[Note: He/She pronounce are switched repeatedly for the mc Wind to represent whichever gender Wind is in at the said moment.]
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Inside the revolutionary army's base Jiao was facing the last stand of the survivors. He had a nonchalant expression as he revved up his chi and prepared to cast his techniques. But he still waited for his opponents' move.
"Those with defensive techniques, charge ahead!" Cao commanded.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Several figures leapt towards the sky. They weren't flying, but just leaping high.
"Humph! I see what you're doing." Jiao thought to himself and waited.
All sorts of ranged techniques were suddenly launched from the ground.
"Give them cover!" Cao commanded again & then glanced at Ken.
"Are you ready?" Cao asked.
"Yes…" Ken said gravely. This was going to be his last attack. Everything was for this one last attack. All his comrades who had charged ahead, and all those who were attacking Jiao from below to distract him and provide cover to those who were mid-air; they were all…going to die for this one move to succeed!
"Rising mountain of doom!!" Ken shouted loudly as the ground shook heavily and protruded upwards rapidly. Jiao who was preparing to defend against the multiple techniques and suicide attackers, frowned.
This mountain was massive and arose imposingly. Soon large numbers of spikes grew on it and continuously shot towards the sky like spears. This was the epitome of Potter technique. But this level of an attack was what only Lan could confidently produce. Ken instead would run out of chi within a minute. The one last crucial minute…
"Emperor Pull!" Jiao growled and raised his left hand towards the attackers, pulling them towards him. This was out of expectations. Cao thought that Jiao would defend or dodge and be distracted while Ken's final attack would manage to strike. But to the contrary, this proud emperor attacked! Everyone was pulled towards him…including Ken.
"Oh no!" Maurice shouted. "Ken, stay focused! I'll distract him." He said but suddenly his vision turned black.
"Devourer shadow!" Jiao had already cast that mysterious technique and black shadows were engulfing everyone!
The revolutionary army's base turned silent. But this silent was deafening.
Under the ground, Lan, Huian and the two bodyguards stood dumbstruck as they observed this scene via their observational techniques. This silence was very heavy on their shoulders. At this moment Lan gasped as she realized that everyone was dead.
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Meanwhile far away, a silvery figure was sprinting rapidly towards Ji Empire under the ground. This was Wind who was using the Earthworm technique to dig a tunnel deep underground and thus avoided getting noticed by anyone. Her destination was Empyrean palace. While Jiao was busy fighting the revolutionary army, Wind had a great timely chance to infiltrate the palace and save Misa.
Wind moved upwards. The soil in front of her morphed rapidly, forming a tunnel and revealed a rusty gate. This gate was very old and dirty. Wind kicked it open and easily entered inside. Everything was pitch black but Wind could perceive things clearly due to her 10000 li sight technique. In her vision, a secret passage had appeared which led directly inside the palace.
Wind was Prince Lu in her previous life. She knew all the secret passages of the empyrean palace like the back of her hand. The guards and the powerful cultivators weren't able to sense her as the secret passages were all insulated by the support type strategies. This was designed to allow the royalties to escape or move unobserved by any enemy. Wind was using this aspect to infiltrate the palace. She moved quickly and changed the passages. Soon she was inside the palace and reached the dungeon where Misa was held captive.
The dungeon was dark and reeked of disease. There were apparently prisoners who died in there and decomposed as well without getting a burial. Wind frowned and clenched her teeth. Back in her father Emperor Mizu's rule, this dungeon used to be completely empty and unused. Now…
"Help me, stranger. Let me out." A frail looking old man said as he reached out his bony hands from the gap between the bars of his cell.
"Is someone there? Please…I…need water!" Another person shouted from a dark cell.
"I don't want to die! Let me out please! I'm begging you!"
Tens of people called out to Wind who ignored them, not with ease though. Even though Wind never cared about people, the sight of these people was enough to make her feel sorry for them. Her 10000 li sight enabled her to see everything clearly. These prisoners were all dirty, weak, injured and dying. They had numerous festering wounds and looked horrid. They had apparently been tortured a lot and then left to die.
