Chapter 1042: A Spiritualist’s Deterrence
Xia Fei used his senses to search the underground facility, yet he did not find even a shadow of Enya. He could not help but feel somewhat worried.
“Indeed, Enya isn’t here.” This statement had come from Radix. He had trailed after Furball and was now hiding outside, ready to ambush the enemies. As long as Xia Fei gave the order, he would smash through the doors and begin an attack!
“Look around. They should have accomplices nearby,” Xia Fei said.
“What about you?” Radix asked.
“Don’t worry about me. They view me as a regular person, so they haven’t taken any precautions against me. The moment they do anything peculiar, I’ll strike and kill them right away.” Xia Fei calmly rea.s.sured Radix.
Though Nirvana and Furball were not around, Xia Fei still had the two great weapons, the White Dragon’s Screech and Peac.o.c.k Blue. Besides, he had the soul weapon Eight Tunes Golden Falcon, which he had just created and had been wanting to try out.
Radix nodded and departed quickly with Furball in search of Enya’s whereabouts in the city.
This was when the two soul pract.i.tioners, Xiaolin and Biao Zi, opened the cell door, lifted an elder up, and dragged him out.
In a short while, the sounds of anguished cries could be heard from the room next door. The two appeared to be torturing the elder rather badly. They had intentionally left the door open while they were doing it, too—a tactic to make all those who had not yet been subjected to the interrogation feel apprehensive over the possibility of them suffering even more compared to the one being interrogated right now.
*Thud*
Biao Zi threw that elder back into the cell, tortured to the point where he had lost all human semblance. He swept his eyes across everyone, scaring them all senseless.
“This is the result of telling lies!” the burly Biao Zi folded his arms and barked. “Who’s next?”
Xiaolin smiled. He adjusted the gla.s.ses resting on his nose and said, “Take that young man. The old man barely withstood your grilling, yet this young man actually dared to look you in the eyes. He must have a death wish.”
“Haha! I love people who are like that; it makes torturing them all the more satisfying. You’re next then!” Biao Zi chortled as he reached out to grab Xia Fei.
Before his hand even reached Xia Fei, the latter had already stood up, tossed his cigarette to the side, and answered calmly, “Don’t touch me with your dirty hands. Yours truly will walk by myself.”
Biao Zi slightly furrowed his brows and said in a low growl, “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you? Well, alright. We’ll see just how tough you are then!”
Under the worried gazes of everyone, Xia Fei casually walked out and headed to the room next door. There was still plenty of blood on the ground, left by the old man from before, but Xia Fei, who had seen plenty of blood throughout his entire life, hardly registered this level of bloodshed. To him, this amount of blood was hardly a deterrence.
Xiaolin and Biao Zi were baffled by how composed Xia Fei was, but the lack of any energy emanating from him made the two convinced that he was no more than a regular person, who was just a little bolder compared to his peers.
“Enya’s back! She’s together with a Soul Hunter!” Radix’s voice suddenly rang in his mind.
“Wait a sec. This is strange. This Soul Hunter doesn’t seem to be a threat to Enya and is even treating her quite well!
“The two of them are heading toward where you’re located?”
These words raised doubt in Xia Fei’s heart. These Soul Hunters had clearly targeted Enya and him, yet it appeared that Enya was actually getting along with one of them? What was going on here?
As Xia Fei mulled over this development, his eyebrows tightened by habit. Alas, the look he had adopted instead displeased Xiaolin and Biao Zi greatly.
“Still deep in thought despite being at death’s doors? You’ll end up dead no matter how much you think!” shouted Biao Zi, sending a fist right into Xia Fei’s lower abdomen.
*Huuu*
It was less than 1% of his total strength. Biao Zi was afraid that he would kill Xia Fei outright, so he decided to reduce the power in that punch.
Unfortunately, while they did not use much force on Xia Fei, he was not the type to hold back!
With a flip of his wrist, his one hand turned into a blade. It sliced through Biao Zi’s wrist as fast as a flash of lightning!
