Lord Ruofeng disappeared the moment everything seemed under control. The ongoing fight became just a few skirmishes left happening on the fringes of the fleet, while the ship jolted to a start, one by one, running its mechanism, started parrying across the clouded sky. One could see demonic cultivators fleeing for their lives, and rest were being chased and killed by those who could still wield a sword. Once again, with a jerking start, the fleet resumed its journey towards the Great Barrier. Sister Tan silently observed the sailing ships, wading across a sky which had turned an almost pale orange color, like molten gold merging with splattered ink. She frowned and clutched her broken sword.
Many cultivators like her had started returning to the ship in groups of twos and threes all supporting various degrees of wounds; although hers had been a slight brush with death, she could see many who had lost a foot and a limb, or an eye or sacrificed their dantian or were on the verge of completely rupturing their meridians. The loss they'd suffered was almost unbearable to look at.
Some hurriedly escaped into their cabin's privacy, while others who couldn't gather enough strength to move simply chose to sit down in a secluded corner of the ship, cast a few protective barriers around themselves and started meditating to restore their strength. Such scenes were unfolding everywhere, so much that it became commonplace.
"Three hundred…" She muttered. She was counting the staggering amount of death on their side. She still couldn't believe so many people lost their lives on a C-Level mission. With so many elders and Nascent Soul Venerable present in their midst.
"What's the news?" She heard someone nearby ask.
She felt companion stir and straighten his back, before replying in a curt manner. "Senior brother Liang, you're asking me? Whom should I go and ask?"
The young man didn't reply but bent his head to meet Sister Tan's and her companion's eyes. "Then it means you too haven't heard about it yet. Then let's wait for Brother Sheng to come and explain. With Brother Li's array sweeping so many demonic cultivators to death, how is it possible we still lost so many men? There's something fishy going on."
Brother Li soon came to join the group of stranded cultivators gathering closer. He looked around to see many wounded men, but his eyes immediately swept across their faces to catch a glimpse of the young lady fainting with bereavement. A deep embarrassment flickered across his reddened eyes and cheeks.
"I see you are all here. Then it should be alright for me to inform everyone together."
In just half a day's time, a big convoy of six hundred Foundation established disciples lost half of its people. The task had been marked medium to low difficulty, nowhere was mentioned that so many Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators would show up to ambush. In fact, they just had to make numbers and with support of other Elders they could have easily countered the siege. Losing half of their group members, and in such a condition when those who did survive all supported deep degrees of wound, some so disabled that they could no longer cultivate immortality and will have to go back to their mortal home, such a degree of loss was completely unforeseen. If it wasn't for brother Li deciding to share his secret Killing Formation, even those who managed to live would have died. It was as if the ambush hadn't been to strangle new disciples, but to deal a blow to them, the sect members!
"As you would have already guessed, the Elders were misled and disappeared from the battlefield as soon as the fight started." Brother Li was frowning as he explained. "An informant gave enough evidence that the demon lord Gray Hound was nearby. Fearing a two-pronged attack, it was decided that the Elders who could go should go and defend against Demon Lord, while we fought and defended the ships here. They wouldn't have been so quick with their judgement had the information received by the Wuji sect differed even slightly, but the same information came from them as well, confirming suspicion of a greater attack."
"And then? What happened after they reached the Gloomy valley, brother? Did Gray Hound really attempt to attack?" Sister Tan asked hurriedly. She knew what the answer would be, but she still felt she needed confirmation.
"No, of course not. He wasn't there." Brother Li shook his head and looked at everyone who understood, and scoffed in his heart. A blunder like this had actually happened when so many high-level cultivators were gathered in a mission, the depth of infiltration into Sect's most sensitive establishments was already a fact. How the higher ups would deal with that, and how they would manage the 'cleaning-up' was not going to be a one-time thing. "By the end we did realize it, but we realized too late. They never intended to only aim for the new disciples, but-"
"The blow was aimed at us," Sister Tan's companion completed the sentence. "We, the low-level cultivators, who mostly come from the Outer sect and have no connections."
"Resentment…," Brother Liang whispered, "They want us to resent the sect and cause inner discontent. Have we been planted with devil seeds?!"
