Chapter 20: The Kill
Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Kill
Qixia Slope was the only way back. The night wind, thick with grit, howled past the jagged, grotesque rocks, sounding like the low weeping of vengeful spirits.
"Third Uncle, how much longer do we have to wait in this godforsaken place?"
In the shadows, Zheng Ping irritably kicked away a loose stone. He kept his voice low, but it couldn’t hide his resentment.
He was only in his early twenties, with a cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer. Among the younger generation of the declining Zheng Family, he was already considered a prodigy. But this task of lying in wait by the Dry Stream had left him so frustrated he was on the verge of going mad.
Meanwhile, Zheng Yuan—one of the Zheng Family’s only two remaining Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer cultivators—sat cross-legged in the leeward hollow of a rock, his posture like an old pine. He didn’t even lift an eyelid at the words. Raising a hand, he cast a Sound Insulation Restriction, sealing off both the howling wind and his nephew’s agitation.
"Quiet. That Lu Zhao managed to establish himself in the Zhou Family Marketplace and can even craft a Flying Puppet. How could he be an ordinary Wanderer? Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit."
"But the Lu Family was wiped out five years ago! Is a Mid-stage Qi Cultivation stray dog really worth us trekking thousands of miles from the Northern Plains for?"
"The family could have just sent any Late-stage Qi Cultivation elder..." Zheng Ping retorted, craning his neck, his voice thick with indignation.
"Shut your mouth!"
Zheng Yuan’s eyes snapped open, his gaze piercing his nephew like an Ice Cone. The surrounding air instantly froze. "Do you think the Zheng Family is the same as it was thirty years ago?
Among the younger generation, besides your older brother Zheng Yun who has a sliver of hope for Foundation Establishment, we can’t even scrape together enough people at Late-stage Qi Cultivation!"
His voice was low, and every word struck Zheng Ping’s heart like a heavy hammer. "This fiend is a remnant of the Lu Family. If we let him truly grow, the Zheng family will suffer the consequences."
"If your sixth brother hadn’t chanced upon him here in Changfeng, he would have slipped right past us."
Zheng Ping flinched under that gaze, his clenched fists turning white at the knuckles. In the end, he lowered his head.
Zheng Yuan retracted his gaze and looked down at the ink-black path below the slope, sighing inwardly.
’This nephew of mine has decent talent, but he’s as reckless as a young tiger. If the family’s talent wasn’t failing to bridge the generational gap, why would I have brought this untested fledgling out here?’
Images flashed through his mind: the Elder Ancestor’s withered face, his older brother Zheng Tai’s declining Qi and Blood, his nephew Zheng Yun’s grim determination as he entered seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment... Each scene weighed on his heart, suffocating him.
The Zheng Family was like a sinking ship; every bit of strength was precious. He brought Zheng Ping along not so much as a helper, but to force him to mature quickly in the crucible of blood and fire.
"Another half day."
Zheng Yuan closed his eyes. His voice was weary but left no room for argument. "If there’s still no sign of him, we’ll use the luring incense to force him out. Remember, when we move, it must be fast and clean. We can’t leave a single trace."
The cold wind whimpered, stirring a trace of savagery that Zheng Ping had forcibly suppressed deep in his eyes.
At the first light of dawn, a layer of grayish-white frost coated the rocky flats at the entrance of Qixia Slope.
A hundred zhang away, in the shadow of a giant boulder, Lu Zhao’s figure had almost merged with the jagged rock shadows. The Little Spirit Rain Technique circulated at its peak, and faint wisps of water vapor, carrying the scent of stone and vegetation, suppressed his presence to near nothingness.
Inside his sleeves, the cores of two Ice Mouse Puppets glowed faintly, ready to be deployed.
But the bulk of his focus was on the sky high above, where the Flowing Cloud Sparrow Puppet had spread its Wind Patterned Stone Bone Wings. It rode the morning updrafts, circling silently, its sharp compound eyes projecting every inch of the land and every shadow below into Lu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness.
Thirty feet to the left of the rocky flats, behind a rock crevice entwined with withered vines, were two motionless dark figures.
The Flowing Cloud Sparrow’s perspective clearly captured the silhouettes, which had almost blended into the environment. The aura of one of them was as deep as an abyss—far beyond what a Mid-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator could possess!
