Chapter 122: Zhuge Yang’s Embarrassing Defeat
Extremely tired after taking care of the mermaids, Ash only wished about returning to his room in Tang Yigao’s pavilion once he completed his training in the Forbidden Forest.
Before he left, Ash took his time distributing the Attribute Points that he acquired during his training. He went up from Level 30 to Level 40 easily.
[You have 100 unused Attribute Points]
"Yuhuu! Power up! Hehehe!" Ash literally jumped around like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Show Status!"
[Ash Flameheart] [Adult Heavenly Phoenix]
[Level 40]
[HP: 3,150/3,150]
[MP: 1,180/1,180]
[EXP: 0/525,000]
[P.Attack: 2,150]
[M.Attack: 1,180/1,180]
[A.Speed: 24.5 (24.5/Second]
[Attributes:]
[STR: 95+135]
[AGI: 100+160]
[INT: 94+24]
[VIT: 100+215]
[Item Slot 1: Huxian’s Storage Ring +100 VIT]
[Item Slot 2: Nightflame. STR, AGI, VIT: +100]
[Item Slot 3: Azure Finch. AGI +40, STR +20]
[Item Slot 4: EMPTY]
[Item Slot 5: EMPTY]
[Item Slot 6: EMPTY]
[You have unlocked new passive skill]
[Advanced Appraisal]
[You can now see and read your opponent’s details and attributes]
[You have unlocked a new active skill!]
[Long Range Summoning]
[You can now summon your Tamed Beasts regardless of their distance. 1,000 Mana/Summon]
"Finally! Hahaha! I have been waiting for this! With this skill, I can let my beast roaming around freely to level up independently while I am taking care of my personal matters!"
Happy with the most valuable passive and active skills, Ash finally decided to leave the Forbidden Forest.
However, his wish to rest comfortably was short-lived.
By the time he stepped out of the forest’s gate using the opposite side of his Entrance Token, six powerful disciples stood before him. Their Qi flared and soared high, flaunting their cultivation stage.
Each of them have reached Seventh Stage Qi Condensation Realm Cultivators!
From their deep blue attire, Ash could tell that they were core disciples from Tang Sung’s faction!
However, Ash immediately recognized a familiar face amongst them. It was Zhuge Yang, the disciple who was after his Grand Disciple Token.
’They must be up to no good!’ Ash muttered inwardly. ’Oh, fuck, seems like I have no choices but to kill them.’
"If it isn’t Zhuge Yang himself..." Ash sneered. "I thought you were just a fool who longed for higher standing with minimal efforts which is understandable since you are a weakling. But, I am so disappointed that you are actually a mole of Tang Sung’s faction."
"The rules have changed, junior brother." Zhuge Yang scoffed. "Now, hand over the Grand Disciple Token, and I will let you live or don’t call me for being unreasonable and merciless."
"Why should I? Don’t be ridiculous, Elder Tang Yigao has entrusted this token upon myself. If you want it, then you must kill me first."
"Hmph! You really gave me the hard choice, junior. Kill him!"
Although they were still in the same realm, there was a huge power gap between each stage. Ash acknowledged the strength difference between them was too far apart. However, strength alone is not enough to win a real fight.
Notwithstanding their oppressive killing intent, Ash stood tall before them. He stepped forward, eyes lowered but his Qi Pressure was able to negate their killing intent effortlessly. He was unfazed, not even in one bit!
Ash had no intention of prolonging the fight. He promptly summoned Nightflame and Azure Finch simultaneously. The two disciples caught off guard by the sudden surge of terrifying sword intent.
Within a second, the two disciples were split in twain, they couldn’t even react or feel the pain. Their halved bodies just dropped like a splitted log.
"Two down, four to go... Nightflame, Azure Flinch, show them no mercy!"
Nightflame and Azure Finch floated at Ash’s side, humming with murderous intent. The two blades pulsed with crimson and azure light, their auras intertwining like twin serpents circling prey. The four remaining disciples stiffened, their confidence shaken. They had just witnessed two of their comrades butchered in an instant.
"Impossible..." one of them gasped, his face pale. "He’s only in the Third Stage Qi Condensation Realm—how can he summon swords like those?"
Zhuge Yang gritted his teeth, his voice laced with fury. "Don’t falter! He’s bluffing. Attack together and overwhelm him!"
The disciples roared, their Qi bursting like storm waves as they charged forward. But before they could close the distance, the swords moved on their own.
Nightflame shot out first, a streak of darkness that burned scarlet at the edges. It curved through the air, cleaving apart the disciple who led the charge. His protective Qi shattered like glass, and his body followed, erupting into two halves that hit the dirt with a dull thud.
