Chapter 69: Revenge and Retribution
Chapter 69: Revenge and Retribution
“I’ll fight you to the death!”
Humiliated and enraged, Cheng Zhaolong’s eyes flickered with venom. At the Thunder Stage cultivation level, he was no pushover. A dark iron sphere suddenly materialized in his palm.
Cheng Lingyu’s eyes blazed like flames. His right hand slashed downward, crimson sword energy splitting the heavens as it shattered the iron sphere in an instant.
A black mist exploded outward, reeking of pungent poison.
Qu Wei’s face paled as she yelled, “Back off! It’s lethal!”
Spectators swore loudly, never expecting Cheng Zhaolong to employ such underhanded tactics.
“Die already!”
Cheng Zhaolong launched himself at Cheng Lingyu, locking his arms around the youth to drag them both into the toxic cloud. Having taken antidotes beforehand, he gambled on enduring poison damage to eliminate his foe.
“You think poison works on me?”
Cheng Lingyu’s icy tone held contempt. His unique constitution, forged through consuming countless spiritual herbs on Green Island, rendered deadly toxins harmless.
True essence erupted from Cheng Lingyu’s body, snapping both of Cheng Zhaolong’s arms before a kick sent the man sprawling. The heart-wrenching scream made Ye Xiaoyun’s face twist with anguish.
“Zhaolong!”
She lunged at Cheng Lingyu, her cultivation surpassing Cheng Zhaolong’s yet proving useless against her target. A finger flick summoned dancing butterflies that swirled in hypnotic patterns.
Cheng Lingyu executed the Mirage Blade Slash. His true essence, compressed through dantian pyramid conversion, detonated upon contact with Ye Xiaoyun’s attack. The shockwave hurled her backward effortlessly.
In the next breath, Cheng Lingyu stood over Cheng Zhaolong. His boot crushed the man’s left leg, drawing another agonized shriek.
“I’ll slaughter you, Cheng Lingyu!”
Maddened, Ye Xiaoyun hurled a spinning wheel artifact – a high-quality treasure artifact from Xuanhuo Sect’s armory. Though lacking spirit artifacts, defensive treasures remained within her means.
Cheng Lingyu’s forearm met the whirling blade. The impact drove him back several paces, surprise flickering across his features. This weapon’s attack power rivaled late-stage Soul Martial cultivators. Without summoning the Ghostly Magic Blade, his current cultivation strained against it.
Spectators gasped. The high-quality treasure artifact should’ve severed limbs, yet Cheng Lingyu’s unscathed right arm defied reason. How could his physical body withstand such force?
“Perish!”
Ye Xiaoyun’s distorted face mirrored her frenzy. The wheel arced again, its edge ripping through air itself.
Black energy coalesced around Cheng Lingyu’s fist – the phantom magic knife’s influence without materialization. His punch erupted with world-shattering force, turbulent airflow shredding the void as bystanders scrambled backward.
This… from a Gathering Lake Stage cultivator?
A crisp sound rang out as the flying wheel shattered.
Ye Xiaoyun screamed wildly, “Impossible! I refuse to believe this!”
“A fist harder than treasure artifacts… how…”
The crowd trembled in fear, seeing Cheng Lingyu as some monstrous being.
With a snap of his fingers, the flying wheel broke into pieces. Cheng Lingyu appeared before Cheng Zhaolong, kicking his lower body to pulp and shattering his organs. The piercing scream tore through Ye Xiaoyun’s soul.
“Cheng Lingyu! I’ll kill you!”
Having devoted herself to Cheng Zhaolong and placed all her hopes in him, Ye Xiaoyun saw her life’s happiness destroyed. Her hatred burned fiercely.
As the crazed woman charged, Cheng Lingyu’s icy eyes showed no mercy to anyone blocking his revenge. With another finger snap, he activated Seven Butterfly Shadows – one of his deadliest moves, eyes blazing with lethal intent.
Ye Xiaoyun remembered this technique from Ji Yaozu’s defeat. Though she used her strongest defense, the result remained unchanged – she fell instantly, completely defeated.
Ignoring the severely injured woman, Cheng Lingyu stared at Cheng Zhaolong’s twisted face with terrifying killing intent.
“I’ve trained relentlessly for this day. Traveled north alone to fulfill my promise. Now we end our feud.”
