The inky clouds had somehow obscured the blazing sun.
Sparse light peeks through gaps in the clouds, a sliver of light falling to earth, like the only source of light in the darkness, seemingly giving hope, but in reality, leaving humanity, bound to the abyss, only able to see, not touch.
If he had kept his eyes closed, he might not have had to endure this pain.
Why let him glimpse a sliver of hope that is out of reach?
Blood dripped, wetting the dust on the ground, and the boy's hoarse, tearing scream assaulted the eardrums of everyone present.
With his hands cleaved into claws, he pierced the bellies of Helian Jue and Lu Jin in front of him, catching everyone off guard.
"Ah..." Helian Zhu opened his eyes wide in horror, his body stiff as wood, his scream like fragments in the wind, tears rolling down his cheeks without his awareness.
Helian Jue was already seriously injured. The effects of the Soul-Returning Pill were only slightly apparent when he suffered another fatal blow. Perhaps before he could even react, he slumped his head helplessly, and a trickle of blood silently spilled from the corner of his mouth.
A gentle breeze ruffled the dark hair at his temples, lightly caressing his slightly unkempt face, vaguely revealing his youthful spirit.
But now, he has lost all his vitality.
“Helian Jue…” Lu Jin still had a breath left. She didn’t have time to think about what had happened. Her senses were numb. She couldn’t even feel any pain. She just saw Helian Jue hanging his head lifelessly, his face full of pain and fear.
Xie Shuci was so frightened by this scene that his mind went blank. He frantically rummaged through his small pouch, muttering, "I...I have medicine, I can save them..."
The next moment, Xie An pressed down on his trembling hand.
"Xie An... let go... they're going to die..." Xie Shuci tried desperately to push his hand away, but found that she didn't have much strength left.
Chu Guiyi shook his head, his face full of grief, and said, "His dantian is destroyed; there's no way to save him."
He spoke those few words with extraordinary difficulty, even though they seemed like simple words.
Xie Shuci was taken aback, and his eyes suddenly reddened.
"You thought you could control me by sealing your spiritual veins?" Helian Yong laughed triumphantly, looking at his masterpiece with satisfaction. "Zhu'er, look, you're still my good child."
Helian Zhu seemed to be greatly frightened. He suddenly pulled his hand back, his legs went weak, and he fell to the ground.
Looking at Helian Jue so close to her, Lu Jin's eyes filled with tears. Her pale lips parted, and she called his name in a hoarse voice. She crawled to his side and grabbed his clothes with her blood-stained hands, "Helian...Helian Jue..."
Helian Zhu looked at his hands, then at the mess in front of him. His face was filled with fear and disbelief. He shook his head desperately to escape the sight of it all. "No...no...I...I didn't move..."
“Changxuan, he is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Helian Yong can easily control him. Do it, kill him.” An elder of the Hehuan Sect said expressionlessly.
Looking at the boy's helpless and desperate appearance, at Helian Jue lying lifeless on the ground, and at Lu Jin dragging her crippled body to Helian Jue's side, barely alive, Ye Changxuan felt an overwhelming sadness and couldn't bear to do it.
Helian Yong was full of pride and didn't care at all about the disciples who died in front of him. They were children he had raised with his own hands. He was even filled with pleasure as he watched his fellow disciples kill each other!
"Zhu'er, as long as you take away Ajue and Lu Jin's fates, you will definitely win the Immortal Sect Selection... I, Helian Yi, can finally enter the Floating Pagoda Realm!" He laughed loudly, his laughter revealing a hint of madness.
As the two on the ground fell completely silent, sinister black patterns spread across Helian Zhu's body, making him look like an ancient and cold sacrifice, filled with ancient evil power. His spiritual energy surged wildly, distorting space and stirring up a raging storm.
"Changxuan! Make your move! His cultivation is about to advance!" the elder roared.
With everyone's minds at ease, as this concerned the entire Luofang City, Ye Changxuan no longer hesitated and used her spiritual power to fly towards Helian Zhu.
"Who dares to touch Zhu'er?" Helian Yong raised his hand and used his spiritual power to repel Ye Changxuan. He stood with his hands behind his back in front of Helian Zhu, coldly confronting the crowd.
Ye Changxuan and the others had not fully recovered and were no match for him, so none of them dared to advance rashly.
"No... I don't want to!" Helian Zhu went berserk, desperately trying to suppress the improvement of his cultivation.
What does an increase in cultivation level represent?
