Xing Shue Yong.

Huang Ying walked through the earthen hallway with quick but calm steps, one hand fondling his chin as he pondered over what he should include in the message he was going to send to Xing Tang. He had already been unfair to her by not notifying her of their village's destruction the moment he had the chance, but he had no idea what he could possibly tell her so he had just put it off.

But she was still the last remnant of his family, one of only two people that still had ties to the old Huang Ying. Li Jun was the second person, but there was no way he could be placed on the same level as Xing Tang. He might have in the past, but how could he compare to Huang Ying's sole sister after his true thoughts had been laid bare?

Of course, he didn't forget their current location just because he was pre-occupied with his thoughts. One of the Xing clan's larger establishments was currently going up in flames, but they would certainly quickly figure out what he and Ying Feixu had done there and come chasing after them, tarrying for too long would put their lives at risk.

The earthen hallway they were following, one of the secret escape tunnels of the mercantile Xing clan, was lined with doors that led to secret rooms or other establishments. Xing clan members could spring forth from each and every one of them so Huang Ying made sure to seal them all as they walked past them, a thick wall of earth surging up and blocking the doors. He made Ying Feixu help him with the process, forcing her to use one of her least used elements so that she could familiarize herself more with it.

The quickly left the earthen hallway and returned to the textile shop that housed the entrance they had used, the shopkeep still lying unconscious where Huang Ying had left her. He sealed up this entrance as well and left the textile shop, the city around them bustling with intense activity. They were a fair distance from the establishment they had just attacked but the scent of smoke still hung quite heavy in the air, drawing everyone's attention towards the burning building.

Huang Ying threw a glance towards the burning pagoda, the flames constantly rising as they strove to reach the sky. The fire had spread quite quickly, but there was no way it would be able to swallow the entire pagoda. The two Xing twins he had just killed, while they had reached the 2nd Stair of Ascension, weren't the strongest people present in the pagoda. The fire would be put out before long, bringing the show to a temporary end.

Huang Ying placed his hands behind his head and started to move through the streets with a casual and carefree gait, moving against the stream of people that were heading for the pagoda. He swept his gaze around aimlessly as he walked, silently contacting Li Jun.

"Ey, is anyone following us? Or does it seem like someone from the Xing clan, or anyone tied to them, has noticed us or where we're headed?"

Huang Ying hadn't asked Li Jun to keep an eye on their surroundings, and he made sure to be rather specific with his questions. The oath Li Jun had to swear prevented him from lying, but it didn't force him to obey Huang Ying's orders so he wouldn't have to tell him anything even if Huang Ying asked him to keep a close eye on their surroundings. The oath bound him so Li Jun had to answer truthfully, allowing Huang Ying to put at least some trust in his words.

"No, there hasn't been anyone that has even moved towards the two of you since you left the building. They're not following you and it will be hard to find concrete evidence that ties you two to the deed. But you yourself should be the most familiar with what the biggest hurdle will be. Looking at how they've acted so far, there's no way that they'll leave you alone after this."

Li Jun couldn't see the memories that Huang Ying devoured, but Xing Dong had shown a fair deal of talent for a place as small as this so there was no way that the two twins Huang Ying had just killed would be the only ones with ties to him. Li Jun was indeed right, but that fact didn't scare Huang Ying in the slightest, it simply caused the corners of his lips to turn up in excitement,

"I know, that's what I'm betting on. Doesn't it just sound terribly exciting? I wonder how many they'll send this time, wonder just how deep they're willing to dive before they realize that they should have stopped swimming ages ago."

Huang Ying's excited smile contained a slight tinge of cruelty and expectation as he walked, his mind drifting back to the somewhat boring fight he had just engaged in with the Xing twins. Killing and devouring Xing Dong and his cronies had pushed him to the 8th Mortal Step, but he had yet to reach the 9th Mortal Step even though he had just devoured the two Xing twins that had both reached the 2nd Stair of Ascension. A good fight and an increase in his cultivation, he hoped that the next group of people would give him at least this much.

His mind continued to wander slightly as they moved through the streets, eventually reaching a conclusion when they were only a few kilometres away from the Shrouding Moon Agency. He took out some paper and a quill from his interspatial ring, quickly covering the paper in writing as they crossed the last few kilometres that separated them from his target.

