60 – Demon Hunting Heaven and Earth Net Part 2
This is so wrong.
I felt my stomach churn as the female cultivator from the Bihai sect killed herself. Destroying her lower Dantian and her heart at my command. At first I wanted to test Dreamweaver’s Veil to push a certain emotion, but now… I think I had gone too far. I just made someone kill herself. But… but this means I killed her, right? Not that she killed herself?
Fuck! This is just me trying to reason away my guilt. Let’s just accept that I killed her. That way, it’s less of a sin for her. Now I know the extent of control I get on those whose name I take.
“.... Now we are stuck with you lot!” Only then do I hear the commotion from Wanxia. “If both of you are unwilling to leave then me and Sister Ningguang will leave.”
“They will kill you both.” I said as I stood, covering my head with the veil once more.
“No! We just need to find the disciples of the Jiushuang sect. They will escort us to their sect as planned.” Wanxia insisted stubbornly.
“And what are the chances others find you first?” I pointed out. “There was no hesitation from the Wanshou Sect.”
“Wanxia, we will stay.” Ningguangfinally said, which caught Wanxia by surprise. “But… promise me that we won’t kill disciples of the Jiushuang sect. There’s still a way to salvage our sect’s relation with them.”
“We cannot afford mercy right now.” Wendao object with a frown.
“I promise that I will try not to kill them.” I said. “That is as much as they can get.” Ningguang nodded in gratitude.
“Huiran, can you show me that one more time.” I turn to Huiran who is deep in thought.
“Sure.” He nodded and he created a scale replica of where we are now with sand.
The sand raised to create the mountains, the hills south of us and the two valleys North and East-Northeast of us separated by a rising mountain range. I add a projection, a circle that almost encompasses the entire two valleys.
“This is as far and as accurate as I can do.” Then I add a second smaller circle reaching a little over the valley entrance, the range of my Divine Fog. “This is as far as I can create an illusion to cover us.”
“Wendao, Huiran, how far can you strike with a guaranteed kill in one instant strike?” I ask both of them.
Wendao creates a Qi circle, just a little distance before the limit of my Divine Fog. So I pull back the circle to meet his limit. “You will know when I push my Divine Fog forward for the kill. Do not let anyone exit the fog.”
Wendao nodded and I turned to Huiran. “I cannot do any of that. Other than the chain to stop them from running or pulling the dead bodies.”
I nodded, then I turned towards Wanxia and Ningguang. The former seemed reluctant to answer. While the latter added her own smaller circle, half of Wendao’s range.
“That is as far as I can do.” Ningguang calmly adds.
“Wanxia, either you help or you are a luggage.” I add coldly. Harsher than I want to be but we don’t have any luxury right now.
“Alright, fine.” Wanxia relented and created another circle, just a little before Ningguang’s line.
“Hmmm.” Huiran nodded thoughtfully, understanding my plan. “You are making an overlapping killing field.”
“That is correct.” I analyze the ranges. I should be able to overlap the more powerful Divine Fog at Wanxia’s range and create a weaker Illusion fog at max range. The latter weaker illusion as bait to cover the real killing field.
“Then we have a definite advantage.” Huiran then said with a grin.
All of us glanced towards him as he claimed it quite confidently. Following his gaze towards a communication jade beside the corpse of the Bihai sect’s disciple.
—
Tiězhì (鐵志|Iron Will) flew on his sword, following his senior brothers. It had been a month since he returned to the past. He had steadily gained power, connections, and information using the knowledge from his future. Unfortunately, outside of the Tianjian Sect, his knowledge of events that would transpire was almost nonexistent beyond the most critical moments.
“Tiezhi, can you keep up?” came a dependable and calm voice from the front.
It belonged to Jiànxíng (劍行|Sword Traveler). one of the heroes in the future who had made a name for himself when the demonic cultivators resurfaced. He was also the one who had pushed Tiezhi forward in the future, never giving up even with his pitiful spiritual roots, eventually ascending to Golden Core. Jianxing wore the deep blue robes of an inner disciple, richly embroidered with intricate cloud motifs that seemed to shift like living mist.
“I can keep up, Senior Brother.” Tiezhi said confidently.
“This is your first demon hunting mission, so don’t hesitate when you are overwhelmed.” A calming female voice came beside him.
