"Look at you, child. You were fine just a moment ago and now look at you again. If I'd known, I wouldn't have let you go out. You actually went and—and made up a story to fool us! Jian Xin! Do you have any idea how serious this is?!" Chen Jian said, looking at Jian Xin, who was lying in bed with a reluctant expression. "......"
"Dad~" Jian Xin looked pitifully over at Jian Wei.
"Look at me! Why are you looking at me? You little rascal, you've grown a pair, haven't you? Not only did you lie to us, but you got yourself hurt besides. You actually dared to go into a cave on a rainy day like that—why weren't you buried alive in there?!" Jian Wei stood there, looking displeased; his heart was not about to soften this time. Jian Xin had no idea how their hearts had leapt into their throats when they were searching the mountain and heard the sound of a rockslide, right up until they saw Jian Xin miserably crawling out from a pile of rubble with several scratches on his body from the falling stones.
"Ah, achoo—achoo—Mom~~" Jian Xin looked pitifully at Chen Jian, looking as wretched as anyone possibly could.
"You child, you've caught a cold. Bundle up tighter." "Why haven't you gone to get the ginger soup yet? How old are you and you still don't know how a little rainstorm like this can blow up, and you actually let Xiner go out!—"
"That's right, that's right, exactly." Jian Xin muttered in agreement, pouting his little lips as he seized the opportunity to stand on the same front as his mother. That way, at least the two of them wouldn't yell at him together, and Mom might even help him block Dad! Out of consideration for Shi Wei's final words, Jian Xin did not mention him, choosing instead to make up his own reasons for why he had gone to the cave.
"......"
Inside the cave, hearing the commotion outside gradually fade away, Shi Wei finally lost consciousness in peace. His injuries were severe—extremely severe—and surely no one would come here to hunt him down now, so he could get some proper rest. When he finally woke from that sleep, it was already noon of the following day.
Shi Wei staggered to his feet, massaging his temples in pain as he looked at Liang Kuan's corpse by his feet and the items scattered across the ground. "To think that a branch master's own son would have only this much in his personal spatial ring. With a proper life to live, why go be a dog instead? You've completely disgraced Master!" He picked up a mask from the floor—the very item that had fallen and made the noise earlier. It belonged to him, having been knocked off when he escaped. It was also a mask capable of stirring up the winds in the Spirit Domain; nothing less, simply because it was the mask habitually worn by the leader of the Shadow Society. And the Shadow Society—every movement it made in the Dongling Spirit Domain was enough to kick up a storm. Of course, that was the Shadow Society of half a month ago. As for how many people were left now... even he had no idea.
There was no time for sorrow. Shi Wei waved a hand, tossing Liang Kuan's corpse aside and casually covering it with loose stones. He stood up, holding the mask in his hand without putting it on, just gripping it. The leader of the Shadow Society had to die so that he could live and exact his revenge! "No matter who you are! I will drag you down to eternal damnation!!"
***
The next day, at the foot of the mountain, three men dressed in different styles slowly walked down. One carried an aura of debility, another brought a spring breeze to the eyes, and the third possessed a majestic bearing that gave off an untamed, rebellious feel. "Shi Wei, you ended up like this? What are you planning to do?"
"Knowing his personality, he's definitely going to charge back and kill them, you idiot. Do you even have to ask?"
"Well, I'll plan it carefully, but you guys have to help me!"
"Of course we will!" the two shouted in unison. One of them wore golden robes, possessed a robust physique, and carried a broad saber as tall as a man on his back that radiated a scorching heat, exuding an air of unbridled arrogance and supreme defiance. The other was dressed in white with a long sword at his waist and a simple jade crown upon his head, cutting the figure of an elegant young lord. Of course, despite this scholarly appearance, this man was also a ruthless character. These were Shi Wei's close friends and sworn brothers, as well as geniuses of the Spirit Domain on par with Shi Wei himself. Having sustained heavy injuries, he had been hiding in the cave precisely to wait for the two of them, only to run into Jian Xin first and then encounter Liang Kuan. If those two had been around earlier, dealing with Liang Kuan definitely wouldn't have taken so long—they could have resolved the fight in an instant. Such was the gap in strength!
"Long Yan, Cang Yuan."
"What is it?"
"You're not about to say something mushy and grateful, are you? Don't tell me you've turned as hypocritical as Cang Yuan."
"Go to hell!"
"Tell Aunt Lian and Uncle Feng to be careful. Recent events have been a bit strange."
"How so?"
"When the turmoil happened at Jiuyou, I happened to hear my subordinates reporting that an elder of the neighboring Painting Court had also been killed. Both were murdered by those close to them, but none of those people had the guts or the ability to pull it off. Furthermore, some time ago, Half-Immortal Kong and Lan Kuan of the Rogue Cultivators Alliance died at the hands of the disciples they usually trusted. More recently, the ruling matriarch of the Red Leaf Empire died in a power grab, and the old ancestor of the Qing Feng Empire died in an uprising instigated by a clan member who had been banished from the royal family—his very soul was blasted into oblivion. I heard he used some miraculous method to be reborn a few days ago, only to be attacked by something else; nobody knows if he's dead or alive yet. Huh? No wonder it felt a bit familiar."
"What does that have to do with you telling us to pass a message to our master?" Long Yan asked.
"I went and investigated, and I found out these people were all very close with our master. When they were young, they adventured together into the forbidden zone known as Sword Mountain, and all of them survived, even bringing things out—namely, the weapons the three of us wield. Because of this feat, they were also called the Seven Generals of the Two Spirits. You two should still remember."
"Meaning they're being targeted for revenge? Hurry up..."
"Take care of yourself!"
Shi Wei looked up at the sky, his gaze profound, carrying an uncontainable fury and murderous intent. "No matter who you are, one day I will settle accounts with you all, and that day won't be far off!!" He had already arranged for these two brothers to contact people to help him conceal his tracks, and he had declined their offer to travel together. They all had their own things to do, and he was no good-for-nothing!!
***