At the same time, Azure Finch glided gracefully, its azure glow sharp and elegant. It danced through another disciple’s guard, piercing his chest clean through. His scream barely left his throat before the sword ripped upward, splitting his body in a fountain of blood.
Ash smirked. "You should’ve stayed hidden, Zhuge Yang. Now, you and your dogs are nothing but my stepping stones."
"Damn you!" The last two disciples lunged desperately, one wielding a spear, the other a pair of short blades. Their combined assault tore through the air, fast and ferocious. But the sentient swords were faster.
Nightflame whirled in a blazing arc, intercepting the spear and slicing it in half as if it were made of bamboo. The wielder’s expression froze in horror before his head was sent flying off his shoulders.
Azure Finch flickered like lightning, weaving past the short blades with effortless elegance. In the blink of an eye, it carved across the disciple’s throat, leaving him clutching at the crimson spray as he collapsed to his knees before falling lifeless.
Silence followed. The clearing reeked of blood, corpses scattered at Ash’s feet. Only Zhuge Yang remained, his body trembling, his face twisted with rage and terror.
Ash stepped forward slowly, his swords hovering behind him like predators ready to strike. "So... still want the token, Zhuge Yang? Or have you realized your mistake?"
Zhuge Yang’s jaw clenched, but his hands shook. His pride screamed at him to fight, yet his instincts begged him to flee.
Nightflame and Azure Finch both quivered, eager for one last kill.
"That’s enough, both of you, return to my ring!"
"Hiiiii!" Zhuge Yang dropped onto his bottoms, wetted and sullied his pants after witnessing such a horror. "Please have mercy! I don’t want to die!"
"It’s kinda too late for that, don’t you think?! You came at me first, and now you’re begging for mercy? What a spineless bastard." Ash pulled Zhuge Yang’s collar, eyeing him from point blank range.
"I-I will do anything for you, please don’t kill me!" Zhuge Yang cried his eyeballs out.
"Anything, huh? Then explain to me, why do you need the Grand Disciple token? Or rather, why does Tang Sung want the token?"
"I don’t know, I swear!"
"You are lying!"
Pa, pa, pa!
Ash slapped Zhuge Yang three times, but it’s enough to make his cheeks all swollen.
"I really don’t know! I swear upon my family’s name!"
"Right, you are from the Zhuge Family. Killing you would only add to my headache. Well, in that case, I will give you an unforgettable gift that will remind you and your family to never mess around with me and Tang Sect!"
"Nightflame!"
Ash brandished the sword and wrote a line of characters on Zhuge Yang’s forehead which read; [I am Xiao Hûo’s little slave]. It was a reminder as well as a curse that came from the Nightflame himself. He would not accept anyone who dared to mock his master!
"Run along now, and never show your face in front of me ever again!"
Zhuge Yang ran as fast as he could with his sullied pants like a dog chased by a tiger.
Ash clapped his hand a few times. The fact that Zhuge Yang was conspiring with Tang Sung to usurp his Grand Disciple Token was still bugging his mind.
He took out the token from the fold of his sleeve, gazing at the surface closely.
"What secret does this token unlock? Tang Yigao, you sly old fox, how dare you hide something from me... Hehehe!"
Now that everything was taken care of, Ash opted to summon Shanguang the Lightning Ligress. She was so happy upon emerging from his Spiritual Domain.
"Master! Oh, how I missed you!"
The big ligress nuzzled her nose onto his face. She licked him multiple times before she eventually sat down like a good kitten.
As of now, she was more than 35 feet on all four shoulders and 125 feet in length from head to toe.
’Seems like she had just experienced her growth spurt.’ Ash thought to himself.
"Hoho, you’ve grown so big now, Shanguang."
"Ehehehe, I’ve been fighting and eating a lot lately. My power is brimming! Say, Master! Are we finally embarking on another adventure?!"
Ash scratched under her chin. She purred blissfully, he could feel the ground was vibrating below his feet when she did it.
"Not yet, Shanguang. I still need to reform this sect from the ground up."
"Why would you care, Master? It would be better to destroy this mountain to the ground, no? I can feel there are so many mean and evil humans in this sect."
"That’s the whole point, my partner. I need a sect where I could comfortably influence and manipulate their thoughts regarding Immortal Beasts."
"Are you going to create a sect that worships the Immortal Beast instead of hunting us? That sounds pretty much impossible."
"Not to worship... my dear ligress." Ash shook his index finger left and right. "To befriend us."