I Am Your Natural Enemy

Although Wen Yan felt this kind of reason was somewhat absurd, before today, he actually didn’t know anything about these matters at all.

But he understood very clearly in his heart, with such a reason, if they wanted to kill him, then those must be the radical faction at the forefront.

People like that were sacrificial pawns from the start.

If he died, people like Ma Mingzi would inevitably be exposed after a series of struggles, then dug out and handed over as an explanation to Fuyu Mountain.

When all the dust settled, everything would just go on as usual.

But he didn’t die, and Cai Qidong, this Minister of Nanwu County—who’d resolved two world boss invasions in the past few months, and whose meritorious deeds helped Scorching Sun Department break new ground against the water system—if he died, that would be one fierce kick to the already teetering balance.

Scorching Sun Department would have to make a choice. This time, there was no middle ground—left or right, nothing in between.

Wen Yan instantly understood why Cai Heizi had to involve him in so many things.

Because he had to be involved; he was at the center of the core conflict.

His thoughts, his deeds, everything he did, were what influenced the direction this whole situation would take.

This was also why Cai Heizi said he couldn’t die.

Cai Heizi was a true believer to the point of martyrdom, even more steadfast than those Taoists.

Cai Heizi had always been trying to guide him—Wen Yan suddenly understood a great deal, like why he sometimes sensed that Cai Heizi was treading so very cautiously.

It wasn’t an illusion, because he really was being extremely careful—afraid Wen Yan would stray from the path, afraid he’d go too slowly, or too quickly.

Those people wouldn’t care about a present-day Scorching Sun with no talent for cultivation, only average martial ability, and nothing much else to his name.

But they would indeed fear a Scorching Sun who had fallen into the Netherworld yet managed to come back.

Because they feared that Wen Yan, who clearly had no cultivation talent, could still do things only cultivators could do.

Wen Yan looked at his own right hand. Last time, Great Uncle Master said he had the aura that only someone who’d received a talisman could possess.

He guessed that maybe after the Calamity Protector Water Official Talisman began to advance, someone sensed the change in his aura.

Wen Yan didn’t quite believe Ma Mingzi’s words; there must be inside information he still didn’t know.

He believed part of it must be true, but utterly didn’t believe that was the whole story.

He thought it over himself—if it was only this much, that simply wasn’t enough.

This Ma Mingzi already had resentment rooted deep, just wanted to stir things up, get Wen Yan killed, and kept fanning the flames and sowing hatred.

Wen Yan was very calm, his thinking was simple: You want me dead? Then I’ll kill you.

He didn’t want to make things unnecessarily complicated—he just needed to trust that those around him wouldn’t harm him.

He looked at Ma Mingzi and shook his head.

”I’m not going to kill you. Killing you is meaningless—you’re not the only one of your kind.

You’re just another representative scapegoat, nothing more.

I want you to watch, with your own eyes, and see how the situation unfolds next.”

Ma Mingzi’s whole body surged with resentment like boiling water. He, once an ordinary nether soul, was already evolving into a Ghost. Hearing Wen Yan’s words, he was totally unafraid, and let out a cold, sinister laugh.

”Actually, you shouldn’t have shown up here at this moment, whatever the dispute.

As long as you die, then there won’t be another option.

You being alive or dead—one and the same event—will bring utterly different consequences.

If you’re alive, the Scorching Sun Department and the Old Celestial Master will stand behind you.

The people at Fuyu Mountain will support you at any cost.

But if you die, they lose all choice, and all that’s needed then is a scapegoat.

You dare to show up here, and that’s giving others one last shot at a final gamble.

After all, there will always be those who’ve completely given up on wishful thinking.

To do this, it’s either great success or utter failure—there’s never been a retreat.”

Ma Mingzi’s face began to twist, completely transforming into a fierce ghost, caught in Wen Yan’s hand. The Yang energy on Wen Yan’s body burned his flesh like the Great Sun itself, yet Ma Mingzi still burst into maniacal laughter.

Amid Ma Mingzi’s hysterical laughter, Wen Yan raised his head and looked up at the mountain.

The mist on the mountain seemed to grow even thicker, and faintly, screams and furious roars could be heard coming from within.

At this moment, mountain winds funneled through the valley, and amid the moisture in the air, a trace of bloody scent was carried along.

The Eighth Uncle-Master Ancestor gazed toward the mountain and sniffed the air.

”Blood, a heavy stench of it—at least four or five are already dead.”

The Seventh Great-Uncle Master frowned slightly and gave a warning.

”Such a powerful sense of oppression—Wen Yan, hurry and leave.”

Wen Yan gazed off into the mountain distance as well, feeling even more oppressed than he had when facing the Night Vigil Deity before.

Though he couldn’t see it yet, he could already feel his heartbeat racing, blood and Yang energy flowing all the quicker.

He wasn’t the kind who ignored advice, nor did he plan to fight head-on. He had no interest in finding out just what was happening on the mountain.

Just as he was about to leave, the four characters of his ”Nemesis of Ghosts and Gods” title began to glow faintly.

A roar exploded in the mountains, gales howled, and the mist began to disperse at great speed.

Wen Yan looked up along the long, stair-stepped mountain path and saw layer upon layer of buildings ascending into the heights.

A giant, shrouded in ghostly energy, stood there—every step it took crushed another great hall flat.

Those buildings, at least seven or eight meters tall, only reached up to its knees.

In the giant’s hand—whatever it was gripping—it stuffed directly into its mouth.

A red exclamation mark began to appear in Wen Yan’s eyes now, too.