Chapter 107: Concealment (Part One)

Gritting his teeth, Jin GuangYao massaged several acupuncture points on his arm. Amidst the dizziness from the excessive blood loss, he suddenly saw Nie MingJue taking a step toward him, his gaze locked on his. He was immediately scared witless. 

Beside him, Su She coughed again, coughing up blood, and shouted hoarsely, “You idiots! Why are you still standing there?! Stop him! Stop that thing at the door!”

The LanlingJin Sect cultivators who had been lost in thought finally raised their swords and approached, though the first two were instantly sent flying by Nie MingJue’s palm. With his left hand, he sprinkled medicine on his cut, but the powder was immediately washed away by the blood. Near tears, he tore off the corner of his shirt in hopes of staunching the blood by bandaging the wound, but his left hand was burned by the poisonous fumes inside the coffin and his chest was burning, unable to exert any strength. He tore for a long time, trembling, but still couldn’t tear it open, which only increased the pain. Su She dropped to his knees and tore a piece of white cloth from his own shirt to bandage the wound. 

At the same time, Lan XiChen carried Nie HuaiSang to safety. Su She searched for more medicine for him, but to no avail. He turned to Lan XiChen, “Sect Leader Lan! Sect Leader Lan, do you have any medicine? Help him—Sect Leader has always treated you with respect! Just think of this as a favor to him!”

When Lan XiChen saw Jin GuangYao’s horrific appearance, almost fainting, a hint of hesitation flashed across his eyes. At this moment, several screams rang out from the other side. With a heavy punch, Nie MingJue smashed three cultivators into a pool of red flesh!

Wei WuXian dan Lan WangJi berdiri di depan Jiang Cheng dan Jin Ling. Wei WuXian, “Wen Ning! Bagaimana kamu bisa bertemu dengannya?!”

After Wen Ning put his arm back in place, he shifted to reattach his broken leg, “Young Master… I’m sorry… You told me to go back and look for Young Master Lan. I couldn’t find him at the inn, so I had to look for him on the streets. Before I could find Young Master Lan, I saw Chi Feng-Zun walking in the open, as if he was looking for something. A group of beggar children saw him and went over to play with him. They didn’t know who he was. Chi Feng-Zun actually fainted. With his bare hands, he almost… I could only continue fighting with him until here…”

Wei WuXian didn’t need to ask why he couldn’t find Lan WangJi at the inn. He couldn’t sleep next to Lan WangJi, so could Lan WangJi have slept next to him? Naturally, he’d wandered around before spotting Fairy fleeing for help. The sudden storm must have started after Wen Ning and Nie MingJue started fighting, too.

The ‘corpse’-like creature attracted darkness from the start, let alone these two unusually ferocious corpses!

Although the LanlingJin Sect cultivators were no match for Nie MingJue, they continued to advance valiantly. However, when their swords met Nie MingJue’s body, it was as if they had met pure steel, unable to carve even the slightest wound. Nie HuaiSang cautiously peeked out from behind Lan XiChen’s back, his voice both frightened and excited, “B-B-Big Brother, I-I…”

Nie MingJue’s pupil-less eyes widened, then attacked him. Lan XiChen lowered his chin slightly. With a loud sob, Nie MingJue’s figure froze.

Lan XiChen, “Kakak, ini HuaiSang!”

Nie HuaiSang, “You don’t even recognize me…”

Wei WuXian, “Not only can he not recognize you, he can’t even recognize who he is right now!” 

Nie MingJue had become a corpse controlled by a powerful resentment energy. He was vicious and ferocious, attacking indiscriminately. After a short rest, Wen Ning returned to the fray, but Wen Ning’s resentment energy wasn’t as strong as his, and his physique wasn’t as tall as his. Furthermore, Wei WuXian’s flute had been broken, unable to provide any assistance. He was at a slight disadvantage. Just as Jin GuangYao, who was lying on the ground, finally stopped bleeding from his wound, Su She got up and threw him onto his back, wanting to escape amidst the chaos. This movement caused the wary Nie MingJue to notice them again. He threw Wen Ning aside and strode toward Jin GuangYao with large strides. 

Jin Ling shouted, “Uncle! Run!”

Hearing him dare to say something to alert his enemy, Jiang Cheng slapped him on the back of the head while shouting angrily, “Shut up!”

