Chapter Ten
Red flames illuminated half the sky, while two opposing forces locked in a stalemate against the black backdrop of night.
One side was led by Ancestor Mu seen earlier that afternoon. The other was commanded by an old man with snow-white hair and beard. Behind him stood Qin Shiwei and Huang Dingfeng, whom he had encountered that day, along with a middle-aged man wielding a sword.
“A little girl is on the verge of refining her core and she thinks she’s some great figure,” the sword-wielding man said with displeasure. “Shiwei, did you summon us here just for this?”
“Senior Master Tianhuan, it’s not this girl. It’s a tall, gaunt figure who absorbs spiritual energy—I can’t sense any fluctuations at all,” Qin Shiwēi explained humbly. He hadn’t left a mark on Ah Heng that day, assuming he’d still be at Apricot Blossom Pavilion. Now, however, he couldn’t detect his presence at all.
“Girl, considering how hard you’ve trained to get this far, you’d best leave quickly.” Tian Jizi snapped his fingers as he calculated, still unable to receive Heavenly Dao’s warning.
Ancestor Mu’s eyes burned red. She had been meditating inside the Apricot Blossom Pavilion when Tian Jizi suddenly attacked it. She dodged in time and escaped unharmed, but her clan’s younger generation inside the pavilion hadn’t been so fortunate.
The Xinghua Pavilion was engulfed in raging flames. Mu Lao Zu (Ancestor Mu) swept her divine sense over the scene and found her descendant, Mu Chuanfeng, and the accountant surnamed Ding lying on the ground. Collapsed beams had punched bloody holes through their chests, thick, viscous blood slowly seeping out. Golden flames reflected on the blood. Both men lay dead, their eyes wide open.
“How dare you, the Extreme Bliss Immortal Sect, claim to be righteous cultivators while slaughtering even commoners! I shall return to my sect and inform my ancestral elders, demanding they uphold justice for me!”
Though Mu Jiaoqian was nearing the Dan (Core) Transformation stage, she was no match for the legitimate elders of the Extreme Bliss Immortal Sect. Tian Jizi possessed late-stage Golden Core cultivation, while his senior brother, Tian Huan Zhenren, was a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator.
“Arrogant! The Apricot Blossom Pavilion has always been the property of our Extreme Bliss Immortal Sect! Your Mu family seized our sect’s assets and now dare to turn the tables! Our sect elders showed goodwill by letting this matter slide, yet you still have the audacity to rant here!” Huang Dingfeng barked like a vicious dog before its master.
Mu Jiaoqian’s face drained pale with fury, her lack of confidence visible even through her veil. As an unrefined cultivator facing a Golden Core and an Immortal Infant, the pressure was overwhelming. Reason told her she should leave now to save her life.
But Mu Chuanfeng was her last blood relative in the mortal world. Even separated by generations, he was family. The Apricot Blossom Pavilion was her ancestral inheritance. Huang Dingfeng, relying on the fact that Mu Chuanfeng was dead and the pavilion destroyed, was spouting baseless lies.
Mu Jiaoqian had been raised in pampered luxury. Though cultivation proved arduous after entering the Wuji Immortal Sect, her fellow disciples treated her well. Facing such formidable foes, rage made her tremble uncontrollably, her reason completely shattered.
Mu Jiaoqian drew a wooden zither from her waist: “Even if I die here today, I will seek justice for my descendants!” Holding the zither in her left hand, she swept her right hand across its strings. The music transformed into pale purple spiritual energy, surging toward Tian Jizi and his three companions.
Lao Wentou and Er Gouzi shook their heads in unison: “This girl’s gone mad! This is exactly when you should run!”
Ah Heng understood Mu Jiaoqian’s feelings. As the revered ancestor, the Mu clan had long venerated, watching her kin die before her eyes was unbearable. To simply turn and flee—where would the dignity of a cultivator lie?
Understanding was one thing, but Ah Heng still had to call her foolish. Preserve the green mountains and you’ll never worry about firewood. If she got killed here by Qin Shiwei’s gang, there’d truly be no one left to stand up for her!
Er Gouzi couldn’t hear Ah Heng’s inner thoughts, or he’d surely have retorted, “Just like what Ah Heng said! Old Wen Tou and I always say you’re a jinx. Ah Heng knows his own mouth is foul, yet he still can’t control himself.”
But Ah Heng’s situation was different from Mu Jiaoqian’s. Every word Ah Heng spoke was the truth.
The pale purple spiritual energy couldn’t even get close to Tian Jizi before being neutralized. Tian Huan Zhenren didn’t even need to use a single technique; his mere spiritual pressure as a Nascent Soul cultivator dissolved Mu Jiaoqian’s attack. Tian Huan found it rather pointless. He had followed his junior disciple here to observe someone who could absorb spiritual energy without sensing its fluctuations, but that person wasn’t here.
