Chapter 6: The Dark Moon

“Do you have any objections to me taking Liang Chen and the other two away?” the old man said calmly.

The old man was dressed in coarse cloth, with a bamboo fishing creel on his back and a cyan bamboo fishing rod. Through years of use, the rod had turned from cyan to a deep reddish-brown. Though there was a smile on his face, his aura brook no argument or refusal!

“Very well. If you let me take these three away right now, I will reserve a spot for you to enter the Dark Moon. How about that? Isn’t this what you have always wanted? Now I am giving it to you, and all I want in return is to take Liang Chen and the two others with me!”

“Of course, if you refuse, that is up to you as well. As long as you can defeat me, the life and death of these three will no longer have anything to do with me from this moment on!”

Who was this old man? How could he possess such terrifying power? Seeing the expression on Lie Yan Cheng’s face turn incomparably grim at this moment, it was obvious that he was utterly terrified of this person. Never mind, dwelling on these matters now was meaningless; in short, he was safe for the present.

“Old Fisherman, it’s actually you? Haven’t you been in seclusion for many years? Is it appropriate for you to come out of retirement now for the sake of these three completely unrelated people? Is it worth it?”

“So, you agree? Excellent. This old man is no longer your match anyway, and I am truly glad that you have given me this face!”

“You three, come with me now! Rest assured, Lie Yan Cheng is a grandmaster of his generation and naturally will not make things difficult for you. Oh, right, Lie Yan Cheng, once you become a member of the Dark Moon in the future, remember to look me up for tea.”

“Humph!”

Though filled with extreme reluctance, Lie Yan Cheng could only watch helplessly as the Old Fisherman took Liang Chen and the two others away. He lacked the courage to pursue them, and the reason was simple: he was afraid of death!

Swish!

Four piercing sounds whistled through the air!

“The three of you must be extremely curious about my identity right now, aren't you? Go on, take a guess: who on earth am I, this old fellow?”

The Old Fisherman's greatest pleasure in the past had been combat—fighting different experts every day and winning; that was what he loved doing most. However, as he gradually reached the pinnacle and became the strongest, he lost interest in fighting. Now, his greatest pleasures were fishing and making others play guessing games!

“Senior, look at the three of us; we are all heavily injured right now. Even if we had the heart, we simply don't have the strength. Who would have thought that dealing with a single Lie Yan Cheng would take so much effort!”

“Enough. Do you have any idea how formidable Lie Yan Cheng used to be? It was always him beating others, never others beating him. Therefore, the three of you have made history today. As for why I stepped in to help you, it is because I believe the three of you are very well-suited for the Dark Moon. Do you know about the Dark Moon?”

Not knowing the Old Fisherman's true identity was one thing, but not knowing about the Dark Moon meant practitioners of martial arts would consider you an outcast!

“The Dark Moon? The three of us can enter the Dark Moon? Senior, are you joking? Who doesn't know that the Dark Moon is the number one mercenary guild in the world, with its business covering all aspects? Ever since the fall of Yishui, the Dark Moon gradually emerged from the shadows for more people to know!”

“Guild Master Tie Zhan, known as the Fist of God, has reached the pinnacle of martial arts. Yet, this man always comes and goes like a divine dragon, and no one knows where he actually is right now.”

Nameless Sword was quite clear on the matter, but as he spoke, he felt the atmosphere growing somewhat strange. The Old Fisherman looked at him with a smile. “I couldn't tell, but you really know quite a bit about me. Isn't this wonderful? Well, we have arrived. As for you, you will recuperate here from now on. Liang Chen, I know what your thoughts are; you have always wanted to take control of the Liang family. That will be very easy. If you cultivate here for a time, you will certainly achieve it.”

As the world's premier mercenary guild, the Dark Moon should possess a grand and imposing facade, right? No, one could say the Dark Moon was stark and austere. All elders and disciples lived in caves, and the only gathering place was a boundless plaza. As for treasure pavilions and similar places, they were also just caves. Only by being placed in a primitive environment could everyone's fighting spirit be ignited—this had always been the Old Fisherman's philosophy.

