CHAPTER 67

Life-and-Death Pact

"Senior Brother, go for it! Go go!" In the front row of the audience, a delicate young girl dressed in white cupped her hands like a megaphone and shouted with all her might, cheering on the black-robed cultivator on the stage. She paid no attention to the strange looks from those around her, as if her heart and eyes were filled only with that figure in dark robes.

'Hey, hey! Little Seven, mind your image! Don't ruin the glorious reputation of our Chonghua Sect's white-robed disciples!'

Unable to bear it any longer, Qin Ziqi cautiously tugged at Tong Tong's sleeve, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Little Seven, I'm sure Senior Brother has already felt your enthusiasm. Why not take a break, have some snacks, and wait for good news?"

Tong Tong's reputation as a foodie was well-known throughout Qiuye Peak, so Qin Ziqi had hit her weak spot, making her obediently comply: "Oh."

'Ah-ha! Since Third Senior Brother has invited me so sincerely, I'll reluctantly agree! Maybe after I finish the snacks, I won't even need to cheer, I can just congratulate Senior Brother on his victory! Mhm, mhm!'

Having found an excuse for her shameful act of abandoning beauty for food, Tong Tong happily followed Qin Ziqi to a corner in the back row of the formation. There, she picked up a bowl of osmanthus-fermented glutinous rice and began eating with gusto.

'Phew, she's finally settled down.'

The Chonghua disciples, including Qin Ziqi, collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

'Ah, peace and quiet feel wonderful.'

The disciples from other sects, who had been constantly disturbed by Tong Tong's noisy cheering, also felt refreshed as they removed the silencing charms they'd cast on themselves.

'Hmph.'

The only one displeased was Su Yan, who was leisurely swinging her sword on the stage.

She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, completely ignoring the dazzling onslaught of attacks from Shangguan Yi beside her. Turning her head, she glared at Tong Tong, who was happily eating away, and inwardly cursed: 'What a heartless, silly girl...'

Just as she was contemplating whether to cut off her snacks for three days or five, a sudden sense of danger flashed through her mind, a near-instinctive awareness of peril, something only Nascent Soul stage cultivators could vaguely perceive as a law of heaven and earth. With a sideways sweep of her sword, Changhong, she shifted her shoulder to the right, her gaze coldly sweeping over Shangguan Yi's serious expression: Here it comes!

"Pah," "Ugh!" "Huh? Xiao Fang, what's wrong with you?" "Quick, take him to the inner hall to rest..."

Without turning around, Su Yan clearly heard the commotion behind her, a mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips: A disciple of a prestigious island, yet resorting to such underhanded tricks, no wonder his cultivation is so weak...

Just moments ago, she had distinctly felt something brush past her neck. Though there was no trace of spiritual energy, it couldn't escape her senses, the innocent disciple who had been struck behind her confirmed this. Shangguan Yi must have been carrying a treasure capable of concealing spiritual energy!

"The one who ambushed me in the Hall of the Wheel-Turning King that time was you, wasn't it?" Su Yan stroked the blade of Changhong, her tone not questioning but stating with certainty.

"You misunderstand, Brother Su. How could I possibly do such a thing?" Shangguan Yi's expression shifted oddly, but he quickly regained his composure, his face a mask of three parts confusion and three parts urgency. He played the role of an innocent man wronged and at a loss so convincingly that anyone unaware of his true nature might have been thoroughly deceived.

Unfortunately, this masterful performance was utterly wasted on Su Yan. First, the title "Fierce Deity of Chonghua" was not earned lightly, compassion was a sentiment Su Yan reserved only for a certain foolish girl, and even then, only in the slightest measure. Second, the ironclad rule deeply ingrained in the hearts of Chonghua's younger disciples, "If Senior Brother Su says you're wrong, you're wrong, if Senior Brother Su wants you dead, you'd better die quickly," applied equally to disciples of other sects. Since Su Yan believed Shangguan Yi was the one who had ambushed him in the Hall of the Wheel-Turning King, no amount of pleading or excuses would change his mind.

People often described such personalities with a more academic term, succinctly summarized as, stubborn as a mule.

Thus, Senior Brother Su was angry, and the consequences were severe.

"Swish!" The jade-crowned topknot Shangguan Yi had tied up was cleanly severed by a sword stroke, scattering disheveled strands that drifted to the ground like feathers plucked from a bedraggled chicken. Shangguan Yi let out a shrill, piercing shriek: "What are you doing?"

