Chapter 153.2
Zi Yuan planted herself between Li Yundong and the overturned car . “That’s enough, Li Yundong . ”
Li Yundong stopped walking and stared into Zi Yuan’s eyes . The intensity behind those eyes took Zi Yuan by surprise . Never in Zi Yuan’s life had she encountered someone who could stare her down without feeling even the slightest hint of reverence .
At that moment, Li Yundong’s eyes were the very definition of determination and fearlessness . Zi Yuan’s eyes darted towards He Shao, who was sitting on the ground with his back leaning against the overturned car . The man appeared to be in a daze, but seemed unharmed other than a few scratches on his face .
Zi Yuan returned her gaze to Li Yundong . A golden radiance coated the surface of his skin courtesy of the Jindan’s Aura . This was the most primitive form of the Jindan’s Aura, much to Zi Yuan’s relief . In its more advanced form, the Jindan’s Aura draws out the user’s Qi to form a powerful protective barrier around him or her . The radius of the barrier would depend on the amount of Qi the user possesses .
Looks like the seal is still intact…
Zi Yuan sighed inwardly .
“Are you here to stop me as well?” said Li Yundong in a steely tone .
Hongling descended from the sky and landed somewhere behind Li Yundong . Zi Yuan met Li Yundong’s gaze . “What do you think you’re doing, Li Yundong?”
Something flashed inside Li Yundong’s eyes . “Something that should’ve been done a long time ago,” he growled, taking a huge step towards Zi Yuan .
“Calm yourself,” Zi Yuan said, holding up her palm . “You’ve done enough . Now leave the rest to the law . ”
“The law?” Li Yundong scoffed . “You think the law is enough to make this lowlife pay for everything he’s done?”
“Yes,” Zi Yuan said . “But only if you let it . ”
Li Yundong bared his teeth and pointed at He Shao angrily . “Then why is he out on the streets in the first place! Why isn’t he rotting in jail already?! Why hasn’t he been executed and sent straight to h.e.l.l where he f*cking belongs!!!”
Zi Yuan was stunned into silence . Somewhere beside them, He Shao whimpered .
“Answer me!!!”
A golden blaze dazzled Zi Yuan’s eyes for a moment . A strong gust of wind hit her square in the face .
Zi Yuan forced her eyes open, blinking a few times .
“And what is your grand plan? Beat the guy to death?” Zi Yuan raised her brow . “If you do that, then you’re just like him . ” Zi Yuan jerked her chin towards He Shao . “A murderer . ”
Come on… come on… bite… bite .
Silence fell between them .
Li Yundong stared at Zi Yuan, his expression unreadable .
All of a sudden, Li Yundong laughed .
“Beat him to death? Oh, no, no… You’re way off the mark . I’m not going to beat him to death . That would be going easy on him . ” Li Yundong glared at He Shao . “What I’m planning is much, much, worse . ”
Chills travelled down Zi Yuan’s spine . “I don’t suppose you mean tossing him into jail…”
“How many times do I have to tell you—” Li Yundong suddenly turned around to look at something over his shoulder . “You try anything funny and I won’t show you any mercy this time!”
Zi Yuan’s eyes shot up just in time to see Hongling stilling her movements behind Li Yundong . Fear coursed through Zi Yuan . Not for herself, but for Hongling .
“Stand down, Hongling! Haven’t you learned your lesson last time?”
Foolish girl . Even when untrained, the Jindan’s Heir was a force to be reckoned with . Hongling was no match for him, not with the Jindan’s Aura activated .
“Look,” Zi Yuan said with a gentle tone . “I understand the rage you’re feeling—”
“You don’t understand a thing!!!”
Golden light flashed, dazzling Zi Yuan’s eyes . She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare .
“Do you know that he’s killed two more people tonight?! Do you?!” Li Yundong shouted, pointing a trembling finger at He Shao on the ground . “He put three rounds in a man’s chest and then drove his f*cking car over the man’s mother! His mother!!!”
Something shifted on the ground . From the corner of her eyes, Zi Yuan saw He Shao pushing himself away from the car .