“Alright, alright. Today I have brought you three newcomers. Their martial arts foundations are all quite good, though they are currently injured. Let them eat their fill first, and we can discuss further plans afterwards.”

The Old Fisherman looked at Liang Chen and the other two. “Since you have decided to come here, everything from now on must follow my rules. Eat your fill first and talk later.”

“You are brought by me, so under no circumstances are you allowed to disgrace me, understood?”

Since the Old Fisherman was tired of seclusion, naturally he would no longer meddle in affairs. Today was a fine day for fishing, anyway. Since everything he ought to have done was done, whether they could stay depended entirely on their own abilities!

“We respectfully bid farewell to the Old Fisherman!”

The Old Fisherman waved his hand. “Alright, alright. I've already retired from the world, so there's no need for these formalities. Taking good care of these three will be the best way to thank me!”

“Come with me. Once you've come here, don't even think about leaving. Unless you get three layers of skin peeled off, don't expect to stand firm!”

There were many rumors about the Dark Moon. Some said that every disciple of the Dark Moon was a bloodthirsty madman, cold-blooded and ruthless, with nothing in their eyes except missions, willing to abandon everything for a mission, even sacrificing their own lives without hesitation!

Today, however, it was exceptionally quiet; there was not a single person to be seen on the plaza, which was truly rather strange.

“There's nothing strange about that. It's the Old Guild Master's will. He was worried that if you witnessed our training and battles, you might become frightened, and in the worst case, trigger old injuries. That wouldn't be good.”

“Just ahead is the cafeteria. You can eat here. Don't look at the Dark Moon as being austere on the surface; in reality, being a disciple of the Dark Moon is the happiest thing in the world. The Dark Moon's cafeteria has everything—if you can think of it, they can make it. Alright, you can go in yourselves; I will only escort you this far.”

This disciple seemed like a pretty good person, but why did he always like to speak in half-sentences? Would there be some trouble shortly? Never mind; the air was already filled with a rich fragrance. At this moment, eating should take priority. Only after eating one's fill could one properly handle other matters.

“Are these the three people the Old Guild Master personally brought back? They don't look like much. How could the Old Guild Master value them so highly? No way, when we came here, we had to earn our place step by step through brutal fights. By what right do they arrive and have all the rules changed? This is extremely unfair to all the disciples!”

Disciple Jia's face was filled with contempt for Liang Chen and the other two. Liang Chen, at his advanced age, naturally wouldn't take such a gaze to heart; in the Liang family, he had to endure such treatment almost every day.

Nameless Sword and Yi Xin naturally didn't care either. “You guys go find a place to sit; I'll just look around casually. This cafeteria is really huge!”

Nameless Sword was young, after all, and had never imagined that a place just for eating could be so massive. He suffered from severe internal injuries, but now, seeing so much delicious food, his mood improved significantly.

“Ouch!”

“Where did this stinking brat come from? Walking without eyes? The Dark Moon has really fallen; anyone can just walk in now. It's just a pity about this nice dress of mine!”

Ling Shuyu was in a terrible mood. The stinking brat in front of her had caused the fresh soup she had worked so hard to buy to spill all over her clothes! She was a person who loved cleanliness above all else, and now she was covered in grease and oil. How was she supposed to go out and face people like this?

“Yes, yes, yes, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll pay for this dress!”

It was his fault; Nameless Sword admitted his mistake!

“Pay?”

Ling Shuyu seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. This was no longer a matter that could be resolved with a simple 'I'm sorry' or an offer of compensation; this concerned her pride, the face of Ling Shuyu!

Someone had slapped her in the face in front of so many people. Who could accept this? Who could endure this?

“Pay? Do you think you can afford to pay? Looking at your destitute appearance, I can tell your background must be terribly humble. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't even have the qualification to speak to me. However, who says I'm not a kind person? How about this, I won't make things difficult for you; as long as you kneel down and say to me, 'I was wrong,' this matter will be considered settled.”

“How about it? This shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?”

Ling Shuyu was beautiful, and in the Dark Moon, she had countless suitors. It was said that the number of her suitors was still continuously growing, to an almost exaggerated degree—if Ling Shuyu were to say she wanted a single drop of water from the ocean, someone would immediately freeze a drop of seawater into ice and place it in her palm!

