Chapter 72: Get Back Here
Chapter 72: Get Back Here
“A Charity Manor? What the devil?”
“The dead coming back to life? Could there be a corpse demon causing trouble?”
“No way! First the Plague Qi is spreading, with demons roaming about, and now zombie plague?”
Hearing that sudden shout in the night, the surrounding Academy Disciples and the Devouring Sea Gang members were all startled. Most didn’t react immediately, thinking some new disaster had struck. They anxiously whipped their heads around, scanning their surroundings.
Among the crowd, Meng Zhixue was the first one to understand. She suddenly barked out urgently, “The demon is in the Charity Manor!”
Before the echo of her voice faded, she wasted no further time, leaping onto her Flying Sword and shooting off.
The other Academy Disciples clearly hesitated for a moment. Then, as many caught up, their expressions shifted drastically. Yu Qingli, Nie Quan, Meng Qing’er, He Zhenzhang – their faces all changed as they soared into the air. Some sent Disciples, whose flying techniques were the quickest, rushing back to the Academy to alert others, while the rest scattered into the sky. Expending their Magical Power freely, they sped urgently in the direction Meng Zhixue had flown…
“Damnation…”
Meanwhile, over on Willow Lake, Lao Chao, who had also heard the shout, wore a murderous expression. Watching the flood of Disciples charge towards the Charity Manor, he instinctively shifted his feet, ready to sprint ashore. But in the end, he restrained himself.
Gazing at the thick darkness on the shore, his face seemed darker than the night itself.
“Great Leader, what’s happening?”
The other gang members, still clueless, clustered around him asking.
“Nothing!”
Lao Chao remained silent for a long while before slowly shaking his head. He cast a worried glance in that direction and sighed low and deep.
All I could do, I have already done. I just hope the master finds success…
He thought silently to himself, then ordered his men to speed up and get away from here faster.
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“Young Master, so the demon really abducted people through the Charity Manor?”
By this time, Xiao Qingliu had also climbed back into the carriage. He quickly set the horses galloping, heading towards the East City Charity Manor under cover of darkness.
Even now, he had no idea just how the Young Master had figured it out, or if his guess was even right.
“It’s the only way!”
Fang Cun lifted the carriage curtain, watching the faint glimmers of light as the Academy Disciples flew away into the distant night sky. His brow was tightly knit as he murmured, “That Human Fiend, to refine his Human Elixir, needs to kidnap common folk. Yet he dares not alert anyone. So, they used the simplest method. Right now, Plague Qi is rampant, deaths are plentiful. Cartloads of bodies are being hauled away, either sent to Charity Manors or dumped directly in paupers’ graves. The living are barely looked after; who has time to bother about the dead and abandoned?”
“If they infiltrate the groups distributing remedies, adding something to the drugs, they can knock people out cold. With the methods of Qi Refiners, they can even make a person seem dead, flawless as a corpse. Then, just mix them into the piles of bodies. Haul them openly to the Charity Manor…”
“Inside the Charity Manor, ‘revive’ them, refine them into the Human Elixir… who could ever discover such a trick?”
“Who would ever suspect the problem isn’t among the living, but with the dead?”
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Mentally running through this, his frown deepened. I just hope… we aren’t too late?
Calculating the duration of the plague’s spread, he feared this Human Elixir was probably nearing completion.
The carriage was already moving fast, but Fang Cun could sit still no longer. Crouching, he darted out of the carriage, flicked his sleeves, activated his levitation technique, and shot up into the semi-darkness. Then, stepping on empty air, channeling his Magical Power, he rushed urgently forward.
Willow Lake City had three or four Charity Manors. The largest one, also closest to the plague area, was in the East City.
Rushing halfway, he could vaguely make out the silhouettes of the Academy Disciples flying ahead. The foremost one was Meng Zhixue. Astride her Flying Sword, she had already reached the Charity Manor nestled amongst a row of locust trees. At first glance, the Manor lay silent. For miles around, not a single dwelling or common folk could be seen. It backed onto deep mountains; refining an elixir here was the perfect spot…
Swooping in on her sword, Meng Zhixue slowed down as she got closer, giving a distant wave with her hand.