For a man, cutting off his topknot was akin to beheading, having it shorn off was considered a profound humiliation.

"Oh, my hand slipped." Su Yan lifted her eyelids and cast a casual glance at him, then smiled gently as Shangguan Yi's face flushed purple with rage. The smile was as warm as a spring breeze, yet it sent a chill down Shangguan Yi's spine. "I originally meant to cut your throat..." The tone carried a hint of regret, whether genuine or feigned, making Shangguan Yi involuntarily retreat half a step. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

After speaking, Su Yan flashed another radiant smile, so dazzling it seemed to outshine the blazing sun itself, Tong Tong, who had just swallowed the last of her sticky rice candy, happened to glance over and immediately froze, murmuring the collective thought of every onlooker present: "Tsk tsk, what a bewitching creature..."

Su Yan's hearing was exceptional, even the softest whisper couldn't escape her perception. Hearing this, she swept a sharp gaze across the crowd. Everyone below averted their eyes, except for Tong Tong, whose infatuated stare remained glued to her face, unwilling to look away even for a moment.

Su Yan sighed softly in resignation. Though she should have been annoyed, an inexplicable trickle of sweet delight seeped into her heart. She shot Tong Tong a glance, brimming with a thousand charms, which promptly caused the already dazed girl to lose her senses once more.

'D@mn it! If this guy ever dressed as a woman, he'd absolutely be the top courtesan in a brothel!'

If Su Yan knew that her captivating gaze had earned only such an evaluation, she would surely have been furious enough to spit bl0od.

"Whoosh!"

"Clink!"

Su Yan slowly turned around, her expression indifferent as she regarded the disheveled, demon-like figure of Shangguan Yi. A disdainful curve lifted the corner of her mouth. "Since you can't wait to meet your death, I'll grant your wish."

With a flick of her wrist, Su Yan lightly raised the Changhong Sword, its tip sending the fine ox-hair needle she had just caught flying back a hundred times faster. Before Shangguan Yi could react, it embedded itself in his chest.

"Ugh!" He grunted, clutching his left chest before collapsing heavily to the ground.

"What happened?"

"He's down already?"

A wave of astonished murmurs erupted from the crowd below.

Su Yan, holding Changhong, stepped forward in her deerskin boots trimmed with golden threads, stopping before him. She looked down at Shangguan Yi, who was clutching his chest and gasping hoarsely, a cold smile slowly curling at the corner of her lips. "How does the poison needle feel?"

What goes around comes around. The moment one uses a hidden weapon to harm others, they must be prepared for the day when that same weapon will end their life.

Those who offend me shall pay tenfold!

Changhong rose high and swept down, leaving a bl0ody gash on his neck, where veins bulged. In an instant, the leading disciple of the Bingyan Island of this generation breathed his last.

"Shangguan Yi, is dead!"

"Su Yan of the Bingyan Island k!lled him!"

"Was it manslaughter or premeditated murder?"

The discussions below the stage grew even more intense than before, nearly shaking the entire venue.

People questioned, argued, clamored, and jostled, yet no one cared about the lonely corpse on the stage.

In the Bingyan Island's formation, a flash of pale yellow fabric flickered past.

Su Yan sheathed Changhong and met his eyes, which remained wide open even in death, filled with endless resentment as if they could break free from their confines and lunge at her. With a cold sneer, she stepped over him and descended the stage. "Insignificant insect."

Ignoring the onlookers who stared at her along the way, Su Yan walked straight toward Tong Tong in the corner of the Chonghua formation. She stopped three steps away, her dark jade-like eyes sweeping over Tong Tong before settling on the crumbs and residue at the corner of her mouth. "Come here," she said coldly.

'Huh? What's with this accusatory tone? I haven't offended her, have I...'

Tong Tong's heart skipped a beat, but she dared not disobey. After hesitating for a moment, she saw Su Yan's eyes suddenly flash and her slender brows lift. Startled, she hurried forward, clinging to Su Yan's arm like a sycophant, and asked with an awkward smile, "First Senior Brother, you called for me?"

'Asking what she already knew, playing dumb.'

