Chapter 46: The Man in Black
It was midday. The mother and cub Purple-Whiskered Thunder Mane Tigers were frolicking by the stream when they noticed a man and a woman approaching them.
“Yo, hello there.”
Chen Yin greeted them with a grin.
The cub rolled around playfully on the ground, while its mother let out a low growl, seemingly understanding that Chen Yin was about to leave.
“Yes, we’re leaving.”
He squatted down with a smile and stroked the cub’s belly. “Sorry about taking your demon core.”
“If I have the chance, I’ll bring you both a gift as compensation.”
The cub purred contentedly, its eyes closing in bliss as it enjoyed Chen Yin’s touch.
Its mother looked at Chen Yin with a hint of worry.
“Don’t worry,”
Chen Yin reassured her. “I know there have been more humans around lately.”
“But it’s fine, they’re all here because of us. Once we leave, your life will return to normal.”
The mother tiger seemed relieved and lay down, her eyes gazing in a specific direction.
Chen Yin knew she was showing him the way out.
“Farewell, then. May we meet again.”
Chen Yin bowed respectfully, then turned and left with Shen Shuanglian, following the direction the mother tiger had indicated.
As they walked, Shen Shuanglian couldn’t help but say worriedly, “You mean to say that many cultivators from the outside have already entered this place searching for us?”
“That’s right. It’s been several days since we fell. Even if we don’t leave now, they’ll eventually find us.”
“Then… what are you going to do?” Shen Shuanglian’s eyes were filled with concern. “What if the Mist Spirit Sect elders are still determined to punish you for protecting that demonic witch and take you back?”
“What else can I do?”
Chen Yin shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ll just use my all-powerful Master as a shield and scare them off.”
“After all, we’re all from the Mist Spirit Sect. Now that Miss Yin, the cause of this conflict, is no longer with us, they wouldn’t push things too far unless they’re idiots.”
“Besides, who wants to mess with Immortal Yu Ling?” He chuckled.
Shen Shuanglian nodded but still looked worried.
“I still feel… that the way the sect elders handled this matter is strange.”
“You feel it too?”
“Yes.”
Shen Shuanglian hesitated. “Logically speaking, even if Elder Mo Jie wanted to attack you, he should have thought carefully about the consequences, given the pressure from the Heavenly Net Sect and Immortal Yu Ling.”
“But he was clearly determined to kill Yin Mengwan at all costs.”
“Why was he so bold? Before he attacked, I saw him as if he was communicating with someone through voice transmission… who was he talking to?”
Chen Yin didn’t know either.
He had his suspicions but no evidence.
“For him to disregard the sect’s interests and act so recklessly, the person who gave him the courage… must be someone from the sect as well.”
Shen Shuanglian also fell into deep thought.
“Regardless, this is what I want to investigate next.”
Chen Yin looked at Shen Shuanglian seriously. “I can’t do this alone. I need your help. Are you willing?”
Shen Shuanglian nodded and asked softly, “What do you need me to do?”
“What I mentioned before. The information about Changli Palace within the Mist Spirit Sect.”
Chen Yin lowered his voice and added, “Be careful. This matter might be more complicated than we think. It’s best not to expose yourself.”
Shen Shuanglian didn’t answer. Instead, she blinked and asked:
“Are you worried about me?”
“Of course I’m worried about you.”
Chen Yin gently flicked her nose and said with a hint of reproach, “Remember, your safety is the most important. If there’s no opportunity, just forget about it.”
“Don’t put yourself in danger because of this.”
A soft light flickered in Shen Shuanglian’s eyes. “I understand.”
Only then did Chen Yin feel relieved and patted her head gently.
***
The surrounding scenery gradually became sparser as if they were entering a thin layer of fog.
Chen Yin knew they were approaching the edge of the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain. He gently took Shen Shuanglian’s hand.
“Be careful, don’t get lost,” he whispered.
Shen Shuanglian obediently let him hold her hand and followed him closely.
The fog was thicker than expected, visibility was extremely low, and there seemed to be a strange force within it, blocking cultivators’ senses.
Chen Yin and Shen Shuanglian walked through the fog like ordinary mortals.
“I didn’t expect such a thick fog near the edge of the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain.” Chen Yin frowned.
“As expected of the Perilous Domain. This eerie fog alone is enough to deter most cultivators from entering.”
Shen Shuanglian also marveled, “No wonder the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain has been a forbidden zone for so many years.”
“Let’s be careful. We don’t know what we might encounter in the fog.”
Chen Yin tightened his grip on her hand, and Shen Shuanglian took the opportunity to move closer to him.
The fog was not only thick but also vast. They walked in the same direction for a long time, but they still couldn’t see the end of it. Chen Yin began to wonder if they had taken a wrong turn.
“Am I walking in circles? Why haven’t we seen the exit yet?”
Shen Shuanglian said confidently, “No, this is the right direction. Just keep going.”
…A cultivator’s senses might be blocked, but the System’s weren’t.
