Chapter 125: Killing a Mystic Scholar with an Extreme Flame Sword
“I’ll escort you back. Instructor Yu Xuan was right. Someone might be after your treasures.”
“No need, I can handle it myself.”
He declined her offer and swiftly departed.
Ji Ya sighed softly. She could see through his act. He anticipated trouble and deliberately sent Instructor Yu Xuan away, unwilling to involve her, choosing to face the danger alone.
He could have easily asked for her help, and she would have gladly resolved his problems.
Stubborn boy.
But she wasn’t worried. She knew the outcome.
Out of caution, she instructed, “Aunt Mu, please keep an eye on him. If necessary, eliminate the City Lord’s Mansion.”
Aunt Mu, a Ninth Star Mystic King, was practically invincible in a small place like Silver Moon City. Unless several Mystic Generals joined forces, no one could stop her.
Silence filled the room before Aunt Mu materialized, her brow furrowed. “He’s still a Marquis of the Gallo Kingdom. Killing him would cause trouble. I can cripple him, at most.”
Ji Ya waved her hand dismissively.
Aunt Mu, with a tap of her foot, melted into the shadows, silently following Yan Zhen.
…
Upon leaving the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce, Yan Zhen headed towards the North City District, deliberately choosing dark alleys and winding paths. He paused, his senses alert.
His Spiritual Perception spread out, pinpointing his enemies’ number, cultivation levels, and locations.
Three Mystic Scholars, including Lan Ke. Lan Ke was a One Star, while the other two were Four Stars.
He hadn’t alerted the City Lord, choosing to bring his men in secret. Therefore, he could only mobilize the guards loyal to him, their strength limited. However, three Mystic Scholars against a single Eight Star Mystic Adept… There was no suspense!
— Attack!
With a low growl, they struck simultaneously. The two Four Star Mystic Scholars, wielding Tier 2 Mystic Swords, attacked from the sides, a feint to distract him, while Lan Ke, wearing his Ice Silkworm Gloves, leaped onto the rooftop, preparing for a surprise attack from above.
If Yan Zhen hadn’t possessed Spiritual Perception, he would have been caught off guard, a palm strike to the head leaving him either dead or concussed.
But there were no “ifs.”
Spiritual Power provided a significant advantage against those below the Mystic Master realm.
Despite their attempts to conceal their presence, their movements were clearly visible to him.
The moment they attacked, his Mystic Power surged, forming a fiery armor around his body.
He channeled Mystic Power into the Flowing Spring Boots. It felt like a spring of water surged beneath his feet, the Mystic Power-infused water droplets lifting him slightly, as if he were gliding on water, yet maintaining his balance.
Whoosh!
He vanished, his movements swift and fluid, easily evading their attacks, his trajectory leading him straight towards the wall at the end of the alley.
Two trails of fire marked his path.
To their astonishment, he scaled the wall vertically, reaching the top before turning, his gaze cold and sharp as he looked down at his ambushers.
“You think this is enough to kill me? How naive. Lan Ke, leave now, and I’ll pretend this never happened. We can still be classmates.”
Lan Ke, however, refused to back down. He believed Yan Zhen was bluffing, his confidence a mere facade.
“Heh heh, Yan Zhen, don’t think those Flowing Spring Boots and your slightly faster speed can save you from our combined attack.”
Ice Mystic Power emanated from him, coating the ground with a thin layer of frost.
He excelled at kiting his opponents. No matter how fast Yan Zhen was, his Ice Mystic Power would slow him down to a crawl!
Without his speed advantage, how could he possibly escape the combined assault of two Four Star Mystic Scholars?
“Tonight, I will kill you and avenge my humiliation! Attack!”
They charged, Lan Ke consumed by his thirst for revenge.
Yan Zhen shook his head, leaping effortlessly over the wall, landing on the other side.
“Trying to escape?”
They pursued him, leaping onto the wall. However, as they were midair, a strange force pulled at their bodies.
“Qi Vortex Technique?!”
Lan Ke’s face paled. He saw a small vortex forming in Yan Zhen’s left hand, their bodies drawn towards it uncontrollably.
He instinctively resisted, but the two Four Star Mystic Scholars, confident in their skills, didn’t resist. Instead, they allowed themselves to be pulled closer, their swords thrusting forward.
Their Tier 2 Mystic Swords, infused with powerful Mystic Power, aimed for Yan Zhen’s chest, their speed enhanced by the Qi Vortex Technique.
But Yan Zhen had the Flowing Spring Boots, boosting his Shadowstep into the even more agile Shadowflow. He became a blur, his movements too swift to follow.