Wind scanned the surroundings quickly. There were some areas which even her technique couldn't see through. Misa was not in her view so Wind checked these blocked places manually. She simply barged into the cells and corridors and then observed. Ultimately, she reached Misa's cell.
"Granny Misa…" Wind uttered but froze in her spot. The very sight of Misa was tragic. Not only her limbs had been amputated and her eyes had been gouged out, there were numerous cuts and bruises all over her body. Her torn private parts and the nipple-less breasts spoke of the brutality done to her. Countless flesh-eating worms were crawling throughout her body. At once Wind was stupefied.
"What horrors!" She cried out, activating her magic to cast a healing spell. Wind was a doctor as well now. She knew the medical science and healing spells of the elf heritage. She could tell, Misa's situation was deathly serious. There were worms outside and inside of her body, eating her alive! Some had even gotten into her brain and could take her life any moment.
Misa groaned as she was unable to speak with a broken jaw. But her jaw bones rejoined due to Wind's healing techniques, enabling Misa to speak. The flesh eating worms in her brain were also destroyed and she was no longer in imminent danger of death.
"Who…are you?" Misa asked in confusion.
"Granny it's me…I'm your--" Wind cried out before stopping abruptly and calming herself down. "…I'm the White Clown." She said.
"…White Clown? But you're a girl!" Misa was rather confused. She had limiter fleas in her meridians which stopped her from using her chi for the ocular technique to look around, but she could still hear perfectly and knew that her rescuer was a girl.
"Yeah well, a certain technique backlashed." Wind answered briefly as she healed Misa.
"Anyway, I'm going to get you out of here now." Wind said. "Your injuries are too severe and need a lot of time even with all my medicinal techniques put to use."
Misa was truly at death's doorstep. But Wind could still save her.
"Let it be." Misa said and sighed. "I don't wish to live any longer."
"Don't say that granny." Wind felt a pang in her heart. "Live and avenge yourself and your family which was murdered by Jiao."
Misa smiled miserably. "I've tried that haven't I? It didn't work out. Even at my peak I was no match for Jiao. He's on a whole different level."
"Don't give up!" Wind exclaimed. "I am telling you; I can reach Emperor realm! I will kill Jiao then! You can help me too."
Misa shook her head. "You don't know everything about him. Even I don't but Jiao is not your ordinary Emperor. He's…different. He's got techniques which have never existed in history."
"So've got I." Wind said, referring to her magic but didn't elaborate.
"No…there's something ominous about his techniques." Misa muttered.
"Tell me about it." Wind frowned.
"I know very little. But he can manipulate shadows. Turning intangible to tangible! That is no technique…that's something else!"
"…I'll figure out a counter to that. You don't have to admit defeat. Even if you don't want to fight him, you can escape. The world is big. I will help you escape and settle in some nation far away from here." Wind said solemnly.
"Why go so far for me?" Misa asked. "You abandoned me in the battle at Empyrean treasury earlier."
"…" Wind stayed silent. She herself didn't know the reason entirely that why was she suddenly so caring towards Misa. But after becoming an elf, she had become more sensitive and somewhat emotional. Even though she still cruelly subjected the nuns and her own half-sister to demon breeding, she was continuously feeling guilty inwardly. Especially after she got raped by Deodomus, Plant King, Xiao and random boys; she started thinking about Karma too.
Although in the end she still only looked after her own interests, it was still something that was out of her character. Without a doubt, Wind had become increasingly emotional and although with a clear mind she took the logical heartless decisions such as capturing the nuns to raise a new demon army and sending her own brother to his doom, she still felt strange inside and now she was trying to save Misa out of her dire state and the original purpose had been set aside. Wind's old and new self were conflicting and struggling.
"I've lived long enough and in solitude." Misa said. "It is already a blessing that someone actually cared to come save me." A smile rolled on her lips.
