Volume One, Chapter 14: Who Is the Hunter, and Who Is the Prey?

At the rear mountain of the Xuantian Sacred Land, there lay a mountain known as the Dead Prison Mountain. Adjacent to it was the Immortal Annihilation Dead Zone, a place recorded as certain death for any immortal who falls within.

Earlier, Xu Que had been searching for a spiritual plant to celebrate Zhu Yanran’s birthday on Dead Prison Mountain when he was ambushed and inadvertently entered the Immortal Annihilation Dead Zone. This strongly suggested that the assailant who attacked Xu Que was likely someone from the Sacred Land. However, Xu Que had no time to investigate at present.

He had a premonition that during his recent dispute with the Duanmu family, someone must have secretly aided them.

Xu Que walked along a narrow mountain stream path, gradually distancing himself from the Sacred Land.

“Master, someone is following us, but they are no expert—far weaker than me,” the Black Dragon Soul reported. Hearing this, Xu Que felt relieved.

In truth, Xu Que had deliberately headed toward the rear mountain, secretly releasing the Black Dragon Soul to see if anyone was tailing him. If it was an elder or a Black Martial Guard from the Duanmu family, he would avoid the rear mountain and instead detour to find his master or descend the mountain to visit his aunt. As for practicing with his new weapon, the White Tiger Sword, that was merely incidental.

Given the current situation, a few insignificant opponents were perfect for sword practice.

However, by chance, at the entrance of Dead Prison Mountain, Xu Que encountered Zhu Yanran accompanied by several female disciples. Zhu Yanran had successfully entered the Xuantian Sacred Land thanks to Duanmu Xiong’s help. Although the Zhu family had been wiped out, she had secured a disciple’s status within the Sacred Land, and with diligent cultivation, her future was not without hope.

But what did this have to do with Xu Que?

He glanced at her briefly, intending to pass by directly.

“Are you still unwilling to leave me alone?” Zhu Yanran suddenly questioned.

“I have nothing more to give you,” Xu Que replied.

“Xu Que, it wasn’t me who ordered the Duanmu family to deal with you. Why can’t you let me go?”

Xu Que was baffled by her triple questions.

No, sister, the rear mountain was reserved for the Sacred Land; any disciple could come here.

The female disciples beside Zhu Yanran immediately tried to soothe her mood and showed hostility toward Xu Que.

“Yanran, ignore him. Crossing the Duanmu family means his good days are over.”

“How dare he kill in the Sacred Land? He’s doomed.”

“Xu, I warn you not to approach Yanran again.”

Xu Que regarded them coldly and strode past; these people were truly intolerable.

Ignoring them only made them more arrogant.

“See? He’s scared now. Since the Duanmu family despises him, he dares not offend us.”

“So what if his family has a martial elder who reached the Martial Lord realm? What’s the big deal?”

“They just didn’t choose him, and he got furious, killing Duanmu Xiong—a real lunatic.”

Xu Que suddenly felt a strange sensation; his heart remained utterly unmoved, even slightly amused.

He had completely let go of a woman like Zhu Yanran.

Entering Dead Prison Mountain, the sky darkened, and wild beasts roamed. Yet this was even more suitable for the Black Dragon Soul’s activities.

As a residual soul, it was pitch black after refinement. Though it resided on the Dragon Finger Bone, it could leave Xu Que’s body from any part and even pass through the ground.

“Master, they’ve arrived,” the Black Dragon Soul warned.

“Five in total, all seemingly Martial Sect level.”

Xu Que stood on a barren patch of land and halted.

“Come out. You’ve been sneaking all along. Shall we fight all at once or in rounds?”

Footsteps rustled behind him.

Five Sacred Land disciples emerged.

“Xu Que, you killed my brother. The He family will never forgive you.”

“Mine too, Wang Dingtian.”

“And mine, Li Zhun...”

These four were the elder brothers of the men Xu Que had slain today, all claiming to avenge their fallen kin.

Xu Que looked at the last man.

“And who are you?”

A gleam flickered in the man’s eyes.

“Duanmu Yi.”

Xu Que snorted disdainfully.

“Do you want to reunite with him in hell? You’re all predecessors from previous generations, nearly thirty years old, with average talent. You want to fight me? What a joke.”

Before Xu Que finished, Duanmu Yi’s eyes flared as he unleashed the Duanmu family’s secret eye technique.

“Tremble, Xu Que.”

In the past, Xu Que would have been forcibly controlled for three seconds, and without armor in that time, death was certain.

Alas, Xu Que had forged an invincible divine body; such a low-level ocular technique was useless against him.

