Valley Master Zhan burst into maniacal laughter, no longer retreating but launching a counterattack with ruthless and venomous moves, clearly intent on killing Wanyan Jun.
“No! I don’t want to die!” Wanyan Jun could feel his strength rapidly waning, barely able to muster seventy percent of his original power.
If this continued, death was certain.
“Ah!” His right arm was torn off by Valley Master Zhan, landing on the eerie pattern shrouded in red light, instantly dissolving into a puddle of foul blood.
At the same time, Shangguan Lei and Chen Zui were also gravely wounded.
Chen Zui had one eye gouged out, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to his head.
Shangguan Lei had a leg ripped off.
The three, who had held the advantage, now faced a dire situation, teetering on the edge of death.
Anger.
Regret.
Fear.
Their minds were a whirlwind of complex emotions.
Wanyan Jun had thought agreeing to Meng Yuan and Hei Suo’s request to kill Ling Xiao would yield great rewards while conveniently completing this task.
But now, he realised he had gravely miscalculated.
A third-level task?
This mission’s difficulty was at least fourth-level!
The terrifying *Plague Bone-Dissolving Array* might only be withstandable by a fourth-level Mortal Realm martial artist.
No, perhaps it was even beyond fourth-level difficulty.
After all, Valley Master Zhan and the plague beast were already so formidable, and their so-called master hadn’t even made a move yet!
The thought alone was despairing.
If given another chance, Wanyan Jun would never have taken this wretched task. He had a bright future; as long as he trained steadily, he could have secured a good position in the Moonlight Sect.
Even if he couldn’t become a core disciple, he’d still have a place in the sect.
But now, he was facing death, and worse, these demons might possess his body, infiltrate the Moonlight Sect, and bring calamity to his family.
The consequences were unthinkable.
“Damn it, Meng Yuan and Hei Suo, those bastards! No wonder they didn’t come themselves. They probably knew how terrifying this task was. How could I be so stupid?” Wanyan Jun thought bitterly, and Shangguan Lei and Chen Zui shared similar sentiments.
They had no deep grudge against Ling Xiao.
If not for helping Meng Yuan and Hei Suo, they wouldn’t have taken this cursed task or been trapped here.
Bang!
Crack!
Thud!
Wanyan Jun, Chen Zui, and Shangguan Lei were all sent flying, crashing heavily into the wall before collapsing to the ground, spitting blood. They had no strength left to fight, left with only the path to death.
Like fish on a chopping board, they were at the mercy of their slaughterer.
“You, kill that kid. These three can be left to the master’s array to refine,” Valley Master Zhan ordered the plague beast.
“Roar!” The plague beast glanced at Ling Xiao and pounced.
Splat!
Just as Wanyan Jun, Shangguan Lei, and Chen Zui sank into complete despair, something astonishing happened.
A sword pierced the plague beast’s neck, emanating a chilling aura.
“Roar!” The beast let out a pained howl.
Though its body was as hard as iron, it still had a weak spot—the patch of fur under its neck.
During combat, the plague beast always protected this spot well, giving enemies no chance to target it.
But when attacking Ling Xiao, it grew careless.
It never expected this prey to turn into a hunter, striking its weak spot with such precision.
“Ling Xiao!”
“How are you fine?!”
“Amazing!”
Wanyan Jun, Chen Zui, and Shangguan Lei were practically weeping with joy.
They never imagined that the one to turn the tide and bring them hope would be Ling Xiao, an outer disciple!
It was absurd!
But absurd or not, as long as it wasn’t a dream, this was fantastic news for them.
From the depths of despair, they stepped into the halls of hope, so elated they forgot their pain.
“Die!” Having pierced the plague beast, Ling Xiao didn’t stop. With a flick of his sword, a terrifying force erupted from the blade, like a raging wind, tearing the beast’s body to shreds.
*Celestial Phenomenon of Wind: Rend!*
This was a move that condensed the celestial phenomenon of wind into an ordinary sword technique.
It was a spur-of-the-moment creation, but the effect was remarkable.
Killing the plague beast with one strike, though aided by targeting its weak spot, the sheer power that shredded its body was staggering.
Even Valley Master Zhan, who had been brimming with confidence, paled at this scene.
He frowned, staring at Ling Xiao.
Dressed in clean, spotless azure robes.
Long black hair draped over his shoulders, flowing without wind.
Deep black eyes, fathomless as the sea, unreadable yet filled with power.
The sword in his hand—cold, merciless, and sharp!
“Well done, Junior Brother Ling!”
“Ling Xiao, get us out of here, and we’ll have your back in the inner sect!”
“Yeah, if we succeed in this mission, we’ll split half the reward with you!”
Seeing Ling Xiao effortlessly slay the plague beast, Wanyan Jun, Chen Zui, and Shangguan Lei were overjoyed.
But whether their brains were addled or not, their words still dripped with arrogance and a sense of superiority.
Ling Xiao ignored them, focusing on Valley Master Zhan.
Killing the plague beast had relied on its carelessness.
But this Valley Master Zhan wouldn’t be so easy to handle. Without using some real skills, he wouldn’t be defeated.
“Kid, your performance is truly surprising. How about a deal? Join us and serve our master together,” Valley Master Zhan said, glancing at the shredded remains of the plague beast without anger.
“Join you? Are there no conditions?” Ling Xiao asked calmly.
“Hahaha, don’t worry, little brother. Our master loves talented people. Just kill those three, and you’ll be his vassal,” Valley Master Zhan replied.
“That’s not a hard condition, but do I have to die?” Ling Xiao asked with a smile.
“Hahaha, you’re joking, little brother. What I said earlier was only for those three useless fools. You’re different. Your value lies in your soul and abilities, while those three are only useful for their bodies,” Valley Master Zhan laughed heartily.
Hearing his words, Wanyan Jun, Chen Zui, and Shangguan Lei felt deeply uncomfortable.
They were inner disciples of the Moonlight Sect, third-level Mortal Realm martial artists.
Even among the inner sect, they were mid-tier in talent, far surpassing many others.
Yet Ling Xiao was just an outer disciple, and this demon called them useless, implying they were inferior to him?
Even if it was true, they deceived themselves, unwilling to accept it.