He didn’t dodge. He met their attacks head-on.
One of the attackers smirked, thinking Yan Zhen was courting death.
When a Mystic Scholar channeled Mystic Power, a thin protective barrier formed around their body, deflecting a portion of the incoming force.
An ordinary Mystic Adept wouldn’t even be able to penetrate a Mystic Scholar’s defenses.
Even if Yan Zhen, an Eight Star Mystic Adept, could break through a Four Star Mystic Scholar’s defenses, it would require significant effort.
How much damage could he possibly inflict with a single strike?
Their attack, however, was a two-pronged assault. Their figures overlapped, concealing a second sword strike behind the first. As soon as the first strike landed, the second would follow, a deadly combination technique.
Even if Yan Zhen could block the first strike, he wouldn’t be able to block the second. He was doomed!
They grinned, but what happened next defied their expectations.
A burst of flames erupted, engulfing the young man’s figure. Their Tier 2 Mystic Swords, like snowflakes near a furnace, began to melt from the tips.
The flames, having devoured their swords, effortlessly pierced through the first attacker’s body, continuing into the chest of the one behind him.
Sizzle!
A single sword, forged from gold and silver flames, impaled the two Four Star Mystic Scholars. The intense heat cauterized their wounds, preventing any blood from spilling.
“How… How is this possible…?”
“An… Extreme Flame…”
Their faces were filled with disbelief.
Boom!
The Gold and Silver Fire exploded, its terrifying heat incinerating the two Mystic Scholars, reducing them to ashes in an instant.
Lan Ke, witnessing this from behind, stared in horror.
What had just happened? Two Four Star Mystic Scholars, gone in the blink of an eye? Was Yan Zhen really that strong?
“What did you do?! Yan Zhen! What are you holding?!”
Yan Zhen, his hand gripping the Mystic Tool Embryo, continued channeling the Gold and Silver Fire into it, the gold and silver flames forming a magnificent, domineering sword.
He had always fought barehanded. This was the first time he had used a weapon and an auxiliary Mystic Tool!
It was like playing a game naked and suddenly equipping a pair of boots of speed and an Infinity Edge. His combat power was on a completely different level now!
He had already been able to defeat Instructor Yu Xuan, whose cultivation had been suppressed to the Second Star Mystic Scholar realm, while barehanded. Now, armed with a high-attack Extreme Flame Sword, effective against metal, and enhanced by the Flowing Spring Boots, dealing with two ordinary Four Star Mystic Scholars was like slicing through butter.
His expression remained impassive as he approached Lan Ke, the flames dripping from his sword, igniting the ground, illuminating the dark alley, transforming it into a fiery inferno.
“I haven’t named it yet. I’ll decide after it takes its final form.” His voice was calm, devoid of emotion. “Now, I’m going to kill you.”
He activated the Flowing Spring Boots, his figure blurring as he charged towards Lan Ke.
Terror gripped Lan Ke. He frantically deployed all his defenses.
Ice Mystic Power barriers, a shield Mystic Tool, protective talismans… Layers upon layers surrounded him.
“Yan Zhen! You can’t kill me! I’m the Young City Lord! My father is a Mystic General! If you kill me, you’ll be hunted down! Even your cousins will suffer! Everyone close to you will–”
His words were cut short as the Extreme Flame Sword effortlessly pierced through his defenses, cleaving him in two along his vertical axis, as smooth as a hot knife through butter.
The moment his body was bisected, both halves ignited, the raging Gold and Silver Fire quickly reducing them to charred remains, scattering in the wind.
“…”
Yan Zhen frowned slightly, withdrawing his Mystic Power. The flames dissipated, the sword vanishing, leaving only the hilt-shaped Mystic Tool Embryo in his hand.
He stumbled, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over him. He quickly retrieved a Mystic Power replenishing pill from his storage ring and swallowed it.
Condensing the Gold and Silver Fire into a sword using the Mystic Tool Embryo was powerful, but maintaining it drained his Mystic Power rapidly.
And while he had managed to control the Gold and Silver Fire’s power, it was still beyond his body’s tolerance. His hand, gripping the embryo, was severely burned, the pain excruciating.
Ordinary ointments couldn’t treat burns caused by Extreme Flames. He would need his Beautiful Sect Master’s help.
He turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, he couldn’t help but glance back at the carnage, a wave of nausea overwhelming him.
He shook his head, then leaped onto the rooftop, hurrying back to the house.
…
Moments after he left, Aunt Mu emerged from the shadows, her eyes filled with surprise.
