Night killing

"Shenghua, Sheng Tian, my grandsons!"

On a mountain peak, a white-haired old man cradled the bodies of the two Huangfu brothers and wept bitterly.

Suddenly, the old man set the bodies down and snapped his gaze toward the Earth Master Hall disciple who had brought them. His icy eyes brimmed with killing intent as he stared at the disciple. "Who killed my grandsons?"

Frightened by his expression, the Earth Master Hall disciple stumbled backward. A hand steadied him, and Hall Master Gongsun approached the old man and whispered into his ear, "Huangfu Qi, the one who killed your grandsons was Yang Xiao."

Huangfu Qi's pupils contracted. He knew about the feud between the Huangfu brothers and Yang Xiao, and the Huangfu Family had also participated in this operation to surround and kill Yang Xiao.

"My grandsons, your grandfather will avenge you." Huangfu Qi handed the brothers' bodies to members of his lineage and instructed them, "Wait for my return. I will offer that brat Yang Xiao's head to honor my grandsons."

He turned and charged into the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, bellowing, "Yang Xiao, you brat! If I, Huangfu Qi, fail to kill you... I swear I am no man!"

On another peak, Butcher and Pinghui were discussing the Demon Beast Uprising. At the sound of that voice, Butcher's expression changed drastically. Though Pinghui's expression was hidden, he crushed the teacup in his hand.

"You old bastard Huangfu, don't you dare!" Butcher shot into the sky, but Huangfu Qi had already flown into the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest.

"Sky Marquis." Pinghui flew into the air and called out to Butcher, who was about to plunge into the depths of the forest. His black robe hovered in midair, his voice emerging from within. "The beast uprising."

Butcher stopped in the air, motionless for a moment. Yang Xiao's life mattered, but behind him were the millions of people of Slaughter Heaven City. Worse still, if the city fell, the beasts would use it as a springboard to invade the entire Heaven Domain.

"Guards!" Butcher landed on the summit and shouted. Dozens of Pig-Slaughter Guards in red robes and armor stepped forward. He stared at them and ordered, "Organize a squad and enter the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest. You must bring Yang Xiao out alive."

A short while later, a ten-man Pig-Slaughter squad entered the depths of the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest.

Watching from nearby, Hall Master Gongsun curled his lips into a sinister smile.

Meanwhile, deep within the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, Yang Xiao kept moving. Ever since he had killed the Huangfu brothers, his pursuers had gathered into groups and searched everywhere for him, leaving him afraid to hide in any one place for too long.

Moreover, whenever these pursuers appeared, there were at least five of them.

The commotion frightened the beasts in the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, and all manner of roars resounded overhead.

Passing a cave, he stopped. Hiding like this was no solution. Without time to replenish his magical power, he would be caught sooner or later.

Light of the Earth illuminated the cave. A black bear lying inside woke at the disturbance and rose from the ground. Spreading its paws, it roared and charged at him, swinging its claws.

Yang Xiao used Shrinking Earth to Inches to dodge. The bear's claws slammed into the ground, leaving a huge hole.

This was a black bear at the Sea Condensation Realm. Yang Xiao immediately assessed its cultivation, and the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope at his waist flew toward it.

Though the bear beast possessed immense strength, it lacked agility. The Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope easily coiled around it and released its poison. Moments later, only a puddle of black liquid remained at the cave entrance.

Yang Xiao connected with the Earth Vein Qi and sealed the entrance. His battle with Huangfu Shenghua had consumed more than half his magical power, so he took out a pile of Earth Vein Crystals to replenish it.

Staying in the cave forever was no solution. Once the Demon Beast Uprising began, he would certainly be discovered. After all, there was no shortage of beasts with keen senses of smell.

After some thought, Yang Xiao decided to head out and look for a solution. If nothing else worked, he would run deeper into the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, get behind the beasts before the Demon Beast Uprising began, then follow them back out.

The moment he emerged from the cave, Yang Xiao froze. A young man wearing a White Cloud Robe floated in the sky, clearly a Heavenly Master Palace disciple.

Their gazes met. Yang Xiao smiled and greeted him while secretly activating the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope. At the same moment, the young man's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Yang Xiao is here!"