Truly, a single word could give life, and a single word could bring death!

With such a commotion, how could it not attract others? The young disciples dining nearby witnessed this scene and didn't even need to think: it must be Nameless Sword's fault. Ling Shuyu was so pretty, how could she possibly be in the wrong?

“A big man bullying a weak woman! Kneeling and apologizing—what's wrong with that? Isn't it what you ought to do?”

“Xiaoyu, don't say another word. Leave this matter to me; I'll teach him a lesson for him. Today, if this brat doesn't apologize, I will absolutely not let him leave this place alive!”

“This friend is certainly speaking very arrogantly. Today, we simply refuse to apologize. What do you want to do about it? Fight? Sure, let's see whose fist is bigger and harder!”

What was the one thing that happened every day in the Dark Moon? Fighting. Even though it was staged daily, everyone's enthusiasm for this activity remained exceptionally high.

Ling Shuyu was a natural actress. Sensing that the atmosphere and the crowd were just right, she immediately put on a pitiful and heart-wrenching expression, which further stirred up the protective instincts of countless young men. Daring to bully their resident belle meant courting death!

Ling Shuyu loved nothing more than watching men fight on her behalf. If they won, she might not necessarily praise them, but if they lost—sorry, from then on, you were a good-for-nothing in her eyes. She would make sure no one paid attention to you, and all cultivation resources and techniques would be cut off from you. Therefore, just to win a beauty's smile, they could not afford to lose.

“Wen Sandiao, why are you everywhere? What are you doing? Are you joining others in bullying a junior? Let me tell you, as long as I am here, none of you are allowed to act recklessly!”

Everyone looked with astonishment at Vice Guild Master Sanhu. Why had he changed his tune today? Others were bullying their own people, and as Vice Guild Master, shouldn't he be standing up for his own side?

“If you want to fight, go to the plaza outside. The cafeteria is a place to eat. All of you hit with such heavy hands—what happens if you ruin the food here? Have you ever thought about the consequences?”

Sanhu loved to eat. Out of the twelve double-hours in a day, he spent about ten of them in the cafeteria. His greatest interest every day was eating good food; he had no interest in fighting.

“Right, go outside and fight to the death! Nameless Sword, do you dare?”

Countless disciples echoed this sentiment, assuming the newcomers wouldn't dare, because no one had ever dared to challenge the people of the Dark Moon!

“I can't go on living anymore! My face has been completely lost. If others find out, who knows how they'll laugh at me? I don't care, you all must solve this issue for me! If you can't resolve it properly, I'll never speak to you again!”

This last sentence was the most lethal. The men of the Dark Moon could endure all kinds of grievances, but they could never endure a beauty ignoring them! With those words spoken, everyone's anger reached its peak!

“Outside! Today, I will settle accounts with you once and for all!”

The plaza instantly gathered a massive crowd of disciples. They all knew that today's battle was different from ordinary ones. In truth, Ling Shuyu was just a pretext; the men of the Dark Moon genuinely wanted to see by what right Liang Chen and his companions could make the Old Guild Master value them so much! Therefore, this battle was unavoidable!

The preparation process for battles in the Dark Moon was very streamlined. In no time, snacks and refreshments for watching the spectacle were all prepared.

“Respectfully welcoming the Guild Master and the Old Guild Master!”

On the elevated platform directly ahead, three figures slowly appeared. The leader was dressed in fisherman's attire—none other than the Guild Master, the Old Fisherman. On his left was a middle-aged man of refined demeanor who favored red robes, known as the Crimson Guest; on his right was a handsome elder, who was Ling Shuyu's master, Earth Dragon.

These three were currently the strongest individuals in the Dark Moon Guild. No matter what happened, as long as these three were present, every problem could be resolved!

“Old Guild Master, today you must uphold justice for my disciple! Over so many years, how has my disciple performed? Quite well, wouldn't you say? Yet such a child has been bullied by others. Tell me, how can I, as her master, feel good seeing this scene? Therefore, you must give me an explanation today!”

