Chapter 44: Avenge the Great Hatred
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
In a valley cloaked in silence, where no birds sang and even the insects were mute, the quiet rustle of leaves echoed ominously. The atmosphere was tense, as if the forest itself held its breath.
Ye Cong Xin moved swiftly through the dense foliage, her steps purposeful. Her eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings with sharp vigilance. Clutched tightly in her hand was a talisman, a small but reassuring charm against the unknown threats that might be lurking.
Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a figure sprawled on the forest floor. She rushed forward, her relief palpable. “Thank goodness,” she muttered to herself, her pulse racing with a mix of fear and hope.
As she approached, she moved with surprising grace, her actions fluid and controlled. The man’s face was covered in dried blood, but even in his battered state, his familiar features were unmistakable.
Ye Cong Xin’s heart tightened as she retrieved a precious item from her storage space—a white, jade-like pill. It emitted a strong herbal fragrance, its surface smooth and glowing faintly. She hesitated, the weight of her decision heavy in her mind. This was a fourth-grade alchemic pill, a rare and valuable gift from Master Qing Yan, meant to be used only in dire emergencies.
She gritted her teeth and pressed the pill to the man’s lips, whispering, “I’ve spent a lot to save you, so don’t let me down.”
The pill’s effects were almost instantaneous. The man’s wounds began to heal, the skin knitting together before her eyes, and his breathing, once shallow and irregular, steadied. Yet, he remained unconscious, causing Ye Cong Xin’s anxiety to spike.
She glanced over her shoulder, unease growing. Her excuse for a break from the group was flimsy at best; if Lan Zi Yu or the others noticed her absence, they would come looking. She couldn’t afford to linger.
Reluctantly, she removed a moonstone hairpin from her hair and placed it beside the man. Its soft glow was a small, comforting presence in the dim light.
With a final, hesitant glance, Ye Cong Xin turned and hurried away, unaware of the eyes that watched her from the shadows.
Once she was gone, Yu Zhao emerged from behind a nearby boulder. Her expression was cold, her eyes hard with determination. She approached the unconscious man, Wu Shao Zhen, who lay helpless and vulnerable.
Wu Shao Zhen had once been a formidable figure in the cultivation world, renowned for his skill and strength. But to Yu Zhao, he was nothing but a source of deep, bitter hatred in this new life. Memories of the past, of her own degradation and humiliation at his hands, burned bright and painful in her mind. He had treated her as less than human, using her suffering for his own amusement.
Now, the tables had turned.
Yu Zhao gazed down at Wu Shao Zhen, her eyes icy with contempt. “Wu Shao Zhen,” she said, her voice flat and emotionless, “our two lives’ worth of grievances end here.”
Without hesitation, she raised her blade and drove it into his heart. Blood splattered, staining her face with crimson droplets. She twisted the blade, then pulled it free, only to strike again, this time aiming for his dantian.
Wu Shao Zhen’s body convulsed briefly, then lay still. His breathing stopped, and silence reclaimed the valley.
Not wanting to gamble, Yu Zhao continued, delivering precise, ruthless blows to his neck and temple, ensuring he would never rise again. Each strike was a cathartic release, a purging of the years of anger and pain she had carried.
Finally, she stepped back, her mission complete. A profound sense of relief washed over her, lightening the burden she had borne for so long. She felt an invigorating surge of energy, a promise of untapped potential and future growth.
With her task in Dragon Roar Valley finished, Yu Zhao turned to leave, eager to return to the Five Elements Sect and begin a period of secluded cultivation.
As she departed, the moon rose, casting a pale glow over the scene. The scent of blood lingered in the air, attracting the valley’s more predatory creatures. They descended upon Wu Shao Zhen’s remains, beginning a grim feast, while the smaller animals’ cries pierced the night.
…
“Junior Sister Yu Zhao, you’re back,” Zhou Jin Yue greeted her with a cheerful wave as Yu Zhao approached.
Zhou Jin Yue noted a faint scent of blood but chose not to comment. Instead, she smiled and shared the latest news. “Junior Brother Fang wants to see you, but he seems a bit off. You might want to think about whether you want to meet him.”
Yu Zhao shook her head gently. Her experiences on Lone Moon Peak in her previous life had been harsh and full of challenges—some her own doing, others instigated by Fang Cheng Lang and his group.
As an orphan taken in by Master Qing Yan and brought to the Five Elements Sect, Fang Cheng Lang and the others had initially been kind to her. For that, she owed them gratitude. But now, she felt that their karmic debt was repaid. She had no interest in rekindling old ties and was determined to cut off all connections.
Zhou Jin Yue’s smile faltered slightly, tinged with regret. If she had known about the Lone Moon Peak group’s actions earlier, she would have insisted on keeping Junior Sister Yu Zhao at the main peak. A sweet, obedient junior sister was far more preferable than a clumsy junior brother in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Zhang Jun sneezed several times, half-jokingly wondering if the sect master was talking about him.
The following morning, the disciples of the Five Elements Sect set off once more. Fang Cheng Lang, having mostly recovered, no longer needed assistance but still wore a brooding expression. He kept glancing at Yu Zhao, his face a mix of confusion and unresolved feelings.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Normally, Ye Cong Xin would have noticed Fang Cheng Lang’s odd behavior. However, her mind was preoccupied with the person she had saved, too distracted to pick up on the subtle tension. Lan Zi Yu, caught in the middle, tried to engage in conversation but was met with Yu Zhao’s silence and Ye Cong Xin’s absent responses. Frustrated, he eventually fell silent, feeling equally dispirited.
“Senior Sister, look! The tracks of the Crimson Flame Lion stop here,” Zhang Jun exclaimed excitedly.
After a long day and night of tracking, they had finally arrived at the spot where the Crimson Flame Lion had first appeared.
Zhou Jin Yue, Yu Zhao, and Mu Ye quickly joined Zhang Jun at the scene. Indeed, the massive footprints ended abruptly, puzzling the group.
“How strange,” Zhang Jun mused aloud. “The Crimson Flame Lion is enormous and can’t fly. How could it just vanish here?”
Bug boy almost indirectly killed senior sister.