96 We will stop him

There was a thick barrier of spells that coated the stairs but the key helped Yuan Xuelan advance unimpeded. The top floor was open to the gusting winds outside, with no walls to separate the interior from the balcony.

An array was painted into the floor and eight ceramic urns stood around the open space in a wide circle with Zhao Fanyu at its center.

Under normal circumstances, Yuan Xuelan might have been more interested in the details of the spells and set up around him, but he narrowed his focus on the Wayward Wind Sect Leader that stood quietly at the center of everything.

"What's all this about?" He shouted, raising his voice about the howling winds that whipped their hair in chaotic waves.

Zhao Fanyu did not answer. He did not look up either and when Yuan Xuelan took in his countenance, all he saw was a man dead on his feet.

Was Zhao Fanyu a corpse as well? He looked no better than one. But no, this Sect Leader Zhao was very much alive. He raised his hand and flicked his wrist, sending an enchanted string striking at Yuan Xuelan.

Yuan Xuelan cursed as he reached down for Silei's hilt. But it wasn't necessary because Huo Tang was there as well. A protective shell of divine flames enveloped them and Yuan Xuelan felt almost breathless from the amount of spiritual energy drawn out of him.

Huo Tang was shrouded in a golden light and took her human form as a majestic goddess dressed in the finest red silks. Her eyes were sharp with flickers of flame dancing within. "Such a simple toy shan't even pose a threat to this divine one."

"Hey!" Yuan Xuelan shouted at her with displeasure, "Can't you be a bit mindful!? Do you think I'm some sort of free well of spiritual energy?"

The way she was glaring down at him told him 'yes' and Yuan Xuelan was seriously regretting forming a contract with this hateful bird.

Zhao Fanyu had no care for their bickering and threw out more strings. This time, they coiled across the room, taking strange paths to avoid Huo Tang. She clicked her teeth impatiently and summoned more divine fire, ignoring Yuan Xuelan's complaints. "I told you to stop doing that!"

Despite his annoyance and arguing, Yuan Xuelan did not waste time drawing his sword and rushing at Zhao Fanyu while an opening was being created by the phoenix. Zhao Fanyu was slower than when he fought Hui Moxiang but he was still faster than a regular person and was able to avoid Silei's edge without difficulty.

Yuan Xuelan cursed as he only caught a sliver of Sect Leader Zhao's fabric. But the younger was quick to twist around into another strike, only for his forearm to be met halfway with Zhao Fanyu's arm, cutting his momentum short. Yuan Xuelan managed to catch the glisten of steel string under the sparkle of sunlight.

Huo Tang appeared behind Zhao Fanyu and launched a high kick, forcing him to disengage with Yuan Xuelan to counter her instead. Xuelan cursed and had to use this opportunity to cut down the offending string that was coiling around in the air around him, threatening to slice into his flesh. He missed a strand that cut into his arm as though it were rice cake.

With the phoenix at his side, they were able to drive Zhao Fanyu back.

Yuan Xuelan couldn't escape all the edges of string and the damned Zhao Fanyu was unexpectedly skilled at hand-to-hand combat and landed a few too many blows. But Yuan Xuelan was resilient. He bit down the pain and fought back, creating openings for Huo Tang to strike.

She landed a power kick that sent Sect Leader Zhao flying into one of the wooden pillars that held up the roof.

A large crack resounded as his back hit the pillar. Zhao Fanyu coughed from the impact, red dribbled down his lips.

"Feel like talking yet?" Yuan Xuelan taunted, knowing that despite Zhao Fanyu's enhanced physical prowess, they had the upper hand.

He should have known better than to expect an answer. When Sect Leader Zhao looked up, it was almost as if he was looking past them, rather than at them. Yuan Xuelan felt a chill down his spine, one that told him this man cared little about his own life or death or even the pain he was currently suffering.

Surely, Zhao Fanyu was insane. And Yuan Xuelan wondered if the monster that haunted him in his nightmare was similar to this pathetic man in front of him? Hollow and uncaring, desperate but resigned.

Zhao Fanyu's hands were shaking but he plucked out another golden pill from his clothes. This one, similar to the last one he ate but instead bore a sparkling golden light. Even Yuan Xuelan could tell that it wasn't something that should be ingested so carelessly but Zhao Fanyu did exactly that. And popped it into his mouth.

Soon a powerful force enveloped the Wayward Wind Sect Leader. But it also caused him to double over and groan in pain. More blood was expelled from his lips. Yuan Xuelan didn't like the looks of things and steadied his stance.

Huo Tang watched the scene with her eyes narrowed. It was pity that pulled her lips downward. "Fool," she chided their foe, "Do you not care for your own life?"

Zhao Fanyu looked at her, his expression empty. It was answer enough.

Yuan Xuelan wasn't even given the chance to react when Zhao Fanyu suddenly appeared in front of his face. He flinched and cursed awkwardly before a powerful fist his chest and sent him flying. A white pain exploded through his body when he slammed into one of the urns that were cemented into the floor. There was the sound of something cracking. But luckily he hadn't been tossed right off the railing!

