“The Primordial Little Vicious Beast is here. Everybody, let’s go!”
Another day, another havoc. Little Tian walked with elegance and its head held high, with a group of teenage geniuses following behind boisterously.
Standing on the terrace of Eight Heaven House, Han Tian shook his head and forced a smile. That little thing was making destroying Zhao’s residence a daily routine.
He had observed something strange for the past ten days. People in the rear courtyard were missing mysteriously. There were about 50 people initially, and now at least a dozen were missing. He knew that the Zhao family was in action.
Every night since then, he would hide in the dark and carefully observe. Every midnight, Zhao Kuang would bring a few men in black and come to one of the houses. Not long after, they would leave with one or sometimes, two bodies.
Han Tian was outraged, but he did not want to wake the sleeping dog. So he trailed them quietly and found out the venue where the Zhaos and the Fire Cloud Clan met. It was at the Stele of Spiritual Incarceration. Not only that, but he had also discovered something strange; most people in Zhao’s residence were missing, and only Zhao He, Zhao Kuang, and a small number of clansmen were left. Zhao’s residence was essentially an empty shell.
“So quick to flee; preparing for a rainy day? Where could they have gone?”
Han Tian delivered this news to the clan through the Plenary Emblem. The Yan Clan immediately sent men to investigate, and after a few days, they found the Zhaos had a secret base in Hell City, and most of the Zhao family members had moved there.
He also had information that a flying fox was being kept there. Now, things became obvious to him. Earlier, he was puzzled why the Zhaos did not give a tinker’s damn when Little Tian wreaked such big havoc. Apparently, evil-doers are evil dreaders.
Time flew, and ten over days had passed since.
The recruitment test of the Yan Clan was just around the corner, but there were fewer and fewer people at the rear courtyard with only those at the Heaven Houses left. Zhao Kuang had given his explanation why those people were gone; his narrative was that those people were exceptional geniuses and had been pre-selected to join the clan, and only two or three people were taken each day because of manpower constraints.
People were pleasantly surprised at hearing this. Who did not want to join the Yan Clan without going through the test? But Han Tian sniffed at that notion. He knew better than anyone where those people had gone. Just that he could not expose them.
Tonight, Han Tian came to the Ninth Heaven House and discussed with Little Tian and Shishi. Because the test was starting tomorrow, Zhao Kuang would surely want to transfer out all the remaining recruits tonight. To avoid any accident, Han Tian left his instructions to them and then left.
Not long after, Zhao Kuang brought along his men and some gourmet to come to visit. Little Tian and Shishi pretended nothing had happened and enjoyed the meal. Little Tian secretly put the Rejuvenation Grass into the dishes and ate. But Shishi did not do so.
They went to sleep early. At midnight, a few shadows sneaked into the rooms, carried them away, and disappeared from the rear courtyard.
The morning sun shone its first ray, the earth was coated in a layer of faint golden light.
As people in Ironstone rose in the morning, a bustle replaced the peaceful and serene atmosphere of last night.
Today was the day of the recruitment test. Those who passed would get a foot in the door of success, and those who failed would get nowhere and could only try again when the next round of tests came next year.
All the candidates were sitting cross-legged on the floor, inhaling and exhaling, totally in focus for a final sprint.
After they were done, they got up and felt energetic and spirited. They left the rooms and headed to the plain outside the town gate of Ironstone where the test venue was.
500 people had gathered, standing shoulder to shoulder. Since it was a plain, there was enough space.
“Where is the person-in-charge from the Zhao family? None of them are present today?”
Everyone started to notice. Standing on the ad hoc stage were a few middle-aged men dressed in the Zhao’s attire. But senior figures like Zhao He was missing.
“Who cares? So long as we can take part in the test. I am determined to pass this time. To be honest with you all, this is my third attempt. If I fail again this time, I will return to the village and become a hunter.”
“I wonder what will be the test subject this time. I hope it won’t be a gang fight like last time. With my strength, I am afraid I would be disqualified the first round.”
But Heaven had granted this man’s wish. As his voice trailed off, a middle-aged man on stage looked around and started to speak. “The first round of tests will be the same as last year—a free-for-all! Only half of the people would stay. Remember: be restrained; no one should lose his life. Let’s get started!”
Everyone could not help but swear as the melee started. Free-for-all meant that everyone else was an opponent. One had to fight and watched his back at the same time. It was a test of concentration and mental robustness.
Because of the sheer number of people, self-defense was a challenge. Before the middle-aged man’s voice trailed off, there were already dozens of people attacked and sent flying out. Blood spurted out of their mouths and their faces were pale; apparently, they had lost their combat ability and been disqualified.
The Stele of Spiritual Incarceration, Mount Scorpius.
Contrasting to the plain, this place was exceptionally quiet.
A thousand feet ahead of the Stele of Spiritual Incarceration, there was a towering mountain with a steep cliff. The mountain was barren and the rugged terrain was nearly unclimbable. Halfway up the cliff was a ten-foot-wide cave, the inside of which was pitch-dark.
A golden light suddenly appeared in the cave. It was not too bright, but enough to illuminate the scene inside the cave.
Han Tian got to his feet and looked at the dozens of people lying on the ground. These people were none other than the teenagers at the rear courtyard in Zhao’s residence. Han Tian’s face was grave and anger boiled inside him. “The Clan has been treating you so well, yet you all still betray the clan. You all deserve death!”