"In my brain there is a trace of Jiao's shadow technique or magic or whatever you want to call it. I'm afraid it is either going to kill me or control me. It is best to just kill me now and evade the hazardous future possibilities."
"…" Wind frowned silently. She had very little information on this shadow technique. In the elf inheritance she found no records about such an anomaly. This was getting tricky. If Misa indeed got mind controlled, she could backstab Wind and harm her allies when least expected. Such a person with the powerful level 9 Sage realm cultivation was not be underestimated. Wind felt conflicted.
"Kill me now. Free me." Misa urged.
Wind sighed after some silence. "I needed your help. But more than that, I wanted to save you."
"Too dangerous." Misa said firmly.
"…In that case…" Wind faltered a bit. "Tell me where you got that Perfect Body cultivation technique. If I can get the complete version, even with my lower cultivation level, I'll be able to fight Jiao on equal terms, I'm certain."
"…How do you know about the Perfect Body technique? It was a secret between I, Mizu and Lu." Misa questioned.
"…I'm Lu." Wind said after some consideration.
There was a long silence between the two.
"I wouldn't lie to a dying person." Wind added.
"Hmm, it wouldn't accomplish anything." Misa muttered. "It really is you then? Little Lu…" Misa felt emotional. "No wonder you came to rescue me."
"Sigh, yes granny. I was reincarnate in the body of a young master from a small state." Wind said. "I didn't tell you about myself because you wouldn't have believed me."
"True." Misa smiled. "Oh, how I wish to hold you, but I have no arms…"
"I can help grow them back. Everything is possible." Wind urged.
"Possible but dangerous, with that shadow trace inside my head." Misa said. "I've decided to die. But I'll tell you about the technique you desire."
"Sigh. Okay, I'm listening." Wind said.
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Meanwhile in the revolutionary camp, dust was blowing everywhere. There was a dead silence. Corpses and rubble littered everywhere. It was a devastating scene. In the middle of it all, there was a large crater which was formed when Jiao used his Devourer Shadow method. Everything in its range disappeared, as though atomized entirely, including the land and the people standing upon it.
Under the ground, four people were shaking in fear.
"No way…they all died!" Huian exclaimed.
"Everyone…" Lan felt sad. She knew that most of them were willing to die. This was what Cao's plan included too. The most powerful warriors would distract Jiao while the weaker once escape. But in front of absolute overwhelming power, all plans were wasted. Everyone was devoured by the shadow.
"We must get out of here." The male bodyguard spoke.
"No. What if Jiao notices us?" The female spoke.
"We need another distraction." Lan said. "I'll do it. Can you folks escape on your own? I can create a 50 miles long tunnel to give you a head start. You'll have to depend on yourself after that."
"No, you cannot face Jiao." The male bodyguard spoke. "We're here to protect you. You're the main person here."
"I'll do it instead." Huian said while crying silently. The love of her life perished before her. She was completely broken inside. She wanted to kill Jiao or die trying.
"No, young master Ken entrusted your safety in my hands." Lan shook her head. "You cannot fight Jiao with your low cultivation level anyway. I'm the strongest here. I should do it."
"Please don't. We have no hope of survival without you. Jiao will catch up before we even reach the dead end of the tunnel." The female bodyguard said.
Boom! At this point, an explosive sound resounded in the base. Several thick and sharp tree roots broke through a rocky wall, opening up a tunnel in it.
Swoosh! A green haired young man barged in speedily. He was Qiang.
"Master!! Where are you?!" Qiang shouted on top of his voice. He swept the area with his perception, looking for Maurice but didn't find even a trace of him.
"Green hair, wood element…" Jiao mumbled as he looked at this brave boy. "You must be the rebel who killed one of my generals named Rhine." Jiao remembered the description of Rhine's killer that Gregory had sneaked upon and informed Jiao via Telepathy technique.
"You…!" Qiang growled. He was almost never angry, but this time, his body was already shaking with anger.
"Where is my master! Where is everyone?!" He asked boldly.
