Young Noble Be Monster Slaying
Chapter 934: Mirror Image (I)

The Life-Taking Sword was incomparably sharp. Once it locked onto a target, it would not stop until it drew blood and not even eighth-realm Eminent Ones could stop it.

The Wind-Reversing Ring was equally profound and powerful. It could reverse all divine techniques and spells. No matter how overwhelming the attack, it would be returned in full to its sender.

This was the classic question brought to life: what would happen when an unstoppable spear met an unbreakable shield?

Even Chu Liang and the Whale-Riding Immortal, who were watching from the side, could not help but hold their breath.

Lu Chengchou took a step forward, then parted his lips and spat out a streak of black sword light. The sword shadow shot out like lightning, aiming straight for its mark.

Young Noble Xunyang did not try to avoid it. He calmly placed the Wind-Reversing Ring on his body, as if inviting the blow.

Clangggg!

A metallic clang rang out as the Life-Taking Sword struck the Wind-Reversing Ring, sending out a burst of sparks. The sword shadow bounced back from the impact, but having failed to pierce its target, it surged forward once more. Another sharp clang echoed through the air.

The sword had a relentless nature. It would not rest until it drew blood. The ring, on the other hand, followed its nature and returned every attack that came its way. So the sword kept striking, and the ring kept deflecting. Again and again, the two artifacts clashed in a vicious cycle, neither side willing to yield.

At this rate, the two could have gone on fighting forever.

However, Young Noble Xunyang, hidden within the Wind-Reversing Ring, had no intention of just letting Lu Chengchou attack freely. He silently formed a hand seal, then raised his finger and pointed it straight at Lu Chengchou.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Chengchou froze. His body stiffened as if bound by invisible chains, unable to move an inch.

"What is this?!" Lu Chengchou roared. "You tampered with my body? You planned this from the start?!"

"It wasn’t meant for you specifically," Young Noble Xunyang said coldly. "It’s just something I do. Whenever I craft a puppet, I always leave behind a failsafe. Just in case it turns against me one day. I never thought I’d actually have to use it on you."

Before the words had fully settled, a muffled boom rang out.

Flames burst forth from Lu Chengchou, spreading with terrifying speed. In just a few breaths, he was already on the verge of being reduced to ash.

This must have been the contingency Young Noble Xunyang had left behind. At a critical moment, it would force the puppet to self-destruct.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH…!" Lu Chengchou roared as the flames burned even fiercer. Murderous intent flashed in his eyes. "Are you really trying to kill me? If that's the case, I won’t let you live either!"

He was not bluffing. A surge of red light erupted from his eyes, followed by two streams of blood that trickled down like tears. The Wind-Reversing Ring, which had been spinning in place, suddenly stopped.

As it turned out, when Lu Cang had granted the enchanted artifacts, he had only given Young Noble Xunyang the mnemonic chant for the Wind-Reversing Ring. Lu Chengchou, on the other hand, had been taught the chants for both items. This was meant as a precaution. If Young Noble Xunyang ever betrayed them, Lu Chengchou would be able to restrain him.

However, Lu Chengchou’s cultivation level was too low, and his spiritual energy was far from sufficient. Controlling even one artifact placed a heavy strain on him. The moment he tried to operate both at once, he was forced to draw energy directly from his divine soul.

Young Noble Xunyang had not expected this. By the time he attempted to retreat, it was already too late. The black sword shadow pierced straight through his body.

"Aah!" he let out a pained scream as a cloud of blood mist burst into the air.

With his level of cultivation, there was no way he could endure the strike of the Life-Taking Sword with only light injuries, like Chu Liang or the Whale-Riding Immortal might have. The sword pierced straight through him, and with a single blow, he met a miserable end. His body plummeted into the ravine below.

Yet even in death, hatred still burned within him. Using the last of his strength, he raised a trembling finger and pointed at Lu Chengchou.

Boom!

A deafening boom followed as Lu Chengchou’s puppet body erupted into flames and exploded on the spot.

In the blink of an eye, both had died together.

Even Chu Liang had not expected the outcome to unfold so smoothly. Or to be more accurate, so tragically. It seemed the hatred between the two had already run deep, and all he had done was give it a little push.

In the past, those affected by the Evil Heart Curse would usually turn against one another, but very rarely did it ever escalate to the point where both sides died.

The Whale-Riding Immortal watched the drifting ashes and let out a quiet sigh. "What a pity for the Lu Family of Mount Shu. So this is how their bloodline ends."

"He was just a little wooden figure," Chu Liang replied. "Even if he had lived, he couldn't have continued the family line. Besides, Senior Lu Cang is still in good health. He might as well try for a second child."

"If people from the Divine Ruins Monastery could fall in love and have children that easily, things wouldn’t have been so difficult for my wife and me," the Whale-Riding Immortal said with a chuckle.

After a brief pause, Chu Liang asked, "Lu Chengchou spent years in the Celestial Charm Sect, committing who knows how many atrocities. Even if he was a descendant of the Lu Family, he shouldn't be exempt from punishment, right?"

This was indeed a dilemma. What should be done with the descendants of those who once rendered great service?

The Whale-Riding Immortal gave it some thought before replying, "You're right. Even if the Lu Family had done a lot for the Mount Shu Sect in the past, that doesn’t mean their descendants can get away with doing wrong."

If the Lu Family hadn’t left Mount Shu, Lu Chengchou might have been raised as Venerable Wen Yuan’s successor. But when the three of them set out together and only Venerable Wen Yuan came back, without being able to clearly explain what happened to the others, it naturally made people suspicious. The Lu Family felt threatened, and that was understandable.

But because of this, Lu Chengchou’s fate was completely altered.

While they spoke, neither of them had been idle. They had been scanning the entire area with their divine senses the whole time. Even before they finished speaking, Chu Liang and the Whale-Riding Immortal moved at the same moment, jumping into the ravine below.

Boom! Boom!

The two figures rose from the water at nearly the same time. Chu Liang held a small black iron sword in his hand, while the Whale-Riding Immortal was holding the black iron ring.

"You brat..." the Whale-Riding Immortal chuckled. "You were trying to distract me with conversation just now, weren’t you? Hoping to snatch both artifacts before I noticed?"

"I wouldn’t dare think that," Chu Liang replied at once. "I just happened to find them, that’s all."

Judging by the look on the Whale-Riding Immortal’s face, he clearly didn’t believe a word of it.

What a sly old fox, Chu Liang thought.

Neither of them knew the mnemonic chant required to control the artifacts. After turning them over a few times and confirming they couldn’t be activated, the Whale-Riding Immortal casually tossed the Wind-Reversing Ring toward Chu Liang.

"You took a risk and helped me quite a bit on this trip," he said with a smile. "How could I fight a junior over something like this? Take them both. If you manage to uncover the chants at the Divine Ruins Monastery later, it’ll be a great addition to the Mount Shu Sect."

"Oh, I couldn’t possibly..." Chu Liang said with a modest smile as he accepted the Wind-Reversing Ring. After a brief pause, he gently pushed it back. "Something like this is better kept by a senior like you."

"Well, that works too," the Whale-Riding Immortal replied, reaching out without hesitation to take it.

Chu Liang’s eyes widened slightly, and he quickly changed his tone. “But since it’s going back to Mount Shu in the end, it’s better if I deliver it myself. I wouldn’t want to trouble a senior like you with the errand.”

Unbelievable. I was just being polite, and he really tried to take it? Now that it’s in my hands, he wants me to give it back? Not a chance.

…

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