Chapter 67: Parade

Chapter 67: Parade

Li Xiang lifted her sword over the unconscious mans body. Hui hesitated, then grabbed her arm.

What this time? she demanded.

Wait, elder sister. Its unjust to kill a sleeping enemy. What if we leave him and interrogate him later, instead? Hui asked.

I like that idea. I want to completely rid my clan of any trash like Bai Fenfeng. If we kill everyone we see, some rats may scurry away into the shadows and survive, Bai Xue said.

But we could right the wrongs here by cutting off his life, Li Xiang argued.

Or right more wrongs by keeping him, and completely unravelling any remnants of this plot later. We can always kill him if he doesnt cooperate, Hui suggested.

Li Xiang pouted, then lowered her sword. She pointed at Hui. His life is on your head now. You bear his karma. If this is the wrong decision

Elder sister, I am willing to bear that burden, Hui said, bowing. Hes not fighting us. Hes unconscious. It would be easy to end his life, but then we learn nothing about Bai Fenfengs motivations, or who else was working with her. This man, as he is now, has more value to us alive.

Bai Xue waved his fan at the downed, half-dressed cultivator. Ice formed around him, freezing him in place. In a dark voice, he murmured, Ill look forward to questioning you.

Hui swallowed. Ah. I feel like I have consigned this man to a fate worse than death.

Oh well. For what hes done? He deserves it.

Is everyone ready? Bai Xue asked.

Hui tugged out his ponytail and bowed his head, pulling his hair into his face. Beside him, Li Xiang removed her pin and did the same. Ready.

Follow, Bai Xue ordered.

The infected cultivators lurched after him. Watching their gait from the corner of his eye, Hui did his best to mimic it.

Beside him, Li Xiang walked straight-backed and proud, a fizzle of anger and tension about her.

With a wave of his hand, Bai Xue dismissed the outer barrier. They walked through, toward a female cultivator in black.

Breaking the barrier? the other cultivator asked.

Bai Xue coughed. In a mediocre imitation of the other cultivators voice, he said, No need for it any longer. This is the last of them.

The other cultivator frowned at him. Are you okay?

Frog in my throat, Bai Xue said, coughing again.

She narrowed her eyes, then nodded. It is the last of them, after all. With that, she swept away, leading the way back into the branch familys compound.

The female cultivator frowned at the ground, then shrugged. Its nearly the hour, anyways. This way.

She turned down a back alley, to where a yin-yang was set in the floor, then held out her hand over the symbol. Array, validate.

Ice blasted out of the ground and encased Bai Xue behind her. He jerked away, but too slow. Halfway into the air, he froze in place. The female cultivator smirked. You arent Heng Shu. I knew it!

Li Xiang raced at her, sword drawn. The female cultivator whirled, surprised. She adjusted her hand over the symbol, almost typing. Ice leaped out of the ground to block Li Xiangs blow. Before Li Xiang could retreat, the ice climbed up her sword. She yanked at the sword, but it wouldnt dislodge. Ice crawled over her hands, locking her in place.

The female cultivator strode toward her, raising her own sword. Oh? Are you the source of the flames? Or was it perhaps him? She glanced behind her at Bai Xue, then shook her head. No matter. Youre both dead. The female cultivator struck at Li Xiang.

Not so fast! Hui pointed a wind talisman at her. Wind burst out of the talisman, hurtling toward her.

A talisman of that level? Pathetic, she said, waving her hand. The wind dispersed around her, slicing harmlessly past on either side.

Activate! Activate! Hui shouted, wincing internally. My precious income, vanishing with every passing second!

She waved left, then right. Again, the wind dispersed. She let out a heavy sigh. Will pathetic weaklings like you never learn? A mere second-level talisman

Look behind you, elder sister, Hui replied, grinning.

A deep cut scored into either side of the ice encasing Bai Xue. As the female cultivator turned, the ice shattered. Bai Xue climbed out, scowling furiously.

Raging Inferno, Bai Xue growled, flicking his fan at her.

A pillar of fire engulfed the woman. She screamed. Ice encased her in a desperate attempt to block Bai Xues flames, but it proved useless. The fire turned the ice to vapor, and the flames devoured the woman. Hui turned away, fire burning his eyes, heat singing his face. When the flames dimmed, he turned back around. Only a small pile of ashes remained.

One less rat to worry about, Bai Xue muttered, tucking his fan back into his robes. He tossed the veil off his face and threw the dark robes on the ground. Enough of this scuttling about. Its time to fight.

But how do we get in? Hui asked, despairing. After a second, he knelt and gathered up the dark robes. At the rate I go through robes I could use these.

Li Xiang yanked her sword free of the womans ice. This is the control point of a spell array, right?

Right. We should be able to enter the barrier from here. Bai Xue knelt and pressed a hand to the symbol. His brows furrowed. She locked out the controls to anyone who isnt a part of her branch!

Then? Hui asked.

Ha, the fool. The key is a combination of yin and yang energy. The precise proportions her branch cultivates, in fact. Unlucky for her, this furnace was born with pure energy! My control over my yin and yang is unrivaled under heaven! Bai Xue stretched his hand out, focusing intently. Black and white lights flickered in his palm, fighting one another. The white light blazed stronger one moment, only to be pushed out by the black the next.

Unrivaled, except for the curse, Hui reminded him, crossing his arms.

Thats not my fault, Bai Xue muttered.

At last, the yin-yang symbol shone. The light enveloped the three of them, and they vanished.