Seeking the Flying Sword Path

The trapped Yu Shiqu remained silent despite facing Yin Lihuo’s fury. His eyes effused calmness and indifference as though nothing in the world mattered to him.

The moment he was trapped by the Cosmic Bangles, Yu Shiqi knew he was doomed.

"Yu Shiqi," bellowed Yin Lihuo. "The Black Turtle Palace treated you well, teaching you Dharmic formulations and guiding your cultivation before you managed to embark on the path of cultivation. When you encountered troubles, your fellow sect members stood by your side! I have not heard of you suffering many grievances at the Black Turtle Palace. So why did you commit such an atrocious act against your fellow disciples?"

The Black Turtle Palace was a subsidiary of the Primordial Chaos Sect. As such, it was considered part of the Primordial Chaos Sect.

Both shared the same roots, and Yu Shiqi and Yin Lihuo addressed each other as junior and senior brothers.

"I’m apologize to Senior Brother Jin and the rest." Yu Shiqi nodded gently. "It was all my fault."

"Why were you so vicious?" pressed Yin Lihuo. "What was the reason? Also, where did you learn this fiendcelestial Dharmic formulation? You cultivated to the Connate Golden Core realm as a Black Turtle Palace disciple. You were supposed to be basking in the limelight, so why did you suddenly fall to evil? You even killed your fellow disciples? Help us understand why!"

This was something many disciples from the Black Turtle Palace and Primordial Chaos Sect could not figure out.

He had no grudges, he was at the precipice of his cultivation career, so why would he suddenly kill his fellow disciples and abandon his sect?

"Don’t ask any more," Yu Shiqi muttered. "It was my fault. I let Senior Brother Jin and the sect down."

"What happened to the Ancient Blood Amber?" asked Yin Lihuo again. "After you killed Junior Brother Jin and the rest, you stole the Ancient Blood Amber that they were guarding. Where is the Ancient Blood Amber? Did you sacrifice it to the Nine Lineage Fiendish Demons?"

The Ancient Blood Amber was rather fascinating. It was a boon for Black Turtle Palace disciples in their cultivation of the Physical Establishing Sage. The Black Turtle Palace would usually arrange for a Connate Golden Core realm Elder and two Connate True Core realm cultivators to guard it. Yu Shiqi had silently killed those guards, snatched the Ancient Blood Amber, and secretly fled Black Turtle Palace.

"Ancient Blood Amber?" Yu Shiqi shook his head. "It’s been used. It’s gone!"

"Used? How?" pressed Yin Lihuo.

Yu Shiqi fell silent.

The jade bottle under his clothes secretly sneered. "Hehehe, of course it has been used by me. That Ancient Blood Amber was the condensation of blood essence after the death of an Other Realm Fiendcelestial! It’s a lot better than the blood of children’s hearts. With it, I was able to greatly weaken the seals, bringing the day of my release closer."

...

Yin Lihuo pressed again, "Your fiendcelestial Dharmic formulations have been cultivated to such a high cultivation realm, which implies that you have been cultivating it for a long time. When did you succumb to evil? Or could it be that you were already a fiendish demon disciple when you entered the Black Turtle Palace?"

Yu Shiqi did not speak again.

"That’s enough."

Qin Yun spoke up. "Daoist Yin, ask about Ximen Feng first."

"Right, where’s Junior Brother Ximen?" asked Yin Lihuo.

"Ximen Feng?" Yu Shiqi’s eyes lit up as a sneer suffused the corners of his mouth. "You want to meet Ximen Feng? Yes, he’s not dead yet. I’ve just imprisoned him somewhere."

Qin Yun asked, "Where is he imprisoned?"

"I can bring you there," said Yu Shiqi with a chuckle.

Qin Yun was surprised. Yu Shiqi was rather obliging when Ximen Feng was mentioned. He even took the initiative to lead the way.

...

Swoosh.

Qin Yun, Yin Lihuo, and Yu Shiqi rode a cloud and left Yanglai County City. With Yu Shiqi’s guidance, they flew more than a hundred kilometers to a cave deep in the mountains.

Although there were array formations concealing the area, Yu Shiqi’s instructions made it easy to enter.

"Whoosh." The cave was extremely hot.

When Qin Yun and company entered, they quickly saw a chained couple. A middle-aged man and woman were each chained to a torture rack. Both were covered in injuries from torture and the racks were enveloped by an array formation that constantly assaulted the duo with flames.

The couple sensed something and raised their heads.

"Yu Shiqi!" The chained man shouted angrily when he saw Yu Shiqi. His voice was hoarse but it was filled with fervent hatred. However, when he saw Qin Yun and Yin Lihuo, and especially Yu Shiqi trapped in black bangles, he could not help but turn excited. "Hahaha, Yu Shiqi, to think that such a day has come for you. The heavens have eyes. Evil will eventually suffer retribution."

"He’s captured?" The woman was already breathing her last few breaths of life but she could not help but be excited. "Good, this lunatic is finally caught. Awesome!"

"Junior Brother Ximen, Junior Sister Qi?" Yin Lihuo recognized them and went forward instantly.

