Chương 25: Curses (Part I)

"This—" Xu Hua was left speechless, sweat covering his forehead and back. With a swift motion, he stood up and unsheathed his sword. Then, he thrust the tip of his blade straight at Lucian's eye! Lucian didn't move a finger. Just as the sword was about to pierce him, Xu Hua slashed downward instead, splitting the wooden table in half. Bai Xiaomeng and the elders shouted and scrambled to their feet, each one crawling or half running to put distance between themselves and the center of the room.

Only Lucian and Xu Hua remained where they stood. Taking deep breaths, his chest rising and falling, Xu Hua glared at Lucian, his grip tightening on the sword's handle. Lucian kept staring at him throughout the attack, not moving a single inch.

"How did you know I wouldn't strike you?" Xu Hua asked, his tone with a hint of wariness.

"You wouldn't dare," Lucian answered, waving his hand in a gesture for Xu Hua to sit. While the others were still recovering from the previous surprise, Xu Hua sheathed his sword and sat down. He seemed to age decades in an instant, sighing heavily. Lucian did not press him to talk. He merely moved to pick up a paper Bai Xiaomeng had dropped. While Lucian attempted to read the characters he barely recognized, Xu Hua took a deep breath. He was ready to speak again.

"I was once part of a Sect. I was young, full of stupid dreams." Xu Hua shook his head, his eyes glazing over.

"That version of me feared no one and knew nothing of this ruthless world." Without lifting his gaze from the paper, Lucian said, "You seem knowledgeable, so you must be strong." Xu Hua forced a chuckle and answered while glancing at the elders, "I am a cripple now, but I was once at the peak stage of the Qi Refining realm." Xu Hua's heart pounded as he turned to observe Lucian's reaction. Yet there was no surprise, no admiration, not even disdain.

"Tell me how you became a cripple," Lucian said, unable to measure how strong a Qi Refining cultivator was. He couldn't be impressed by something he didn't understand. Dazed for a moment, Xu Hua shook his head in disbelief.

"I must say, it is difficult to read you, Grand Cultivator." Lucian did not indulge him and kept waiting. While Xu Hua thought about what to say, Lucian gestured for Bai Xiaomeng to return with the rest of the papers. Then, he waved his hand to indicate she should keep writing. Bai Xiaomeng meekly sat beside him, placing the papers on the floor and gathering the spilled ink and brush. Meanwhile, the elders remained close to one another, sharing nervous glances.

Next, Xu Hua said, "When I attempted to advance to the Qi Condensation realm, I was attacked." He dropped his gaze to the floor, the tone turning cold.

"Those single-minded bastards poisoned me and shattered my lower dantian, dissipating my cultivation." Lucian said, frowning, "Explain more about these realms." Xu Hua stared at him, massaging his temples.

"I wish you would stop toying with me. There is no need to keep this charade." Lucian remained silent, and realizing his words had no effect, Xu Hua sighed in distress. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Qi Gathering, Qi Refining, Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment. Those are the first four realms of cultivation. Beyond that, I do not know," Xu Hua said, shrugging.

"My Sect Leader was at the peak stage of Qi Condensation, and once we were visited by an Elder of the Whispering Banyan Sect. That was when I learned of the Foundation Establishment realm and their heavenly power." Lucian hummed and stood up. He stepped over the wreckage of the wooden table, approaching Xu Hua. Hastily rising to accompany him, Xu Hua stepped back and watched Lucian cautiously.

"If you have any other questions, I will answer as best as I can," Xu Hua said with a frown and left his hand on his sword's handle.

"I'm curious about many things. These aren't questions," Lucian said in a cold tone.

"But yes, I want to know more about those realms. About the cultivator who came here and slaughtered your kin. About your past." Lucian took another three steps forward, each one making Xu Hua tighten the grip on his sword's handle.

"I am curious about your Spiritual Root, about your techniques, and why you use a weapon when every other cultivator I have seen does not," Lucian said, stopping two palms away from Xu Hua's face.

"I also wonder why you were poisoned and what kind of power this so-called Elder possesses." When Xu Hua heard Lucian's cold voice, he felt his chest tighten with an indescribable fear gripping him. He stared into Lucian's eyes. Despite being taller and having more muscle than him, Lucian's cold expression filled Xu Hua with dread. For some reason, Xu Hua sensed that Lucian did not see him as a person, only as a source of information.

"Regretfully, no matter how curious I am, we can't continue our conversation," Lucian said.

"It seems trouble does not cease in these lands." As he finished speaking, a heavy thud echoed. The front door had burst open, catching everyone's attention. The five elders, Xu Hua, Bai Xiaomeng, and Lucian, turned toward the entrance. Wang Chen had just barged in, his face bloodied, with a large portion of flesh torn from his right arm.

"Young Master!" Bai Xiaomeng screamed. Wang Chen rushed toward her, his eyes trembling as he lifted her before she could stand up. Then, he placed Bai Xiaomeng over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes, making her gasp. Next, he took large steps back to the door before flinching in realization. He glanced at Lucian and shouted, "The corpses were possessed by evil spirits! We must run! I will take Little Meng first!"

"Wait!" Xu Hua shouted, moving toward the door to intercept him.

"Where are the other three? Zhuqin—""Dead!" Wang Chen replied, crashing into Xu Hua as he rushed out. Lucian watched Wang Chen disappear. He was surprised that Xu Hua had let him go. Turning to the stunned swordman, he said, "Tell me more about the cultivator who slaughtered your village. Wang Chen's wounds made me curious."

"What? Did you not hear what the fatty said?" Xu Hua asked, recovering from his stupor. He unsheathed his sword, and he moved toward the elders, who were murmuring in panic.

"We need to flee!"

"Answer me," Lucian ordered, his gaze more threatening.

"It was a cultivator named Liu Tian. He was heavily wounded," Xu Hua said with a scowl.

"I ordered the villagers to care for him as they once cared for me when I arrived. I will regret that until after my next nine reincarnations. He used Wood Qi to kill my friends, and fled screaming to the heavens! That's all I know!" Lucian acknowledged him with a hum, then bent down to gather the papers Bai Xiaomeng hadn't had time to collect and stored them. After that, he walked toward the bag of supplies with calm steps.

"What are you doing? We need to escape!" Xu Hua said, moving toward the window and trying to see outside. Only darkness and a star-filled sky greeted him. The few lamps the villagers had been extinguished without their notice. Meanwhile, Lucian armed himself with two short curved swords, testing their weight in his hands. Contrary to the clueless Xu Hua, he could pick up faint growls and dragging noises from outside, knowing exactly how close danger was.

After getting used to the swords' weight and size, he stepped toward the five elders. Xu Hua was too focused on the outside and on understanding what was happening to notice Lucian's silent steps. He only reacted when he heard a sudden cutting noise behind him. When he turned to check, he saw Lucian moving like a whirlwind among the elders. Two blades flashed as Lucian severed limbs and tore into their bodies, spilling the elders' blood and ending their lives without hesitation.

Rage surged through Xu Hua after his brain recognized what had happened. Without a single word, he charged forward. At the same time, a rune shaped like a single eye being torn out formed above Lucian's right hand. Next, an eye made of blood manifested, drawing in all the blood that was shed on the ground. Devilish Arts: Boon of Greed – Blinded by Power Lucian turned toward Xu Hua, his expression a bit confused.

"Interesting. I thought cultivators didn't care about mortals," he said with a nod.

"Do not worry. You are still useful to me, so I will leave you alive." As soon as those cold words left his lips, Lucian met Xu Hua's raging blade.