“T- They asked for it! I gave them a chance to move!”
“Shut your filthy mouth!!!” The air in front of Li Yundong exploded . The shockwave slammed into the side of the overturned car, sending it tumbling into the air .
The car landed with a loud crash further out into the field .
Zi Yuan looked towards the car, then back at Li Yundong again . Barely two months had pa.s.sed since the Jindan was stolen, so the Jindan’s Heir couldn’t have been exposed to the art of Cultivation for more than a month . Yet look at all the stuff he was doing . Even for a talented Cultivator, it would take years to learn how to bridge the Three Gates properly .
After everything she had witnessed so far, Zi Yuan knew one thing for sure: this guy had an insane amount of apt.i.tude for Cultivation .
Zi Yuan detected more movement from the corner of her eyes . Behind Li Yundong, her protégé was slowly backing away from Li Yundong .
Oh, so now she’s afraid…
Zi Yuan looked away from Hongling when Li Yundong took another step towards He Shao .
“A chance? Are you seriously talking about giving chances right now, you piece of s.h.i.t? You gave them a chance!” Li Yundong laughed snidely . “Give me a f*cking break!” Li Yundong stopped laughing . His expression suddenly became harsh and stony . “And what about those two girls? Did you give them a chance before you raped them and drove them to their deaths?”
He Shao whimpered .
“That’s right, He Shao,” Li Yundong growled . “You killed them all . So you’ve got no right! No f*cking right to talk about giving chances!!!”
Another shockwave blasted through the field, sending pieces of weed flying into the air .
“Li Yundong…” Zi Yuan tried again . “Calm yourself…”
“You killed them, you f*cking piece of s.h.i.t… You murdered all of them in cold blood…” Li Yundong’s voice trembled . “You’re a f*cking monster… And I’ll give you a taste of living h.e.l.l before I end your worthless life!”
“Li Yundong!” Zi Yuan snapped . This was getting out of hand . The Jindan had blown his innate sense of justice out of proportion . Before he learned how to control the Jindan’s power with his Spirit, there was no way for him to overpower this drive to deliver justice by any means necessary . It was like a primal need, an obsession . At this point, Su Chan was probably their only hope of getting through to him .
Nevertheless, Zi Yuan had to try . As a Cultivator, it was her duty to uphold the sacred commandments of the Cultivation world, one of which Li Yundong was no doubt about to breach .
“Come on, Li Yundong… Please, listen to me,” Zi Yuan said steadily . “You are the Jindan’s Heir . You’ll be doing great things in the future . You’re destined for greatness . ” Zi Yuan stopped talking and pointed at the ground, where He Shao lay . “Don’t throw it all away because of that worthless man…”
Li Yundong’s eyes were as hard as steel when they met Zi Yuan’s seconds later . “Great things?” He chuckled .
Zi Yuan’s scalp tingled, and she frowned . “What’s so funny?”
Li Yundong stopped laughing and gave her a pointed look . “Why do I have to wait until the future to do great things when I can start now?”
Zi Yuan’s frown deepened . “What?”
“Let this be the first great thing I do!” Li Yundong broke their eye contact and glared at He Shao on the ground . “Ridding the world of that evil sc.u.mbag!!”
He Shao’s scream echoed through the night .
Oh, no!
Zi Yuan’s lips began to move when she saw Li Yundong charging towards He Shao . Seconds later, she raised her palm, and Li Yundong’s body levitated off the ground when he was a few feet away from He Shao .
That was close…
Li Yundong turned his head and glared at Zi Yuan . “What the h.e.l.l did you do!” he snarled, flailing his arms and legs . “If you’re not trying to help, then stop getting in my way!”
Zi Yuan moved her palm slightly . Li Yundong’s body moved through the air until he was hovering in front of her .
“Beating him to death won’t solve anything,” Zi Yuan said calmly .
“You’re wrong!” Li Yundong growled dangerously, then turned his head sharply towards He Shao . “I never said I was going to beat him to death… In fact, I’m going to end his pathetic life without even touching him . And when I’m done, there won’t be anything left of him!”