This means that Helian Jue, his senior brother, Lu Jin, and Miss Lu are all dead! They have completely disappeared from this world. With every improvement in his cultivation, the existence of his senior brother and Miss Lu in this world will be erased a little! He doesn't want that!
How can he accept this?
He killed his senior brother with his own hands, and then watched helplessly as his cultivation level increased because of his senior brother's death.
Why could something so cruel happen? Why could something so cruel happen?! Why did something so cruel have to happen to him?!
"Ahhh... I don't want to..."
He buried his head in his hands and wailed, but nothing he did could stop what had happened.
A cacophony of voices swirled in his mind, threatening to tear him apart alive:
"Those who die by your hand will all be condemned by Heaven, just like you..."
"Zhu'er, my good child..."
"Xiao Zhu, save Senior Brother! I'm going to be beaten to death by that crazy woman, Lu Jin..."
"Xiao Zhu, get out of the way! Today I'm going to teach Helian Jue a lesson..."
"Brothers, who do you think will become an inner disciple?"
"Brothers, the fruit wine is so sweet..."
"Don't worry, Helian Zhu, if I enter the inner sect, I will definitely plead with the family head to let you in as well..."
"The eldest brother lost his bet with Miss Lu..."
“How could Lu Jin, a rogue cultivator, be worthy of the senior brother…”
He's dying! He's being tortured to death by these sounds!
"Senior Brother, now that you and Miss Lu have left, could you give me the Cloud-Piercing Spear?"
The eldest brother bent down and ruffled his hair. "When you are able to protect the Helian family, the eldest brother will present the Cloud-Piercing Spear to you with both hands."
"Senior Brother, you're leaving with Miss Lu. Are you only going to protect her from now on?"
"Of course not, I will stand with her to protect all living beings."
Unfortunately, the life he and Miss Lu longed for would never come true.
Why can't you be a little selfish? Forget about him, forget about the Helian family, forget about the lives of others. Just you and Miss Lu can travel the world together. How can you be so foolish?
At this moment, Helian Zhu didn't know how to vent the unbearable pain in his heart. Apart from crying and screaming hoarsely, he couldn't do anything else.
Even when he tried to detonate his golden core, his body wouldn't obey him at all.
The boy's desperate cries pounded on everyone's hearts. Even someone as empathetic as Xie Shuci felt his heart clench, tears welling in his eyes. He desperately wanted to help, desperately wanted Helian Jue and Lu Jin to come back to life, but like everyone else, he could only watch and listen helplessly, unable to stop anything else.
The others all showed some degree of reluctance, but Xie An coldly stared at the other side, unable to empathize with or understand their emotions.
"Beast! Helian Yong is truly a beast!" Chu Wenfeng cursed through gritted teeth.
At the same time, the cultivators who had just left also arrived at the Helian clan with their respective disciples. Among them were many cultivators who had heard the news and wanted to find out what was going on.
As a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, Deng Fengming was arguably the most prestigious among the many immortal sects present. The crowd followed behind him, storming in in a grand procession.
When he saw his sword in Xie An's hand, his expression froze, and his pupils contracted sharply. Xiao Xun was a vengeful man; if he had injured him, Xiao Xun would certainly not let him off the hook.
Deng Fengming hesitated, but with many disciples and cultivators following behind him, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward.
"Patriarch Helian, did you really coerce your disciples into practicing evil arts?"
"This is utterly shameful! We must report this to the Hundred Sects and have them disqualify the Helian family from participating in the Immortal Sect Selection!" "Ah—what did Helian Zhu do? He killed his own senior brother?"
"I didn't! I didn't!" Helian Zhu shouted almost frantically, "I didn't kill my senior brother! It wasn't me...it wasn't me!"
"Please do not make any rash moves!" Ye Changxuan stepped forward to stop the crowd from approaching.
Helian Yong looked at the arriving crowd with a gloomy gaze, his voice icy: "You all forced me to be ruthless. Now that everyone knows, don't even think about leaving here alive!"
Helian Zhu's face was covered with black lines, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked up at Helian Yong, who had his back to him, with endless hatred.
It's you...
You killed Senior Brother...
It's all because of you! I'm going to kill you!
After stealing the life essence of Helian Jue and the other person, Helian Zhu's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. His eyes glowed with a scarlet color, like agate. All the sounds in his mind disappeared in an instant, leaving only one thought: I want to kill him!
His spiritual veins had already opened without his knowledge. He was enveloped in a cloud of white steam and slowly floated into the air. Then, in full view of everyone, he stood up, picked up the Broken Cloud Spear that had fallen to his feet, his black hair was disheveled, and his eyes were already covered with blood and patterns.
