Lu Zhenxing had always been deeply resentful of his stubbornness and unrepentant nature. He believed that even if it wasn’t due to past grievances, he was doing it for Lu Chengsha’s sake. The demon cult witch approaching him must have ulterior motives, harboring malicious intentions, aiming to harm him. No matter how he thought about it, it had to be this way, so he never felt he was wrong.
He never considered for a moment that the demon cult witch might genuinely care, and he thought that there was no good person in the demon cult.
But now, Lu Zhenxing suddenly wasn’t so sure anymore.
That young girl was holding Lu Chengsha’s hand, her cheeks flushed. She had been so arrogant in front of him just now, but now she appeared shy, constantly tucking her hair behind her ears with her fingers as if to cover it up. The corners of her mouth slightly curled up, but she didn’t dare to show too much happiness.
It was like she had just fallen in love.
Lu Huaixian had also gone through such a phase before deciding to break off the engagement. She always seemed very cheerful, even smiling to herself in a daze. When Lu Zhenxing asked her what was going on, she would just shake her head and smile, saying it was nothing. But that joyful spirit was unmistakable. Lu Zhenxing thought it was Bai Hengjue who was making her happy, and he felt quite relieved at the time. Thinking back now, if he had asked more questions, tried to understand more, paid more attention…
Even if he hadn’t so heartlessly severed ties with her, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
Lu Zhenxing’s grip on the Unyielding Sword tightened slightly. He was about to speak when suddenly someone shouted, “Lu Zhusheng, that demon, is escaping towards Baiya Peak!”
They saw a figure in bright red darting quickly towards Baiya Peak, followed closely by a figure in pale blue.
It seemed that he and Xu Bujing were evenly matched for the moment, so he decided not to waste any more time and headed straight up.
Down below, there were only a limited number of disciples. If he truly managed to reach the top, where there were elderly, women, children, and some ordinary people responsible for meals and daily chores who didn’t know martial arts, the massacre he could cause was unthinkable.
Several other figures followed suit.
Hua Yan and Lu Chengsha exchanged a glance.
Now was actually a very inopportune time, but it was rare for Lu Zhenxing to have his mindset shaken by Lu Huaixian’s matter. She couldn’t wait any longer and pulled Lu Chengsha over. But now… she regretfully said, “Let’s go up too! We can talk after we’ve dealt with this…”
She hadn’t finished speaking when Lu Zhenxing spoke first.
Lu Zhenxing’s voice was indifferent, without any discernible emotion, “If you want to marry, just marry. Do you think I can still stop you?”
After he finished speaking, he seemed to slowly come back to his senses, looking complicatedly at Baiya Peak.
***
The situation on Baiya Peak was worse than imagined.
Yin Xiangsi had arrived first. She had come to seek Bai Yujiang a few times before and was somewhat familiar with the place. Her Qinggong (lightness skill) was excellent, allowing her to evade capture. Moreover, when setting up the Sword-seeking Tournament venue, Jiang Louyue, or rather Lu Zhusheng, had hidden many dormant Gu insects for her.
In the realm of poison and Gu, no one could rival Yin Xiangsi.
She held a witch’s flute, entirely emerald green, long and cold, like a venomous snake. Yin Xiangsi slowly placed it to her lips and began to play. The flute seemed to produce no sound, but in reality, it emitted a tone only the Gu insects could hear.
They were awakened and would seek out nearby hosts, invading the bodies of those around and causing them to fall into a deep sleep.
Yin Xiangsi could choose to wake people up or kill them directly, without even needing to lift a finger. She had enough male attendants to do these tasks for her; all she needed to do was select her prey.
As the pursuers following Lu Zhusheng entered Baiya Peak, they saw an imposing, high-ceilinged gate made of marble, resembling a celestial palace. Inside, they were met with a ground littered with corpses. There were no signs of struggle or combat, just simple throat slashes.
The simplicity of the scene heightened their wariness.
No one knew how these people had died.
Hua Yan could see through it at a glance. She grabbed Lu Chengsha and said, “Be careful, don’t stray too far from me.”
She regretted not bringing Xiao Hei along to protect Lu Chengsha.
Unexpectedly, Lu Chengsha replied, “Hmm, I won’t.”
Hua Yan’s face turned slightly red. Since Lu Zhenxing had agreed, he was now following even more closely.
She casually scattered some insect-repellent powder and could already hear the sounds of fighting in the nearby palace rooms.
The two quickened their pace.
Baiya Peak was perpetually covered in snow, and they loved the color white. Hence, the sect’s halls were filled with white brick walls and porcelain white high pillars. Even the drapes on the window frames were pure snowy white, swaying in the cold wind. Unfortunately, many of them were now splattered with blood.
The scene was horrific.
Unlike the bodies at the gate, these corpses bore sword wounds that were broad and deep, some even slain by extremely sharp sword energy.
Hua Yan had thought Xu Bujing could at least hold Lu Zhusheng off for a while. She hadn’t expected him to go on such a rampage.
As they approached the palace, the smell of blood grew stronger. Corpses were scattered from the entrance, stretching inside like a battlefield from hell. Hua Yan’s expression remained calm, but Lu Chengsha stopped her and said, “I’ll go.”
He stepped forward, prepared to face whatever awaited them inside.
Under normal circumstances, Hua Yan might have agreed to stay back, but given the situation, she was too worried about Lu Chengsha to leave his side. Steeling herself, she said, “I’m not that scared…” After a moment’s thought, she added, “When I’m with you, I’m not as afraid.”
Hua Yan didn’t mean to, but her words came out with a hint of vulnerability.
