'I only have to kill her, afterward, Xunhue won't be a problem and I can leave freely."
Thought Guan Jing, as he looked at the smirking Zhi Rui.
As Zhi Rui moved to make a battle Stance, Guan Jing acted,
In a split second, he crossed the distance between them and slashed the blade of light that formed in his hand downwards, aiming at her neck.
Zhi Rui pictured it'll be like this, she shifted her body to the side, and the blade of light grazed shoulder. Before Zhi Rui could examine the damage, Guan Jing slashed his hand horizontally. Zhi Rui felt the sharp heat of the light and threw her upper body to the ground. Again the blade grazed her skin. the tip of her nose started to bleed.
Guan Jing saw her poor stance and scoffed. Without moving from his place, He pointed the blade at Zhi Rui "There's never too much deception in war." The blade's length suddenly increased. Zhi Rui saw as the blade came for her heart.
In a second She thought about her enlightenment and a formless transparent spirit formed in front of her chest. The blade was stopped for less than a second, then it pierced through. But Zhi Rui had jumped up already.
She knew, her only way to content with him is physical strength, her spells, and trait acquired from cores alone are too weak. if not for the blessing of lust Zhi Rui wouldn't even be able to delay the blade for that short time. If she was more satisfied and less tired, she would be able to defend safely.
Guan Jing's face crumbled, "You turn level one, and in the day after you learn how to invoke the illusory image of the past owners of the train. Then you evolve to level two, and instantly understood the laws, and mixed the traits to build something unique. You're a Truly talent." He said coldly.
Xunhue on the back knew he was right, the normal person takes half a year to understand, then another half a year to learn. yet Zhi Rui did it the day after. 'Truly a monster.'
She thought.
Guan Jing laughed grimly, "But it all ends here." He gathered his index and middle finger and patted his chest, a new blade of light formed, it was red and vibrated powerfully.
Zhi Rui narrowed her eyes a plan forming on her mind.
Suddenly she Charged to him.
"What me to stop my ability!? TOO LATE!" Guan Jing said as he swung the five meters long blade horizontally at Zhi Rui.
She jumped up, the blade did not even graze this time, but she was four meters away and in midair.
Guan Jing laughed "Truly dumb!" with a though the blade suddenly transformed into small vibrating dots. They seemed like a mosquito, buzzing nonstop.
Seeing as Zhi Rui started falling again, the small dots formed right where she would fall. "As I said, there's never too much deception in war." Guan Jing said smugly.
Zhi Rui answered with a smile of her own. "I know right?" she was midair, one meter above the dispersed dots. SHe stopped.
Before Guan Jing could process the information, Zhi Rui materialized another midair support. With all her strength, she jumped at him the downward direction multiplied her weigh, THUMP, she smashed his chest with the elbow.
the cracking sounds could be heard from afar. The moment he fell in the ground, Zhi Rui did not let him think and straddled on him. she showered his face with punches. When he was almost unconscious, Zhi Rui stood up.
today you died, by a heavily injured level two, without excuses. The only thing you'll leave behind, will be a dirt reputation of incompetence, and with these images I recorded I'll extort your family, so not even them, will think good of you, they'll probably curse you to suffer in hell.
Guan Jing had tears coming from his eyes, it mixed with the blood, but his sobbing voice resounded in Zhi Rui's ears.
"y-you, already kill me, why do that?"
Zhi Rui smirked, "My pet, It brought me joy. And because of you, it died."
As the light left his eyes, Guan Jing last image was of a Zhi Rui grinning wickedly at him.
Zhi Rui waved her hand in a grabbing motion. The remnant spirit of Guan Jing came to her. She merely stored it inside her core. Suddenly fatigue came over her.
But the sound of steps behind her did not let a second to rest. And she remembered, There was still one more vengeance for today.
"Isn't it better if we go now? I mean what if your brother did not manage to kill those two?" Asked an apprehensive Xunhue.
Zhi Rui slowly turned and stared at the girl on the eyes.
Xunhue grew awkward and looked down. As if on cue, steps came out of the pagoda's entrance.
Xunhue and Zhi Rui looked. Zheng Li's dirty, disheveled complexion appeared, he walked slowly, as if walking in his own home. on his spear, there was two dark elve's head.
Xunhue almost spat at the gruesome sight. Zheng Li did not speak, he stopped and Looked at Zhi Rui. ANd now Zhi Rui could see and feel exactly what his look was trying to convey.
She smiled at him, "Don't worry. I understand."
Zheng Li suddenly felt like sniffling, after battling two experient people of his level and winning, he finally got his recognition.
Zhi Rui ignored Him and looked sternly at Xunhue's face.
Xunhue, again felt awkward."E-Erhm-"
"I can give you the whole legacy, no just the tip." Zhi Rui said.
Xunhue froze and looked at Zhi Rui. "What?"
Zhi Rui approached the girl never breaking eyes contact.
"Pledge, on your soul, that If I give you the other part of the legacy, making your complete. You'll wholeheartedly help me take over the light sect."
Everything turned silent, Xunhue's eyes darted around everywhere, she was mumbling, things like 'How, why, consequences.' And so on.
Guan Jing's said the elders would reach us in a day, by that we have around two hours, but what if they are early? They could appear at any moment. I need you to decide it now."
Zhi Rui pressed.