The implications of Li Yundong’s words echoed inside her mind . What? Chills travelled down Zi Yuan’s spine . What was he talking about? Was he planning to use a spell?
“You’re bluffing,” Zi Yuan said coldly . “You need to reach the Shentong phase before you can use spells . You haven’t even pa.s.sed the Zhuji phase yet . ”
All of a sudden, Li Yundong’s arms stopped flailing . Then, Zi Yuan heard a loud gasp . Zi Yuan glanced towards the source of the voice .
Hongling stared back at her with wide, fearful eyes .
“Hongling…” Zi Yuan narrowed her eyes . “What do you know that you didn’t tell me?”
Li Yundong laughed darkly . “I think she’s referring to this . ”
Li Yundong pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket . The paper was brown in color, and there were four words printed on it .
Shock coursed through Zi Yuan .
There was no mistaking those words: Heavenly Thunder Slays Evil .
The Jindan’s coming ordains thine fate . The sound of the first thunder shalt complete thine soul…
The sound of the first thunder . Was this what Master’s prophecy was referring to? The Five Thunders Spell?
Li Yundong gave the talisman a quick flick .
Not a chance! Zi Yuan raised her free hand, and the talisman shot out of Li Yundong’s grasp .
“No!!! Give it back!” Li Yundong swung his arms like a maniac .
The talisman fluttered in the air a few times before it landed in Zi Yuan’s palm seconds later . Zi Yuan studied the talisman briefly . This talisman required Qi activation . And it was protected by some kind of spell against physical damage, so it was impossible to destroy it .
After a while, Li Yundong stopped moving .
“Fine!” Li Yundong said, pointing a finger at Zi Yuan . “Since you’re so against me using the spell, why don’t you do it then? Cast the spell and send that son of a b.i.t.c.h to h.e.l.l!”
“No,” Zi Yuan said coldly .
Li Yundong lowered his finger and gaped at Zi Yuan for a moment .
“What do you mean, no?”
“Cultivators are aren’t allowed to harm mortals with spells . That has been our commandment for thousands of years . ”
“That’s bulls.h.i.t!” Li Yundong snapped, then jabbed his finger at He Shao . “Use it! Cast the spell!”
“I refuse,” Zi Yuan said .
Li Yundong sneered . “Fine! Give me the talisman then!” Li Yundong held out his hand . “Since you’re too much of a coward to do it, then I’ll do it for you! Give it to me!”
“You don’t understand! We’re stopping you for your own good!” Hongling spoke for the first time since she landed on the ground . “Any Cultivator who takes a mortal’s life with a spell will suffer divine punishment! Don’t you get it? You’ll be struck by Heavenly Thunder if you go through with this! Your soul will be destroyed!”
Li Yundong’s eyes flashed in anger . “Then it is destroyed!”
“Wha-” Hongling’s mouth dropped open . “Y- You’re joking…”
Li Yundong huffed out a breath . “If I die, then I die . At least I’d die knowing that n.o.body else would suffer at the hands of that piece of trash!”
Hongling opened her mouth to argue .
“Don’t try to convince me! It’s pointless!” Li Yundong snarled . “My mind’s already made up . ”
“Then think again!” Zi Yuan said sharply . “Reconsider!”
“Give . Me . The . Talisman!”
“Why, so you can use it to desecrate our one of our most sacred commandments? I will not tolerate such sacrilege!”
“I said give it to me!” Li Yundong paddled his arms and legs as though he was swimming in mid-air .
“What are you trying to prove? That you’re above the traditions upheld by Cultivators for millennia?”
“I’m not trying to prove anything, you hypocritical fools!”
Anger rose in Zi Yuan . “You—” She closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath . When she spoke again, her voice was much calmer . “Those commandments exist for a reason, Li Yundong . ”
“What reason?!” Li Yundong snarled . “To allow sc.u.ms like He Shao to live freely, to murder innocent people, to oppress and trample over the poor and less fortunate?! Is that the so-called reason for your bulls.h.i.t traditions?”