“Hahaha! Brother Earth Dragon, since the fight has already begun, everything will be decided by the results. If Liang Chen and the others lose, handing those three over to you is naturally fine. But if they win, what will you do?”

Though the Old Fisherman had been in seclusion for many years, his aura remained formidable, his smiling eyes tinged with a hint of chill!

“Humph, my disciple will certainly not lose! Very well, even if he truly loses, I will immediately leave the Dark Moon and never return for the rest of my life. That should suffice, shouldn't it?”

“Hahaha, Brother Earth Dragon, you put it too seriously. In fact, there is no need for such drastic measures. Alright, alright, let's all take our seats and enjoy the match!”

Guild Master White Wolf was somewhat helpless; neither side was someone he could afford to offend!

The Old Fisherman knew that challenges were the rules of the Dark Moon. He was well aware of the strength of Liang Chen and the other two; as long as Earth Dragon himself didn't step in, Nameless Sword would certainly not lose.

“Brat, in a moment I'll let you know my power. From now on, take a detour whenever you see Ling Shuyu!”

Even at this point, Wen Sandiao was still issuing threats.

“Old Guild Master, we've seen plenty of ordinary duels. Why don't we try something new today? The winner can acquire one of the Dark Moon's unique secret martial arts manuals. How about that? As for the loser, I won't demand any heavy price—just that whenever they see my disciple in the future, they must stop and respectfully call him 'Grandpa.' Viewed this way, neither side suffers a loss!”

The Old Fisherman looked at the smug Earth Dragon. “Very well, since Brother Earth Dragon is in such high spirits, I naturally agree without hesitation. Let's do it! Nameless Sword, Wen Sandiao, you both heard it. The winner will receive a reward; likewise, the loser has no qualifications to remain here. Do you have any objections?”

“Old Guild Master, your self-created divine martial art will definitely belong to your disciple. I don't even need to fight this battle to know that Nameless Sword is no match for me. Everyone, am I right?”

“That's right! Senior Brother Wen's martial arts have reached perfection, and he possesses innate divine strength. Even facing ten thousand enemies, he would not flinch in the least. What is a mere Nameless Sword? He can be dealt with with a single finger!”

Waves of mocking jeers almost drowned out Nameless Sword. However, having just experienced a life-and-death struggle, his inner state had become exceptionally calm. People could say whatever they pleased!

Seeing this scene, the curve of Ling Shuyu's mouth grew even wider. That's right; you trash-like men should bow down before me! Whatever I tell you to do, you must do!

Why could Nameless Sword not show the slightest emotional fluctuation? Was he truly this confident about this battle? No, that was utterly impossible!

“Very well, since everyone has decided, I declare today's battle begun! Everyone should stop at the point of yielding!”

Swish!

At Guild Master White Wolf's command, Wen Sandiao's body shot forward like lightning! His hands erupted with a dazzling light, as if something explosive was about to burst forth!

“The Sacred Light Seal? Actually using the Sacred Light Seal? To deal with such a nameless brat, he's actually going this far?”

The Sacred Light Seal was an supreme treasure Wen Sandiao had obtained back then after countless brushes with death. Every time he reached a life-or-death crisis, pulling out this treasure was guaranteed to turn misfortune into safety!

Over time, the Sacred Light Seal had completely assimilated with Wen Sandiao!

The outcome was decided!

The moment the Sacred Light Seal appeared, the result of this battle was already sealed!

“Die!”

Wen Sandiao's face was completely distorted. Daring to bully the woman he loved most was opposing him, and such a person had to die!

“Hahaha! Good! Excellent! Wen Sandiao's power is growing stronger by the day, and his mastery of the Sacred Light Seal is becoming more refined. Old Guild Master, I'm sorry, but it seems I've won this match!”

Earth Dragon's expression was naturally brimming with smug triumph. How many years had he waited? Finally, he had the opportunity to let this old fellow, the Old Fisherman, experience what true failure felt like. For all those years in the past, no matter what methods he used, he could never defeat this man. Who would have thought Wen Sandiao would perform so brilliantly and bring him such honor today!

