Chapter 165: Brother Jinbiao’s Darkening (Part 2)
Chapter 165: Brother Jinbiao’s Darkening (Part 2)
The person who appeared was none other than Wei Wuya!
It was the very Wei Wuya who had nearly crippled Tang Jinbiao!
“Huh? Why are you alone? Where’s Young Master Ma?”
Seeing Wei Wuya emerge, Jia Longwu’s expression changed slightly, but she immediately adopted a proud look, asking with feigned indifference.
“Hehe, is Young Lady Longwu so concerned about Young Master Ma? Or are you afraid you can’t handle that Tang Jinbiao yourself?”
Wei Wuya wore a faint half-smile as he asked lightly.
“Hmph, spare me the nonsense. Your subordinate screwed up. What are you going to do about it?”
Jia Longwu felt an inexplicable irritation welling up inside her.
“Hehe, who said he left?”
A slight smile still lingered on Wei Wuya’s face.
His eyes shifted to the cave entrance, and he spoke calmly, “Daoist Friend Tang, I wouldn’t have imagined that after three months apart, you really gained some skill!”
“Hehe, is that so?”
Sure enough, immediately after Wei Wuya spoke, Tang Jinbiao, who had supposedly left, reappeared before them. He asked, a faint smile on his own face.
From the moment Tang Jinbiao decided not to leave, the moment he resolved to enter the cave, he had changed. He no longer believed in the kindness and beauty he once trusted.
Before this, he had been beaten for no reason by Tang Huaxi and the others, nearly losing his life. Then Captain Wang had schemed against him, Chu Yunyun added insult to injury, Wei Wuya delivered a near-fatal blow, and finally, Little Nine stabbed him in the back.
All those incidents, one after another: he never sought conflict with anyone. Deep down, he had always firmly believed that having an extra friend was like having an extra path, that while people acted, Heaven judged. Therefore, he had lived diligently and kindly, honest and without deceit.
This was why, even though he knew Huang Biaozi possessed great power, he still refused to learn that so-called Way of Deception. Because throughout history, anything associated with words like stealing, robbing, or deception inevitably carried the stigma of ‘evil’.
Sometimes, we suddenly realize the truth of something said long ago: the day you realize how fragile and laughable your so-called noble self-respect truly is, that is when you grow up.
At this moment, Tang Jinbiao might not consider it growth. But each wound, inflicted one after another, had torn open his once fiery, blazing heart. That scorching blood had long since drained away, beginning to cool, to darken and harden, like cooled volcanic rock.
“What?”
Tang Jinbiao’s return, however, seemed utterly unexpected to Jia Longwu, her face showing disbelief. Yet, hidden deep within her eyes was a trace of disappointment.
“Hehe, Tang Jinbiao. I hear you spent three months at the academy, learning quite a few skills. After all, we were once fellow disciples. If you agree to my demands, I’d rather not make things difficult for you. How about we make a deal?”
Seeing Tang Jinbiao reappear, Wei Wuya’s face still wore that faint smile, as though everything was indeed within his grasp.
“Oh? And what deal would that be?”
Tang Jinbiao raised an eyebrow slightly, feigning intense curiosity as he asked.
When he said this, his heart was bleeding inside. He had never imagined that one day he would become this kind of person.
Perhaps it was just as people said: one day, we all become the person we once detested most!
“Daoist Friend Tang really wants to hear it?”
Seeing Tang Jinbiao not only unangered but seemingly willing to negotiate, Wei Wuya was slightly taken aback, asking with genuine surprise.
“Hehe, If you don’t tell me, how could I possibly know whether I want to hear it or not?”
Tang Jinbiao gave a light chuckle and replied with indifferent calm.
“Ha! Cultivator Tang truly is an exceedingly forthright man. From the moment I first saw you, I knew—”
Upon hearing this, Wei Wuya’s face instantly flushed with ecstasy as he burst out laughing.
Yet as he spoke, the reflection in his eyes shifted to capture another figure.