“How dare—”
“No!” Li Yundong barked . “I will not in good conscience allow someone that evil to walk away unpunished . I will not!”
“He will receive his punishment in due time . ” Zi Yuan said patiently . “You just have to let nature take its course . The Heavens shall decide that man’s final punishment—”
Li Yundong’s eyes flashed . “And what if this…” Li Yundong spread out his arms . “All of this, is the will of the Heavens! What if I’m meant to do this! Have you considered that possibility?” Li Yundong let his arms drop limply to his sides . “Hasn’t that man caused enough death and suffering to incur the wrath of the Heavens—”
“Enough!” Zi Yuan yelled . “Who do you think you are! You think you have the right to act on behalf of the Heavens just because you’re the Jindan’s Heir? That’s hubris!”
“Hubris…” Li Yundong said weakly, then lowered his gaze to the ground .
Silence fell .
Zi Yuan shared a glance with Hongling . Had they done it? Had they finally convinced him?
Zi Yuan looked towards Li Yundong again . “You have to look at the bigger picture here,” she said carefully . “There will be grave consequences if you use that spell on him . Not just to you, but to the entire world of Cultivation as well . That sacred commandment is the thing that’s been keeping the Cultivation world and the mortal world in a state of balance for generations! Mortals and Cultivators can co-exist as long as one side doesn’t interfere with the affairs of the other . Just think for a second what would happen if even one Cultivator breaks that commandment . Other Cultivators would be tempted to do the same . Cultivation schools would start wars with other schools or even start terrorizing the mortal world! The entire Cultivation world would fall into chaos . ”
“Cultivation schools…” A dark chuckle escaped Li Yundong’s lips . “Now I see what this is all about . ” Li Yundong raised his head sharply . “Self-preservation . This is all about self-preservation!”
Zi Yuan felt all the air leave her lungs the moment their gazes locked . It was like those eyes had pierced through her soul .
Li Yundong pointed an accusatory finger at Zi Yuan . “You don’t give a d.a.m.n about what goes on in the mortal world, do you? All you care about is preserving the good name of your school…” Li Yundong laughed mockingly . “And yet you parade among mortals, acting all high and mighty like you’re all a bunch of saints who embody everything virtuous and wise . ” Li Yundong shook his head . “But the truth is that you people don’t even understand the simple notion that magic, like everything else in the world, is just a tool!
“What, you think a few rules are enough to prevent Cultivators from abusing their powers if they want to?” Li Yundong sneered . “How stupid can you people get?”
Zi Yuan clenched her jaw, but she didn’t stop Li Yundong’s tirade .
“So you have a bunch of commandments in place . So f*cking what! Have there never been schools or sects in the past who tried to start wars? Have there never been any acts of rebellion in the Cultivation world? Please . Don’t kid yourself . How much blood was spilled over the Renyuan Jindan? How many Cultivators, or even mortals, have lost their lives to obtain it? You think a few rules can prevent Cultivators from going rogue when they see something they want? If you truly think that, then y’all just a bunch of blind and deluded fools!”
Zi Yuan was stunned, struck by the truth behind Li Yundong’s words . None of the commandments had prevented the Mystical Silver Fox from wreaking havoc in the Cultivation world back then . And everything he said about the Renyuan Jindan was on point .
“You call yourselves Cultivators, but what have you people spent thousands of years inside the mountains cultivating?” Li Yundong bared his teeth . “Bigotry? Cowardice? Selfishness? Hubris?”
“You live and walk among mortals, thinking that you’re above them, that you’re morally superior to them, but the truth is that there isn’t a single ounce of virtue in you! Justice? The greater good?” Li Yundong laughed snidely . “You don’t give a s.h.i.t about the greater good… All you care about is yourself and the reputation of your school!”
A pause ensued with the only audible sound being Li Yundong’s heavy breathing .