“Hahaha! Nameless Sword, crawl back where you came from! This isn't a place for you. Being able to stand here and speak to us as piece of trash is your greatest honor. What? Did you really think you could defeat Lord Wen Sandiao? Keep dreaming!”

Frenzied mockery rang endlessly in Nameless Sword's ears. He didn't care at all. Although he was currently severely injured, he also knew he could absolutely not afford to lose this battle. Fortunately, Nameless Sword didn't like losing either! If he truly lost to the annoying Wen Sandiao today, he might as well quit the path of martial arts altogether!

Nameless Sword finally untied the tightly wrapped bundle on his back. The long, slender package should have contained something of supreme importance to him. Though it was well-wrapped, the outer layer of cloth was truly shabby!

Layer after layer after layer—there were a full five layers!

The crowd's gazes followed Nameless Sword's fingers as they peeled back the cloth, curiosity burning within them as to what could possibly be inside.

Yet, when the final layer of cloth was removed, the entire crowd burst into raucous laughter!

“Hahaha! That's hilarious! I thought it was some incredible treasure. After anticipating it for so long, it turns out to be just a broken sword! Wrapping a broken sword in five layers of cloth—what a pauper!”

“Brat! If you don't have primordial crystals or better materials, I can give you some, as long as you call me 'Grandpa.' That won't be a bad deal for you!”

The only people in the entire audience who did not laugh were Liang Chen, Yi Xin, and the Old Fisherman! They knew that the more ordinary a weapon appeared, the more astonishing might it could unleash. It had been so since ancient times, without exception!

“No need. This sword may be a bit old, but it has accompanied me for many years. I'm used to wielding it!”

Swish!

Nameless Sword waved his arm gently, and instantly, a fierce cyan sword qi shrieked forth! The piercing sound of the air tearing apart seemed capable of devouring everything!

“Let's go, let's go. The outcome of this fight is decided; watching any further is meaningless!” Some disciples were already leaving their seats; there was nothing left to see in this battle!

Boom!

“What?”

The disciples who hadn't yet left and wanted to see the end let out cries of shock! What had just happened? They only saw Wen Sandiao, who had looked so smug just a moment ago, being taken down in a single move?

How was that possible? What on earth had happened?

“Huidang, use your ability and show us what just happened!”

Earth Dragon shouted toward an unremarkable-looking man behind him. This scene was far too shocking; he had to find out the truth!

“Yes!”

Huidang couldn't fight; he possessed only a single ability—he could replay past events through his own eyes for everyone to see!

All eyes turned toward the clear sky. Sure enough, with Huidang's help, everyone saw what had just transpired!

Swish!

Boom!

The fierce sword qi and the Sacred Light Seal collided with astonishing impact, the powerful shockwave naturally kicking up billows of dust!

A moment later, a figure was sent flying! That person was none other than the currently dumbfounded Wen Sandiao!

Yet, everything had happened so fast that hardly anyone had noticed the details!

The ferocious sword qi had directly blasted apart several distant mountains! In the end, that streak of sword qi soared into the heavens, actually cleaving the clear sky wide open!

Fear! Utter fear!

Could a rusted iron sword really unleash such terrifying sword qi? How was that possible?

“I haven't used my sword in a long time, so my strength has diminished quite a bit. Please forgive me, everyone!”

“It's the Nameless Sword! The weapon in this man's hand is actually the legendary Demonic Sword Nameless! How is this possible? Wasn't this sword destroyed long ago? Why does it still exist?”

Indeed, the reason Nameless Sword went by that name was precisely because of this sword! When he was a child, if not for this sword, he probably would have died long ago!

“No! Huidang, you know that wasn't me! How could I possibly lose?”

Wen Sandiao had suffered absolute trauma from that previous sword strike, and a gruesome scar now marred his face. Had he not reacted quickly enough, he would have been split in two!

In the eyes of the crowd, this scene was simply unbelievable. The harsher the earlier mockery had been, the louder the slap in the face now felt! Wen Sandiao was barely maintaining consciousness, let alone fighting!

“Silence! How utterly disgraceful! Wen Sandiao, you are a disciple I cultivated with my own hands, yet look what you've become? You can't even accept defeat—humph, truly a piece of trash! If you're useless, there are others. In short, our plan for today is that this man must not leave here alive! Do you understand?”

