Chapter 377: Burn a World!
After hearing the instructions, Yun Xiao nodded his head. He needed help, and even if this was all in a day's work for the other party, respect was due. But the pride and authority radiating from the authorities of the Primordial Ruins did rub him the wrong way a tad.
"The ladder up the Immortal path is a steep climb, and those perched high do tend to get a bit big for their britches... But a touch of compassion for the common folk can cover a multitude of sins," Yun Xiao mused. He decided to see how this Dao Titan was about to quiz him.
About seven folks were milling around this golden hall, all high and mighty powers of the Primordial Ruins, with the one who'd just spoken likely being Yuan Xianjun.
Then, with a deep voice, Yuan Xianjun asked, "You dabble in both the sword and the sigils?"
Yun Xiao blinked, taken aback. That was the icebreaker?
"Sword and sigil, both?" Zhang Qingwei and Yuan Wu were equally gobsmacked, their expressions a kaleidoscope of surprise.
Zhang Qingwei seemed pleased, probably delighted for Yun Xiao. But it wasn't the time for back-slapping.
Under the scrutiny of several intense stares, Yun Xiao nodded. The sigil etched on his brow was a dead giveaway of his powers as an Inscription Cultivator.
Yuan Wu and Zhang Qinglian had pegged him for an Inscription Cultivator through and through, but Yuan Xianjun, sizing him up, figured him for a Sword Cultivator as well.
"Show us," Yuan Xianjun boomed.
Yun Xiao rolled up his sleeves, conjuring an azure Sword Soul on his palm, while the Prison Warden Sigil made its appearance on his forehead.
Sword and sigil, clear as day, with the Sword Ring count deliberately capped at seven.
"Passable," Yuan Xianjun declared.
At that, Yun Xiao stowed away Heaven Burial and Prison Warden. It was clear as day that not even Yuan Xianjun could sniff out the true marvel of these divine artifacts.
Then, like the previous exchange was water under the bridge, Yuan Xianjun steered the conversation back to the matter of the Nian, asking Yun Xiao in an even tone, "Did you witness, with your own two eyes, the Nian breaking free and wreaking havoc?"
Yun Xiao nodded.
Casting a glance at Zhang Qingwei beside him, Yuan Xianjun's voice took on a grave note, "Is what Zhang Qingwei claims the truth? That Yuan Wu's underestimation led to the annihilation of the Primordial Guards, not only failing to assist but actually aiding in the Nian's escape?"
As the words piled on, heavier with each syllable, they thundered in Yun Xiao's ears like a storm, leaving a ringing in his head. With a cough that was anything but friendly, Yuan Wu's barely veiled threat was as clear as daylight. But Zhang Qingwei stood by Yun Xiao, her gaze unwavering, a pillar of support in a sea of doubt.
For Yun Xiao, there was no hemming and hawing about it; this was about dodging a bullet, nothing more, nothing less. And so, under the scorching scrutiny of the crowd, he nodded once more, his gesture setting off a chill in Yuan Wu's stare while bringing a sigh of relief to Zhang Qingwei.
She glanced at Yuan Wu, then turned to Yuan Xianjun with a bow, "Esteemed immortals, the Nian played us for fools, and Yuan Wu was but momentarily deceived. I beseech you to show leniency, for the sake of understanding."
Her plea, aiming to lighten the blow for Yuan Wu, showcased her savviness. After all, Yuan Wu was family to Yuan Xianjun, and while justice demanded its due, face-saving was part of the dance.
Zhang Qingwei, after her plea for mercy, lowered her gaze in solemn respect, "The Nian is on the loose, potentially bringing calamity to the innocent. It's imperative we alert the Primordial Ruins and nip this disaster in the bud, lest we court a catastrophe."
Her words echoed Yun Xiao's thoughts, earning her a notch up in his esteem.
But as Zhang Qingwei made her case, Yuan Xianjun rose, the air in the golden hall thickening with solemnity. With a stroke of his beard and a piercing gaze, he acknowledged, "You speak the truth. Vanquishing calamities and safeguarding worlds is our unshirkable duty."
Zhang Qingwei's tension eased slightly with Yuan Xianjun's wise acknowledgment, her worried frown relaxing into a hopeful gaze.
Just as the atmosphere seemed to be clearing, Yuan Xianjun's hand flickered, and a flash of gold shot from his sleeve.
In an instant, a crimson bloom exploded from Zhang Qingwei's forehead, a mist of blood painting a grim picture behind her. Eyes wide with disbelief, she fixed her gaze on Yuan Xianjun, her expression a silent scream of betrayal.
After staggering back three paces, she wore a look of profound befuddlement, collapsing to the ground with a soft thud.
She was gone, just like that.
The strike was so sudden, Yun Xiao hadn't seen it coming, not by a long shot.
