ling Xian was determined to be written in the book of legends.
“Break!”
The two cultivators were more prepared for this sudden appearance than their fallen comrades. As Ling Xian appeared, they proceeded to summon every last drop of power they had to unleash the Fire Dragon, which charged at Ling Xian, aiming at his heart.
“You want to die I see!”
Ling Xian had no fear. The moment the Fire Dragon was unleashed, the Winged Blitz spun around and shed a layer of feathers. The feathers proceeded to form a protective armor around him, sheltering him from harm.
“Hommmmm!”
A deafening roar had deflected the Fire Dragon and vaporized the spell into thin air. Ling Xian remained unscathed.
Shifting his gaze onto his opponents, identical streams of blood appeared around the necks of both fighters. Their eyes opened wide, consumed by fear. The light in their eyes had all but diminished, deprived of life.
“You are the only one left.”
Ling Xian took a step forward, pointing his bloodstained sword a foot away from Fang Han’s throat. His voice echoed in the wind. Fang Han felt blood racing towards his face.
“Tell me, how do you wish to die?”
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