Chapter 98: The Taiyi Sect That Came Calling at the Doorstep

By then Yang Rong’s expression had turned faintly bleak. In truth, one could hardly be surprised by her despair: to discover she had no real hope of revenge and live each day in a furnace of deep hatred would make anyone come to resent the world.

So when Chu Han had just been about to kill her, her face had seemed almost relieved—as if she had finally been set free. It was all cause and consequence; she no longer wished to live on carrying hatred.

“What are the names of those brutes from the Taiyi Sect?”

Chu Han asked coldly. He was no saint, nor one who spoke of serving heaven, but a strange sense of familiarity toward this woman only grew stronger. As he listened to her tale, his heart tightened.

Though he could not explain why, he decided to follow that feeling. He wanted to help her take revenge. He wanted nothing from her, yet the thought only grew fuller.

“I only know the leader was called Zhang Yi. I don’t know the others. Why do you ask?”

Yang Rong gave him a strange look, but remembering her past, her eyes dimmed again.

“In a few days, I’ll go to the Taiyi Sect to become a disciple. Zhang Yi, yes—that one should be alive now. I will wash away all your old hatred. Believe me. I will find them, and I will kill them.”

Chu Han took both her hands and spoke with firm conviction, his gaze earnest. He knew full well the Taiyi Sect was not to be trifled with—certainly far beyond a shabby place like Lingxu Sky-Cavern—but he still stepped forward, ready to help her with vengeance.

“No. Although you are strong, one person cannot stand against the Taiyi Sect. I did not tell you this to beg your pity; I only needed to unburden myself. Go now. Let us be strangers from now on, just like that.”

Yang Rong shook her head. She knew Chu Han was formidable, but confronting the Taiyi Sect was hardly possible. Though she longed for revenge, she would not drag innocent Chu Han into it. She could not bear to see him die because of her.

Chu Han gave a slight smile. He was about to speak when a shout and then the sound of a struggle came from outside. The two of them halted for a moment, then hurried out.

The women of the Holy Maiden Church were circling three men, but did not act right away. Three women already lay on the ground, unlikely to survive, and no one knew who those intruders were.

“Who are you?”

Yang Rong stepped forward and asked loudly. Anyone who dared to lay hands on her disciples would surely not be spared; her long sword was already in her hand.

“Ah, so you are the abbess of the Holy Maiden Church? As I thought, a beauty fit to be praised in all the land. Our purpose this time is obvious: it is you. Come with us, and we swear we will not hurt anyone here.”

One of the men in front stepped out and spoke loudly. His lewd glance at Yang Rong was deeply unsettling, as if she were standing before him without a shred of clothing.

But Yang Rong had seen that kind of gaze too many times to care. Still, she would not simply go with them. Their strength was still great, and even Chu Han could not read it clearly.

“Dream on. You hurt my people—you won’t leave Sacred Maiden Peak alive today. Deploy the formation.”

Yang Rong snorted. Then the disciples nearby began circling around them, as if to use the same great array they had once prepared against Chu Han.

Chu Han, however, caught hold of Yang Rong’s arm and shook his head. He could tell that such a formation would be useless against them. He moved straight forward.

“What are you exactly? You barged into Sacred Maiden Peak knowing what it is. Your intent is obvious.”

“Damn, are there still men in the Holy Maiden Church? We are from the Taiyi Sect. You heard it right—get out. Taiyi has claimed one of you. None of you will be spared.”

Hearing this, everyone was stunned. Why would the Taiyi Sect be here, and why name Yang Rong directly? Could those be the same men who had once butchered the townspeople of Tucheng and somehow knew she was the abbess?

But before Chu Han could think further, the words Taiyi Sect sent Yang Rong straight into a frenzy. She charged with her sword raised like a venomous snake, aiming at their hearts.

The leader smirked with contempt, flicked out a hand, and tapped at Yang Rong’s blade. At once the long sword flew from her grasp, and his palm struck her shoulder.

Yang Rong cried out in pain and fell backward, blood gushing from her mouth. As he let out his inner energy, Chu Han could roughly gauge his power: peak of the Yin Realm, one step from the Yang Realm. Yet even so, he could be dispatched easily when it came to him—this Taiyi Sect truly did have substance.

“Heh. I have no wish to ruin a delicate flower with my own hands, but if you cooperate, come with me at once. If not, I’ll disable you first and carry you out. You’re wondering why we want you taken. It’s because of your old, undying master. He dared oppose the Taiyi Sect, and he must die.”

The leader seemed to have lowered his guard. Seeing clearly these people were no match for him, he grew boastful and spoke out their purpose openly.

At his words, Yang Rong froze in shock. She had never expected her master to be dragged into this. Before she could speak, Chu Han’s attack arrived.

“Hundred Thunder Flash.”

Seeing their guard had dropped, Chu Han gave a cold laugh and shouted. He rushed into the three of them. Lightning thick as a forearm wrapped around all three, crackling with a skin-prickling rattle.

They had never expected him to strike back. Struck directly by the lightning, their bodies went numb and their movement slowed.

“You wretched fool. You dare to counterattack? Then dare to give us your name. Wait and face the Taiyi Sect’s vengeance.”

The men were startled and shaken. Chu Han’s lightning had numbed them; their words came out slurred. Though Chu Han was only in the first rank of the Dao Palace, they sensed a dangerously unstable aura in him and began to think of retreat.

Seeing them shrink like mice, he sneered inwardly. He was only Dao-Palace First Rank, and they were Yin Realm experts, yet after one strike they already wanted to run—what trash.

“I am Chu Han. You probably won’t get a chance to let the Taiyi Sect avenge itself on me. You will all die here.”

Chu Han let out a cold laugh, extended his right hand, and gathered lightning there. A great brilliance filled the cave, making it unnaturally bright.

“Qilin.”

He shouted. The lightning in the air took shape as a colossal qilin, its blood-red eyes like a vision rising from hell, and lunged toward the three.

The leader had never seen such a sight, and fled as if his feet were coated in oil. The other two raised defensive barriers to block the qilin’s strike, and then the three of them broke into a rush of panic and ran.

Chu Han would not let them return to the wild. A blade of lightning flashed; he vanished from sight and gave chase. Their bodies were still numbed by his lightning, so they could not move swiftly, and fear had already cracked them open. He meant to make sure they would never get away from here.

Yang Rong and the others stood face to face in stunned silence, unsure what to say. In only ten minutes, Chu Han returned. Three corpses had been thrown down on the ground. Watching the smile on his face, Yang Rong found herself somehow believing this man before her.