Firmament Sword

”A trap? You’re trying to harm me?” Xu Luo took two seemingly nervous steps back and said sharply, ”Huo Jinyin, aren’t you afraid I’ll call for help? You’re betraying your master for personal gain. Who in the entire Huo Family would dare to trust you after this?”

”Betraying my master? What kind of master are you? You self-important fool!” Huo Jinyin sneered. ”Do you think you’ll even get the chance to shout? Believe it or not... the instant you open your mouth, I have a hundred ways to make sure you never make a sound.”

Xu Luo fell silent. After a long moment, he looked up, a hint of pleading in his eyes. ”Uncle Jinyin, please don’t misunderstand. I was just joking with you...”

”But I... am not joking with you, my dear Young Master Feng!” Huo Jinyin’s face was mocking as he looked at Xu Luo, his voice dripping with ridicule. ”You’ve been so cooperative, asking me to accompany you. Heh heh, if you had chosen someone else to walk with you, today’s business would have been quite troublesome! This is perfect. I have my pledge of fealty! Once I kill you, Young Master Lin will place great importance on me!”

”What did Huo Lin offer you? I can double it!” Xu Luo was quiet for a moment, then looked up at Huo Jinyin and said with utmost sincerity, ”Uncle Jinyin, all you seek is fame and fortune. I can give you all of that, as long as I take the Patriarch’s seat!”

”Sigh... If you had been this polite earlier, perhaps I might have hesitated. But now, it’s too late.” Huo Jinyin looked at Xu Luo with cold eyes. ”Since the pretense is gone, there’s no way to go back and act like nothing happened. That’s impossible!”

”Is there no room for negotiation?” Xu Luo sighed, looking at Huo Jinyin. ”If you kill me, the Old Ancestor will not let any of you go!”

”No, no, no. I won’t be the one to kill you. You will die at the hands of... Beidou’s Eighth Star. What was his name again? Xu Luo! Right... Xu Luo. You will die by his hand. Hehe, aren’t you jealous of him? I can create a very close bond between you two!” Huo Jinyin’s eyes glinted with cold, murderous intent as he chuckled.

”Then how will you explain the fact that none of you are injured at all?” Xu Luo asked, looking at Huo Jinyin.

”That’s... not a problem for you to worry about, Young Master Feng. We’ll make sure to get a few injuries.” Huo Jinyin said with a sarcastic expression. ”As for you, Young Master Feng... shouldn’t you take the time to pick an auspicious burial ground for yourself? This Great Cyan Mountain... is actually a wonderful place to be buried!”

”It is indeed. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a lake below, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun,” Xu Luo said calmly.

Huo Jinyin was slightly taken aback. He looked at Xu Luo. ”You’re not afraid of death?”

”Of course I am... but I won’t die by your hand.” Xu Luo sighed, glanced around, and said calmly, ”Huo Jinyin, you died at the hands of Beidou’s Eighth Star, Xu Luo. After I return, I will certainly apply to the family to give you a grand burial. As for your family, you naturally don’t need to worry. They will live... very well!”

”Hahaha! Oh, Huo Feng, Huo Feng, I never thought that at a time like this, you’d still have the mind to say such things to me. Kill me? You think you’re capable?” Huo Jinyin burst out laughing as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

”Of course, the one who kills you won’t be me. It will be Beidou’s Eighth Star... Xu Luo,” Xu Luo said with a smile, looking at Huo Jinyin.

”I believe in the Old Ancestor’s deduction, but Xu Luo being here... that’s complete nonsense!” Murderous intent spread in Huo Jinyin’s eyes as he sneered, ”I’ll send you on your way right now!”

”No, Xu Luo is, in fact, right here... He also... just arrived!” Xu Luo said with a grin, and his entire figure began to blur.

In the next moment... Huo Jinyin’s eyes flew wide open, as if he was witnessing the most incredible sight in the world!

「...」

”Uncle Wan Huo, do you think Young Master Feng has a chance?” Huo Jinshan asked softly, a worried look on his face as he walked alongside Huo Wanhua.

”I think he does,” Huo Wanhua replied calmly.

Huo Jinshan shook his head in disagreement and said indifferently, ”I don’t think so. To be honest, Uncle Wan Huo, I don’t think Young Master Feng has any chance at all!”

”Why are you so certain?” Huo Wanhua asked.

”It’s simple! Young Master Lin is the Patriarch’s own grandson! His talent is exceptional; he’s a true Son of Heaven! He’s destined to become a peerless prodigy. Compared to Young Master Lin, what does Young Master Feng... even have?” Huo Jinshan said earnestly. ”So, Uncle Wan Huo, it’s not that I’m trying to criticize you, but if we draw a clear line with Young Master Feng this morning, perhaps... we’ll still have a chance!”

”We were all personally assigned to Young Master Feng by the Old Ancestor. Huo Jinshan, you’d best not get any other ideas. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get past the Old Ancestor!” Huo Wanhua said calmly.

Huo Jinshan shook his head. ”The Old Ancestor has been completely blinded by this Beidou’s Eighth Star. He’s intensely interested in anything related to him! Once the matter with Beidou’s Eighth Star is over, the Old Ancestor might even forget who Huo Feng is! Given the Old Ancestor’s status... do you really think he’d care about a junior family member?”

”Then what are you trying to say?” Huo Wanhua glanced at Huo Jinshan.