Jin Ling only realized it after he received the slap. However, this was his uncle, after all, someone who had watched him grow up. Over the past decade or so, it wasn’t as if Jin GuangYao had been unkind to him. When Jin Ling saw that he was about to die at the hands of that vicious corpse, he couldn’t help but exclaim. However, when Nie MingJue heard this, he turned around as if confused. 

Wei WuXian felt his chest tighten, lowering his voice, “Oh no!”

Now that Nie MingJue had become a ferocious corpse, his resentment was naturally at its highest when directed at his enemy, Jin GuangYao. However, a ferocious corpse couldn’t distinguish people just by their gaze!

Jin GuangYao was quite close to Jin Ling in terms of bloodline. To the creatures of darkness, the blood and breath of these two humans felt somewhat familiar, and those who were confused would find it even more difficult to distinguish between them. Currently, blood was pouring from Jin GuangYao’s missing arm. With his breathing weak, he was almost half-dead, while Jin Ling was still alive and jumping around. Nie MingJue’s dead and thoughtless mind naturally attracted him even more.

Lan WangJi ordered Bichen to strike directly at Nie MingJue’s chest. As expected, the blade stopped right after landing. When Nie MingJue looked down and saw the gleaming sword, he roared and grabbed it. Lan WangJi immediately summoned Bichen, which flew back into its sheath with a loud clang. Nie MingJue ended up empty-handed. Right after, with a turn of his left hand, he took out Wangji’s guqin and placed it in his palm. Without hesitation, he strummed a string of notes. Lan XiChen also returned the Liebing to his lips. With a wave of his hand, Wei WuXian sent over fifty talismans flying toward Nie MingJue, but before they could even get close, they were ignited by his resentful energy and burned to ashes in midair!

With a roar, Nie MingJue grabbed Jin Ling. Both Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling had retreated to the corner of the wall, unable to retreat any further. Jiang Cheng could only push Jin Ling behind him and draw his Sandu. The latter, unable to use spiritual energy, forced himself to block the attack. Although the guqin and xiao had already sounded, they were too late!

Nie MingJue’s heavy fist slammed into someone’s body.

But the body did not belong to Jiang Cheng or Jin Ling.

Wen Ning stood in front of the wall, directly in front of them. With both hands, he grabbed Nie MingJue’s metal arm and slowly pulled it out of his chest, leaving a large, empty hole. There was no bleeding. Only a few black organ fragments fell out.

Wei WuXian, “Wen Ning!!!”

While Jiang Cheng looked as if he might lose his mind right then and there, he stuttered, “You? You?!”

The blow was too powerful. Not only did it penetrate Wen Ning’s chest, it also shattered part of his larynx. Speechless, he collapsed. He landed on top of Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling. He was momentarily immobilized, but his eyes remained open, staring at them unblinkingly.

Jin Ling originally hated the assassin, the weapon that pierced his father’s heart. Since childhood, he had sworn countless times that if he had the chance, he would definitely cut Wei Ying and Wen Ning’s flesh apart, piece by piece. Later, because he didn’t want to hate Wei WuXian, he hated Wen Ning with twice the energy. But now, as he watched the assassin, the weapon piercing his heart in the same way, he couldn’t even push Wen Ning away roughly to prevent him from leaning on them.

He knew he was dead. Even if there were a hole in his body, even if he were split in half from the waist, he probably wouldn’t suffer any serious consequences. But for some reason, he couldn’t hold back the tears that kept flowing.

After that blow, Nie MingJue’s movements also stopped.

With Lan WangJi and Lan XiChen duetting, the guqin was like an icy river while the xiao was like a strong wind. The two sounds stirred hatred within Nie MingJue, while the duet pained him even more, creating a suffocating feeling around him as if someone were binding him with invisible ropes. As the ropes tightened, his anger built before finally exploding, forcing himself out of  the Sound of Vanquish’s shackles  as he lunged at the guqin player. Calmly, Lan WangJi spun around to avoid his attack. The melody didn’t stop in the slightest. This time, Nie MingJue’s fists slammed into the wall. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard two loud chirps.

He stuck his fist out of the wall and looked in the direction the sound came from.

Wei WuXian whistled twice more, grinning, “Hello, ChiFeng-Zun. Do you know me?” Nie MingJue’s terrifying white pupils were fixed on him. Wei WuXian, “It’s fine if you don’t know me, as long as you know that whistle.”

Lan XiChen shifted Liebing slightly to the side, “Young Master Wei!”

