Chapter 296: Yan's Homicidal Intent
As if aware of Zen's fierce emotions, Elder Xu said without turning to face him, “I know you are very emotional after hearing about your sister's matter. I'm not as wise as the sect leader, but I hope that you will listen to my experience gathered over several hundred years of life.”
“It would be an honor to learn from you, Elder Xu,” Zen replied respectfully.
Elder Xu was the most powerful elder in Cloud Sect. He was subordinate to Kenneth and the deputy leader. Despite his power and influence, Elder Xu wasn't a member of Cloud Hall. Being a behemoth over the continent, Cloud Hall paid little attention to Cloud Sect in the Eastern Region. Instead, Cloud Hall nominated a sect leader and a deputy leader to take charge of Cloud Sect.
“You are a great talent, which is why the sect leader is paying special attention to you. If you can pass the test of Cloud Road, Cloud Hall will appreciate you. After that, you will grow into a mighty figure and achieve great things, which are beyond my imagination. However, you have to remember this. You should learn to endure silently before you are powerful enough. Attracting unwanted attention might get you killed. Only by staying alive will you have the opportunity to achieve your dreams and to save your sister from her fate.”
Zen was shocked by those words. He stared at Elder Xu's back.
It seemed that Elder Xu had managed to read his mind.
After all, Zen's biggest weakness had always been his sister, Yan, and he couldn't keep calm about matters related to her. When Kenneth told him about her situation, Zen had been so distraught that he forgot to behave respectfully in front of the sect leader.
Perhaps Kenneth wasn't offended as he had a good temperament. This time, Zen wasn't punished for being rude. However, what if it had been someone else? Then what would have happened to Zen? What if it had been the man who was planning to employ the Lustful Demon Array and take Yan's virginity? That man was far stronger than Zen, and it would not be challenging for him to kill Zen. If Zen lost his cool and fought with that man, he would be courting death.
“I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the warning, Elder Xu,” Zen nodded and said.
Elder Xu replied with a brief nod. Although Zen's matter had nothing to do with him, the uncontrollable resentment on the young man's face reminded Elder Xu of an experience in his younger days. It was similar to Zen's current circumstance. Still weak in the past, Elder Xu had forced himself to bite the bullet and hold a grudge until he was strong enough to take revenge.
His advice to Zen had come from a lesson Elder Xu had learned earlier on.
Zen had impressed Elder Xu with his excellent performance in the All Peaks Competition. According to Elder Xu, Zen's future was full of promise, and it would be a pity if he died because of his hatred.
The large leaf on which they stood flew in the sky at high speed. After a while, Hell Mountain appeared before them.
A volcanic vent spewed molten lava on the top of torture Mountain. It seemed ready to erupt. Black ash and steam rose high in the sky from time to time and carried with it the terrible smell of sulfur.
A girl in green clothes sat on a platform with her closed eyes in meditation.
Her life vitality flowed around her and continuously transformed into different shapes. At first, there were naughty fish that looked vivid and kept jumping and swimming in the air. After several seconds or more, the fish changed into butterflies and danced gracefully around the girl.
It was a hard job to control one's life vitality so smoothly, and even James, the head of the Mo Family who could turn his life vitality into many different weapons, would pale by comparison.
After all, weapons were objects and were relatively easy to imagine. This girl could change her life vitality into alive animals that moved so vividly, and her understanding of life vitality's transformation was far more remarkable in this respect.
After a while, the girl opened her eyes and stretched her hand. Her life vitality flowed out from her white, slender fingers and slowly formed the face of a man. It was a face with bright eyes and graceful eyebrows, and it looked true to life—it was her brother, Zen.
“I want to know how everything is with my brother. It is time for the All Peaks Competition, but according to brother's level, he might not qualify to attend it.” She shook her head and pursed her lips.
They had exchanged a brief glance from a distance when Zen had visited Hell Mountain some months before. They hadn't even seen each other's faces clearly, but Yan was aware that Zen was just an outer disciple at that time.
It was hard for an inner disciple to attend the All Peaks Competition, let alone an outer disciple. Only those who stood out from among the inner disciples were qualified to participate.
She thought, 'Although Zen has talent, there is still a large gap between him and the top-ranked inner disciples. I wonder which peak he belongs to. Drizzle Peak is the lowest ranked peak among the thirty-three peaks and has few talented disciples. So he might still have the opportunity to participate in the competition if he is in Drizzle Peak.'
At that thought, she stared at Zen's face, which she had created with life vitality, and smiled happily.
Just at that moment, she detected the vibration of someone's life vitality in the air with her keen perception. She looked up at the sky and saw Elder Xu on his huge leaf. He was flying toward her.