Lu Zhao’s heart suddenly clenched. ’An ambush, just as I expected! And a powerful one!’
His body remained perfectly still, but the Flowing Cloud Sparrow’s surveillance intensified, sweeping over the area again and again like an invisible probe.
Once, twice... The sun rose to its zenith and began its slow descent to the west. The shadows behind the vines remained as still as stone statues, showing no flaws. Only the Flowing Cloud Sparrow detected the subtle restlessness of the shorter figure.
"Third Uncle, is this coward a damn turtle? He’s wasted a whole day." Behind the crevice, a vein throbbed on Zheng Ping’s forehead. His barely contained fury was palpable in the transmission sound. "Let’s just charge out! He’s only Mid-stage Qi Cultivation. Crushing him will be as easy as crushing an ant."
Zheng Yuan’s brow was furrowed. How could he not be anxious? After waiting for a whole day, his nerves were stretched taut as a bowstring. The opponent was far more slippery than he had anticipated.
What was more troublesome was that this young tiger, Zheng Ping, had reached the end of his patience. If he was reined in any longer, he might just charge out recklessly and ruin their plan.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. ’Rather than let this reckless nephew ruin things, I’ll strike with lightning speed myself! A Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer against a Middle Stage, armed with the High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Wind-Splitting Blade... Ten breaths is all I need to settle this!’
"Stay put!"
Zheng Yuan barked the order, but his own figure shot out from the crevice like a phantom.
No probing attacks, no wasted words. While still in mid-air, he already held a long blade in his hand. It was pitch-black, its tip pulsing with a three-inch-long, ghastly white edge.
Magical Power surged violently. The blade let out a sharp shriek as it tore through the air, transforming into a black streak barely visible to the naked eye as it slashed toward the giant boulder where Lu Zhao was hiding.
The full-power strike of a Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, enhanced by the sharpness of a High-Grade Spiritual Artifact. Wherever the black light passed, the rock was silently annihilated as if it were rotten earth.
Ruthless, experienced, and aiming for a single, fatal blow.
On the line between life and death!
Lu Zhao’s pupils contracted to pinpricks. The Flowing Cloud Sparrow’s warning and the lethal sharpness rushing toward him arrived at almost the same instant!
’I can’t block it! The Ice Mouse Puppets can’t block it! Even the Profound Water Turtle Shell Shield can’t block it!’
He didn’t hesitate for a second! The instinct to survive overrode everything else! His right hand shot into his robe like lightning, his fingertips brushing against the bone-chillingly cold, pale purple talisman—a Tier Two Lower Grade Small Thunder Shock Talisman!
"Detonate!"
Lu Zhao’s eyes turned crimson as he roared, recklessly pouring all of his Magical Power into the talisman!
SIZZLE—BOOM!!!
The world lost all color!
A pillar of silver-white lightning, as thick as a water bucket and blindingly bright, erupted violently from Lu Zhao’s palm! There was no build-up, only the arrival of destruction! The power of destruction contained within the core of the lightning bolt had already far surpassed the limits of the Qi Cultivation realm!
Zheng Yuan’s vicious sneer froze on his face, instantly replaced by boundless horror and despair! He smelled the stench of death!
"No!"
He roared madly, desperately trying to pull back and block, his Protective Spiritual Light burning to its absolute limit!
Too late!
The silver-white dragon of lightning slammed into the black light with unstoppable force! The Wind-Splitting Blade let out a mournful cry and shattered inch by inch! The lightning’s momentum didn’t falter. The blinding plasma exploded, blasting his entire body into a charred afterimage.
His Protective Spiritual Light shattered like paper. An arm, along with half his shoulder, was instantly vaporized. Chunks of seared flesh and shattered skeleton flew in all directions. He was sent flying backward like a broken sack, slamming heavily into the rock wall behind him. His body was scorched black and smoking. His one remaining eye was wide with lingering, incredulous terror, his breath as faint as a gossamer thread.
PTHOO!
Lu Zhao, too, felt as if he had been struck by a sledgehammer and spat out a large mouthful of blood.