”What I mean is...” Just as Huo Jinshan was speaking, a furious and astonished roar suddenly echoed from the far distance.

”Beidou’s Eighth Star! You’re Beidou’s Eighth Star! You...!”

The voice was filled with disbelief, and even sounded terrified.

It was followed by a world-shaking BOOM. The entire Great Cyan Mountain trembled violently, instantly drowning out the furious, astonished roar...

”Ah, that’s Huo Jinyin! Something’s happened...” Huo Jinshan cried out in alarm. Then, he turned his head in disbelief to look at Huo Wanhua. ”You... you...”

An incredibly sharp, blood-red dagger had been thrust through Huo Jinshan’s back, its tip protruding from his chest...

The blade was so long and thin that one might mistake it for a long spike if not looking closely!

”The Blood Dusk Blade... How is it in your hands? Why... are you killing me?” Huo Jinshan spat out a mouthful of blood, staring at Huo Wanhua in disbelief.

”You really got into your role, didn’t you? It almost seemed real! What a pity... you and Huo Jinyin... betrayed Young Master Feng... Heh heh, Beidou’s Eighth Star? What a joke! Even if he were on the Ancient Race Continent, he wouldn’t appear on Great Cyan Mountain! You two really cooked up a good frame job!” Huo Wanhua sneered and flicked his wrist!

A deep, bloody hole instantly appeared on Huo Jinshan’s body. His heart was directly shredded, and his breathing stopped on the spot!

Until the moment of his death, Huo Jinshan couldn’t utter another word. His body slumped to the ground, his eyes still wide open.

’This wasn’t how it was supposed to end in my plan!’

He had originally planned to win over Huo Wanhua, and then together they would set up a scheme to frame Beidou’s Eighth Star for Huo Feng’s death. Afterward, they would injure themselves a bit, and with no one left to contradict their story, the whole thing would be perfect.

But he never expected Huo Wanhua to be so ruthless and decisive, striking without a moment’s hesitation.

More importantly, Huo Jinshan had never imagined that Huo Wanhua, who was at the same cultivation level, could actually kill him!

The moment he saw the Blood Dusk Blade, Huo Jinshan understood everything. But understanding now was too late!

The Blood Dusk Blade was one of the Huo Family’s top-tier Spirit-Connected Magical Artifacts. Its greatest feature was its ability to conceal killing intent, making it impossible for the target to sense any murderous aura. When used for a sneak attack, it could kill almost without a trace!

But the Blood Dusk Blade had always been a treasured artifact of the Huo Family, kept in the treasury. No one had ever expected Huo Wanhua to bring it out!

Clearly... Huo Wanhua had used Huo Feng’s name to take out the Blood Dusk Blade. And Huo Feng... with the Old Ancestor backing him, applying for a Spirit-Connected Magical Artifact for protection was naturally not a problem.

Unfortunately... he had figured all this out far too late.

”Pah! You traitorous scum!” Huo Wanhua spat on Huo Jinshan’s corpse. Then, with a raise of his hand, a scorching wave of heat surged out, and Huo Jinshan’s body was instantly incinerated into a pile of ash!

”Dying at the hands of Beidou’s Eighth Star can be considered a worthy death for you!” Huo Wanhua sneered, the corner of his mouth twisting up.

「...」

”The Peak of the Fourth Level of the Divine Power Realm... is indeed not so easy to kill!” Xu Luo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, speaking with a slight gasp.

The instant he had transformed back into himself, while Huo Jinyin was stunned, Xu Luo had unleashed all of his power in a flash and killed him outright!

It had to be said that the awakening of his Merak Star Soul had brought Xu Luo endless power. Otherwise, killing Huo Jinyin wouldn’t have been so easy, let alone killing him in an instant... that would have been impossible!

Just now, Xu Luo had used nearly all his ultimate skills. From the Shaking Light Burst to the Jade Balance Demon Sound, and even the Time Reversal Skill... he had fused them all in an instant to deliver a fatal blow.

However, Huo Jinyin’s hasty counterattack before death still managed to injure Xu Luo. Although it wasn’t serious, he would still need a period of rest to fully recover.

’This is good, too. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain...’ Xu Luo muttered to himself. His form shifted, and he instantly transformed back into Huo Feng, looking weak with a trace of blood still at the corner of his mouth. He then fled in a panic, shouting with a tearful voice as he ran, ”Jinyin! I will never forget your kindness! Don’t worry, your family... I will take good care of them! Beidou’s Eighth Star... you just wait, I will get my revenge! Wanchong... Wanyu, where are you? Jinshan, Wan Huo, hurry over here! Jinyin is dead!”

From a distance, Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu had heard the commotion and immediately rushed over. Now, hearing Huo Feng’s cries, they both felt a sense of relief.

The content of Huo Feng’s shouts made both of their mouths twitch violently. Huo Wanchong muttered, ”Young Master Feng is truly ruthless!”

Huo Wanyu nodded in deep agreement. ”It seems... Young Master Feng has an extremely powerful force backing him!”

Over there, Huo Wanhua also arrived at high speed. Hearing the slight panic in Young Master Feng’s voice, a smile couldn’t help but appear on his lips. He grumbled, ”I really didn’t misjudge him. He’s ruthless, his methods are brilliant... that little brat Huo Lin... is no match for him!”