“Dad, where is this?”
“Where’s Mum?”
In a magnificent, resplendent hall, a slender boy in white robes looked up at the middle-aged man beside him, who was covered in blood. His eyes held a trace of confusion and fear.
Just moments ago, he had heard countless shouts of battle and killing.
The uncles and elders who had always seemed so kind to him suddenly changed their faces overnight, charging at his dad while calling him “demon” and “scoundrel”!
It was as if, in that instant, all the academy’s teachers had abandoned their father and son.
So, this middle-aged man, the boy’s father, had broken into his room under the cover of night, then led him into the forbidden area at the back mountain. They followed a passage to this hall buried deep underground for untold ages.
From the moment they entered the hall, the vicious words and noisy clamor from outside seemed to vanish instantly.
“This is the forbidden area of Great River Academy, also known as the浩然 Ancestral Temple.”
“Here, we enshrine the spirit tablets of Great River Academy’s past sages!”
The middle-aged man looked weary, his eyes lacking their former sparkle.
As the academy dean’s direct disciple, he was practically the designated next dean. But just a few days ago, the woman he loved had suddenly become a demon everyone wanted to kill.
Faced with this, he couldn’t bring himself to believe it, yet the dean forced him to choose.
…
“Qin Yun, you are Great River Academy’s most talented disciple in a thousand years. In just thirty years, you’ve reached the late stage of Core Formation. Even across the entire Divine Domain with its great sects and holy lands, you’re among the most brilliant prodigies!
So, as your master, I don’t want you to stray because of a woman. I hope you understand my intentions!
Kill her, and you remain my direct disciple!”
“But… Master, Yu’er is also your disciple!”
“And she’s my wife!”
“She’s only been corrupted by evil energy. I beg you not to harm her. Give me time, and I’ll bring her back!!”
In the rainy night, the direct disciple of Great River Academy knelt outside the dean’s study, pleading desperately.
“Foolish child, you’ve learned so many principles from me. Why can’t you see clearly when it comes to yourself?
In this world, nothing is perfect. You must know that to gain, you must sacrifice!”
“This disciple doesn’t want to sacrifice or gain anything. I only ask Master, for the sake of our master-disciple bond, to spare my wife’s life. I’m willing to pay any price, even giving up my position as direct disciple!”
“Scoundrel, why persist in delusion!!”
“Yu’er isn’t corrupted by evil energy but by the witch poison from beneath Hidden Dragon Abyss!
In today’s world, unless an immortal descends, no one can cure the witch poison in her. If left unchecked, she’ll become the second body of that witch demon below Hidden Dragon Abyss, and then she won’t be herself anymore!
The best solution now is to end her life, giving her final dignity!”
“No! I don’t believe it!!”
“There must be another way!”
“Right, the Immortal-Seeking Incense… Master, please take out the Immortal-Seeking Incense. Perhaps we can summon an immortal to descend and purge the witch poison from Yu’er!!”
“Qin Yun, you’ve disappointed me greatly. I’ll give you one last day to reflect. Don’t forget, you have a son waiting for you! The entire academy’s teachers and students are watching you!”
“Master!!”
With a creaking, grating sound, the study door closed. In the pouring rain, only Qin Yun’s unwilling roar echoed.
Boom—
A bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky, as if responding to Qin Yun’s words.
In a daze, Qin Yun arrived at the place where his wife was imprisoned.
“Senior Brother Qin, the dean specifically instructed that you can’t enter, to avoid a grave mistake. I hope you can underst…”
Seeing Qin Yun approaching slowly, the two academy teachers guarding the place frowned slightly. One of them spoke awkwardly to explain.
But before he could finish, Qin Yun pointed a finger at him.
“Kill Character Art!”
Qin Yun’s face was expressionless. With a point of his finger, endless golden light converged, forming a “kill” character, which vanished without a trace in an instant.
A blood hole appeared in the forehead of the speaking academy teacher, and he toppled backward stiffly!
