Chapter 474: Twelve Killing Moves
Yan Hanqing's main body was dead, but his other Primordial Spirits still remained. One by one, the Primordial Spirits rose into the air, weaving and intersecting as they attacked Chen Tang.
Chen Tang held his sword, like an unparalleled, peerless swordsman. He leaped and flipped, the Xuanwei Sword thrusting from countless different angles. With the slightest movement of his sword tip, the sky was filled with sword light.
His sword techniques were exquisitely perfect. Every single move and stance seemed as if a Master Craftsman had meticulously measured them out with precise squares and rulers—no margin for error, accurate to an infuriating degree. Even the greatest sword master would, at best, reach his level; they could not be more precise than him.
This was the reason for his strength, yet it was also what Chen Yindu disliked about him. He felt that, at such a young age, Chen Tang was far too rigid and formulaic, lacking the ability to synthesize and adapt to become a true master.
But Chen Tang simply wasn't the type to have the easygoing personality of Chen Yindu or Chen Shi.
His childhood had been too stifling. He was naturally gifted, but at home there was the even more gifted Chen Wu. He longed for his father's affection, but his father preferred Chen Wu. He worked hard to study and improve, yet in every way, he fell short of Chen Wu.
Even his father's dubious friends thought he was dull, stupid, and inflexible.
It was in this environment that he developed his meticulous, cautious, and wary personality, especially regarding his own cultivation. He strived for constant perfection.
In just a short moment, all eleven Primordial Spirits fell to his sword.
Chen Tang sheathed his sword, but the scabbard exploded with a sharp crack.
He furrowed his brow slightly. This scabbard was refined from heavenly materials and earthly treasures that he had painstakingly scraped together from every corner of the various offices of the Ministry of Revenue when he served as a Vice Minister. It was a one-of-a-kind item.
This scabbard could restrain his Realm of Emptiness, allowing him to hide his edge and not attract the attention of outsiders.
But now, the scabbard could no longer withstand his Realm of Emptiness and was shattered by the sword energy. He didn't have the wealth to forge a second scabbard.
"But... do I still need to hide my edge now?" he murmured to himself.
Thinking this, Chen Tang revealed a smile. He tossed the Xuanwei Sword into the air. The divine sword streaked across the sky, transforming into a suspended Realm of Emptiness above him.
He then sped off in the direction the carriage had gone.
Chen Shi had ordered that everyone from the Yan Family was to be killed without mercy.
And he was carrying out that decision.
Before long, he caught up to the carriage, but no one was inside it.
Yan Shaoxuan and Fang Zhenxiu were nowhere to be seen.
Standing in the air, Chen Tang gazed into the distance, scanning in every direction, but still couldn't find the two siblings.
Just then, the fluctuations of spells from experts clashing came from afar. It felt like Spirit Refining Realm powerhouses were fighting for their lives. Chen Tang immediately flew over to support them, hoping to prevent Red Mountain Hall from suffering a large-scale casualty.
Yan Shaoxuan fled with Fang Zhenxiu all the way. The two had long since changed out of their original clothes, rearranged their hair, altered their appearances, and donned simple attire. They continued to flee to another province.
More than ten days later, the siblings fled into Lingzhou Province. This was the territory of the Xu Family, one of the Thirteen Great Clans. Following the strict orders of Sect Leader Yan Shihai, Yan Shaoxuan did not dare to contact the Xu Family, nor did she dare to reveal her identity. She only hoped to pass through Lingzhou quietly.
She deliberately avoided those temples. The temples housed the revived Chinese gods from Chen Shi, and nearby, members of Red Mountain Hall were active. If they were discovered, both siblings would lose their lives.
After walking for a few more days, the siblings unknowingly arrived at an abandoned town. As they rested, Yan Shaoxuan suddenly noticed several Heaven's Listeners gathered around a large mansion. Her heart stirred.
"Why would these Heaven's Listeners appear in such a desolate and remote place?"
She scrutinized these Heaven's Listeners closely. She noticed that with the breath of one of them, faint outlines of ear contours flickered into existence on the surrounding flowers, trees, ground, and even the sky.
