The Decaying World

"Then lead a team and do it yourself," the Association Leader said calmly. He extended his hand, and the spinning, spike-covered formation crystal reappeared in his palm.

He gave it a gentle toss, watching as the crystal shot out and vanished into the floor of the underground palace like a phantom.

Then, his hands blurred as he formed a series of dense, complex hand seals. A soft, blue-black fluorescent glow began to emanate from his body.

The Heart Marshal assented in a low voice, then turned to lead her people out of the underground palace.

The continuous activation of the formation had already begun. With the Association Leader present, nothing would be a problem.

"Wait!"

Suddenly, a slightly urgent voice called out from the exit of the underground palace.

The Fourth Princess, Song Feishi, her expression icy, appeared in a flash to block the Heart Marshal’s path.

"Association Leader, the Third City Lord isn’t the only one in Black Cloud City! There’s another variable!"

Her gaze fixed on the Association Leader’s back as she spoke urgently.

"A variable?" The Association Leader continued forming hand seals, turning his head slightly. "Whatever it is, it can wait until I’ve finished the activation."

"But..." Before Song Feishi could say more, the Heart Marshal stepped in, blocking her line of sight to the Association Leader.

"Your Highness should obey the Association Leader’s words." The Heart Marshal was clearly not on good terms with Song Feishi.

"Who do you think you are, barking at me like that!?" Song Feishi’s lovely face contorted in anger, her right hand beginning to glow with specks of blue-black light.

"Your Highness, possessing the Emperor’s Blood may amplify your innate strength, but if that strength isn’t much to begin with..." the Heart Marshal’s voice turned sinister.

"Fine! Just fine!" Song Feishi said no more and simply stepped aside. "I’ll be watching to see how you die!"

The Heart Marshal just smiled, brushing past her and disappearing through the doorway.

"Feishi, what you see as a variable is merely a minor, peripheral detail. As long as the grand plan remains unchanged, the outcome is already set in stone," the Association Leader’s voice sounded beside her.

Song Feishi wanted to argue, but she recalled the terrifying power the Association Leader had once displayed and held her tongue.

’He’s right. As long as the plan here is completed, everything else is just a trivial detail.’

"I understand..." she murmured, nodding.

"Since you understand, act as my Dharma Protector," the Association Leader’s voice held a hint of a smile.

"Yes."

*

*

*

In a private courtyard within the Qingfeng Daoist Monastery.

Song Yunhui and his mother, Song Shihan, paced back and forth in the courtyard. For some reason, they both felt a growing sense of dread.

They had already tried to leave three times, but each time they were stopped by the Qingfeng Daoist Disciples guarding the gate.

Before they had been given a tour of the Qingfeng Daoist Sect, they might have had the courage to try and force their way out.

But after the tour...

Song Yunhui and his mother felt it was best to just stay put and not try to oppose their hosts.

After all...

This place was an incredibly mysterious power, one guarded by Fog People.

"Sigh, if I’d known Lin Xiaoliu’s family was like this, I never would have come here in the first place," Song Yunhui said, exasperated.

"We should just leave on our own. If we stay any longer, something bad is bound to happen," Song Shihan said gently.

They actually had the means to slip away quietly. After all, to have evaded the Bright Heart Association’s pursuit for so long, they naturally had their own unique methods.

But Song Yunhui still believed that if he could just make the Lin Family understand the gravity of the situation, things would be different. If he could get Lin Xiaoliu to truly side with him and fully utilize her Sensing Power, dealing with the Bright Heart Association’s pursuit would become far, far easier.

That’s why he was so reluctant to leave. Another reason was that he couldn’t give up on Lin Xiaoliu.

"The Lin Family probably thinks they’re all-powerful right now," Song Yunhui sighed. "They have no idea that once the Bright Heart Association truly makes its move, their strength won’t be nearly enough to stop them!"

"But we’re too weak. No one would believe us," Song Shihan said, trying to console him. "Alright, that’s enough, child. Stop thinking about her. You need to let it go."

"This isn’t about me letting go! Lin Xiaoliu is one of their targets now, too. They’ll definitely try to silence her later. You’ve seen how ruthless they are..." Song Yunhui said, shaking his head.