He folded the paper and stuffed it into an envelope, writing his own name and his adoptive sister's name on the front. He then entered the Shrouding Moon Agency with Ying Feixu following him with some curiosity, the two reaching one of the counters in the main hall.

"I want to send this message to Xing Tang of the Golden Dawn Academy, I want it delivered as fast as possible."

He placed the letter and some Spirit Stones on the counter as he spoke, the woman behind the desk simply nodding her head with a charming smile. She didn't bother trying to ease his mind or say anything to make the company seem trustworthy, her agency's company preceded it so there was simply no need for it.

The woman put away the letter and the two people left the building, the letter would probably reach the distant Golden Dawn Academy before nightfall of the next day. At that time, all that remained was to see how his sister would react, how she would treat him after learning parts of the truth. He hadn't written everything in the letter, he had saved some secrets for himself, but he had written enough for Xing Tang to have at least a few reasons to be angry or disappointed with him.

But that was her right, so he would just have to face that when the time came and they met again. He wrote that he would be meeting her in the future, probably in the Forge of Heroes, but whether or not she would wait that long was up for debate.

The streets were mostly empty after they left the agency, almost everyone in the area having flooded over to the still burning pagoda. Ying Feixu glanced over at Huang Ying as they walked, she was almost half a head taller than him so she ended up looking somewhat down at him as she turned her head. The slightly curious expression on her face gave way to one of faint amusement tinged with a touch of cruelty, the crimson eyes hidden behind strands of pitch-black hair flickering slightly.

"Heh, the fact that a beast like you comes from such a small village is just funny. And you even have the luck that your entire home could be destroyed like that, yet you still have people that managed to survive. You even seemed rather apologetic in that message, I'm amazed that you're actually able to feel something like that towards someone, you must be quite fond of this Xing Tang."

Huang Ying hadn't been very stealthy as he wrote the message, and since she was walking so close to him it was quite easy for her to read what he was writing. She guessed that he hadn't written the full truth, but just what he had written was enough for her to get a bit of a better understanding about his origins, especially when she coupled it with the memories she had devoured from others.

It was perfectly normal for her to take this kind of slightly twisted interest in those close to Huang Ying. After all, he had killed her father and thrown the egg that held her out of the nest, using the scent of her blood to create so much chaos that he and the others he was with at the time could escape. He had killed her only family and forced her to be born early so he was the one person she wanted to kill the most, the entire reason she was training underneath him was to become strong enough to kill him in single combat.

Huang Ying stopped his steps as Ying Feixu glanced over at him, turning his own gaze onto her. He was well aware of the hatred she felt towards him, the very name she had chosen for herself showed her ambition to ruin him. He also knew exactly why she was training under him but had still accepted it on the grounds that she could give him an excellent fight. But just as he had shown when she ambushed him during his previous battle against the Xing twins, there would always be a price she had to pay for her actions.

"Xing Tang is the final remaining family I have left, she's one of the few people in this entire world that I can be considered close to. Ying Feixu, I'll say this here just so that you're aware of the consequences. If you touch as much as a hair on the head of any of the people I care for, then you can forget everything I ever said about training you. I'll cripple you and tie you down, I'll force you to watch as I track down and eradicate anyone or anything that has even the smallest ties to you and your bloodline, I'll remove them all without so much as a trace or a grave. And only when every last one of them is gone will you have my permission to die. Do I make myself clear?"

His birth parents had abandoned him, he had never been welcomed or liked in the village where he lived, and Li Jun had been revealed to never really care about him at all. As a result, there were really very few people Huang Ying could be considered close to. He had his sister, Chen Hong, Song Yi, as well as the people from the other academies that he spent some time with in Cloudreacher Forest. There weren't terribly many, and that was exactly why he made sure to treasure each and every one of them.

Ying Feixu froze slightly as Huang Ying's gaze pierced into her, his previously carefree eyes turning into pitch-black voids that seemed to swallow up even the surrounding light. There wasn't a trace of cheerfulness or joy in them, they only contained a cold mercilessness that showed the weight behind his words. But Ying Feixu didn't remain frozen for long, her own eyes flaring up as the corners of her lips curved upwards.