The fierce wind whipped his robes, and the wind and clouds churned behind him. With each step he took forward, his overwhelming killing intent surged even more. The Cloud-Piercing Spear in his hand seemed to sense its master's desolate state of mind and emitted a mournful cry.
Everyone involuntarily held their breath and stopped making any noise.
Helian Yong smiled contemptuously, "Zhu'er, make your move."
As soon as he finished speaking, the young man who was slowly walking towards Helian Yong stopped in his tracks, his body suddenly soaring into the air. The Cloud-Piercing Spear in his hand swept out a powerful gust of wind, and his body passed over Helian Yong to block the way in front of everyone.
The Cloud-Piercing Spear was no ordinary weapon; the residual waves it created in the air startled everyone away.
Seeing this, Chu Guiyi said with a solemn expression, "Helian Zhu's inner demons are too deep and have been completely controlled. We already have a hard time dealing with Helian Yong, and now with the addition of Helian Jue, whose cultivation has improved, it will be even more difficult than climbing to heaven."
Several disciples, unaware of the truth, drew their swords and attacked Helian Zhu, only to be easily defeated by his Cloud-Piercing Spear.
"What should we do then? Why did that idiot Helian Zhu wait for that old bastard to finish speaking?" Xie Shuci couldn't help but curse.
Chu Wenfeng also said with a gloomy expression, "If I had known this would happen, I should have killed him back then. Even if I had angered Helian Yong, it wouldn't have been a dead end. Now we've just wasted two lives!"
Chu Guiyi shook his head and said, "It's no use saying more now that things have come to this. Helian Yong has set up an array outside Luofang City, and now even a fly can't get out. The cultivators in the city are not without a chance of defeating Helian Yong by joining forces, but Helian Zhu uses himself as an array. Every time he kills someone, his cultivation level increases. We must deal with him as soon as possible."
On the other side, Helian Yong had already manipulated Helian Jue to start a battle. Despite the large number of cultivators present, even if they joined forces, they could only fight him to a standstill.
“Shuci, this place is too dangerous. You should take Young Master Xie and leave first. We’ll find another way after we return to Manjiang Hall,” Chu Guiyi said.
Xie An seemed unwilling to linger any longer, so he grabbed Xie Shuci's wrist and tried to take him away from the place.
"Wait—" Xie Shuci shook his head, knowing that staying here would be pointless and would only cause more trouble. "I want to take Helian Jue and Miss Lu's bodies with me."
Chu Guiyi was taken aback, and said with a complicated expression, "Shuci, if Helian Zhu dies here today, their corpses will also perish in the world along with Helian Zhu."
Xie Shuci's expression darkened. He truly didn't understand what this damned Heavenly Dao was thinking! What are laws? What are rules? By what right does it erase someone's existence indiscriminately? Shouldn't Helian Yong be the one most deserving of being erased?
"Damn Heavenly Dao!" Xie Shuci cursed through gritted teeth.
He quickly took off the small pouch and handed it to Chu Wenfeng, saying, "There's no use for Xie An and me staying here. You should be able to use the pills."
Chu Wenfeng was stunned for a moment, "You..."
"Stop talking nonsense, I can refine even better ones in the future." Xie Shuci took out the bronze medicine cauldron from his pouch.
It will take a long time for the medicine cauldron to refine the Dragon-Subduing Magic Weapon. The cauldron is still flashing with golden light, and the Dragon-Subduing Magic Weapon has not yet been refined.
Xie Shuci led Xie An away from the back of the crowd. They had only taken a few steps when they heard Helian Yong say behind them, "Zhu'er, enjoy yourself. Maybe if you kill these people, your cultivation will be unmatched in the cultivation world."
Xie Shuci clenched his teeth and couldn't help but look back.
Perhaps by chance, Helian Zhu was facing Xie Shuci. When he raised his head, tears streamed down his blood-soaked face, his expression a mixture of sorrow and despair. The Cloud-Piercing Spear trembled incessantly in his hand, emitting mournful cries.
Xie Shuci's heart skipped a beat, and an extremely intense anger spread through his chest, causing him to stop in his tracks.
Seeing him suddenly stop, Xie An looked at him with suspicion.
Xie Shuci took a deep breath, inhaling the cold air into his lungs, which made him shiver.
People like Xie Shuci may find it difficult to truly distinguish right from wrong. He is short-sighted and not very thoughtful; he only sees what's in front of him and is easily swayed by his immediate emotions. He knows he lacks ability and was aware of this from the beginning, so before making any decisions, he always lists out the worst possible outcomes for himself.