Su Yan shot her a disdainful glance, then extended her fair, jade-like hand toward Tong Tong's cheek. Just as Tong Tong thought she was about to suffer rough treatment and squeezed her eyes shut in fear, she felt a cool, gentle touch like smooth jade gliding over her cheek and chin, warm, soft, and unbelievably pleasant. It was Su Yan wiping away the crumbs from the corner of her mouth.

"Huh?" Tong Tong couldn't quite keep up, staring blankly at Su Yan's slightly upturned lips. In Su Yan's lowered eyes, her own reflection was clearly visible, the gaze soft and tender, as if a pool of faint golden light had been shattered, scattering its brilliance into those eyes, breathtakingly beautiful. Suddenly, Tong Tong felt her heart pounding fiercely in her chest, warmth spreading through her limbs...

"Sect Leader Ye, a spar between two sides has resulted in the tragic death of my disciple. I demand an explanation from your sect!" The Island Master of Bingyan Island was an old man with white hair and beard, yet his complexion was as rosy and healthy as a baby's, which made Tong Tong feel uneasy.

'D@mn it! How utterly unromantic! Interrupting people's flirting and exchanging glances never ends well! I curse you, old man, may your fried noodles have no sauce and your osmanthus cakes lack sugar!'

Seeing Su Yan withdraw her hand and turn back to face the old man with a cold expression, Tong Tong bit her handkerchief, tears streaming down her face.

"According to Island Master Lie, what should be done?" Ye Zhiqiu's smile remained unchanged, her posture unaltered, as she simply turned her beautiful eyes toward the old man who had angrily questioned her, her voice languid as she asked.

"Naturally, I request that your disciple commit suicide to demonstrate fairness." the Bingyan Island Master said gravely.

Killers must pay with their lives, debtors must repay their debts, this is the natural order of things. Could it be that my Bingyan Island is to be bull!ed by you at will? Preposterous!

Su Yan snorted coldly but said nothing.

It was nothing more than reaping what they sowed. Who else is there to blame? Ridiculous!

Ye Zhiqiu leisurely sipped a mouthful of fine fragrant tea, savoring the delicate aroma as it glided over her tongue before speaking gently, "Island Master Lie, your words are mistaken." Her beautiful eyes curved into a smile, appearing amiable, yet not a trace of warmth reached their depths. "Life and death are fated, success and failure are determined by heaven. I deeply mourn the unfortunate death of your disciple... After all, it was my disciple's lack of skill and inability to control her strength that led to this disaster. I will certainly discipline her properly to prevent her from accidentally harming anyone again."

With just a few words, she had completely absolved Su Yan of any premeditated murder, framing it instead as an accidental injury. A few superficial reprimands were all that was needed, what a clever plan!

She even subtly implied: It's only because your disciple was less skilled, if she was k!lled, so be it. What can you do about it?

The Bingyan Island Master, being astute, naturally understood the underlying meaning of her words. Instantly, he was so enraged that it felt as if his soul had left his body, his beard trembling, his lips quivering, yet he could no longer find the words to speak.

Shameless, truly shameless!

The sect master of Qianyu Sect glared with tiger-like eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, the leading elder of Nichang Valley silently lowered her gaze, drinking tea without a word, Master Yuangui of Tianyin Temple, as if unable to bear it, chanted a Buddhist mantra, lowering his head to conceal the gloating smile at the corner of his lips.

Only Chonghua's Sect Master Ye possesses such skill in speaking falsehoods with open eyes, and the power that leaves no one daring to question her.

This was the privilege of being the foremost sect, likewise, it was also the very reason countless cultivators flocked to it.

"Hmph! Is Chonghua Sect acting this way because they think Bingyan has no one left?" A sinister male voice abruptly interjected, cold and slimy like a water snake sliding over skin. "Su, do you dare sign a life-and-death contract with me and settle this in a duel?"

'What kind of fierce deity or k!lling star? I refuse to accept it!'

'The title of number one among Nascent Soul cultivators should belong to me!'

Su Yan glanced indifferently at the gloomy Jia Siwen, her gaze as cold as frost, yet the smile at the corner of her lips deepened: 'I was just worrying about finding an excuse, and now this fool delivers himself to my doorstep... This is your own death wish, don't blame anyone else.'

"As you wish," she said, her slender eyes narrowing slightly, concealing that flash of cold, murderous intent.

A life-and-death contract, with life and death as the stakes. Both parties agree to a duel, with no turning back, no revenge, no escape midway, no blaming heaven or others. No dual lives are permitted, it ends only with death!

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT