Ai Kun's Death

Ai Kun seems to be doing well at the Su Clan's place; his complexion has improved considerably in just a few months.

An elderly woman, well past fifty, walked with him. The two laughed and chatted as they walked, occasionally making physical contact, appearing to have a very close relationship.

This must be the friend he mentioned, but judging from their actions, they don't seem like ordinary friends at all.

Song Wen followed behind them, watching the two leisurely stroll through the market.

Only Ai Kun knew that he practiced the Longevity Art.

And since Ai Kun was at the Su Clan, Song Wen couldn't help but suspect that Ai Kun was involved in the Su Clan's capture of him.

The two bought some materials for drawing talismans in the market, then left the market and headed towards Clearpeace Mountain.

They did not have flying boats; they traveled by using Flight Technique.

The edge of the market was bustling with people, making it unsuitable for taking action.

When they were more than 20 miles away from the market town, the place became relatively secluded, with dense forests and no one else for miles around.

The two people flying a hundred meters in the air suddenly looked panicked.

A flash of cold light disappeared in an instant, piercing through the abdomens of both men.

To avoid killing them outright, the Cold Moon Blade only pierced their abdomens, leaving bloody holes, without causing further damage.

But their Flight Technique suddenly failed, and they plummeted from mid-air, crashing heavily to the ground.

They crashed through more than a dozen tree branches and landed heavily on the ground, nearly killing themselves.

Both men sustained fractures and severe abrasions of varying degrees.

Ai Kun, his face covered in blood, struggled to get up from the ground, but a sudden, sharp pain in his abdomen forced him to fall back down.

He could feel that at least half of his ribs were broken.

Raising his head, Ai Kun looked at the old woman who was with him, and, enduring the pain, asked.

"Ah Xiu, how are you?"

Su Axiu's cultivation level was only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, and her injuries were even more severe than Ai Kun's. Her left thigh was a bloody mess, with the broken thigh bone piercing through the flesh and exposed to the air.

"Help me! My leg is broken, and my internal organs are ruptured... splat..."

She suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, which was mixed with fragments of unknown internal organs.

Ai Kun took out a pill, swallowed it, and before he could even refine it, he was about to crawl toward Su Axiu.

Suddenly.

A mocking voice rang out.

"Hehehe... They really are a perfect match."

"Senior Ai has only been with the Su Clan for a few months, yet he has already settled down and transformed from a dissolute playboy into a devoted lover."

Song Wen slowly emerged from the dense forest, a playful smile on his face. He had now reverted to the appearance of Zhang Cheng at the age of thirty.

"Zhang Cheng, it's you!"

Ai Kun looked toward Song Wen at the sound, a fleeting look of panic in his eyes, replaced by hatred and confusion.

"I've always treated you well, so why are you doing this to me?"

"Moreover, you've hidden yourself very well; you're actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Song Wen's sneer remained, his gaze intense, his voice icy.

"Don't put on an act for me. I wouldn't make a move against you without being absolutely certain."

"Why did you betray me? And why did the Su Clan arrest me?"

Ai Kun said, "I don't understand what you're saying."

Song Wen said, "Senior Ai, you're forcing me to use torture to extract a confession. We've known each other for a while, wouldn't it be better for me to give you a quick death?"

After a moment of silence, Ai Kun pointed to Su Axiu standing to the side.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything, but you have to let her go. She has nothing to do with this; she's innocent."

As if he had heard something very funny, Song Wen suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... unrelated to this? An innocent person?"

"I was peacefully staying at home and never provoked the Su Clan. The Su Clan suddenly broke in to arrest me. Aren't I innocent?"

"The Su Clan hired Golden Core cultivator to hunt me down, nearly killing me. Aren't I innocent?"

Ai Kun said, "She's a member of the Su Clan. If you kill her, you'll get yourself into trouble. The Su Clan won't let you off the hook."

Song Wen said coldly, "What do you think I'm doing here on the Su Clan's territory? You don't think I'm just here to seek revenge, do you?"

Ai Kun looked on in disbelief and exclaimed in astonishment, "Do you really intend to attack the Su Clan? The Su Clan's patriarch is a Golden Core expert!"

Song Wen scoffed, "Heh, just a decrepit old man on his deathbed. I only need to lie in wait in the shadows for a few years, and he'll naturally pass away."

Ai Kun wanted to say something, but before he could speak, Song Wen interrupted him.

"Alright, Senior Ai, tell me everything you know, and I'll give you a quick death."

After a moment's hesitation, Ai Kun said.

"Fine, I'll tell you everything I know. I was the one who wronged you first, so consider this my apology. I just ask that you give us both a quick death."

"After I came to the Su Clan, I learned that the Su Clan has a unique elixir that can replenish vital energy. As you know, my vital energy is severely depleted. If I cannot replenish it, I am afraid I will not live much longer."

"Later, I learned that the Su Clan was searching everywhere for cultivators who practiced the Longevity Art, so I told them your information and in exchange for two pills to replenish my essence."

"Why is the Su Clan arresting cultivators who practice the Longevity Art?" Song Wen asked.

Ai Kun shook his head. "I don't know. I'm just an outsider; how could the Su Clan possibly reveal that to me?"

Song Wen stared at Ai Kun, and seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, continued to ask.

"How many cultivators practicing the Longevity Art did the Su Clan capture in total?"

Ai Kun said, "I don't know, but they only want young cultivators with high cultivation levels."

"I've told you everything I know, now get started!"

After saying that, Ai Kun closed his eyes, looking as if he was waiting to die.

"Any last words?" Song Wen asked.

"That's all. Let's get started."

Song Wen's figure flashed, and his left hand, like an iron claw, grabbed Ai Kun's head.

The immense soul power instantly overwhelmed Ai Kun's consciousness.

A moment later, Song Wen withdrew his left hand.

Based on the fragmented memories obtained through soul searching, Song Wen could roughly determine that Ai Kun was not lying, and that everything he said was true.

Song Wen's gaze fell on Su Axiu, who was standing to the side.

Su Axiu miserable. She had heard Song Wen and Ai Kun's conversation clearly and knew that she was doomed.

Death was imminent, and she was filled with deep fear.

"Please, please, let me go, I..."

Su Axiu's voice stopped abruptly.

Song Wen performed a soul search on her.

From Su Axiu's memories, Song Wen learned that it was she who told Ai Kun about the Su Clan's capture of cultivators of the Longevity Art.

Ai Kun was unwilling to betray Song Wen, but he couldn't resist Su Axiu's repeated persuasion.

Su Axiu told Ai Kun that as long as he could obtain a pill to restore his vital energy, Ai Kun could regain his virility and they could consummate their marriage.

The memories obtained from Su Axiu did not yield any further information. She was merely a low-level cultivator in the Su Clan, and it was impossible for the Su Clan to reveal any core secrets to her.

A moment later, Song Wen looked at Ai Kun, who had been devoured and turned into a dried-up corpse, and felt a strange sense of emotion.

He had been very cautious, constantly concealing his aura and revealing very little real information to Ai Kun, yet he still managed to get himself into trouble.

Ai Kun, a mere acquaintance, ultimately died by his own hand.

Perhaps this is the cruelty of the Cultivation World; you can never predict why someone close to you might betray you.