Plundering the Dao of the Immortal Journey

"Up till this point, you refuse to speak the truth?" Pei Zi Yun cleared his throat. He had the memories from the original owner and knew that Shi Mu Zhong clearly belonged under Xie Cheng Dong and Black Alter Sect. There was no way that he would fall under the command of Holy Jail Sect.

This man had already surrendered his life over to me, and yet is still trying to incite more problems. At this point Pei Zi Yun’s hatred for him grew. He didn’t speak further. Instead he raised his hands and conjured the energy into his palm before slapping it down hard on the top of Shi Mu Zhong’s head.

Shi Mu Zhong gave a loud groan. His skull had clearly been broken into many pieces, and yet his brain was still intact. His entire body turned limp as he slumped down. Pei Zi Yun then pressed a finger to the top of his head.

This was a technique he had learnt from his senior grand uncle’s memories. It was a Yin Master level technique of interrogation. He would sever the spirit from the body and cause unparalleled pain to the victim. He pressed his finger down on Shi Mu Zhong with more force. Instantly, Shi Mu Zhong stood up like a puppet. His eyes had a look of deep fear, as blood dripped out from all his orifices.

"Young Master, please spare me, let me cross over to the other side and be reincarnated. I will tell you everything. Everything." Shi Mu Zhong had been placed under Pei Zi Yun’s extremely vicious technique, and he felt as though his spirit was about to be torn into a million pieces. He then started begging for mercy.

"How did you manage to find me?" Pei Zi Yun asked.

"Young Master Pei, my master rebelled against the will of the heaven and managed to change the ultimate destiny, and alter the grand scheme of affairs. He managed to gain access to twenty years worth of heaven’s will. He then jumbled up the destinies of different people so as to plunder a desirable fortune and destiny for Young Master Xie. That’s how we managed to gain insights."

"However, recently there’s been several unprecedented and unexpected changes. When we investigated further, we discovered that Young Master Pei was behind it all. I was thus ordered to come…."

"No! No! Master! How could you’ve placed such a malicious restriction over my spirit." Shi Mu Zhong spoke out, his entire face fell as he groaned out loudly, clearly in intense fear.

Shi Mu Zhong seemed to finally regain control over his own body and broke free from Pei Zi Yun’s spell. He then fell to his knees and opened his mouth as though to scream out in agony, and yet he could not scream out due to some blockage. Soon after, a stream of black blood was being emitted from his mouth and nose.

This black blood reeked of pungent death, almost as if Shi Mu Zhong himself had been dead for many days. Pei Zi Yun could not help but back away in repulsion.

"No!" Shi Mu Zhong started screaming out, clearly horrified. Black energy started streaming out from the pores of his body. At this point dark clouds loomed overhead, causing everything before them to go dark. A whip of lightning cracked through the dark clouds, illuminating everything for a fraction of a second.

Shi Mu Zhong then fell face first onto the ground, covered in his own pool of black blood, and didn’t move any further.

"Utter destruction of the soul?" Pei Zi Yun stepped forward to look at Shi Mu Zhong and broke out in cold sweat. To be able to do something like this to someone else was not a particularly common ability. Shi Mu Zhong’s master must’ve been an extremely formidable person. He then thought to himself, "To rebel against the will of heaven, and plunder destinies? Could there really be someone of such capabilities around? Was the original owner’s failures linked to this?"

"The waters here are getting deeper and deeper!"

Black Alter Sect, Monastery

"Boom!"

The roar of thunder echoed and reverberated throughout the entire sky. The blind Daoist’s face turned pale as he pushed open the window. A gust of wind carrying the smell of blood blew in, causing the blind Daoist to shudder in fear.

Although this person was blind, he appeared to be looking out. Half of the entire sky was obscured with dark, heavy clouds. Before he had time to think of anything else, several bolts of forked lightning coursed through the sky and crashed heavily down. It seemed almost as if the bolts of lightning was about to strike the blind Daoist. At this point a huge wave of black aura surrounded the entire monastery, and deflected the blows of lightning.

"Boom!" A statue which took the shape of the blind Daoist immediately shattered. Cracks started to show up on the face of the blind Daoist as well, as he fell to the ground. A pungent smell started streaming out from his body, as black blood gushed out. The smell was exactly the same as the stink emitted from Shi Mu Zhong’s body, as if they had been dead for a very long time.

"Pow!" That was not all, the metal anchor which was the sacred symbol within the monastery seemed to have been struck by the lightning as well as cracks started forming on the surface. It was almost as if all of heaven and earth was rocking.

"Dao Leader!" The little Daoist in the monastery ran into the room and shouted.