He cried and started quickly checking his body. Others saw this and quickly scanned their bodies. Sister Tan noticed many people clenching their teeth and clasping their hands and biting their knuckles as if to restrain some monstrous sentiment in their heart. Many people discovered the latent seeds and announced them one by one. When she scanned her own body, she found a black, ominous looking seed floating in her sea of consciousness, slowly spreading its contamination.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," Sister Tan murmured. "When did they successfully implant these? I don't think I let anyone come close to me."
She knew how abnormal the last battle had been, they were winning with the help of brother Li's Killing Array, but suddenly a large number of low-level Foundation building cultivators started blowing their souls up. "Those spies we cleaned before...was it them? So, were we already contaminated before we even started fighting?"
"Hmm, it was them. Hurry up. Calm your mind and seal the seeds." Brother Li commanded, throwing a few pill-bottles and little pouches containing spirit stones at everyone. He had come prepared.
Sister Tan picked up a bottle, plucked it open, smelled the refreshing smell of a high-grade pill then crushed it between her teeth. The result was instantaneous; in a matter of seconds all outward wounds disappeared. But the seed was still deeply seeded in her consciousness. She wasn't surprised at this, as devil-seed could only be removed by high-grade fire element treasure. Only sects could issue such high-grade treasures.
"Brother Li…The Task Distribution Hall failed to issue a warning. When the ambush happened, coincidentally all our Elder's disappeared leaving behind Grand Elder Qi and Elder Jiang who we all knew were nearing the end of their lives and were currently in their weakest states. We were also told that those Elders left with their disciples and inner sect disciples…if some of us were easily led astray by this news, would these seeds mature early?"
"I suppose this was what they intended," Brother Li nodded, agreeing with the analysis. "This was an open conspiracy from their side. Those who blew up by the end of the battle, I think those demonic cultivators did that too and just wanted you to feel more resentful."
Sister Tan's companion sighed and added, "I wouldn't be surprised if they did it intentionally. We thought the ship had been cleaned so there was nothing to be worried about, but who would have thought they had already fulfilled their mission before dying. The biggest problem has always been our identity. Weak, useless…no value…exhaustible targets. Easily resentful at our fates, a very good tool that can be exploited easily!"
"Tsk. They even conspired against Nascent Soul Elder's, what makes you think they will leave us behind?"
"But it is a fact that Law Enforcement Hall failed to do its job. These demonic cultivators went past all of the sect's previous security measures. Isn't that unbelievable?" Sister Tan couldn't help but speak.
"Brother Li, don't tell me…there are some spies in the upper echelon. If the Back Mountains too have been infiltrated…," Sister Tan's companion raised his fingers almost nonchalantly, muttering as he counted reasons under his breath for his rising suspicion, but his overly pale face betrayed his inner turmoil.
Li Sifeng closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and only said, "Don't overthink. It's not our place to worry about these matters."
"But we cannot stop worrying as we know what such news means for us, brother Li," Brother Liang said. "There will be war. The Hundred Years War will resume. History will repeat itself and there will be endless chaos everywhere and weak and useless ants like us will die without knowing why and how. And they will tell us it happened because it is our fate or that heaven is inherently…but only we will become true cannon fodders. Shouldn't we start cutting short our losses?"
"Jiang ge," Sister Tan nudged her companion.
She held her companions' hand in between her palms and said in a telepathic inner voice, "I used to think, if not more than that, we had a couple hundred years to live safely after establishing our Foundations. Two hundred years of life span was worth struggling for. But now, I don't think so. We can live by doing small tasks, taking small risks. If we cannot fight, cannot we just run? It's naïve to think we will never get embroiled in war, and the sect is the best fortress at such times…but is thinking like that really correct?"
Sister Tan looked confused as she leaned closer to her companion. The wind blew over their faces and they both turned to look towards the bereaved Su Yulin who had lost her lover and was not responding to anyone, as if she'd lost her soul.
"Now demonic cultivators will get stronger; their seeds are lying dormant ready to explode at any time. If things went like this, before the hundred-year war even resumes, won't we die entrapped in these sect matters, brother? We die seeking treasures, we die fighting for our lives, to get stronger, to prove our Tao. Dreaming about ascension is so far away from us, but that shouldn't mean we are dispensable, right? I want to go back. Go home, brother Jiang. Will you come with me?"
The young man caressed sister Tan's head, kissed her forehead in a consoling manner and hummed in agreement. "Yes, why not? It has been a decade since we went back to our village. So much time has passed, so many things must have changed. Let's pick an easy task this time and go home."