“Ah…!”
“Qin Yun, you dare betray the academy…”
“Split Character Art!”
Qin Yun glared at the man, his righteous energy surging, forming a massive “split” character.
With a flash of golden light, the enraged academy teacher exploded, turning into a mist of blood!
“I’m sorry, she can’t die. My son is still waiting for her!”
Qin Yun’s expression was pained, his eyes bloodshot. After taking a deep breath, he stepped into the imprisonment area.
The moment he entered, eight bell tolls rang out from the academy’s back mountain, followed by the dean’s voice.
“Scoundrel Qin Yun dares betray the academy. From today, strip him of his direct disciple status and expel him from the academy!”
“Effective immediately, all academy disciples evacuate quickly. Teachers, activate the academy’s Demon-Suppressing Grand Array. Join this old man in suppressing the demon!”
“Yes!!”
Figures instantly flew to various parts of the academy.
The next moment, brilliant pillars of light shot skyward. An invisible barrier emerged, sealing the entire academy. Then, above the sky, an immense blood-red “suppress” character appeared, slowly pressing downward!
At the same time, Qin Yun finally emerged from the imprisonment area, carrying a blood-soaked woman in white robes.
But at that moment, the woman was cold all over, already lifeless…
“Qin Yun, don’t persist in delusion!!”
The dean, with black hair and a ruddy complexion, stood in mid-air, looking down at his disciple below, a flash of regret in his eyes.
“Master, Yu’er is dead…”
Qin Yun looked up at the dean in the sky, then down at the woman in his arms. His pained face forced a smile as he lowered his head to kiss her lips.
After a long time, their lips parted, and a surge of blood-red energy erupted from Qin Yun!
An incredibly terrifying, powerful aura emanated from him, palpitating hearts.
“Yu’er, your husband will take you home now. We’ll go see Hao’er, reunite as a family, and leave this heartbreaking place!”
With that, Qin Yun looked up, the smile on his face gone, replaced by endless coldness. Glaring at the dean in the sky, he raged, “Old fool, you still want to stop me?!”
“Insolent!”
“Qin Yun, you’ve been corrupted by witch poison and have fallen into demonic ways. We can’t let you leave the academy, or you’ll become a calamity for the entire Southern Border!
Forgive me, as your master!”
“Activate the Demon-Suppressing Grand Array, trap him!”
With the dean’s command, the blood-red “suppress” character in the sky spun instantly, pressing down on Qin Yun below!
“Hahahaha… what a hypocrite, even willing to kill your own disciple. This saint will help him destroy your damned legacy today…”
Suddenly, Qin Yun’s voice changed, becoming hoarse, as if turning into another person. His eyes turned blood-red.
“Kill!!”
…
“Dad, what’s wrong with you?”
“You haven’t told me where Mum is yet?”
In his daze, Qin Yun was awakened by his son’s words. He looked down at the little boy beside him, whose eyes were filled with fear, and smiled gently, “Hao’er, Mum has gone to a faraway place. Soon, Dad will go find her too.”
“Don’t you want Hao’er anymore?”
Hearing this, the little boy’s eyes welled up with tears.
“No, Dad and Mum will always love Hao’er. But our Hao’er has grown up now. You need to learn to be strong and independent, to adapt to living on your own!”
“It’s time… cough cough… I can’t hold on much longer!”
Suddenly, Qin Yun’s voice turned hoarse.
The next moment, Qin Yun’s voice returned to normal, “Alright, almost done. I hope you keep your word, or I’d rather kill myself than become your second body!”
“Rest assured, I’ll plant the Witch Demon Immortality Curse in your son’s body. But you’re ruthless, willing to turn your own son into a monster like me, hehehehe…”
“I don’t care. I just want him to live forever!”
“Then let’s begin! Push him into Hidden Dragon Abyss, and I’ll grant him power! Hahahahaha…!!”
