Crimson Sky Cry

The roar thundered across Green Parasol City.

The golden barrier of the Demon-Trapping Array gradually faded away.

Lin Yu stared at the sky in disbelief. The Demon-Trapping Array's disappearance meant that the Green Scab Spider had been slain.

In Green Parasol City, the only person capable of doing such a thing was Fang Huai, whom the mortals had carried in a sedan chair.

Noticing Lin Yu's gaze, Fang Huai thought that his brief moment as a hero ought to come to an end.

He immediately leaped out of the sedan chair and landed steadily in front of Lin Yu.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, is this Crimson Sky Cry yours?"

He called, "Catch!" and tossed Crimson Sky Cry back to Lin Yu.

Lin Yu's fingers brushed over the mottled demonic beast's bloodstains on Crimson Sky Cry, and he was shaken to the core.

Heroes had always emerged from the younger generation. For Fang Huai, at the fourth level of Qi Refining, to slay a Green Scab Spider that had fallen from Foundation Establishment was truly unprecedented.

Fang Huai saw Lin Yu staring fixedly at him and said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, do I have some valuable magical treasure on me that's caught your attention?"

"Did you kill the Green Scab Spider?" Lin Yu asked again, seeking confirmation.

"You could say I did, and you could say I didn't."

Fang Huai said, "The Green Scab Spider had already been drained of its life force by the Demon-Trapping Array. Then you and my fellow disciples attacked it relentlessly, until it was at the end of its tether.

I merely led it on a merry chase for a while. It fell over and died on its own.

Lin Yu naturally didn't believe him, but he couldn't very well keep probing into Fang Huai's background, so he asked:

"Fellow Daoist Fang, what do you plan to do with the mortals of Green Parasol Town?"

Fang Huai's eyes flickered. At last, it was time to fleece them. "What do you think should be done, Fellow Daoist Lin?"

"Didn't you say earlier that if I offered you eight hundred Spirit Stones, you'd hand these mortals over to me?"

"If you can produce eight hundred Spirit Stones, Fellow Daoist Lin, you may take them away."

"I can't afford that. I only have three hundred Spirit Stones."

Lin Yu looked at Fang Huai. "But today, I must take them with me!"

Fang Huai's heart gave a thump. This was bad.

Pu Ren'an and the others were dead, leaving him the only one from the Corpse Sha Sect. Lin Yu was going back on his word!

At that thought, he spoke more sternly. "Fellow Daoist Lin, cultivators prize their word above all else. If you go back on yours, your Dao heart will surely crack one day."

Lin Yu shook his head and sighed softly. "You've misunderstood, Fellow Daoist Fang. You risked your life to save so many people. How could I do anything that would disappoint you?"

With that, he tossed Crimson Sky Cry toward Fang Huai and cupped his hands. "Back then, the Grand Supreme Elder bestowed Crimson Sky Cry on me, saying that my pure heart made me worthy of this sword.

But in my view, Fellow Daoist Fang is far more suited to wield it!"

Fang Huai caught Crimson Sky Cry, shaken to the core. "Fellow Daoist Lin, Crimson Sky Cry is worth far more than eight hundred Spirit Stones!"

Lin Yu smiled. "No matter how precious Crimson Sky Cry is, it can't compare to your righteous heart.

Fellow Daoist Fang, I've already undone my blood pact with this sword. You need only infuse it with your blood essence, and you'll become its new master."

Fang Huai had always wondered why, when Lin Yu poured spiritual power into Crimson Sky Cry, the sword had been wrapped in violent lightning.

But in his own hands, no matter how much spiritual power he poured in, the Spirit Sword remained as still as a dead thing.

Now he finally understood. This Spirit Sword had to acknowledge its master before it could unleash its true power.

"Fellow Daoist Lin," Fang Huai said solemnly, "once the Spirit Sword acknowledges me as its master, I won't be able to return it to you. Are you truly sure you won't regret this?"

Lin Yu laughed heartily. "A treasured sword has always belonged in a hero's hands. Fellow Daoist Fang deserves this sword. I have no regrets!"

