C17 Lau Miaoyi

"It's not like that..." Xiao Ling murmured under his breath.

As his voice trailed off, a surge of black Qi burst through the turbulent Yuan Qi waves, barreling towards the teleportation array.

"Activate the teleportation array, now!"

The elders, witnessing the scene, were filled with rage and desperation.

Boom!

The swath of black Qi left destruction in its wake, reducing a multitude of Holy Martial Institute disciples to mere bones, which crumbled into dust and scattered to the winds.

Buzz!

The teleportation array, compromised by the black Qi, was damaged. Nevertheless, it had already whisked away many disciples before succumbing to ruin.

"Ling, you must go—now!"

Yun Xi placed Xiaojin into Xiao Ling's arms and thrust him into the array.

"No! Xi'er!"

With a brilliant flash, the teleportation array buckled under the strain, scattering the last group of Holy Martial Institute disciples and Xiao Ling into the ether, before breaking apart into a shower of starlight.

"Curse it."

High above, the Black Fiend landed on the training field in an instant, his face darkening as he saw many disciples had been teleported to safety.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Scores of Martial Emperors descended upon the Holy Martial Institute, their gazes cold and detached as they surveyed the devastation.

"Tell me, where is the Holy Monolith?"

Hei Sha extended his hand leisurely, pulling Jiang Ya toward him and gripping his throat.

"Pfft."

Jiang Ya spat defiantly onto the Black Fiend's face, declaring, "I'd rather die than reveal the location of the Holy Monolith to you!"

"You've got guts."

Hei Sha, wiping the spit from his face, grinned and said, "I admire your spirit. But I wonder, if I were to grind every bone in your body to dust, would you still hold on to that courage?"

With that, he knocked Jiang Ya out cold, seized him, and began to scour the Holy Martial Institute's grounds.

The other Martial Emperors shifted their gaze, their forms moving like a plague of locusts, ravaging every nook and cranny of the Holy Martial Institute.

"Eliminate all the remaining disciples of the Holy Martial Institute!"

Overlooking the wreckage of the Holy Martial Institute, Tao Han chuckled to himself. From this moment on, his Wild Sword Martial Club would reign supreme in this territory.

"The Holy Martial Institute will cease to exist in this world."

As Xiaoyao Yunlan witnessed the massacre of the Holy Martial Institute's disciples, her attention shifted to a young girl. A curious glint shone in her eyes as she swiftly approached Yun Xi and nodded, "Who would have thought such a tiny corner of the world could harbor a Bright Martial Soul? It's quite the surprise."

She appraised Yun Xi, then offered, "If you agree to become a disciple of the Unfettered Sect, I can ensure the survival of the remaining Holy Martial Institute disciples."

Yun Xi's eyes sparkled with the same strange light as she bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Senior. I am ready to join the Unfettered Sect."

"Excellent."

A smile graced Xiaoyao Yunlan's face. With a graceful gesture, she gathered the few dozen surviving disciples and declared, "I've got them under my wing. Anyone who dares to harm them will find themselves at odds with the Unfettered Sect."

The Martial Emperors present dismissed the notion of interfering with such insignificant figures. Tao Han of the Wild Sword Martial Club clenched his teeth, then quickly ingratiated himself, "Since you've made your wishes clear, Senior, we wouldn't dream of objecting."

Tao Han had initially intended to wipe them out completely, but with a powerful ally stepping in to protect the remaining disciples, he was forced to abandon his plans.

They were, after all, just a handful of people, hardly a threat to his Wild Sword Martial Club.

"Fair enough," Xiaoyao Yunlan said with a chuckle. "If there's nothing else, we should take our leave."

Yun Xi cast a final, longing glance at the Holy Martial Institute, her eyes filled with a sense of loss, before following Xiaoyao Yunlan away.

Once they had departed with the remaining disciples, Holy Martial Mountain erupted in a thunderous collapse, breaking apart into fragments. A dark figure then burst into the sky, his expression twisted with frustration.

"All these years of waiting, and still no sign of the Holy Monolith!"

Hei Sha, holding the unconscious Jiang Ya, sneered with a ghastly laugh, "No matter. Soon enough, I'll extract the Monolith's location from you..."

"The Holy Martial Institute is finished."

From a distance, Emperor Xuanyuan Hou of the Flame Yellow Empire stood with his back turned, gazing upon the ruins of the Holy Martial Institute. He was engulfed in a desolate sorrow, akin to the grief of a fox mourning the death of a rabbit.

The law of the jungle prevailed; the weak were prey for the strong. As the ruler of the weakest empire in the Myriad Country Territory, he couldn't help but wonder if the Flame Yellow Empire's fate would mirror that of the Holy Martial Institute, heading towards inevitable ruin.

...

In the Wild Demon Mountain Range.

"Boss Liu, we're only six hours away from True Martial City. Should we take a break?"

Along a broad road, a group of about twenty to thirty people made their way slowly. A dark-skinned man with a long spear in hand looked towards the young man on horseback ahead and called out.

The young man, with a scarf tied around his head, glanced at the sky. It was high noon, the sun was scorching, hardly ideal for travel.

Yet, this stretch was notorious for bandits. Stopping could make them easy targets.

"No, we can't stop now. With bandits likely swarming the final leg of our journey, we must push through to True Martial City in one fell swoop!"