"Damn it," Yang Xiao cursed under his breath. His hands kept moving, and the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope wrapped around the man, instantly reducing him to black liquid.

With no time to pick up the Storage Ring on the ground, Yang Xiao used Shrinking Earth to Inches and headed deeper into the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, using the terrain to conceal himself from watching eyes.

He had only taken a few steps when an arriving Heavenly Master Palace disciple spotted him. Another shout rang out. "Yang Xiao is here!"

For an instant, Yang Xiao felt that the entire world was filled with malice toward him. A quick glance revealed several streaks of light flying his way. Those were only the ones he could see; Earth Masters were surely approaching from nearby as well.

Yang Xiao accelerated. No longer caring about conserving magical power, he used Shrinking Earth to Inches and Void Stroll one after another.

Dark clouds gathered overhead, and broad-bean-sized raindrops fell. Thunder rumbled incessantly, and flashes of lightning struck beside him. Every so often, a small mound rose ahead of him, and Yang Xiao stepped through the air to pass over it.

A chorus of pursuing shouts came from behind.

"Yang Xiao, stop right there!"

"Yang Xiao, die!"

Each time, Yang Xiao's determination to escape grew stronger. His feet flew. Whenever he passed a beast den or a pack of beasts, he planted his feet on the earth and lashed out with an Earth Chain first. He did not care whether the beasts vented their fury on him or on his pursuers.

If the beasts attacked his pursuers, he profited. If they attacked him, he would merely have a few more pursuers.

Before long, the attacks coming from behind became more varied. Balls of flame, splashes of venom, and masses of light flew past every few moments, mixed with a few human screams.

He glanced back and quickened his pace, yet burst into laughter.

A pack of beasts had joined the pursuers behind him. As the two groups met, some beasts attacked the people from the Heavenly Master Palace and Earth Master Hall. The two sides tore into each other like dogs, immediately slowing the pursuit.

At this rate, it would not be long before he shook them off.

"Yang Xiao, you brat! Return our Earth Master Hall's Heart of the Earth!" The furious shout startled him. Looking back, he saw a middle-aged man carrying a small mountain and hurling it at him.

Yang Xiao circulated his magical power. An Earth Chain halted the mountain for a second while he moved his feet and slipped out of its attack range.

Until now, his pursuers had all been Sea Condensation Realm disciples. This mountain-throwing expert, however, had reached the Soul Seed Realm. He was an elder of the Earth Master Hall.

Yang Xiao accelerated again. Half a quarter-hour later, he had shaken off most of his pursuers. Only the mountain-throwing expert persisted.

"Only you left." Yang Xiao stopped, turned around, and took out the Thundercloud Fan.

"What, have you given up running? This elder will not spare you, though.

"You dared to kill disciples of my Earth Master Hall. Today, I will drag you back to the hall... and torture you to death." The middle-aged man stopped atop a small mountain, casually drew another small mountain over from afar, and hurled it at him.

"Have you misunderstood something? The one who should be running... is you." Lowering his head, Yang Xiao unleashed his Bloodline power, Peak Demonic Will. Black mist enveloped the man, and scarlet eyes drifted all around him.

"What kind of Bloodline is this? It makes even me, Fu Shan, tremble."

"Yang Xiao, you brat, it seems I cannot let you live today."

Fu Shan located Yang Xiao and threw the small mountain on his shoulder toward him.

"Nine-Thunder Chain Formation!"

Within the black mist, Yang Xiao opened the Thundercloud Fan and traced formations in the air. Nine Nine Thunder Formations flew into the heavens one after another, and black clouds instantly covered a ten-li radius.

The Thundercloud Fan truly deserved its reputation as a high-grade Spirit Artifact specifically for Heavenly Masters. Yang Xiao felt the Nine Thunder Formation's power double, and he had drawn nine of them in an instant.

Nine times nine—eighty-one bolts of lightning tore through the sky and split the small mountain apart. Their remaining power did not dissipate; dozens of bolts continued toward Fu Shan.

"How can your magical power be so immense? Are you a heaven's chosen?" Fu Shi grew somewhat afraid.

