Chapter 118: The Last Words of Master Jinghai

As he spoke, Sikong Lang raised his right hand and casually flicked it, releasing a claw-shaped aura brimming with demonic power that shot straight toward Master Jinghai.

“!?”

Sensing the terrifying claw force hurtling toward him, Master Jinghai forcefully slapped the ground with both hands and feet, propelling himself upward in a leap. The claw, formed from demonic energy, struck the spot where Master Jinghai had just leapt from, producing a dull thud. The ground beneath was gouged out into a deep crater shaped like a giant claw.

Such immense claw strength—just a casual swipe unleashed a force akin to a small bomb, piercing the earth. Sikong Lang’s 80% power was truly astonishing—a raw, overwhelming force beyond mere technique. Even the gust generated by his swing acted as a weapon. Seeing Master Jinghai leap up, Sikong Lang drove forward like a cannonball, legs pushing off fiercely, and swung his right fist down toward Master Jinghai’s body.

With a sharp crack slicing through the air, Sikong Lang’s fist slammed into the ground like a massive explosion, sending stones and debris flying. Master Jinghai twisted midair to evade but was still struck and hurled away. The force didn’t just shatter the earth; the wind pressure from the punch cracked the ground beneath it. A terrifying pit about ten meters wide was blasted open by Sikong Lang’s single blow. The immense power contained in his fist unsettled even Master Jinghai, suspended in midair.

Seeing Sikong Lang poised to continue his assault, Master Jinghai, without hesitation, fired her second spiritual orb charged with her remaining spiritual energy toward Sikong Lang on the ground. Though hastily launched, the orb contained enough power to destroy a small tank.

Turning her gaze toward the orb flying above her head, Sikong Lang’s lips curled into a cold sneer. Standing his ground, he raised his right hand and pinched the orb midair with a single finger. The tremendous spiritual energy was halted by Sikong Lang’s arm, preventing it from detonating. Then, with a fierce claw strike infused with demonic power, he crushed the orb with ease. It burst silently, dispersing as scattered spiritual energy into the air.

“This? Is your strength?” Sikong Lang flicked his hand dismissively and looked ahead. “I shouldn’t have waited for the heir of the Radiant Wave Fist to appear!” Turning around, he fixed his gaze on Master Jinghai lying on the ground. “I should have killed you back then.” His tone darkened, icy and devoid of emotion. “You are no longer Master Jinghai, just a pile of bones and skin—a worthless heap. Truly disappointing!”

“...Huff...” Hearing Sikong Lang’s heartless words, Master Jinghai drew a long breath and exhaled heavily. Her heart was utterly shattered. She had hoped that after fifty years, their reunion would awaken some lingering sentiment in him, but instead, he had grown cold and merciless. Betraying his own soul for that illusory power—has it truly made you a soulless monster? Looking at Sikong Lang standing in the pit, his contemptuous expression made it clear he no longer regarded her as anything. The sorrow that surpasses all is the death of hope. Master Jinghai suddenly awakened with absolute clarity: power! I need power! Stirred deeply by Sikong Lang’s words, she clenched her fist tightly.

“I am Master Jinghai. How could I die by your hand?!”

“You shall surely die!” Sikong Lang’s right hand shifted rapidly in the air, forming claws, pecks, and hooks in a display of attack techniques, as if reacquainting himself with a power long unused. His tone lost all previous warmth and carried a chilling coldness that extinguished any flicker of rebellion in Master Jinghai.

Watching Sikong Lang now completely enslaved by his power, Master Jinghai abandoned all inner restraints, gathering every ounce of her spiritual energy. Her heart cried out to the heavens, “I want power! Power to overwhelm everything! A power utterly different from yours! Even if it costs my remaining life, it’s worth it! I want stronger power! Stronger and stronger!” Her yearning consumed her entire soul. Raising both hands above her head, she focused all her spiritual energy into her fingertips.

The sudden surge of immense spiritual power reactivated the vitality of Master Jinghai’s cells, restoring her body’s functions to the peak of her twenty-year-old prime. Watching Sikong Lang charging at her, she felt no hatred left for him—only a clarity as if awakened from a deep slumber. ‘Even if it’s just the power to awaken you...!’ Facing the oncoming Sikong Lang, Master Jinghai launched her final spiritual orb—a culmination of all the love she had carried in her lifetime, transformed into a power to break her shackles—the ultimate force!