He was at his most relaxed, and that blade might as well have been for him, hitting him square between the eyes and blowing his mind, quite literally.
He couldn't even be sure if, in the face of such an abrupt onslaught, Blue Star and Red Moon could have reacted in time...
First shock, then a chill ran down Yun Xiao's spine, soaking him in cold sweat.
He glanced to his left, where Zhang Qingwei lay, her eyes wide with despair, meeting his gaze... That pitiable look sparked a towering inferno of rage within Yun Xiao.
Why her? She was just following orders, where did she go wrong?
Yun Xiao's chest burned with fury, yet he couldn't make heads or tails of this Dao Titan and his actions.
Yuan Xianjun had taken Zhang Qingwei's life, and the other authorities didn't bat an eyelid.
It was Yuan Wu who looked like he'd seen a ghost, ashen-faced and dropping to his knees, his breathing heavy, his expression bewildered.
"Are all who knew of the Nian's escapade now silenced?" Yuan Xianjun asked Yuan Wu, as if he'd done nothing more than swat a fly, his tone even.
"All gone, great ancestor!" Yuan Wu managed through clenched teeth, his voice trembling, "Just me and my brother left, but we'll keep our mouths shut."
"Relax, the two of you are family," Yuan Xianjun suddenly said, with a chuckle.
And then, the laughter spread, the six other formidable figures of Primordial Ruins joining in.
"Yuan Xianjun, you've scared the boy."
"Don't panic."
Hearing their laughter, Yuan Wu's taut nerves finally eased.
And then, a dark thought crept into his mind.
"They can't handle the Nian, so they deal with the whistleblower instead?"
Otherwise, Yuan Wu couldn't fathom why they'd suddenly taken out Zhang Qingwei...
"Yuan Xianjun, should we report this matter of the Nian to the three True Immortals?" an elder with white hair and beard inquired.
Yuan Xianjun, garbed in a robe of gold and black, with brows long and white, bore a face of stern righteousness. He murmured, "Turning the Nian into an Ascension Pill for the three True Immortals would work wonders."
"Indeed," came the nods of agreement. "The three True Immortals said the remains of the Nian are the finest catalyst for the Ascension Pill, a pity it was trapped in the Immortal Asylum..."
"But now, it's shown itself!"
The elders mused, leaving Yuan Wu befuddled. "Great ancestor, did we silence Zhang Qingwei to keep the glory to ourselves, to prevent others from sharing the credit?"
Yuan Xianjun shook his head, his expression chilling. "Not quite... Our only way to slay the Nian is one."
"And that is?" Yuan Wu inquired.
"Burn the world," Yuan Xianjun said, almost casually.
"Burn the world? As in, set the entire Nine Hells ablaze to destroy it with the power of such conflagration?" Yuan Wu gasped.
"What else? The scrolls say the beast is undying. Even after years of imprisonment, with only its withered remains left, we must summon the power to burn the world, gather the spirits of all living beings, the essence of the world, the balance of Yin and Yang, and use the resentment of all beings to burn its karma and annihilate its soul," Yuan Xianjun said, his gaze piercing the horizon.
"Right, the more it devours, the stronger it becomes. If we confront it directly and it seizes the chance to strengthen, it'd spell trouble. By burning the world, we'd even cut off its sustenance, leaving it no chance to grow," Yuan Wu realized, looking up to Yuan Xianjun and the others with newfound respect.
He finally understood why Yuan Xianjun had swiftly ended Zhang Qingwei.
"Too many naive do-gooders in the Primordial Ruins, the matter of burning the world needs decisive action, better done than debated. Once word gets out, it'd be too late to execute." With this thought, Yuan Wu's spirit surged.
His eyes blazing, he eagerly asked Yuan Xianjun, "Great ancestor, can the Ascension Pill made from the Nian truly grant us ascension to become True Immortals above the clouds?"
"What do you think?" Yuan Xianjun replied with a smile.
Would they go to such lengths if it weren't immensely valuable?
"For one to ascend, billions must fall; such is the harsh truth of the path to immortality," Yuan Xianjun said, eyes twinkling, clearly in high spirits.
"But then, such a divine object, do we really need to offer it to the 'Tri-Immortal Assembly'? Wouldn't it be better for the great ancestor himself to..."
Yuan Wu's words were cut short as he suddenly felt an immense pressure bearing down upon him!
He looked up in terror to meet Yuan Xianjun's cold gaze, as if staring into two suns in the sky.
"I misspoke!" Yuan Wu frantically bowed, his face drained of color.
Yuan Xianjun put a finger to his lips, shushing him with a cryptic expression.
"Let's go," he said to the others.
Six figures rose to follow, clearly eager to commence the burning of the realm.
Act now, report later!
Yuan Wu's fervor was rekindled.
"Ah, right!" He suddenly looked up, casting a cold smile at Yun Xiao. "Great ancestor, what shall we do with this one?"
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