He had been too close. The terrifying rebound from the Tier Two Talisman and the stray arcs of lightning had viciously swept across his left arm, chest, and abdomen. His clothes were charred and tattered, his skin split open, and a searing pain pierced him to the core.
But he only swayed, forcing himself to stay on his feet, the vicious glint in his eyes growing even stronger!
’Hit him while he’s weak, and go for the kill!’
Enduring the heart-rending pain, Lu Zhao already had three crimson talismans pinched in his left hand—Tier One High-Grade Blast Flame Talismans!
"Go!"
Three streams of red light shot from his hand, flying in a triangular formation toward the charred heap on the rock wall! The scorching fireballs instantly expanded, overlapped, and detonated!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The earth shook and the mountains trembled! The raging flames completely engulfed Zheng Yuan’s ruined body, tearing it apart and incinerating it to ash! Even the section of rock wall behind him was blasted into a massive, scorched crater! This pillar of the Zheng Family, this Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer master, was annihilated, body and soul, without even managing to scream.
"Third Uncle!"
Behind the rock crevice, Zheng Ping’s eyes looked ready to split from their sockets as he let out a shriek that barely sounded human. The unbelievable turn of events had left his mind completely blank. His body was rigid, and he even forgot to summon his Magical Artifact!
Lu Zhao didn’t pause for a moment! Coughing up blood, he lunged forward like a cheetah, his target the dumbstruck Zheng Ping.
At the same time, a cold glint flashed from his sleeve. The two Ice Mouse Puppets transformed into two icy-blue afterimages that, despite starting later, arrived first. Their sharp ice claws aimed straight for Zheng Ping’s heart and throat, a lethal chill instantly piercing to the bone.
The icy chill of death finally jolted Zheng Ping from his stupor.
"Ah!"
He let out a strange cry and clumsily summoned a small, cyan shield to block in front of him, simultaneously activating his Protective Spiritual Light.
CLANG! SQUELCH!
One Mouse Puppet’s sharp claws scraped against the shield’s surface with a piercing shriek, spreading an icy chill.
The other claw, however, viciously tore through his hastily formed Protective Spiritual Light, leaving three bloody gashes on his side so deep that bone was visible!
The intense pain made Zheng Ping scream, but it also ignited his ferocity. "I’ll kill you!" His eyes were bloodshot. Looking like a madman, he ignored his injuries and commanded a Flying Sword to stab at Lu Zhao.
Lu Zhao’s eyes were as cold and emotionless as Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice. Facing the rage-fueled strike, he neither dodged nor evaded, but simply flicked his finger!
A Tier One High-Grade Talisman—a Golden Sword Talisman!
A golden light flared. A giant sword formed purely of Sharp Metal Qi, despite appearing later, arrived first. With a keen hum that promised to sever anything, it viciously chopped down on Zheng Ping’s Flying Sword!
CLANG!
The Flying Sword cried out, its Spirit Light dimming as it was knocked away. The Golden Sword, its momentum only slightly reduced, continued its downward chop! Zheng Ping’s soul nearly fled his body as he desperately threw himself to the side.
SHLICK!
Blood splattered! An arm was severed at the shoulder!
"Argh!"
Zheng Ping fell to the ground, howling in agony. The pain and blood loss caused him to break down completely. His eyes filled with nothing but boundless terror, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Don’t kill me! Spare me! My Zheng Family..."
Before he could finish, the two icy-blue figures pounced like maggots clinging to bone. The Ice Mouse Puppets’ claws, carrying a final, freezing cold, precisely pierced his throat and heart.
His pleas for mercy were cut short. Frozen in Zheng Ping’s wide eyes was infinite terror of death and regret for taking on this "simple mission."
Lu Zhao leaned on his knees, gasping for breath. Every inhale pulled at the wounds all over his body, and cold sweat mixed with blood dripped down his skin. He quickly recalled the Flowing Cloud Sparrow. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he deftly retrieved Zheng Yuan’s nearly obliterated Storage Bag and magical artifact, then looted Zheng Ping’s corpse as well.
His gaze swept over the utter mess on the ground. He took out a Low Tier Fireball Talisman and activated it. A moment later, everything was reduced to dust under the night sky.
After finishing all this, he swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill. His figure, staggering yet resolute, disappeared into the deeper darkness of Qixia Slope.