"These Heaven's Listeners are very powerful. They must be either Venerated Kings or Venerated Lords! Strange... these Venerated Kings and Lords aren't monitoring that mansion."
Her heart trembled slightly. She looked more carefully. The Venerated Kings and Lords of the Heaven's Listeners acted like guards, protecting this mansion!
"The person inside this mansion is definitely from Despair Slope!"
A sudden thought flashed through her mind. Almost unconsciously, she took Fang Zhenxiu's hand and walked toward that mansion.
As if guided by a ghost, she arrived in front of the mansion, hesitating to speak. Just then, one of the Venerated Lords of the Heaven's Listeners bowed and said, "Are you Miss Yan Shaoxuan?"
Yan Shaoxuan's heart pounded wildly. She steadied herself and said, "This humble one is indeed Yan Shaoxuan."
That Venerated Lord said, "I have been ordered by my master to wait here for Miss Yan. Please follow me."
Yan Shaoxuan followed him into the mansion. The courtyard seemed newly built. Pavilions, towers, and verandas were all complete, and the smell of wood lacquer could still be detected. But in the middle of the estate, there was a thatched cottage, very dilapidated and old, which appeared quite out of place.
The Venerated Lord seemed able to hear her thoughts and said, "This is my master's ancestral home. My master is nostalgic, so he was unwilling to tear it down."
Yan Shaoxuan held Fang Zhenxiu's hand tightly, not daring to relax or be careless for a moment. "May I ask, sir, who is the master of this place?"
The Venerated Lord said, "My master's surname is Zhong, given name Wuwang. He is a native of Qinghe Town, Shenmu County, Lingzhou Province. He is currently studying at Despair Slope."
He arranged for the siblings to stay and said, "For meals, clothing, and daily needs, feel free to give your orders."
Yan Shaoxuan expressed her thanks, thinking to herself, "Sure enough, he's a cultivator from Despair Slope! If I could join Despair Slope, perhaps I could avenge my Yan Family!"
Thinking of the bloody grudge of her family, a sharp pain stabbed through her heart.
Not long after, the Venerated Lord brought new clothes, all made of silk and satin, along with various accessories. The siblings each had several sets of extremely luxurious outfits to change into.
The food and drink provided by the Heaven's Listeners were also excellent, even better than what they ate at the Yan Family estate. The dishes were stir-fried with various heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Not only could they satisfy their appetites, but they could also improve their cultivation.
After waiting like this for two or three days, Yan Shaoxuan began to feel uneasy. "Despair Slope destroyed the Upper Realm. This time, they've invited us siblings to stay here. What exactly do they intend to do?"
Suddenly, voices came from outside the door.
"Young Master, the person has arrived. They've been waiting for two days."
"I'm late. I had some business in Liuzhou that held me up."
The voice came walking in this direction. Yan Shaoxuan quickly called her brother, took Fang Zhenxiu's hand, and walked out of the room.
Facing her was a handsome young nobleman. He was dressed in a red robe that touched the ground. Around his waist was a black python belt, adorned with a sachet and a jade pendant. His gaze was warm as it met hers.
Yan Shaoxuan's heart pounded violently twice. "His attire is somewhat similar to Chen Shi's."
Zhong Wuwang said, "I apologize for making you both wait so long. I am Zhong Wuwang, a disciple of Despair Slope. Greetings, Miss Yan. Miss Yan, I am already aware of what happened to the Yan Family. I went to investigate as well. I am deeply saddened by your family's misfortune."
Yan Shaoxuan gracefully returned the greeting. "Shaoxuan thanks the Young Master for taking us in. The Young Master has come from Liuzhou. Do you know the current situation of the Yan Family?"
Zhong Wuwang said, "The Yan Family has been completely destroyed. It no longer exists. Of the Yan Family members who managed to escape Liuzhou alive, only three or four out of a hundred remain. They often change their names and even disfigure themselves to survive."
Yan Shaoxuan's face darkened.
"My subordinates, the Heaven's Listeners, have compiled all the information from the fifty provinces and sent it to me. In every province, the Yan Family has suffered heavy casualties. Within three days, the Yan Family, one of the Thirteen Great Clans, has been eradicated, roots and all."
