Chapter 211 Pathways of the Past
[The escape talisman has been destroyed; now you must be extremely cautious]
Zhao Tianming's visage darkened, "Is there no way to repair it, system?" he inquired.
[Impossible]
Upon hearing this, Zhao Tianming's countenance grew even grimmer. The talisman had often been his savior in moments of imminent peril. N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
Known to only a handful, he hailed not from the Han Empire but from the Yuan Dynasty, plying the trade of a mercenary.
Shaking his head with a sigh, he leaned against a rock, regulating his breath.
This day marked a substantial loss. The system's forewarnings about the "commencement of the great journey" and the "onset of downfall" proved undeniably accurate.
"It appears I must tread more cautiously henceforth," he mumbled.
"System interface," he appended.
In the next moment, a hologram materialized before him.
[System Designation: Super Mercenary System]
[Vanquished Targets: 3] [Ultimate Task: Kill Long Tian]
[Subtask: Kill Lin Fan]
Zhao Tianming experienced a somewhat calmer demeanor, yet his expression shifted to an icy resolve as he gazed upon the names Long Tian and Lin Fan.
"My initial target is you, Lin Fan. And then, Long Tian, you will be my ultimate hunt!" he declared, his intent to kill unmistakable.
Concerning Lin Fan, he lacked substantial knowledge, but he vowed to unearth every detail. As for Long Tian, he had already devised a plan to confront him during the annual survival competition in the Han Empire. His confidence stemmed from an extraordinary item, nullifying any worry about his identity.
After a brief moment of reflection, he uttered, "Status window."
Subsequently, a hologram materialized before him.
[Name: Zhao Tianming]
[Age: 21 years]
[Cultivation Base: Flowing Qi Level 8]
[Martial Spirit: S-Class - Furious Ashura]
[Weapon: S-Class - Gungnir Spear]
[Ultimate Task: Kill Long Tian]
Zhao Tianming remained silent, studying his stats. Despite residing in the Flowing Qi Level 8 realm, he acknowledged his inferiority to figures like Su Chen or Mo Yuegang.
Closing the hologram, he asserted, "For now, I must strive for greater strength!"
With revitalized determination, he rose and commenced his departure from the forest.
-----------
Meanwhile, in a different locale, Liu Qian engaged in her training routine in the backyard, donned in shorts and a brown tank top.
The resonating echoes of consecutive punches striking a wooden dummy filled the air, sweat trickling down her face, eventually saturating her attire.
Upon a momentary pause, she fixed her gaze upon the wooden dummy, regulating her breathing. Tightening her fists, she concentrated her strength for the forthcoming punches.
In the midst of her focused session, a voice cut through the air, "Hey, Qian'er."
Abruptly, she turned with an expression of displeasure, "Really, Dad? You're interrupting," she remarked, her tone devoid of enthusiasm.
Li Hai chuckled, "Hahaha, my apologies. I had no idea you were in the middle of training," he confessed, advancing closer.
Liu Qian maintained her pout, "So, what brings you here, Dad?" she inquired.
With that, he stepped forward and touched the stone's surface. Everyone waited to see what would happen.
Mo Yuegang, in the meantime, focused on his ring, making sure what he had in mind would work.
Unexpectedly, the ring emanated a purple glow, heightening the intrigue of Long Tian and others.
With each passing second, the purple energy from the ring gradually enveloped the imposing stone obstructing their path.
Then, in the next moment, cracks materialized on the stone's surface, culminating in a sudden and resounding...
CRACK!
The substantial stone crumbled abruptly, unveiling a pathway shrouded in complete darkness.
Mo Yuegang wore an expression of incredulity, "I didn't anticipate it would succeed," he confessed.
Long Tian and the others, witnessing this unexpected turn, found solace in the fact that their journey persisted.
Now, every gaze fixated on the newly revealed passage.
Ling Han ignited flames in his hands, causing them to flicker and illuminate the path as he gestured forward.
"I believe we can proceed; we..." Ling Han's words trailed off as he observed a sudden development.
Figures resembling humans emerged from the path ahead, but they were no ordinary humans—they resembled living corpses!
Their numbers were significant, ranging from tens to hundreds, crowding the passage.
A sense of vigilance enveloped everyone.
"We might be facing trouble again," Ling Han remarked.
Mo Yuegang wore a serious expression as he scrutinized the attire of the undead corpses.
"Their clothing... They are past members of the Heavenly Demon sect!" he declared.
This revelation heightened the gravity of the situation. Ling Han speculated, "If they're from the past, someone must be controlling them. Perhaps it's connected to the source of the roars we heard earlier."
"That's a possibility," Mo Yuegang nodded.
While Li Yue'er observed, Long Tian took the lead, walking past Ling Han and Mo Yuegang.
Ling Han reacted swiftly, "Young master, what are you doing?" he inquired.
"I will handle them," Long Tian asserted.
Without waiting for reactions from Ling Han and others, he extended his hand, and darkness surged in the palm of his hand, boiling until its dark color became even denser.
What he was doing was releasing his essence of darkness, which had a high density of dark power.
After a brief moment, he positioned his hand in front of his mouth.
Then, he took a deep breath until his mouth bulged.
In the next instant, he exhaled a red flame, which promptly transformed into black fire upon contact with the essence of darkness.
The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the undead corpses along the entire path.
The corpses were incinerated instantly, reduced to ashes by the fierce flames.
Ling Han, Mo Yuegang, and Li Yue'er watched this with awe. But they anticipated it, as it was a dragon's breath, a standard technique mastered by every member of the Long family.
After a moment, Long Tian's fiery breath subsided, and the essence of darkness dissipated.
His gaze shifted forward, where no remnants of undead corpses obstructed their path.
A satisfied smile adorned Long Tian's face. "It's clear now; let's proceed," he declared.
Silence lingered briefly before everyone refocused and continued along the opened path.
Ling Han and Li Yue'er immediately praised Long Tian's decisive actions, while Mo Yuegang felt further reassured in his positive relationship with Long Tian.