Fang Huai didn't refuse again. He cut his skin and urged his blood essence into Crimson Sky Cry.

In an instant, a vast amount of spiritual energy was stripped from his body, and he formed an inexplicable connection with Crimson Sky Cry.

Crimson Sky Cry immediately glimmered with interwoven blue and crimson murderous light. Killing Intent enveloped its blade, making it look like a demonic sword had descended upon the world.

And Fang Huai, holding Crimson Sky Cry, seemed even more like a god of slaughter reborn.

Fang Huai said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, do I still look like a hero now?"

Lin Yu smiled. "I know your Killing Intent is fearsome, Fellow Daoist Fang, but proving the Dao through slaughter can still make you a hero!"

Fang Huai cupped his hands in thanks. "I'll remember your kindness in giving me this sword. You may take these mortals away."

Fang Huai hadn't expected Lin Yu to be such a pure-hearted person.

He'd thought his Contribution Points would only be enough to exchange for two hundred Spirit Stones, and planned to extort Lin Yu for his Spirit Stones as well.

But seeing Lin Yu act this way made him feel a little embarrassed instead.

He thought that if he cheated Lin Yu again, Lin Yu might change his mind. Better to find someone from the Ascension Society after returning to the sect and borrow three hundred Spirit Stones to tide himself over.

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of mortals objected instead.

"Immortal Master Fang, we don't want to go with Immortal Master Lin. Please take us with you!"

"That's right! The Mystic Sword Sect raised a demon beast in our city. It killed so many of our loved ones. We'll never make peace with the Mystic Sword Sect!"

"Immortal Master Fang, you're the immortal who rescues the suffering! You're the true hero!"

"..."

The praise went on without end. The people of Green Parasol City all knelt before Fang Huai, begging him to take them to the Corpse Sha Sect.

Fang Huai was speechless. The Mystic Sword Sect had used their life force to keep the Green Scab Spider suppressed, but it had also protected these mortals for a hundred years.

Now, thanks to his heroic deed, the demonic path had become the righteous path, while the righteous path had become the demonic path.

Right and wrong, black and white, had been turned upside down in this world so swiftly.

If Pu Ren'an were still alive and saw the mortals willingly follow them away, he'd laugh himself sick.

Fang Huai swung Crimson Sky Cry. A streak of sword light formed from Killing Intent swept across the ground, releasing a piercing boom:

"Since you're all willing to come with me, I'll lay down my rules. Each of you must provide me with a bowl of blood essence every day to aid my cultivation. Can you manage that?"

The kneeling mortals stared at one another, wide-eyed, and fell silent.

Seeing this, Fang Huai used Nether Claw to seize the mortal who had shouted loudest and said:

"Can't you even manage such a small thing?"

The mortal's face flushed crimson. He wet himself in terror, and the stench of urine spread through the air.

His voice trembling, he said, "P-please... spare me... Immortal Master Lin, help!"

"Hahahaha!"

Fang Huai tossed the man aside and laughed. "Now, is anyone still willing to come with me?"

No one answered. The scene fell utterly silent.

Holding Crimson Sky Cry, Fang Huai smiled at Lin Yu. "Fellow Daoist Lin, it seems these people are still willing to go with you.

But you'd better hurry. My fellow disciples may be here soon."

With that, he took out Paper Kite, leaped onto it, and soared into the sky, sending a message to Lin Yu as he went:

"If you can't bring yourself to use force against these mortals, they'll surely die here."

Lin Yu's gaze flickered as he looked at the bewildered people of Green Parasol City and pondered for a long while.

When the people of Green Parasol City saw Fang Huai leave, they got to their feet and cursed the cruelty of demonic cultivators, saying that the Mystic Sword Sect was still the one they could trust.

Lin Yu suddenly chuckled and took out another Spirit Sword.

The Spirit Sword swung down abruptly, and a blazing streak of flame cleaved into the ground.

He roared furiously, his voice ringing throughout Green Parasol City:

"Everyone, listen! You have fifteen minutes to gather at the city gate and evacuate Green Parasol City with me!

Anyone who fails to arrive in time will be shown no mercy!"