C3 The Nine Reincarnations of the Soul!
"What?" Upon hearing these words, the Chen family members' faces were etched with deep sorrow.
Those standing on the sacrificial altar were the backbone of the Chen family, their most influential leaders. Should they fall, the entire Chen family's industrial chain would be severed, leading to paralysis and a complete halt in operations.
A once-thriving enterprise would be extinguished in an instant.
The many individuals within the Chen family, who once had a promising future, would suddenly find themselves without an economic lifeline or prospects, facing a bleak existence.
Before long, their lives would devolve to that of the average citizen, if not worse.
The actions of the Charstand were tantamount to snuffing out the future of the Chen family.
Chen Xing's female cousins glared at him with venomous eyes.
In the prime of their youth, with abundant opportunities for enjoyment and boasting, all was lost because of Chen Xing.
"He's the reason for this disaster!"
"Scoundrel! Pervert! How could such a disgrace emerge from our family? And to think, he's one of the few men in the Chen family."
Yet, as they cast their resentful gazes upon Chen Xing, not a single member of the Chen family stepped forward to challenge the Charstand or dispute their verdict. It was as if the Charstand's decree was sacrosanct, the final word that no one dared to question.
Except for Chen Xing.
Clad in a white robe, he stepped forward and demanded, "Why?"
His words rang out with undeniable force.
As soon as the man from the Charstand began to speak, the noise from the crowd below ceased, silenced by their awe of the Charstand.
While Chen Xing's sisters dared only to mutter their curses under their breath, Chen Xing's challenge rang out like a thunderclap on a clear day, bright and piercing. He was calling the Charstand into question!
Everyone was taken aback!
Uncle Chen's face drained of color as he hastily retreated three steps, not wanting to be dragged into the fray.
This man was like a harbinger of doom. Was he out of his mind?
Could he not see who stood before him? To openly defy the Charstand?
"This is within the borders of the Purple Wind Empire. No law here permits such a punishment. Moreover." His gaze shifted toward the Willow Demon positioned behind the Heavenly Altar.
"Do you not understand the truth of the matter? At that time, I was far from my normal self. How can the esteemed Charstand, a great sect, act so unjustly? Is that really acceptable? The law is the law, and the facts are the facts. On what grounds do you justify such a decision? Am I not correct, Fairy Yang?"
His gaze carried a force that seemed to pierce the soul, as though he was probing the depths of the other's conscience. This was the influence of Dragon Might.
These humans were excessive. Even when he was a lord 100,000 years ago, he had never been this domineering.
A hush fell over the crowd.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Chen Xing, who stood before them. Was this truly Chen Xing?
It felt as though he had transformed into someone else entirely.
If the first sentence could be dismissed as a moment of madness, the subsequent words confirmed that his mind was sharp and his thoughts were crystal clear.
Moreover, there was an undeniable aura of boldness about him.
If it were them, even with a clear mind, they would not dare to speak such words in the presence of Charstand.
Is this really my son, Chen Xing?
On the stage, Chen Fushou was equally incredulous. He knew his son better than anyone – a hopeless case, utterly beyond help.
He had tried everything, to no avail, never imagining that he would witness such a transformation at the brink of death under another's blade.
Chen Fushou nodded emphatically, suddenly feeling that death held no fear for him, for the future of the Chen family shone bright.
The other Chen family elders nodded in agreement.
Yang Liu Mei's eyes flickered with surprise. That intense gaze from afar had unexpectedly stirred her heart!
She turned her head instinctively.
The man with youthful looks despite his white hair on the Heaven-Worshipping Platform wore a grim expression. He found Chen Xing's defiance against the Charstand laughable, a clear case of overestimating one's own abilities. Yet, they found themselves unable to counter Chen Xing's arguments.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a reason to contradict him. This matter wasn't significant, or rather, it could be seen as trivial, not warranting such an extreme response. However, the person Chen Xing had challenged was Yang Liu Mei – the Charstand's prodigious and most popular disciple! This was an unparalleled opportunity to make an impression in front of such a talented disciple!
"Why do you think you have any right? What gives you the right? Ha, I'll show you exactly what right I have!"
In a fit of frustration, one man brandished his knife!
Seeing the first man take action, the rest of the men resolved to do the same, their knives slicing through the air!
"We have the right because we belong to Charstand, because you are weaker than us!"
In a flash, blood sprayed and heads rolled. The stewards of the Chen family were executed one after another!
The sight was horrifying!
Chen Xing froze, a chill like the depths of an abyss welling up inside him. Though he was a dragon from 100,000 years ago, not Chen Xing, and not closely acquainted with these stewards, he had noted their kindness towards him over the past few days. At the very least, he had come to regard them as his own people. Witnessing this massacre, rage boiled within him uncontrollably!
