Chapter 18: Get Out

Chapter 18: Getting Out

The Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator he had bickered with was only an arm's length away, sitting cross-legged on a rock, watching the commotion casually. When Shang Yunduo turned his head, the man even glanced at him.

Their eyes met, and Shang Yunduo was so startled he jumped straight up, clambering back onto his flying sword, nearly tumbling over and falling off.

When had he sat down there?

How long had he been sitting?

This spot had been empty just now!

No wonder he hadn't noticed the rock being particularly cold when he sat down.

Had he just sat on the man's robes?

Could his robes be invisible too?

Shang Yunduo's mind was racing. "You... you..."

"Who's there?!"

Niu Chengdian and the others, alerted by Shang Yunduo's voice, finally realized there was an extra person in the cave!

When had this guy gotten in?

They hadn't sensed him at all!

But what shocked them even more was that this person's cultivation was so low.

"Qi Refining Third Layer?!"

Their panic subsided. They figured he must have also brought some concealment artifact and the incense powder that the Golden Scale Beast disliked, just like them.

Shang Yunduo thought the same, but couldn't help grumbling inwardly: If you're going to hide, do it properly! You could've slipped away safe after everyone left. Now that you're exposed, aren't you just asking to die?

Wait—could it be that he had sat on this guy's robe, forcing him to reveal himself?

His expression kept changing as he glanced at the man's robe. Had he really sat on it?

If so...

Then...

Shang Yunduo landed back on the rock, holding his sword up to his chest, and spoke with a heart full of guilt: "Sorry, I didn't mean to. My apologies. I'll hold them off—you get out of here."

At least someone could make it out.

None of them had noticed him earlier, which meant his concealment artifact was superior. Shang Yunduo might not be able to do much else, but he could at least buy a chance for the man to find another hiding spot.

He looked almost tragic. Suddenly, he was hit with a wave of homesickness—for his mom and dad, both sets of grandparents, Shang Yunxiu, and even the little cats and dogs back home.

Pei Jie glanced at him and saw moisture gathering in Shang Yunduo's eyes.

"..."

Unbelievable.

He brushed off his robes and stood up, said calmly to Niu Chengdian and the others, "I originally didn't intend to kill you. But you're too greedy. Kill yourselves."

"..."

The cave fell silent, broken only by the snoring of the Golden Scale Beast.

Everyone except Pei Jie himself thought they heard wrong.

"Dude, what's this guy saying?"

"Ha! Hahahaha!"

The group burst into laughter.

One of them, holding a newly acquired whip, laughed and asked, "Hey, you don't know what cultivation we're at, do you?"

"Hahahaha!"

"Ah..." Pei Jie sighed and drew a thin sword, ignoring the taunts. "Looks like I'll have to kill you myself."

The group: "..."

"Is this guy crazy?"

"Let's attack together..."

The insults and the attack order both stopped short.

Shang Yunduo stood frozen, not even having time to blink. The bold Qi Refining Third Layer guy was gone. His sharp eyes tracked a silver-gray streak, just in time to see the man sheathe his sword. Niu Chengdian and the others seemed frozen, and then—

Thud—thud—clang—bang—

Their flying artifacts, no longer sustained by their masters, fell to the ground along with their stunned, dead owners. The noise woke the sleeping Golden Scale Beast.

In the air, only Pei Jie with his sword, a bewildered Shang Yunduo, and a terrified tall leader were left.

The tall man's face still held the disdainful expression from giving orders, but now it was mixed with extreme terror. These conflicting emotions twisted his pale face into something hideous.

He looked down at his broken sword. The cut was cleaner than slicing a radish or tofu.

"Immortal-grade?! ...No way! How could a Qi Refining stage cultivator use an immortal-grade artifact!"

"That's just Foundation Establishment," Pei Jie said, flicking his sword. "Just Earth-grade—nothing special."

He finished sheathing as the Foundation Establishment cultivator who had tried to flee hit the ground, with no chance to resist.