Underneath a setting sun, many shared a pensive mood, eavesdropping upon faint whispers of losses as if coming from a vial of memories.
"Don't be sad…Lin'er. He wouldn't have wanted you to be sad—"
"—don't lose hope."
"You still have your child…think about him. You have to care for him. Only you can protect your child–"
Suddenly the weak Su Yulin stood up shakily and walked up to Li Sifeng.
"Tell…me, brother Li…why? Tell me you were unaware of everything. Take an oath!"
"Junior sister Yulin," Brother Li hesitated, as if choosing his words. "You know what the task was. We are still in charge of safely leading the new disciples back to the sect. Those Elders who were sent to investigate the recent events in the mortal realm joined us halfway in Shajing. From there our only task was to guide these ships back safely. We knew an ambush awaited us, but the sudden misinformation and misleading deployed half of our strength elsewhere. We could have averted so many losses had those Elders been with us, I know, but we cannot change anything now, can we?"
"NO! I don't accept it!" Su Yulin yelled. "You failed to stop those spies from planting the devil-seed. Right under the Elder's nose, those spies did so many things and no one noticed. Brother Li, don't you think that's suspicious?"
Brother Li sighed and raised a hand, caressing Su Yulin's head like an elder. "We are on a mission, Lin'er. Death cannot be averted—"
"But he didn't have to lose his life like this." She sobbed and muttered, clearly a little calmer than her earlier outburst. But her words grew increasingly outrageous. "Don't lie, brother Li. I know, he didn't have to. We who risk our lives, aren't we doing that for our future? If we cannot even survive, why do we need to strive so hard? To die for someone else's sake?! Isn't that unfair? Look around, brother Li, see how many of us who are wounded and dead come from the outer sect. Tell me, you don't find this unfair! We know we were given privileges, so we abide by sect rules, but that doesn't mean the sect owns our lives! No righteous sect would watch their disciples being butchered in cold blood and stand like bystanders, brother. I refuse to believe that no Elder found out anything."
"Su Yulin—"
"He could have lived to an old age like many other Foundation level Cultivators, brother Li. Gone to a town, joined other guards of some rich family and lived a less dangerous life. Or, or farmed. Haven't we been living all these years earning spirit stones, one by one, counting each one for the day when we can own our own house? We could have kept living like that, had our own home, brought up our children together, and he'd still be here with me. But you said it was going to be a simple mission, nothing new, just picking up new disciples and Elders will be coming along too. He and I... we just recently established our Foundations too...so we thought, why not? We believed you, of course we believed you…but why?! Why did this end up like this? Tell me why, brother Li, if Sect Master could send Grandmaster Wei, why couldn't they warn us beforehand?!! Brother Li, brother Li, it's just you who isn't ready to see the truth or you wouldn't have been used like—"
Sister Tan couldn't bear to watch it anymore, so she walked up to Su Yulin, gagged her first then hit her weak point.
"I apologize on her behalf, brother Li." Giving the bowing man a weak smile, she picked up the girl, "She isn't in her right mind. Losing Wang Shuan has had a great impact on her spirit, and I know you understand how hurt she is right now. I will bring her to apologize to you later, brother Li."
"I know," Brother Li said. "Please take care of her."
"I will brother. I am taking her back to her chamber then." Sister Tan looked at the unconscious Su Yulin and said, "You should take medicine and rest as well, brother Li. We still don't know if those demonic cultivators have left completely or arranged some other ambush. We will be relying on you again to save us, brother."
Li Sifeng nodded and didn't waste any moment. He coldly turned away, heading back to his cabin.
***
Wei Zhiruo noticed the commotion at the side of Brother Li. Her keen hearing and spiritual senses conveyed the images painstakingly. It was an uncomfortable sight, eavesdropping without arousing anyone's attention was difficult too and she ended up getting nothing but another incomplete piece of jigsaw puzzle.
This uncomfortable impasse only broke when a few Elders, three imposing Nascent Soul cultivators, and three Golden Core cultivators rejoined the main ship. Descending from amidst the rolling clouds like heavenly fairies, with their flowing water-like cloaks and poignant dancing steps, the Elders all supported grave faces.
As it turned out, this was the first time children saw real immortals. Along with the chasing blue eyes of Wei Zhiruo, many tiny heads uncontrollably turned towards the source of pressure together this time, taking in the glorious ensemble of beauty, might and power.