"So, my strength is less than yours? Fine! Fine!" Amidst the bloodshed, Chen Xing's laughter was tinged with madness, his eyes sparkling like distant stars.
"Remember your words. There will come a day when you'll regret them, when you'll kneel before me, begging for your life!"
"And that day will not be far off."
"Pfft!" The white-haired, youthful-looking man from Charstand burst into laughter, "Do you even realize whom you're addressing? It's been ages since I've encountered such an ignorant brat. If I'm not mistaken, you're just a minor insect who has barely achieved the Second Layer of Body Tempering. Nearing adulthood, yet only at the Second Layer, and you have the audacity to speak to me like this?"
"Fine! I'll wait for you! I, Ding Yifei, will be waiting. But, I fear you might have me waiting until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble!"
Another man joined in the laughter, "I, Xiang Pengtian, am also waiting. Hopefully, you'll come knocking just when I'm in the mood for a fight."
"Senior Brother, we should leave."
Yang Liu interrupted their mockery with a dismissive tone.
Meanwhile, Chen Xing had already turned his gaze toward the aloof beauty.
"You might try to stop me, but you won't succeed. In time, you'll pay the price for it."
Liu Meng turned her head, giving him a fleeting, indifferent glance.
"Is it wrong for me to take action against someone who intends to harm me? If you think so, please come and tell me yourself in the future."
With those words, she turned and swept away.
Ding Yifei and Xiang Pengtian exchanged a look with Chen Xing before bursting into laughter and departing.
The townsfolk of Water Blue Town, each with their own thoughts, chatted and slowly dispersed, leaving only the members of the Chen family standing there, rooted to the spot where their blood and the heads of their kin had fallen.
...
Night fell.
Cool as a mountain stream.
A shadowy figure returned to the Heaven-Worshipping Platform.
It was Chen Xing.
In his hands, he held seven jade bottles, each adorned with a single flower.
The Soul Returning Flower.
Legend had it that this flower possessed the power to bring back the recently deceased.
Yet, this was its only effect, and while it seemed to defy the heavens, it was more of a half-myth, a tale from the ancient past, stretching back tens of thousands of years. The art was complex, with a low margin for error, and thus exceedingly difficult to master, leading to its loss long ago. Perhaps only the Nagas of 100,000 years past could perform this magic with any degree of consistency.
And it was this very magic that Chen Xing sought to perform!
"Gate of the Netherworld! Soul of heaven and earth! With blood as the guide, the dragon as the path, and the grass as the beacon! Come forth!" He dropped a bead of his own blood onto each jade bottle, traced symbols in the moonlight, and began the incantation. Atop the Heaven-Worshipping Platform, invisible ripples stirred like a vortex, barely perceptible unless one looked closely. The swirling eddies, like water ripples, seemed to be traced by dragons, ascending with the current.
On the outskirts of Traessey, where it met Water Blue Town, a middle-aged man strolled along the edge of Ancient Moon Lake. After a while, he carelessly took a swig of wine.
"Indeed, Ancient Moon Lake is most stunning at night."
He leaned against a crooked tree by the lake, contentedly gazing at the sky. He had determined this spot to be the prime location to appreciate the beauty of Ancient Moon Lake.
Suddenly, he froze, his eyes widening as he stared at the moon.
"This sensation... these fluctuations..."
"Yes! Someone is performing the Nine Turns of Revival!"
"Look over there, that must be Traessey! In this era, there are still people who can perform the Soul Revival spell?" His face was a mix of shock and disbelief. "Could it be some unfathomable being or perhaps an old friend?"
Without a second thought, he left the crooked tree behind and dashed toward Traessey with incredible speed. In just a few moments, he vanished from sight.
Seven nearly transparent Dragon Souls descended from the sky, each carrying fragments of a shattered soul. Chen Xing carefully guided them into jade bottles on the ground, then sealed them.
"You are my subjects, as well as the kin and elders of this body. I promise, one day, I will bring you back to life." Chen Xing spoke, then swiftly made his way toward the Chen family estate.
Shortly after his departure, a middle-aged man arrived at the scene. However, he could only sense faint traces of the spell that had been cast; the caster and the spellcasting artifacts had already vanished.
"Has it already been completed?" His eyes were wider than before.
"What kind of being is he, to perform the Soul Reincarnation Nine Transformations with such speed? Can his spirit even endure it?" The middle-aged man was drenched in a cold sweat. "Such speed and stability, even I cannot match!"
"When did such a formidable presence emerge within the Purple Wind Empire?"
