Extreme Spirit Chaos Technique

"Are you satisfied with that answer?"

Bingli smiled. She knew this seemingly weak Snow Moon Spirit Fox had a mind of her own. She was thinking, weighing her options. Bingli may have already guessed the answer, but she wanted to hear the breathtakingly beautiful girl say it herself.

"I am."

Her fierce internal struggle finally gave way to determination. If it meant becoming strong and no longer being a burden, she was willing to endure three years of separation! She was willing to break her vow to never leave his side! She was terrified that her future self would drag Mu Chen into unprecedented difficulties!

"So, you agree?" Bingli asked with a smile.

"Yes."

A faint smile touched Mu Chen’s lips as he watched Mu Bingling, her reluctance still plain on her face. His emotions were undoubtedly a mix of joy and sorrow. He was joyful that Bingli’s continuous transfer of Primordial Power would allow Bing’er’s future to shine brilliantly. Furthermore, her Master was a Martial Saint Peak, so how could her disciple not reap some benefits?

But the sorrow was that he and Bing’er seemed to always be caught in a cycle of partings and reunions. It all boiled down to one thing: his own weakness. He wasn’t strong enough. If he had strength on par with Bingli, what reason could this world possibly have to separate them again? And who would be able to harm his beloved Bing’er?

’I have to get stronger!’ This was the only conviction in Mu Chen’s heart!

"As for Holy Tomb Mountain, Bingling, you don’t need to go. The Five Elements Sacred Domain doesn’t offer much improvement for Martial Artists with special Attributes. The Profound Ice Valley is the most suitable place for you. Besides, the resources your Master has here are far better than what Holy Tomb Mountain can provide."

Nameless, who had been spacing out high above, suddenly heard Bingli’s remark. He immediately coughed twice and retorted irritably, "Who says? Who says the things my Holy Tomb Mountain provides aren’t as good as yours? We just don’t give them away so easily."

Bingli just chuckled and said no more. Meanwhile, Duan Wang, who had been observing from the sidelines, was staring intently at Qing Lei, who was staring right back at him.

Duan Wang: "..."

Qing Lei: "..."

"You can see me?"

A grating voice came from Duan Wang’s mouth, drawing the gazes of Mu Chen, Mu Bingling, and Qing Lei toward him. Suddenly, all three of them were startled in unison!

’When did another person appear there?’

An utterly bone-chilling sensation washed over them, and the color drained from Mu Chen’s and Mu Bingling’s faces in an instant. This sudden scene was far too bizarre. What was even more bizarre, however, was that when they tried to look at the figure shrouded in black mist, they found nothing there. It was as if their eyes could see the figure, but the image itself was not being transmitted to their brains. Their very line of sight was being intercepted!

"?!"

If this shadowy figure were to attack you, even if you could see his form and knew he was about to kill you, you would be unable to mount any resistance. Your brain would simply refuse to believe your eyes because it wasn’t receiving the image they were transmitting. If even your brain didn’t believe what your eyes saw, your subconscious would be even less likely to let you react. You could only watch helplessly as you were struck down.

’What kind of power would it take to achieve this?! No! Even Bingli, who is at the Holy Sanctuary Peak, doesn’t give them this feeling. How is he able to do it?!’

"Who... are you?"

Qing Lei asked with great surprise. Mu Chen was startled when he heard the question—not because of the shadowy figure, but because of Qing Lei! He was actually able to react after seeing the shadow! This meant that in Qing Lei’s mind, the figure was truly there!

"Huh? You can really see me?!"

The shadowy figure’s body twisted as if it were boneless and drifted in front of Qing Lei in an erratic, unpredictable flight path. Through the black mist, a pair of crimson eyes stared intently at him.

"Heheheh... To think he’s a brat naturally born with the Power of the Dimension! Nameless, I really must thank you! I’ll agree to look after this kid for you."

For reasons unknown, the mist-shrouded Duan Wang was ecstatic. He laughed loudly toward Nameless, and then his figure twisted, transforming into a pitch-black tornado that swept Qing Lei up and vanished from sight with a WHOOSH!

Mu Chen saw it happen but couldn’t react at all. In the blink of an eye, Qing Lei was gone!

"Qing Lei!"

Mu Chen desperately wanted to do something, but he found he was powerless! Without Primordial Power, he had lost his basic ability to act. His sharp, bewitching eyes stared fixedly at the gray-haired old man, the only one remaining in the air. He wanted to say something but ultimately held his tongue. He knew that someone would give him an explanation!

"Mu Chen, do not worry. I am well aware of Qing Lei’s whereabouts. As the Dean of Holy Tomb Mountain, I have a duty to ensure the safety of every one of you. I was the one who summoned Bingli and Duan Wang, and I was the one who entrusted Mu Bingling and Qing Lei to them. I cannot tell you the reasons for all this. You only need to know that for them, there is no danger, only opportunity!"

With his hands clasped behind his back, Nameless looked back at Mu Chen with his sharp eyes. He only revealed a gentle smile after seeing Mu Chen’s expression relax.

