Chapter 95: The Death of Xie Huaiyuan
Chapter 95: Chapter 95: The Death of Xie Huaiyuan
"What?"
"How could a fire start on a snowy day?"
"Never mind that. Everyone, let’s go put out the fire first. And be careful—someone might be behind this!"
"Good point. Patriarch, you stay and guard the inner city. We’ll go. This could be a ploy to lure the tiger out of the mountains."
"Alright!"
The Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Xie Family were shocked. They immediately made a decision, collectively using Escape Techniques to fly outside the city.
However, they were very cautious. Not only did they leave the Patriarch behind, but they also fully activated the inner city’s Grand Array after departing.
Outside the city, the Spirit Fields were indeed ablaze. The situation was dire; it was practically a sea of fire.
Many Xie Clan Members were desperately trying to fight the blaze, but their efforts were completely futile.
Although the Spirit Fields were also covered by Arrays, they were all Low Tier Arrays. This fire, however, had clearly been started with Magical Power by a powerful Cultivator or Demon Beast.
"Damn it! Split up and put out the fires! And watch out for ambushes!"
"Right!"
The Foundation Establishment Cultivators had been mentally prepared for this, but they were still furious. At Xie Huaiyuan’s command, they immediately split up and took action.
But what these Xie Family Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn’t know was that a tall, imposing Cultivator in black robes was coldly observing them from the shadows.
This black-robed Cultivator was none other than Zhang Chi. He had long since donned a mask and a Conical Hat, and had altered his body shape and aura. Even if an acquaintance were present, it would be impossible to recognize him.
The great fire here was precisely the result of him casting the Fire Bomb Technique.
As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who practiced a Top Grade Fire Element Cultivation Technique, and having long since trained his Fire Bomb Technique to Perfection, the fires he set were naturally ferocious.
At the same time, he was extremely fast and had specifically sent his Corpse Puppet with the Fire Crow Gourd to split up and set fires as well.
This directly caused fires to break out all over the Spirit Fields outside Red Leaf City. The Low Tier Xie Clan Members guarding the Spirit Fields didn’t even have time to escape, let alone fight the fires, and they had no idea who the arsonist was.
Even Xie Huaiyuan and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators had yet to notice Zhang Chi’s presence.
Because Zhang Chi’s Divine Thought was far stronger than theirs!
’These old bastards wanted to harm me. In that case, I’ll strike first and gain the upper hand.’
’It’s a pity they’re so cautious. Otherwise, I could have seized the opportunity to storm the Xie Family’s inner city and plunder it.’
’Still, this is good too. That Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator isn’t here, so I can pick off these Foundation Establishment Early Stage ones one by one. I bet they have quite the fortune on them!’
Looking at Xie Yu and the others, Zhang Chi couldn’t help but sneer.
"Cloud Rain Technique!"
Just then, Xie Huaiyuan flew above one of the fires and formed a Spirit Technique. Water vapor immediately condensed in the sky, forming a small, dark cloud.
SPLASH...
Then, a heavy rain began to fall over an area of more than a hundred zhang.
The great fire below quickly dwindled and was soon extinguished.
Xie Huaiyuan couldn’t help but let out a small sigh of relief.
But at the same time, a millstone-sized blue bead, shimmering with light, had been floating around him from the very beginning.
This bead was called the Blue Light Pearl, an Upper Grade magical artifact that served for both offense and defense, and it was one of Xie Huaiyuan’s proudest tools.
With it, Xie Huaiyuan had no fear of ambushes, unless his opponent was a powerful expert at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage or higher.
SWISH!
But at that exact moment, the distant Zhang Chi raised a hand and pointed. Furnace Carbon immediately transformed into a streak of black Sword Light and shot forward with incredible speed.
This time, the Sword Light didn’t produce any thunderous noise.
Evidently, now that Zhang Chi’s Swordsmanship had reached Great Success, he could control his Flying Sword and prevent it from making the sound of wind and thunder.
The Sword Light reached Xie Huaiyuan in an instant, viciously striking his back.
"Hm?"
When the Sword Light was a hundred zhang away, Xie Huaiyuan had already sensed it with his Divine Thought. But the Sword Light was too fast. He had no time to turn around, and even the Blue Light Pearl was sent to intercept it in haste.