But what's the worst that could happen right now? It's all the same – death. Rather than waiting to die, he'd rather do something, after all, he's someone even vampires would call a "hot-blooded youth."
"Little blind boy, your brother is about to do something stupid again." Xie Shuci took his hand.
Xie An frowned. "You can't save him."
Xie Shuci said, "I know I didn't want to save him, and I can't change anything, but he doesn't want to kill anyone, so at least before he dies, I want to help him."
Xie An pondered for a moment, then nodded, his lips slightly parted, "I'll go with you."
"Don't worry, I won't go to my death."
Xie Shuci led him behind a rock and said to him, "Please call Chu Wenfeng over for me, and be careful."
Xie An didn't ask any further questions, nodded, and left.
The little blind boy has good hearing and is also quite skilled with his sword, so there shouldn't be any accidents.
He placed the bronze medicine cauldron in front of him, sat cross-legged, and released his spiritual power to activate the cauldron.
After his spiritual sense connected with the medicine cauldron, Xie Shuci was delighted to find that the Fulong magic artifact had not been refined.
A moment later, Xie An led Chu Wenfeng and the other man to Xie Shuci.
During the fight, Helian Yong seemed to have no intention of making a move, probably wanting everyone else to become victims of Helian Zhu's spears, providing him with nourishment.
The elders of the Hehuan Sect, along with several cultivators from other immortal sects including the Xiaoyao Sect, were barely able to hold their own against Helian Zhu. However, Helian Zhu had not yet fully absorbed the talents and destinies of Helian Jue and the other two, and his cultivation was still constantly improving. If this continued, they would die at his hands sooner or later.
Just then, a golden light suddenly descended from the misty sky, startling everyone who turned to look at the sky.
"A Dragon-Subduing Magic Weapon?" Helian Yong's expression changed.
No one knew what was happening. They only saw a line flash across the sky, wrap around Helian Zhu's body, and instantly pull him under the Fulong magic weapon.
Upon seeing this, Helian Yong immediately understood what was happening and rushed after them on the wind, but he was too late.
When Helian Zhu was pulled to the side of the four by the long whip, golden light suddenly exploded and scattered in all directions, forming a small dome that firmly covered the ground and blocked Helian Yong from the dome.
"Damn it!" Helian Yong cursed angrily. He formed hand seals and tried to activate the Fulong magic weapon, but unfortunately the bronze medicine cauldron had already broken the connection between him and the Fulong magic weapon and was no longer under his control.
"A golden opportunity! Take down Helian Yong!"
"superior!"
...
"..."
Inside the dome of the sky, Xie Shuci was surrounded by darkness, and the atmosphere was slightly awkward.
"Um... sorry, I forgot we were in there too," Xie Shuci said with a dry laugh.
"Shut up! Where is Helian Zhu?" Chu Wenfeng covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes anxiously peering into the darkness.
Helian Zhu has already been controlled by Helian Yong. Now the four of them are imprisoned with him in a dome. Isn't this like catching turtles in a jar? Oh... the four of them are the turtles.
So, in the instant the dome descended, the four of them finally reacted, but by the time they tried to run away, it was too late. They ended up huddled together against the rocky wall of the dome, Xie An against the wall, Xie Shuci nestled face-to-face in Xie An's arms, Chu Guiyi's wheelchair behind them, and Chu Wenfeng at the very back of the wheelchair.
Due to inertia, Xie Shuci's entire lower body was pressed against Xie An. He felt a little embarrassed by the constant chattering, so he stuck his butt out a little. But behind him was Chu Guiyi, who was sitting in a wheelchair facing him. Thinking that he was facing the gentle and refined Chu Guiyi, Xie Shuci felt even more embarrassed, so he stood on tiptoe to move his butt away from him.
He wasn't completely making a fuss at first, since he was a little shorter than Xie An, but he insisted on standing on tiptoe, and now he really was making a fuss.
In that instant, Xie Shuci was so nervous that his scalp tingled. In addition, Chu Wenfeng covered his mouth by going past Chu Guiyi, and the current position of the four of them could only be described as "very indecent".
In the darkness, Xie Shuci could clearly feel Xie An's breathing become heavier. Of course, he had no face to say anything to others; his own heart was pounding and his breathing was labored. He patted Chu Wenfeng's hand, signaling him to let go.
Chu Guiyi coughed and said, "Don't be nervous. The Fulong magic weapon is no longer under Helian Yong's control. Its spiritual power cannot enter the sky and cannot control Helian Zhu."