"Boom!" Pei Zi Yun listened to the incessant rumble of thunder and looked at Shi Mu Zhong’s lifeless body on the ground. He was still bleeding black, pungent blood. At this point, the Plum Blossom appeared into his vision and indicated that the mission of weeding out Xie Cheng Dong’s men in Ying Prefecture had been completed.

"Shi Mu Zhong, you’re finally dead." Pei Zi Yun looked at his body with disgust. Shi Mu Zhong didn’t expect to finally die at the hands of his own master.

"In conclusion, Xie Cheng Dong has someone behind him that could plunder the fortunes from heaven, and manipulate destinies. It’s no wonder Xie Cheng Dong could rise up to prominence and power in the previous life, and transform his mortal flesh into a saintly being. I have to get rid of someone like that." Pei Zi Yun didn’t look too good.

"And what was that thunder all about? Could that be the backlash from heaven? It’s a pity I didn’t manage to find out where his master resided, if not, I can head down and kill him as well." Pei Zi Yun thought to himself.

"Young chieftain, the evil doer Song Zhi is trying to escape." Pei Zi Yun’s thoughts were interrupted by He Qing Qing’s exclamation. When he turned around, he saw one arm Song Zhi struggling free of the shackles. His entire body was soaked with blood, and a trail of blood could be seen on the ground.

"Cough cough!" Shen Zhen, He Qing Qing and Ye Su’er just came out, their faces were covered black with soot and had inhaled much smoke.

"Song Zhi, where do you think you’re trying to go?" Pei Zi Yun immediately caught up with him.

Song Zhi turned around to see Pei Zi Yun standing over him. Song Zhi’s eyes were full of fear. How could Pei Zi Yun have accomplished something like this? To open the gates of heaven was one thing, to full a.s.similate and transform to a Yin Master required at least a month. How could Pei Zi Yun have reached such a level?

"He must’ve some latent treasure hidden. He has to own something extraordinary. I cannot accept it!" Song Zhi tried to escape, his body moved in a blur as he dashed forward. He was cursing himself deep down, "d.a.m.n it, if only I found out about this earlier."

"Where do you think you’re going!" When Pei Zi Yun spoke, it seemed like as though he was whispering into Song Zhi’s ears, causing him to tremble violently in fear. He used his remaining left hand and slashed blindly behind him. However he was so weak that the slash for extremely feeble. Just as his hands stretched out, Pei Zi Yun deflected the sword and it flew high up into the air.

Song Zhi fell to the ground from the force used by Pei Zi Yun and the wound on the stump of his right shoulder split opened, as he spat out a large glob of blood. He struggled to his feet but failed, his eyes were transfixed on Pei Zi Yun.

Pei Zi Yun’s eyes bore a severe look of killing aura. At this point Song Zhi was kneeling on the ground. He screamed loudly, "Zi Yun, Zi Yun, we’re fellow brothers. I was enchanted and placed under the spell of Shi Mu Zhong, please do not kill me. Please spare me."

Pei Zi Yun glanced down at the blood stained man on his knees before him. His entire right hand had been severed from his shoulder and he was kowtowing pitifully before him, and made for a disgraceful sight.

Song Zhi was crying, and mucus and tears streamed down his face. Pei Zi Yun suddenly recalled the memory from the original owner, an image of Song Zhi looking extremely vicious and merciless as he glanced down at the original owner with depraved eyes. Pei Zi Yun laughed coldly, "Even if I wish to spare you, there’s someone who wouldn’t spare you. For betraying that person, and harming him, ultimately causing his death. The debt shall be paid today."

Pei Zi Yun looked at him, and drew similarities to how the original owner had been tortured within the jail cell of Dark Altar Sect. Pei Zi Yun could feel the original owner speaking through his body, as he shouted vehemently, "Song Zhi, you traitorous sc.u.m. You dare to betray Free Cloud Sect for your own selfish desires, and caused my downfall. This is the day I shall kill you."

Seeing that Pei Zi Yun’s sword was raised, ready to end his life, Song Zhi didn’t seem to understand what Pei Zi Yun had said. He then begged fearfully, "No, I’m the Sect Leader’s disciple, and a disciple of Free Cloud Sect, you can’t kill me. How dare you attempt to kill me?"

"Meet your maker!" Pei Zi Yun then swung his sword down at Song Zhi’s head. Just as the sword was about to hit Song Zhi’s flesh, he heard someone shout out frantically, "Spare him."

It was the voice of the Sect Leader. When Song Zhi heard this voice, he heaved a deep sigh of relief. At that point in time, Pei Zi Yun had a fraction of a second left to pull back and spare him, and yet he didn’t hesitate and allow to sword to decapitate the man kneeling before him. With a "pu", Song Zhi’s head flew up high into the air, his eyes had the same look of disbelief. He could not believe that Pei Zi Yun truly dared to kill him. The head then landed onto the ground and rolled for some time before reaching a stop. His mouth almost seemed to be speaking, and yet he had no body to vocalize his words.