Chen Yin glanced at her but didn’t ask any further questions. He continued walking, trusting her guidance.
Sure enough, after a while, the fog began to thin. Chen Yin knew they were nearing the exit and quickened his pace.
Soon, the fog had dissipated enough for them to see the path ahead. In the distance, Chen Yin saw the silhouette of a cultivator.
After confirming that the person was wearing black clothes, not the robes of the Mist Spirit Sect, Chen Yin called out boldly, “Hey! Fellow Daoist! Is this the exit of the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain?”
The figure didn’t answer.
Chen Yin frowned slightly and was about to approach when a sudden instinct made him pull Shen Shuanglian behind him protectively.
“Wait.”
As Shen Shuanglian looked at him in confusion, the fog around them began to disperse.
As the fog cleared, the ground came into view. And seeing what lay before them, Shen Shuanglian’s expression changed drastically.
Chen Yin stared at the figure in black, his eyes fixed and unmoving.
…The ground was littered with corpses.
The corpses were dressed in various attires, some from the Mist Spirit Sect, some from the Heavenly Net Sect, and some from the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion.
Countless bodies covered the ground, turning the entrance to the valley into a scene of carnage.
The man in black slowly turned around. He wore a theatrical mask, its features exaggerated and grotesque. His eyes stared at Chen Yin and Shen Shuanglian with a chilling intensity.
“This… this is…”
Shen Shuanglian’s eyes narrowed, and she instinctively reached for her sword, but Chen Yin stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“…Grand Clarity Realm. Don’t throw your life away.” He said coldly, his eyes fixed on the man in black.
Shen Shuanglian gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she looked at the man.
“Heh, good eye.”
The man in black chuckled, turning around and placing his hands behind his back. He stared at Chen Yin with a hint of arrogance. “You’re that disciple from the Mist Spirit Sect branch who protected the demonic witch at the Fairy Conference, aren’t you?”
“Who are you?”
Chen Yin said coldly, “Aren’t you afraid of retribution from the various sects after killing so many of their disciples?”
“Haha, those who fear death shouldn’t be in this line of work.”
The man in black laughed heartily, showing no fear. This made Chen Yin’s heart sink even further.
…He knew what the man meant.
This person was clearly an assassin sent by someone.
A Grand Clarity Realm assassin.
This time, even Chen Yin had to be cautious. He stared at the man in black, stalling for time with his questions. “Are you here to kill someone? Who?”
At the same time, he sent a voice transmission to Shen Shuanglian, “Run. I can’t guarantee your safety against a Grand Clarity Realm cultivator.”
But Shen Shuanglian didn’t move.
“You don’t need to know who I’m here to kill.”
The man in black stared at him with a playful smile. “But since you’re already here, neither of you are leaving.”
“I don’t mind killing two more people.”
As his words faded, the atmosphere became tense.
Chen Yin narrowed his eyes, his hand tightening around the hilt of his Eternal Light sword. He sent another urgent voice transmission, “Don’t be stubborn. I can’t fight freely with you by my side.”
Shen Shuanglian shook her head silently, her gaze equally serious. “Don’t push yourself either. A Grand Clarity Realm cultivator isn’t as easy to fool as Elder Mo Jie.”
“Even with your Dao Resonance, you might not be able to survive against a Grand Clarity Realm expert.”
“Then what should we do? Just wait here to die?”
“I have a last resort that can buy us some time. You need to run, as far away as possible.”
Chen Yin frowned. It was normal for Shen Shuanglian, as the chief disciple of the Mist Spirit Sect, to have some life-saving measures. But against a Grand Clarity Realm cultivator, ordinary tricks wouldn’t be enough. Even if she could stall him, it would come at a great cost.
But she was right. His First Sword, imbued with Dao Resonance, was deadly to cultivators below the Grand Clarity Realm. But against a true Grand Clarity Realm Immortal, it might not be as effective.
…It seemed he had no choice but to use his Second Sword.
Chen Yin had never fully unleashed his Second Sword before.
He wasn’t sure how powerful it was or if it would accidentally injure Shen Shuanglian.
But Shen Shuanglian seemed determined to die with him, refusing to retreat, which put him in a difficult position.
The man in black, however, didn’t give them much time to think.
“Heh heh, kid, dying with your little girlfriend. What a romantic way to go.”
He raised his hand, a chilling black light emanating from his withered claws.
“I hope you two will be just as lovey-dovey in hell.”
The moment the man in black raised his hand, Shen Shuanglian’s eyes hardened, and she called out softly in her heart, “System!”
Chen Yin also drew his sword, a blinding white light erupting from the Eternal Light.
But…
Before anything could happen, a lazy and childish voice rang out:
“Yo. Which old geezer is causing trouble here?”
“…And messing with my people?”
The man in black’s expression changed drastically. Shen Shuanglian looked around in confusion.
Only Chen Yin, upon hearing that voice, felt his heart settle back into his chest.
He knew everything would be alright.
Because he was all too familiar with that voice. He had been hearing it for years.
…It was his Master’s voice.
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