Chapter 392: I Don’t Care

Chapter 392: I Don’t Care

The “Smiling Asura” Tang Chuan was an early-stage Spirit Purifier and, if the rumors were to be believed, the disciple of Sichuan Tangmen[1]. Notorious for his hidden weapons, he could toss out hundreds of hidden weapons and kill just as many in a single breath. Since he often smiled when he killed his enemies, he came to be known as the Smiling Asura. He had a gray moral compass and could kill as easily as he save a life.

The “Iron Man” Yu Shu was also an early-stage Spirit Purifier, but he belonged to no one until he joined the Intelligence Department. He was a woodcutter until he stumbled upon a martial arts manual named the “Art of Eating Iron”. By eating and drinking all kinds of metal, he was able to make his body as tough as iron. That was why he was able to cut through Killer Monk’s Golden Bell Shield with his bare hands.

The “Grim Rakshasa” was also an early-stage Spirit Purifier. The scion of a prestigious clan, she was naturally cold and aloof. Her family wanted to marry her off to a worthless, hedonistic son of another powerful clan for political reasons, so she castrated him during her wedding night and left her family to become a Taoist nun. She mastered a sword art called the Supreme Palace Swordkinesis and could mentally control her sword without losing any potency.

These three had made a small name for themselves until one day, they suddenly vanished from the jianghu. Now, it would seem that they had joined the Intelligence Department. Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

“We just left for greener pastures,” Tang Chuan said smilingly. “Only a fool like you would slander us as dogs.”

“You seem to believe that you’re heroes, but a true hero would not resort to killing innocents to achieve their goals. I would rather be a dog—which I’m not—than a hypocritical, delusional ‘hero’ like you.”

“Cough, cough! And I would never become a dog who only knows how to wag its tail to please its master. As expected, you’ve become dogs so long that you couldn’t even differentiate black and white, right from wrong anymore. How pitiful! How laughable!” Sick Scholar shook his head regretfully.

“No wonder they say that a scholar's tongue may rival a warrior’s sword. I wonder if your tongue will remain so sharp when you’re inside our prison?” Tang Chuan was still smiling, but his words were clearly a threat.

“You think you’ve won? Cough...” Sick Scholar said indifferently while looking at Chu Renhe and Tang Chuan.

“Oh? Sounds like you have a plan to turn things around. Do show us what you’re made of,” Tang Chuan retorted sarcastically.

Killer Monk, Fortune Taoist and Sick Scholar were on the same level as the lieutenants. If they were in top form, then it would be a coin toss which side ended up victorious. However, they weren’t alone, and all three of them were seriously injured. Tang Chuan just couldn’t see how they might get out of this alive.

“Cough cough... you never know until you try.” Sick Scholar’s eyes were growing a shade of dark yellow, and his voice was turning raspy. “You said you were prepared for us, right? Then you should know why I’m called the Sick Scholar.”

Chu Renhe and his lieutenants frowned, puzzled.

“The reason I’m called Sick Scholar is because I’m gravely ill, but you probably don’t know why I’m gravely ill, do you? Cough! Cough... This is the reason I’m sick...”

Sick Scholar coughed another two times and spat out a glob of bright red blood. An unnatural redness overtaking his complexion. By now, the incense smoke was fading, and everyone’s vision was returning to normal.

When they looked down on Sick Scholar’s bloody fingers, they noticed that the pool of blood on the ground was wriggling like it was alive. More accurately, there was something inside the blood that was writhing incessantly.

It was at this moment they realized that the blood was full of worms. They looked disgusting, strange and horrifying.

“Gu worms?!”

Chu Renhe paled a bit. “You practice the ‘Feed The Worms Art’?!”

“You’re a knowledgeable man, Lord Chu.” Sick Scholar covered his mouth and coughed again.

“You can say that. You call yourself an imperial official, right? Surely you wouldn’t abandon the people to their fate, Lord Chu?” Sick Scholar asked.

“Hah! You turn your fellow warriors and innocent people into hostages, and you call yourself a hero of the people?” Tang Chuan scoffed.

“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” Sick Scholar replied unhurriedly, “Plus, you’re the reason I have no choice but to do this. Otherwise, why on earth would I resort to such a method?”

“So? What do you say, Lord Chu?”

“I think—” Chu Renhe uttered through gritted teeth before dashing forward all of a sudden. He appeared in front of Sick Scholar in the blink of an eye and crushed his whole body with a devastating palm strike.

The attack was useless though. The Sick Scholar immediately broke down into countless gu worms and crawled away in every direction.

Chu Renhe sneered and attacked again. His cold energy flooded the room and froze all of the gu worms. After he landed on his feet, Chu Renhe swung his sleeve and scattered all of the frozen worms into nothing.

“I think I don’t care. No one threatens me, you see,” declared Chu Renhe while sweeping an arrogant gaze across the inn.

“I see you don’t care about the lives of these people. Thank you for confirming that you care nothing for our or the people’s lives.”

Before Chu Renhe finished speaking, Sick Scholar reappeared next to Fortune Taoist. However, he was many times smaller than he was originally. He was also wearing a sick grin as if he knew Chu Renhe would do this from the beginning.

“You see that, my brothers and sisters? These so-called officials don’t think of us as humans. They only see us as stepping stones that will propel them to greater status and authority. Cough! Cough cough... Rather than putting your fates in the hands of someone who will never save you, why don’t you save yourself? If you help us escape this place, I swear in the name of the sages that I will cure you all.”

“But if I die, well... I don’t need to tell you what’s going to happen, do I? Cough cough...”

“Lies and trickery! Kill him!” Chu Renhe’s face darkened as he barked out the order. Tang Chuan, Yu Shi and Luo Changbing immediately rushed forward to kill the trio.

But as soon as they made a move, a huge saber descended from above and slammed into the floor between the three lieutenants and the trio.

“Wait!” A loud voice resounded. “Let’s talk this out, shall we?”

Tang Chuan, Yu Shi and Luo Changbing ignored the speaker and continued their charge. Seeing that they would not listen, a couple more people rushed out of the crowd and blocked in front of them, saying, “Please wait, my lords.”

“You dare stop us? Do you know that the punishment for obstructing the Intelligence Department is death?” Tang Chuan yelled when he saw this.

One of the warriors said stiffly, “We’re not trying to obstruct you, my lords. We just want to talk.”

Yu Shi abruptly charged him and swung his right arm. As the trio were only Astral Refiners, his attack easily sent them flying into the air and forced blood out of their lips.

1. A sect. ?