ShaoTian stretched his hands against the lightning scarred night sky. He looked around but XuanWu hasn't came back yet. Worries filled his mind. He clenched his hand in his chest and cursed inwardly.
'Damn! It's my fault that my family is now in harm's way. The same reason back then, 20 years ago... This weapon inside me is making my life a living hell.'
He thought about many things that would happen in the future. His relationship with XuanWu and his children... ShaoTian's mind played tricks on him not until Luo Na brought in new sets of robes and sat beside him.
"Is something bothering you father?"
"N—no child. It's just that... Your mother hasn't came back yet."
"It'd be alright father. Mother will come back."
"Alright. If that's what my dear daughter says."
Yingluo leaned her head on ShaoTian's broad shoulder. She closed her eyes and imagine the days when she was young and naive about the world and only the comfort of his father's shoulders would bring her comfort and joy against the sadness.
"YingLuo. I am sorry for leaving you after all these years. The battle... My battle with XuanZheng drained all of my spiritual energy which made me sleep for 20 long years."
"Mother had already told us father. MoXiao and I haven't really harbored sourness against you."
"While I'm gone and so as your mother, who looked after you and MoXiao?"
"Well... We both begged for food scrapes and we haven't tasted good food or dressed properly but King Xiaoxing Fu took us in."
"How is he treating you?"
"He sent us to school, made us wear expensive clothing, pampered us a lot. He became a father you never was."
When ShaoTian heard this, his heart sank. For 20 years that he haven't been around, he couldn't say anything to exhilirate himself among his children. He lowered his head but Luo Na continued...
"But he was never my real father. My father coddles me with love and with a single hug, he brightens my darkest days."
"Luo—mei... I really miss you... My precious Luo—mei."
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Zhuge Liang scoured the nearby village houses and also the palace but he could not find even a single soul. He cursed under his sinister breath. The ancient evil tree's poison have already consumed his left arm. Black veins started appearing from it which made him shrill in pain.
The monsters that he had conjured gathered all around him and he angrily flayed his hand.
"What are you looking at? Find them all and slaughter them! Do not leave any survivors!"
The monsters heeded his bidding and went once again scouring the lands from every direction.
After a short while, JinRen arrived bringing a bad news for both of them.
"Zhuge Liang, the sisters have escaped!"
"Why did you let them escape!?"
"It's not my fault. It's your wife, Xi Yuyao."
"Tsk. Don't mind them anymore. The important thing to me right now is retrieving the Shangguan Longyan."
"Understood."
JinRen bowed and excused himself returning back to the ninth heaven. A while later, the party of monsters returned back to Zhuge Liang bringing a man carried by their huge fangs.
Zhuge Liang gave the signal and the monsters threw the man in front of him. The man then knelt and pleaded for his life.
"Please—Please... Don't hurt me. I'll do anything please..."
"Do anything? Alright. Tell me... Where did the Emperor bring all of the people?"
"I—They... I don't know."
Zhuge Liang snapped in anger and flexed his hand wide open revealing huge dark claws and cut a nearby tree in half.
When the man saw this, he gulped a lump of saliva and bowed his head on the ground.
"Promise, I do not know where they went!"
"Liar! You see what I can do right? Tell me now, or else!"
Zhuge Liang bared his large claws over the man's neck but the man yelled...
"Alright! Alright! They went southeast heading for the Dragon Blade's kingdom!"
"What a wise choice young man. Hao. Let go of this pathetic creature!"
The monsters made way and the man ran for his life passing by the ferocious-looking monsters who bared their fangs with dripping saliva. He closed his eyes and suddenly... He stopped running.
The monsters were gone in an instant and silence returned to his desolate life. He took few more steps thinking that the horrors that he had witnessed were gone like a fleeting dream.
*drip, drip, drip*
His tears couldn't stop running down his eyes as he witnessed large number of monsters scoured their way to the northeast heading for ChuanXi city, the kingdom of Dragon Blade's capital and stronghold.
"What have I done?"
He looked at his scathed palms shaking in fear. His guilt reached the summit like a sky flower.
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Wei Yue led his people inside ChuanXi city and all of them listened well to his propositions. Guards were placed on every side of the capital down into the back and entrance. No one was allowed to go in or out without getting permission from Wei Yue.
The ground shook as a lightning traced the sky that sent rumbling sounds which filled the night. Huge amount of anxieties did not spare a single soul.
ShaoTian shook his head in dismay. He cannot bear to see Old Jianghu being reduced to this pitiful state. A sudden memory suddenly struck his mind showing chaos and destruction in the wake of dawn.
'Upon thy hand, I hold the Shangguan Longyan and I will use it not for the destruction of mankind but the good.'
He marched up alone outside the city walls. Screams of worries are heard from behind him. Moxiao and Yingluo already knew what their father had planned so they do not have a choice but to abide to their father's wishes.
"Do you think father will be fine, sis?"
"He will be fine. I know he will."