“You people could’ve used your powers to save lives! You could’ve used your powers to help the weak or those in need, and to punish those who deserves punishment! And you wanna know something else? I’ve seen mere mortals with kinder hearts and greater selflessness than you so-called Cultivators! The firemen! The doctors and nurses! The police officers! These are people without any powers who risk their lives on a daily basis for people they don’t even know! And you!” Li Yundong pointed at Zi Yuan . “You people! What good have you ever done for the world, huh! How many lives have you saved? None! You people have done nothing despite having all these powers! h.e.l.l, you’re even willing to turn a blind eye to evil deeds that are happening right under your noses! And all for what? To observe a bunch of dumba.s.s traditions! Shame on you! Shame on all of you!!!”
Zi Yuan recovered her composure and cleared her throat . “Who says we’re turning a blind eye? There are just other ways to—”
“Don’t you get it yet?!”
A flash of golden light radiated from Li Yundong’s body . Zi Yuan shielded her eyes with her hand once again .
“The law isn’t enough to stop that b.a.s.t.a.r.d from killing! With enough money, power, and human resources at his disposal, that son of a b.i.t.c.h can kill even from inside a prison cell!”
Again, Zi Yuan was stunned into silence .
“No… A prison cell won’t cut it…” Li Yundong’s voice had suddenly turned eerily calm . When Zi Yuan lowered her hand from her eyes, she saw Li Yundong pointing at He Shao on the ground . “This man has to be exterminated for good!”
He Shao started screaming in fear at that point, but Li Yundong kept talking as though he didn’t hear anything .
“Can you imagine how many more he will kill if you let him walk away alive tonight? How many more bloodshed will you allow before you’re finally willing to bring justice on him?!” Li Yundong laughed . “Let nature take its course, you say? Let the Heavens decide, you say?” Li Yundong slashed his hand through the air, then spread his arms out wide . “Fine! Why don’t I let the Heavens decide right now what to do with that sc.u.m!”
Li Yundong tilted his head skyward, then pointed one finger at He Shao .
“Punish that evil man!” Li Yundong shouted at the sky . “Prove to me that you aren’t blind to everything that’s been happening on earth! Strike him with your Heavenly Thunder and give him the punishment he deserves! Rid humanity of that sc.u.mbag and all his evil deeds!”
Li Yundong’s voice dissolved into distant echoes before silence fell . Behind Li Yundong, Hongling glanced up at the sky . When she lowered her gaze seconds later, Zi Yuan could see the look of utter defeat in her protégé’s eyes .
Li Yundong’s words echoed inside Zi Yuan’s mind, making her stomach churn . What was the point of Cultivation? Was there no other purpose in Cultivation other than to become a Shenxian?
In light of Li Yundong’s words, the term Cultivation suddenly seemed so… shallow, like it was no different than what those power-hungry mortals were doing—just that instead of money, status, and power, Cultivators sought after immortality and magic .
But what about virtue? What about compa.s.sion? What about the drive to do good? To save lives? To make the world a better place? Shouldn’t these things also be part of Cultivation?
For thousands of years, the orthodox views of the Cultivation world had never been questioned . Every Cultivator in every school had abided by those commandments . Until the Jindan’s Heir came along to challenge it . And Zi Yuan had to agree that he’d made some pretty solid points .
Were the tenets of the Zhengyi School—and all the other Cultivation schools, for that matter—incomplete at best and outright wrong at worst? How had Zi Yuan not seen it earlier?
“Is this your answer?!”
Li Yundong’s voice jolted Zi Yuan out of her thoughts . Li Yundong was still staring at the sky . Zi Yuan followed Li Yundong’s gaze and noted the darkness above them . Clouds drifted past, but the sky appeared calm . It didn’t seem like there would be any thunder tonight .
“Are you going let this man live and subject innocent lives to all his evil deeds?” Li Yundong screamed at the sky . “Or are you just too pompous to care about the lives of the good people on earth, the good people that you’re supposed to be watching over!”
Zi Yuan lowered her gaze from the sky . She couldn’t watch this anymore . She couldn’t stand the silence, the serenity of the night sky . The implication of that silence was too profound to even fathom .
