Chapter 226 - The Pitiful Icebright Bear
Edited by RED
This time, Xu Qi no longer threatened Guisheng with his sword after severing the latter's arms. Let alone being a threat, it wouldn't be easy for Guisheng to even escape from him at this point.
As for the rest of the Undying School disciples, none of them dared to have any thoughts of acting out against Xu Qi.
At this moment, however, Xu Qi suddenly felt that he loved turning his enemies into human poles. When he severed Bu Chenglin's arms earlier, that ecstasy he felt was indescribable.
Now, even the only survivor of Bu Wanggui's entourage to Rivulet City had his arms severed by him. The joy Xu Qi felt even greater than before.
Could it be that I enjoy torturing others?
Guisheng stared blankly for a while at his fallen arm that was still grabbing tightly onto the School Master's jade token and suddenly laughed out loud.
"That's right, I killed the School Master. I killed my master with my own hands! Come kill me! Come on! I am the School Master now! Who dares to!?" Guisheng laughed maniacally.
His eyes turned completely blood red. The open wounds on his shoulders were still gushing blood, and Guisheng's face had began turning pale.
Some distance away, Bu Linghai was still stuck in a deadlock with Xuanwu while controlling his huge purple energy sword. He had been paying attention to the situation on Xu Qi's side, and his spirit instantly crumbled after hearing Guisheng admit to killing Bu Wanggui.
The trembling of the huge purple sword struggling against Xuanwu grew worse, and Xuanwu suddenly exerted greater force upon seeing the opening.
The purple sword shattered to pieces, and Bu Linghai was flung backwards.
The Ninth Elder was quick to react, and zipped over to Bu Linghai to catch him, despite his injuries. However, the tremendous force forced him to take a few steps backward.
Bu Linghai struggled free from Ninth Elder's support and walked unsteadily over to the crazed Guisheng. The Undying School disciples opened up a path automatically, not knowing what this supreme elder of their school was going to do. However, judging from his appearance, he seemed to be out for blood.
At this moment, Xu Qi sent a voice transmission to Xuanwu and Zhuque, telling them to pull back.
After receiving his order, Xuanwu returned to his human form, while Zhuque seemed to have no intentions of stopping. Seeing that there was no longer any land to burn on Mt Wu Nian, she made her phantom turn its attention to the Icebright Bear, and it attacked the bear together with her.
The Icebright Bear had been struggling to fight just Zhuque. With the addition of the phantom in their fight, its guard immediately broke and it suffered injuries, burns surfacing on its body.
In the end, Zhuque only stopped her attacks after seeing the flawless snow white fur on the Icebright Bear blackened and emitting smoke everywhere.
However, after she wished to call it quits, the humiliated Icebright Bear wouldn't let the matter rest.
It pounded its chest with his paws like an angry ape and bent its knees, suddenly leaping into the air.
No one would've thought that such a gigantic Icebright Bear would be able to jump so high.
Not only that, a massive snow-white ball of freezing energy large enough to encompass Zhuque formed outside its mouth and shot out at her.
Everyone around couldn't help but feel a chill when the white energy ball appeared. Even Xu Qi, who was never afraid of the cold, could feel a freezing sensation around himself.
However, Zhuque, still enveloped in flames, suddenly returned to her human form and quickly descended from the sky, while the phantom beside her disappeared.
The funny thing was, the Icebright Bear could only watch as Zhuque returned to human form and landed right where the bear had just leapt from. One of them was landing, while the other shot towards the sky, not even crossing paths.
The enraged Icebright Bear reached out with its paws to grab her. Alas, it wasn't a bear born with wings, and couldn't change its direction at will in midair.
The huge ball of frozen energy disappeared into the clouds harmlessly. The Icebright Bear's large frame reached the point where Zhuque was flying previously, and lost its momentum, falling back down.
While the Sect disciples were lamenting that the Icebright Bear had been made a fool of, Zhuque, who had returned to human form and landed on the ground, suddenly took flight again. Xuanwu, too, had risen up after resting for a breath or two.
They both turned into streaks of light and rammed heavily into the falling Icebright Bear. No one got a clear look at what exactly they did, but the Icebright Bear's large frame was smashed back through the air before it could reach the ground.
The worst thing was, the Icebright Bear was actually flung out of the flattened area at Mt Wu Nian's peak.
The Undying Sect disciples could only watch as the Icebright Bear flailed its paws comically after being smashed away from the mountain summit, and fell away down the steep slopes beyond the edge of the peak helplessly.
