Destiny in Cinders

The hitherto emotionless Adept Heartsword's expression suddenly turned vile. "Hehe... Back when Brother Kong died, I swore that I would make Ming Guangchen experience the pain of losing a loved one. His parents are no longer around and he hadn't taken in a disciple for a long time, so I didn't really know how to go about fulfilling my oath. But now, there's finally a chance..."

Sheesh, what a whacko. If you aren't able to maintain complete emotional detachment while you use the core technique of the Seated Mirage Sect, you'd be no different from the demonic cultists! Bo Zongshan thought. The Poolsea Sect had been competing with the Seated Mirage Sect with none of them getting a strong edge over the other for quite some time. Even though they joined hands to work against Grand Chen, they still had quite a few grievances between one another. If not for the fact that they shared the same nemesis, Bo Zongshan wouldn't be able to tolerate this madman.

"Gentlemen," said a figure in black armor that just walked out of the shadows, "I believe we should check on young Jing Xuan first. Ming Guangchen has been hiding in Keensight for quite some time. There's no way this has nothing to do with Jing Xuan, who seemingly popped out of nowhere. So, I believe that Jing Xuan is merely a genius in a tribe under the jurisdiction of the Brightmirror Sect that hadn't been properly inducted into the sect yet. Ming Guangchen probably only took him in as his disciple to cover up for something else.

"Isn't it clear what he's trying to hide? Based on what we know, it wouldn't be a stretch for Jing Xuan and the princess to have spent time in the same place together. If we catch Jing Xuan, we'd definitely be able to find clues about the princess, then your sects will have the upper hand in the negotiations with Grand Chen. You'd also be able to take care of Ming Guangchen's disciple at the same time. They're a package deal, you see."

There was no way the martialists missed the fact that Jing Xuan had used techniques that were atypical of the Brightmirror Sect, with such proficiency too. That made it more likely that Ming Guangchen only took him in as a disciple to use him as a smokescreen for something else. The only way for this to be false was if Jing Xuan was actually a genius that managed to master a lightning technique and body reinforcement so well within a matter of months, but how could that be possible?

Either way, the black-armored humanoid's phrasing made the two martialists sound like daft fools that couldn't figure it out themselves. It was infuriating for them to say the least. But the figure's power, on the other hand, wasn't something to be scoffed at.

As the two of them watched the figure alertly, Bo Zongshan said, "Don't use that shadow stealth technique near me again. Otherwise, I will kill you even if you were the one who hired us!"

The black-armored humanoid smiled, but before he replied, he sensed a mild pulse from the void, so did Bo Zongshan and Fu Zhengan. They turned around in unison toward the four-walled compound. A really obvious void pulse had spread out in all directions from the area. It was short but unmistakable, much like the ripples one felt in one's mind or the sudden breeze on the windless plains.

The armored humanoid's eyes flashed gray and crimson in the mist. "The void... Something odd must be happening there. Did Ming Guangchen actually set up a void altar within Grand Chen's borders? Quick, hurry up! If he leaves through the void pathway, we'd be too late!"

The other two martialists knew it without needing the reminder. The three of them didn't even need to discuss what to do and immediately vanished from where they were, rapidly heading toward the four-walled compound!

***

Meanwhile thousands of li away from Keensight, deep in the mountains of Dustdawn, long, curling bolts of dragon-like lightning accompanied heavy bouts of rainfall, instantly devastating any lingering trace of the bone-chilling cold of winter.

Waves of terrifying rumbling reverberated out from the center of the mountain ranges. The sky was packed to the brim with stormclouds as mountains crumbled and fractured. Long, winding cracks appeared across the valleys and spread outward from the mountains, loud snaps audible as even solid boulders shattered. The resulting debris filled lakes and altered river paths, making the maps of the region completely useless. Mountain peaks were being shaved off by powerful bolts of dragon-like celestial lightning. The landscape that had remained the same for millennia was completely overhauled by a conflict between sages!

Standing atop a nameless peak was a man who glowed bright and gold. He raised his hand and unleashed many bolts of lightning across the air as if they were fallen leaves that scattered in the wind, displaying immense might as he scattered the wintery fog. Ming Guangchen observed his environment, lightning bolts shooting out all around him, followed quickly by loud thunderclaps. His arcane eyes of pure gold burned with power.

Facing him in this landscape-altering battle were two other figures, one azure and the other dark gray. They flashed and quickly sandwiched Ming Guangchen between them.

