A deathly eerie silence enshrouded the world. Unfortunately, it was presided by an unearthly crunch and splash of crimson. Long Chen's right hand was outstretched as he bore witness to an event that would be seared into his memory until death, likely even after.
A delicate figure, gorgeous and fiery as the sun, with a feisty personality to match had met her untimely end. The bloody maw that bit into her torso and its razor teeth shredded flesh and bone until a forceful wrenching motion revealed a segregated half of upper torso and bottom torso.
"No…" Long Chen's voice descended into the depths of a chill abyss alongside his heart. Those legs of Hong Ru barely stood on its own power as it spasmed while gushing blood that drenched it. The thud sound as the frail, petite forearms landed on the ground could send chills down one's spine.
Long Chen could see the fingers on her hand with immaculately trimmed nails twitch and grasp as if alive. It was as if she was trying to grasp at hope. A last, futile effort at life. But it was already over.
His normally black eyes had become unfathomably bloodshot. It was as if bulging rivers of blood had formed within and the intensity of his pupils was extremely horrific to witness. Memories of the past flashed in his mind. These memories of Hong Ru's brash, direct, and fiery personality impacted his heart and mind.
When he arrived in the Myriad Monarch Sect, he was merely a Nascent Dust Disciple with no backing or foundation. He had to forge out a path of his own, performing missions and exploring this world. When he met Hong Ru, it was after his victory over Ji Yu. He had gained some reputation and recognition, and she grew interested in him.
This interest was fatal to both as they met numerous times later. She had even protected him from his enemies, shielding him with her superior cultivation base while he was weak. Of course, this was alongside Xiao Bing. The two, fire and ice, had formed an inexplicable relationship off her mild interest. It was her who drew Xiao Bing to him, and soon their relationship unknowingly evolved into an intimate state.
He took step after step and improved by leaps and bounds, his reputation and potential slowly revealing itself. During this, she and Xiao Bing used their respective backings to shield him. If it wasn't for them, he might've met the same or worse fate as Lin Ziyan.
Before long, his eyes became wet with tears and nearly overflowed. The insanity hidden beneath was slowly being uncovered as he dwelled on these memories. She was important to him, yet she was killed without him being able to do anything about it. Furthermore, it was his fault.
If he had run a different route...
If he was stronger…
If he had just activated his jade tablet earlier…
Regret. There was a saying that this world had no medicine for regret, and he hated this truth. Those eyes filled with endless, manic rage turned to Huangfu Jinwei who had a smile of ferocious ecstasy. He was looking from Hong Ru's half-corpse and Long Chen's shocked expression and felt an orgasmic pleasure within his heart, and the trembling of his legs betrayed his current state of mind. To him, this fate was best for that cheating slut. If it wasn't for Xiao Bing being a little quicker, he could do away with both of them.
To hell with the decades of his efforts. In fact, this moment felt better than ever because of his efforts. Their lack of response and pulling him along had pushed his mentality to the limit. Regardless as to why they didn't express their desire from the beginning or opinion of him, regardless if it was because of his future, his backing, or his always present kind smile as he met them, their lack of directness had pushed him to this moment.
This sight of Huangfu Jinwei's smile infuriated Long Chen. Just as Long Chen was about to lose his mind, his black ring flashed with vibrant light. While none present bore witness to what happened, Wu Yu had sighed.
"I was careless. This is the best I can do," As those words were said by him, he acted. A ray of spiritual light entered the gullet of Shadow Moon Wolf that had devoured Hong Ru's top half. It found the slightly crushed remains of Hong Ru's head and entered her glabella. In a flash, it retrieved her sea of consciousness that included her Mind's Eye, or the central doorway for her Soul, and brought it out. The spiritual light returned to the ring.
Before Wu Yu could inform Long Chen of his actions, Long Chen clenched his fist and yelled with madness: "Senior! I need your help. HE HAS TO DIE!" His words shook Huangfu Jinwei from his moment, turning over to see the maddened eyes of Long Chen. A smile that could be described as malevolent and perverted was revealed from his handsome face, his scarlet hair dancing in the wind.
"You're next," Huangfu Jinwei coldly stated. "I'll make sure it isn't swift or easy. Also, your head must be intact...otherwise, how would Lian Yu recognize you?" He had already thrown consequences to the wolves, his thoughts focused on satisfying his desire for revenge, his belief of revenge.
Wu Yu sighed once more. If it was before, he wouldn't interfere. But since his hesitation had caused the almost permanent death of Long Chen's woman, he couldn't hold back. After all, he cared about Long Chen. He was his successor. Regardless of his disappointing display thus far, he had revealed the potential to exceed even him. With this thought, he hardened his heart.
"If I infuse my power into you, you might be able to kill him, but the Myriad Monarch Sect will kill you in return for breaking the rules, especially against a fellow disciple." He explained to Long Chen. While Huangfu Jinwei had killed a fellow disciple, he had acted according to the 'rules' of the contest. It was acceptable.
But Long Chen's vengeance will result in his immediate termination, especially with the eyes of countless watching. He could only help in other ways.
"I don't care! Just kill him!" A dense aura of slaughter was unleashed from his body, effusing from his eyes in chaotic light. His mental state was nearly broken. He needed to kill. He needed to get revenge for Hong Ru. He owed her that much, regardless of the cost.
But he was too weak. He could only rely on external help. With three Shadow Moon Wolves staring at him like a piece of meat, he didn't feel any pressure. He had the greatest assurance in this starfield: Grand Monarch Wu Yu!
Wu Yu sighed for the third time. With a flick of dim light from the ring, a ray of spiritual light once more left it, but this time, it was in full view and capable of being witnessed by everyone. Its speed wasn't fast and it entered one of the Shadow Moon Wolves' glabella. When it penetrated its head, it howled ferociously in resistance as the Spiritual Spell that restricted and was gradually dispersing its soul was shattered.