She is Xuěyǐng (雪影|Snow Shadow), his supposed senior sister who would take him in during the future. Right now she was still at the peak ninth level of Qi Refining, the same as him, though he had only revealed that he was at the sixth level to hide his rapid growth. She wore the light blue robes of an outer disciple, adorned with simpler cloud motifs that flowed gently across the fabric. The same as him.
Then there was this demon hunting mission. Tiezhi looked around. He couldn’t help but feel a bad premonition about it. From the Tianjian Sect, there were three Foundation Establishment cultivators along with two Qi Refining disciples. Not to mention the dozens of others from various sects, organizations, families, and even loose cultivators. What kind of demon required this many people to hunt, even using the Demon Hunting Heaven and Earth Net?
It couldn’t be that the demonic cultivators had come early, could it? There was still half a century before their earliest appearance, at least. Was this due to his own actions? Or because of this Xuan Danxing who had never existed in his original future?
The fact that Gu Linghua, the young lady of the Gu family, was supposed to be very vain and uninterested in this kind of thing made her presence even more suspicious. She had arrived with an unknown expert just to watch. More importantly, Strategist, no, Scholar Zhāogē (朝歌|Morning Song) is the one leading this demon hunt. Currently, he is still a young scholarly cultivator and not yet the strategist that will be The Grand Strategist’s rival.
Jianxing slowed down, and the others followed. He pulled out a communication jade, listening to new information.
But then Tiezhi felt something cold on the side of his forehead. Like a droplet of icy water.
“Tiezhi, wake up quick.” Xueying wakes him up from his tent. “Quickly, we have our assigned position.” She pulled out her flying sword and rode it to catch up with Jianxing.
Tiezhi pulled out his own flying sword. Then as he catches up to Jianxing, he realizes that this has happened before. But he stayed quiet. Observing.
“Wanshou sect are fooled by a decoy. Remain vigilant.” Jianxing repeated the information from the communication jade. The exact same words Tiězhì remembered from before.
After this, it should be…
“We lost contact with the first group from the Bihai sect.” Jianxing repeats. “It would seem like our prey is craftier than we thought. Keep the formation and be ready.” he added, still confident.
But for Tiezhi, this is extremely wrong. Why did the day repeat? Was he killed? Did Jianxing and Xueying also die? Impossible! There’s no way they would die here!
Then, like before, Jianxing slowed down and the rest followed. Tiezhi focuses on all his senses. Trying to catch whatever killed him. He remembered something cold from the side of his head so he looked towards the foggy direction. Then something cold.
“Tiezhi, wake up quick.” Xueying wakes him up from his tent once more.
“I’m up.” Tiezhi quickly pulled out his flying sword and followed first.
“Tiezhi, are you sweating? Did you have a nightmare?” Xueying worriedly asked from behind.
“Did our little Tiezhi afraid of his first demon hunting? Don’t worry, us senior brothers are here.” Joked Jianxing.
“Of course not.” Tiezhi lied. His body drenched in sweat. Cold grips his entire spine and heart. He has died twice. But now, he knows the direction of the attack.
The day repeated like before. When the time came for jianxing to slow down, Tiezhi rushed towards the foggy direction.
Only for the day to repeat again. The attack was too fast and too far away. Were they hunting a Golden Core demonic beast? This time, he resolved to evade. To see exactly what kind of attack it was.
Tiezhi’s heart hammered in his chest. Sweat poured from his forehead. Counting one, two. Then he ducked. Only to witness the most horrifying thing he had ever seen. Jiànxíng and the two other Foundation Establishment disciples each had a life-saving talisman that blocked the side of their head while Xueying, being an outer disciple, had no such luxury. Only for their head to explode as soon as the talisman fades. All four of his seniors died the same way. Their bodies were thrown back by the sheer force of the attack that shattered their heads. There wasn’t even a sound.
Tiezhi screamed awake back in his tent. Surprising Xueying, who had come to wake him.
“Are you alr…” Tiezhi slapped Xueying’s hand away in panic. The sight of her head obliterated was still vivid in his eyes. But he pushed the thoughts aside. He had seen more bloodshed than this. He had just been caught by surprise. Yes, he had just been caught by surprise.
“I’m sorry. It’s just a nightmare.” Tiezhi apologized. He summoned his flying sword and chased after Jianxing. He needed an answer.
