Chapter 146: The Black Tiger (11)

Chapter 146: The Black Tiger (11)

The gold tassels produce a faint sound as Yu Shun moves slightly, tilting his head in my owners direction. His emotionless expression makes it difficult to read his mind, and his mannerisms also do not give me any significant clues.

There is a feminine beauty about Yu Shun a clear sign of his deep cultivation base. The rumor that he was on the verge of advancing to the Nascent Soul realm was not exaggerated. To me, his dantian appears to be full, nearly bursting. I can sense a Gold Core within his dantian that is also of a pristine grade.

You are still alive, he says with a quiet, monotone voice.

Wu Yulan is equally as transfixed as Lan Xiaohui is; she is both frozen in fear but also unable to look away from this extravagant individual. Even in stillness, his bloodied sword exudes an extreme air of tyranny and domination, and most of all, certain death. I can almost taste every death that sword has inflicted, and the number must be in the hundreds now.

If Yu Shun were my owner instead of Lan Xiaohui, where would we be now?

I heard that these lowlifes have been harassing Yun Fei, Yu Shun says, turning his head to nod at the door and the person behind it. Since we will be in the same sect and of equal rank, I thought I would solve her little problem for her. You dont mind that I stepped in?

Little problem. To Yu Shun, slaughtering half a dozen people going by the number of body parts in the corridor and the amount of blood must be exactly that. Just a little problem. I find this a rather admirable outlook.

But to Yu Shun, this does not constitute an act of evil; there is no lack of righteousness in his words and heart; taking life is merely an act of accelerating nature. In this case, the nature that Yu Shun paints with his sword is a jungle in which cultivators exist to fight and die until one supreme being emerges.

After a moment, Yu Shun shows his first emotion anger as he narrows his eyes at my owner. Xiaohui, he says. I asked you a question.

My owner blinks, gulping in a breath when she is addressed, and then shakes her head. I dont mind is all she can say. They are not even the words she wants to say, but I can feel the warping in her heart and the dominion that fear has over her.

Here, he stands before her, the object of her vengeance, hatred, passion, and obsession, yet she is unable to move of her own will or speak her true mind.

Is it because this meeting was unexpected and she was unprepared? Would she, under different circumstances, have the freedom to act differently?

Yu Shuns gaze falls on my vessel briefly, and as my owner consciously moves me to hide my form behind hers, he speaks. It is different now, but I recognize that sword. His gaze rises to meet Lan Xiaohuis. There was a time when I was obsessed with it like I have been obsessed with you. It seems like a lifetime ago that I possessed both of you.

It is those words that remind my owner what she has come to this city for the reason why she dragged her corpse out of that forest, and set down on a path of destruction. Lan Xiaohuis killing intent rises from the deepest, frozen pit in her heart and sheds its brilliance into her being its blinding, bloodthirsty brilliance.

Yu Shun smiles, suddenly, perhaps sensing this killing intent.

Dont! Wu Yulan yells. Dont die for nothing!

Let me go! Lan Xiaohui screams in a tone that is something between a moan and a roar. I must kill him!

You cant! Wu Yulan exclaims, holding on even tighter to Lan Xiaohui, even as my owners flailing arms result in Wu Yulan taking an elbow to her face. This does not dissuade her from holding on to my owner.

Not now, Wu Yulan whispers. Not yet. You will avenge her, I promise you. Please, Xuelian. You cant.

Now, my owners tears and the sorrow in her heart overwhelm her and she grows limp in Wu Yulans arms.

There is nothing but sorrow in her heart now. The taste of the same powerlessness she felt a year ago when her cultivation was broken or even before that, when Yu Shun made her his concubine instead of his wife now once more taints the colorlessness of her broken heart.

She whimpers, burying her face in Wu Yulans bosom and tries the best she can not to cry not to admit defeat here and now but as the seconds pass, it turns out to be a losing battle.

Yu Shun a voice comes from behind the two and they both freeze.

Yu Shun once more, the voice calls out faintly.

Yun Fei? Lan Xiaohui asks as she looks over her shoulder to the impaled girl.

Yun Fei smiles weakly, her eyes closed. Yu Shun please

Lan Xiaohui slips from Wu Yulans grasp and crawls on her knees toward Yun Fei. Its me, Yun Fei. Its Xiaohui. Yu Shun is gone. There is a tone of rising hope in my owners voice.

Yu Shun I cant take it anymore please please kill me.

Lan Xiaohui freezes when she hears those words, her mind finally enduring too much shock to remain functional.

Yun Fei laughs weakly, the motion enough to aggravate her wound and produce pouring blood from the point in her stomach where the spear impales her to the wall. Please release me... let me die