"…Isn't it obvious? They're all dead. Including your master, whoever it was among those weaklings." Jiao said while flying towards Qiang. "You'll join them shortly, don't worry." A cruel smile rolled on his lips.
"You evil villain! Die!!" Qiang roared as he summoned a knife shaped great sword and lunged at Jiao fiercely.
A scythe swept through air and a greatsword pierced through it too. The two weapons collided as Jiao and Qiang exchanged moves for the first time.
Bam!! Qiang was pushed back towards the ground while Jiao flew towards him like an eagle.
Bam! Clang! Clang! The two continued to attack and parry while Qiang was constantly pushed back. He landed on the ground and moved backwards, parrying Jiao's attacks. Qiang was an expert at blade fighting but Jiao had mastered his weapon too. In terms of cultivation, Jiao was leagues above Qiang. It was only natural that Qiang would be suppressed. Not using his other techniques, Jiao was simply toying with Qiang.
"Qiang actually came. But what a pity, everyone is already dead." A bodyguard sighed under the ground.
Bam! Bam! Clang! Swoosh! Sounds kept erupting along with the shockwaves that followed each collision of the two weapons. Qiang had been suppressed in combat, but the battle was merely starting. Qiang quickly turned to using techniques.
"Forest of bloodthirst!" Qiang roared and immediately countless leafless trees started to grow around him and Jiao.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Kreeek... The forest of blood thirst started to move. The trees' roots allowed them to walk on the ground and their sharp branches tried to pierce into Jiao's body. These trees could actually devour blood of their target but unfortunately, they couldn't pierce through Jiao's armor. Seeing this attack fail, Qiang didn't fluster. He moved the forest to obstruct Jiao in order to get some distance from him. Then he used another move.
"Forest fire!"
Bwoosh! The entire forest of blood thirst caught fire immediately, burning intensely and covering Jiao entirely in its hot flames. Jiao hastily retreated. He still hadn't prepared a move against fire element techniques. Although fire couldn't kill him, it was still a nuisance. Jiao tacitly decided to retreat for once.
He flew up in air and observed Qiang from above. Qiang was prepared to cast another technique but didn't. His techniques were meant to be used on the ground. As long as Jiao remained high up in air, Qiang wouldn't succeed in harming him.
Swoosh! Then Qiang leapt into air again, attacking Jiao with his great sword.
"Humph!" Jiao snorted and flew higher. He was now just teasing Qiang, having already seen through his technique.
"Tch…" Qiang frowned and went back down in a parabolic manner but landed on a tree top which had grown on the ground and kept growing taller and taller.
Jiao frowned and dodged as Qiang leapt at him again. On the ground, a tall forest was growing rapidly, providing footrest to Qiang no matter which direction Jiao fled to. This revolutionary army's base was an enclosed area with a limited sky. Eventually Jiao's aerial advantage was going to become obsolete.
"Not bad." Jiao commended coldly and fought Qiang again, quickly beating him back and then flew towards his chariot which was still hovering in the air.
As Qiang regained his footing, he frowned and leapt at the chariot.
Boom! A fire element technique was used by Jiao through the chariot and a huge fireball struck towards Qiang. He dodged it easily but with an explosion, a part of the tall forest was destroyed and flames spread to the nearby trees quickly.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Jiao kept shooting fireballs and flares at Qiang, pushing him into a disadvantage. Wood element was completely suppressed by the fire element. Jiao was an emperor possessing a massive storage of fire elemental stones, along with other elements'. He could use the elemental techniques easily and the chariot enhanced the usage of his moves.
Soon the entire forest was burning. Flames and hot air blew everywhere. It was like a scene from hell. Qiang however created more and more trees while jumping on the treetops to get around and attack the chariot from a different directions. He looked aggressive and Jiao seemed to be pinned in a spot, but actually the battle had remained in Jiao's favor from the start. Even though Qiang had immense chi, Jiao wasn't lacking either. But Qiang was using his physical body to battle while Jiao relied on the chariot. The battle of attrition would tilt in Jiao's favor. But that wasn't even on his mind. He was calm and allowed Qiang to get closer at once. He was merely playing.
