A step.
Then followed another... and another. Despite the deafening noise surrounding him, all he could hear were his footsteps—and of his thoughts. Flames surrounded the man, and its fiery heat radiated through his skin. It was, however, ignored by him.
"Hah... Hah... Hah..." Ling Yan panted with each foot forward.
Although he did not get tired because of his [Cleansing Qi Gourd], he felt as if his feet were full of lead this time—losing the will to advance with each meter forward.
"Why...!? WHY!?" He exclaimed, this has been the loudest he had ever been in this world.
Everywhere he looked, he saw people whom he had been acquainted with, who he had the pleasure to converse with, and who he had shared his daily life with. These people were his friends and family, despite the short amount of time since they had met.
Now they're all but corpses.
As he approaches his goal, one foot hesitates, afraid of the truth. But despite it all, he cannot bring himself to cry.
"...!"
[Warning: Expert in the Core Formation Realm with killing intent (100 meters)]
[The host is recommended to take action NOW.]
As if reciprocating his shout, the system had emphasized the dire situation he was in. It was all too sudden, sure, but he had to snap out of it—and Ling Yan knew that.
<<----------->>
"Useless... it seems this won't be enough to vent my anger."
As if everything he had done was for naught, the elderly man threw and discarded the person he had in a chokehold—he was fighting this person, it seems.
"These people had to just meddle my harvest."
The elderly man looked at the muscular guy with disdain. His trip had been meaningless, coveted and wasted by ignorant villagers.
"I didn't expect that Qilin to overpower me, a Core Formation Realm Expert at the last second... that's why these people were able to take advantage of me. Truly, what a—"
"...?"
"YOU!"
[Confirmed, Recycling [Jade Spear] for 25 Psionic Stars.]
"...?"
"Oh, it seems that another waste is here to squander my time again..."
The elder heavily sighed, as if bored of the whole thing. He rubbed his temples in annoyance, this day kept getting worse and worse for him.
Previously, he was furious about a random group of villagers who tried to steal the Qilin's Antlers, which contained the Qilin's stored innate energy and bloodline and were of great help to Qi Refining cultivator's breakthrough to the Foundation establishment realm. Apparently, it was for his new prized disciple—at least, according to what the system had told Ling Yan after spending a Psionic Star. This was Elder Hai Mu, the third elder of a local sect that was by the border of the two dynasties.
"Speak, I am not in the mood anymore, so I have no reason to kill you—not after that woman desperately fought with me. It was such a hindrance as I'm still injured."
[Seal Hai Mu's Cultivation, Requires 20 Psionic Stars]
"Where..."
"...? You must be the person she was trying to tell me not to kill." The elderly man snickered as if there was something funny about a woman protecting a man.
"Well, for starters, there are those children who tried to protect her—laughable."
"...!"
He looked in the distance and saw figures lying on the ground that appeared to be slightly charred—lost of all their previous luster. The smoke and fire had mostly distorted Ling Yan's view, but he knew his gut feeling was right. This was no other than the most familiar faces that he had known for the past two weeks.
"X-Xiao Mei! Xiao Liu—!" Ling Yan moved towards the two children in a panic.
As if Ling Yan was consumed by emotion, devoid of logic, his body moved at lightning speed. He wouldn't and couldn't believe it—as he kept on shouting their names...
Over, and over.
and over again.
There was still no response.
The body was still hot, they couldn't be dead, he thought. Indeed, he was right, they were indeed still warm—and his hands and arms were clear evidence of that...
They were blistering.
However, Ling Yan couldn't feel anything, the situation had dulled out his senses.
"Well then, I'll be taking my leave." As if bored, the elder had floated his feet above the ground.
It is common for cultivators in the Core Formation Realm to possess the ability to float and fly. The elder displayed this ability with such ease that it appeared as though he had not caused the massacre and arson that devastated the entire village. To him, these actions were normal occurrences.
"STAY!" Ling Yan exclaimed.
"...? It seems you're just another ignorant frog at the bottom of the well. What can you do to stop me with your meager amount of power!?" The elder shot Ling Yan an annoyed glare.
"I SAID, STAY!!!"
[Confirmed.]
"—!? Urgh! Wha—!" The elder stumbled to his knees, coughing out blood.
"...where!?"
"...? Wha-what! What did you...!"
"WHERE IS SISTER FU LAN!?"
Ling Yan's voice cracked—it was so loud that it overpowered the cackling sound of the surrounding fires. It was rare to see him like this, even back in his old world, he did not show this side often—the side where he totally loses his reasoning.
"Y-you're... you're..." The elder struggled to form words, he was no less than a mortal old man.
"SPEAK!"
"Under... Under you!" The elder mustered the last of his strength to utter the words, falling to the ground.
Below him lay nothing but ashes and an ordinary locket, which, oddly enough, was unscathed by the flames.
"...you dare lie to ME!?"
"No...!"
[Confirmed.]
Appearing out of thin air, a foot-long needle pierced the elder's back, straight to his heart.
[The Host is incorrect, Hai Mu is not lying.]
"...!?"
Ling Yan's expression broke, and his eyes widened—as he looked at the silver locket surrounded in ashes. Slowly, but surely, he picked it up and opened its contents. A simple note fell to the ground as Ling Yan desperately caught it.
"..."
Long pauses of silence settled in, each minute was like an hour, time passing by like a flash. The cackling flames grew every second, yet it had not made Ling Yan move an inch, his knees on the ground.
[Brother Ling, as laughable as it sounds, the days I have spent with you were the most lively I had in years. It pains me to hear that you might be departing soon. Nonetheless, I impart to you this locket and hope that this will keep you safe . Don't forget about your precious big sister and protect us someday, okay? The next time you come here, the whole village will throw you a feast.]
[Sincerely, Fu Lan]
As he held the paper in his trembling hands, raindrops poured and sullied it. It was such a wrong time for it to rain—or so, he thought.
Unbeknownst to him, he had forgotten the idea of crying. To the point that it had not passed him—his whole face was already drowned in his tears. It was unknown what had happened after then.
[...]