Mu Chen clenched his fists tightly. He believed Nameless. After all, for a being of his realm, killing or harming someone would take no more than a flick of a finger; there was no need to go to such lengths. What he cared about was the reason for all of this. Everything happening felt like a premeditated plot, and the mastermind... was him?

...

In a valley tens of thousands of miles from Holy Tomb Mountain, a black ball of mist popped out of the void, like a puff of smoke.

"Let me go!! What do you want?!"

It was Qing Lei’s voice. Hearing the noise, the black mist let out a sinister cackle and tossed Qing Lei onto the ground, then reformed into a humanoid figure in front of him. Qing Lei was pale, gasping for air. A moment ago, when the black mist had swept him up, a powerful force had gripped his chest, nearly suffocating him!

"What do I want? Something fun, of course!" Duan Wang cackled. "You’re so pathetically weak right now, just like an ant. I could sneeze and you’d turn to dust! You homeless cur!"

"Homeless cur!!"

Those two words struck Qing Lei to the core. ’Home...’ His brain throbbed with a sudden pain. Images buried deep within his heart were dredged up once more: the piercing flashes of crimson, the shrill screams, and the faint cries for help, all replaying as if right in front of him.

His eyes instantly became vacant. Qing Lei gripped his hair, his face twisted in agony!

"No!! Mom!! Sister!! It’s all my fault! I was too weak! I couldn’t protect my sister!! I couldn’t protect my family!!! AHHHHH!! Bastards!! You bastards!!"

A shrill wail escaped Qing Lei’s lips. As Duan Wang observed his tormented expression, a trace of pity flickered in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by gravity. Qing Lei, who had been wailing in agony just a moment ago, had now become eerily quiet.

He was slightly hunched over with his head hanging low, his arms dangling limply in front of him, like... a walking corpse.

"Die... heheheh..."

"You all have to die... heheheheh..."

A bone-chilling murmur escaped Qing Lei’s mouth, like that of a hungry ghost crawling out of hell. His shrill laughter grew louder and louder, causing his body to move in exaggerated twitches.

Qing Lei’s body gradually straightened up from his hunched posture. His shadowed, twisted face slowly lifted. His vacant, crimson eyes seemed to drift aimlessly toward the mist-shrouded Duan Wang, his lips splitting into a wide, bloodthirsty grin.

Without any discernible movement, two dark daggers suddenly appeared in Qing Lei’s hands.

"SWOOSH!"

The faint sound vanished as Duan Wang’s pupils suddenly constricted. He tilted his head abruptly. With a sharp HISS, a very shallow red gash appeared on the part of his face concealed by the mist. He had been hit...

"..."

"I’ve gone too far. For me, the great Dusk Shadow Asura, to be cut by a little brat... If word of this gets out, my millennia of fame will be ruined."

Muttering to himself, Duan Wang’s playful expression vanished. His crimson eyes narrowed, and he disappeared at a speed incomprehensible to ordinary people. When he reappeared, he was already behind Qing Lei. A dull THUD sounded as he struck the back of Qing Lei’s neck. The force was just enough; Qing Lei’s vision went black, and he fell limp in Duan Wang’s arms.

"He truly does have a talent for the Power of the Dimension. It’s just that the shadow of his past has too great a hold on him. It seems that if his blood feud goes unavenged, he’ll never reach his peak! However... now that he’s met me, it’s a nightmare for those people. Gostan, is it? I’ll let you be the sacrifice for this kid’s evolution, heheheh..."

The black mist twisted and then dissipated with a POP, leaving only that horrifying laughter echoing endlessly through the valley, lingering for a long, long time.

...

"Now that Duan Wang has left, I won’t stay any longer. Otherwise, those old-timers in the Ice Valley will really come out in full force," Bingli said to Nameless after a moment of contemplation.

Nameless’s face darkened. "I can already feel the terrifying consequences of that."

"Bingling, it’s time to go." Bingli turned and, with a flick of her crystalline finger, created a huge, shimmering, rippling portal out of thin air. The Eight-tailed Snow Fox glanced at Mu Bingling and walked right into it. Mu Bingling, however, just stared blankly at Mu Chen, as if she had a thousand words to say but held every single one back.

"The rule is that you can’t come out, but it doesn’t say I can’t come find you, right, Bing’er?" Mu Chen smiled faintly, giving Mu Bingling a reassuring look.

Tears welled in Mu Bingling’s eyes as she nodded. "It’s a promise. I’ll wait for you."

"I’ll wait for you..."

Wait for you...

At last, Bing’er was gone, and so was Qing Lei. The just-reunited Demon Squad now only had four members left. Clenching his powerless hands, Mu Chen tried to let go, but he still felt a tinge of melancholy.

Nameless took in his every move. He figured that Mu Chen’s opinion of him was close to zero, so he had no reason to stay. He knew that one day, this young man would understand him and his reasons for doing all this.

He turned... and left...