Wen Sandiao looked at Earth Dragon on the elevated platform, a deep sense of fear gripping his heart. He could disregard anyone else, but toward Earth Dragon, he felt only profound terror!

“Yes, Disciple obeys!”

“Nameless Sword, you brat are truly impressive, managing to make the ancient Demonic Sword your companion. But did you really think that would be enough? I have four top experts under my command, and Wen Sandiao was the weakest of them. Zhanyi, how much longer are you going to watch? It's your turn now!”

“Shadowless Fist!”

Bang, bang, bang!

Three fiercely powerful, gigantic fist shadows suddenly appeared in the sky, smashing ruthlessly down onto Nameless Sword's body. Could this man possibly endure this?

“Master, you can rest assured about this. No one survives being struck by my Shadowless Fist! So what if he has the Demonic Sword? This brat currently cannot unleash the true power of this sword. Don't worry, Disciple will immediately bring that sword back to you. Your birthday is coming up soon, and this sword will make quite a decent gift!”

“Nameless Sword!”

Liang Chen could no longer suppress the rage in his heart; he wanted to step in personally.

“Stop! Liang Chen, what are you doing? Are you going to break the rules?”

“Rules? What rules? Are your rules about a group of bullies ganging up on a single person? Humph, truly an eye-opener!”

“No, have you forgotten? It was this man himself who claimed he would use his own strength to defeat everyone here. We are merely following the rules to complete this. If you interfere, the rules change!”

As the Guild Master of the Dark Moon, White Wolf valued rules above all else; anyone who broke the rules had to die!

“Liang Chen, don't move. I'll be fine. Although this man's fists are fierce, they won't cause me any real damage. Do you believe me?”

What? After taking so many of his fists, he could still speak!

Swish!

Another fierce burst of sword qi erupted!

Zhanyi's arm was severed cleanly on the spot!

What?!

How was this possible? Wasn't Nameless Sword said to be heavily injured earlier? Why did he still possess such terrifying power? The Demonic Sword should have been draining its wielder's vitality—why was he still this formidable?!

Ahhh!

Zhanyi was supremely arrogant and never expected his arm to be cut off just like that! He had lost—could anyone defeat him? Was that it?

“Who else? I think we needn't bother with formalities; why don't you all attack together? Earth Dragon, if you're unconvinced, you can step up too! No matter how many come, it's all the same to me. As long as I hold a sword in my hand, I can accomplish anything!”

Earth Dragon's expression turned incomparably grim. He hadn't expected that this unremarkable Nameless Sword would take down two of his fierce generals in succession!

A cold smile finally surfaced at the corner of his mouth. “Very well. I've seen what you're capable of, brat. Indeed, neither Zhanyi nor Wen Sandiao are your match. However, haven't you noticed the sweet fragrance lingering in the air right now? You've been poisoned. Did you know?”

“Among my four disciples, the Poison King is the strongest and most mysterious. Even I haven't seen his face after all these years. If possible, I wouldn't have wanted him to step up, but it seems there's no other choice now. You are truly formidable, and I know doing this breaks the rules.”

“However, rules are nothing more than scrap paper to me. This is my territory, and I'll do as I please. Nameless Sword, since you bullied my beloved disciple Ling Shuyu earlier, you should have known this would be your ultimate end. What a pity; you won't even live to see your opponent!”

“Die!”

A sharp streak of sword qi shot from Earth Dragon's hand, piercing straight toward Nameless Sword's body!

The disciples were thoroughly satisfied with this outcome; it seemed things should have been done this way from the start! “Hahaha, Nameless Sword, what tricks do you have left? Why don't you pull them all out right now?”

Boom!

“Since everyone is ignoring the rules, that makes things much easier. Nameless Sword, you've done very well. Though I don't know your purpose, you are my friend, and those who hurt my friend must die!”

Bang!

Liang Chen's figure slowly emerged from the dust and smoke. The ferocious sword qi had actually been crushed to pieces by his bare hands!

“Burning Heavens!”