*Crack*
This thick and well-trained wrist was instantly broken from the strike! This sound had been accompanied by a high-pitched squeal, which was similar to that one produced by a pig being slaughtered!
*Zing*
His speed was so fast that neither Xiaolin nor Biao Zi managed to make out what had just happened. Thirteen large gra.s.s blades rapidly rose from Peac.o.c.k Blue and tightly wound around the two men. Meanwhile, White Dragon’s Screech had been placed horizontally on their necks. Another millimeter closer with that blade’s icy edge and they would bleed to death!
“Soul weapon?!”
“A mystical armament?!”
“You’re a soul pract.i.tioner?!”
Biao Zi and Xiaolin were both stunned and blurted out those words, their faces turning completely pale. Neither of them could believe that Xia Fei and his lack of energy would not only be a warrior but also someone comparable to them in terms of strength! His weapons were even stronger!
*Shush*
Xia Fei did a silencing gesture before using Breath Control to suppress his killing intent.
One was walking with dainty steps, while the other was heavy. He heard both go underground via the stairs; they were none other than Enya and Tai Hongtu. The two walked as they chatted.
“Enya, as long as you tell me who killed my brother, I’ll let you leave. You have my word,” said Tai Hongtu in a low voice.
He had resorted to placating when it came to Enya instead of threatening her with death. This was most likely because of how pretty Enya looked. Oftentimes, a beautiful woman would have such an advantage.
“You wanna know who killed your brother to take revenge? You consider your family as people, but what about mine? Who’s going to avenge my family after being wiped out?”
It seemed like Hongtu’s placating method was of not much use toward Enya, judging from her retort.
Hongtu’s expression went cold. He did not answer her question, seemingly somewhat irritated by now, and no longer felt like continuing this charade.
*Whoosh*
Hongtu reached out and grabbed Enya with one hand, but she was like a cunning cat, slipping out of his grasp by ducking under.
“Hmph! I know that you’re a Crane Clan guardian, so I’ve been treating you nice all this time. Unfortunately, you fail to appreciate my kindness; don’t blame me for being unruly now!”
With that said, Hongtu thrust out his hands to grab Enya, mimicking an eagle’s claws.
Xia Fei knew about Enya having some cultivation, but he had no idea what it meant to be a Crane Clan guardian. It seemed that Hongtu had discovered Enya’s background, so he had not acted violently against her.
It was a critical juncture, and there was not much time to think further. With a squelch, White Dragon’s Screech slit the throats of Xiaolin and Biao Zi. Xia Fei then bolted out of the room and charged toward Hongtu with his fastest speed.
“Be careful! This person has two and a half Soul Marks!”
Radix reminded Xia Fei as he crashed through the thick metal alloy door with Furball, coming up behind Hongtu to surround him.
Hongtu was shocked. Xia Fei’s Breath Control could be considered extraordinary, while Nirvana and Furball were hiding very well. Radix used to be a Superior Soul Hunter, so he was still at least skilled enough on this front.
Hongtu’s form shrank promptly, as he did an explosive retreat to the side. He moved quickly and at great speed, thereby evading Xia Fei’s pincer attack. It seemed like Radix was not mistaken to have called him an expert.
*Squelch*
Alas, Radix had not controlled Nirvana to stop then, so he flew straight into the room even before Xiaolin and Biao Zi’s corpses. .h.i.t the floor. By dismembering both bodies, their physical and spiritual energy could be devoured wholly. This way, either man could not be reborn despite being a level 1 soul pract.i.tioner, while Xia Fei and Nirvana obtained all the energy they had inside them.
“Xiaolin, Biao Zi!” Hongtu bellowed, a savage expression on his face.
Raising one arm, Hongtu pointed at Xia Fei. “So you’re the one who killed my second brother! I’ll avenge my brother today by tearing your body into shreds!”
*Whoosh*
With that said, Hongtu brushed his finger lightly across his spatial ring and took out a gleaming three-p.r.o.nged spear.
“Be careful! That’s a soul weapon!” shouted Radix as he went das.h.i.+ng forward. At this time, Xia Fei had swirled his White Dragon’s Screech, slas.h.i.+ng downward!