Lau Qing declared with a grin, "Once we're in True Martial City, I, Lau Qing, will treat everyone to a feast at Spring Flower House. We'll have a grand meal and let the ladies help us unwind!"

"Long live Boss Liu!"

At his words, the escorting men erupted in cheers and hollers, their spirits instantly lifted.

"Brother, do you have any water left?"

A young girl dressed in black approached Lau Qing with the question.

With her lustrous black hair and eyes as deep as onyx, she was strikingly beautiful.

Lau Qing glanced at the slender youth lying in the wagon behind them, then turned to Lau Miaoyi with a resigned expression and said, "Here you go, Miaoyi."

Handing over the water skin, he watched as his sister thanked him with a smile that made the nearby men gulp.

Lau Miaoyi, the revered goddess of their Dragon Sect Escort Agency and Lau Qing's beloved sister, was known for her kindness and was adored by all.

"I never thought Miaoyi would actually bring that dying boy back to life."

As Liu Miaoyi tenderly gave water to the gaunt youth, the men from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency couldn't hide their envy and resentment.

"This guy hasn't uttered a word since he woke up, not even a thank you. I'm starting to think he's mute."

"Who knows? But having this mute freeload off us is really irritating, especially since he requires Goddess Miaoyi's care. It's infuriating!"

A young admirer of Lau Miaoyi blurted out, "If I were in her shoes, I'd leave him to his fate, to be devoured by demonic beasts."

"Soong Rui, what are you saying!"

Liu Miaoyi's brows knit together as she retorted, "If you were gravely injured, should I abandon you to die as you suggest?"

Soong Rui, not pleased with Liu Miaoyi's scolding over the mute, replied, "Fine, my mistake. But if it were me, I'd at least be thankful and express my gratitude."

Soong Rui glanced at the expressionless, emaciated youth and sneered, "I wouldn't stick around like some freeloading mute who plays dumb."

"Yeah, Soong Rui has a point."

Another man chimed in, "Miaoyi, we're not against you helping people, but this mute kid shows no gratitude. It's hard to stand by and watch."

Basking in the agreement of his peers, Soong Rui swelled with pride. Approaching the mute youth, he eyed the golden tiger cub and suggested, "Miaoyi, why don't you take the little tiger? We won't object to you looking after the mute."

With that, Soong Rui's hand shot out towards Xiaojin.

"Hmm?"

But as he was about to snatch Xiaojin, his hand was suddenly caught, immobilized.

"The mute?!"

Seeing that the mute youth had grabbed him, Soong Rui's anger flared. He summoned his Yuan Qi, attempting to break free from Xiao Ling's grip, only to find it as unyielding as a vice, leaving him utterly powerless.

Song Rui was shaken to his core. As a nine-star martial artist, his prowess was a rarity within the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, akin to phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Yet there he was, immobilized by a mute in full view of the public, his frustration boiling into a furious palm strike aimed at Xiao Ling.

"Song Rui! What are you doing?!" Liu Miaoyi's scream pierced the air as she witnessed the sudden assault on the silent youth.

Bang!

In the next instant, with the crowd looking on in shock, the so-called mute youth launched a punch. Striking with preemptive force, he landed a blow to Song Rui's abdomen, sending him stumbling back several steps before he slumped to the ground, bewildered.

The onlookers from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency were left speechless by the turn of events.

"Thank you for your kindness these past days," Xiao Ling said, cradling Xiaojin and turning to Lau Miaoyi with a gentle tone. "Please accept these Essence Stones as payment for my meals."

He then handed a pouch filled with the stones to Lau Miaoyi.

His mind had been haunted by the harrowing events at the Holy Martial Institute. The death of his peers, Jiang Ya's dire predicament, and most of all, Yun Xi's sacrifice to send him through the teleportation array while she remained behind...

These memories cast a shadow of despair over his expression.

Had he not mastered the Eight-sect Escaping Armor, he wouldn't have bonded with the Holy Monolith through his blood, and none of what followed would have occurred. Ultimately, it was his own lack of strength that was to blame.

To the sky full of Martial Emperors and even Martial Ancestors, he was nothing more than an ant, easily crushed at their whim.

And then there was the Wild Sword Martial Club...

"I will remember each and every one of you," Xiao Ling vowed, his eyes brimming with a boundless thirst for vengeance. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails drew blood, a trivial pain compared to the agony in his soul.

"One day, I, Xiao Ling, will confront you. All of you who have laid waste to my Holy Martial Institute—I will obliterate your sects!"

"No matter the strength of your realm, I won't spare anyone who was involved!"

"Only your demise can soothe the agony within me!"

"Mark my words. I, Xiao Ling, will exact a bloody vengeance upon you all! Without fail!"

Like an inferno of retribution raging in his heart, Xiao Ling had a clear objective: to diligently enhance his martial skills and annihilate his foes.

Yet, he realized the gravity of his situation.

With the Holy Monolith in his possession, venturing to the Holy Martial Institute would be tantamount to suicide. First, he needed to find a safe haven, gather intelligence on the Institute, and then strategize his next move.

"I have no need for these Essence Stones."

At that moment, Lau Miaoyi's melodious voice broke through Xiao Ling's reverie. She handed back the Essence Stones and earnestly added, "I didn't save you for the money. Besides, with bandits lurking nearby, it's unsafe for you to leave in your current state—you're still wounded and vulnerable to danger."

"If you're set on departing, consider traveling with us to True Martial City before you go your own way. How does that sound?"