Chapter Forty-Three: Impossible to Let Go

As Wang Xiaoming was displaying his movement technique, Li Mu seized the moment, swiftly casting the Fire Ignition spell for a sudden assault, intent on killing his target. At the final instant, contrary to expectations, Mu Xin had chosen the wrong side. His face was pale. "Brother, I was just careless."

The blood mist that Wang Xiaoming summoned was consumed by the flames, burning rapidly into ashes and continuing to sear into his flesh. In a blink, half his hand was reduced to dust. Seeing the flames crawling upward, Wang Xiaoming made a resolute decision. From somewhere, he produced a blade and, without hesitation, chopped off his arm at the shoulder.

"Ah!"

A wretched, agonized scream burst from Wang Xiaoming's mouth, the cry of someone no longer fully human. The fire did not cease, instead following the blade, burning it as well. Wang Xiaoming quickly discarded the weapon, but the flames licked at his face, and in an instant, both his eyes were blinded.

Clutching his face, Wang Xiaoming staggered in broad steps, rushing straight for the doorway. He resembled a wounded porcupine, charging blindly, impossible to stop; the table and the stand in his path were smashed to splinters by his passage.

Li Mu was not unscathed. He knew that outside, Li Mie had already prepared a forbidden array. The array Li Mie had arranged was a simple bewildering formation; anyone entering it would find themselves lost in a haze, unable to find their way out for a long time.

If Wang Xiaoming were still his former self, he could easily use his spiritual sense, which was superior to Li Mie’s, to find the correct path. But now, blinded and maimed, his mind clouded by the blood transformation technique, his resolve shattered, he could barely distinguish any direction.

At the entrance, Li Mie stood coldly to one side, watching the frantic Wang Xiaoming, a cruel smile at the corner of his lips.

"Aunt Zhao, this is the one who drank your blood. Today, I will avenge you."

Spells were cast ceaselessly, pools of mire appearing beneath Wang Xiaoming’s feet along his path. Oblivious, Wang Xiaoming, like an elephant, stepped into the marshes, still struggling to run.

Soon, he could move no more. His body slowly sank, leaving only his enormous head above the mire. That head emitted a hoarse roar, and the deep crimson eyes were enough to make anyone shudder.

Spat!

A rusted, mottled blade suddenly flashed and chopped off the howling head. The cry stopped abruptly.

Li Mie grabbed the severed head and shouted sharply, "Aunt Zhao, I have avenged you!"

His voice echoed in all directions, lingering for some time.

"The noise is tremendous,"

Mu Xin pointed at the entrance. "Shall we take a look?"

"Let’s see." Li Mu nodded, turning toward the doorway.

A subtle, hard-to-detect dark smile played on Mu Xin's face. "Serpent’s Trail."

The jade-green sword in his hand suddenly struck, almost skimming the ground as it shot toward Li Mu. The sword floated silently, stirring dust along the floor, its path utterly invisible.

When it reached Li Mu’s back, the sword leapt like a coiled serpent, its light flashing as it stabbed directly at Li Mu’s spine.

Mu Xin’s smile grew ever more vicious. "Kill him first, that’s the only way."

Ding.

A seal mark appeared from nowhere, colliding with the sword.

Li Mu turned without any expression.

His spiritual sense was always alert to his surroundings, but the spiritual tower within his spirit sea allowed him to defend effortlessly, without moving a muscle. At a mere thought, the tower’s seals would manifest exactly where needed.

"Missed again?"

"Oh," Mu Xin replied, unhurried and courteous. "I swear, I won’t miss again."

He lacked the courage to face Li Mu directly—Li Mu’s battle with Wang Xiaoming had shown him the difference between them. Even a blood mist was burned away by the fire spell; such terrifying power might easily ignite him as well, making it impossible to muster any resolve.

"Follow me," Li Mu said, stepping out the door. Mu Xin, now almost silent, followed cautiously.

Li Mie saw Li Mu arrive, holding the severed head. "Brother Li, we are avenged!"

"Ah." Li Mu’s face showed little change; the feeling of vengeance that Li Mie expected was not evident.

"Brother Li, are you not happy?" Li Mie asked with some doubt.

Li Mu shook his head with a smile. "I am happy—how could vengeance not bring happiness? But we still have many things to do. Revenge is only the beginning."

Li Mie looked at Li Mu, unable to mask his confusion. "Well, I’ll just follow you, Brother Li. Whatever you say, I’ll do. I won’t go wrong."

From slaughtering the village to avenging the wrongs, from ordinary man to cultivator, Li Mu had led him every step; Li Mie harbored deep respect and gratitude for Li Mu.

"We need to search this place thoroughly, Li Mie."

Li Mu instructed him, his gaze returning to Mu Xin.

Li Mie was busying himself, while Mu Xin, seeing Li Mu, felt no urge to resist.

Mu Xin straightforwardly recounted Wang Xiaoming’s past and his own reasons for coming here to Li Mu.

Li Mu regarded Mu Xin closely. "You’re from Jade Bright Valley?"

"Yes, though I’m only a common disciple. Jade Bright Valley treats every disciple well, and if something happens, they will surely investigate." Mu Xin replied carefully, intent on survival, the words carrying a hint of threat.

Li Mu did not answer, his thoughts drifting back to the mine tunnel through which he’d come.

Ye Da was also from Jade Bright Valley, and the villagers were oppressed by it. The massacre was carried out by Jade Bright Valley’s people—so it was all connected.

Jade Bright Valley, indeed.

His eyes flashed with a cold gleam. "Do you know how to break the valley’s forbidden array?"

"I truly don’t. Wang Xiaoming became famous for his forbidden array before leaving Jade Bright Valley; otherwise, the sect would have killed him long ago. That elder pitied his talent and spared his life," Mu Xin said, frightened by the malice in Li Mu’s eyes, his form of address changing.

"Tell me, how should I break the forbidden array?" Li Mu smiled.

Mu Xin considered. "Now, with no one guarding it and no one changing the spiritual crystals, the array will automatically dissolve in a little over two months. Or you can ask a cultivator at the Meridians Refinement stage to break it by force."

Li Mu nodded—both methods sounded reasonable, though he could not use them himself.

"So, you’re useless?" Li Mu smiled faintly.

Mu Xin’s face changed, quickly retreating several steps, clutching the jade token at his waist. "Don’t move! If you harm me, I’ll smash the token and the sect will instantly know who killed me. You won’t escape!"

"Is that so?" Li Mu was skeptical.

Though he’d never entered a sect, he knew something of their workings. Ordinary disciples rarely possessed such transmission items; moreover, their lives mattered little to the sect unless they were core or inner disciples.

Mu Xin’s face paled and greened alternately, crouching low. "Spare me, I know nothing."

Li Mu merely shook his head, a trace of disgust on his face. "I spared you the first time you attacked, but after the second, I meant to leave you behind."

Seeing Li Mu, Mu Xin’s expression gradually turned to despair.

Crack—the jade token shattered.

Vine Binding spell, Constant Seal, fell upon him in succession.

Those who deserved it—none would be spared.