Heartbroken

Heartbroken...

Near the thicket, a small crowd had gathered, drawn by the deafening roar that had pierced the forest's tranquility. Their expressions were wide-eyed, a mix of shock and disbelief etched on their faces.

Qin Wentian arrived at the scene, his heart racing with anxiety. An unsettling feeling gnawed at him, as if he dreaded discovering something he never wanted to see.

His steps became leaden as he advanced through the crowd, his apprehension growing with each passing moment.

There, atop an ancient tree, a lance was firmly embedded. The lifeless body of a young man hung from it, pinned against the sturdy trunk. His tattered robes were stained crimson with blood. The youth, now deprived of breath, stared into the void with wide-open eyes, reflecting his deep unwillingness and despair. He had been young, full of dreams for the future, but his life had been abruptly snuffed out here, in an undignified manner.

Boom. Qin Wentian's heart pounded like a drum, and his face turned ashen. Wasn't this young man Zi Jun? What had happened? He hadn't fallen to a demonic beast; the lance that had pierced him seemed to be a silent declaration.

Mo Qingcheng and Rain also lost their color, their once-beautiful faces now marked by cold seriousness, as if the icy grip of winter had seized them.

With measured steps, Qin Wentian continued forward, his gaze fixed on the lifeless form of his would-be junior brother. Then, he shifted his gaze to the thicket of trees further ahead, where the ground was soaked with blood, and another motionless body lay, life extinguished.

Mountain had been silently safeguarding Zi Jun from the shadows. When Qin Wentian laid eyes on the impaled figure of Zi Jun, anguish gripped his heart. Yet, beneath his pain was an overwhelming sense of foreboding that had haunted him. His worst fears had become a chilling reality.

Amidst rustling sounds, several figures emerged. Although Luo Huan's graceful figure remained mesmerizing, her visage was etched with icy coldness and profound sorrow.

She hurriedly moved to Mountain's side and knelt beside him. Her trembling hands caressed Mountain's face, tears streaming down her cheeks like rain from the heavens. The tears fell silently, but in that moment, they seemed to echo louder than anything else in the world. Qin Wentian had never seen the carefree Luo Huan in such torment, let alone witness this ceaseless torrent of tears.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH…" A heart-wrenching scream of grief and anger escaped Luo Huan's lips, resonating throughout the Dark Forest. The sheer sorrow and despair in her voice reached anyone who heard it.

Luo Cheng, Fan Le, and the others arrived at Luo Huan's side, all kneeling on the ground, their hearts heavy with sorrow.

Qin Wentian's feet, which felt as though they weighed a thousand Jin, slowly carried him towards Zi Jun's lifeless body. With trembling hands, he closed Zi Jun's eyes and then gently removed the long lance impaling him. Carrying Zi Jun's body, he placed it beside Mountain, kneeling down beside them both, his gaze fixed on their lifeless faces.

"Junior brother, when you achieve great things in the future, promise me you'll return to the academy to visit, okay? Don't act like you don't know me by then," Mountain's words echoed in his ears. Mountain, who had been on the cusp of Arterial Circulation, was sure to reach Yuanfu by year's end. After breaking through, he had planned to prepare himself for the role of an honorary Elder, guiding the academy's students.

Mountain held high hopes for the talented Zi Jun and had aspired to nurture a genius who could rival Qin Wentian. His dreams had not been far-fetched. He had only wanted to live a tranquil life within the academy, passing down his knowledge to the next generations. Yet now, all those aspirations had vanished into thin air. He was gone, the elder brother figure who had been alive just a few days prior, his eyes closed forever in the unending slumber of death.

Several long lances were impaled into their bodies, indicating that their deaths were not the work of a lone assailant. Their deaths were clearly orchestrated, yet the motives of their killers remained enigmatic.

"Sister Luo Huan," Qin Wentian called out, his gaze locked onto her. Traditionally, he had always referred to her as Senior Sister Luo Huan, but this time, he addressed her with a simpler "Sister Luo Huan."

He reached out, gently wiping away the tears streaming down her face.

In Qin Wentian's eyes, there was a trace of manic laughter, a look that was utterly alien to him until now. It was a moment etched forever in Luo Huan's memory. The laughter was tinged with madness, as if it were a chaotic fusion of grief, anger, torment, and unwavering determination.

"I understand that nothing we do can bring Senior Mountain back," Qin Wentian said, each word pronounced with solemnity, his eyes locked ahead. "But I promise you this, those responsible for his death will suffer unimaginably."

Mountain had no known adversaries within the Emperor Star Academy. His secret expedition into the Dark Forest to protect Zi Jun had brought him into no conflicts. Clearly, those who had killed him were intentionally provoking the Emperor Star Academy.

If Qin Wentian were to hazard a guess, the Royal Clan would be the prime suspects behind this. If his suspicions held true, he pledged to alter the course of Chu's imperial authority. He was resolute, as long as he, Qin Wentian, drew breath.

Luo Huan's eyes were bloodshot, and she nodded emphatically. The perpetrators behind Mountain's death would undoubtedly pay a grievous price.

"We must alert all the prospective students from our Emperor Star Academy to evacuate this area. It's highly likely that this attack wasn't solely aimed at Mountain but at the entire academy," Rain suggested, her voice filled with grief, yet she remained composed, shouldering the burden of authority.

"Except for us, the rest of our juniors are still in the midst of their examinations. If someone is indeed targeting the Emperor Star Academy, they would focus on us," Luo Cheng stated calmly. "But there's no need to continue the examinations. I agree with the evacuation plan, but we should leave the Dark Forest as well."

Rain nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in Luo Cheng's words. The enemy lurked in the shadows while they remained exposed, making their situation perilous. The prospective students of the Emperor Star Academy were scattered throughout the Dark Forest, making it impractical to locate them one by one.

Rain ascended into the skies and issued a command through a powerful sonic wave, "All prospective students of the Emperor Star Academy, immediately exit the Dark Forest."

The sound waves reverberated in all directions before Rain descended to the ground. There was only so much she could do. Luo Cheng was correct; these prospective students were in the middle of an examination. If there were indeed individuals deliberately targeting the Emperor Star Academy, they wouldn't attack individuals who were not yet part of the academy.

"Let's depart now," Rain urged Qin Wentian and the others.

However, Qin Wentian responded, "Senior Mountain passed away not long ago. I believe his killers couldn't have gotten too far. I'd like to investigate."

"Impossible," Rain firmly rejected. Qin Wentian's safety was paramount.

If the Royal Clan was truly behind this, it signaled that they had already initiated action against the Emperor Star Academy. Previously, coexistence was possible, but once that balance was shattered, peace would be a distant memory, and chaos would inevitably ensue.

"I just want to check for any clues. Senior Rain, don't worry, I won't act recklessly," Qin Wentian reassured her calmly. Seeing his determination, Rain reluctantly consented, "You can only search the nearby area and must not wander too far. I'll accompany you."

"I'll join you as well. We can use my white crane," Mo Qingcheng offered as she stepped forward.

Qin Wentian glanced at Mo Qingcheng and nodded in agreement, "Alright, let's go now."

"I'll bring the bodies of Mountain and Zi Jun back," Luo Huan declared. