That was the sound of a weapon breaking!
All those present hastily looked to where the sound came from, and saw the scimitar on Hua
Cheng’s hand was fine, but the long sword wielded by White No-Face had been snapped in half
by Hua Cheng’s strike!
The eyeball on the scimitar E-Ming saw Xie Lian, and spun crazily in crackles, looking like it had
showed itself off in front of Xie Lian and was feeling so happy it was going to ascend. Hua
Cheng laughed heartily and said easily, “It’s fine. There’s no need for gege to worry.” Then he
rebutted White No-Face, “And why do I have to care for the likes of you?”
White No-Face humphed, and Guoshi couldn’t hold back anymore, afraid Hua Cheng was going
to provoke his opponent, “YOUNG MAN, DON’T BE SO COCKY!”
Yet unexpectedly, what Hua Cheng said next was even more audacious and brazen. Wielding
the sabre singlehandedly, its sharp luster brilliant, he pointed it at White No-Face, smiling, “After
all, in the end you’re nothing more than an addled old fart with a heart filled with jealousy.”
Nevermind Guoshi who had lost all energy to berate his fake smile, both Feng Xin and Mu Qing
were stunned too: this man’s way to gutsy!
Who would dare say such a thing to either Jun Wu or White No-Face’s faces?!
But, they all had to admit that only Hua Cheng would dare to say those words, since, he was
probably the only one who could say those things and Jun Wu or White No-Face could still do
nothing to him!
Mu Qing got off on his own, walked a few steps, and mumbled, “No wonder, in the past… when
it came to Crimson Rain Sought Flower, Jun Wu always said to avoid him if we can, and not to
face him head on.”
Right then, a ball of white shadow flashed by, blocking in front of the point of E-Ming’s blade. Xie
Lian’s eyes were sharp, and saw clearly what that creature was, “San Lang, don’t cut that thing!”
It was the fetus spirit!
He saw it, so naturally Hua Cheng saw it too, and the point of the blade veered, withdrawing at
will, changing the slashing motion to flicking, flinging that ball of white creature away. Feng Xin
had his pupils shrink earlier, and only snapped out of it when he saw that fetus spirit wasn’t
chopped into two, “COME HERE!”
The direction Hua Cheng had flung that fetus spirit was exactly towards him. Feng Xin rushed
up to reach for it, but there weren’t many hairs on its head in the first place, and with his shout
the hairs all stood, angry gurgling coming from its throat. The moment Feng Xin went up it
chomped at him like mad incessantly, refusing to let him pick it up. Feng Xin couldn’t help but be
outraged, ‘FUCKING HELL! WHEN IT SEES HIM IT STICKS ON, WHEN IT SEES ME IT
BITES, JUST WHO IS YOUR DAD HERE??”
Mu Qing however, commented cooly, “Have you ever taken it for your son? Have you ever
called its name properly?”
Hearing this, Feng Xin was taken aback, “I…”
On the other end, Xie Lian couldn’t stay still watching the battle, and hastily instructed, “The two
of you be careful, I’ll go and see!”
Mu Qing said quietly, “You be careful yourself! Don’t forget, you still have two bands on your
person…”
Xie Lian was slightly taken aback, and unconsciously touched his neck, feeling that cursed
shackle. But, for some reason, he felt White No-Face wouldn’t use the cursed shackle to
threaten him. There wasn’t any more time to parse words, and he rushed forward. On the other
side, one flash of red and one flash of white were steeped in a vicious battle, and after
observing for a moment, Xie Lian determined it was hard to recklessly join the chaotic fight.
RuoYe was whipped out and Guoshi was wrapped and pulled over, “Master! Are you alright?”
Guoshi wiped his face full of cold sweat, “…Fine!”
“If you’re fine then why are you sweating so heavily?” Xie Lian questioned.
“Isn’t it all thanks to that Crimson Rain Sought Flower the little bastard with no filter on his
mouth! What a fright!!!” Guoshi berated.
Just then, they heard Feng Xin give a surprised shout. Xie Lian raised his head and looked over,
and saw White No-Face was slowly dropping a hand.
One of his arms was injured.
He flipped his palm open, saw his own hand covered with blood, and sighed, chuckling, “…It’s
been many years since anyone has managed to hurt me like this.”
Xie Lian felt a sense of foreboding and asked, “Master, is he… mad?”
Guoshi could be considered as the only one in the world who understood White No-Face the
best right now, “No… it’s worse than anger. He’s… happy.”
After a pause, White No-Face turned to Hua Cheng, and asked, his voice full of curiosity, “Your
scimitar, was it forged by that missing eye of yours?”
It was obvious Hua Cheng had no interest in responding, but Xie Lian’s heart jumped violently.
From the first time he saw E-Ming he knew that this scimitar must be unusual, but he had only
half guessed that perhaps it was forged from the eye Hua Cheng lost. White No-Face’s voice
was so confident, could that really be true?
Guoshi’s brows knitted, and after a moment, he suddenly spoke up, “Oh, I remember now.”
“What do you remember?” Xie Lian asked.
“I remember that they’ve told me of an incident.” Guoshi said, “Many hundreds of years ago, a
vicious ghost had come to Mount TongLu.”
“I’m sure there’s at least a million vicious ghosts that have paid a visit to Mount TongLu.” Mu
Qing said.
“DON’T INTERRUPT!” Guoshi exclaimed, “—That vicious ghost, the time it took to form was
very short, very young, and when it had come, it was almost ready to dissipate completely, yet
for some reason it held on and drifted here.”
For some reason, Xie Lian’s heart was thumping like mad, “Almost dissipated completely? How
come?”
“It seemed to have suffered a great damage.” Guoshi replied, “Its soul was pretty much all
scattered, and it wasn’t very conscient either, but it still floated along, repeating again and again
that it wouldn’t leave, it wouldn’t leave. Probably because his wish hadn’t been fulfilled. Anyway,
that year when Mount TongLu opened, an accident happened.”
When Xie Lian heard “It wouldn’t leave”, his heart softened for some reason, but also squeezed
at the same time. He then immediately asked, “What accident?”
“Within Mount TongLu, not only did millions of ghosts gather, a group of live mortals who had
accidentally intruded were also locked inside.”
“What?!”
“There are nothing but monsters and demons inside TongLu, the common people can’t break
out at all, and could only suffer the fate of becoming nutrients. However, for whatever reason,
that vicious ghost, in its state of muddledness, took that large group of live mortals under its
wing and fled for many days. In the end, they were still surrounded by millions of ghosts,
trapped in a dead end, and it was going to be eaten along with those humans.”
Xie Lian knew that this lonesome, drifting feral ghost must have been Hua Cheng!
“And then?” He pushed, “Was there a way to break away to safety?”
“Yes.” Guoshi replied, “Forge a blood weapon, and kill to break the siege.”
Mu Qing still couldn’t help but chip in, “Then wouldn’t the easiest sacrifice be…”
Wouldn’t it be those humans that fell into the state of devastation!
Feng Xin and Mu Qing looked to White No-Face and Hua Cheng who were completely focused
in their vicious battle, “Did… did he…”
Xie Lian also held his breath. Guoshi said, “En. He made a move.”
Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s expressions all became unreadable. Xie Lian however, didn’t move a
muscle, and only waited for Guoshi to continue. Sure enough, Guoshi answered his anticipation,
“He made a move. In a fit of madness, it dug out one of its own eyes.”
“…”
Guoshi continued, “That vicious ghost almost made a move against those humans, but for some
reason, in the end it didn’t, and instead used one of its own eyes as the price to forge a blood
weapon. That vicious ghost was forcibly hanging on with a last breath, and after digging out its
eye it should’ve broken apart completely. Yet somehow something had shocked it, and it instead
woke to its senses completely. Who knows what kind of wicked device it’s forged that actually
carried it through that battle. And, there was another curious incident.”
Xie Lian tried to force himself to calm, “W-What incident?”
“Apparently, after that battle, the heavens sent forth a heavenly calamity, and it struck straight
into Mount TongLu.” Guoshi, “Do you understand what that means?”
Was there any need to explain what it meant?
To have a heavenly calamity be sent forth, it meant, the heavens believed there was someone
who was worthy to ascend within Mount TongLu.
Xie Lian grabbed Guoshi, “Who was it? Who ascended??”
“This is all hearsay.” Guoshi said, “But, there wasn’t any heavenly officials in the Upper Court
that came from Mount TongLu. Either what I heard was purely fabricated, or…”
The one who ascended jumped back down, and rejected the heavenly realm!
Mu Qing couldn’t accept this at all, and was perplexed, “To ascend as a ghost? There’s such a
thing? And it refused its ascension and jumped back down?? It can’t be him, can it? He only just
entered Mount TongLu then, he hadn’t even reached the rank of Supreme!! Jumping down just
like that… he didn’t even know if he’d survive! Why did he do this??”
Why had he gone to such extremes??
Suddenly, Xie Lian heard White No-Face sigh, “Xian Le, you have a very faithful believer.”
Before he finished, a cracked cry-smiling mask abruptly appeared before Xie Lian’s eyes.
Xie Lian had never expected White No-Face could actually approach to mere inches away in
the breath of an instant, and his eyes cleanly reflected his reflection. RuoYe shot up like it was
furious, ready to strike, but in the end it still shrank back.
It couldn’t be blamed, since RuoYe had always been very intelligent. When it determined that its
attack would be ineffective, it would give up voluntarily.
White No-Face seemed to have smiled a bit since that cry-smiling mask’s crack had become
deeper.
The next second, the blade point of E-Ming brushed against his neck.
But it was late by a step; White No-Face had already dodged away.
He flashed and appeared on the highest point of where the Heaven Crossing Bridge ended, and
slightly lifted his hand, “No need to be nervous, I was only taking back what was mine.”
In his hand was a long sword that was completely pitch black and frigid like cold jade, a silver
thread crossing down the heart of the sword. Xie Lian subconsciously twisted his hand to feel
his back, and sure enough, Fang Xin that was carried on his back was gone.
Fang Xin was originally the sacred sword of the Crown Prince of WuYong. White No-Face had
retrieved what had belonged to him.
One piece, two pieces, three pieces. That tragically pale mask was flaking off one piece at a
time until finally, it thoroughly fell, revealing the face behind the mask. Within the burning flames,
that white robe also transformed into white armour.
At last, “White No-Face” had taken off his mask, and transformed into “Jun Wu”.
Everyone held their breaths, high on guard.
There was no need to guess. In this form, he must be even stronger.
————–