Not only Wei Wuya; even those standing beside him at that moment held their breath in concentration, seemingly exerting hidden effort.
“Is that so?”
A hint of mockery curled at the corner of Tang Jinbiao’s mouth.
Roar!
But just then, a sudden change occurred! The giant black bear, which had previously been pursuing Jia Longwu, appeared silently behind Tang Jinbiao unnoticed and lunged down upon him.
“Now, everyone!”
Wei Wuya reacted with lightning speed. The instant the giant bear pounced towards Tang Jinbiao, he immediately issued the order.
“Kill!”
“Attack!”
Seeing the opportunity arrive once more, the seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators all revealed a savage glint in their eyes. They instantly summoned their magical treasures and launched another assault on Tang Jinbiao.
“Heh, Lady Longwu, how about stepping outside with me to watch the battle?”
Wei Wuya did not join the fight himself. Instead, he turned back, a faint smile on his face, and addressed Jia Longwu.
To him, a cultivator like Tang Jinbiao—only at the Third Stage Initial Body Refinement level—remained an utterly insignificant existence, hardly worthy of his own effort, or even attention, despite whatever progress might have occurred over the past three months.
“Cough.”
Seeing Tang Jinbiao once again encircled within moments by artifact spirits—possessing strength equivalent to a level-four Demon Beast—and the seven Foundation Establishment Cultivators, a trace of regret surfaced deep within Jia Longwu’s eyes.
Initially, she truly had approached Tang Jinbiao because of Wei Wuya’s request. Even Tang Jinbiao’s personality had initially repelled her. Yet, gradually, Tang Jinbiao had influenced her, stirring a flicker of conscience buried deep within.
She was unlike Tang Jinbiao. She was from a prominent clan—not possessing the exalted status of Wei Wuya, but still far from ordinary folk. From childhood, she had internalized the merciless rule: survival of the fittest, the strong devour the weak. Thus, she had become seasoned at a young age. However, this was not unique to her. Every cultivator, whether an ordinary Cultivator, a Body Refiner, or even Mortals, were all subject to that very law.
This was the grim truth of the world: survival of the fittest! The strong devour the weak!
Therefore, she couldn’t comprehend how Tang Jinbiao had lasted this long.
“Fine. I’ll observe and see if these hounds you’ve reared truly bite… or merely growl?”
Unable to comprehend it yet finding it too late for answers, Jia Longwu lost all interest in watching further and followed Wei Wuya as they moved towards the cave entrance to leave.
Meanwhile, Tang Jinbiao had been cornered to the center of the cave by those cultivators and the black bear.
This cave was far more immense than it had appeared from the outside; one could almost say it was as vast as an empty mountain, and that wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
“Destroy your own cultivation level immediately, or we’ll make you wish you were dead rather than alive!”
“You wretched boy! On your knees!”
“You miserable brat! How dare you offend our Brother Wei!”
The cultivators hovered mid-air, activating their magical treasures, yet none dared strike first. Instead, they merely hurled taunts.
Before they had arrived, Wei Wuya had already warned them that Tang Jinbiao possessed the Absolute Spiritual Sense. Attacking him recklessly with magical treasures risked not only harming their weapons, but also rendering their attacks useless. Hence, they all hesitated.
“Heheh!”
Tang Jinbiao was surrounded by these people, and he couldn’t quite name the emotions churning inside him. It felt like numbness had settled in. A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Bastard!”
“Bastard! Surrender immediately! Otherwise, when we catch you…”
Still, none of them dared to step forward, only shouting insults from a distance.
“Had enough insults yet? If you have, then I will make my move!”
Tang Jinbiao raised his head, a chilling grin twisting his mouth, and fixed his gaze on the one with the lowest Cultivation Level.
Thud!
The one locked onto Little Nine. Just days ago, Little Nine had clashed directly with Tang Jinbiao. Under that gaze, Little Nine felt his internal Spiritual Energy stutter, a sudden wave of inexplicable terror washing over him.
Bang!
