Chapter Seventy-Five: Eliminating Seven Kill

The expression on Seven Kill’s face turned icy, and in an instant, he vanished from where he stood. In just a few heartbeats, he had already spotted Lin Fan’s figure ahead. Shadow trailed alongside him, silent, as if wracked with guilt.

“So quick to catch up?” Lin Fan was startled. He had already scared the two twice, and the third time he had hurled the Thunder Essence Crystal he’d taken from his family at them—all according to plan. His goal was to seriously injure both of them and then escape into the territory of the fourth-rank beasts, using it as a passage to enter Nantian County and from there, make his way to Heavenly Book Academy.

But before he could reach the fourth-rank beast territory—less than three miles away—he was intercepted. Seven Kill blocked Lin Fan’s path, his face grim and wordless as he attacked. At the same time, Shadow struck from behind. They would give Lin Fan no chance to turn the tables!

Boom!

Both were formidable mid-stage Meridian Unblocking cultivators, possessing immense power. At the moment they unleashed their attacks, the heavens and earth changed, winds and clouds gathering—a truly awe-inspiring sight.

“Slaughtering Incantation—!”

“Tempest Sword Technique—!”

They started with their mightiest moves, the kind reserved for duels with equals. Seven Kill’s face burned with murderous intent; Shadow’s eyes were cold as frost. Their ferocious auras rushed toward Lin Fan, making his clothes billow as if about to be swept away.

Yet at that moment, Lin Fan showed not the slightest panic. His body stood like a divine spear spanning heaven and earth. Suddenly, he shut his eyes; the next instant, they snapped open, his gaze now a silvery white, countless silver threads weaving within.

“I hadn’t planned on using my soul secret art, but you give me no choice. Couldn’t you just let me slip quietly into the fourth-rank beast territory?” Lin Fan whispered, lips barely moving.

With his words, the world that had been ravaged by the surging power of Seven Kill and Shadow, bolstered by their Three-Turn Gold Pills, suddenly fell still. Their moves, not yet fully unleashed, were abruptly interrupted by an overwhelming will.

The wind ceased. The clouds froze.

“Not good—!”

Panic seized both Seven Kill and Shadow. Throughout all their pursuit of Lin Fan, though repeatedly tricked and even sensing danger, never had they, even for a split second, felt the true presence of death so vividly. It was as if heaven and earth had become a cage, dominated by another’s will, and before them yawned a gateway to the abyss.

“Die—!”

It was as if gods and demons whispered in their ears. Lin Fan’s voice floated to them, gentle as a breeze tickling the ear.

“Retreat—!”

In that instant, as if a blade rested against their brows, cold sweat prickled on their foreheads as the two leapt back in terror. But…

Only Shadow managed to move. As Seven Kill tried to react, his body stiffened, frozen where he stood.

Boom!

The momentum he had gathered for action instead slammed him into the ground, snow spraying everywhere. Seven Kill’s aura faded silently away.

As snowflakes danced, Lin Fan’s figure soared past Seven Kill, racing straight toward the territory of the fourth-rank beasts. Three miles was nothing to Lin Fan—he could cross it in less than a breath.

Swish!

Shadow appeared before Seven Kill’s body. Seeing the lifeless form, his face contorted with shock and fury, the fear and unwillingness in his eyes thick enough to choke. He had never expected Lin Fan to have so many trump cards: first killing Broken Army when he let his guard down, then toying with the two of them, finally luring them into a trap and grievously wounding them with some unknown weapon.

Forced to swallow the Three-Turn Gold Pills, they had broken through to mid-stage Meridian Unblocking in the desperate hope of killing Lin Fan. Yet the moment they attacked, death had greeted them instead. He, Shadow, had survived—but Seven Kill had not.

Lifting his gaze to Lin Fan’s retreating figure, speeding toward the beasts’ territory, Shadow clenched his fists so tightly his fingers blanched.

But he could not summon the courage to give chase.

He had no idea how many cards Lin Fan still held. Though it seemed Lin Fan was exhausted and on the run, Shadow dared not gamble—dared not wager his life. Of all the mercenary groups hunting Lin Fan, the strongest were the four: Seven Kill, Greedy Wolf, Broken Army, and himself, Shadow. With Greedy Wolf still searching elsewhere, he, Broken Army, and Seven Kill—three mid-stage Meridian Unblocking experts—had cornered Lin Fan.

Against such odds, even a fellow Meridian Unblocking cultivator would have been doomed, let alone a mere Qi-Gathering junior. And yet, this youth had killed two of their number, one of whom, Seven Kill, had just consumed the Three-Turn Gold Pill and attained mid-stage power.

If word of this spread, it would not merely be their disgrace. Such monstrous talent would shake the entire Kingdom of Ice and Snow, with every major sect scrambling to claim him as their own. They had become nothing but a stepping stone—offering up their dignity, their lives, their blood, to pave a road of glory for this prodigy.

He shuddered to think that, when this youth stood atop the kingdom, their names would be forever recorded in history as part of his legendary rise.

For now, Shadow cared only to survive. He would never chase that boy again, even if it meant abandoning the influence of War Heaven County, even if he had to flee to remote lands and start anew under a false name. He wanted no more part in this hunt.

Even knowing that, in the future, people would say he had lost his nerve and disgraced his position as a leader of men—what of it? Should he risk his life for pride alone? He was no fledgling, and he knew: living was more important than anything.

If anyone mocked him, he would only sneer—none who have not faced death close at hand can imagine its true terror.

Most who claim not to fear death have never brushed so near to its shadow.

Moreover...

Shadow looked up at Lin Fan’s receding form, then turned to see his own followers—and Seven Kill’s—standing behind him, every face stricken with fear.

He suddenly smiled. “Originally, you were all going to die, since you’ve seen my humiliation and my terror. But I’ve changed my mind. You’ll be my core from now on. We’ll start over somewhere else. But you must all swear a soul oath to me—or else…”

He left the threat hanging, sure they understood. Having failed to kill Lin Fan, and with the Jiang family sure to seek revenge, he could not return to War Heaven County. If he hoped to thrive elsewhere, he’d need followers.

Besides, it had been half a quarter-hour since taking the Three-Turn Gold Pill. At most, he had another half before he would be too weak even to stand—another reason for not pursuing Lin Fan. Even discounting Lin Fan’s unknown tricks, he dared not chase into the fourth-rank beasts’ territory; in half a quarter-hour, he couldn’t defeat even a fledgling beast of that rank.

So he spared Lin Fan—and himself.

Originally, he and Seven Kill had planned to kill their followers for the sake of secrecy and pride, leaving only one each to help them escape the Vast Python Forest before the pill’s effects wore off. That survivor would take a soul oath as well, and even he would be killed later, once safe.

But now things were different. He could not return to War Heaven County. He had to take these men as his new foundation. As for when they’d outlive their usefulness…

“We are willing to swear the soul oath!” his men all cried, dropping to one knee, eager to swear fealty lest Shadow change his mind.

They had thought he would never spare them, but escape was impossible—the distance too short, and an enraged mid-stage Meridian Unblocking cultivator could kill them before they could react. All they could do was follow and hope for mercy.

None had expected Seven Kill to die, or for Shadow to spare them with only a soul oath as the price. In an instant, all swore loyalty.

[The rest contains update and website information, which is not relevant to the narrative.]