"Elder Shen!" Someone in the crowd hurriedly came forward to greet them. "Peak master He!"
"Elder He is also here."
"Elder Yu as well…what are they doing here now when everything is over—?"
"Hey you two! Be quiet!"
Three Peak Leaders descended from the sky first. Other Immortals went to the Wuji sect's ship, while a few scattered to assess the final damage.
The man leading everyone, Elder Shen, had his brows furrowed and scrunched together. His lapels fluttered and sleeves rustled in the wind, yet they never went out of place, so perfectly placed that it felt as if done by an almost obsessively compelled mind. He was flanked on either side by a woman companion, wearing a purple brocaded skirt and muslin Pibo fluttering behind her and another man who resembled too much to the leading Elder Shen, and was clearly a family member.
Soon from behind them, another familiar Golden Core Elder flew back to the ship, looking extremely grave. Wei Zhiruo recognized him as the elder who did their spiritual root test. He didn't join the others and seemed to be hurrying towards the Grand Elder's cabin.
"Brother Shen, you didn't say there will be these many children. How fortunate! It looks like many talents are going to be added to our sect this year! It is good fortune that Sect Master Chen was alerted in time and averted all losses. Those demonic cultivators had no good intentions leading us away at such an important moment...it's good that everyone is safe," The woman looked around as she tilted her head and chatted playfully.
With her intelligent old eyes looking at curious faces. A ripple of pressure and discomfort rose amongst those who met her eyes. Wei Zhiruo felt sweat dripping on her forehead and clutched her hands to keep herself from kneeling down in fear.
"It's their luck, indeed." Elder Shen replied vaguely. Refusing to deliberate further on the topic, he waved a hand and immediately a group of sect disciples walked up to him. "If they can grow up and serve the sect as backbones, then the Sect's sacrifices mean nothing. The sect supports them in their path; they should be glad to fulfill their duties when they grow up."
"You are right," the woman sighed. "Indeed, such intelligent children will become future pillars of our sect and carry on our righteous methods. They should be grateful for their fortune."
Wei Zhiruo bowed her head to hide her frown. But she didn't get any time to ponder the undertones of such conversations as another senior brother hastily came forward cutting through the crowd. He performed a respectful greeting, then said respectfully, "Peak Master Shen, Peak Master He, Peak Master Yu—disciple Shen Nanpeng has seen the Peak Masters of the sect!"
"There's no need for more greetings." Peak Master Shen waved at Shen Nanpeng who immediately straightened his back, listening keenly. "Call everyone to gather together in an hour. We will discuss what happened today. We will reach the sect by tomorrow, so there is no need to worry about safety as another ambush is highly unlikely. Also, there is no need for irrelevant people to be present at that time. Those who aren't already in the Late stage of foundation building don't need to come. I hope I have made myself clear."
"Yes…yes, Elder. I will inform everyone, this very instant."
"There's no need to rush. Take your time and find me in a while."
Elder Shen then briefly looked at the fresh faces. He seemed to be looking for someone amidst the crowd. When his eyes met Xi Qingqing's, he stopped and appraised the girl with an appreciative glint in his black eyes. He gestured for the girl to come forward to everyone's surprise.
"You are Xi Qingqing?"
Xi Qingqing came forward and replied with slight hesitation. "Yes…yes Elder Shen."
"Are you the granddaughter of Princess Lifei?"
As if the name had breathed some kind of confidence into the back of the tiny girl, she stood straighter and replied with a much clearer voice, almost like a jade's clear ringing. "I am the youngest granddaughter of Princess Lifei, Elder Shen. Are you familiar with my grandmother?"
Seeing her expectant eyes, some of Elder Shen's coldness seemed to soften a little. He took out a wooden box from his sleeves and handed it over to the girl, "Here, take this. A meeting gift. I might not be familiar with the princess myself, but I have heard of her graceful bearing. The most beautiful mortal woman of her generation, there are many who remember her sight. But I happen to know her as one of my nieces. You must be aware of your Great-grandfather Shen Zhiqi? He happens to be my cousin."
"Is this the grandniece you were talking about, brother Shen? The one who was found with spiritual roots in the third generation?" The woman started nodding approvingly, looking at Xi Qingqing. "I must congratulate you again. It seems your Shen clan has once again welcomed another top level talent into your folds. Alas! looking is indeed believing. How can the lineage of the Winter fairy not produce good looking individuals? This girl will grow up into a greater beauty. Just like Shen Zhiqi and the Winter fairy themselves. Come here, child, take this, a gift from your elder. And don't forget to come play with me after you have settled down in the sect. There are many beautiful sisters and brothers in my peak, I know you'll like them. Everyone will love to meet you."