This caused its sea of consciousness to collapse, its soul returning to the normal cycle of reincarnation as its death was swift. Wu Yu claimed its vacant location, and the Shadow Moon Wolf went silent. Then, without warning, an aura of imperialistic majesty and an invincible will erupted into the world.
Huangfu Jinwei spouted out a mouthful of blood as the Spiritual Spell had shattered, causing a fierce backlash of his Astral Soul. He was shocked as he felt the boundless and godly aura overtake his senses, the Shadow Moon Wolf's eyes had changed from being feral and vicious to gaining a unique awareness that carried sharp intelligence.
From his jade tablet, he lost Spirit Points. But Long Chen's jade tablet glowed, earning him even greater spirit points. By the formation and overseers, it seemed they realized that Long Chen had taken control of the wolf via an unexpected method. This only showed these individuals were swift and understood what had happened, at least a bit of it.
The Shadow Moon Wolf that Wu Yu had inhabited had its bloodline pressure evolve, and on its Silver Star was an ancient runic character that roughly translated to 'Imperial'. It was bright and brilliant, containing a majestic and endless will.
The two other Shadow Moon Wolves were temporarily cowed, but the Spiritual Spell within their seas of consciousness activated and they lost their feral intensity and became dull-eyed. That being said, they were still within Huangfu Jinwei's control.
Noticing the change in his jade tablet, Jinwei Huangfu roared. "Kill it! Kill it NOW!" He ordered. A strong sense of crisis and danger enveloped his heart as the lofty eyes of the Shadow Moon Wolf turned to him. He unleashed his Sky Pressure for support. The two Shadow Moon Wolves acted in tandem, pouncing towards the wolf they once called brother.
Wu Yu acted. In the Shadow Moon Wolf, he adjusted to adapt to this body before he pushed off. His speed and power were far sharper than the others, and he dodged their assault with ease. Unlike the Shadow Moon Wolves under control, he had full access to its potential and strength. If Xiao Bing or Long Chen had met these Shadow Moon Wolves in battle, neither would be able to escape from their claws. The only reason he could run was due to the Spiritual Spell that restricted them also limited their strength.
It was a trade-off for perfect slaves.
But Wu Yu had no disadvantage. Besides needing to adjust to the body's state, he could unleash a vast majority of its strength and bloodline power. He instantly shrouded himself in moving and chaotic shadows as he vanished from the world.
This was one of the Shadow Moon Wolves abilities, and how Hong Ru had been killed.
「Shifting Shadow of the Lunar Moon」
The other wolves couldn't respond. Wu Yu abruptly sprouted from the shadow of one of the wolves, and as it turned its neck, he clawed at its softest area. In a single move, its head flew from its body.
Huangfu Jinwei's eyes widened at this sight. He had barely been able to notice the Shadow Moon Wolves movements. Wouldn't that mean it could instantly kill him without him noticing?! He soared into the skies instinctively, ready to run. Fortunately, this action meant the Shadow Moon Wolf's ability was ineffective.
After all, shadows existed on the ground. If one soared and flew, how could it reach you? If it wasn't for this vital weakness, the Shadow Moon Wolves might've been a dominating force of the world. But Sky Rulers negated their strongest ability with relative ease: flight.
But this didn't save the other Shadow Moon Wolf. Wu Yu vanished again and reappeared behind the other. In a similar movement, he killed the other Shadow Moon Wolf. This wolf had Hong Ru's upper corpse in its stomach, and her blood and guts were mixed with its own.
Long Chen's eyes brightened. In his heart, he cheered. His composure was regained as he looked towards Huangfu Jinwei who floated in the sky. He said with a faint smile, "You're next." He sent his words back at him. A quiver of triumph within.
Wu Yu, in his Shadow Moon Wolf body, frowned as he glanced at Long Chen. In the end, he remained silent. He turned his eyes towards the floating Huangfu Jinwei. To him, this was nothing more than a distorted child. It was beneath him to end his life. But to make-up for his indecision, he had to.
His four legs bent, his eyes sharpened, and his claws clung to the ground.
Huangfu Jinwei paled. This Shadow Moon Wolf gave him a feeling of an undefeatable imposing existence that could take his life with ease. While he had a Soul Idol cultivation base, a strength that rivaled or even exceeded Shadow Moon Wolves, he didn't feel any chance of victory.
「Silver Moon of the Shadow Star」
Wu Yu executed another of Shadow Moon Wolf's abilities. It was the same move used to ensnare Hong Ru's mind, leading to a lapse of concentration. Furthermore, it was enhanced by his own spiritual strength. If it was an ordinary Shadow Moon Wolf, affecting a Soul Idol cultivator would be a dream and a half, but now…
From the shadow beneath Huangfu Jinwei, a silver moon emerged and his sea of consciousness was invaded by that image. Shadows from all over sought to consume his thoughts. They were invasive and invincible. His mind was ensnared as his Astral Soul and its Soul Idol's form were attempting to resist. Alas, it did him no good. He started to fall as he could no longer control the ambient mana to support him.
This was it!
Wu Yu shot off and dashed towards his descending body. Long Chen looked on expectantly. While it was unfortunate he couldn't kill him with his own hands, he'll have to settle for this. For Hong Ru.
Wu Yu was about to launch the fatal strike with optimal timing, ending this boy's life with a swiftness. Just as he was about to, his expression changed.
BOOSH!
The earth split and a figure emerged, separating Huangfu Jinwei's falling figure and Wu Yu's dashing approach.
A titanic figure appeared, its serpentine eyes revealing a silver brilliance. A voice echoed from it via spiritual force, "You want to kill a member of my Extreme Creation Mountain? Have you asked for my permission?"