At that moment, the previously pristine sky was flooded with fiery, crimson flames, causing the surrounding temperature to skyrocket. Since the enemy's hiding place couldn't be found, destroying everything here would surely force them out, right? Most definitely!

The astonishing flames condensed into two mighty fire dragons that coiled across the sky. The heavens themselves seemed like a defenceless maiden, bullied at will!

In the blink of an eye, the sky began to warp. If this continued, the entire realm really would be destroyed!

Puff!

At that very moment, a man's figure slowly materialized out of the sky. He spat a mouthful of blood and descended gradually. Evidently, this fellow had sustained heavy injuries—needless to say, this was Poison King Number Two!

“Tsk tsk tsk, is this Poison King Number Two? He doesn't look like much after all. I actually had some expectations for you earlier, but now it seems you've truly disappointed me!”

“Come on, whatever other skills you have, show them all. You can swap fighters, but why can't we? Guild Master, you're right: those who break the rules deserve to die. But why is it that Earth Dragon is allowed to break them?”

“Hahaha, brat, do you really want to know such a simple question? Fine, since you're asking, I'll tell you: it's because the rules here are set by me! Since I set the rules, naturally I don't have to follow them. Otherwise, wouldn't things be terribly boring?”

“You actually question White Wolf? Hahaha, such a piece of trash, thinking that becoming Guild Master gives him the backing to speak to me. Among the disciples of the Dark Moon, this man is the most useless; he only holds the empty title of Guild Master. Do you want this title? If you need it, I can naturally give it to you, because your strength and boldness far surpass theirs!”

“Liang Chen, I'll be honest with you too. Today, I simply don't like the look of you, and I'm going to deal with you. What can you do about it? What? Do you actually think you can defeat me?”

“Poison King Number Two, how much longer are you going to put on an act? I know your constitution best. Did that man's attack really cause you any injury?”

“Aiya, Master, I find this situation suddenly becoming interesting, so I wanted to play a bit longer. I ate too much at lunch, and coughing up that mouthful of blood just now actually cleared me out—feels much better! Don't worry, Number One and Number Three couldn't do it, so in the end, it still falls to me!”

“That was a comfortable nap. Liang Chen, was it? Your martial arts are decent and worthy of my attention, but I already know all about your abilities. As for what abilities *I* possess, do you know?”

“Since I am called the Poison King, I naturally have extraordinary mastery over poisons. Actually, you've been poisoned once more. That initial sweet fragrance merely made you fall into rage, whereas this second poison, Rose Venom, will plunge you into deep sorrow. I know you once loved a woman deeply, but unfortunately, in the end, she didn't love you back and hurt you profoundly. Yet, the more it was so, the more unable you were to forget her!”

“What a spineless fool! Even after someone treats you like that, you still can't let go. How about this—by now you should have slipped into an illusion; go meet her in that dreamworld!”

Where on earth am I? Why is everything foggy, and why can't I see anything around me?

“A-Jian, A-Jian, how are you? These years have been truly hard on you. Did you know that staying here alone, I missed you so much? Every single day, I wanted to see you!”

“But I knew I didn't deserve it. It was I who hurt you back then. After so many years, you're finally willing to come see me? I'm so happy! I knew my waiting all these years was worth it!”

“Xiaohua? Is that you, Xiaohua? So many years have passed, and I've missed you terribly too!”

Liang Chen's childhood name was A-Jian—something only those closest to him would know! Liang Chen had completely lost his mind now! The onlookers found this scene utterly hilarious. A moment ago, Liang Chen had been so formidable, yet look at what he had become now!

“A-Jian, why did you come here? You should know that I'm already dead; this isn't a place you belong!”

“Yes, I've missed you all these years. Do you know why? Because I died by your hand! I don't just feel love for you, but a deep, burning hatred as well. Now that you've come, you should know what your fate is, right? That's right—only by dying can the anger in my heart be appeased!”

Slash!

A sharp, divine weapon pierced straight into Liang Chen's body!

Had Liang Chen really been defeated just like that? On his face, however, an expression of release finally appeared. Very well, you were willing to do it after all. Many years ago, I should have died by your hand, shouldn't I?