Xi Qingqing hesitantly looked towards Elder Shen who nodded subtly, before she accepted the outstretched wooden gift box and thanked loudly.
Elder He didn't say anything but when it came time for a greeting gift, he also took out an inconspicuous box from his sleeves and gave it to the girl. "You can play with this small trinket. It might help you in qi induction. With your talent, you should be able to inhale qi within a month, but remember to practice diligently after that."
Xi Qingqing was almost beaming with joy, but she quickly subdued her feelings and quickly thanked the three elders. "I will be diligent, Peak Master He. Xi Qingqing thanks three elders for their care!"
"Let's go." Elder Shen nodded appreciatively and left.
***
Ning Fei and Ning Yizhuo quickly returned to their cabin amidst the later commotion. Rong Yuanchun hurried back to find his roommate who was sleeping in the cabin. Only Rong Hualan and Wei Zhiruo were left behind to witness the crowd gossiping, leaning into one another's earshot while taking covert glances at Zhiruo. Both the cultivators and mortals were eagerly gossiping, there was no difference in how they behaved.
Xi Qingqing's followers' not so subtle mocking look and proud glances weren't hidden from Zhiruo as well, and even when Xi Qingqing disappeared, they stayed behind sharing her long and prestigious bloodline. Wei Zhiruo knew they had long taken her and Yizhuo as Qingqing's competitors. No one could change their minds at this point and the troubles they will cause in the future were also under her calculation. But she felt this sudden arrival of Elder Shen had changed the trajectory of things. As if to announce to everyone, that the times when others were running behind Wei Zhiruo and Ning Yizhuo, and not just Xi Qingqing, had changed, and now, a better contender emerged to take the place of top talent— someone who had everything: from talent, to beauty to family connections. After all, being related to the Peak Masters was unthinkable for mortals coming from barren lands.
"Don't beat around the bush and ask." Feeling tired from Rong Hualan's subtle prodding, Wei Zhiruo decided to ask.
"What do you think happened just now?"
"You are overthinking, Hualan. Before we get safely into the sect, don't assume anything."
Rong Hualan fell silent. There was a frown crowning her small forehead, unlike her usual cheer and goofiness, suddenly her face looked grim. At last, she sighed and said, "I am just worried about Ning Yizhuo and Ning Fei. Do you think Xi Qingqing will leave them be? I can vouch that we two, Rong Yuanchun and I, will not escalate any situation. But that isn't true for Yizhuo. She will not bear any insult directed at Ning Fei."
"No, Xi Qingqing will not do such a thankless thing," Wei Zhiruo shook her head as she guessed Xi Qingqing's nature. "At least not in front of Elder Shen. She doesn't dare to ignore rules. Remember? No infighting inside the ship."
"...I am afraid brother Li and brother Deng will leave and those who are left behind will be biased." Rong Hualan whispered in an agitated way.
"Then get used to this treatment. You don't think these cultivators will accommodate us, do you? You should have realized by now how nothing but strength is paramount to these cultivators. If you are strong, they will chase after you. But if there is nothing worth chasing in us, why would they accommodate us? In the end, even when they were trying to make connections with me and Yizhuo, they were doing that for future influence and strength that we might hold in the future."
"What if they no longer take our classes or supervise us? What if those Elders become the new teachers?"
"Ha! As if. Don't dream, Hualan. They won't, don't worry. We are not worth wasting their precious time." Wei Zhiruo was aware of the immense power those Elders held. How could the words of the Nascent Soul Elders, precious and insightful, be given away for free? To sect outsiders too? She knew they weren't part of the sect and such a privilege would only go to deserving Inner sect disciples, and even amongst them only the chosen or direct disciples.
"I hope so. Or Xi Qingqing's followers will become insufferable." Rong Hualan hesitantly nodded as well.