Shortly after, everyone atop Mt Wu Nian felt the ground shake violently. The Icebright Bear had obviously crashed into the ground, but no one knew whether it still lived.
While Bu Linghai was walking towards Guisheng, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, probably due to his familiar taking damage.
However, he seemed to not care about that, and stood next to the swaying Guisheng.
"Why did you kill your master?
"How did he treat you?
"You deceived and killed your school elders, seizing the position of School Master! Not only that, you incited internal strife with your glib tongue! You dared to break all of the most taboo school rules! How daring of you!" Bu Linghai roared out furiously, and then fell silent.
At this moment, Guisheng revealed a vicious look and suddenly pounced at Bu Linghai.
The injured Bu Linghai had never expected Guisheng would actually dare to attack him despite having lost both his arms.
A frail-looking figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere and flashed past Bu Linghai, carrying him aside. At the same time, he struck out with a faint red palm, and hit Guisheng's head.
Guisheng's skull burst open like a watermelon.
The rogue disciple was killed. His head had exploded and his arms were cut away. It would be tough for him even if he wished to reincarnate into his next life.
Everyone shifted their gazes onto the man who had saved Bu Linghai and killed off their fellow wicked disciple.
This young man wore a clean set of the Undying School disciple's attire. His frame looked thin and frail, but he stood straight and proud.
He had a sharp, handsome face, a tall nose bridge and round, spirited eyes, and was extremely pleasant to look upon.
"Senior Brother Lei!"
"Junior Brother Lei!"
Many disciples recognized this man and greeted him.
"You must be startled, Junior Martial Ancestor," this young disciple said to Bu Linghai respectfully.
Bu Linghai came back to himself and looked at this young, handsome disciple full of vitality, nodding his head slightly.
"Lei'er! Who told you to kill Guisheng! Kneel down, quickly!" the Ninth Elder said somewhat angrily as he walked over in front of the young disciple.
However, that young disciple didn't kneel down after hearing this. He only bent his waist and lowered his head.
The Ninth Elder shook his head helplessly. This young disciple was no outsider, but his own personal disciple, and also the most gifted and strongest of all his disciples.
His cultivation had advanced into the first stage of Void realm at a young age, and he was among the best of the younger generation. However, the heavens seemed to have closed a door on him after opening another.
This disciple of his had an extremely strange temperament. Ever since he joined the Undying School as a boy, no matter if it was their School Master Bu Wanggui, or his master, he never kneeled to any of them as a courtesy. He would only bend his waist like he did now.
The most infuriating thing to the Ninth Elder, and to Bu Wanggui while he was still alive, was that this boy was brought into the school at a very young age due to his exceptional talent, but when it came time to be named, he defied their will and insisted on having the "Lei" character in his name.
The Ninth Elder locked him in for ten days for that matter, but he was still unable to change his mind.
In the end, the Ninth Elder compromised helplessly and assigned this disciple into the "Jin"1 generation, naming him Bu Jinlei.
Although this young disciple had exceptional talent, Bu Wanggui had never favored him due to his unyielding nature and strange temperament.
Even so, this youngster was extremely well-liked by his fellow disciples. He would offer to do any and all sorts of work, even if it was dirty or tiring. He wasn't a man of many words, but he had gained an honest reputation among his peers.
However, there are times when a genius would be forgotten without having the chance to prove himself.
This exceptional talent of the younger generation gradually faded from the sight of the Elders and Bu Wanggui, with the latter even forgetting about his existence.
Even today, his sudden act of saving Bu Linghai and killing Guisheng had shocked many.
The Ninth Elder wanted to reprimand this disciple of his, seeing Bu Jinlei refusing to kneel down. However, his raised arm was caught by Bu Linghai.
"He did no wrong; conversely, he did great," Bu Linghai said plainly.
The truth was, the Ninth Elder didn't wish to fault his disciple, either. After all, he had saved Bu Linghai and rid their school of a wicked disciple. He wasn't permitted or under instructions to do so, but all in all, it could be said that he had added to his master's face. Seeing as Bu Linghai had no intentions of reprimanding Bu Jinlei, the Ninth Elder used this chance to brush this matter aside and said no more about it.
As the school's Guardian Elder, he felt miserable looking at the state Mt Wu Nian was in, and the fear in the disciples' eyes.
The fire had been extinguished, but everything was in ruins, and wisps of smoke were floating around still. The grand hall behind them was no longer standing.
Xuanwu and Zhuque were now standing by Xu Qi's side.
Bu Linghai looked at Xu Qi, the man responsible for the ruins around them. He was at a loss for what to do. Getting the disciples to fight him? Was that any different from sacrificing them for naught?
