Firmament Sword

”Luo Tian… I admit it. I didn’t visit when you were seriously injured, and that was wrong of me. As a fellow disciple, I failed to honor our bond. I was wrong. But I can swear to you, that assassin… was absolutely not sent by me!”

”Someone is exploiting our past conflict! They bribed one of my people to frame me… which means they’re framing you, too!”

The excruciating pain from his hand drained the color from Jin Xian’s face, giving him a rather pathetic air. He looked at Xu Luo earnestly and said, ”Think about it. If I had really done this, I would have done a much cleaner job. I would never have left behind such obvious evidence for someone to find!”

”I’m not so stupid as to leave such obvious evidence just lying around for someone to find!”

”The reason I say they’re framing you as well is simple. My Jin Family… we are a renowned and powerful clan throughout all of Xi Hezhou!”

”While we can’t compare to a Supreme Great Sect like Celestial Brilliance, our heritage and power are still immense!”

”Luo Tian, I’m not looking down on you. You’re a genius, and you’re powerful. But if you try to go up against the Jin Family… you’re guaranteed to lose!”

”So, this person used our previous conflict to set a trap. They want to frame us both and make us kill each other.”

”This is all an enemy plot! Luo Tian… you’re a smart man. I’m sure you won’t be deceived by the enemy’s cunning scheme, right?”

”If you just calm down and think about it, you’ll see the truth. You may have wounded my hand today, but I, Jin Xian, don’t blame you for it!”

”Because if I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the same thing!”

”Your men died tragically, so of course you’re furious. A leader who won’t stand up for his men isn’t a good leader…”

”But seriously, you have to stay calm. We can talk this over peacefully and find the real mastermind behind all this!”

”We may have had our conflicts in the past, but I truly want to be your friend! And I’m sure… you would be willing to have the friendship of the Jin Family of Xi Hezhou!”

Jin Xian’s words flowed like a torrent, growing smoother and more impassioned with every sentence. His eyes glittering, he looked at Xu Luo and said with deep emotion, ”It’s a win-win for both of us!”

”Are you finished?” Xu Luo opened his mouth and yawned, patting it with his hand. With a weary look, he said, ”Alright. That was a great speech.”

Although infuriated by Xu Luo’s dismissive attitude, Jin Xian forced a smile and nodded. ”I knew Senior Brother Luo was a reasonable man!”

”As expected of someone from a great clan. Such eloquence… truly leaves me in the dust,” Xu Luo remarked with a sigh. Then he said, ”Actually, I came here today to kill you.”

Jin Xian gave a dry laugh. ”Senior Brother Luo, you’re joking…”

”I’m not joking. I’m serious.” Xu Luo remained seated, his eyes fixed on Jin Xian. ”Since I first started out, I’ve been hunted countless times. Many people have tried to use those close to me as leverage. Do you know… what became of them?”

Without waiting for a reply, Xu Luo continued, ”They all died.”

”…” Jin Xian watched Xu Luo, his heart pounding with anxiety.

Xu Luo said, ”The reason I didn’t kill you on sight is simple. I felt that would be… a release for you. Dying too quickly, you wouldn’t feel a thing.”

”You… You’re really going to do this?” Jin Xian’s voice trembled. Some people might face death with composure, but Jin Xian was certainly not one of them.

”Of course. I heard everything you did, including the conversation you had with your brother earlier. I heard it all crystal clear. Are you wondering why your brother, powerful as he is, failed to notice me?”

Xu Luo smiled, a flicker of pride in his eyes. ”In my eyes, your brother is nothing special. I might be beneath him in cultivation realm, but when it comes to combat experience… we’re worlds apart.”

”While I was fighting for my life, surviving ambushes and conspiracies, and ruling an entire nation… your brother was still diligently cultivating, enjoying the premium resources of his family and sect.”

”I’ve seen every kind of scheme and plot imaginable. Compared to those, your little trick is nothing special.”

”The reason I’m still alive today isn’t luck, and it isn’t family protection!”

”It’s… my own strength!”

As he spoke, Xu Luo looked at Jin Xian. ”Now, are you scared?”

Jin Xian stared at Xu Luo, who was sitting in the seat that should have been his. The corners of his mouth twitched violently as he gritted his teeth. ”Have you really decided to make an enemy of the Jin Family? Aren’t you afraid of our furious retaliation? You should know… for many things, evidence isn’t required!”

”If I were afraid, I wouldn’t have come.” As Xu Luo spoke, he suddenly waved his hand, sending a slap flying toward Jin Xian.

SLAP!

A massive hand materialized in the air and viciously slapped Jin Xian across the face.

PTHOO!

Jin Xian instantly spat out a mouthful of blood, along with several teeth.

The slap was so heavy that it left Jin Xian stunned for a long moment.

Humiliation and the shadow of death washed over him simultaneously. Jin Xian’s legs went weak, and unable to stay on his feet, he collapsed to his knees with a thud.

”Are you trying to beg for mercy?” Xu Luo said coldly, slapping Jin Xian across the face again.