“Senior Brother, I apologize for my shameful conduct.” Tiezhi apologized first.
“It’s alright, it is your first demon hunting mission. It is normal to be afraid.” Jianxing reassured him.
“But Senior Brother, are we hunting a Semi Golden Core demonic beast?” Tiezhi probed.
“Something like that.” Jianxing answered. Tiezhi’s eyes caught it, the telltale sign of Jianxing lying from the years he had interacted with him in the future.
“It is not a demonic beast isn’t it?” Tiezhi pushed.
“Are you doubting me Tiezhi?” Jianxing’s voice suddenly turned cold.
“Of course not, Senior Brother.” Tiezhi apologized. “It’s just a nightmare affecting me.”
“Well, don’t repeat it again.”
Tiezhi nods. nodded. Then he finally realized something. Within his heart were twelve spirals glowing with unknown mystical power. The same spirals from the mythical rock that brought him to the past. Four of which had grown dim. The number of times he had died. There was a limit on how many times he could return.
“Senior Brothers.” Tiezhi started. “I know this sounds presumptuous, but in my nightmare, this has happened.” He tried to breach the subject.
He had once thought he could resolve this on his own. But it was clear that if he wanted to survive, the others had to cooperate.
“You have future sight now, do you?” A Foundation Establishment senior mocked.
“Wanshou sect attacked a decoy.” Tiezhi said, pointing at the communication jade in Jianxing’s hand. “Then, we will lose contact with the first group from the Bihai Sect.”
Jianxing listened to the communication before putting it away. His face grew more serious than before. “Tell us more.”
The group continued like before. Jianxing slowed down, and the others followed. Their breaths were ready. Hands on their swords. Each counted. One. Two…
All of them ducked as something extremely fast flew past their heads. Just as Tiezhi had said. They immediately responded. The three Foundation Establishment cultivators drew their swords, moving forward in formation like a thrusting blade. Tiezhi and Xueying moved in pairs to the side. Tianjian Sect’s Thrust and Swipe formation.
The second shot toward the three Foundation Establishment cultivators came. Only Jiànxíng managed to cut the projectile while the two others were saved by their life-saving talismans. But all five of them reached the fog. Jianxing cut down the fog illusion. Then fire and ice erupted. Tiezhi caught a glint before his vision flew. Someone had beheaded him and Xueying’s head. The fog closed in once more, and Tiezhi saw his three seniors quickly die soon after. Catching the unmistakable black-and-white robe of the one who had beheaded him, Xueying, and another of his seniors as his vision faded.
The horror of it all crashed over him in that final moment. The sickening realization that his friends, his mentors, the people who had guided him in the future, were dying because of him. The guilt and terror clawed at his heart even as darkness took him.
“Tianhe sect!?” Tiezhi gasped awake. They were not hunting demons. They were attacking Tianhe Sect disciples!
“What’s with the Tianhe sect?” Xueying asked.
Tiezhi summons his flying sword and catches up to Jianxing.
“Senior Brother, we are not hunting demons aren’t we?” Tiezhi asked.
“Of course we are.” Jianxing lied.
Tiezhi thought for a moment. Thinking for any reason they would be attacking disciples of the Tianhe Sect. What went wrong? The Tianhe Sect’s relationship, while not always good, was at least neutral with other sects. Think, Tiezhi! Think! Was there even any good reason for this hunt!?
“Xuan Danxing?” Tiezhi blurted out the only name out of place in this different past.
A hand immediately grabbed and choked his neck. It was Jianxing, his sword already pointed at Tiezhi’s head. “Where did you hear that?”
Surprising Xueying, the only one not in the know with him.
“Wanshou sect… attacked a decoy…” Tiezhi managed to choke out, pointing at the communication jade.
Jianxing’s sword remained hovering and pointed at Tiezhi’s head as he picked up the communication jade and listened to the information relayed. Only then does Jianxing let go of Tiezhi’s neck.
“Senior Brother.” Tiezhi cupped his hand and bowed. “The Heaven has bestowed upon me a prophetic dream.” He made up a lie. The only one he could think of that could excuse him. He knew the risk of revealing this, but he wasn’t strong enough to choose any other option.
“If we continue, all of us will die!”
~ Valarion