C9 Kill

"Scarface, you're not pulling one over on me, are you? We've been walking forever and still haven't stumbled upon this Immortal Abode you spoke of?"

Beside a towering tree deep within the Misty Forest, a young man in his teens turned to question his companion.

"We're close, very close," the young man known as Scarface assured him, nodding vigorously. "It's just a bit further ahead."

A prominent scar marred the young man's face, slashing from his forehead down to his cheek, a startling feature.

The teenager was Wang Ping, a boy with refined features from a lesser-known Cultivation Family, the Wang family.

Wang Ping held a lofty status within the Wang family, as his father was none other than Wang Le, the family's patriarch.

The Wang family, along with the Lin family and two other minor Cultivation Families, were the four major Cultivation Families of Thunderfall City.

The Wang and Lin families had a long-standing feud, making them sworn enemies for generations.

Legend had it that they once clashed over a mine, both suffering heavy losses. This conflict inadvertently allowed the other two families to settle in Thunderfall City, creating the current balance of power among the four families.

That very morning, Scarface had excitedly informed Wang Ping about an Immortal Abode he discovered in the Misty Forest, claiming it shone with a golden glow at night, surely hiding treasures, perhaps even Enchanted Items.

Taking him at his word, Wang Ping had led a small group into the Misty Forest that evening, hoping to chance upon fortune.

Scarface was essentially the Wang family's henchman, handling all the unsavory tasks the family preferred to keep out of the public eye.

"Indeed, Young Master," chimed in a crew-cut youth standing nearby. "Scarface and I found the Immortal Abode. It was ablaze with golden light, so we hurried back to inform you, Young Master."

"Hehe, relax, you'll get your fair share if we find any treasures," Wang Ping said with a knowing smile, as if reading the young man's thoughts.

"Oh, I wouldn't presume," the crew-cut youth replied, nodding eagerly.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a series of loud explosions. A billowing cloud of smoke arose before them as a swath of the forest was leveled to the ground.

"Who could that be, wielding such power?" Wang Ping said with a frown, "Let's hide for now and observe."

They quickly sought cover to conceal themselves.

After a short time, seeing no activity ahead, they cautiously emerged from their hiding spots.

"Young Master, it appears to be Lin Qing from the Lin family," Scarface reported after getting a clear view of Lin Qing's face.

"Lin Qing! How could that be?"

Wang Ping was taken aback. He was familiar with Lin Qing; they had a history of bad blood, having once fought over a woman.

But Lin Qing had always had the upper hand with the Windsong, an Enchanted Item, at his disposal.

Wang Ping was aware of Lin Qing's formidable cultivation level, but he never imagined it could have reached such heights.

This aura was indicative of the eighth level of Qi Refining!

"Let's avoid a confrontation with him. We'll take a detour to the Immortal Abode. We'll have plenty of chances to deal with him there," Wang Ping advised Scarface and the others.

Even though Scarface had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, he was no match for Lin Qing. It was wise to steer clear of his edge; this was not the time for bravado.

As they were about to take a detour, Scarface suddenly cried out, "No good, he's heading our way."

Lin Qing was just as surprised to see Wang Ping and his group. He hadn't expected to encounter them here.

Yet, now that they had crossed paths, why not seize the opportunity to eliminate them while under the influence of the Berserk Pill? That would mean one less rival to contend with.

Little did Lin Qing know, he was already in over his head.

"Young Master, it looks like Lin Qing has taken a Berserk Pill," Scarface observed during the lull, informing Wang Ping.

"A Berserk Pill?" Wang Ping squinted thoughtfully and said, "In that case, we might have a chance to take him down. If we can just hold out for ten minutes, Lin Qing will be at our mercy."

"Alright, that's the plan. Scarface, let's do our best to delay Lin Qing," Wang Ping declared with resolve.

Scarface remained silent. Years of battle had taught him that panic was a luxury he couldn't afford in the face of danger. Only by keeping a clear head could he hope to survive in the long run.

Lin Qing steadily closed in on Wang Ping and his companions. When he was within a few yards, he abruptly raised his Windsong sword and unleashed a ferocious slash. Wang Ping instinctively stepped back, putting some distance between them.

Wang Ping reached into his robes and pulled out a stack of low-level charms, hurling them en masse at Lin Qing.

Far from being intimidated by the barrage of charms, Lin Qing was actually thrilled.

"Open!" he shouted.

A massive wave of sword energy burst forth from the Windsong, clashing with the charms.

"Boom!"

The sword energy met the charms mid-air, resulting in a thunderous explosion that reduced the charms to dust, while the sword energy continued its relentless path toward Wang Ping and his allies.

"So powerful," Lin Hao mused to himself. "I couldn't withstand this alone. Thank goodness for the jasper bracelet. I need to focus on enhancing my cultivation level urgently."

Lin Hao felt a mix of relief and urgency, recognizing the need to strengthen his cultivation without delay.

As Wang Ping realized he couldn't dodge in time, he grabbed a young man with a buzz cut and used him as a human shield.

The young man was bisected before he could even scream, a grisly sight to behold.

"Haha..." Lin Qing's laughter rang out. "Let's go again."

"Young Master, step back. I'll handle this," Scarface declared, positioning himself in front of Wang Ping.

Scarface's intervention wasn't out of loyalty to his master; he had no other choice. His sister was with the Wang family, and if anything happened to Wang Ping, she would be in danger.

Wang Ping hastily moved aside, watching as Scarface and Lin Qing engaged in a fierce battle.

Several exchanges later, Scarface began to falter, his energy waning. The Windsong had inflicted several gashes on him, and his blood flowed freely. It seemed he was on the brink of death at Lin Qing's hand.

Just then, Lin Qing's energy plummeted dramatically.

From the seventh level of Qi Refining...

To the sixth level...

And before long, he had fallen to the second level of Qi Refining.

Scarface seized the moment, delivering a fatal blow to Lin Qing, who fell to the ground, dead. Scarface himself collapsed, gravely injured.

"Haha!" Wang Ping emerged from his hiding spot, laughing triumphantly. "So much for your bravado. Dead is dead. And now, the Windsong sword is mine." He scooped up the Windsong with a smug expression, kicked Lin Qing's body a few times to release his frustration, and showed no concern for Scarface's condition.

After calming down, Wang Ping addressed Scarface, "You're not dead, are you? If you're still breathing, get up. We're heading to the Immortal Abode. With the Windsong in my possession, I can even take on a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator."

Scarface produced a pill, swallowed it, and felt a bit of his strength return. "Yes, Young Master," he replied.

Once Wang Ping and his party had moved off into the distance, Lin Hao emerged from the jasper bracelet.

"Hmph, he got what he deserved," Lin Hao muttered, plucking a low-grade soulstone from Lin Qing's remains. "Waste not, want not."

"I seem to recall them mentioning the Immortal Abode," Lin Hao pondered. "Could there really be such a place? Maybe I should follow them and see if I can reap some rewards. Fortune favors the bold, after all."

Quickly gathering his belongings, Lin Hao set off in the direction Wang Ping and the others had taken.