Li Yundong chuckled, causing Zi Yuan to look up sharply once more . When their gazes locked, Zi Yuan felt another chill down her spine .
“Do you see that, Zhenren Zi? The Heavens are blind…” Li Yundong said, closing his eyes and letting his arms drop limply to his sides . Zi Yuan waited silently for Li Yundong to continue .
Then, Li Yundong’s eyes shot open . “But I am not!”
Something strange was happening . Zi Yuan could feel it in her bones .
She stared at Li Yundong warily . “What did you do…?”
“I might not be well-trained in the art of Cultivation, but I still know a thing or two about resourcefulness . ”
“What?”
“You underestimated me!!!”
Zi Yuan gasped when the talisman in her hand began to glow .
“Honglin—”
Zi Yuan was thrown away by a powerful blast before she could even finish her sentence; the field was now bathed in a blinding gold light . Cursing, Zi Yuan released the Levitation Spell she’d cast on Li Yundong and muttered the incantation for the Qi-repelling spell .
Green light radiated from her right palm as she landed gracefully on both feet .
“Hongling!” Zi Yuan yelled . “Hongling! Where are you!!”
Zi Yuan waited for a response . Up ahead, the Jindan’s Aura had fused with Li Yundong’s vast Yang Qi to form a h.o.m.ogeneous, sphere-like structure with a radius of approximately 10 meters . Once again, it struck Zi Yuan how vast Li Yundong’s Qi reserve was .
Tiny talismans fluttered around Zi Yuan’s wrist .
Zi Yuan raised her palm higher .
“Hongling!!!”
“I’m over here, Elder Sister Zi Yuan!” Hongling’s voice sounded amidst the roaring of the Jindan’s Aura .
Zi Yuan looked up into the sky to see Hongling floating down towards her . Green light spread out from Hongling’s palm like a shield .
Zi Yuan sighed in relief .
“Are you alright?” Zi Yuan asked when Hongling landed beside her .
“I’m fine, Elder Sister . What about you?” Hongling asked worriedly . “You were nearer to the blast . ”
Zi Yuan waved off Hongling’s concern with her free hand, then looked towards Jindan’s Heir . “He broke the seal . ”
Hongling nodded fearfully .
“Look at his head,” Zi Yuan said . “Do you know what’s happening?”
“Yeah… That’s the Convergence of Five Qis and the Crown of Three Flowers happening simultaneously… I can’t believe I’m seeing this on someone who hadn’t undergone Qi-control training for more than a few months…”
The Jindan’s Heir . Just how much talent did this man possess?
“Take a look at the Qi surrounding him,” Zi Yuan said without taking her eyes off Li Yundong .
Hongling was silent for a few seconds before she spoke, “It’s like his Qi is forming a barrier around him…”
“That’s the advanced form of the Jindan’s Aura,” Zi Yuan explained . “Right now it’s completely out of control . ”
“Any woman who gets too close would be drained of her Yin Qi unless she has a way to secure her Qi inside their body . ”
The sound of tires screeching interrupted them .
Zi Yuan turned and saw a white Audi A6 pulling up by the roadside above the field . Too little too late…
“Stay back!” Zi Yuan yelled .
Su Chan and Zhou Qin came to a halt beside the guard rail .
Zi Yuan turned to Hongling . “Let’s go to them . ”
Hongling nodded .
Seconds later, Zi Yuan and Hongling regrouped with Su Chan and Zhou Qin .
“What took you so long?” Zi Yuan snapped, glaring at Su Chan . “You could’ve just flown here . ”
Somehow, Zhou Qin didn’t look surprise at all when Zi Yuan mentioned flying . Perhaps the girl had been hanging around Li Yundong for too long .
“I didn’t have enough magic…” Su Chan said weakly .
“My G.o.d… What is going on over there?” Zhou Qin asked, staring down at the field .
Zi Yuan ignored the question and kept glaring at Su Chan .
“Was it you?” Zi Yuan asked with a sharp tone . “Did you give him the talisman?”
Su Chan didn’t answer . Instead, she white-knuckled the guard rail and gazed at the field .
