The sight of the black-bearded man being swallowed by the waves of fire sent a shudder through everyone’s hearts.
Seeing the scholar come running, they turned their gazes as one to the ink-robed young man behind him. But the young man was still chewing on his spirit-fruit, an air of complete unconcern about him.
Everyone groaned inwardly. It seemed this Mixed Origin Grandmaster had long since grown used to such things — hoping he might step forward was, in all likelihood, out of the question.
“Precious treasures all have their guardians. How could one ever get across by brute force?”
The little scholar rushed to the front of the crowd, examined the dense waves of fire carefully, then turned back to the Xiang siblings. “Stop sending them to their deaths. Let me think of a way — but I’ll need a little time.”
At this, the hearts that had just sunk finally lifted with a measure of hope. Every eye turned to him, burning. “Please, young brother, go ahead.”
Never mind whether what he said was true or false — at the very least their own little lives were spared for now.
Sure enough, Xiang Tianxiong studied the scholar carefully, mused a moment, and finally nodded. “Very well. I’ll trust you this once.”
At those words, the scholar wiped the sweat from his brow. A great many cultivators breathed a sigh of relief in that instant.
But before they’d finished letting out that breath, Xiang Tianxiong was already looking over impassively. “He’ll think of his method. The rest of you carry on with what you were doing.”
“Senior Xiang?!”
Several of the more hot-tempered cultivators looked over in alarm, then thundered in fury, “So you mean to deliberately send us to our deaths?”
The man had said he had a way — so surely they need only wait in peace, and if it came to nothing later, they could think of some other road. Besides, they’d all just watched how the black-bearded man died. Who would still dare go forward?
“I’ve not entered Mixed Origin, but the elders of my clan are not necessarily beneath you Xiang siblings.” A tall, gaunt man stepped forth and said sharply, “You’d best think this through carefully!”
Xiang Tianxiong looked at him expressionlessly. “That’s hardly for you to remind me of… We’ll start with you, then.”
In a cave estate, nothing was more precious than time. Should the other Mixed Origin Grandmasters arrive, then the things in that medicine hut would no longer necessarily belong to anyone in particular. The scholar might well think out a method for cracking it, but that didn’t stop the rest from putting their heads together too. The two weren’t in conflict. And what was more, just as this man said, any one person picked out here might have some backing behind them. The deed was done — naturally it had to be done to the end. Hesitation and indecision would only bring grief down on himself.
“There’s no need for this. I’ll do my utmost…” A flush of anger rose on the scholar’s fair face, but he still lowered his voice to explain.
Unfortunately, before he could finish, Xiang Tianxiong said slowly, “I’ll trust you this once, so I’ve placed you last — that doesn’t mean you’re safe and sound. Naturally you’ll need to give it your all.”
“Good, good, good!”
The tall, gaunt man laughed a couple of times, his whole face flushing red, and with a wave of his hand two short swords appeared in his palms. “Everyone — now that you’ve seen these siblings’ true faces, do you still dare cling to your luck?!”
Clang, clang, clang!
The sound of blades rang out one after another. A dozen-odd men set their backs to one another, all glaring viciously at the siblings.
At the sight, Xiang Tianxiong made no move.
The plain, unremarkable-looking middle-aged woman beside him merely stepped forward slightly, red light blazing across her body, her terrible aura in fact far surpassing Xiang Tianxiong’s. Under that dense, oppressive pressure, the hands gripping weapons went slightly slack; the cold-gleaming, wicked blades hadn’t the least deterrent power to them.
Mid-tier Mixed Origin.
Xiang Tianyan swept an idle glance over the crowd. “Show me your best skills, all of you. So long as one of you can set foot on the far bank, I’ll spare his life.” With that, she dipped her chin lightly. “Go ahead.”
“…”
The tall, gaunt man drew a deep breath, so angry his ten fingers trembled, put away his twin swords, and took out an ornate little boat treasure. He walked slowly to the bank’s edge, and couldn’t help looking back at the ink-robed young man. “Grandmaster — these two are so overbearing. Once the rest of us are all dead, I fear you won’t come away with much good either.”
It was plainly meant to sow discord — but it was also plain truth. The strong bullied the weak, and once the weak were gone, a weakest one would naturally be singled out from among the strong.
“Noisy!”
Xiang Tianyan rebuked him coldly, then frowned over at Shen Yi and nodded courteously. “Young friend need not worry. You and we are all Mixed Origin — your share of the benefits won’t be short.”
Xiang Tianxiong walked slowly over as well, and said with a smile, “This road always needs someone to scout it. Surely there’s no rule that says the deep in cultivation must scout the way for the weak — else what would all we’ve accumulated of this cultivation be for? And time presses; should someone beat us to it, wouldn’t that be a shame? Does what I say strike you as fair, young friend?”
At this, everyone turned to look at the ink-robed young man.
The scholar clenched his palms in a frenzy, but could only fret helplessly.
Shen Yi swallowed the last mouthful of fruit-flesh, then stretched his arms and said calmly, “Fair enough.”
He’d only just come out of Great Qian, and had been a bit reserved. He hadn’t expected these two siblings to be so sensible.
Hearing this, the scholar lowered his eyes in resignation, and the tall, gaunt man gave a self-mocking laugh. Everyone understood the logic, but when it wasn’t one’s own turn, who could take it to heart.
“Good that young friend understands…”
Xiang Tianxiong’s smile deepened. He turned back toward the bank, about to speak, only to be cut off by the impassive words beside him.
“Then what are you still waiting for?”
Shen Yi wiped the juice from his hand on the man’s shoulder, and nodded slightly. “I’m rather pressed for time. Go on.”
Scouting the way was scouting the way — why waste time watching a pack of Core-Nurturing cultivators throw their lives away? Start straight from the Mixed Origin Grandmasters — wasn’t that far more efficient?
“…”
Astonishment welled in Xiang Tianxiong’s eyes, until he grasped the other’s meaning. A trace of cold gloom crossed his face. “Surely young friend jests with me?”
As the words fell, golden light surged across his body — he’d already made ready to strike. He’d kept this young man at his side meaning to see whether there might be some use for him; that didn’t mean the other could climb up his nose and onto his face.
“Tch.”
Shen Yi’s brow furrowed faintly, and he couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. He simply brought a palm down on the back of Xiang Tianxiong’s head. With five demon kings backing him, he’d no need to reveal any aura at all.
Bang!
Never mind resisting — Xiang Tianxiong didn’t even have time for his expression to change. His whole body was pressed miserably into the ground.
Shen Yi crouched beside him, tore the storage pouch off him in passing, then grabbed him by the back of the collar and tossed him carelessly toward that surging river of fire!
The golden-lit figure drew every eye. The whole thing happened so fast that even Xiang Tianyan hadn’t managed to react before she saw her elder brother had already flown into midair. The instant he neared the far bank, the aura across his body was likewise sealed off entirely.
The waves of fire abruptly swallowed him.
“Aaah!!”
An agonized howl rose.
A golden path infant bored its way out of the fire, features twisted savagely as it tried to lunge for the bank. But the flames turned to chains, swiftly binding its four limbs and neck, dragging it back bit by bit amid a clattering, rattling sound.
“Sister Yan, save me!”
The despairing cry echoed to the heavens, yet could do nothing to stop him being dragged into the waves of fire. Until all fell still once more.
(End of Chapter 257)