A gust of strong wind billowed upon the group of people present. Pei Zi Yun’s blade didn’t seem to be satisfied with the death of Song Zhi as it swung momentarily, shaving the gra.s.s just above ground, causing soil and gra.s.s particles to fly all around.

The Sect Leader dashed over, and gazed upon Pei Zi Yun icily as he pointed, "You, how dare you…."

"So it’s the Sect Leader, I didn’t notice that you’ve come, please forgive me for my wrong doing." Pei Zi Yun looked extremely remorseful and fearful, and yet deep down he was laughing frantically.

Pei Zi Yun then bowed deeply before speaking, "Song Zhi collaborated with outsiders and plotted to kill me. His crime was worthy of the death sentence. Furthermore he even killed more than ten people working for my household, and planned to humiliate my woman. If it weren’t for the fact that I got here quickly and broke through his plans, I dare not think of what might have happened. Everyone here can vouch for everything I’ve just said."

"Since Song Zhi has already died to my sword, I urge the Sect Leader to p.r.o.nounce him guilty in death." Pei Zi Yun didn"t back down and spoke out loudly.

"If you killed him in self defense, I could accept. But Song Zhi was clearly helpless, down on his knees and had surrendered. You still killed him anyway. That in itself is a violation of Sect rules. You! You! You!" The Sect Leader’s face turned red, "You"ve already killed him, and refuse to let him go even in death, and insist that I p.r.o.nounce him guilty?"

"Pei Zi Yun, the sect has its own way of discerning guilt and judgement. You must not speak to the Sect Leader and presume to tell him what to do." Elder Chen stepped forward and spoke.

Yu Yun Jun was still reeling in shock. She had always known that her disciple was an extremely proficient swordsman. However, to open the gates of heaven and become a Yin Master under such extenuating circ.u.mstances was extraordinary and amazing. He’d even managed to kill Song Zhi in front of the Sect Leader. Song Zhi wasn’t just a n.o.body, he was a tenth level full circle foundation disciple, and was the senior brother to all the disciples of his generation.

Seeing the scene before him, she stepped forward and chided him as well, "Zi Yun, how could you speak to the Sect Leader this way. Apologize now. Song Zhi collaborated with outsides to harm his own sect’s fellow brother and even attacked him. Such a sin could not and would not be forgiven and forgotten. We have Paradise belonging to our sect. Don’t tell me you don’t believe that the Patriarchs will just sit by idly? Song Zhi would still be in state of punishment three hundred years after his death, he will not be able to escape."

"Sect Leader, I should not have undermined your authority." Pei Zi Yun heard Yu Yun Jun’s words and stepped forward to apologize.

The Sect Leader was trembling from head to toe, "Fine.. fine…"

"Su’er!" The Sect Leader of True Element Sect showed up at this point. The minute Ye Su’er saw her master, she hurriedly ran into her embrace.

"Master, Song Zhi almost got what he wanted and tried to take advantage of me. Thankfully Brother Pei defended me and killed him." Ye Su’er started crying.

Hearing Ye Su’er words, the maiden of a Sect Leader’s face fell. Hearing her recount of the incident she seemed extremely unhappy. "Li Han Zhi, is that how you teach and guide your disciples? My Sect is not one you can bully and trample over. You have to provide an explanation and account for something like this."

Elder Chen hurriedly intervened, "Everyone calm down, let’s not get agitated. We should investigate thoroughly everything that happened first. Since these people are already dead, and the underworld will not be dispatching the souls anywhere, this matter will be extremely simple. Once we use our Dao arts, the truth of the entire matter will come to light."

"And you, Pei Zi Yun. Since you’ve already broken through the gates of heaven, you should check everything out clearly as well. Only then can you understand whatever happened."

To achieve the status of Yin Master after two years was a remarkable feat that left Elder Chen deeply impressed, and yet had his own doubts as well. He wondered if Pei Zi Yun had received help from outsiders and got to such a stage.

The maiden nodded her head, "This matter concerns both our sect. We should bring the truth to light together."

Hearing this words, Pei Zi Yun knew that a plan had already been set into motion. At this point the guards of the village gathered hurriedly and strode over. Only after seeing a familiar face among the group of people did they stop outside.

Pei Zi Yun then told the village chief, "Someone had attacked us, but we’ve killed them off. Collect their corpses and pile them up together."

"Among some of the dead bodies are my servants and guards. Separate them from the perpetrators. Buy a coffin for every one of them, and pay thirty taels of silver to their family to compensate for their deaths."

"As for cleaning to blood stains, I shall leave it all up to you."

As he finished speaking, Pei Zi Yun bowed before speaking, "Elder Chen has a point. This disciple will cooperate to the best of his abilities."