CLICK.

Just then, the main gate to the courtyard was gently pushed open.

A figure strolled casually inside.

The person wore a black mask and a slim-fitting black outfit under a purple robe. The most striking feature was the blue-black character for "heart" tattooed on the left side of her neck.

"Heart Marshal!!"

Seeing this person, the faces of both Song Yunhui and his mother changed drastically.

They hadn’t expected the Bright Heart Association to arrive so quickly.

Looking past the Heart Marshal, they saw the Qingfeng Daoist Disciples who had been on guard lying motionless on the ground, blood pooling beneath them.

They could never have imagined that the Bright Heart Association would dispatch one of its five great Heart Marshals just to capture them.

In the past, they had dispatched Sea King Generals or Guest Elders at most, but this time...

’It’s over!!’

Their faces went deathly pale, knowing in their hearts there would be no escape this time. Facing a terrifying expert of the Heart Marshal’s caliber, they didn’t stand a chance of getting away.

Not even with Song Yunhui’s Emperor’s Blood.

Not even while on the Lin Family’s grounds, which were protected by Fog People.

Not even in Black Cloud City itself...

"Perfect. You’re both here." The Heart Marshal looked at the mother and son, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "According to my intelligence, where is the child with the exceptionally strong Sensing Power?"

’Such a valuable specimen with a special Talent... they’ll make a perfect new test subject. Perhaps I can even have the ability transplanted into my own body.’

"I’ll never tell you! Kill me if you have the guts!" Song Yunhui yelled, his blood boiling.

"Got some backbone." The Heart Marshal chuckled. She raised her hand, a dot of blue light appearing on her fingertip as she prepared to directly probe the area for all living beings.

"I’d advise you not to do that."

Suddenly, a lazy-sounding male voice spoke up from behind her.

"The master of this house is a pretty vicious guy."

Pang Jiu strolled through the gate, sword in hand, yawning with his chest bared.

His hair was a mess and his clothes were disheveled. He even carried the faint stench of old sweat, as if he hadn’t bathed in days.

And yet, this was the man...

...who had silently closed to within three meters of the Heart Marshal.

"A mere, weakened Fog Person..." The Heart Marshal laughed with disdain, but in the next instant, the words caught in her throat.

Because on her left and right, a man and a woman emerged, their auras nearly identical to Pang Jiu’s.

All three wore white robes and carried Longswords. A faint blue light shimmered in their gazes as they watched her.

"Go on, keep talking," Pang Jiu grinned. "You’re finished, little cutie. You’ve stumbled into a den of thieves."

"What a way to talk, Junior Brother Pang," Su Yaping chided, exasperated.

"I like her mouth. Remember to cut it out for me later," Master Yunxia said with a coquettish laugh, covering her lips.

"You...!" Cold sweat broke out on the Heart Marshal’s back.

THUD. Suddenly, a limp, unconscious body was tossed down from above.

It was Xia Si.

"Stop messing around. Take your Senior Sister Xia back."

Lin Hui had appeared in the courtyard at some point, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Oh my, caught and brought back so soon? Wasn’t Senior Sister Xia acting all high and mighty before?" Master Yunxia’s words grew increasingly sharp and cutting.

"That’s enough. Behave," Lin Hui said, glancing at her.

Master Yunxia immediately shivered and didn’t dare to speak so freely again.

Their casual conversation sent terrifying waves of shock through the Heart Marshal.

The moment Xia Si was thrown down, she had recognized her.

It was the same killer who had been giving her such a headache!

That woman grew stronger the more she killed, unleashing terrifying bursts of power, and her speed was incredible. The Heart Marshal had originally planned to deal with her personally, but after careful consideration, she decided to leave the task to three Sea King Generals, who were to seal her using a joint formation.

She had once observed one of Xia Si’s battles from a distance and remembered vividly just how troublesome she was.

And now, listening to this group, it seemed this incredibly troublesome Xia Si was actually from *this* sect? From *this* faction?!

The Heart Marshal suddenly felt her entire body go numb, her heart sinking into an abyss.

’She wasn’t even sure if she could beat Xia Si on her own. If one Xia Si was this much trouble... then what about all these others?’

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!