But when he tried to breathe, it was sharp and Yuan Xuelan was certain that his ribs were not in good shape.

Huo Tang engaged Zhao Fanyu but found his strength even greater than hers. His speed was a match as well, and the only thing she could barely claim above him was her nimbleness and flexibility. And while she was excited to use her holy flames again, it actually was not her intention to sabotage the rude-boy.

She summoned a small fire that danced on top of Yuan Xuelan's chest. He was startled by it at first but calmed when he realized the fire did not burn and instead the pain was easing. It did not heal him fully but enough to get him bouncing back up on his feet without too much effort.

He gritted his teeth in frustration.

But just as he was able to stand again, Zhao Fanyu left Huo Tang and rushed toward him a second time.

With luck, he was able to block in time with Silei. But he was still slow. And Zhao Fanyu's grappling hands reached for his chest. His heart throbbed in his ear and Yuan Xuelan was high on adrenaline. He twisted himself out of Zhao Fanyu's fingers, uncaring if his robes tore.

He hadn't expected for Zhao Fanyu to pluck out the pouch with the jade key from inside his clothes though.

"What the--" Yuan Xuelan was a little stunned but also a little confused. Why did Zhao Fanyu need the key? Was it something Yuan Xuelan should have defended more carefully?

Zhao Fanyu backed off and took his place back in the middle of the room. The wind howled loudly. Seven more pouches fell from his sleeves, revealing seven jade keys. Eight in total.

They vibrated with power and slowly began to float before shooting into the urns that surrounded the room. Huo Tang cursed and shot a burst of divine flame at one of the urns. But whatever strange and rare material it was made of resisted even her divine fire.

Sect Leader Zhao raised his hand in a seal and his eyes fluttered closed. A thick barrier glowed and sparkled around him. A low chant escaped his lips as the array on the ground began to shine.

Huo Tang could tell that the spell wasn't necessarily fatal or dangerous. But she had good reason to believe it wasn't wise to allow Zhao Fanyu to complete it.

"We need to stop him!" She said as she charged towards Zhao Fanyu. Rings of fire surrounded her leg before she used it to kick at the shining barrier.

"You don't need to tell me that!" Yuan Xuelan shouted before he too raised Silei and struck at Zhao Fanyu's barrier.

But the two of them barely made a dent!

"Do not fret," Huo Tang said, her voice calm despite sweat beading at her pale brow, "We must persist and not give up. We will stop him!"

Yuan Xuelan clenched his teeth but followed her lead. He backed away, remembering he still had some of those talismans filled with resentful energy from the corpse they fought on the first floor.

"Move out of the way!" He called out in warning before unleashing a barrage on that golden barrier.

It wavered but didn't dissipate. They will have to use even more force.

But just when they thought Zhao Fanyu was the extent of their problems, there was the groan of the undead that inched up from the stairwell…

Yuan Xuelan paused and for a moment he thought he was hearing things.

But Huo Tang heard it as well and veered her gaze toward the staircase before five of those sword-wielding ghouls sauntered out.

A familiar voice was carried by the wind, "A-Zhang… I really don't want to fight you! So…if you can just leave… I promise I won't bring you any harm."

Ah. It was that voice.

The voice that grew a dark flower of hatred and anger in Xuelan's heart and then he remembered how he still needed a head to offer up as an apology.

Peng Jipei was not expecting the dark venomous words that Yuan Xuelan shot back, "So you've come, Peng-ge. Come down here you shit-eating coward. Come down here and I will gut you as penance for all the crimes you've committed!"

No answer came, Peng Jipei was silent in his hiding spot. He was not fearful, rather, he was only stunned by his cousin's angry declaration. Out of all people in the world, A-Zhang should have been a person that could understand his actions! After all, they were the same! The same type of person that worshiped their loved ones but had no love for anyone else.

So why…

But he did not dwell on it. If A-Zhang wanted his head, Peng Jipei wouldn't allow it. If he were dead, he wouldn't be able to spend more precious time with his dear mother!

"It will pay to focus on your surroundings, rude-boy!" Huo Tang warned as the corpses suddenly lunged at them with swords pointed forth.

…

Outside the Wayward Wind Temple, things were deceptively calm. There were strangely no more animated corpses waddling around. Where they've gone, Liu Sumeng and Li Zheng couldn't begin to guess. But they didn't have time to mind those details and instead hopped onto their flying swords.

Li Zheng knew the location on the map and did not need its guidance to go to their destination.

It was an old watchtower that once loomed over the lands to monitor demonic and devilish activity. Since the Waxing Moon Tragedy, it hadn't been maintained and was mostly forgotten about by the few people left in the Wayward Wind Sect.

And now there would be even fewer people to remember its existence.

The sun was high, barely past noon, and outlined the tower's silhouette in the distance with its bright rays. Li Zheng led the Ivory Sword Saint to it as quickly as he could, caring little about the exhaustion that haste might bring. There had to be a reason why Zhao-ge was sending them there…

Li Zheng refused to give up on his trust in Zhao Fanyu.

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