Tian Huan’s expression darkened. “Junior disciple, leave this to you. I’ll go find that thing.”
The “thing” Tian Huan referred to was naturally Ah Heng, who specialized in absorbing others’ spiritual energy. His voice carried clearly as Lao Wentou and Er Gouzi dragged and pulled Ah Heng back toward the dilapidated temple.
Ah Heng waved dismissively with a smile. “I just checked the basin. I’m fine.”
Lao Wentou and Er Gouzi’s faces darkened. What the hell kind of logic was that?!
Tian Jizi nodded to his senior brother: “I’m afraid we’ll need you to track down that thing, so we can rid the world of evil and restore peace.”
Ah Heng simply raised up his middle finger toward the sky. Since when had he become the “evil” to be eradicated? What a load of crap! These cultivators were truly despicable—as if power alone could invert right and wrong.
Mu Jiaoqian let out a sharp cry: “Wood Spirit Array!” Instantly, a pale purple formation with a diameter of a hundred meters rapidly unfolded, centered on her.
Ah Heng and the others looked up in awe at the array overhead. Er Gouzi marveled, “It’s gorgeous! Even prettier than New Year’s fireworks!”
The array’s power dwarfed those fireworks by dozens, even hundreds of times. The Wood Spirit Array could draw wood spirit energy from a thousand-mile radius, granting the caster immense wood spirit power. It was certain that with the array’s enhancement, Mu Jiaoqian, at the late Foundation Establishment stage, could wield power rivaling that of a Golden Core cultivator!
Pale blue spiritual energy slowly rose from the array, blending with the faint purple formations—truly a sight to behold. Mu Jiaoqian’s face was deathly pale. Controlling the Wood Spirit Array at her current cultivation level was premature. Not only would the array’s power be diminished, but she wouldn’t be able to sustain it for long. Yet, pride was at stake. She steeled her resolve and decided to push through!
Tian Jizi extended a fist, then transformed it into an open palm. Golden spiritual energy overflowed from his hand, forming an intricate array. Mu Jiaoqian’s Wood Spirit energy struck the golden array, shattering into fine fragments of pale blue light. Any discerning observer could see at a glance that the gap in cultivation between Mu Jiaoqian and Tian Jizi was vast.
Cold sweat broke out on Mu Jiaoqian’s back. She activated her formation—if things got too dire, she’d flee. She truly seemed no match for Tian Jizi.
Sometimes, you don’t realize how incapable you are until you push yourself to the limit. Mu Jiaoqian had thought she could exchange a few blows with Tian Jizi. But embarrassingly, she couldn’t even last a minute. Her dantian throbbed with agony as the Wood Spirit Array rapidly drained its spiritual energy.
Huang Dingfeng eyed the array greedily. “Ancestor,” he said to Tian Jizi, “this Wood Spirit Array is a treasure.”
Tian Jizi smiled gently, like a benevolent elder. “No need to rush. The array will be yours shortly. Shiwei, this ancient zither—do you wish to—”
Qin Shiwei nodded hastily. “Thank you, Master, for your generosity.” Mu Jiaoqian’s body trembled even more violently. She made a split-second decision: severing the Wood Spirit Array, she turned and fled. Even someone as slow-witted as her knew Tian Jizi was about to strike!
Now she regrets it. If only she hadn’t tried to outrun him earlier, she might have saved her own life. But regret came too late! The moment Mu Jiaoqian turned, a golden sword pierced through her dantian.
“You… you…” Mu Jiaoqian, who hadn’t yet cultivated her core, possessed no spiritual awareness. With her dantian pierced, she fell like any ordinary mortal. The petite figure plummeted from the sky, crashing into the woods outside Xiaoyan Town. She had no time to utter a single word, dying with endless regret and resentment.
Tian Jizi smiled faintly. “I did give you a chance just now.”
The battle on Tian Jizi’s side concluded swiftly. To most residents of Xiaoyan Town, it had merely been a dazzling fireworks display. Now that the spectacle ended, the town fell silent, broken only by the crackling of Xinghua Tower burning.
Tian Huan’s divine sense rippled out layer by layer across Xiaoyan Town. Every room, every rock, even every blade of grass and tree lay exposed beneath his perception. His gaze shifted eastward, where he spotted three beggars. The leader was a tall, gaunt figure with a sallow complexion. As expected, no flowing spiritual energy could be detected on him.
Lao Wentou and Er Gouzi turned pale. Ah Heng waved at them. “You two run into the woods and hide. I’ll be fine.”