"Ming Guangchen, you've grown stronger yet again. We weren't able to deal with you even after ambushing you with the help of a major blood-curse formation. I am truly impressed. You are far more talented than I am indeed," said the figure shrouded in azure oceanic qi. With a raise of his hand, he conjured up a towering tidal wave that manifested as his weapon and cape before he sank into the massive waves to charge at Ming Guangchen once more.

Though he spoke with reverence, Sage Turbid Wave didn't hold back his attacks in the slightest. "It seems like the rumors about your imminent breakthrough to the Sanctification Realm are true. You are no doubt the future successor of Transcendent Rising Light!"

"If I don't take action now, I will probably never get the chance to avenge my elder brother ever again," said the other sage in a vortex of gray yin qi. Kong Wang, also known as Sage Heart Beckon, wore an aloof expression as if he was dreaming. "That's why, today will be the day you die."

The sage of the Seated Mirage Sect raised his hand and awakened the countless sprites in the environment. They were present in the wind and rain, the flora between the mountains, the shattered rock and boulders as well as the rivers and waterways that flowed deep beneath the earth.

The gentle, light raindrops somehow bore holes into the ground and boulders they landed on. Then, a strong gust of wind swept across the cliffside, spreading fine, white powder all over the place and sculpting the ever-unchanging rock into odd shapes. It looked as if a thousand years had passed in an instant.

This was a sword strike that leveraged the countless sprites in the environment! When the light from the heavens above, rivers in the ground below, raindrops in the wind and lightning in the stormclouds were awakened from their dream by Sage Heart Beckon, they shrieked and intensified the terrifying weather conditions. Then, they arranged themselves into a dense sword formation that shot toward Ming Guangchen!

Nearby, the cloud giant that Sage Turbid Wave turned into wielded divine lightning and celestial rivers, lobbing bright bolts down from the sky. Then, Sage Heart Beckon's Heaven-Earth Grand Dream Sword Formation, packing 365 major heavenly cycles of sprite sword beams, pierced through the firmament and reached above the clouds.

It was as if Ming Guangchen was fighting the heavens and earth themselves! Everything around him had become his enemy, but so what?

"Is that all you got? I thought you were trying to kill me! Hahahaha!" Ming Guangchen seemed completely unfazed even though the world itself was bearing down on him. His robes fluttered wildly in the strong winds to the point that the flapping was audible. He took a step forward as his arcane corpus from Mirror Me appeared behind him.

His double held a large, eight-cornered mirror containing a vast and boundless reflection in which the sun, moon and stars oscillated. Four sights could be seen within the mirror: massive clouds of righteous yang, gusts of wind generated by minor yang, a firmament scorched by the sun and a sky transformed by radiant ebony. Then, there were four more sights, namely, clouds wrapping around the setting sun, fading rainbows of remnant yang, yang of the heart gathering in mind and spirit as well as phantom light gathering on the earth. This world where inverted yin and yang intersected was a manifestation of his ability, Hexsun Blacklight Eight Sights Palace!

What came next was a powerful heatwave that originated from Ming Guangchen, followed by radiance that dazzled the entire area. Wind and rain ceased immediately as the clouds above scattered to reveal six suns in the sky! The martialist himself had become a formation that projected his own pocket of reality onto the world around him!

Swords of celestial lightning fell like torrential rain toward the two enemy sages. Hexsun Blacklight Eight Sights Palace was unrelenting as it neutralized the barrage of attacks from the two sages like ocean reefs that soothed powerful waves. In fact, it even pushed the waves back with even more force!

As the awesome radiance continued to pour out, Ming Guangchen said, "My third friend who hides among the clouds, stop being such a coward! If you want to kill me, come here and join the fight!"

Even though the distant clouds seemed completely empty, a powerful hum of the sword rang out suddenly following Ming Guangchen's provocation. It tore apart the mystic light and zipped toward the laughing Sage Mystic Mirror.

***

The massive spectacle in the distant region was not yet visible from Keensight save for the occasional wisp of light that seeped through the thick veil of clouds. An Jing leaned against the front door of the compound with his eyes shut as if he was dozing off or in deep thought. His entire presence sank like steel in water, yet it also gave off the heat of a volcano at the brink of eruption. He only opened his eyes when three figures appeared on the other side of the street, exuding an air of blood, gore, danger and death.

"Three adepts from established sects." His True Spirit Eyes burned with the golden flames of his fighting spirit as he stepped forward, rising to stand straight up. "They're powerful enemies that I'm not yet equipped to handle."

Right after that, he pushed the mysterious red button on a device of Skysource make. All of a sudden, an explosion of flame and lightning swallowed three unsuspecting adepts! Eat this! I call this classic tactic: remote-controlled demolition!