Chapter 299: Do They Always Go This Far?
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What are you hesitating for?”
A faint, ethereal voice echoed in Junior Sister Ning’s ears. Her eyes grew vacant, her expression dazed.
Yes… what was she hesitating for?
The Heaven’s Will was the supreme ruler of the cultivation world.
To offer a sacrifice to Heaven’s Will, seeking its favor, was not unreasonable.
Junior Sister Ning lowered her gaze to the crying boy, whose wails pierced the air. Her turbulent emotions settled into an eerie calm as she raised the knife in her trembling hand.
The boy, seeing the cold glint of the blade, cried even louder, his screams growing more desperate.
Unmoved, Junior Sister Ning inched closer to him.
Slash!
A flash of cold steel.
A crimson arc painted the air.
The crying stopped abruptly.
Expressionless, Junior Sister Ning wiped away a drop of blood from the corner of her eye and turned to face Tian Pu Zi, who clapped his hands in delight, his laughter ringing out as he praised her.
Below the platform, Wei Ying and the others were frozen, their faces pale with shock.
They could not believe Junior Sister Ning would actually kill the child. The horror in their eyes spoke volumes, their thoughts racing as they anticipated what might come next.
Their fears were soon realized. Taking the bloodied knife from Junior Sister Ning, Tian Pu Zi wasn’t satisfied. He pointed at Junior Brother Sha from the remaining Tai Bai Academy disciples, ordering him to follow Junior Sister Ning’s example.
Then it was Wei Ying’s turn, followed by Junior Sister Chen…
One by one, every member of Tai Bai Academy was forced to stain their hands with blood.
Only when everyone had killed did Tian Pu Zi finally seem pleased. Convinced he now held a firm grip on their weaknesses, he inducted six new faithful into his ranks. The rest of the grisly task he delegated to the followers of Heaven’s Punishment, who took turns on the platform, draining the life of the remaining children.
Thick, sticky blood pooled and flowed, forming an intricate and mysterious pattern on the ancient altar. With each drop, the image became clearer.
Tian Pu Zi was ecstatic.
Now, only the final step remained!
Striding forward, he stopped before Han Xin Lan, his face lighting up with a serene smile. “To die by my hand—surely you can rest in peace.”
His tone was soft, almost tender, but his eyes sparkled with an overbearing arrogance as though everything was firmly within his grasp.
“That’s a line I should be saying to you.”
Tian Pu Zi froze. A chilling sense of danger crept over him, making every hair on his body stand on end.
Without hesitation, he teleported, disappearing from where he stood and reappearing at a safe distance.
He stared suspiciously at Han Xin Lan, who was still bound to the jade pillar, unable to move. His confusion deepened.
It wasn’t her who spoke?
Then where did that voice come from?
“Messenger?”
The startled gazes of Ancestor Tu and another Nascent Soul elder shifted to Tian Pu Zi.
Tian Pu Zi wanted to ask if they had noticed anything unusual, but he hesitated. His lofty status didn’t allow him to show uncertainty. Swallowing his questions, he resolved to handle this himself.
Reappearing before Han Xin Lan, he no longer felt like toying with her. In one swift motion, he plunged his knife toward her abdomen.
Suddenly, everything changed.
Han Xin Lan’s figure morphed into Tian Pu Zi’s own reflection. His blade struck true, piercing directly through the dantian of his mirrored image.
Spurt!
Tian Pu Zi spat out a mouthful of blood, his disbelief palpable. He glanced down at the gaping wound in his abdomen, his mind reeling.
If he didn’t realize by now he had fallen into a trap, then all his years of cultivation had been for naught.
Scanning the surroundings, he noticed the children were alive and well, their cries sharp and filled with vigor. The Tai Bai Academy disciples stood blank-faced, their gazes clear and unclouded.
Everything… was an illusion?
How had someone cast such a powerful illusion on him without anyone noticing?
Tian Pu Zi prided himself on his mastery of soul arts. Even those of equal standing found it difficult to manipulate him. Yet today, he had been utterly humiliated.
This was a disgrace beyond measure!
To Ancestor Tu and the other onlookers, however, the scene appeared entirely different.
Since stepping onto the altar, Tian Pu Zi had been muttering to himself, ignoring all communication. They thought he was communing with the Heaven’s Will, and their reverence deepened.
But then, without warning, Tian Pu Zi stabbed himself.
The blade sank deep, almost to the hilt, and the damage to his dantian was severe. His Nascent Soul would undoubtedly be affected.
Ancestor Tu’s face paled.
Since when did joining Heaven’s Punishment involve self-mutilation? Could he withdraw now, or was it too late?
The disciples below, including Wei Ying, were stunned.
What was happening? Did Tian Pu Zi stabbing himself somehow fit into the ritual?
Did sacrifices really go this far?
“Was this your doing?”
Hua Tu, a sharp-eyed leopard, seemed to be the only one grasping the truth. His tone was casual but carried absolute certainty.
Yu Zhao chuckled softly, acknowledging his guess.
Hua Tu squinted, deep in thought. If faced with such a scenario, he would have charged in recklessly, risking life and limb against Tian Pu Zi. Yu Zhao’s methods were far more measured—effectively incapacitating the enemy without even revealing her presence.
Perhaps he could learn from her.
“Stranger in the shadows,” Tian Pu Zi growled, using spiritual energy to seal his wound. “Since you’ve already intervened, why not show yourself?”
Despite his words, Yu Zhao had no intention of obliging him. Quietly, she raised her Fleeting Life Mirror, directing its black surface toward Ancestor Tu and the other Nascent Soul elder. Two faint rays of light shot into their bodies.
Moments later, chaos erupted.
The two elders attacked each other with savage ferocity, their strikes aimed to kill. Their sudden conflict threw the gathering into disarray.
Tian Pu Zi wanted to intervene but hesitated, wary of Yu Zhao’s presence. Fear paralyzed him.
Meanwhile, Yu Zhao stepped forward, stretching leisurely. It was her time to act.
“Wei Ying, it’s me, Yu Zhao. I’ll hold off Tian Pu Zi—get your junior brothers and sisters to safety!”
Yu Zhao deliberately revealed her identity, ensuring Wei Ying would cooperate.
Wei Ying froze for several seconds, finally comprehending her words.
Yu Zhao? The Yu Zhao from the Five Elements Dao Sect?
She was here, on Star-Plucking Mountain?
And she wanted to face Tian Pu Zi alone?
“No! It’s too dangerous!” Wei Ying exclaimed, concern clouding her voice.
Her memories of Yu Zhao were from their sect competition days. She had no idea Yu Zhao had reached Nascent Soul, and her worry was genuine.
“Yu Zhao, let me stay and fight alongside you!”