Suddenly, Su Chan leaped over the railing and ran towards the field .
“No!” Zi Yuan moved in a flash and stood in front of Su Chan to block her path .
“I have to go help him…” Tears streaked down Su Chan’s cheeks . “He’ll listen to me and stop the spell!”
“You’ll die before you even get close!” Zi Yuan snapped, raising her right palm to protect them both . “You’ll be useless to him dead . So stand back!”
“But…” Su Chan glanced longingly towards the Jindan’s Heir . “We have to do something…”
“Yeah, we have to do something alright…” Zi Yuan mumbled .
“Elder Sister Zi Yuan!”
Zi Yuan looked up to see Hongling and Zhou Qin approaching them .
“What should we do, Elder Sister?” Hongling asked . “Should we… Should we contact the sect and request for backup?”
“No…” Zi Yuan said . “The Zhengyi School won’t like this . It would be foolish to involve them . ”
“But this is getting out of hand…” Hongling argued weakly .
Zi Yuan looked towards the golden blaze in the middle of the field .
“I know,” Zi Yuan said with a sigh . “But this needs to be handled with tact . Discretion is of the utmost importance . ” Zi Yuan gave everyone a pointed look, pausing for an extra second when her gaze landed on Zhou Qin . “n.o.body except the people here can know about this, you hear me?”
“Good,” Zi Yuan said when she received collective nods from the other women . Then, Zi Yuan turned to Zhou Qin . “You have considerable influence in Tiannan City, I presume?”
Zhou Qin snapped to attention . “Yes . ”
Zi Yuan nodded . “Then now might be a good time to put them to good use . ”
Zhou Qin opened her mouth to speak, but Zi Yuan raised a palm to silence her .
“Don’t do it for me,” Zi Yuan said . “Do it for him . ” Zi Yuan jerked her chin towards the field where the Jindan’s Aura was still blazing . “I a.s.sure you that a lot of people would want him dead if word of what happened here ever gets out . ”
Zhou Qin took a deep breath . “Tell me what I can do . ”
“I need you to pull some strings and get this entire area sealed off,” Zi Yuan said . “Block all the roads leading here . We don’t need any onlookers wandering into the area and recording the whole thing on their phones . ”
“For how long?” Zhou Qin asked .
“Until I give the OK . ”
Zhou Qin nodded . “Anything else?”
Zi Yuan thought for a moment . “That’s all for now . But I might need you to handle the police once all of this is over . Now go . We don’t have much time to lose . ”
Zhou Qin’s phone was already pressed to her ears by the time she was walking towards her car .
Zi Yuan turned to Su Chan . “Has he been taught how to perform spells?”
Su Chan wiped her cheeks and shook her head .
Zi Yuan cursed inwardly . This was bad . The Five Thunders Spell was perhaps the most difficult spell to master and control . One wrong move and the spell would turn on the caster .
“Y- Yundong can do it!” Su Chan said all of a sudden . “H- He’s a genius!”
Zi Yuan regarded Su Chan steadily . “Let’s just hope you’re right . ”
“What!” Hongling yelled . “A- Are we seriously going to let him perform the spell?”
“It’s too late to stop him now,” Zi Yuan said . “And I doubt anyone can stop him . ” Zi Yuan glanced at Su Chan . “Yes, not even you . ”
Hongling frowned . “But I thought that was the whole point of bringing her here!” Hongling pointed at Su Chan . “You said it yourself that she can persuade him!”
Zi Yuan turned away from Hongling and looked towards the field where the Jindan’s Aura continued its rampage .
“Perhaps I was mistaken,” Zi Yuan whispered . “Perhaps this is all meant to happen . ”
“What?”
“The prophecy, Hongling,” Zi Yuan said . “The prophecy…”
A powerful gale blew past them, rustling the weeds in the field . Zi Yuan looked up into the night sky, where storm clouds had begun to gather directly above the field .
“Here it comes…” Zi Yuan said .
So it begins…
The Jindan’s coming ordains thine fate . The sound of the first thunder shalt complete thine soul .