"But mother told me that if father uses the Shangguan Longyan... His soul will—"
"Don't talk about it MoXiao. You know father would never allow that!"
"But sis I—"
"If you care about father, then act filial and respect his wishes."
Moxiao did not pose a fight. He always know that his sister says about absolute things and that she is always right. Yingluo's hands shook. She pretended to be strong in front of Moxiao but she was just acting cool. If it is inevitable that his father's soul might break, then...
'That hug from the bonfire might be the last hug that I'll get from father.'
It brings tears to her eyes as she thought about it but she remained indifferent and acted calmly as his father approaches a large army of monsters with Zhuge Liang on it's center.
Seeing ShaoTian approach against him, a smile curved up on Zhuge Liang's lips as he dismounted from a monster's back.
"Oh, instead of walking away, you're trying to approach me?"
"I couldn't beat the hell out of you if I'm running away aren't I?"
"Hohoh... Then come closer as you like..."
Zhuge Liang's form wasn't fully corrupted yet. With the help from JinRen, he managed to contain the evil tree's corruption inside his body. The visible signs of corruption is only shown at his left hand up to his arm and his purple glowing eyes. His silver hair was still intact and his other hand can still use his divine weapon.
ShaoTian took one look at his opponent. He examined him from head to toe using his clairvoyance ability passed down by his ancestors which practiced soul cultivation.
'As I've suspected. He absorbed the ancient evil tree. But how did he absorb it if he's a full-pledged God? And... What about...'
"Oh... Silly. Have you thought about XuanZheng?"
"What did you do to her?"
"She's a traitor. She said she'd tell her sister so I silenced her."
"Why, you!"
"Ohhh. Right. After I kill you, I will kill XuanWu and XuanZheng and after that, your children and the entire Old Jianghu can say bye bye."
Anger overtook ShaoTian and he then draw a sword coming from his chest. The sword gleamed in gold and bluish color. Zhuge Liang laughed feeling entertained. He pointed his corrupted hand against ShaoTian beckoning him to attack.
ShaoTian released a warm breath and afterwards moved in a lightning speed slicing Zhuge Liang's arm off. He retreated to his original position and swished the blood-stained golden sword.
"You know ShaoTian, that really hurts!"
Zhuge Liang's amputated arm grew once again like it hasn't been cut off.
ShaoTian saw this and prepared for another attack. This time, ShaoTian aimed for Zhuge Liang's divine weapon. He moved in a flash aiming the sword straight for his fan but Zhuge Liang caught him with his corrupted arm and hurled him across the trees.
"Too slow ShaoTian!"
"I'll be fast next time.... *cough*"
"Well, there won't be a next time I guess?"
"Zhuge Liang—You... *cough* monster! *cough*"
Blood flowed from ShaoTian's mouth as he coughed it out. He stuck the sword on the ground and held on his chest.
'I forgot. The Shangguan Longyan consumes life force. I underestimated this Zhuge Liang...'
Zhuge Liang took a step forward approaching him. He raised his corrupted arm in the air preparing to strike ShaoTian but....
"Take on someone your own size."
XuanWu and XuanZheng arrived riding in phoenixes. The brilliance almost blinded Zhuge Liang knocking him out of the way. XuanWu wore a white robe adorned with flowers while XuanZheng wore a black robe with dragons embroidered around it.
They landed on the ground perfectly and attended to ShaoTian.
"XuanZheng... Take ShaoTian to safety."
"Hao sis. How about you?"
"I'll take down this b*tch. Just you wait and see."
"Alright sis. Go and get him."
As XuanZheng took away ShaoTian, XuanWu flew up and gave a hard kick on Zhuge Liang. The kick gave off an intense aura which shook the earth. Zhuge Liang tried to evade her attacks but her spear always finds it's mark. His arms is almost turning into stone. He had then decided to withdraw for a while and checked on his wounds.
Zhuge Liang cussed when he saw that his wounds turned the corrupted part of his arm into stone.
XuanWu smiled faintly and tried teasing Zhuge Liang.
"Hey Liang—b*tch. How does it feel to taste your own medicine?"
"Heh. What medicine? You're one underrated Goddess. You cannot defeat me."
"Well... Did you know that I took a part from the ancient evil tree before coming here? If it isn't for my sister, maybe you would've died the minute I wounded you with this."
XuanWu held the spear in her hand and the spear's color transformed from gold into pitch black emitting a resentful aura same as the ancient evil tree.
Zhuge Liang's eyes shook. He clenched his teeth and flew aiming for XuanWu.
"You brat! I will kill you!"
"Come at thee. B*tch."
Clinks and Clanks of weapons and sounds of rumbling thunder filled the night air of Old Jianghu.
XuanZheng placed her hands on ShaoTian's head making the Shangguan Longyan box's sword disappear from his hand. She had then put her other hand on his chest trying to heal him while extracting the box out from his soul.
"Come on... ShaoTian... Cooperate. XuanWu might not hold for long if she uses the evil spear, she might get corrupted like Zhuge Liang. Please ShaoTian..."