Qiang speedily barged onto the chariot.
"Die!" Qiang shouted and struck at Jiao with his greatsword.
Jiao smiled and parried.
Krrrr! Suddenly, the rails of the chariot platform morphed and expanded, forming a cage around the two of them, enclosing them inside the chariot.
"Oh no!" Qiang's heart skipped a beat. He was trapped and was in a dangerous proximity to Jiao.
"Now then…" Jiao smirked reaching out, clawing his left hand. "Emperor pull!"
Thwok! Qiang's throat was gripped tightly by Jiao.
Bam! Bam! Clang! Qiang swung his great sword and kicked and punched, but Jiao remained unmoved and unhurt. Meanwhile Qiang was getting choked. Jiao's grip was too strong and could crush Qiang's throat into a mush any moment. Qiang used all sort of techniques and quickly many dangerous plants grew on his body. These plants emitted poisonous gas, acid and whatnot, but Jiao endured them with ease, increasing the pressure on Qiang's throat.
"I had fun, but it's time to end the game." Jiao said coldly.
Boom! Suddenly the chariot shook as it was struck by a huge fist made up of soil & rocks. Next, the fist morphed, forming several thinner yet pillar-like strong hands which grabbed the chariot cage and tore it apart! Jiao was astonished at once. Using this chance, Qiang struck more powerfully but still gained no result.
"Rising mountain of doom!" Lan shouted as she emerged from the ground. Underneath her, a huge mountain arose. There were countless sharp rocky spears on the mountain's surface.
"Spear rain!" Lan used the next move as these countless spears were shot up at Jiao like a reverse rainstorm.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The spear rain completely engulfed the chariot. The rising mountain of doom kept growing and ultimately struck the chariot with colossal power.
BOOM! With a deafening collision, broken rock spears splattered everywhere. Dust flew around obscuring the entire scene and loud sounds echoed as the debris fell here and there.
"I'm sorry everyone. I've let you down." Lan apologized as she panted. Through an observational technique she sensed clearly that Jiao was still alive.
Lan had abandoned the plan of fleeing and came out to battle. She simply couldn't just watch and flee while Qiang battles to death. Even though Lan and Qiang had merely a sexual relationship in the past, they still had similar mild nature and were a perfect match for one another. Lan had grown affectionate towards Qiang and vice versa. But Lan served Wind and Qiang had his own cultivation journey. They separated, only to meet again after more than a year. Lan couldn't watch him die and thus joined in the battle, letting the three people under the ground to their fates.
The two bodyguards and Huian remained silent. They had mixed feelings but they eventually smiled. They couldn't make any difference in the battle with their weak cultivation bases and were bound to die if Jiao investigated the area thoroughly and found them. They couldn't run far either. But they didn't fear death. They were rebels after all.
A large rocky hand moved through the rubble and brought Qiang over to Lan.
"Are you alright, Qiang?" Lan asked.
"Y-yeah..." Qiang answered. "Thank you for the aid. I didn't know you were here."
"No worries. I was helping the revolutionary army from a hiding spot. Anyway, let's escape together. We can still make it out alive." Lan proposed but Qiang shook his head.
"I'm not leaving. I must kill this villain or die trying. He's a mass murderer who even killed my master." Qiang said resolutely.
"Sigh, very well." Lan nodded. She understood Qiang's resolve. "Then, I will accompany you to the afterlife."
"…" Qiang looked at Lan deeply and sighed before nodding. "Thank you."
Boom! Suddenly a chi explosion occurred, pushing away all the dust clouds. Jiao emerged. His eyes were raging red as his cherished chariot was utterly destroyed and his armor was in shambles.
"Devourer shadow!" He roared, aiming his palms towards Lan and Qiang.
Whoosh! From his palms boundless shadows erupted, engulfing everything in sight.