Chapter 77: To Kill
In the afternoon, Master Yu Ling was still humming a tune as she bathed in the pool at her residence on Mount Yu.
“That Chen Yin is really something else,”
She mumbled to herself with a hint of annoyance. “Why hasn’t he brought Xiang’er back yet?”
“Is that brat even capable? Or will I have to go myself—”
She stopped mid-sentence.
Her humming ceased abruptly, and her eyes flickered with a subtle glint.
The next moment, she vanished from the bath and reappeared in the main hall, fully dressed.
Her small frame was enveloped in a luxurious robe, and she held a teacup delicately in her hand, her red lips sipping the fragrant tea. She spoke nonchalantly:
“Well, this is a surprise.”
“…You old geezers from the main sect have time to visit Mount Yu?”
As her words faded, several shadowy figures entered the hall.
“Hehe, Yu Ling, it’s been a while. How have you been?” A kind and elderly voice spoke.
“Don’t even bother.” Master Yu Ling pouted. “You wouldn’t have traveled all this way unless you were hoping I was doing poorly.”
“Get to the point. What do you want?”
The leading figure chuckled softly. “Can’t we just visit an old friend?”
“Who’s your old friend? I don’t know you.”
Master Yu Ling glared at them with disdain. “Are you going to talk or not? If not, I’m sending you away.”
The shadow chuckled. “Very well. I’ll get straight to the point.”
“We heard that your little ones from Mount Yu have been investigating the matter of Changli Palace. Are you aware of this?”
Yu Ling’s eyes narrowed, but she still said nonchalantly, “Who knows?”
“Those two kids of mine are wild. They run around all over the place. How would I know what they’re up to?”
“But let me warn you, either bring concrete evidence or keep your mouths shut.”
“If you dare touch my children without any proof…” Yu Ling’s eyes flashed with a murderous glint.
“…You’ll face the consequences.”
The shadowy figures exchanged glances. The leader continued to smooth things over with a smile. “Alright, let’s not talk about that for now.”
“Your little disciple, is her name Yu Xiang?”
“Yes. What about it?”
“Does Immortal Yu Ling remember where you found her?”
The air in the hall suddenly grew cold.
Yu Ling’s expression darkened. She glared at them and said slowly:
“That was over a decade ago. How would I remember?”
“You’re joking, Immortal Yu Ling. How could you forget such an important matter?”
The shadow chuckled sinisterly. “How about we help you remember?”
“You found that little girl in Ziqing Province, didn’t you?”
“Surely Immortal Yu Ling wouldn’t forget… that Changli Palace was the largest sect in Ziqing Province?”
Yu Ling fell silent.
She understood. These people wouldn’t have come to confront her unless they knew something.
“Cut to the chase. What do you want?”
Yu Ling said coldly.
“Don’t worry, Immortal Yu Ling.”
The shadow said in a clear voice, “You’re a respected guest elder of our sect, a renowned figure in the entire cultivation world.”
“We have no intention of antagonizing you. However, your disciple Yu Xiang possesses exceptional talent and a remarkable root bone. Why not send her to our main sect for further training? In time, she will surely become a peerless prodigy, on par with Frost Moon Sword Immortal.”
Yu Ling’s expression turned icy.
“So you’re here to steal my disciple?”
She raised her chin proudly and snorted. “What if I refuse?”
The shadow sighed inwardly.
“Yu Ling, why bother? It’s only been a month since your injuries. Even your prized ‘Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra’ is struggling to heal you. Why antagonize the main sect at a time like this?”
Master Yu Ling scoffed. “You bunch of old geezers! I’m out there risking my life, while you sit back and reap the benefits. And now you’re trying to stab me in the back?”
“Aren’t you afraid of this getting out and turning the Mist Spirit Sect into a public enemy, facing the wrath of the entire cultivation world?”
“Afraid? Of course we are.”
The shadow said with a smile, “That’s why we wouldn’t dare provoke you, Yu Ling, without being fully prepared.”
He slowly produced an object from behind his back.
Yu Ling’s pupils constricted.
She recognized it. The Immortal Binding Pot, a treasure from an ancient immortal realm. It could trap anyone below the True Immortal realm for three days, regardless of their cultivation level. But it was a single-use item.
“…You’re willing to go to such lengths for me?” She lowered her eyes.
“For you, Yu Ling, any cost is worth it.”
The shadow laughed. “Please, Immortal Yu Ling, accompany us to the main sect.”
Yu Ling closed her eyes slowly.