Zhong Wuwang continued, "There's also the underworld. The Yan Family's Yama Hall, the Eighteen Hells, and Immortal Capital—all of their forces have been completely wiped out. Only a few lucky ghost gods remain, fleeing abroad in constant fear. Miss Yan, your family... is finished."
Yan Shaoxuan felt the world spinning around her. Her body swayed. She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stay steady. After a long moment, she asked, "May I ask, Senior Brother Wuwang, what happened to my father, Yan Hanqing? Is he alive or dead?"
Zhong Wuwang said, "Yan Hanqing died at the hands of Chen Tang."
Yan Shaoxuan struggled to remain standing. After a moment, she knelt gracefully before Zhong Wuwang. "This humble one earnestly begs Senior Brother Wuwang to take pity on me and recommend a great master. If I can become a disciple of Despair Slope and learn the skills to avenge my Yan Family, I am willing to be a beast of burden, to be a servant and slave for lifetimes to come!"
Zhong Wuwang helped her to her feet and said with a smile, "Miss, you flatter me. To be honest, the reason I kept you two here is that I do have intentions of taking on a disciple. I am about to graduate from my training, cultivate the Immortal Realm, unify with the Dao, and become a true immortal. Our Despair Slope has a rule: one master, one disciple. I can only take one. Miss, you already have a learned technique and have studied the Yan Family's methods. You are not suitable for Despair Slope."
Yan Shaoxuan gritted her teeth. She pulled Fang Zhenxiu forward and presented him to Zhong Wuwang. "Then, I beg Senior Brother Wuwang to take my brother as your disciple. He is good at everything and can endure any hardship!"
Zhong Wuwang carefully examined Fang Zhenxiu. After a moment, he smiled. "His talent is indeed not bad. He can stay. However, for me to take on a disciple, there must be a test. If he passes, he will be my disciple."
Yan Shaoxuan bowed in thanks.
Zhong Wuwang's gaze fell upon her, and he said leisurely, "Miss Yan, please rise. Do you know why I lingered in Liuzhou for a few extra days?"
Yan Shaoxuan stood up and slowly shook her head. "I do not know."
"I was observing Chen Shi's techniques and moves."
Zhong Wuwang said, "He once broke my attack and plucked an earring from my left ear, tearing my earlobe. I have held a grudge over this matter. But my cultivation level is high, so I wouldn't stoop to overpowering him with sheer realm advantage. This time, I watched him from afar, searching for flaws in his techniques and moves. I have found twelve fatal weak points. I will teach them to you, and you will go to see him on my behalf."
He gave a slight smile. "Whether you can kill him depends on how much you can learn."
Yan Shaoxuan's eyes lit up. She quickly knelt again, kowtowing, and said, "Shaoxuan thanks you, Senior Brother!"
Zhong Wuwang laughed heartily, helped her up, and thoroughly taught her the twelve techniques he had devised.
These twelve techniques were extremely diverse. They included spells, swordsmanship, formations, acupuncture methods, and even some close-combat techniques!
Ordinary cultivators could often only master a single spell in their entire lives, and they might spend a lifetime without fully understanding it. But Yan Shaoxuan was the designated next family head of the Yan Family, exceptionally intelligent. She used three days to finally learn all twelve techniques.
Zhong Wuwang instructed, "Chen Shi is full of demonic nature. The moment you go to see him, he might chop you down before you even get close. You must shout loudly before he kills you, saying that Zhong Wuwang sent you to see him, that Zhong Wuwang has broken your techniques, taught you nine moves, and sent you to kill him! Say this, and he will become interested."
His eyes gleamed as he continued, "He thinks highly of himself. He believes that without the Innate Dao Embryo, he wouldn't be inferior to me in the slightest. So he will definitely let you demonstrate. He will likely be able to evade your first nine moves. But the key lies in the last three moves."
"Those three moves are the real killing blows. I have already calculated the routes he will use for the first nine moves. The final three moves—each one more vicious than the last—will cut off all his chances of survival!"