"Yeah, that's how you should be, those are the eyes a beast like you should have."

He had thrown her down from her tall peak and forced her into the mud, and after following him for a short while she could easily admit that he was the greatest monster she had ever heard of. He would surely become a great beast in the future, a terrifying force of nature that brought horror wherever he went. And only if he was like that would there be extra worth in killing him, she would get her revenge and climb her way back to the peak with a single feat.

Huang Ying kept nailing her with his cold gaze for a few seconds before turning his head away, sauntering away as his eyes returned to their carefree state. He would much prefer to groom Ying Feixu into an opponent that could truly push his boundary and make him feel alive, even if it may cost him his life, but he wouldn't hesitate to leave her without a grave should she push things too far.

It didn't take the two of them too long to return to the Fierce Flame Academy after Huang Ying sent the message, passing through the wrought iron gate and stepping onto the path that led deeper into the large academy. His return was unannounced, but he knew that there was definitely at least one being here that had sensed his arrival before he even reached the gates, a being whose sense of smell was even greater than his.

And sure enough, a black figure quickly dashed over to the path they were walking. The black-furred and scarred wolf Hei Ya stopped at the side of the path, lowering his head respectfully to Huang Ying, the alpha of the pack had returned. Hong Yi, the little brown sparrow covered in red veins was standing on Hei Ya's head, squeaking excitedly while hopping around, casting an occasional glare towards Ying Feixu.

The two had been with Song Yi and Chen Hong ever since Huang Ying sent them back to the academy, so it was only obvious that the two of them would also follow along. The four newcomers started walking alongside Huang Ying, Song Yi brushing aside her black hair while observing Huang Ying with her differently coloured eyes, snickering amusedly.

"Three days, you've only been gone for a mere three days yet the second-largest establishment of the Xing clan is blazing with flames and the young prodigy Xing Dong hasn't shown even his tail ever since he followed after you. You're a damn genius at kicking up great waves of excitement, I love it."

Someone who could leave for a short amount of time and set off a great deal of chaos in that time, how could such a being not be the favourite of someone looking to turn the entire universe upside down? Huang Ying wasn't bothered by Song Yi figuring out what he had done, simply shrugging his shoulders with a somewhat mystifying smile.

"Hey, if they want to jump down a beast's gullet then I can't be held responsible for anything."

Chen Hong's mouth couldn't help but turn up somewhat when he heard that Huang Ying wasn't even going to bother trying to hide what he had done. The sheer casualness he showed in his confession almost made him burst out laughing, his green eyes trembling as he forced his laughter to remain as a mere chuckle, taking over the speaking role.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say. But you do know that Xing Shue Yong won't just leave things like this? He'll certainly manage to figure out a thing or two just by looking at what is known within the academy."

Those in the academy might not know that Huang Ying had anything to do with the fire currently ravaging the Xing clan establishment, but it wasn't a terribly hidden secret that Xing Dong had left the academy to follow Huang Ying three days ago. One had returned while the other hadn't even shown a single hair of his, it would be strange not to figure out that there might be a connection.

But once again, Huang Ying wasn't bothered in the slightest, his lips only curving into an even wider grin that left both Song Yi and Chen Hong slightly dumbfounded for a second.

"I know, isn't it exciting?"

Xing Shue Yong was different from the Xing twins Huang Ying had just killed, he didn't actually have any blood ties with Xing Dong. But they were members of the same clan and were quite close, it wouldn't be wrong to call them good friends. But Xing Shue Yong was a bit older than Xing Dong and had already become a third-year student in this academy, he was stronger than both the Xing twins by a fair bit. Song Yi and Chen Hong quickly wiped the dumbfounded expressions from their faces, chuckling simultaneously as Song Yi swept her gaze over Huang Ying.

"You really are damn mad, it's almost to the point where I can't tell if you're looking for a good fight or if you're looking to die."

Huang Ying had indeed beaten someone who had just become a second-year student before, but the difference between a second-year student and a third-year student wasn't as simple as just a single year. To willingly challenge a third-year in such a manner was indeed something that most people could only describe using one word, suicidal. But Huang Ying had never been one to bother with what others thought about his twisted mindset, his grin truly tinged with the faint scent of madness.

"But that's what makes things fun, no? Doesn't it just make you feel alive?"

