Close on Their Heels

Beneath the deep night sky, a war chariot streaked across the heavens. Its nine bronze dragon heads were lifelike; between one moment and the next, nine true dragons seemed to roar, howl, and soar as they bore the chariot through the sky, crossing ten thousand miles in an instant.

This was the famed Nine-Dragon War Chariot of the Zhongnan Dojo. It looked ancient and decrepit, yet stood more than a level above the Law Enforcement Department's notorious Great Might Inter-World Shuttle.

Four people sat cross-legged aboard the chariot: the Ice-Sealed Sword Saint, Hong Ying, and two Supreme Elders of the Zhongnan Dojo. The red-haired, white-browed one was Lie Huo; the white-haired, red-browed one was Huo Lie. Both had become Saints centuries ago and were highly renowned.

"Look, you regret it now, don't you? Disappointed, aren't you? You know you were wrong, don't you? I told you to listen to me from the start, but you wouldn't believe me. Now you know. Hmph, too late—but I'm magnanimous. If you sincerely apologize, I might just show mercy and forgive you."

Hong Ying prattled on and on, making the Ice-Sealed Sword Saint and the others' brows twitch.

"Shut up!"

"Enough with the racket!"

Lie Huo and Huo Lie scolded him in unison. Their hands twitched, and they could hardly resist throttling Hong Ying.

"Enough." The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint gave a low shout. His gaze shifted to Hong Ying. "This time, you happened to guess right. But we're two days late. Do you think Lin Huang will still be in Daqian Prefecture?"

Hong Ying sucked on a lollipop. "Don't worry. I just cast a divination. Tomorrow is auspicious for weddings and revenge. It's a lucky day."

The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint froze, then understood what Hong Ying meant and nodded. "The Hong Clan's art of divination couldn't possibly be wrong."

"Pick up the pace. We must reach Daqian Prefecture by tomorrow noon."

The chariot fell silent. A long while later, Hong Ying murmured, "But Daqian Prefecture isn't exactly a good place."

"I know." The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint's voice was calm, his killing intent kept in check. "But until Lin Huang is dead, I won't be at ease."

"Just so we're clear: if you plan to make a move in Daqian Prefecture, I'm not coming along." Hong Ying bit through his lollipop, his tone firm.

"We don't need you to fight. We can handle one mere junior."

"I could crush him with one hand."

Huo Lie and Lie Huo snorted, their voices full of disdain.

"Lin Huang must die." The Ice-Sealed Sword Saint's words were ironclad, admitting no argument.

Daqian Prefecture, South City.

Lin Huang walked out of the cemetery and followed the memories of his childhood through South City's streets and alleys. The Spring-Autumn King didn't dare run away, and meekly followed behind him. "You're not really planning to attend the wedding, are you?"

The Spring-Autumn King found a topic and asked. When Lin Huang didn't answer, he gave a strange laugh. "Maybe you'll even get seated at the ex-boyfriend table."

"Chen Ruo said all my old classmates would be there. If I'm going to end things, I might as well end them cleanly."

Lin Huang spoke calmly. His state of mind had grown increasingly detached from the world, and he could vaguely grasp the key to Crossing the Human Tribulation.

"The Human Tribulation is the Mortal World Tribulation. Cutting off the past, once and for all, should let me cross it."

Lin Huang murmured. He felt that the reason he still hadn't crossed the Human Tribulation was that he hadn't truly severed his ties to the past. Aside from Chen Ruo and his parents, the people still lingering in his memories—and the days gone by—also had to be cut away.

To meet someone was to form a bond; if there was a bond, it had to be severed. Otherwise, how could he cross the Human Tribulation and Sever the Mortal World?

The Spring-Autumn King didn't understand a word of it. He was about to crack another joke when Lin Huang's bright eyes—seemingly untouched by any worldly emotion—turned toward him. "Have you thought of the answer I want?"

The Spring-Autumn King's heart tightened. He answered honestly, "I've told you everything I know. I even told you about lifting other people's skirts when I was a kid. I really don't know."

"So it's my fault you can't kill me?"

"Big brother, you have to be reasonable."

Lin Huang's gaze was sharp as lightning, as though it could see through a person's heart. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "You're not lying."

"How could I lie? Besides, with your intelligence, could I fool you?"

The Spring-Autumn King was overjoyed and spoke in quick succession.

"Since you don't know anything, forget it. Do something for me, and I'll spare your life."

Lin Huang didn't press the matter further. There was surely something suspicious about the Spring-Autumn King, but Lin Huang felt that he had already touched upon the key to godhood, and had no mind to investigate further. He calmly made arrangements for the Spring-Autumn King.

"What do you want me to do?" the Spring-Autumn King asked warily.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Lin Huang waved a hand, his expression calm, his voice faint and distant. "When did so many murals appear along this street?"

"How would I know? You still haven't told me what you want me to do..." The Spring-Autumn King clapped a hand over his mouth, realizing only then that Lin Huang hadn't been talking to him.

His gaze swept across the walls lining the street, and only then did he notice the countless murals that had appeared on both sides at some unknown time. Their style was dark, like a picture of a hundred ghosts roaming at night. Twisted figures filled the paintings, weighed down by pain, despair, and all manner of sinister emotions, as if they had fallen forever into the netherworld. The sight made the Spring-Autumn King's scalp crawl.

At the end of the street, a hunched figure held a charcoal pencil and moved slowly along. With each step, another anguished, twisted figure appeared in the murals.

"The Mortal World may be bitter, but it isn't as hopeless as this." Lin Huang spoke calmly, looking toward the figure.

The person paused, then continued drawing. With a few strokes, another despairing, shadowy, pained, twisted figure appeared on the wall. In a low, gloomy voice, they said, "But a hundred thousand souls keep telling me they're hopeless and in pain. What can I do? I can only draw it all, so you can see."

Lin Huang's expression was impassive. He studied the figure carefully, then said flatly, "This is a tribulation, but also a bond. It's a sea of bitterness and a netherworld, but also a paradise. They're only missing a lamp."

As he spoke, Lin Huang flicked a finger. In an instant, every figure in the murals along the street had a lamp.

"Holding lamps in their hands, they light up the netherworld. So this suffering is also a blessing, and this tribulation is also a bond."

The person stopped drawing and looked up at Lin Huang for the first time.

The hunched, withered figure belonged to a woman with delicate features like a painting. She nodded at Lin Huang. "You're not bad."

With that, the woman and the murals along the street vanished like bubbles, then dissipated. The bustling, lively sounds from beyond the street rang out once more.

"We've run into an expert." The Spring-Autumn King walked over with a frown and said to Lin Huang.

"How much of an expert?" Lin Huang wondered about the woman's sudden appearance and asked offhandedly.

"A great one. At least greater than me—maybe even greater than you," the Spring-Autumn King said with an air of solemn certainty.

Lin Huang pondered for a moment, then nodded. He had already figured out the woman's identity.

"Also, you haven't concealed your tracks. I'm worried your enemies will find you soon. You have so many enemies, that woman just now might have been here to test you. We should leave quickly. If we wait any longer, I'm afraid we won't be able to leave."

After what had just happened, the Spring-Autumn King couldn't help but feel deeply worried.