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Chapter 43

Horrifying cries along with the sound of the spark of the burning houses were heard from the capital of the Yun Sect. Even though the three of them were only three steps late from the happening incident, the damage caused from the panic of the Sect disciples and the citizens were enough to destroy the half of the Town in Yun Sect. Lian Ren glanced at Shao Ling, his brows were frowning from the screams of the citizens.

From the corner of the Shao Ling's mouth, he heard him lowly muttered,

Lian Ren's eyes widened, his feet stomped down the ground as he heavily walked to his Shizun's side,

Shao Ling was no longer listening to him. His long and ivory hands were trembling, his soot black eyes were glancing left and right, up and down, to the point that it's uncontrollable on where he would look. Lian Ren grabbed Shao Ling's chin, his hands were also trembling and thoughts of blaming himself started surfacing inside his mind. Lian Ren heaved a heavy breath and stared at his Shizun's afraid eyes. He raised his left thumb up to his Shizun's eyes then gently closed down his lid. He whispered,

As he closed Shao Ling's eyes, free from witnessing the suffering of the very people he protected and sheltered, he started to calm down. Lian Ren let out a sigh of relief and turned to Xianglo Luo,

Xianglo Luo who was staring at the chaos shifted his gaze to Lian Ren's direction,

Lian Ren didn't answered and kept his both hands covering Shao Ling's ears.

Lian Ren gritted his teeth and glanced at Shao Ling who was staring down at the ground, bewildered and in daze. If Shao Ling heard what Xianglo Luo said, he would certainly be lost in control. Lian Ren knows it more because he knew how Shao Ling care about mortals to the point that instead of expanding the land of Yun Sect, he used the empty plains to build a town for the homeless people instead. Lian Ren gave Xianglo Luo a meaningful as he gently guided Shao Ling on the opposite direction to the Yun Sect main gate. They were just about to start leaving when a mixture of a man and a woman's voice echoed from behind.

Lian Ren turned around followed by Shao Ling. They noticed two figures from afar wearing the embroidered cloud pattern of the Yun Sect robes. These figures were running towards them, until their faces slowly became familiar as they approached Lian Ren and Shao Ling's direction.

Jian Jie said as he let out a quick breath of relief.

Xin Mei said with a half smile.

Lian Ren was just about to answer when he felt Shao Ling's hand roughly shook his hand on his ears and spoke in a displeased expression.

Lian Ren, Jian Jie and Xin Mei was unable to say anything as a response to what Shao Ling said. It is true that Shao Ling is the key to maintaining the integrity of the Yun Sect. Without it's owner, a sect will also collapse and be forgotten. Lian Ren tried to grab Shao Ling's hand, but his hand froze and hesitated on the thought that Shao Ling must've been frustrated for not doing anything when his owm sect was slowly being burned down and his people dying. It was a miracle to Lian Ren that Shao Ling can still compose himself but he remembered that Shao Ling also watched his people died as he massacred them one by one. That thought made Lian Ren even more guilty and he had no choice but to let Shao Ling join in.

Xianglo Luo sighed and started to speak,

Jian Jie asked as he frowned.

Xianglo Luo replied.

Despite in confusion, Jian Jie and Xin Mei joined in as they followed the three to proceed to the opposite direction of the Yun Sect straight to a mountain range. The light footsteps technique made it faster for them to arrive and Xianglo Luo started to explain his plan.

The two disciples were dumbfounded, while Lian Ren and Shao Ling frowned.

Xianglo Luo infused spiritual qi on the ring in his middle finger. The ring let out a golden glow and a tool materialized out on the ring, falling on Xianglo Luo's right hand.

Jian Jie arched his brows and observed the tool. It was a mechanic that was carved using a rare kind of blue glowing crystals that emitted a peculiar but pure energy. The crystals were covered with a gold intertwined spheres that orbited around the blue crystal, slowly spinning around. Jian Jie asked disbelief and slight amazement.

Xianglo Luo answered.

Xin Mei asked.

Xianglo Luo replied,

Xin Mei and Jian Jie was still filled with countless questions in their head, but considering that they're in a hurry, they decided to keep their mouth shut and listened intently. Xianglo Luo pointed at them and spoke,

Jian Jie replied. He held Xin Mei in the shoulder and nodded to her before the two of them went out of the mountain range with a leap of their feet.

Xianglo Luo redirected his gaze at Lian Ren and Shao Ling. It seems as if the two were staring at each other, trying to send hidden messages from one another. Xianglo Luo said with his brows arched.

Lian Ren dared not to continue his words as his gaze stopped at Shao Ling.

Xianglo Luo understood what he meant and sighed, He pulled out a loose attached metal on the artifact and nailed it down the ground of the mountain range. Bit by bit, the glowing blue crystal embedded on the middle of the two orbits started to dissolve into small particles of air and evaporate, losing its color the more it dissolves.

The small particles slowly compressed on each other, letting out a small vibration and a swirling sound until a blinding light starts to illuminate half the mountain range and a blue gas of portal appeared above the artifact. Xianglo Luo stepped to the side and paved way to them,

Lian Ren stared at the glowing blue portal. It seems to let out some emotions of resentment and grief coming from the overflowing energy. Lian Ren subconsciously gripped Shao Ling's hand, and he was startled when Shao Ling gripped it back. Lian Ren glanced at Shao Ling who was also staring at the portal, wearing an unreadable expression on his face. However, judging from Shao Ling's action, Lian Ren can feel that he's slightly afraid and doubtful to himself.

Lian Ren pulled him closer, shoulders brushing on each other as he leaned down and whispered to Shao Ling's ears.

Lian Ren slightly tilted his head, his breath brushing on Shao Ling's earlobe,

Shao Ling answered as he averted his gaze. His hand rested on Lian Ren's chest and slowly pushed him away as he heaved a breath,

Xianglo Luo was smiling at them as he rested his both hands on his chest,

Lian Ren was about to enter when Xianglo Luo spoke once again, Xianglo Luo paused for a while until he smiled again and continued to speak,

Xianglo Luo's smile was the last thing that Lian Ren saw as he entered the portal along with Shao Ling. Both of them were alarmed from the pitch black space inside the portal until a whooshing sound reverberated throughout the space and they were both slammed down the pitch black ground. It feels as if countless hands appearing from the abyss were grabbing onto their souls and dragging them somewhere. Lian Ren used his full force to stand up and his hand went to grab Shao Ling's sleeves. It was so dark inside the space and Lian Ren couldn't see anything. However, Shao Ling's rough pants were echoing on every corner of the space that gave him a clue to follow where the sound is even if it seems like the sound is all over the place.

Lian Ren groped left and right, until he felt a soft and slender hand brushing against his fingers. He immediately wasted no time and grabbed it as he spoke,

Shao Ling replied between his pants.

The space seemed to open up, as if a black hole started to surface on the center and started sucking them in. The two of them let the force grab them until they fell into another hole and a blinding light greeted them, eventually falling down the soft ground as they exited the portal.

Lian Ren hurriedly stood up, scanning around the place to find Shao Ling who was behind the small boulder near the pond. Lian Ren immediately ran onto him and helped him up, gently patting away the dirt on the hem of Shao Ling's robe.

Lian Ren was bewildered when Shao Ling looked as if he had seen the world slowly ending so he curiously followed his gaze, only to see a world similar or worse than hell.

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