Fine? Tian Huan’s figure had already closed in on Ah Heng! Er Gouzi was nearly pissing himself!
Tian Huan’s piercing gaze swept over Ah Heng from head to toe, finally settling on the begging staff in his hand.
Ah Heng smiled and bowed his hands. “What brings you here, Immortal?”
Tian Huan’s brow furrowed slightly. He now understood his disciples’ confusion. This creature was indeed peculiar—no spiritual energy fluctuations emanated from him. To call him a corpse seemed absurd since he moved freely. Yet to label him a zombie or a drought demon was equally implausible, for he carried not a shred of malevolence or ferocity.
“What exactly are you?” Tian Huan, despite his Nascent Soul cultivation, couldn’t discern Ah Heng’s true nature.
Ah Heng scratched his cheek helplessly. “Truthfully, I have no memories. I don’t know who I am either.”
He’d heard this line from four people already. Would every cultivator who saw him henceforth demand to know what he was? Was he supposed to seriously tell them—I’m not a thing—or that I am a thing? Either way felt oddly unsettling.
Tian Huan drew his sword: “It seems I cannot let you live.”
Ah Heng’s mouth twitched. He hastily raised his hands: “Master, Master! I have something to say!”
Tian Huan’s expression remained cold. Enveloped in golden spiritual light, he resembled a deity. Tian Huan said icily, “Speak.” What you are matters not—I shall simply cut you down. Tian Huan had never liked things he couldn’t control.
Ah Heng hesitated, stammering, “Esteemed Immortal, I see darkness gathering at your brow—great calamity approaches!”
Lao Wen Tou and Er Gou Zi peered out from behind nearby trees, utterly devastated. “Ah Heng! Are you a pig?! Can’t you say something decent?!” This was suicide!
Tian Huan’s voice grew deep: “I didn’t know you were a charlatan too. Just not a very skilled one. Finish speaking, or I’ll send you on your way.”
Ah Heng agonized for a moment, then gave up: “Sorry, I wanted to say something nice too, but… Immortal, you really don’t have much time left.”
Tian Huan snorted coldly. His magnificent soul-bound sword, channeling thunderous energy, slashed viciously toward Ah Heng. Ah Heng thrust his beggar’s staff forward in a desperate block. The immense force slammed into the ground beneath him, carving a deep crater. Even the small, dilapidated temple nearby collapsed halfway.
Ah Heng grunted, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Tian Huan snorted coldly: “You actually blocked my strike.” This thing must be eliminated. Alarm bells rang in Tian Huan’s mind. He sensed that if he failed to eliminate this thing today, given time, it would become an immensely powerful existence.
Tian Huan retreated several steps, then soared into the forest canopy. Golden spiritual energy swirled around him, making him appear like a dazzling golden lantern from afar.
Er Gouzi, wielding a wooden stick, ran to Ah Heng’s side: “Ah Heng! Ah Heng! Are you okay? Let me help you!”
Ah Heng waved his beggar’s staff to shoo him away: “Cut it out! You come over here looking for death? Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!”
Er Gouzi shouted: “Let’s go together, good brother! We couldn’t be born on the same day, month, and year in this life, but let’s die on the same day, month, and year! Next life, we’ll be reborn together—feasting on meat and guzzling wine!”
What kind of nonsense was this? Ah Heng stared at Er Gou’s face—no black mist shrouded his features.
Er Gou beamed brightly: “Well? Touched? My dead old man said when fighting, you gotta stick together, stay united!”
Ah Heng sighed helplessly, murmuring faintly: “Gouzi…”
Er Gou bellowed back, “Aye!”
Ah Heng yanked his shirt and flung him aside—at least two hundred meters away—”Stop getting all high and mighty with your nonsense. Just go to bed early!”
Er Gou let out a “Ah—” as he landed in the woods. Old Wen thought if Er Gou died, it’d be from Ah Heng’s throw.
Tian Huan snorted coldly, “Quite the loyal friend.”
A Heng ignored the remark, his gaze fixed on Tian Huan’s face. Having just absorbed a trace of Tian Huan’s spiritual energy, he saw the gruesome state of his corpse—Tian Huan’s head torn off by a golden leopard. A Heng’s expression instantly turned peculiar.
Leaning on his beggar’s staff in the deep pit, Ah Heng warned, “Master, I’m serious. You’ll be torn apart by leopards.” Tian Huan scoffed, “Nonsense.”
Author’s Notes:
Wen Bao: Look at my gleaming fangs!
Gouzi: Look at my sturdy staff!
Wen Heng: Look at my steel-like body!
Yun Qing: Look how silly my senior brother and master are.
Feathers flew everywhere, and Xuantian Sect gained another feather duster…
That’s all. Raise your hand if you understand.
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")