Chapter 804: Chu Yang

Inside a vast mountain cavern...The smell of blood lingered in the air.

A middle-aged cultivator staggered forward, his breathing becoming heavier with every step. A sword protruded from his back, its tip emerging from his chest. Dark purple veins spread across his neck and face like countless poisonous snakes.

Poison.

Not an ordinary poison either.

Even with his Foundation Establishment cultivation, his spiritual qi had become sluggish, and his limbs were gradually losing their strength.

He slowly turned around.bBehind him stood his own personal disciple. The disciple calmly withdrew the sword. Fresh blood immediately poured from the wound.

"...Why?" The master clutched his chest with trembling hands. "Why... did you betray me?"

His voice was hoarse, yet he still refused to fall.

The disciple quietly looked at him, "Master, you’re a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator."

He wiped the blood from his sword.

"If I hadn’t poisoned you first... even ten of me wouldn’t be your opponent."

The master coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of black blood.

"You’ve followed me for nearly fifteen years... I taught you cultivation. I gave you techniques. I even intended to pass down my inheritance one day."

He looked at the young man before him.

"So why?"

The disciple remained silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed.

"Master. People often say... that before death, one’s entire life flashes before their eyes."

He slowly walked closer, "Perhaps... you should think carefully. Do you remember killing a maid?"

The master’s brows furrowed.

"A maid?"

"She accidentally laughed at you." The disciple spoke calmly. "Your face had been blackened by the explosion of a pill furnace. You had just failed to refine a precious pill. And She laughed. She didn’t mean to mock you. She simply couldn’t hold it back because she was Naive little girl."

The master’s body trembled.

Gradually... A forgotten memory resurfaced. Years ago... His furnace had exploded during pill refinement. Not only had he wasted several priceless spiritual herbs, but the backlash had also injured him internally. Covered in soot from head to toe, he had looked utterly ridiculous.

Just then...

A young servant girl entered carrying tea. The innocent girl couldn’t suppress her laughter.

In his fury... He struck her dead with a single palm.

The cavern became silent.

"I... remember..." The master’s voice trembled.

"I regretted it afterward. I compensated her family. I even apologized..."

The disciple suddenly laughed.

"Compensated?" His laughter echoed throughout the cavern. "You sent them spirit stones. You believed spirit stones could replace a daughter?"

The master’s face turned pale.

"That maid... She had a little brother." The disciple’s expression gradually became colder.

"Every evening, he would stand outside their small house... waiting for his sister to return. But instead... What arrived... was her corpse."

The disciple’s grip around the sword slowly tightened.

"The little boy cried until his voice disappeared. He accepted your compensation. He used every spirit stone to cultivate. He entered the same sect. He became your disciple."

"For fifteen years... He waited."

His eyes became frighteningly calm.

"Like a hawk watching its prey. Waiting for the perfect opportunity."

Only now did the master’s eyes widen, "You..." His lips trembled uncontrollably, "You’re... The maid’s younger brother..."

The disciple nodded.

"Yes."

Silence.

The master slowly closed his eyes.

Tears streamed down his face.

"I-I truly am sorry."

His voice was filled with regret, "I’ve regretted that mistake every day."

The disciple smiled faintly.

"I know."

The master froze.

"You... know? I know you regretted it. I know you sent compensation."

The master’s eyes lit up slightly.

Then—

The disciple’s smile disappeared.

"But... My sister still died. You just want to forgiveness with some compensation."

No amount of regret could bring back the dead. The cavern fell silent once more.

The master lowered his head.

The disciple slowly sheathed his sword.

"Oh. One more thing."

The master looked up weakly

"I also killed your children." The master’s pupils contracted violently.

"My... children..."

The disciple calmly nodded.

"Your son begged me. He begged me to spare his younger sister." A faint cruel smile appeared on the disciple’s face. "I refused."

The master’s entire body shook. His breathing became chaotic. The disciple quietly watched him.

Several moments later...

He sighed, "Master. You taught me something very important."

The master’s eyes gradually lost focus.

The disciple looked directly into his eyes.

"When facing an enemy... Never leave the roots behind."

He pointed at himself.

"See? I’m the perfect example for that."

The master’s expression became one of endless regret.

His body finally lost all strength.

With a dull thud... He collapsed onto the cold stone floor. His life came to an end.

The disciple remained standing there.

For a long time... He simply looked at the corpse. Then...A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Master..."

His voice became much softer.

"I lied. I never killed Senior Brother. I never killed Junior Sister. They’re still alive. They merely became trapped inside a secret realm."

He smiled bitterly.

"I just wanted you to die believing your entire family had perished. And die in regrets." He slowly bowed toward the corpse.

"Thank you... For teaching me. For raising me. And... For giving me the chance to take revenge."

"If Senior Brother or Junior Sister ever discovers the truth and comes seeking revenge..."

"I won’t run. I’ll repay my debt with this life."

After saying those words, he turned around and began walking toward the exit of the cavern.

Suddenly—

Rumble!

