CHAPTER 30: KILLING FISH

A Black Mountain Sect's disciple said with a fawning smile. "Steward Tianxiong, when we entered the city today, I seemed to hear the sound of firecrackers and gongs. Someone had to be holding a wedding, so I released a spirit insect to follow them and noted down the address. Steward Tianxiong, would you like us brothers to accompany you and refine your daoist techniques tonight?"

Chu Tianxiong grinned in satisfaction. "Your name is Liu Wei, right? You are smart, I'll remember you. Tonight, I'll let you be the first to taste the bride."

Everyone burst into raucous laughter.

However, a moment later, Chu Tianxiong's face distorted like a demon. "That Seven-Colored Peak's chief disciple, Qi Yuan, was far too arrogant today! If not for his master, I'd drag him through a bloody calamity and let him taste living hell!"

"Steward Tianxiong, I heard that Qi Yuan has a screw loose. Don't trouble yourself with such a fool. Once we unify the Great Shang, you can do whatever you like to that fool, Senior Brother."

Night slowly deepened. Just then, a knock came from the gate—slow, deliberate, and rhythmical.

The disciples in the courtyard stopped their chatter.

Keeping his eyes at the gate, Chu Tianxiong instructed, "Liu Wei, go take a look."

Liu Wei got up and walked over. He opened the door, revealing a masked figure.

The mask was crude, simple, and completely flat, without revealing any facial features.

Liu Wei smirked at the newcomer. "What are you doing here?"

The masked man simply took out a vegetable knife. In a hoarse and raspy voice, he said slowly, "I'm a bit hungry. I came to kill some fish to eat."

Liu Wei froze. "Are you a fool?"

Noticing what was happening at the gate, Chu Tianxiong said from inside, "There are fish in the pond. Let him in."

Liu Wei chuckled, "Steward Tianxiong is kind-hearted, rewarding you with a fish to eat."

Someone inside the courtyard asked, "Steward Tianxiong, why should we let him in?"

Chu Tianxiong replied, "It's boring here, might as well find some amusement. That man's insane, but his skin is pretty fair."

Bold and powerful, they feared no troublesome strangers. Besides, they sensed no hostility from the masked man.

The masked man stepped inside. Black Chicken Ancestor was cultivating in the inner courtyard, while the others looked at the stranger with contempt.

When the masked man approached, Chu Tianxiong suddenly ordered. "Take off the mask. Let me see your face."

The man paused, hesitated for a while, then asked softly, "You really want to see?"

"Haha, what's wrong? Afraid because you're hideous beyond belief? If you're ugly, I'll give you a new face!"

The other disciples burst into laughter, the moonlight casting monstrous shadows on their faces.

The masked man sighed. "Before I put on this mask, I warned that anyone who sees my face meets a bad end."

Chu Tianxiong sneered. "Bad end? Tell me all about it!"

With a white flash, the masked man raised his knife. Before anyone could react, Chu Tianxiong's massive head fell to the ground. The smug smile from moments ago remained frozen on his face.

Shock rippled through the crowd. Too fast. Too sudden.

The masked man thoughtfully stared at Chu Tianxiong's head, murmuring, "So, I was your bloody calamity. Meeting me sealed your fate. If there's a next life, just reincarnate as an ant. I'm a good person. I'd never do something as terrible as pouring boiling water on an ant's nest."

The others stood dumbfounded before erupting in anger and shock.

"Steward Tianxiong!"

"How dare you?!"

"Villain!"

Though fearful, they rushed at the masked man.

The masked man smirked in a laidback manner. "In my game, monsters have no health bar. You also don't. So, how are you different? Oh, wait. There's one difference. You can scream, so I don't need to voice your pain. Truly, heaven made me for a purpose. Each of you shall cry in chorus. Ah.. did you hear that rhyme? Genius, I am a genius!"

He moved through their confusion, rage, and terror, dancing like a masterful performer with his vegetable knife. The blade rose and fell with eight strikes in the summer night.

"Aaah!"

"Run!"

"Who are you?!"

Within moments, more than half of the disciples lay dead. The handful that remained trembled in fear.

At that moment, someone roared in fury from the inner courtyard, "You insolent brat!"

Black Chicken Ancestor had finally emerged. The remaining disciples lit up with desperate hope. Terrifying as he was, there was no way the masked man had reached the Core Formation realm!

With a roar, Black Chicken Ancestor released a core light beam at their enemy.

The masked man raised his vegetable knife and shouted, "Heaven-Cleaving Sword!"

This was his first time unleashing such a great technique in the real world. The dire situation made him go all out.

He leapt into the air, moonlight draping over his white robe. His outline faintly shimmered white, making him appear ethereal. Yet, his knife edge gleamed ruthlessly.

To Black Chicken Ancestor, it was as if the vegetable knife had fallen straight from the moon.

A torrent of unimaginable blade light surged forth, drowning Black Chicken Ancestor's core light. He showed fear for the first time.

No way! Could the masked man actually be stronger than him, a Core Formation realm cultivator?

The blade cut through everything, smashing apart his protective core light and shattering his defenses. Just like that, the mighty Black Chicken Ancestor was split apart. His Golden Core—once round and bright—shattered into a riddled husk.

The masked man blinked. "That's it?"

He knew he would win, just not this easily. Was he too strong? Or was his knife just that good? Or perhaps...

The masked man stared at the pitiful Golden Core. "Too small. The core light couldn't withstand even a single strike. Looks like when I form my core someday, I'll need a much bigger one."

Then, he raised his head, gazing at the night sky. "The core light should also shine at least as bright as the moon."

Meanwhile, the few trembling disciples either quaked or fled.

The masked man recited. "I am a man of the motherland, happiest when slaughtering whole families!"

With that, he swung once more, hacking the last few to pieces.

He glanced at the corpses, then walked calmly to the pond. "Time to catch a fish for dinner."

Rolling up his trouser legs, he squatted by the pond. He washed his vegetable knife clean and caught a fat black carp.