Upon hearing this, the three breathed a sigh of relief, but none of them made a move first, fearing that Helian Zhu might hear something and thrust the Cloud-Piercing Spear directly at them, stringing the four of them together like skewers.
Chu Guiyi sighed helplessly and said, "Wen Feng, take out the spirit pearl that illuminates the room."
Upon hearing this, Chu Wenfeng withdrew his hand from Xie Shuci's mouth. Xie Shuci, like a fish out of water, gasped for breath with his mouth open. Because of his heavy breathing, the bell hanging at his waist jingled. Xie Shuci's heart tightened, and he quickly held his breath.
Chu Wenfeng was also startled by the sound of the bell, and almost threw the spirit pearl in his arms away. He was so angry that he kicked Xie Shuci in the butt.
"Ouch!" Xie Shuci cried out in pain as he was kicked and fell onto Xie An. The little distance he had managed to create was completely shut down by this kick.
Hey, you surnamed Chu, I'm not done with you yet!
Xie Shuci cursed inwardly.
He shifted his position, trying to change his location so they wouldn't rub against each other. But as soon as he moved, his body brushed against hers, and a strange tingling sensation spread from his waist upwards. He shuddered, and Xie An grabbed his waist, gritting his teeth to stop him from moving.
In fact, Xie Shuci didn't dare to move.
Chu Wenfeng hurriedly took out the spirit pearl from the brocade pouch. The blinding light of daylight shone behind them, instantly illuminating the area under the sky.
At this moment, the four realized that besides Helian Zhu, another person had infiltrated the sky.
Xie Shuci closed his eyes because of the bright light. After his eyes adjusted, he opened them and stared at a man next to him who was holding a knife high and about to swing it down.
Deng Fengming: "..."
Seeing Xie Shuci and the other person leave, he took advantage of the chaos to follow them and ambushed them. Finally, when he picked up a knife at random and found an opportunity to strike, a dome appeared in the sky and enveloped him as well.
In the instant before his eyes went black, relying on his knowledge of Xie An's location, he prepared to sneak over. He had just cautiously reached the four people when…
After Deng Fengming adjusted to the light, he opened his eyes and met Xie Shuci's gaze.
Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke.
Deng Fengming's knife trembled slightly as his gaze swept over the four people huddled together. He was at a loss as to how to proceed.
Chu Wenfeng was taken aback when he saw someone suddenly appear beside him. After realizing what was happening, he kicked Deng Fengming away and lashed out with his nine-section whip.
Deng Fengming was caught off guard; his wrist stung as the knife was pulled away.
"Ahem." Chu Guiyi coughed lightly. He, who was usually so composed and polite, rarely had such a moment of embarrassment. He couldn't help but show a hint of awkwardness on his face. "Wen Feng."
Chu Wenfeng glared at Deng Fengming warily, then turned around and dragged the wheelchair back a little, making room for Xie Shuci and the other person to retreat.
Xie Shuci hurriedly jumped out of Xie An's arms. The electric shock-like feeling he had just experienced left him extremely flustered.
Xie An remained calm and composed, even straightening his clothes.
Xie Shuci didn't know how to face the little blind man for a moment, so he simply turned his anger towards Deng Fengming.
"It's you again? You dare to come in?! You're the one who stabbed Xie An, aren't you?" Xie Shuci pointed at Deng Fengming and said fiercely.
Deng Fengming had exhausted too much spiritual energy in the Fulong magic artifact, and his sword was still in Xie An's hands. Xie Shuci was not afraid of him at all, even with four against one.
"I stabbed him? I was..." Deng Fengming choked. He couldn't possibly have actually intended to kill Xie Shuci, could he? Given the current situation where the enemy outnumbered him, he shouldn't be courting death.
Deng Fengming didn't dare to continue speaking, but instead pointed to Helian Zhu, who was slumped on the ground.
"Let's check on him first, otherwise we'll all die."
Helian Zhu lost consciousness the instant he was pulled into the sky.
It's not so much that he lost consciousness, but rather that he was forcibly pulled into another space.
The space was pitch black, and nothing could be seen.
Helian Zhu felt as if his hands were still stained with blood. Scenes of Helian Jue and Lu Jin's deaths replayed in his mind. He covered his face and wept helplessly.
Just then, a soft sigh echoed from the void: "Child, don't cry."
It was the voice of a young man, yet his tone sounded very weathered and kind.
Helian Zhu was stunned, and the pain in his heart was miraculously soothed.
He stared blankly into the pitch-black void and asked softly, "Who are you?"
My name is Bixie.
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