The entire mountain shook violently. The disciple stopped. His expression changed.

"What...?"

Cracks spread across the cavern walls. Massive boulders crashed from above. Behind him, his master’s corpse was instantly buried beneath countless rocks.

The disciple immediately rushed toward the exit. Before he could escape—

Boom!

The ground beneath his feet suddenly split apart. His footing vanished. He fell into the endless darkness below. The last thing he saw... Was the collapsing cavern disappearing above him.

Then... Everything became black.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

"Hey! Wake up! Wake up!"

A voice kept ringing beside his ear.

Chu Yang slowly opened his eyes. His head still felt dizzy from the fall. The first thing he saw was a sword floating in front of his face.

He blinked.

The sword blinked back.

"Good. You’re finally awake," the sword said.

Chu Yang instantly jumped backwards.

"T-The sword spoke?"

He rubbed his eyes several times before looking again.

The sword was still there.

"What... what are you?" Chu Yang asked. "Am I already dead?"

"Hmph." The sword snorted. "Didn’t your master teach you manners? Before asking another’s name, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?"

Chu Yang was stunned for a moment before awkwardly cupping his fists.

"My name is Chu Yang."

"Well then, Chu Yang..." the sword said proudly. "Pick me up."

Chu Yang hesitated for a moment before grabbing the sword.

Only then did he notice his surroundings.

He was standing inside a transparent barrier. Outside it, hundreds of cultivators surrounded the area. Some were shouting at him while others continuously attacked the barrier with swords, sabers and all kinds of spiritual techniques.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Countless attacks landed on the barrier.

Strangely, Chu Yang couldn’t hear a single sound. Even the violent impacts seemed completely isolated.

"What... what’s going on?"

"What are you standing there for?" the sword urged. "See that teleportation formation over there? It’s a one-time formation. Hurry up and leave."

Chu Yang looked in the direction the sword indicated.

Sure enough, an ancient formation was hidden behind several giant rocks.

"But..." Chu Yang looked around. "There are so many spiritual herbs here. What a waste."

The sword laughed.

"Heh... who told you to leave them behind?"

Chu Yang looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

The sword whispered something into his ear.

The more Chu Yang listened, the wider his eyes became.

By the end, they were practically shining.

"You... you can actually do that?"

"Of course."

A few moments later, Chu Yang stepped onto the teleportation formation.

A flash of light appeared. His figure disappeared. The teleportation formation crumbled.

Almost at the same time, the barrier vanished. The waiting cultivators immediately rushed inside.

Just as the first person stepped across the boundary—

Buzz!

The barrier instantly reappeared, trapping everyone inside once again.

"Damn it! We’ve been tricked!"

One of the older cultivators clenched his fists.

"Immediately send his appearance to every disciple. We must capture that boy!"

He lowered his voice.

"And remember... don’t reveal the ability of that sword."

Several people looked at him in confusion.

"If the old monsters hear about it, do you think we’ll still have a chance?"

Everyone immediately understood.

Numerous communication talismans lit up at the same time.

...

Several days later...

After escaping countless pursuers, Chu Yang finally entered Moon Hawk City. A day after entering the city, the Guards began inspecting everyone leaving the city.

Chu Yang’s face immediately turned ugly, "...I’m finished. They probably guessed I ran to this city."

He rented a room in a small inn and collapsed onto the bed. The sword burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... Young man, it seems I’m a little too popular."

Chu Yang rolled his eyes.

"Tsk."

"I should just sell you for a few copper coins."

"Don’t!"

The sword immediately panicked.

"If you’re really going to sell me, at least sell me for spirit stones!"

Chu Yang couldn’t help laughing.

"What a strange sword."

After thinking for a while, he hid the sword beneath the bed.

"Stay here."

"I’ll go gather information."

"Don’t abandon me!"

Ignoring the sword’s protests, Chu Yang locked the room and walked downstairs. The inn’s tavern was crowded with cultivators drinking and chatting. He ordered a pot of wine and quietly listened.

"Have you heard?"

"One more rich young master appeared on Pink Street."

"You mean that Lustful Rich Young Master?"

"Hmph. That bastard rented an entire brothel. These Rich people monopolize everything. We Poor fellows can’t even get inside anymore."

The surrounding drinkers burst into laughter.

Chu Yang wasn’t interested.

He was about to leave when another sentence made him stop in his tracks.

"I also heard he publicly boasted that he has a way to leave Moon Hawk City without going through inspection."

"That’s just bragging."

"So I thought too... but apparently the Yun Family confirmed it’s true."

Chu Yang slowly turned around.

His eyes narrowed.

Without hesitation, he ordered two more jugs of wine before walking over to the group.

He smiled warmly.

"Brothers, I accidentally ordered too much."

"Would you mind helping me finish these?"

The few cultivators looked at each other before laughing.

"Hahaha!"

"Brother, come sit!"

Chu Yang sat down naturally and poured wine for everyone.

After drinking a cup together, he smiled and asked casually,

"So... who exactly is this Lustful Rich Young Master?"