Lu Chengsha paused, then firmly grasped Hua Yan’s hand, holding it tightly as if afraid to lose her.
Hua Yan steadied herself and stepped inside, only to be greeted by a man’s agonized scream.
The situation inside was worse than imagined. Xu Bujing, who was supposed to be fighting Lu Zhusheng, was injured, leaning against the wall with his sword, clutching his chest. Several sect leaders stood nearby, hesitant to approach.
Lu Zhusheng was stepping on the leg of a disheveled man whose arm was already broken. He was drenched in cold sweat and covered in blood.
The screams came from him.
Hua Yan squinted and recognized him as Bai Yujiang.
Now in a state of utter disgrace, he was unrecognizable from the elegant nobleman in white he once was. This fallen prodigy, once the pride of the sect, had made one wrong move and was now reduced to this. Ordinarily, she might have felt pity, but Hua Yan vividly remembered that if it weren’t for his repeated accusations of Lu Chengsha colluding with the demon cult, Lu Chengsha wouldn’t have been imprisoned or punished.
But now, there was no satisfaction to be found, as the Bai Yujiang before her was a shadow of his former self.
Lu Zhusheng applied more pressure with his foot, and Bai Yujiang’s screams intensified. The sound of his leg bones snapping was clearly audible. Lu Zhusheng’s face remained impassive, as if he were merely crushing an insect. He was dressed in red, and though it was hard to tell how much blood stained his clothes, the blood on his face and hands made it clear he was drenched in it. His long sword, its hilt covered in blood, attested to the carnage.
Several elders from Baiya Peak lay dead on the ground, having tried and failed to rescue Bai Yujiang. The surviving elders, severely injured, could only watch in horror as Lu Zhusheng carried out his atrocities.
They had little affection for Bai Henghuan, but the handsome young man who grew up before their eyes had earned the sect’s recognition. Bai Yujiang had once been the epitome of Baiya Peak’s ideals.
“Lu Zhusheng! He’s already been ruined by you! Can’t you let him go?”
“Lu Zhusheng! Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution for this?”
Lu Zhusheng sneered at their words. “Why wasn’t Bai Hengjue struck by lightning? I had to kill him myself. Save your breath. I’ll be killing you all soon.”
With that, he stepped down on Bai Yujiang’s other leg. The first leg was already a mangled mess, bones crushed, and the horrifying sound alone was enough to instill fear.
The abbot of Fanyin Temple, Master Ciren, was also injured and said, “Benefactor Lu, what is the point of this? No matter how much you hate Bai Hengjue, he is already dead. Continuing like this only adds to your sins.”
As he spoke, he lifted his staff, attempting to rescue Bai Yujiang. Xu Bujing understood and the two of them attacked Lu Zhusheng together.
It was then that Hua Yan noticed a blood-red mark on Lu Zhusheng’s forehead. She was stunned and realized it was the “Fengrao Tian” Gu. Back at the Sword-seeking Tournament You Weitian had nearly overpowered Lu Chengsha because he had been infected with this Gu. The “Fengrao Tian” Gu could greatly enhance the host’s potential but would also erode the brain. Someone like Yin Xiangsi, who cherished her life, would never use it, but Lu Zhusheng…
Even with Xu Bujing and Master Ciren working together, they were no match for Lu Zhusheng, who effortlessly suppressed them with a single hand wielding his sword. His eyes were icy cold. An elder from Baiya Peak seized the opportunity to try and lift Bai Yujiang, but Lu Zhusheng noticed and kicked the elder aside, causing him to spit blood and lose consciousness.
Simultaneously, his sword energy surged, and the mark on his forehead grew redder, as if about to bleed.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but warn, “He has activated a Gu that enhances his power. You won’t be able to defeat him now.”
Before her words even finished, Xu Bujing and Master Ciren had already been knocked to the ground again.
Lu Zhusheng turned back to look at Bai Yujiang, who lay on the ground biting his lip to endure the pain, his mouth full of blood. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he said, “I forgot he still has one more leg. No wonder you’re so reluctant to give up on him. Well then…”
As he spoke, he stepped down, crushing something into a pulp. Bai Yujiang passed out immediately, whether from pain or despair.
Lu Zhusheng’s tone held a hint of satisfaction, “People like Bai Hengjue should have been wiped out long ago.”
They had indeed thought that although Bai Yujiang had lost his martial arts, he was still alive, and an heir could be cultivated. Their reluctance to abandon Bai Yujiang stemmed partly from this reason. But Lu Zhusheng had now crushed that hope completely.
Lying on the ground, Xu Bujing said to Hua Yan, “Young lady, thank you. I can see there’s something wrong with him. Is there a way to neutralize the Gu?”
Hua Yan responded directly, “Attack his forehead. If the Gu dies, the problem is solved.”
“But we need to hit it first.” Lu Zhusheng said casually, then flashed in front of an injured Baiya Peak elder. With a sword pinning the elder’s knee, he said, “How many people are left in Baiya Peak? I need to count how long it will take to slaughter all of you.”
The elder spat in his face, saying, “Even if I die, I will…”
“Then let me grant your wish.” Lu Zhusheng slit his throat with another sword stroke. “If he won’t talk, someone else will. Let me ask another.”
His tone was casual, as if making small talk.
But with the ground covered in corpses he had created, it was truly terrifying.
The remaining people from Baiya Peak had been slaughtered. Lu Zhusheng picked up the unconscious, severely injured Bai Yujiang and dashed outside. Despite their own serious injuries, the others couldn’t help but follow.