"Do not move." Yu Shiqi said with a sneer. "If you come within a hundred feet of them, the surrounding array formation will trigger. They would be rapidly reduced to ash."

Yin Lihuo’s expression changed as he halted.

Qin Yun’s sword intent domain enveloped the area and even permeated the duo’s body. His expression could not help but change. "Daoist Yin, this Yu Shiqi has indeed set up an array formation. Both of them even have array formations sealing their innards. Any contact would instantly cause the seals to explode. The two would die instantly. By the way, both of them have been crippled of their dantians."

"They are crippled?" Yin Lihuo was enraged the moment he heard that.

Ximen Feng was a Connate Golden Core and Junior Sister Qi was a Connate True Core. They were crippled just like that?

"Senior Brother Yin, save us." Ximen Feng’s voice was hoarse as he pleaded incessantly.

"Senior Brother Yin," shouted the woman as well.

"No one can save the two of you," said Yu Shiqi with a scoff. "The seals left in your bodies will explode your hearts and brains the moment contact is made."

Ximen Feng’s eyes were red as he hollered, "Yu Shiqi, you lunatic. I regret showing you mercy by sparing you, and leaving such a scourge behind. You harmed your fellow disciples and us."

"Mercy?"

Yu Shiqi’s expression turned hideous. "Do you have any shame, mentioning the word mercy? Back then, you were a Primordial Chaos Sect genius disciple, with a high chance of reaching the Golden Core realm! You came to cultivate in my Black Turtle Palace for a few days and during those days, I treated you like a brother. I even let you live at my place as I discussed the Dao daily with you. But you? You ended up eloping with my wife."

"What do you mean elope?" shouted Ximen Feng. "You and Junior Sister Qi were indeed Dao partners, but since there was no more love between you, both of you just went your separate ways. Junior Sister left willingly with me."

"Willingly? She and I were arranged to be married before we were even born. We got married and she entered the Black Turtle Palace with me. We were together for nearly a century!" Yu Shiqi’s expression was hideous as he looked at the woman. "Feelings that lasted nearly a century. Qi Qingshui, you sure are heartless. Did you feel that Ximen Feng had a brighter future than me, and fell into his embrace?"

"You and I are both cultivators. We come together and separate without a fuss," said the woman in a hoarse voice. "I never imagined a lunatic like you would hold this grudge for so long, to the point of wanting to torture me so terribly."

’"Hahaha..."

Yu Shiqi laughed maniacally. "I have long seen through you. We were arranged to be married before we were born but I didn’t catch your eye when I came for visits. Later, when Master took me in as a disciple, you immediately clung to me and used me to enter Black Turtle Palace. I detest my younger self for being so infatuated with you. But we were together for nearly a hundred years, how can you be that heartless?"

Cultivating Dao couples were more easygoing than mortal couples.

If their paths diverted, it was not rare for them to go their separate ways.

"And you, Ximen Feng," shouted Yu Shiqi. "I treated you as a brother but you flirted with my wife and even lost decorum to reprimand me. Back then, I was weaker than you and was even taught a lesson... Haha, that slut even stood completely on your side. How shameful it was! It was truly a disgrace! Ever since I, Yu Shiqi, swore that the both of you would suffer a terrible end."

"But you were much stronger than me. After waiting for so long, I finally decided that I would have my chance or I would suffer in silence my entire life." Yu Shiqi’s expression was hideous.

Qin Yun and Yin Lihuo watched by the side in silence.

Dao couples separating due to strife, with the woman entering the embrace of another, was something done completely willingly... It was not something other fellow disciples were qualified to comment on.

Back then, there were other disciples that said that "Ximen Feng was way too ruthless to do that" but there were also others that said, "Junior Sister Qi willingly followed Senior Brother Ximen, so if anyone is to blame, it should be Junior Brother Yu for his ineptness."

Back then, many people pitied Yu Shiqi. But the more they pitied him, the more depressed he felt.

"Ah!" Ximen Feng and Qi Qingshui suddenly yelled as they went ablaze in flames.

"What?" Qin Yun and Yin Lihuo were alarmed.

It was already too late.

Qin Yun’s sword intent domain could sense it. Ximen Feng and Qi Qingshui’s hearts, brains, and other vital organs were burning. By the time they shouted, they were already turning to ash.

"When I brought the both of you into the cave, the array formations had already been triggered. In fact, no matter who enters, they would automatically trigger the array formation unless I’m the one controlling it." Yu Shiqi looked at the two fiery wisps. "I deliberately spoke out to get a kick out of it! After I was done, I knew they would die! Watching them die was thrilling! Excellent!"

Yu Shiqi’s eyes were filled with madness.

Following that, Yu Shiqi looked at Qin Yun and Yin Lihuo.

"Senior Brother Yin, I’m truly sorry about Senior Brother Jin and the rest. But to raise my strength for my revenge, I could not let guilt get in my way," explained Yu Shiqi. "I know I’m riddled with sins but whatever. What is done is done. I have no regrets and I’m thrilled with the outcome. Before I die, Sword Immortal Qin, I have something to tell you."

Qin Yun and Yin Lihuo were astonished.

"Something to tell me?" Qin Yun was perplexed.