“Kill me and the Cheng family will chase you forever!”
Beyond begging, Cheng Zhaolong spat curses and threats.
Cheng Lingyu laughed bitterly. “I don’t fear the Xuanhuo Sect. Why would I care about the Cheng family?”
He looked up at the sky with sorrowful eyes.
“Ruo Xue… see? Your revenge is done. Teacher… I’ve kept my word.”
As Cheng Lingyu raised his hand, overwhelming killing intent enveloped Cheng Zhaolong. The man began screaming desperately.
“Seventh Brother! Spare me! Don’t-”
“You destroyed my life’s dream,” Cheng Lingyu’s voice broke. “No mercy for you.”
With hatred reaching its peak, his hand descended. Cheng Zhaolong’s voice cut off abruptly, a head rolling across the ground.
Nearby, Ye Xiaoyun screamed madly for blood.
Suddenly, brilliance lit the garden as three Xuanhuo Sect experts arrived – elderly men over sixty. The white-haired, red-browed leader emitted spiritual light and oppressive aura.
Caiyun narrowed her eyes. “Asking obvious questions? Who are you trying to scare?”
“Impudent girl!” shouted the red-browed elder, his sharp gaze intensifying the tension.
Seeing reinforcements, Ye Xiaoyun burst into hysterical weeping.
“Grandpa Li, they killed Zhaolong! You must stand up for me and take revenge by eliminating them all!”
The red-browed elder Li Yuanlong, a prominent figure of the Xuanhuo Sect and one of the four Blood Martial experts, rarely appeared publicly. Today he had come to the chess academy with two elders, summoned by the communication talisman Ye Xiaoyun had crushed earlier.
“Don’t cry, Xiaoyun. Grandpa Li will handle this and avenge you.”
“Seize them!”
At Li Yuanlong’s command, the two elders stepped forward toward Caiyun and Cheng Lingyu.
Bystanders hastily retreated, avoiding confrontation with the Xuanhuo Sect experts.
Cheng Lingyu moved back to Caiyun’s side, silently observing the three foes with growing unease.
These newcomers all possessed cultivation levels far beyond his current abilities. Survival now depended entirely on Caiyun.
“You dare strut arrogantly in my territory? Think me weak?”
Caiyun’s expression hardened as she advanced. Lotus flowers emerged from the ground, erupting with purple-red flames. Formation patterns glowed across the earth as dormant strength began awakening.
Spectators leaped skyward in shock, realizing the garden concealed defensive formations.
The two elders eyed Caiyun warily while Li Yuanlong sneered, “You slaughtered our sect’s experts recently. Today your head will pay tribute to them.”
Caiyun scoffed, “An old coffin-dodger like you dares challenge me?”
Li Yuanlong’s face flushed crimson. “Impudent wench! For two centuries since reaching the Blood Martial Realm, none in Yunyang City dared insult me! Your death comes today!”
“Centuries of cultivation only brought you to Blood Martial Second Level? Pathetic.”
Li Yuanling stiffened, icy rage flashing in his eyes. Few knew his true cultivation stage – how had this girl discerned it?
“Stop gawking! Subdue her!” he barked at the elders.
“Surrender now, girl, or-”
“Insects of the Soul Martial Sixth Realm dare bark at me? Scram!”
Caiyun’s roar struck like thunder. The elders staggered, blood leaking from their mouths.
“Die, witch!” A green-robed elder soared, conjuring a domain of endless azure skies where a giant eagle spread towering wings.
“Devouring Heaven and Earth!” The second elder summoned a chaotic realm where a colossal frog gaped to consume all creation.
Cheng Lingyu gaped at the spectacle, whispering, “Domains…”
Cold amusement danced in Caiyun’s eyes as spiritual patterns ignited beneath her feet. Flames swirled like worshipping spirits around her, absorbing ambient energy while faint prayers echoed.
Luminous patterns materialized in the void, weaving celestial power that blossomed at Caiyun’s fingertips like deadly flowers.
The elders attacked without restraint. Having slaughtered ten Xuanhuo experts single-handedly before, Caiyun’s reputation left no room for half-measures. Though backed by Li Yuanlong, facing her at mere Soul Martial Sixth Realm promised only peril.