“An Eight Star Mystic Adept, flawlessly defeating three Mystic Scholars in an ambush, even killing them… Extreme Flames are truly extraordinary. But what’s even more impressive is his mastery over them.”
She gazed at his retreating figure, choosing not to pursue him, returning to the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce.
…
Unaware of her presence, he neared his home and saw Instructor Yu Xuan waiting for him.
She was still wearing her azure gown, clearly having waited for him all this time.
“Yan Zhen, are you alright?”
He smiled weakly, a mixture of truth and falsehood. “I’m fine. I just encountered some… unfriendly individuals. We had a little… disagreement.”
Pale complexion, weak voice, and he called this “fine”?
Her heart ached for him. She took his arm, supporting him as they entered the house.
As soon as they opened the door, they were greeted by the four girls, their gazes scrutinizing.
Instructor Yu Xuan was startled, quickly releasing his arm. “Why are you all standing here? You scared me!”
“Heehee, we wanted to welcome you and Cousin Yan Zhen back, to surprise you!” Yan Meng’er said cheerfully.
Mi Xue’er chimed in, “How was the auction? Did you buy any gifts for us?”
Their sweet smiles momentarily dispelled the nausea churning in his stomach.
He blinked, realizing where he was. “I did buy some gifts. One for each of you. But I’m a bit tired right now. I’ll give them to you tomorrow.”
“Really? Thank you, Cousin~”
“Thank you, Little Brother Yan Zhen~ Maybe I should just stay up all night in your room and wait until tomorrow!” Mi Xue’er’s suggestion was… unique.
“Xue’er!”
“…Shameless.”
Yan Ruyu and Xiao Xinyan spoke up, their gazes fixed on Yan Zhen.
“What’s wrong, Yan Zhen?”
“You don’t look well. Are you sick?”
He shook his head.
“I’m just… tired from all the bidding. Hearing those rich people throwing around numbers like that… It was exhausting. And some of them were quite annoying.”
The four girls, having secretly attended the auction, recalled his bidding war with Lan Ke and the latter’s frustration, their lips curving into smiles.
“Anyway, I’m going to bed. You should all rest too.”
He waved at them, stumbling towards his room, closing the door behind him.
He leaned against the door, his breathing ragged, his mind replaying the scene of the Extreme Flame Sword piercing through the two Mystic Scholars, cleaving Lan Ke in two.
— It’s… disgusting.
He fought back the nausea, stripping off his clothes, then changing into a clean, dry pajama top. He activated his Star Shifting Fire Seal, entering the crystal space.
Chen Xi, who had been meditating on the altar, opened her eyes as he arrived, her voice gentle. “Come here, Zhen’er.”
He obeyed, sitting down beside her.
“Good evening, Master.”
“Mmm, give me your hand.”
Feeling like a child who had done something wrong, he instinctively offered his uninjured left hand, but she swatted it away.
“Your right hand.”
He reluctantly extended his burned hand.
She brought his hand to her lips, her soft, pink lips puckering slightly as she blew on the wound.
The burn, inflicted by the Extreme Flame, vanished instantly.
“Thank you, Master.”
She gently stroked his head, her beautiful face filled with love and concern.
“If you’re feeling troubled, Zhen’er, tell me. I’ll share your pain.”
He froze, his mind replaying the scene of the impaled Mystic Scholars and the bisected Lan Ke. The emotions he had been suppressing surged to the surface.
“Master… I killed someone… They were trying to kill me, so… I killed them.” He lowered his head, his voice filled with sorrow.
She comforted him. “You did the right thing, Zhen’er. Those who initiate violence are never innocent. Those who kill must be prepared to be killed.”
“I know, but… Taking a life… It doesn’t feel good.”
“It’s not supposed to feel good. But you need to get used to it. Otherwise, you’ll be the one who dies. Zhen’er… I want you to live. I want you to stay by my side. Always. Do you understand?”
“Mmm, I also want to stay by your side, Master. I want you to… cherish me.”
He leaned against her, his head nuzzling her hand, seeking comfort.
Her heart melted. She pulled him closer, cradling him in her lap.
“Silly boy, of course I cherish you.”
He didn’t resist, resting his head on her lap, his eyes closing.
In the darkness, he felt himself being… released, his essence flowing into her, strengthening her.
He felt a sudden hunger, a craving to consume something, to replenish his depleted energy.
Moments later, a familiar, soft fruit was placed in his mouth. Like a peeled grape, its sweet, nourishing juice burst forth with a gentle bite.
He devoured it, his hunger insatiable, until his stomach was full. Then, he drifted into a deep sleep.
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