However, Xu Qi destroying the school and killing their disciples was an irrefutable fact, and an act that they could not endure peacefully.
What should I do?
At this moment, Bu Jinlei, who was in the limelight just moments before, suddenly raised his sword and pointed it at Xu Qi, challenging him, "You, do you dare to duel me?!"
Xu Qi ignored him. His gaze was akin to looking at an idiot.
"This senior, I killed those who deserved it, and my purpose here has been achieved. I, Xu Qi, have always been clear on gratitude and grudges. Let's drop this matter and never meet again," Xu Qi replied, and turned to leave.
However, the young disciple Bu Jinlei displayed his unusual courage once more and stood in Xu Qi's path.
Everyone else from the Undying School were treating Xu Qi's group like the plague and wanted him to quickly leave, not get stopped!
Bu Jinlei, on the other hand, seemed to be aggravating this plague on purpose.
"You ruined our school and killed our men! I demand a duel!" Bu Jinlei challenged him once more.
Zhuque, standing next to Xu Qi, was feeling restless and wanted to smack this pleasant-looking youngster flying, but was stopped by Xu Qi.
"Ruined your school? Killed your people? So what? Bu Chenglin humiliated my wife in the first place, and sent men to kill me! Although that failed, my close ones were killed! I'm already showing mercy by not massacring your entire school!" Xu Qi retorted coldly.
After hearing this, Bu Linghai beckoned the Ninth Elder to his side and questioned him.
The Ninth Elder then told Bu Linghai about Bu Chenglin's acts in the capital and Xu Qi crippling him, followed by Bu Wanggui seeking revenge for his son and sending the Four Protectors to kill Xu Qi, and then Bu Wanggui leading men personally to find trouble with Xu Qi.
Bu Linghai couldn't help but sigh after learning all this from the Ninth Elder, and said to Xu Qi, "Xu Qi, today's matter all stemmed from Bu Wanggui and his son. Their atrocious acts should be punished, but they are our school's disciples, after all. You killed so many of our disciples today, and even ruined our school! I'm afraid our Undying School can no longer find our footing if you leave just like that!"
"Oh? So you're planning on fighting me? I don't mind ridding the world of a school like yours," Xu Qi replied mercilessly.
Bu Linghai's cheeks twitched uncontrollably following Xu Qi's brazen threat. He said plainly, "If you're planning on wiping out our Undying School, I'm afraid you can't do it with only the three of you!"
"Really? Then we'll have to see if the Undying School's Inner School has that kind of strength!" Xu Qi replied uncaringly.
Bu Linghai was so shocked that he was at a loss for words after hearing the words "Inner School" from Xu Qi's mouth. He never expected this outsider to know about their existence!
"Don't be so surprised. I know much more than that. I'm already giving your Inner School face by not exterminating every last one of you here today," Xu Qi continued.
Bu Linghai kept making guesses about Xu Qi's origins. Having such strength at his age was already unusual, and he had two powerful monsters who could turn into human form standing by his side! This young man was definitely extraordinary!
He calmed himself down and said to Xu Qi, "The situation today has already left us in a position of fire and water; I'm afraid there will be more troubles between us in the future. In order to prevent any disastrous troubles from happening, why don't we come to a conclusion today?"
"So be it. Move aside; this madame here will roast them all and throw them down the mountain; that'll be the end of everything," Zhuque eagerly spoke up from the side after hearing Bu Linghai's words.
The Undying School's disciples felt a chill go down their backs, lamenting that this woman was indeed a monster; what a violent nature she had! However, none of them dared to utter a sound after remembering her strength. They didn't even dare to look in her direction.
Naturally, Xu Qi wouldn't let Zhuque do as she liked and waved his hand, inquiring of Bu Linghai, "Oh? Tell me about how you wish to end this..."
Bu Linghai glanced at Bu Jinlei and replied, "We'll send out a disciple around your age to duel you. No matter the casualty or result, our grievances will end right there! This way, we'll have an explanation, too! How about it?"
"Fine." To everyone's surprise, Xu Qi agreed to it without a second thought.
Translator's Notes:
1): It is common for clans or schools to name their descendents or disciples with a character that indicates their generation or seniority in the clan, followed by a character to distinguish them. For example, the four protectors of the Undying School: Bu Duanhun, Bu Duanfei, Bu Duanpo, and Bu Duansan. The Undying School members are all (with the exception of Guisheng) surnamed Bu, and in their case, the character that identifies their generation was "Duan" and Hun/Fei/Po/San are their distinguishing names.