“Grandma!!!”

Qin Xiaochuan burst out from the woods, seeing Master Jinghai collapsed on the ground. His mind went blank. Grandma!? Dead? Grandma’s dead! No, it can’t be!

That stern yet kind-hearted grandmother, who had tormented him mercilessly to make him stronger; the old woman he vowed to care for in her twilight years—why? Why has it come to this?

At this moment, Qin Xiaochuan leaned against a nearby tree, staring blankly at the scene before him.

“You’re too late!” Sikong Lang brushed off his chest coldly and spoke to the stunned Qin Xiaochuan. “Time is truly merciless. Even with her last ounce of strength, Master Jinghai couldn’t harm me at all!” The slight wound still smoldered, a testament to her final desperate strike. Even sacrificing her entire life, the power imbued with her last love failed to inflict any fatal damage on this one consumed by darkness. Perhaps, this was Master Jinghai’s intention all along.

Without a word, Qin Xiaochuan ignored Sikong Lang’s cold taunt. With a light tap of his toes, he vanished from Sikong Lang’s sight.

“!?”

Startled by Qin Xiaochuan’s disappearance, Sikong Lang was caught off guard. So fast!

Although slightly careless for not noticing Qin Xiaochuan’s movement, the sudden vanishing technique left Sikong Lang clueless about his whereabouts. Is this the power of inheritance? Even Hao from his own team didn’t possess such agility. With speed like this, Qin Xiaochuan was already a worthy opponent. Seemingly sensing where Qin Xiaochuan had gone, Sikong Lang turned his head. Qin Xiaochuan had already crouched beside Master Jinghai.

Approaching her, Qin Xiaochuan knelt down and carefully flipped Master Jinghai over, cradling her in his arms. He called out desperately, “Grandma, wake up! Please wake up!” Feeling her faint breath, he shook her gently. “Stay strong! Come on, grandma!”

“...” As if responding to Qin Xiaochuan’s pleas, Master Jinghai’s eyes fluttered open. “Xiaochuan…”

“Grandma!” Overjoyed at her awakening, Qin Xiaochuan exclaimed, relief flooding his face. He gently lifted her, urgently saying, “It’s alright! I’ll take you to everyone now. Bai Ying will know how to heal you!”

“It’s useless...” Master Jinghai pointed weakly to her chest, where blood seeped continuously. Sikong Lang’s earlier strike had pierced her heart; death’s shadow drew ever closer. Looking into Qin Xiaochuan’s anxious eyes, she whispered faintly, “...I’m dying. I knew it ever since then...”

Two months before the Dark Martial Tournament began, three of Sikong Lang’s subordinates came to Master Jinghai’s residence, seeking to invite her as a guest participant in this year’s tournament.

“Please, you must attend this martial tournament!”

Taking a sip of tea, Master Jinghai ignored the three messengers at the door and continued watching television. “After winning the tournament fifty years ago, I declared I would never participate again!” She pondered briefly, then decisively said, “I’m sure I said that. Tell Sikong Lang on my behalf.”

“Since Qin Xiaochuan has also been invited to participate as a guest this year, will you still refuse to attend?”

Hearing that Qin Xiaochuan would also compete, Master Jinghai’s heart stirred. She said nothing and took a small sip of tea.

Seeing her reaction, one of the kneeling messengers stepped forward on his knees and bowed deeply, “Lord Sikong has long hoped that this tournament would gather many masters and recreate the glory of the one fifty years ago. Bai Ying and Feiyan will be members of Qin Xiaochuan’s team this time, so please, you must participate! We beg you!”

“...Fifty years ago?!” Hearing Grandma’s story, Qin Xiaochuan was surprised. “Sikong Lang was... a comrade fighting alongside Grandma!”

Master Jinghai, lying in his arms, silently nodded.

“I transformed from human into a demon,” Sikong Lang, standing nearby, suddenly spoke, gazing at the prone Master Jinghai. He quietly listened to the conversation between the teacher and disciple. To clarify matters and deepen Qin Xiaochuan’s hatred, Sikong Lang pointed at Qin Xiaochuan and Master Jinghai in his arms, finishing what Master Jinghai had left unsaid. “To maintain my power longer, after winning the tournament fifty years ago, this became my wish! Though my comrades vehemently opposed it...” Sikong Lang’s lips curved into that same wicked smile once more.