"B-But, The great evil-" Xunhue mumbled.
Zhi Rui cut her short. "The great evil; is the ancient 'Trial of the underworld.'"
As Zhi Rui spoke, Xunhue's eyes opened wide. The name clearly rang a bell in her mind.
"Zhi Rui continued, it seems you know what it is, then I'll just gloss over it. In ancient times a Few doors to the underworld appeared throughout the whole world, not just this continent. cultivators, beasts, spirits, gods, all kinds of sentient beings would pass through those doors and compete in the underworld. naturally, a lot of them died there. and since it appeared once every hundred years, it's impossible to know how many lives were lost there. But one thing I assure you, each one that entered, did so out of free will."
Seeing Xunhue's moving eyes, Zhi Rui played her last card." instead of worrying for what others do with their lives you should think about yours. with the complete legacy, you'll reach heights, people cannot imagine. All you have to do is pledge."
Xunhue squirmed in place.
Seeing it, Zhi Rui sighed annoyed and took the initiative. "I swear, on my soul. that if Xunhue from the light sect, pledge to help me take over the light sect and the empire. I'll give her the rest of her legacy." As Zhi Rui finished her words, a bolt of lightning shined through the clear sky.
Xunhue's legs trembled. and finally, She gathered her courage, and pledget with trembling words. another bolt of lightning thundered. She felt guilty for the person whose inheritance she took, but her eyes grew firm. "I'll always remember and thank you senior, in your name I'll try to save as many lives as possible, I'll live for it."
Zhi Rui smiled, Her eyes turned to Zheng Li. and she blinked mischievously. taking a rare smile out of him.
She left Xunhue standing. And walked to the pagoda's entrance. step by step she wasn't in a hurry like she told Xunhue. Finally, she reached the last floor, the statue of Roberta floating on top of the chained stele, had brightly lit eyes. The voice of Roberta echoed.
"Where is the inheritor of my legacy?"
Zhi Rui ignored the voice and looked around, the corpses of the dark elves laid strewn on the floor, gashes of blood, broken walls, the place was a mess. But Zhi Rui's mind focused on the green jaded coffin. Then on the statue.
"She betrayed your will." Zhi Rui spoke lightly.
"Humpf, was she murdered by one of you?" with the voice, Zhi Rui felt the tug inside again, and she laughed.
"It's that hard to believe, I know. After all, it's been barely twenty minutes since she so sincerely accepted the responsibility, people are so incredible." Zhi Rui mused.
"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED AT ONCE!" The voice thundered, but contrary to expectation, Zhi Rui was not influenced by any pressure and did not felt the pressure.
"First, you managed to keep your conscience through the last stage, and now, you're not affected by the original Roberta's law of soul. WHO are you?" It sounded suspicious.
Zhi Rui laughed and smirked, a malevolent expression appeared on her face.
"You keep deflecting, for an ancient consciousness, you should know that you must face the problems head-on and not stall." As Zhi Rui said, she threw a hope rock on the ground and walked to the chained stele.
from the rock, the image of Zhi Rui convincing Xunhue to do her pledge played from beginning to end. Neither Zhi Rui nor the statue spoke.
Zhi Ri looked at the statue attentively. seeing the light grow dim Zhi Rui chuckled.
"How does it feel? you competed hard, managed to reach the divine realm, and then sacrificed your life, well not only yours. I assume there one person like you in each door to the underworld? well to be brief, you all sacrificed your whole life for the sake of sealing it. Centuries were wasted, only to some girl take that effort and step on it twenty minutes after receiving it."
Zhi Rui laughed and pointed at the statue.
"And the one responsible for the failure is you."
A trembling voice finally spoke, "H-How could there be someone like this!?"
'To make an ancient consciousness like this cry, you're too bad, Xunhue' Zhi Rui mused.
"AND YOU! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?" Seemingly just remembering Zhi Rui the voice spoke.
Zhi Rui aura turned cold, and she moved her hands. One above the coffin, and another holding the statue.
"My mother, you took her from me, you could've let me be, but you forced your chastity principle on me. I cannot take vengeance on the first time. but this time I can do something about it."
A bright ball of light came out of the statue and the coffin and both settled on Zhi Rui's palm.
"What are you doing, people will be attracted to the underworld's trials and millions will die! hundreds of disciples like me would have their sacrifices laid to waste!"
Zhi Rui smiled "Exactly. And the beauty of it, it that they'll come out of their own free will. They will come for riches and power. Some will come out wealthy or strong, but most will die But I won't judge them it's all out of their own free will. I'm giving back the freedom your church took away."
"T-This frame of mind... You're a child of lust!" The ball of light exclaimed on top of Zhi Rui's palm.
Zhi Rui smiled sardonically. she picked up the last pill of two that Bianca gave her, and swallowed it down.
As the effects kicked in, Zhi Rui spoke."You almost got it right, let me give you a small hint. I don't have a soul, I live only in the flesh."
Suddenly the ball of light grew chaotic. "No soul? That's why the defense mechanism doesn't work on you, they are all used to manipulate the soul wait...YOU'RE NOT A CHILD OF LUST! YOU'RE THE DEVIL OF LUST ITSEL-"
Before it could finish speaking Zhi Rui covered it with her maxed out in pleasure inner energy.
As she tamed it and killed its will, Zhi Rui thought to herself
'Yes, you got it right.'