As they moved further away from the scattered crowd, with everyone buzzing with noise, Hualan didn't shy away from talking any further, "—let me just say. I have a very bad feeling that the next few days are going to be nothing but chaos. You realize how sensitive Ning Fei is right? I am worried someone will say something to Ning Fei, forcing Yizhuo to take a drastic step. Her temper, you are aware, right? I don't want anything like that to happen, and Zhiruo, I am quite certain Xi Qingqing's follower will make sure something like that does happen and we get thrown out of the ship or the sect for breaking the rules—"
"I said don't overthink," Wei Zhiruo didn't confide her own analysis of the situation, but she couldn't bear the complex thoughts of this child so she explained a little. "Hualan, do you think others will watch them bully us and not intervene? Don't forget, we are going to join a sect, not the Shen family. Xi Qingqing might have a say in the Shen family, but Elder Shen represents the sect. At least he will not harm us or watch something harmful happen to us. Yizhuo, me…don't forget, just like Xi Qingqing, we have an equal opportunity of being picked by some sect elder or getting into the inner sect. No one in their right mind would make enemies blindly."
"Ah-Right. I forgot. You are right, I am thinking too much."
***
After separating from Hualan, Wei Zhiruo turned towards her own cabin. When she walked closer to her room, a door suddenly captured her attention. A strange palpitation surged in her mind, like alarm bells ringing. Unknowingly she increased her pace. Her cabin was just a few doors away.
Her newly bought brocaded shoes rubbed softly against the wooden floor; screeches could be heard coming from a little distance. She left behind the door and scratching sound too but soon, like the sound of rubbing a wooden surface, a soft footstep started chasing her. Sensing danger she stopped. She wanted to shout for help, but it was too late. The corridor was too empty, as if it was not even a part of the real flying ship. Silence filled the corridor, light receded from the lamps. She realized she had walked into a fragmented dimension.
"-fuck! It failed again! No. No, no, no. We have to try, we have to try to summon again. How can the Ghost Mother not respond to so much blood? Ah, another fresh blood bag is here…"
Screeching drew nearer. The sound of fabric rubbing against flesh reverberated. It was coming from the door she left behind. Wei Zhiruo felt her whole body freeze, as if it was being controlled against her wishes. She coldly watched her body follow someone's order and walk back, push open the door and enter.
"What are you doing outside? Come quickly. Quick!" That voice rang again. The door shut close, and in front of her she saw a man, bending on his knees and drawing round and swirling grotesque looking patterns into the wooden floor.
Her icy blue eyes shrunk in surprise. Disgust flickered in those faded silver irises. Shackled in their own filthy blood, the souls of innocent victims were shrieking in pain; she heard the remnant souls' anguish filled cries and remembered the two demonic cultivators she had seen in the mountains.
Three children, hung upside down from the ceiling, with shriveled corpses and empty eyes stared into her face. Their cold bodies betrayed no sign of life and blood gathered underneath them; dripping drop by drop, pooling into a huge puddle. It was this blood the demonic cultivator used. Putting his grimy fingers into the cold blood he dyed his hands red and rubbed against the floor, painting a strange formation.
"It's time. You are quite unlucky," the silver mask gave her a scoffing laugh as he used his spiritual energy to choke her to death. "But girl, you should feel happy that your death will be quick. Don't worry. Don't cry, it's useless anyway. No one will come to help."
Feeling air slipping out from her lungs, Wei Zhiruo quickly thought of some measure. She immediately used her attacker's sheer condescension towards her as the way, then stopped struggling completely. She pretended to faint to observe what he would do next.
"Hah…mortals. A bunch of wastes!" The man waved away the lingering qi in the air and went back to carving his formation.
When she was certain that the man was no longer focused on her, Wei Zhiruo slowly bit her finger, bleeding them sufficiently. She let her eyes rove around as she inconspicuously drew a rune. Just a little distance away from her, dark splotches of reddened black liquid stained the carpet as if a protest had played out there, or someone had struggled tooth and nail and was stifled into submission. A couple of Luminous Pearls shed their gloomy light on the small cabin and she saw that demonic cultivator's shadow cast on the opposite wall, still bending over his array.
Suddenly out of nowhere, she heard him whisper. "Quite brave, aren't you? Pretending to faint in front of cultivators? Who gave you the guts? But it's alright. When I'm done with this, nothing can save you from dying here, little girl. Do you think fainting will save you from being killed? Impossible!"
He maliciously laughed at her foolish attempt to escape.
A sinking feeling pulsed in her veins. She immediately stood up on her feet to run.
"Why? No longer pretending?"