Bam—

Shang Yunduo's heart jolted. His hands shook, and before he could even think of fleeing on his sword, Pei Jie was in front of him like a breeze, raising his thin sword to point at his neck. "What are you crying for? Pathetic."

Shang Yunduo: "I'm not crying!"

The tears hadn't even spilled out. After all the crazy ups and downs of this day, it was already impressive he hadn't completely lost it!

Shang Yunduo tilted his head back and closed his eyes. "Just kill me, then."

He was done with this crazy world.

At first, he thought Xiao Chi was a walking disaster, the protagonist who had to suffer first. But after this ordeal, he realized—it wasn't Xiao Chi who was messed up. It was this damned world!

He was done.

Either way, I'm going to die sooner or later. This fake Qi Refining Third Layer sword is quite fast. Give me a quick death!

Shang Yunduo was ready to die, but then heard Pei Jie laugh. He opened his eyes in a daze and saw the sword flash coldly, sliced across his throat. Shang Yunduo stared in shock, ready to put on a show of dying with his eyes open, but instead felt a chill on his neck—it wasn't cut, but the rope hanging around his neck had snapped.

Plop.

He instinctively lowered his head to catch it, but Pei Jie's sword tip had already held the peace pendant that fell from his neck and pressed it back against his throat.

Shang Yunduo didn't even dare to swallow.

"Pure Yang Constitution?"

"Ah?"

Shang Yunduo was completely bewildered.

Pei Jie pressed the sword tip forward, like the point of a needle, piercing the skin on Shang Yunduo's neck, and round drops of blood oozed out: "What is your relationship with the Taiyuan Sect?"

What relationship? He'd already run away—how could there be any?

Having endured this long, Shang Yunduo's mind couldn't function anymore. He didn't want to explain a single extra word and burst out: "None at all. Kill me if you want, just give me a quick death!"

Pei Jie stared at him appraisingly, "I'll say it, you repeat."

Shang Yunduo looked at him blankly, tried to nod, but moving his head made his neck hurt, so he didn't dare. He softly said "Ah" in agreement.

Pei Jie: "Taiyuan Sect falsely claims to be a sect, deceiving the world for fame."

Shang Yunduo was stunned, "Ah?"

Pei Jie: "Say it."

Shang Yunduo: "Taiyuan Sect falsely claims to be a sect, deceiving the world for fame."

Pei Jie: "Taiyuan Sect disciples shall never achieve Ascension."

Shang Yunduo: "..."

Pei Jie: "What, do you want to ascend?"

Shang Yunduo quickly shook his head. Ascend? He had never even thought about Golden Core or Nascent Soul, and besides, from the moment he killed someone, he couldn't overcome the Heart Demon. However, Xiao Chi was also from Taiyuan Sect...

Pei Jie: "Say it."

"Taiyuan Sect disciples shall never achieve Ascension..." Shang Yunduo repeated mechanically, silently adding in his heart, except for junior brother Xiao Chi.

Pei Jie's sword tip left his neck, flicked upward, and the peace pendant was flicked away, landing on Shang Yunduo's head.

Shang Yunduo: "..."

Pei Jie sheathed his sword: "Go down."

"Go down?!" Shang Yunduo looked down at the four Golden Scale Beasts looking up at them, and fell silent.

Was this not killing him? Or was he supposed to die some other way?

"Fellow cultivator, no, Senior!" Shang Yunduo bit his lip, angry but not daring to vent. In a fit of rage, he raged just a bit internally, then reasoned: "After all, we have... a bit of a connection, right? Just now I didn't mean to sit on your clothes, I really didn't know you were on that rock. Considering how fate made us both pick the same rock, please leave me with my body intact, I don't want to be eaten."

Pei Jie looked at him oddly: "Eaten? Ha, are you afraid that going down you'll be bitten to death by them?"

Shang Yunduo blinked: "Mm..."