He had lived on his knees his entire life, the only time he truly stood on his own two feet was the moment where he died. And he swore that he would never live like that again, he would stand on his own two feet and live as he pleased. He had once lived as if he was dead, now he would live so that he felt truly alive, even if that led to his death. Such was the oath of the child that broke in that dark cell.

But it was still an exceedingly strange way of thinking in a world where most people would do just about anything to secure their own life, Chen Hong rapping Huang Ying on the head a few times.

"I really wanna crack open this nogging to see how things are wired in there, it must be one horrible mess. But you're right, a situation like this will certainly make you feel alive. If worst comes to worst, I'll bring you away from here, that crony Yong won't dare do a thing to you at that point."

His words contained a calm and natural confidence, his swept-back yellow hair providing him with an air of elegance as he walked, acting as if he hadn't said anything big. But to be able to guarantee that a fairly high-ranking member of the Xing clan wouldn't dare to do a thing to him, it was clear that Chen Hong was far from as simple as his good-natured appearance suggested. Huang Ying had already noticed signs of this earlier, but this was the first time Chen Hong actually spoke out and somewhat confirmed things.

"Hoh, that's some grand words, enough to make me curious."

Chen Hong's expression was a slight bit awkward as Huang Ying swept his gaze over his body. He had made his promise, but there were still things he didn't want to talk about and dig up. Luckily, Huang Ying simply turned away his gaze with a casual shrug of his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I don't have a habit of digging. I'll listen if you want to talk, but I won't give a damn if you don't want to talk."

It was the same with Song Yi, it was extremely obvious that she wasn't a simple person and had some sort of extraordinary background. But Huang Ying had never asked her about it or dug into it, he had simply treated her as normal until she herself chose to talk about it. And he still kept treating her the same even after learning the truth, a fact she secretly found gratifying.

Seeing Huang Ying's nonchalance towards his secret, Chen Hong couldn't help but be caught off guard. But Huang Ying simply kept walking, his expression didn't show the slightest sign that he was just putting on an act to look cool. One side of his mouth curved up into a slight smirk as he spoke, Huang Ying giving quick retort that made Chen Hong chuckle.

"...You really are a strange person, but I guess that's what makes you so attractive."

"Please don't fall for me, I'd much prefer to get together with someone who won't spit their wine at me whenever we drink."

"I take it back, you're a crummy fellow, nothing more."

The chattering group took their time as they walked back to their lodgings, Ying Feixu drawing a clear line between them by keeping her distance. But they eventually reached the area where their cabins stood, Huang Ying bidding the others farewell as he sauntered over to his cabin, patting the heads of the two beasts that followed at his side.

"Alright you two, I hope you've had your fill of peace while I've been gone, I'll remove all of that in a few days."

Peace seemed to be the eternal enemy of Huang Ying, he had only just returned after creating chaos yet he was already working on plans for more. He brought the two beasts into the cabin and closed the door behind him, tossing out some Demonic beast meat that he had kept in his interspatial ring.

The three of them ate the meat, Huang Ying spending a bit of time with the two beasts before he retreated to his room and activated the array covering it. He buried himself in his cultivation, doing things according to the manual that Li Jun had given him in the past, the hours quickly passing.

The dim light of dawn pierced through the windows of the cabin before long, the rhythmic sound of rain hammering on wood resounding throughout the entire cabin. But that rhythm was quickly interrupted by a thunderous shout, the door to Huang Ying's cabin flying off its hinges as someone kicked it.

"HUANG YING, GET OUT HERE!"

Huang Ying opened his eyes without much surprise as his door smashed into the wall on the other end of the room. He stood up from the bed and started walking towards the now open entrance, stretching his body casually while glancing at the man standing a few steps away from his lodging.

"You're a fair bit louder than I expected, but that twitching is just as I expected, all five fingers."

The man standing a few steps away from the open entrance was about the same height as Huang Ying, black hair hanging loosely down to his shoulders. His body was slim and lean, an explosive amount of strength hiding beneath his toned skin. His brown eyes were slightly bloodshot as he looked at Huang Ying, all his fingers twitching in a rhythmic manner as he spat out his words.

"Don't talk as if you know me, it sickens me."