The Disciples following close behind understood. They silently fanned out, flowing to the four directions, encircling the Charity Manor. Then Meng Zhixue landed, standing right before the Manor’s main gates. She took a deep breath and moved forward.
Right now, the students were all on edge, sucking in sharp breaths, scarcely daring to exhale.
Every pair of eyes strained towards Meng Zhixue, watching her slender, pale fingers reach for the Charity Manor’s wooden doors…
BOOM!…
At that exact moment, before Meng Zhixue could push open the doors, a thunderous explosion ripped through the entire Charity Manor. Strange, twisting patterns of light erupted skywards, filling the air. The Manor gates shattered directly. A torrent of savage, roiling black mist surged out! Meng Zhixue, directly in its path, reacted in an instant. She snatched her sword case off her back and whipped it around in front of herself.
In the next breath, the sheer force slammed into her, hurling her backwards violently.
“Demons really are here!”
The surrounding Academy Disciples were horrified by the sight. Shouts filled the air as they unleashed their own techniques, charging forwards.
The clash of blades abruptly filled the air; flashes of sword gleam and treasure radiance lit the gloomy ground brilliantly.
“FOOLISH BRATS! YOU RUINED MY GRAND WORK!…”
From within the shattered Charity Manor, an unnaturally hoarse voice snarled, dripping with endless sorrow and utter malice. The arrays of light surging up from within the Manor now rushed outwards in all directions. They precisely intercepted and held back the attacks of the Disciples encircling the Manor. The force even scattered them like leaves!
Amidst the chaos, a column of black mist had already shot fiercely into the sky over the Manor.
Dimly visible inside the mist was the blurred outline of a figure.
It swept its gaze around as if it could be felt that its eyes radiated bitter indignation and furious resentment. With gritted teeth, it prepared to flee swiftly.
“Halt, Fiend!”
The Disciples scattered by the array-light erupting from the Manor had no chance to give chase. Just as they were about to lose their target, a furious shout suddenly pierced the air from the side! A cold gleam of sword-light sliced with blinding sharpness arrived right where the fleeing figure was headed! It struck such fear into the escapee their momentum abruptly froze.
It was Meng Zhixue! She had already surged up to his level, her face cold as jade. Guiding her sword with fury, she hacked at him!
“YOU? You think YOU can stop ME?”
The dark shadow bursting from the Manor sounded both shocked and enraged, laced with stark contempt. With a furious roar, its hand snapped out! Several streaks of golden light shot towards Meng Zhixue! Fast as lightning! Fierce as eagles! Meng Zhixue’s Flying Sword slammed into the incoming gold streaks…
The resulting clang and flash shook the Void as her sword wailed like a tormented dragon! Sent plummeting from the sky! Almost instantly afterward, the dark figure swept its sleeve. An overwhelming surge of Magical Power smashed towards Meng Zhixue like a collapsing mountain!
Just one move. Anyone could sense it! The other’s cultivation was incredibly deep! A true Foundation Building Realm Qi Refiner!
Meng Zhixue clenched her jaw fiercely. Flying swords flashed one after another from her case, joining together in the air into a chain! They mercilessly shredded the oncoming power.
Even surviving this one blow without harm strained her capabilities to the absolute limit. How could she possibly tie this opponent down? Clearly seeing the dark figure’s malevolent sneer, she could only watch as it charged straight into the night sky, tearing viciously towards the mountains beside the Charity Manor!
“DEACONESS MENG!”
When the surrounding Academy Disciples saw Meng Zhixue’s abrupt tumble and retreat, they roared and scrambled for her!
“Leave me! Stop his escape at all costs!”
Meng Zhixue shouted angrily, sucking in a breath. With gritted teeth, she urged her sword behind her. Surging to her feet, she streaked relentlessly after the fleeing dark shadow! The other Disciples snapped into focus! Bracing themselves, they unleashed their fastest tracking techniques. Teeth locked, they poured everything into catching that fiend… desperate to slow him down even slightly!