Suddenly, Duanmu Yi’s eyes bled, and he screamed in horror.

“Backlash? Why?”

The other four were stunned but had no time to ponder.

Killing Xu Que meant the Duanmu family would secretly arrange for them to join the Sacred Land’s Radiant Ranks, the core combat force of Xuantian Sacred Land, securing their future.

“Attack together!”

A hum arose.

Xu Que saw the remaining four unleash their signature skills—secret arts to enhance speed, flying knives controlled remotely, body-strengthening techniques, and ice-charged palm strikes.

Xu Que smirked and snapped his fingers toward them.

Snap!

Three Black Dragon Souls appeared behind them.

“Roar!” The black dragon spirits excitedly bit the necks of three men.

Li family disciple, who barely escaped, shouted.

“Xu Que, you still claim you haven’t refined dead souls?”

Xu Que replied calmly.

“So what? Will you make it back alive?”

Before he finished, he deflected a flying knife, then spun and slashed at the front.

The Li disciple sneered.

“You’re only Martial Sect level three. Don’t think refining dead souls makes you strong. I’m stronger! I wield a Heavenly Grade weapon! Can your Xu family afford one?”

Three small flying knives were summoned back to block the White Tiger Sword.

Boom!

In just one strike, the White Tiger Sword’s spiritual power surged, its blade shining with tiger-like radiance, shattering the three flying knives.

The Li disciple’s pupils shrank sharply.

“Heavenly Grade weapon? Why does your Xu family have such a treasure? Why didn’t you use it before?”

Before he could ponder, the White Tiger Sword had already severed his head.

In the blink of an eye, four were dispatched.

Xu Que was elated; the Black Dragon Soul was truly effective.

It was unpredictable in ambushes and could split into three, allowing him to fight four opponents alone with ease.

The most formidable, Duanmu Yi, began the clash with bleeding eyes and blurred vision due to lack of intel.

Realizing Xu Que possessed unknown information, Duanmu Yi turned and fled immediately.

Looking up, Xu Que saw that Zhu Yanran and her companions had been drawn by the commotion.

Being discovered would make it impossible to clear suspicion.

Xu Que was not afraid of death—only trouble.

Should he kill them all?

That would be easy.

No, he had a better plan.

A sly smile curled on Xu Que’s lips as he commanded the Black Dragon Soul to follow closely behind Duanmu Yi without attacking.

“Master Duanmu, we’ve been spotted. Shall I kill those wretched women?” the Black Dragon Soul suggested.

Duanmu Yi waved them off.

“Who’s your master? You, you...”

But the Black Dragon Soul sent one residual spirit to pounce on Zhu Yanran and the others.

Startled, the women instinctively raised their weapons, but their best arms were only Earth Grade—utterly useless.

In moments, the Black Dragon Soul shredded their clothes and left them bruised and battered, much to Xu Que’s amusement.

One female disciple cried out anxiously.

“Duanmu Yi, why are you attacking us?”

Duanmu Yi panicked.

“It’s not me. It’s Xu Que. Not me.”

Yet behind him floated two Black Dragon Souls, speaking on their own.

“Master Duanmu, these women are troublesome, but we’ll kill them soon.”

Amid the chaos, Xu Que leapt forward.

“Duanmu Yi, so you refined dead souls and harmed your own comrades!”

Duanmu Yi spat blood in fury.

“Xu Que, you’re slandering me. I’m innocent.”

Xu Que pointed at the three Black Dragon heads behind Duanmu Yi.

“The evidence is undeniable. How can you deny it? I already recorded your crimes with the Memory Pearl.”

The Black Dragon Soul clung to Duanmu Yi’s back, shouting.

“Master Duanmu, I’m going to kill him.”

Xu Que had finished recording. He knew the art of subtle narrative—turning black into white and white into black was easy.

As for Zhu Yanran and her group, they had scattered, harassed by one Black Dragon Soul.

With no one else present, Xu Que cracked his neck.

The Black Dragon Soul returned.

“All done. The show’s over. Time to send you off.”

Duanmu Yi, seeing the White Tiger Sword swiftly approaching, drew his blade to defend.

But with blurred vision and a lower realm, he was soon disarmed and kicked against a stone wall, coughing up old blood.

Xu Que leapt into the air, ready for the killing blow.

Duanmu Yi sensed death’s absolute intent, losing all composure.

This ambush, meant to overwhelm the lone Xu Que with numbers, had turned upside down.

Desperate, he betrayed some secrets.

“Don’t kill me. I know who ambushed you and cast you into the Immortal Annihilation Dead Zone.”

The sharp sword blade hovered half an inch from Duanmu Yi’s throat.