Chapter 235: Next One

Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Next One

’If that wasn’t ridiculous enough, the other one is even more so.’

’That Jiang Xu...’

’How in the world did he improve so quickly?’

’And it looks like Zong Ziqi follows his every lead.’

’How bizarre.’

According to Zong Ziqi, the credit for killing Young Master Yellow Springs belonged entirely to Jiang Xu.

But from what Yan Chunyu saw, Zong Ziqi had clearly been the one to kill Young Master Yellow Springs.

’So why would he say that?’

Yan Chunyu shook her head in frustration.

’I don’t get it. I really don’t get it.’

Whatever. Since they both insisted on concealing their involvement, she wasn’t about to go out of her way to defy them. She immediately turned to the two Foundation Establishment Female Cultivators beside her and said:

"Listen up! This matter today must be kept strictly confidential. No matter who asks—whether it’s someone from our Jade Heart Association or an outsider—do not mention those two at all. Just say the three of us managed to turn the tables and kill him. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

"Understood, President!"

"Good. In a moment, we’ll get our stories straight so we don’t slip up if someone asks for details."

...

"Brother Jiang, I still don’t get it. Why did you insist on concealing our involvement?" Zong Ziqi asked Jiang Xu curiously after Yan Chunyu had left.

"There are two reasons."

"First, I don’t want others to know I was involved. Also, you’re attracting too much attention. This isn’t just about the Demon Sect; it applies to your own side as well."

"When you steal the spotlight, others will resent you. You saw that yourself with this ambush. It wasn’t just people from the Demon Sect who came after you; even Righteous Cultivators were involved."

"The tree that towers over the forest will be torn down by the wind. It’s better for you to keep a lower profile."

"Second, it’s to prevent the two remaining villains from knowing we’re hunting them for revenge."

"You have to understand, for people like him, the Demon Sect lights a Lifebound Soul Lamp to confirm if they are alive or dead."

"Once the Soul Lamp is extinguished, it means he is dead."

"By now, the Biluo Demon Sect must already know that Young Master Yellow Springs is dead. That’s something we can’t hide."

"As his former teammates who joined him in trying to kill you, Young Master Ghost and Wuji Fairy will definitely take notice of this."

"If they find out you were the one who killed Young Master Yellow Springs, they’ll definitely raise their guard. When we make our move later, the danger will be much greater."

"But if Yan Chunyu claims they were the ones who killed him, it will just look like Young Master Yellow Springs was too stupid and wasn’t fully prepared. The other two won’t pay it too much mind."

"Oh, so that’s how it is! Brother Jiang, you’re really something else! I never would’ve thought of something like this!" Zong Ziqi instantly understood. He clapped Jiang Xu on the shoulder, very excited.

"I’ve said it many times: when it comes to the art of laying low, the learning never ends!"

Jiang Xu dragged all the corpses to one spot, piling them up one by one until they formed a small mound. Then, he gently pressed his palms together, and a deep, scorching Innate True Flame quietly materialized in his hands.

He tossed the ball of Innate True Flame onto the pile of corpses. In an instant, the silent heap seemed to jolt to life as it was engulfed in a raging inferno.

The flames were a bluish-green, their temperature immensely high, incinerating all things without a trace.

As the flames surged, one could almost hear the sizzle of the Demon Cultivators’ bones, clothes, and even their Magical Artifacts melting away. The air filled with the stench of burning and the odor of death.

Within the flames, any bizarre magics or life-saving measures were ruthlessly destroyed by the intense heat, along with the Demon Cultivators’ lingering resentment and remnant souls, all reduced to nothing.

As the fire burned, every inch of the ground was scorched red-hot. Even the moisture in the soil was completely evaporated, ensuring that not a single potential trace or hidden danger was left behind.

Jiang Xu watched it all until the flames gradually died down and all the corpses had turned to ash, leaving only a patch of scorched earth as proof of the fierce battle that had taken place.

There was a reason he set the bodies on fire.

First, it was to guard against any special life-saving measures they might have had—a way to ensure the kill.

Second, it was to prevent anyone from using some bizarre Magic later to make the corpses speak.

After all, this was the Demon Sect; it wouldn’t be surprising if they had some strange Magic.

Jiang Xu would never leave behind such a loose end.

Before burning the bodies, he had already removed all their Storage Bags. Out of gratitude, Yan Chunyu hadn’t taken a single one, leaving them all behind.

"Here, let’s split them." With that, Jiang Xu handed half of the Storage Bags to Zong Ziqi.

"No need to give them to me. I’m not short on Spirit Stones right now; the Sect gave me a sizable reward. Besides, I’m not a Magic Cultivator. I can’t use most of that stuff anyway."

Zong Ziqi pushed the Storage Bags back.

"I still haven’t repaid you for saving my life, so how could I take these Spirit Stones? Besides, you’re helping me get revenge. I should be the one paying you."

Jiang Xu didn’t stand on ceremony. Since Zong Ziqi didn’t want them, he didn’t insist. In any case, he was in desperate need of Spirit Stones, so the more, the better.

"What should we do now? Should we wait, or go straight for the next one?" Zong Ziqi asked.

"Delays breed trouble. We’re going after the next one now!"

"Uh, who’s next?"

Jiang Xu thought for a moment. After weighing his options for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he finally spoke a name:

"Young Master Ghost!"

...

On a desolate and silent battlefield, the figure of Young Master Ghost appeared particularly sinister and bizarre.

In his hand, he held a Soul-Calling Banner as black as ink. Its surface was covered with strange Runes and twisted faces, and one could faintly hear the wails and shrieks of countless vengeful spirits and malicious ghosts trapped within.

With a flick of Young Master Ghost’s wrist, the Soul-Calling Banner began to tremble slightly. An invisible, chilling aura spread out from its surface, instantly blanketing the entire battlefield.

The blood-soaked ground seemed to grow even more bone-chillingly cold, and a thick, deathly stillness filled the air.

Under the pull of this power, faint and twisted souls began to struggle free from the shattered bodies of the corpses scattered across the battlefield.

Whether from the severed limbs of Righteous Cultivators, the charred skeletons of Demonic Cultivators, or even from remains that had long since turned to dust, faint, dark glimmers of soul-light floated out, all converging toward the Soul-Calling Banner.

The dead souls had various forms—some struggled in agony, some screamed in terror, some roared with rage. The Sect emblems on their clothing were still faintly visible, but now they were all bound by the same fate, forced to drift into the air by the power of the Soul-Calling Banner.

A cold smirk played on Young Master Ghost’s lips; he seemed to delight in the sight of these dead souls struggling helplessly before him.