Xiao Yan watched as the two headless corpses collapsed to the ground, their lifeless heads rolling to a stop before him, eyes still wide in disbelief. For a brief moment, he recalled the time when they had once knelt in remorse, weeping bitterly. Perhaps only in this final moment would they truly understand the value of familial harmony.
There was once a time he had yearned for a life of brotherly affection. But why had things ended up like this? Perhaps it was their repeated betrayals and ambushes. Or maybe it was the moment they crippled his Dou Crystal after capturing him—severing all ties. But none of that mattered anymore. It was all history, buried hundreds of years in the past.
Staring at the two unmoving bodies, Xiao Yan muttered softly, "Your greatest mistake was not finishing the job. That's why I won't repeat your error."
Stepping over their corpses, he continued forward. Soon, another figure appeared. But this time, Xiao Yan didn't even allow them a chance to speak. He casually swung his heavy ruler, cleaving the person in two.
"Sorry, I don't have the patience to listen to your recycled nonsense. Let's get to the next one already."
He remembered that one too—some young sect master from a sect in the Chu Yun Empire. The name escaped him, though he vaguely recalled it being a compound surname. That sect had crossed him back then, and he had wiped them out in retaliation. The technique 'Burst Step' he used had been looted from that very sect.
Not giving the dead any further thought, Xiao Yan shouldered the Heavy Xuan Ruler and continued walking. One after another, familiar and unfamiliar figures began to appear—each of them a former opponent, all enemies he had once fought.
Everyone experiences irreversible events in life. When confronted with those they've killed, most people feel unexpected emotions—fear, grief, regret, guilt. But Xiao Yan was different. His response was simple: kill them again.
Whether it was someone who had schemed tirelessly to take his life, or a passerby he clashed with over a misunderstanding, or even the innocent who were simply caught in the crossfire—Xiao Yan showed no mercy. He pressed forward, step by step, slaying all in his path.
"If you've already died once, I doubt you'll mind dying again."
From the Chu Yun Empire to the Black-Corner Region, the path he traveled became a graveyard paved with corpses: He Qian, the Old Ground Demon Ghost, the Yellow Spring Elder, the Heavenly Serpent Palace Master, the Heavenly Poison Woman, Yao Tian, Gu Qingyang, Jiufeng, Yao Ming, Hun Miesheng… even the soul entity that once tried to possess him. Each one of them returned, and each one fell again by his hand.
Treading upon bones and blood, Xiao Yan moved forward. After three days and nights of this endless killing, he finally stopped. At the end of the road stood a girl in a pale red dress, her face devoid of expression as she stared back at him. Seeing her, Xiao Yan exhaled softly.
"I thought I'd run into Hun Daier… but it's you."
"Long time no see, teacher." The girl stood in front of him, just like all the previous illusions, her murderous intent undisguised.
"It really has been a long time," Xiao Yan said, gazing at the disciple who had passed away years ago. For once, he fell briefly silent. "If you hadn't shown up, I might've forgotten what you looked like. So, what now? Are you trying to block my path too? If so, I won't hold back."
"Not that it really matters." He raised the Heavy Xuan Ruler and brought it down in a swift strike. "Because whether you do or don't, the result will be the same—I'll kill you."
"You're still as heartless as ever, teacher…" The world around them crumbled into ash as the girl vanished. Xiao Yan slowly retracted his weapon.
"I told you. I don't regret the things I've done."
The scene shifted again.
And this time, the one he had long awaited finally appeared—Hun Daier. They stood atop the cliff that had once filled him with utter despair. Across from him, she coldly uttered the words he had committed to memory long ago.
"I never loved you. Everything was a lie. As for saving you—it was only because you were a pitiful tool I could still use. In hindsight, I was right. You did end up helping me quite a lot. Now, hand over the Tou She Ancient Emperor Jade."
"So it really is that line, huh…" Xiao Yan chuckled. Had he heard this in his youth, he might've been devastated. But now? He felt nothing.
"Aren't you going to strike?" Hun Daier asked, watching him remain still. "Don't you want revenge?"
"Yeah… I do want to 'thank' you properly. But not here. Because you're not real." Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head. "All of those people before were just bait—meant to stir up my killing intent. If I really let my hatred take control like you said, I'd already be yours by now, wouldn't I?"
"Fall too deeply into an illusion, and the only outcome is eternal slumber—until the flame outside devours you completely." Xiao Yan paused. "I imagine that's how all your previous hosts met their end. Those so-called Flame Wielders of the Chu Yun Empire—they were never your masters. You were the one in control."
"How did you figure it out?"
"Please. I've lived through a hundred lifetimes. Tricks like this? I saw through it from the beginning." Xiao Yan sighed. "Your neurotoxin can dull my senses and fog my mind—but it can't smother my heart. As long as I stay true to myself, your illusions are useless."
"Then why didn't you break free sooner?"
"You wanted me lost in fantasy—but I also wanted to relive those old days once more." He waved his hand casually. "Besides, if I didn't lull you into lowering your guard, how else could I lead you right to the spirit core?"
At that very moment, deep within Xiao Yan's meridians, the Nether Poison Flame trembled slightly. It sensed something and tried to escape—but his soul force had already been waiting.
Just as Xiao Yan predicted, if the Nether Poison Flame wished to control his body completely, it had to seize the qi swirl—and that's exactly where the spirit core was located. So Xiao Yan used its greed against it, lured the flame's core into that spot, and, at the critical moment… blasted it straight into the spirit core.
(End of Chapter)
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