“Caw!” Little Tian emerged from under Shishi’s clothes. It scanned around, then pointed at Wutian and made some gestures, meaning, “Could you give him the antidote now?”
Han Tian nodded. But he had a feeling that something bad would happen.
Little Tian took a Rejuvenation Grass out of Shishi’s sleeve, then put it in Wutian’s mouth. It then smirked at Han Tian, then lay in Shishi’s arms, closing its eyes in a theatrical death.
“You son of a bitch!” Han Tian scolded.
The Rejuvenation Grass’s effect was so powerful that after just a dozen breaths, Wutian could already move his eyelids. After that, he slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry. “What’s going on? It feels like I have been sleeping for a long time. Am I not on the way looking for Yi? Why am I lying here?”
Wutian smacked himself on his groggy head. Then all the memories rushed back to mind.
He got to his feet, face grave, his eyes glinting with a murderous look. “Tell me, why did you do this?”
“Err… calm down, Wutian. You know I have no other choices.” Han Tian quickly stepped back. “You have been sleeping for a month. We are now near the Stele of Spiritual Incarceration, and Huoshi and others are right down there. Keep your murderous energy down, or else we will be discovered.”
“A month… A month?” Wutian staggered back and mumbled with his head low. He suddenly looked up with a stern look in his eyes. “Where is Yi? Have you found it?”
“I found it. Just as you suspected, it was Zhao Qing who did this. But to avoid raising the alarm too soon, I didn’t tell Little Tian and Shihi about it yet. But I know where the flying fox is. As soon as we settle the business here, I will go with you to get it.” Han Tian promised. He also briefly told him the things he had found out about the clan.
“It was really her. I am sure Zhao Kuang and others must also have known about it.” Wutian’s face looked cold. Zhao Qing was only an arrogant, spoiled child. Without Zhao He and others’ consent, she would not have dared to take away Yi, the flying fox.
“Hell City? No matter how far you all run, I am going to find you all.”
He looked around and the penny dropped instantly; it seemed that the Zhaos and the Fire Cloud Clan had activated their plan. He was not a person who could not be reasoned with. Since things had come to such a pass, he regarded it as water under the bridge. And his priority now was to solve the problem at hand.
Wutian stared at Little Tian, who was still feigning death. Needless to say, it was Han Tian’s accomplice. He gave it a good kicking, and Little Tian cried out in pain, sent flying out before crashing into the cave wall. It clambered to its feet awkwardly, arms akimbo. He glared and cawed at him, meaning, “What’s going on? If you don’t explain yourself, I will break up with you!”
Wutian did not give a hoot to Little Tian. He bent down and touched Shishi’s face, his eyes filled with adoration. Shishi was sound asleep with a streak of saliva on the corner of her mouth. He did not immediately give her the antidote but carried her up, walked deeper into the cave, and put her in a corner.
A brutal battle was going to break out soon; he might not have time to take care of her.
“What should we do with these people?” asked Wutian.
“We can’t do anything. Even if they all wake up, they will only be a burden. Just leave well alone!”
“When will your clansmen arrive?”
“I informed them half a month ago. They should have arrived by now, probably lying in wait somewhere.” But to make sure, Han Tian took out the Plenary Emblem and sent out a message.
“They will reply in a minute. Let us first check out the outside.” He walked toward the entrance.
Wutian frowned and said nothing as he followed from behind.
They lay flat on the edge of the entrance and looked out.
Huoshi, Liuyan, Elder Wy, and the Zhao father and son were sitting cross-legged on the rock beside the Stele of Spiritual Incarceration. They were speaking into each other’s ear, seemingly discussing something. Behind them stood a man dressed in black. His posture was upright, face impassive, exuding an evil aura.
“It looks like they are discussing when to activate the portal,” said Han Tian quietly.
“Does it matter when to activate it?”
“Something you may not know, Wutian,” explained Han Tian. “The portal has a limitation. It can only open for an hour, after which it will disappear. I think they will activate it now. After all, these people here have an exceptional aptitude, so much better than those taking the test in Ironstone right now. They will surely transfer them first and then reactivate the portal when the second batch arrives.”
Sure enough, Elder Wu was seen getting to his feet. He swiped his hand over a Mustard Pouch, and a palm-sized portal glowing in golden light, exuding obscure energy, appeared.
“Up!” Elder Wu commanded softly as he tapped his finger in the air. The air in front of him turned violent, the dimension distorted like an expanding wave. He waved with his hand, and the golden portal shot out and was infused into the center of the distorted dimension that glowed in a golden light.
The golden portal looked fuzzy and was set in place, motionless.
“Expand!”
Elder Wu commanded again. As essence elixir surged, the golden portal expanded. It stopped expanding when it reached ten-foot-wide.
“Open!” The portal glowed in brilliant light as a fissure opened in the middle, revealing a shiny path that led to some unknown destination inside.
“So this is the portal, eh? Amazing!” Wutian looked in awe.
Just then, the Plenary Emblem in Han Tian’s hand vibrated with a fuzzy luster on it. When he immersed his consciousness into it, his expression collapsed.
“What’s going on?” Wutian looked at him in puzzlement.
“I am afraid we are now in deep sh*t, Wutian.”
Han Tian’s face was grave. “My master just sent a message. The Fire Cloud Clan has dispatched a few of Meridian’s Growth-level elders in several locations. The great cultivators of the Yan Clan are tied up with them. So we are on our own.”
“You are kidding me!” Wutian’s face changed. How could the two of them, even with Little Tian’s help, could defeat those people down there?