In the depths of the Ancient Wasteland Region, beneath a jagged cliff, a secluded cave lay hidden within the shadows. Inside, Xiao Yan lay motionless on a bed of dried grass, his hollow eyes fixed on the rough ceiling. Despair clung to him like a suffocating shroud. He had poured in everything—his effort, his life, his faith—only to find himself weaker than others at every turn, beaten again and again until even his Storage Ring had been stolen. To think he still dreamed of defying the Hall of Souls, of making them pay—what a joke.
(TL/N: Poor Basterd, I feel pity for him, but oh well, I can't change the Entire Plot, now can I? So we'll have to see His miserable life for some more Chapters.)
Tap, tap. Footsteps echoed softly in the tunnel. Xiao Yan didn't move. He knew that sound—Gu Xun'er's steps.
"Brother Xiao Yan, you're awake," came her gentle, melodic voice.
He gave no reply, his gaze still empty. Were it not for the faint rhythm of his breath, one might mistake him for a corpse. Seeing him like this, Gu Xun'er's brows furrowed; worry and anger flickered in her eyes, though beneath both lingered an aching tenderness. Her tone hardened, sharp as a blade.
"So this is despair? The Xiao Yan I know never surrendered—not even when branded a useless man for three years. You never gave up cultivating, never stopped fighting. Yet now you lie there like this? Only now do you truly look like a waste."
Her icy words cut deep, yet they struck something within him. The cold pierced his chest, burning away the fog clouding his mind. 'That's right… I endured those three years. How could I crumble here?'
'Even without the Bodhisattva Seed, I can still reach the Half Saint realm!'
A faint gleam returned to his eyes, stubborn determination rekindling in his heart. He turned his head toward Gu Xun'er's frosty yet radiant face, his voice soft but sincere. "Thank you, Xun'er."
Seeing his resolve return, Gu Xun'er's expression thawed into a bright smile, one so lovely it seemed to outshine the blossoms of spring. "It's good that Brother Xiao Yan is back to himself. And perhaps retrieving your Storage Ring isn't impossible. Those three black-robed men may have hidden their faces, but their actions gave them away. All three spewed vile words, each one a Peak Dou Zun—and they clearly bore resentment toward Elder Yao. That alone narrows the trail."
Xiao Yan's body tensed. "You mean… You know who they are?"
Gu Xun'er nodded lightly. "There's a hidden sect, infamous beyond the Central Plains. Within it are three demonic cultivators, known as the Three Ghost Scorpion Demons. Apart from those three, the rest—over a thousand female disciples—are nothing but furnaces for their cultivation. They absorb women's Dou Qi to strengthen themselves. Their methods are vile, and they were once driven from the Central Plains by Elder Yao himself. Since then, they've dominated the outer regions unchecked, founding the Cloud Rain Sect to indulge in their perverse desires."
"Three Ghost Scorpion Demons…" Xiao Yan's tone was low and feral, his lips curling into a savage grin. "So it was them. They beat me, stole my ring… Good. Very good."
"Thank you, Xun'er. Without you, I wouldn't even know who my enemies are. The Three Ghost Scorpion Demons… when I return, I'll grind those bastards to dust and reclaim my Storage Ring—only then will my rage rest!"
Gu Xun'er's eyes flashed coldly, her voice chilling. "You will. I promise you that."
Suddenly, Xiao Yan's expression shifted. His Spiritual Power trembled as he sensed an unfamiliar fluctuation nearby. "Who's there?" he barked.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Applause echoed from the mouth of the cave, followed by a languid, mocking voice.
"As expected of the Xiao Clan's descendant—your senses are sharp. Brother Xiao Yan, you're looking quite miserable."
Xiao Yan's face darkened. At the cave entrance stood Hun Yu, his faint smile illuminated by the dim light, several younger members of the Hun Clan behind him. They entered as silently as shadows, revealing not a trace of killing intent, as though visiting old friends.
Even Gu Xun'er's expression tightened. Xiao Yan was grievously injured; even if she invoked her clan's bloodline mark, fighting their way out would be nearly impossible—Hun Yu was no minor foe.
Anger burned in Xiao Yan's chest, but he forced it down, glancing at Gu Xun'er beside him before meeting Hun Yu's gaze coldly. "As you see, I'm half-dead and stripped of everything, even the Bodhisattva Seed. If you're here to kill me, then fine, I'll fight to the end. But if you're after the seed, go chase those three black-robed dogs. Weren't they acting on your orders?"
His tone dripped with bitter mockery.
Hun Yu smiled and shook his head. "No, no, you misunderstand me. The Bodhisattva Seed? A mere trinket to slightly raise the odds of a Half Saint breakthrough. I've found something far greater. Why chase scraps when I can claim the treasure itself? Don't you agree, Miss Xun'er?"
At that, Gu Xun'er's face paled. Her heartbeat quickened; disbelief and fury warred in her golden eyes. She had never imagined Hun Yu would dare such madness—that she was his goal.
Xiao Yan felt the unease twist in his chest. Seeing the change in Xun'er's face made his blood boil. "Hun Yu, what the hell are you trying to do?"
Hun Yu's calm smile widened. "What am I trying to do? Why, Miss Xun'er, of course."
"What?" Xiao Yan froze for an instant before rage exploded through him. "You bastard!"
He staggered upright, ready to throw himself at Hun Yu even in his ruined state.
Gu Xun'er caught him, her tone glacial as she met Hun Yu's gaze. The polite mask on his face could no longer hide the beast beneath. "Hun Yu, if you dare touch me, are you not afraid of war between the Hun and Gu Clans? When that happens, you'll die without a grave."
"Afraid?" Hun Yu chuckled softly. "Of course I'm afraid."
He stepped closer, eyes deep and full of feigned affection. "But Miss Xun'er, can't you see my sincerity? If you hadn't rejected me again and again, I wouldn't have been forced to this. Let's settle it here and now. Brother Xiao Yan can witness it—afterward, we'll return to the Hun Realm for our grand wedding. I'm sure Father-in-law will understand my… devotion."
He smiled faintly, his thoughts dark and calculating. The timing, the place, the people—everything favored him. The Hun Clan was already preparing to launch its millennial plan. When it succeeded, the six remaining ancient clans would become nothing but nourishment for the Hun Clan. But that belonged to the clan—not to Hun Yu.
If he could seize Gu Xun'er's divine bloodline, his path to the Dou Saint realm would be wide open. With her as leverage, the Gu Clan would hesitate to act, and once the Clan Leader ascended to the Dou Di realm, Hun Yu would be next in line for the throne.
Such was the ambition simmering beneath Hun Yu's gentle smile.
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Members on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.