As they chased, anxiety screamed within their hearts: Where are the Academy Masters? Why haven’t they arrived yet?
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“So… were we still a step too late?”
Fang Cun lagged far behind, only catching glimpse of the tail end of the pursuit fleetingly. His eyebrows knitted tightly together.
The Old Umbrella held firmly in his grip, he strode unhurriedly into the wrecked Charity Manor. Inside—a scene of brutal chaos! Corpses lay scattered everywhere. Too many to count! Some already rotting; others looking freshly slain, the color not even drained from their faces! Their final expressions, each unique in fear— frozen forever! Glassy eyes staring upwards— towards the square sky framed by the Manor’s rooftop corner. It telegraphed an indescribable wave of deep fear.
And in the very centre of the Charity Manor, sat a dark, strange cauldron. Grotesque demonic inscriptions covered its surface identical to those observed prior.
The cauldron’s lid hung open. Having fled in frantic haste, the demon had no chance to conceal it.
Fang Cun peered slowly inside the vessel. Within— something resembling the Human Elixir he’d encountered before. An elixir formed like a human figure — floating then sinking faintly. Yet previously, when he saw that first Human Elixir, it was dull and coreless. This one felt alive— pulsing with endless waves of dark, chaotic aura.
Its very power seemed saturated with desperation— an unseen craving— aching for more vitality… more life…
“One step away… perfection…”
Fang Cun stared at the elixir within the cauldron. Cold fury shone lightning-bright in his eyes.
Normally, hearing and discussing Human Elixirs, he wouldn’t feel rage this violently… But here… surrounded by piles upon piles of bodies— men… women… the majority youths… He even spotted several corpses around five or six years old!
Each a wasted, discarded sap like some medicinal leavings! Dumped and forgotten within the Manor! Their faces… carved forever— expressions of sheer horror…
Fang Cun’s brow contracted so tightly it seemed to cramp.
Witnessing fate’s cruelty indirectly always sparks remorse, pity… but it remains distant… harder to grasp. But standing physically amidst the victims— he felt something new washing through him. Trapped spirits howling perpetual anguish…
No— these souls… their born Innate Qi stolen… forged into an unnatural tool… even suffering as restless ghosts— justice beyond reach!
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“Those who refine Human Elixirs… truly deserve being named Human Fiends!”
Ice-cold contempt surged inside Fang Cun’s eyes as he gazed skyward.
That dark figure and the pursuing Academy Disciples had vanished without a trace! Though Meng Zhixue led the pack fighting fiercely on her own struggle— the gap in power between the fiend and the Disciples remained huge! They possessed no chance at capture! Moreover… the priority was the mystery— the Academy masters and the City Governor must have received the alert instantly! Where were the high-ranked combatants?…
Was that fiend truly escaping completely?
Deep crimson flashes sparked beneath Fang Cun’s narrowed lashes.
If he flees unpunished… won’t he find another chance for Human Elixir refinement? Won’t innocents still fall prey to his knife?
For this very batch… he ignited a colossal plague! What devastation could the next ‘experiment’ unleash?
“How absurd… how insane… accepting his escape!”
Absurd! Revolting! Unacceptable!
These thoughts surged! He didn’t run into pursuit. Instead— teeth clamping— he stepped abruptly forward… reaching the cauldron’s edge instantly!
GET… BACK… HERE!
No sound escaped Fang Cun’s lips. Only the silent intensity above bled coldly through.
The Old Umbrella flicked down sharply! Inside glimmered his Silver Snake Sword! Instinctively dragging light across his palm.
Blood trickled. Spattering within the metal vessel.
Blood just pure Innate Qi. Pure Innate Qi is like jade essence; each strand multiplying perfection!
This particular drop— saturated with captured vitality cultivated by Fang Cun over years— stood more precious than ten or one hundred common souls combined! True refinement— distilled over generations! Cultivated drop!
That singular droplet— struck the surface of the incomplete Elixir…
Instantaneously—
Brilliant golden radiance detonated sky-high!
One hundred miles— every living creature could sense the majestic blaze!