“Who's that?” Yan murmured when she noticed another figure standing behind Elder Xu. As she recognized the second man, Yan's eyes widened in surprise. Gradually, the expression on her face changed from doubt to astonishment and then amazement. She almost couldn't believe her eyes!
After a while, Elder Xu's huge leaf reached the mountaintop and landed steadily on the platform. Zen stepped out from behind Elder Xu and stared at his sister in astonishment.
Brother and sister stood frozen as they locked eyes.
They had dreamed about their reunion thousands of times, but when it really happened, they were so surprised that they found it difficult to believe.
Elder Xu stood aside silently. Although he had witnessed many departures and reunions during his past life, he still felt touched by the scene. The world of martial arts was cruel, yet it didn't lack such warm moments between families.
“Brother!” Yan stood from the ground, rushed toward Zen, and threw herself into his arms without a second thought.
She hugged her brother tightly. She was so excited that she forgot that she was a sixteen-year-old girl instead of a little kid.
They had been separated for many years, and they had never thought that they would meet again in such a place and under these circumstances.
Zen stroked his sister's hair affectionately as complex emotions coursed through him. They enjoyed the joy of the reunion and hugged for a long time before pulling away and observing each other.
Over the years, Yan had grown as tall as Zen, and the little girl in his memories had changed into the beautiful young girl who now stood in front of him.
“Zen, how did you come here? It should have been prohibited. But Elder Xu has escorted you here.” Yan asked. She knew that Zen had become an inner disciple as she noticed his black clothing, but she didn't understand why he enjoyed such special treatment from Elder Xu.
“I attended the All Peaks Competition,” Zen replied with a smile.
“Really?” asked Yan, her eyes widening in surprise. There was a hint of doubt in her expression. After all, Zen had only been a half-step into the nature level six months before, and it would be difficult for him to reach the threshold of the All Peaks Competition no matter how much he had progressed.
Zen nodded.
“What is the result?” asked Yan. She had taken part in the event previously and had got a good grade. Thanks to her outstanding performance, Lady Peak had ranked second among the thirty-three peaks. In the past, Yan had been defeated by a personal disciple. Despite that battle, she was ranked eighth in the Cloud Sect Chart, although her name was removed from the Chart after she was sent to Perdition Mountain.
“There's still one fight left before the final result is announced,” replied Zen.
“One fight left? What do you mean?” Yan asked perplexedly.
Elder Xu chuckled from the side and piped in, “He's right. There's still one more fight. It will be held in three days, and it will decide who takes the first place and who ranks second in this All Peaks Competition.”
“What?” Yan covered her mouth with her hand, and her brown eyes were filled with astonishment. “The first place and... the second? But brother, you... You are only at the second grade of the nature level now, right?”
“Yes,” Zen said, still smiling.
“But, but...” Yan found it difficult to believe their words. However, she knew of Elder Xu's status at Cloud Sect. She believed that there was no need for him to deceive her. Aside from that, it was Elder Xu who had brought Zen to Perdition Mountain, and the special treatment further proved that Zen had achieved excellent results in the All Peaks Competition.
Yan stammered several times. When no words came out, she smiled with embarrassment. The childish innocence on her face added to her beauty. After a while, she recovered from her astonishment and said with a smile, “That is great! I always knew that my brother is the best!”
Despite her astonishment, Yan accepted the incredible fact in a short time because she believed in her brother.
In her mind, Zen had always been invincible. Perhaps, for this reason, it didn't take her long to overcome the doubt she had initially felt.
“Zen, how is our father?” Yan suddenly changed the topic.
Zen's expression hardened when he heard her question. His sister still didn't know that their father had passed away.
He wondered, 'How should I tell her?
I can't conceal the truth from her.
Even if I don't tell her now, she will find out, sooner or later.'
After hesitating for a while, Zen eventually said honestly, “Our uncles murdered him.”
“W-w-what?” Yan stammered, shocked by the grievous news.
“Bryson and Ken were two ruthless beasts. They murdered our dad to steal the position of clan head,” Zen explained in an icy cold voice.
“Zoom!”
The life vitality around Yan's body transformed into numerous sharp spines all of a sudden. Her Purple Power Body contained more life vitality than others at the same level. What was more, she absorbed energy from the air at a much higher speed. Owing to these two reasons, Yan didn't always keep all her life vitality inside her body as most people did. Sometimes, she even needed to spend some excessive vitality purposely.
And now, she used the life vitality around her body to form spines, which displayed the monstrous homicidal intent inside her and allowed her to vent her fierce emotions.