"Why do you want to kill me? I haven't offended you." Wei Zhiruo held the door knob, using all her strength to open the door. It didn't budge.
"I don't need a reason to kill." The man stood up and lunged at her languorously. He looked at her haphazard attempts to run away, watching her dart across the room, farther away from him. He laughed again as Wei Zhiruo shrunk back into her original position, shivering with her back turned towards him.
"Was that all your courage? Good! Now die obediently!"
What he didn't know was that Wei Zhiruo had successfully summoned her bow, and was crouching in wait with her hands on the string. Her taut back stopped shivering as soon as the demonic cultivator's cold qi clutched her neck. The moment that man came within her range, she released an arrow.
"Aghhh—!!!"
She heard a loud shriek but the qi strangling her didn't loosen.
In her clouded mind, she saw her Clan Elder again. He still wore his cerulean blue cloaks with lapels of silver, and was tucking the parchment from an ancient tome of Inheritance. Possessed, he seemed to be repeating the same instructions to her countless of times, as if by his repetitions an invisible knowledge will enter her mind.
"Remember! It holds my body as the vessel, my blood as its sign of unfettering, from the land of spirits it materializes, from concept to truth. When at first, it's ambiguous, it's a cloud, a mist in my hand. When it becomes aligned with my truth, it becomes what it was meant to be. The first words unleash not what you or I beheld, it unleashes what it intends and it intends nothing you desire, but what was in the beginning intended of it. It is Sameora SiMin Uttruk SiEmin, the four Great runes."
"Aghhh!!" Wei Zhiruo shrieked out in pain as several nail-like sharp needles of demonic qi pierced into her body.
She smelled her fresh blood seeping. The man had angrily thrown her against the wall and was digging at her throat. She was going to die!
"How dare you!! A mere mortal—no, what did you do? What is this? Why cannot I pull it out?" The demonic cultivator was digging out the arrow painfully, but as if it had taken root in his body the arrow refused to come out. In the end, he walked up to her and picked up the girl with his hands. Squeezing her throat, he kept asking her to undo the curse, "What did you do to me?! Stop immediately!"
But Wei Zhiruo raised her bleeding fingers again. With just a snap of her finger, a cloud of arrows burst out from somewhere and pierced the demon.
The man flew back crashing into the wall. He didn't even get enough time to realize what was happening to him, before he lay hapless against the wall, twitching with agony, his whole body suffering the brunt of countless lightning pulsing through his blood. In a few seconds, his body turned into black slag and splattered everywhere.
Wei Zhiruo coughed and stood up with difficulty. She didn't relax her guards. Instead, she stood up, gathering every bit of strength in her bones and snapping her fingers, materializing her bow again. This time, she closed her eyes and felt for the soul instead of choosing to open her special vision. When she noticed the black orb struggling to escape from the room, she aimed and kept releasing her arrows. Flashing white lightning turned into fire; it swept across the room, burning all the trace of black qi and dirty blood.
"Aghhhh- what is this?! Stop! Stop! Don't kill me-NO!!!"
She watched the soul evaporate leaving nothing behind and sighed and collapsed. In the aftermath, she stood in a silent room listening to the noise and chattering voices coming from the corridor. Although the door was shut, she knew it would open if she pulled the doorknob. But she felt the drain of using her soul to attack.
Suddenly her hand felt something falling in her hands.
'A ring?' Wei Zhiruo whispered. 'How did this fly into my hands?'
Made of silver, studded with round sapphires, embedded together in an elaborate motif of vines, it didn't look ominous. It was light too. She liked the color of it reflecting in the last sun ray stealing into the cabin, but she didn't relax her guard and became more vigilant. She knew about weapon spirits. Most likely, this ring had one of these. Suddenly her red thumbs touched the sapphire, dyeing it slightly red—the ring vibrated, and struggled to escape from her hands. This time she didn't let it go. Before she could understand what was happening, she felt her head splitting with a headache.
The ring grew increasingly hot, and started struggling desperately to escape but some force didn't let it go. She observed carefully and found that it was her blood which was acting strangely. Something very warm started seeping into her body. Her head throbbed and swelled with pain, but her soul was hungrily sucking the energy in the ring. The Huadian finally unfurled its final, the twelfth petal, then sitting beautifully on her forehead like a blooming peony, it turned a cinnabar red.
However, Wei Zhiruo couldn't see the next changes happening in her body as she fainted for real.