Her long eyelashes fluttered, then she opened her eyes, a mocking smile on her lips.
“Do you really think you can do as you please just because I’m injured?”
“…Do you even understand the meaning of being the strongest cultivator below the True Immortal realm?”
Before she could finish her sentence, the shadowy figures reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, retreating in unison.
The next moment, Yu Ling opened her eyes.
A dark golden light flickered in her gaze.
***
The journey back to Mount Yu took a few days.
As they walked along the mist-shrouded mountain path, Shen Shuanglian said with a hint of nostalgia:
“The fog is still as thick as ever on your mountain.”
“It’s always like this on Mount Yu.”
Chen Yin turned his head and looked around, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. “The fog never dissipates.”
“Perhaps it’s because of the Mist Yu flowers.”
“Mist Yu flowers… are those the flowers that grow on your mountain?”
“Yes.” Chen Yin smiled. “They’re very fragrant. I’ll pick one for you when we get back.”
Yu Xiang stared at their backs, lost in thought, her head lowered silently.
At the end of the dusty path, a mist-shrouded residence stood peacefully beside a waterfall.
…Finally, home.
Chen Yin felt a surge of energy and ran towards the entrance, kicking open the door and shouting cheerfully:
“Old woman! I’m back—”
“Coming…” His voice trailed off.
The entire residence was in ruins.
Broken furniture was scattered everywhere, some reduced to dust.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and a lingering aura of powerful spiritual energy.
It looked like a battlefield.
“This…” Shen Shuanglian covered her mouth in shock. Yu Xiang’s eyes widened, and she rushed inside.
“Master!”
Xiang’er frantically searched the residence, while Chen Yin’s eyes turned cold. He took a step forward and headed straight for Master’s bathroom.
He pushed open the door. The steam-filled bathroom was silent, a delicate figure lying motionless by the edge of the pool, her face hidden by the mist.
…The entire pool was stained crimson with blood.
As if sensing someone approaching, Master, who had been lying there with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. She glanced at Chen Yin, then closed them again.
“…You brat. Had your fun? Coming back so late.”
“I’m sorry.” Chen Yin said seriously.
“Heh, what are you apologizing for? Didn’t you bring Xiang’er back?”
Master said calmly, “I can hear that girl yelling. Tell her to be quiet, she’s disturbing my sleep.”
Before she could finish her sentence, a pair of large, warm hands rested on her shoulders.
Since Chen Yin cultivated the same “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra” as his Master, his spiritual energy flowed into her body without resistance, soothing her chaotic meridians.
His expression became increasingly cold and serious.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, “I should have waited until you recovered before going to find Xiang’er.”
“If you were fully healed, you wouldn’t have been afraid of them.”
“Even injured, I’m not afraid of them.”
Master chuckled. “Looking down on your Master, are you? Let me tell you, with a single finger, I can crush all those old geezers—”
“It was the Mist Spirit Sect, wasn’t it?”
Master’s voice stopped abruptly. Her eyes dimmed after a moment of silence.
“You’d better… stay out of this.”
She scooped up a handful of water and poured it over herself, her voice calm. “I’ll make them pay when I recover.”
Chen Yin didn’t speak.
His eyes were as cold as stone.
Soon, Yu Xiang and Shen Shuanglian found them. Shen Shuanglian gasped in shock, while Yu Xiang rushed towards Master, on the verge of tears.
“Master…”
“Hey, hey, hey, why are you crying? I’m not dead yet.”
Master pouted with dissatisfaction. “You brat, you’ve been out playing for so long. You deserve a good spanking.”
“When I recover, I’ll pin you down and give you a proper beating—”
“We’ll talk about that when you recover.” Chen Yin interrupted her.
He stared at his Master intently, his voice emotionless:
“Use all the medicinal pills you have and focus on healing your injuries for the next two days.”
“Hey, you prodigal child.” Master grumbled. “Do you know how expensive those pills are? Each one is worth a fortune! Are you going to pay for them?”
“Okay.” To Master’s surprise, Chen Yin readily agreed.
“No matter what you have to do, recover quickly and be able to protect yourself.”
“I’ll have Shen Shuanglian stay here and protect you. Just focus on healing.”
Master seemed displeased with his domineering tone but only frowned and asked:
“Where are you going?”
Chen Yin turned his head and looked towards the Mist Spirit Sect’s main branch, his eyes cold and determined.
“…To kill.”
Leave a Reply to vu53447 Cancel reply