SWISH!
But just as the Blue Light Pearl was about to touch the Sword Light, the light suddenly carved a mysterious arc, bypassing the Blue Light Pearl by a hair’s breadth and striking at Xie Huaiyuan from the left.
"Not good!"
Xie Huaiyuan’s face fell in an instant. He knew he had encountered an opponent with profound mastery of the Sword Control Technique.
But knowing this didn’t help him in the slightest.
Although his left side was also shrouded in the glow of the Blue Light Pearl, its defense was clearly far weaker than that of the pearl itself.
CRACK!
Instantly, the curtain of blue light was pierced by the Sword Light. Then, in a single fluid motion, the Sword Light circled around and severed Xie Huaiyuan’s head.
Xie Huaiyuan was actually wearing a Magic Robe, but in his haste, he hadn’t managed to fully activate its defenses. Before the Sword Light, this meager protection was like a bubble, popping on contact.
His Protective Spiritual Power and physical body were even less worthy of mention before the unstoppable Sword Light.
And the moment Xie Huaiyuan was decapitated, the Blue Light Pearl lost the support of his Spiritual Power and Divine Thought. Its light dimmed as it fell to the ground.
SWISH!
In the next instant, a tall, imposing masked Cultivator suddenly appeared. Raising a hand, he made a grasping motion in the air, pulling the Blue Light Pearl to him. He then snatched Xie Huaiyuan’s Storage Bag as well.
"You old bastard. When you screwed me over three and a half years ago, you never thought this day would come, did you?"
This masked Cultivator was, of course, Zhang Chi. As he acted, he deliberately spoke in a cold voice.
"You..."
Xie Huaiyuan’s head, still flying through the air, retained a sliver of consciousness. Hearing those words, his eyes flew wide open. He finally knew who his attacker was, and he was filled with incomparable shock, rage, indignation, and disbelief.
He immediately made the connection to Zhang Chi, but he never dreamed that Zhang Chi would acquire such Combat Power so quickly and be able to assassinate him with such ease.
But unfortunately, this realization came far too late. Its only effect was to ensure he would not die with his eyes closed.
BANG!
Zhang Chi flicked his sleeve, and a burst of violent power instantly shattered the head, killing him completely.
SWISH!
Zhang Chi even took out a Blood-Red Long Banner. With a single wave, he swept Xie Huaiyuan’s Divine Soul, which had not yet had time to dissipate, into it.
The Long Banner was the Beast Soul Banner. Black mist roiled within it, and ferocious Beast Souls immediately rushed out, screeching strangely as they tore apart and devoured Xie Huaiyuan’s Divine Soul.
Now, even if the legendary cycle of reincarnation truly existed, Xie Huaiyuan would never be reborn.
Of course, Zhang Chi could have used his Divine Soul as a Beast Soul, but Zhang Chi felt that Xie Huaiyuan was utterly unworthy.
Besides, a Beast Soul Banner and a Human Soul Banner were two completely different types of magical artifacts. Using them improperly could lead to undesirable changes.
After devouring Xie Huaiyuan’s Divine Soul, the Beast Souls immediately became stronger. The most powerful among them were now on the verge of a breakthrough.
"Satisfying!"
Zhang Chi couldn’t help but smile.
Having personally beheaded his enemy, he felt his thoughts become clearer and more unobstructed than ever before.
From drawing his sword to this moment, it seemed like he had done a lot, but it had all happened in the span of a few breaths. The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water, clean and decisive.
"No! Help me! It’s a Tier Two Corpse Puppet! It’s an ambush!"
And just then, the miserable shriek of another Foundation Establishment Cultivator rang out from the distance.
That Cultivator had been ambushed at the same time Xie Huaiyuan was killed. However, his attacker was Zhang Chi’s Corpse Puppet No.1.
This Corpse Puppet had just broken through, but it had multiple advantages stacked in its favor. Not only was it a Celestial Corpse, but it was also exceptionally gifted. Its overall strength was only slightly inferior to Zhang Chi’s, so in an ambush, it instantly gained an overwhelming advantage.
Its method of attack was completely different from Zhang Chi’s. There was no technique, only brute force!