Soul weapon versus soul weapon!
The fiendish blade, Nirvana, under Radix clashed with Hongtu’s three-p.r.o.nged spear first. The immense impact repelled Radix, and a t.i.tanic roar echoed right after! A flash of white light was brought to bear as Xia Fei’s White Dragon’s Screech came cleaving down at Hongtu’s spear!
*Ka-chunk*
This sound made people’s skin jump. Following this, the soul weapon Hongtu had in his hand splintered right down the middle!
It definitely lived up to its name as the Aurorean’s legendary soul weapon. The power of White Dragon’s Screech was undeniable in this fight. In fact, before Hongtu could react, the White Dragon’s Screech had already ruined his soul weapon!
Pale-faced, Hongtu looked at the ruined weapon in his hand in stunned silence. Even in his wildest dreams, he had not imagined that Xia Fei would have such an overwhelmingly powerful soul weapon, which could destroy another’s soul weapon!
Xia Fei’s attack did not stop there. Utilizing Peac.o.c.k Blue, he prepared to capitalize on this chance to capture Hongtu and kill the man.
However, this was when something unexpected happened! Someone charged in through the wrecked door at an extremely high speed!
Sans a thought, Xia Fei whirled White Dragon’s Screech in reverse and thrust. Unfortunately, this figure was extraordinarily nimble and actually managed to evade this attack. However, he was not charging toward Xia Fei. After dodging his attack, the figure grabbed Hongtu and lifted him up entirely, pinning him right up on the ceiling!
Xia Fei could finally make out that this newcomer was a bearded old man. This person did not say a word and slapped Hongtu twice, which puzzled Xia Fei greatly.
*Smack smack*
“You b*st*rd, are you trying to get yourself killed?” The elderly individual did not feel relieved even after hitting Hongtu and continued insulting him viciously.
Very soon, several soul pract.i.tioners entered the room, too; none of them made a move against Xia Fei; instead, they bowed toward him and stood at the side.
“This elder has four Soul Marks! You’re no match to him at all! He brought a Soul Eater and four Soul Hunters with him, and they’re all fairly powerful,” said Radix in a low voice.
Xia Fei nodded. With his present cultivation, beating Hongtu to his current state was his limit. In fact, he could already feel a slight pain racking his body. This was evidently a sequela of his injury. Xia Fei agreed that he would be at a distinct disadvantage if he fought this group of soul pract.i.tioners.
“Brother Xia Fei!” A voice rang out at the door. Xia Fei lifted his head to look and saw that it was Song Jinhu, Tang Wannian’s personal bodyguard.
“Brother, it’s good that you’re alright!” Song Jinhu remarked anxiously. Xiao Beis.h.i.+ looked around and saw the spear in Hongtu’s hand; his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
That spear was Xiao Beis.h.i.+’s most prized soul weapon. Hongtu had secretly brought it out, prepared to use it against Xia Fei, only for him to destroy it in one blow. At this very moment, the emotions that Xiao Beis.h.i.+ felt had pretty much hit rock bottom.
With a bitter laugh, Song Jinhu turned to Xia Fei. “Brother, let’s speak outside.”
Xia Fei carried Enya and followed Song Jinhu out the door. Xiao Beis.h.i.+, who had remained inside at the moment, had a very ugly look on his face.
Glaring at Hongtu, Xiao Beis.h.i.+ told his eldest disciple, “Gan Ming, keep an eye on him for me! I’ll settle things with him when we get back!”
Turning around, Xiao Beis.h.i.+ left in a huff.
“I’ll accept that master didn’t come to help me, but why did he still slap me on top of that?” Hongtu looked at his sect senior indignantly.
Gan Ming sighed while shaking his head. “No one can help you this time; do you know who Xia Fei’s master is?”
“Who?”
“A Spiritualist! Forget you, even our master can’t afford to provoke that person!” Gan Ming chuckled bitterly. “You’re done for this time.”
*Zing*
Hongtu’s ashen face said it all.. Not even in his wildest dreams could he have thought that he had provoked a legendary Spiritualist!