A heaven's chosen possessed a Spirit Sea of only a hundred thousand li, while Yang Xiao's spanned a Million Li. Although his magical power currently filled only fifty thousand li of that Spirit Sea, he cultivated the Great Martial Canon, making his magical power nine times purer than that of others at his level.

Fu Shi felt fear for an instant, but he had lived for over a hundred years and possessed ample combat experience. A moment later, he suppressed the terror in his heart, drew up a small mountain, and hurled it forward.

The lightning blasted through the small mountain. Only three bolts remained to strike Fu Shi, leaving three blackened wounds.

"I don't believe you have any magical power left," Fu Shi said. Spiritual light flashed in his right hand, and he gripped a spear. He walked toward Yang Xiao, his aura growing stronger with every step.

Yang Xiao's hand trembled several times around the Thundercloud Fan. This was not fear, but excitement—excitement from his Bloodline.

Just now, when Fu Shi stepped into the black mist, Yang Xiao discovered that he was absorbing the man's magical power. Though the absorption was slow, Fu Shi's magical power was far greater than his, and in the blink of an eye, half of his own power had recovered.

In his previous battles, either he could finish the fight without using Peak Demonic Will, or the black mist's range was too small to reach his opponent.

"Today, you will die!" Yang Xiao shouted coldly. Closing the Thundercloud Fan, he pointed it at the sky. "Heaven's Left Hand!"

Clouds churned, and a palm formed from white clouds slammed downward.

"How can you still have so much magical power?" Fu Shi retreated a step, utterly shaken. But a moment later, he hurled the small mountain on his shoulder into the sky, smashing it toward the enormous hand.

The white-cloud palm seemed to be the hand of heaven itself, descending with the might of heaven and earth. The small mountain instantly exploded beneath it, and it pinned Fu Shi underneath.

Boom!

A gigantic palm print appeared in the earth. As the clouds dispersed, Fu Shi lay on the ground, bloody froth bubbling from his mouth.

Dragging his heavy body over to Fu Shi, Yang Xiao approached him. That palm strike had nearly emptied his magical power. He condensed a Spell Blade and chopped off Fu Shi's head.

After finding Fu Shi's Storage Ring, Yang Xiao sank underground. He fashioned a coffin-sized space, filled the area around him with Earth Vein Crystals, and left two small holes overhead for air to circulate. Then he circulated the Great Martial Canon to restore his magical power.

The sky gradually darkened. The Ten Thousand Peaks Forest was even more dangerous at night, when many fierce beasts emerged.

The soil loosened, and Yang Xiao jumped out. His magical power had recovered two hours earlier, but fearing that pursuers might come, he had remained underground until nightfall.

Night was dangerous for others, but for him now, it was safer.

After fighting Fu Shi, Yang Xiao had a clearer understanding of his strength. Without using the Dragon Horn, he should have no trouble handling ordinary Soul Seed Realm experts.

He retraced his route. Being hunted all the time was not his style. He would take advantage of the darkness to turn the tables and kill his pursuers.

Even cultivators could not see distant objects clearly in the dark.

Yang Xiao stared at the lights ahead. The disciples of the Heavenly Master Palace and Earth Master Hall were truly careless, actually lighting fires in the Ten Thousand Peaks Forest. That could easily attract attacks from beasts.

Drawing a dark cloud over the moon, Yang Xiao slipped toward the camp. Void Stroll kept his feet from touching the ground.

The Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope circled him, then snaked toward a disciple. It instantly wrapped around the man's neck, strangling him so he could not make a sound. Poison invaded his body, instantly turning him into a puddle of black liquid.

The Heavenly Master Palace and Earth Master Hall disciples were at least at the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm, so Yang Xiao moved through the camp with extreme care.

After killing more than a dozen people in the same way, he turned his attention to those moving in pairs.

Both ends of the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope moved, suddenly lashing out and wrapping around the necks of two patrolling disciples.

But before he could act, a shout rang out in the camp.

"Yang Xiao is here!"

Yang Xiao's expression shifted slightly. The missing disciples must have been noticed by the others.

A Spell Blade condensed, and he slit both men's throats. Retrieving the Hundred-Spirit Spider Rope, he left the camp before its occupants could react.