He wanted to remind Wei WuXian that his body currently belonged to Mo XuanYu, and that Mo XuanYu was also related to Jin GuangYao by blood, even closer than Jin Ling. If Nie MingJue directed his hatred towards him because of this, the situation would become even more difficult. But before he could continue, Lan WangJi’s gaze shifted. Calmly and composedly, he shook his head.

Lan XiChen immediately understood what he was telling him—there was nothing to worry about.

Lan WangJi was confident that Wei WuXian would be fine.

Whistling, Wei WuXian walked leisurely. His whistle was light and calm, but within the Guanyin Temple, amidst the violent storm and littered with corpses, the clarity of his voice was incredibly eerie. Wen Ning, who was still lying in the corner above Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling, heard it, as if he had a strangely strong urge to stand up. Whether he was holding it in or hadn’t yet regained the strength to move, he struggled for a moment and finally collapsed again. Without thinking, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling joined hands to catch him, but after catching him, they showed the same hesitant expression, wanting to drop him right then and there.

Grinning broadly, Wei WuXian whistled a cheerful tune as he quietly retreated, hands behind his back. Nie MingJue stood where he was. On Wei WuXian’s first step, his reaction was cold; on the third, he remained motionless; but on the seventh, he finally couldn’t hold himself back, stepping toward Wei WuXian’s retreating steps.

And the direction Wei WuXian had guided him to walk was precisely toward the empty, almost luxurious coffin behind Guanyin Temple. As long as he entered it, Wei WuXian had a way to seal it.

The poisonous white smoke had long since dissipated. It was too thin to be considered a threat. Nie MingJue, grim-faced, was led toward the empty coffin, though he instinctively felt restrained. Wei WuXian walked around the coffin. Everyone held their breath at the sight, especially Lan WangJi. Whistling softly, Wei WuXian directed his unhurried gaze toward Lan WangJi. As soon as their eyes met, he winked flirtatiously with his left eye.

As if pricked by a sugar needle, a faint wave rippled through the melody Lan WangJi played before quickly fading away. Wei WuXian turned around, somewhat pleased with himself, and patted the coffin in front of Nie MingJue.

Finally, Nie Mingjue slowly bent down. However, just as he was about to insert his upper body, a scream suddenly sounded from behind Lan Xichen.

Nie MingJue’s movements immediately stopped. Like everyone else, he turned to look. Su She was carrying a semi-conscious Jin GuangYao on his back, one hand holding his leg and the other holding a blood-stained sword. On the other side, Nie HuaiSang lay on the ground, rolling around in pain as he hugged his leg.

With that, Shuoyue’s sword energy struck Su She’s sword-wielding hand. Su She’s face filled with shock as the sword flew out of his hand. It had wounded Nie HuaiSang. The scent of blood wafted through the air. Wei WuXian cursed inwardly,  How could this happen—how dare he ruin things for me at such a critical moment!

Nie HuaiSang and Nie MingJue were half-brothers from the same father. If Nie MingJue smelled his blood, he wouldn’t be moved by killing intent, but would instead be filled with intense curiosity. And because of his curiosity, when his attention was drawn there, he would definitely notice Jin GuangYao’s presence. After he killed Jin GuangYao, his killing intent would undoubtedly grow stronger, and he would become even more difficult to defeat!

As expected, a gurgling sound came from Nie MingJue’s throat. His body turned away from the empty coffin. Instantly, he realized who was lying on Su She’s back. Even Wei WuXian’s whistling couldn’t stop him. Like a gust of wind, Nie MingJue charged, his palm flying toward Jin GuangYao’s head.

Su She dodged to the side forcefully. With the tip of his foot, he picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground and mobilized all his spiritual energy in a single stab at Nie MingJue’s heart. Perhaps due to the dire situation, the attack was incredibly swift and ruthless. Filled with spiritual energy, the blade shone brightly, enveloped in a swirl of light. It was so much better than all the previous, elegant attacks that even Wei WuXian wanted to praise its excellence. Nie MingJue was forced back a step by the blast of the attack. As the light dimmed slightly, Nie MingJue charged forward again, clawing at Jin GuangYao relentlessly. Su She flung Jin GuangYao toward Lan XiChen with his left hand, while with his right, he sliced ​​at Nie MingJue’s neck.

Nie MingJue’s entire body was as impenetrable as fine steel, but not the thread that sewed his neck together!