C63 Two Injuries

Yu Yuan was in so much agony that words failed him.

A sinister, feminine energy wreaked havoc within his organs, muscles, and bones.

An indescribable, piercing pain spread through his entire body, tearing at his soul as if it were being ripped to shreds.

"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

He gasped for air, his body swaying precariously on the stone steps, teetering on the brink of plummeting into the abyss below.

Despite the considerable distance from the pit's bottom, with his body at the Spirit Accumulating Stage, a fall would undoubtedly be fatal.

A fall from this height meant certain death.

Yet, even if he managed to cling to the edge, the wild feminine energy coursing through him was a death sentence in itself.

Immediate death or prolonged, inhuman torment leading to a slow demise were his only options.

Below, Van Ning's smile broadened with glee.

"One, two, three, four..."

He silently tallied the seconds.

He was convinced that Yu Yuan would soon opt to escape the unbearable torment, choosing to leap into the pit for a swift end.

He was aware that the pain Yu Yuan faced would only intensify, becoming more excruciating than death itself.

Whether Yu Yuan chose to jump and shatter upon impact or be torn apart from within was of no consequence to him.

He could wash his hands of the matter either way.

"Thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two..."

Van Ning's smile waned as he continued his silent count, opening his eyes once more.

He looked up again, his gaze piercing the heights.

Yu Yuan was still there, swaying, visibly enduring an even more horrific ordeal.

Yet, Yu Yuan had not succumbed to the temptation of a swift death.

With remarkable, tenacious willpower, he bore the escalating agony.

Enduring the pain at the cost of his own life, he clung to existence a moment longer.

"Not bad."

Van Ning mused internally, his estimation of Yu Yuan rising slightly. He considered that given time and opportunity, Yu Yuan might indeed become a formidable adversary.

But alas, life was devoid of such hypotheticals.

Today, Yu Yuan's fate was sealed.

...

"Van Ning has made his move."

The old general in the forbidden area let out a soft grunt and remarked, "The kid's got some tricks up his sleeve. When Yu Yuan was absorbing the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, he stealthily infused his own toxic energy into it, delivering it straight into Yu Yuan's system."

Lee Yuchan furrowed his brow. "Should I step in now?"

"Keep an eye on him. If Yu Yuan can't take it anymore and tries to jump, make sure he doesn't hit the ground," the old general instructed, monitoring every detail through his heart lake. "He won't die on the spot as long as he doesn't leap. The energy Van Ning infused in him isn't meant to kill him outright but to gradually erode his vitality and flesh."

"So it's Van Ning behind this," Lee Yuchan noted.

"Honestly, I have a certain respect for that rascal," the old general squinted. "Dislike him as I may, he's one of our own, a member of the Empire and the Van family, and that warrants my attention. His tactics are clever—striking invisibly, leaving us no grounds for retribution afterward."

"And just like that, he takes out those who need to be dealt with."

"Anyone targeted by him is truly cursed. Lee Yu and Yan Lu can't hold a candle to him when it comes to cunning and deceit. The man's a prodigy; whether on the path of cultivation, in military service, or as the Van family head, he's not likely to come up short."

The old general offered his candid assessment.

Lee Yuchan concurred with a nod. "Indeed, I'm no fan of his either. But if he were my equal in realm, strength, and status, and my adversary, he'd be a constant thorn in my side, demanding vigilance at all hours."

...

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

On the stone steps, Yu Yuan swayed, sensing cracks tearing through his flesh and organs.

The tumultuous, yin energy around his chest cavity continued its frenzied assault.

He couldn't help but cough up blood.

"I'm going to die regardless. Might as well jump and end it all now."

"Why keep fighting?"

"You know full well that at your current level of cultivation, you can't withstand those terrifying, refined forces on your own."

"Just jump."

He squashed each emerging thought, pushing them down.

"No! I mustn't die! I refuse to jump and seek death!"

Amidst the agony that was beyond human endurance, he repeatedly quashed the persistent thought with sheer force of will.

"If my own strength isn't enough, I have no choice but to seek help from others!"

It was as though a streak of light zipped through his mind. Gritting his teeth against the excruciating pain, he concentrated on the tiny sword lights embedded in his arms.

He had realized some time ago that the gentle, feminine energy Van Ning had infused into his body had completely bypassed his arms.

This energy seemed to dodge his limbs with an almost sentient grace, veering off as if it inherently knew to avoid something.

"I may not grasp the intricacies of your sword spell, but by choosing to etch yourselves into my bones, you've accepted me."

"And now, I need you!"

Yu Yuan's inner cry echoed as he attempted to connect with the sword lights using the might of his Heavenly Soul, the strongest force between heaven and earth.

Then, he was jolted by a violent tremor.

Once his Heavenly Soul reached out and his intentions were clear, his arms began to glow with a brilliant radiance!

Beneath his skin, it was as if tiny fish were swimming up his arms, towards his chest, organs, waist, and neck.

The sword lights swarmed like a school of predatory fish.

Wherever they roamed, the feminine energy from Van Ning was ruthlessly shredded and severed.

An aura, vast, ancient, and profound, suddenly enveloped Yu Yuan.

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Yu Yuan could almost see the specks of light within him, twinkling like stars, purging the Yin energy.

The agony that had felt like his soul was being ripped apart and his flesh shredded began to fade rapidly.

On the brink of collapse, he now stood firm once more, realizing that the Yin energy Van Ning had introduced into his body stood no chance against the onslaught of the sword lights.

Unaware, he stood on the stone steps, bathed in a soft, milky-white glow.

With a detached look, he gazed down into the deep pit at Van Ning's position.

Van Ning, motionless until now, had opened his eyes, revealing a face that, though handsome, was tinged with pallor.

And there, at the corner of his mouth, was the faintest trace of blood.

Yet, he smiled, looking up at Yu Yuan with a nod.

Yu Yuan, catching sight of this, let out a soft chuckle and nodded back.

Without another moment's hesitation, he resumed his climb.

Van Ning made no move to follow.

His gaze, however, remained fixed on Yu Yuan.

Even as Yu Yuan vanished from sight, Van Ning continued to stare into the heavens, his gaze lingering long after.

"Fan Li? Why didn't you make your move against him?" whispered a member of the clan.

"Keep watch over me; I need to concentrate on my cultivation," Fan Li responded, sidestepping the question. He produced a fragrant pill and swallowed it, immediately setting about its refinement.

Only he and Yu Yuan were aware that when the sword spells shattered the Yin energy he had introduced, he too had sustained injuries.

Yu Yuan was hurt, and ultimately, so was Fan Li.

The two shared an unspoken understanding, a tacit agreement to avoid reigniting their conflict.

"Yu Yuan of the Yu Family!"

Van Ning inwardly roared, etching the name deeply into his memory and, for the first time, seriously contemplating Lim Zhuyun's words.

Could Yu Yuan truly be no match for him if they were equals in cultivation?

Yu Yuan, newly advanced to the Spirit Accumulating Stage, had clashed with him for the first time, and neither had emerged the victor; both had suffered injuries.

Why was there a sense of familiarity in the power that had suddenly erupted within Yu Yuan's body?

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