But just as Little Nine froze for a split second, Tang Jinbiao exploded into motion. He kicked off violently against the ground, lunging straight at Little Nine who hovered in the air.
“What?!”
“Little Nine!”
“Hurry and dodge, Little Nine!”
“Everybody, attack!”
Seeing Tang Jinbiao strike first, all traces of hesitation vanished from the cultivators. They instantly activated the magic treasures in their hands, hurling them wildly towards Tang Jinbiao.
“Heh heh.”
Tang Jinbiao narrowed his eyes slightly, throwing a casual glance at the barrage of incoming artifacts. His speed didn’t falter an inch as he continued his charge towards Little Nine.
“What?!”
Sensing Tang Jinbiao closing in, Little Nine finally snapped out of his stupor. But the moment he regained his senses, Tang Jinbiao was already right in front of him.
“You can die now.”
Tang Jinbiao, inches from Little Nine, leaned in close to his ear. That same mocking smile played on his lips as he spoke in a calm, quiet voice.
“No!!”
Little Nine stared at Tang Jinbiao, so horrifyingly close, mouth opening to scream. But before any sound escaped, an agonizing pain ripped through his abdomen. A hand had pierced clean through his body, five fingers protruding from his back.
“Heh heh.”
Tang Jinbiao showed no flicker of reaction, the faint smile still on his face as he descended to the ground, his momentum carrying Little Nine along.
Thump!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As they hit the ground, Tang Jinbiao yanked his right hand free. He turned his head, coolly surveying the group with a savage, bloodthirsty grin. The magic treasures? They slammed only into empty air, missing Tang Jinbiao entirely — partly thanks to the shock that had momentarily paralyzed the attackers.
“What?!”
“Devil!”
“Impossible!”
Panic seized the cultivators now. They had always followed Wei Wuya, acting as his local thugs. While bullying and occasional bloodshed within the academy weren’t rare, a death occurring so abruptly? It was unfamiliar territory, leaving them stunned, paralyzed by fear.
“Heh heh, next… it’s you.”
Tang Jinbiao didn’t spare another glance to see if Little Nine was dead or alive. His bloodthirsty eyes shifted, locking onto another cultivator — this one also at the Mid Foundation Building Stage. That ferocious grin never wavered as his body blurred into motion once more, becoming a streak aiming straight for the new target.
“Urk…”
Little Nine lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes wide with desperate struggle. His lips twitched, as if trying to form words. But he never managed to speak. The life-force vanished from his eyes abruptly, leaving them wide open and staring blankly — a stark testament to his unwilling death.
Thunk!
Although spacious, the cave was cramped for cultivator combat. In an instant, Tang Jinbiao reached the other Mid Foundation Building Stage cultivator. Same method. Same brutal efficiency. Before the cultivator could even react, Tang Jinbiao’s hand punched straight through his torso.
“AAAAHHH!!”
Regaining awareness only in his final moments, the man let loose a scream thick with utter terror.
Thud!
He, too, became a casualty of Tang Jinbiao without ever seeing the blow that killed him. His body was tossed aside like rubbish.
“Heh heh.”
Having disposed of this one, Tang Jinbiao fixed his gaze onto yet another person from the group. That unnerving smile reappeared. With a soft whoosh, his body performed another bizarre flicker as he launched towards his next victim.
Squelch!
Another muffled wet impact. Another Foundation Establishment Cultivator collapsed. Now seemingly seasoned, Tang Jinbiao, successful, didn’t hesitate. He surged towards the next target immediately.
Whether Tang Jinbiao was truly terrifyingly powerful, or whether these cultivators were utterly paralyzed by fear, none of their usual savagery or cunning remained. They stood frozen in place, like lambs awaiting slaughter, letting Tang Jinbiao harvest them one by one.
Clang!
This time, however, Tang Jinbiao didn’t achieve the same effortless result as his previous strikes. His strike connected this time, but instead of yielding flesh, it rang out with a clear metallic chime, as if hitting solid metal…