Jin Xian actually let out a wail, tears and snot streaming down his face as he begged, ”For the sake of us being fellow disciples, please spare me just this once! I’m willing to make amends, I’m willing to repent! I’ll do anything you ask!”

”Even if I told you to kill your brother… you’d agree?” Xu Luo sneered.

But to Xu Luo’s surprise, the kneeling Jin Xian shouted without a moment’s hesitation, ”I’ll do it! I’ll do it! I’ll do whatever you say!”

”And kill your parents… you’d agree to that?” Xu Luo asked again.

”I…” Jin Xian hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the fear of death completely consumed him, and he answered without thinking, ”I’ll do it! I’ll do it! I swear on my soul…”

”Sigh…” Xu Luo let out a breath. ”If your parents and brother knew they had a son and a brother like you, I wonder what they would think. You’re truly pathetic.”

”That’s right… I… I’m pathetic. I don’t want to die. Please, let me go…” Jin Xian started kowtowing, striking his head against the floor with loud thuds. He slammed it so hard that his forehead began to bleed.

”Nobody wants to die,” Xu Luo said, then murmured, ”Han Shuang didn’t want to die. He wanted to build up his family, bring it glory, and become its pride. Wei Dong didn’t want to die. He had a beautiful wife and a lovely daughter. Ah Dui didn’t want to die. He wanted to make something of himself, to stand out from the crowd, to return to his hometown and marry the girl of his dreams…”

As he spoke, Xu Luo looked up at the continuously kowtowing Jin Xian. ”Every single one of them had more dignity than you. Every single one of them was more of a man than you! They’re all dead… so what right does a piece of trash like you have to go on living?”

With that, Xu Luo’s palm pressed down!

In that very instant, Jin Xian, who had been kowtowing and begging, suddenly exploded with action!

An incredibly powerful aura erupted from his body. A treasured vase, shimmering with flowing light, hovered above his head. Its mouth aimed at Xu Luo, it shot out a blinding beam of light!

SLAP!

A massive hand materialized in the air and slapped the treasured vase directly.

PTHOO!

The mouth of the vase was slammed downward, and the beam of light struck Jin Xian squarely on the head.

Jin Xian’s movements stopped dead.

The light from the treasured vase bored a massive hole straight through his body, from top to bottom.

Fear, indignation, and regret still lingered in Jin Xian’s eyes, a mixture of emotions that slowly faded as the light within them died.

With a heavy thud, Jin Xian’s body collapsed to the floor.

Even his Primordial Spirit was obliterated by his own artifact!

Xu Luo took a deep breath. With a flick of his hand, he drew the treasured vase to him. After a quick glance, he tossed it directly into his storage space.

Channeling his Yin Yang Power, he pointed a finger at Jin Xian’s corpse.

Then he stood, straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes, and vanished from the room.

A moment later, Jin Xian’s body began to dissolve into the air, bit by bit. Before long, it had vanished completely.

The room, showing almost no signs of a struggle, fell into a dead silence.

...

...

Early the next morning, countless figures appeared in the sky above Jiulong Ridge.

In the distance, warship after warship flew in, a swarming black mass that looked like an army descending upon a city!

Even the most oblivious person could tell… something major was happening.

”Get out of the way!” a white-haired elder roared, sending a disciple blocking his path flying with a single palm strike.

But he acted with restraint, not injuring the man, merely sweeping him aside.

”Grand Elder Yuwen has given his orders! No one is to disturb Senior Brother Luo while he recovers!” Although he’d been sent flying, the disciple was defiant and shouted loudly.

More disciples rushed over, forming a barrier in front of Xu Luo’s courtyard and glaring angrily at the intruders.

”Such a fine disciple Yuwen Ji has taught! Recuperating in public, murdering in secret! We’ll capture this murderous fiend first, then settle the score with his master! Now, get out of my way!” The white-haired elder’s face was murderous as he coldly stared down the disciples blocking his path. ”Anyone who doesn’t move can blame me for what happens next!”

WHOOSH!

A jet-black warship shot through the sky like a bolt of black lightning, arriving in an instant. Before it even came to a full stop, a tall, slender figure leaped out and charged downward.

”Luo Tian! Get the hell out here! I’m going to kill you!” It was Jin Ming!

After learning his younger brother had gone missing the previous night, Jin Ming had spent a long time investigating the room. He had finally confirmed it… his brother had been murdered!

Without a moment’s hesitation, he had piloted his warship and charged straight for Jiulong Ridge, straight for the place where Luo Tian lived!

At this very moment, more people were converging from all directions. The eyes of the vast majority burned with killing intent; they had come with malice.

Just then, a cold voice suddenly boomed. ”What do you think you’re doing? Think my Medicine Garden is your personal vegetable patch to run roughshod over? So reckless, so arrogant! Who was it that just called my disciple a murderer? Get your ass out here and say it again! Goddammit, my disciple has suffered a terrible injustice and I haven’t even lost my temper yet, but you all come here to raise hell first? Fine, come on… anyone who wants to get past me can do it over my dead body!”

A figure descended from the sky. Yuwen Ji’s eyes were ice-cold. He stood there like an immovable mountain, an earth-shattering aura erupting from his entire being!