The man, Xing Shue Yong, pulled back his hands slightly as he glared at Huang Ying, his eyes narrowing sharply. His habit of twitching his fingers like that wasn't a big secret, but he rarely got angry so the only ones who really knew about it should be those closest to him. Huang Ying acted as if he couldn't detect Shue Yong's anger, still stretching his body casually while smiling mystifyingly.

"But what if I tell you that I know you like the back of my hand, what will you do then?"

Huang Ying may never have met this third-year student, but Xing Dong had plenty of memories about him so how could Huang Ying not know his fair share about Shue Yong? Xing Shue Yong drew in a sharp breath, his chest heaving slightly from anger as he glared icily at Huang Ying.

"What did you do to Little Dong? Why did you return but not he? And you'd best answer truthfully, you can't hide here in the academy forever."

It was just as Chen Hong had said, just the fact that Xing Dong had left the academy while stalking Huang Ying was enough for some people to associate a few things. That was especially so for Shue Yong, who was closer to Xing Dong than most and thus knew at least a little about his plans. Shue Yong carried with him an immensely heavy pressure just by standing there, but Huang Ying had felt far more terrifying pressures before so he was still able to just casually shrug his shoulders with a smirk that showed off one of his sharp canine teeth.

"Who knows? Maybe he ventured too deep into the woods and walked right into the open maw of a waiting beast? That seems like something an idiot like him would do."

Shue Yong's entire body twitched violently from Huang Ying's words, the pressure radiating from him exploding in intensity as the rain around him got pushed away by a wave of energy. But a somewhat disdaining voice rang out before Xing Shue Yong got the chance to respond.

"Shue Yong, is this something that a person of your status should be doing? Come on, this has even gone beyond pathetic."

Both Huang Ying and Shue Yong traced the sound of the voice to Chen Hong's cabin, both of them spotting him standing in the open entry. He had opened the door to speak but hadn't set foot outside the cabin, Huang Ying noticing that his face was a bit paler than normal thanks to the rain. Shue Yong didn't entertain Chen Hong, practically roaring at him with spit flying from his mouth.

"SHUT UP! I won't hear a damn thing from a filthy disgrace like you!"

Chen Hong's expression twitched slightly thanks to Shue Yong's cursing, his words telling Huang Ying that Shue Yong actually knew a bit about Chen Hong. Shue Yong didn't give Chen Hong the chance to say anything, sneering at him and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Come on, walk out here and say that to my face! Come on, do it!"

Shue Yong was clearly aware of Chen Hong's debilitating fear of water, it was to the point that Chen Hong had frozen up thanks to the rain even though they were surrounded by Demonic beasts. And as expected, Chen Hong was unable to take a step out of his cabin, Shue Yong's sneer only intensifying.

"That's what I thought, all bark and no bite. You're just a pathetic dog that got kicked away, you've already lost all right to talk to me. Come back when you're actually able to walk o...GH!"

Xing Shue Yong's expression crumpled before he could finish his cursing. His hands hurriedly reached for his crotch, which had just been smashed into by a solid pillar of earth that had risen up without warning. He collapsed to his knees with grit teeth, Huang Ying walking over with calm steps and a slightly cold expression.

"Now now, Lusty Yong, I really don't care if a little fish like you tries to blub at me, but I find it quite annoying if you try to blub at someone I consider a friend."

Huang Ying stopped in front of the kneeling Shue Yong, his expression devoid of even the smallest trace of fear as he studied the furious expression of the man in front of him. The corners of his mouth quickly turned up into a challenging grin as he placed his hand on Shue Yong's head, clearly stating his plans.

"Want me to tell you some good news? I have no intention of hiding in the academy, simply because there's just no need to. I'll be leaving in three days, I'm gonna pick up a mission and head out, leaving the city and going out for a bit of hunting."

Shue Yong's expression twitched slightly due to Huang Ying's audacity and recklessness, but the pain from his most precious crown jewels rendered him unable to even speak. Huang Ying stepped past him and gave his head a little push, tipping his kneeling body over so that Shue Yong's face hit the muddy earth, his light chuckle ringing in Shue Yong's ears.

"I really do wonder, are there going to be more fools wandering too deeply into the forest this time around? I'm sure the beasts are getting hungry again."