Chapter 450: Fifth World: Mingxia's Lies

Something seemed to have changed in Qie Ranzhe the moment he met the Taoist priest's gaze. It was like he was already on the fence right at the border between crazy and normal and all it took was this to tip him over to the dark side. That is to say, Qie Ranzhe blackened faster than how long it took Anakin Skywalker to blackened to Darth Vader.

The speed at which he awakened the beast within was as fast as making instant potatoes. Just mix that shit in water and boom you have got fluffy potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner in an instant.

He lost everything the day he lost his family but he worked through the grief and picked up the pieces. Two decades later and someone tries to pull the same stunt so how could he let them live?

The Taoist priest felt a suffocating pressure looming over his head with each step Qie Ranzhe took towards him. He was walking towards him unhurriedly but at this moment it felt like he was taking forever swaggering over in arrogant steps. His eyes were blazing murderously holding the Taoist priest in place.

Feeling the shadow of death cast upon him he readied himself to fight to the death. He still had unfinished business with Zhao Zhi so how could he not fight for his life. He had failed in his duty and needed a second try so he summoned his other ring back. With a swoosh, the ring came back up from the bottom of the lake returning to its owner but as it passed Qie Ranzhe it was suddenly seized.

This startled the Taoist priest so much that he staggered a little watching such a scene. Touching those rings was equivocal to seeking death that is if anyone other than himself touched them. This was a divine artefact after all but right now Qie Ranzhe was holding it without any issues.

These rings only recognized one master that is to say one master bestowed by the heavens. When their previous master dies they ascend to the gods above till they are appointed a new master. They were legendary because it took over a thousand years for the rings of death to get a new master.

Everyone knew never to touch those sharp rings unless they were tired of living but right now Qie Ranzhe was holding that ring with a smirk on his face. He lifted his other hand and sure enough, the other ring left the Taoist priest's hand recognizing its new master.

This was simply unbelievable. It seemed the Taoist priest was demoted right in front of his subordinates with absolutely no room for negotiations. The Taoist priest didn't even get a chance to process how he felt about this when the same rings were used to attack him.

The rings were ablaze as they tore the Taoist priest's arms off cleanly. His body fell back a few feet due to the impact. He couldn't believe it. Did this mean the heavens were displeased with him and replaced him? But Qie Ranzhe was harbouring evil so how could he be his replacement. This was like a company director being replaced by a recent graduate with no experience but a long rap sheet of petty crimes.

The Taoist priest struggled to get up and when he finally managed to get on his knees he was suddenly beheaded with his head rolling towards Dai Yu an innocent bystander. She screamed while jumping on the nearby Shao Lan into a princess carry. She talks big all day but this was a little too real for her. She didn't mind blood but rolling heads were too creepy.

Shao Lan dropped her like a hot potato with a chaotic mind. Their sect leader had just killed a prominent figure in the cultivation world. Everyone knew not to mess with these monks chosen by the heavens but Qie Ranzhe just killed their leader without hesitation. Because of this, he could smell trouble from a mile away.

If he knew Qie Ranzhe would do this he would have stopped him but now that the carton of milk had a hole in it there was no way of putting the milk back. He was loyal to his sect leader no matter how detrimental his decisions were. This is why he didn't hesitate to drive his sword into the monk he was fighting when Qie Ranzhe said, "Kill them all!"

Qie Ranzhe walked to the lake and crouched down touching the water with his fingertips disturbing the calm surface. It seemed like he was waiting for them to return like a puppy impatiently waiting for the humans to come back from whatever it is they do during the day.

Well, he was bound to wait for a very long time. If he didn't take matters into his own hands then he would wait forever. That is when he recalled he had put a tracking talisman on the man with a red demon mask when they fought the mist of death. 

Qie Ranzhe concentrated on finding the culprit. Even if he was under a rock or at the core of the earth, there was no place he could hide from Qie Ranzhe. And once he found him, Qie Ranzhe stood up to leave. He had no time to waste intending to head straight to the Zhao sect. Whoever wore that mask that night was currently in the Zhao sect.

Just as he stood up, Machu suddenly threw Mingxia to the ground beside Qie Ranzhe. As her body slammed to the ground she let out a silent whimper. "She says she has something very important to say," said Machu while folding his arms across his chest glaring at her.

"Speak," said Qie Ranzhe with his hands behind his back in an imposing stance. Mingxia quivered as she struggled to get on her knees. "I, I sa-saw Zhao Zhi open the barrier. He, he said he didn't want the rest of the sect to suffer so he, he opened it to hand himself over," she said terrified out of her mind.

Qie Ranzhe was especially upset today surrounded by a grim aura. She had a feeling that if she told the truth then she would die here today. But no one bought into her lie. Self-sacrifice is a good concept but not a lot people can do it especially Zhao Zhi not unless Qie Xieling was in trouble.

"Machu, what is our sect rule on lying?" asked Qie Ranzhe staring at Mingxia who kept her eyes lowered shaking like a leaf. She dared lie to him then she deserved to be punished.

Machu grinned while saying, "We cut off their tongue and throw them into the dark forest for the spiritual beasts to tear them apart limb from limb." This was the law though no one had ever been subjected to such a horrible punishment.