Niu Chengdian and those guys died so quickly. No matter what, he was more of a good person than them, right?

He didn't want to be bitten to death; Zhang Yu's death was too miserable. Just thinking about it made him shiver all over.

Even if he was to be eaten, let him die first and then get eaten.

Thinking of this, he was indignant. He didn't know what Niu Chengdian and the others had used, but they were all dead, and their bodies landed right next to the Golden Scale Beasts but weren't eaten.

Pei Jie: "Don't worry, they wouldn't dare to eat you."

Shang Yunduo looked up at him, unable to hide his expression: You think I'm stupid?

Pei Jie frowned and flicked his sword, making Shang Yunduo flinch. That extremely sharp thin sword fell on his neck again. Pei Jie raised his wrist, using the sword tip to lift his chin, staring at him like a python sizing up its prey, "You don't know?"

Shang Yunduo's heart was racing, his face blank: "No... I don't know... I know nothing!"

Even if the original Shang Yunduo should know something, he knew nothing!

Pei Jie stared at him for a long moment, then smiled oddly: "Good, it's best that you don't know. This place is not where you should be. Go out and wait for me."

"Oh! Oh oh oh!" Shang Yunduo's spirits rose. "Um, Senior, the Golden Scale Beasts really won't bite me?"

Pei Jie: "Go down and try if you don't believe me?"

Shang Yunduo: "..." Look at the way he said it... sigh.

He thought for a moment, took a Qi Recovery Pill and used a Haste Talisman, and slowly lowered his flying sword.

The few Golden Scale Beasts looked at him, then at Pei Jie, then at him again, and didn't move.

Shang Yunduo also looked back at Pei Jie, his courage growing a bit, and slowly flew two meters toward the Golden Scale Beasts.

The Golden Scale Beasts still didn't move.

Huh? He flew another meter closer, and this time the Golden Scale Beasts moved, backing away.

Shang Yunduo: "Hmm?"

What's going on?

He moved forward again, and the Golden Scale Beasts backed up again.

Shang Yunduo: "..." Wow!

He wanted to try again, but Pei Jie spoke impatiently: "Done playing? If you're done, get out!"

"Yes, Senior!" Shang Yunduo quickly flew higher again, and like a dog was chasing him, flew out on his sword as fast as he could.

This time going out, he didn't have to feel around in the dark. He took out a Glow Pearl to light the way and soon saw the corpse in the tunnel again.

If this person hadn't rushed in one step ahead of him, it might have been him who fell into Niu Chengdian's trap.

A few steps away, the rogue cultivator who had been hit by a poison dart and was sitting cross-legged to detoxify had also collapsed to the ground. It was unclear whether the Golden Scale Beasts had knocked him over when they rushed back, or whether he had died from the poison. Half his face had turned black.

Shang Yunduo landed, placed the two bodies on his flying sword, and walked, bringing them to the large cave where they'd found the spirit stones.

Here, there were even more corpses and bloodstains everywhere—a complete mess.

The first Golden Scale Beast also died here, and beneath its body was a cultivator who looked familiar to Shang Yunduo.

“...”

About an hour later, Pei Jie emerged from the Golden Scale Beast's lair and saw that the bodies inside the cave had been neatly arranged in two rows. Shang Yunduo was kneeling on the ground, pulling at a leg from under the beast's corpse, not knowing whose it was, his entire body covered in blood.

“What are you doing?”

“I… I want to bury them. I can’t just leave them lying here.”

Author’s note:

Yunduo: Fellow cultivator… no, no, no, Senior! Senior!

——————

Time for mass character deaths~

This novel really has a lot of deaths (sheepish laugh). My little angels who don’t like it, don’t force yourselves. You can go find something else to read first (welcome to browse my column for my first, second, and third babies—they’re all light and heartwarming! Sincere.jpg)

For those who only like reading the story, please wait a bit—the fifth story ('You Ren Jia') is back to farming and management (an author who both loves to write and is bad at it, enthusiastically promoting).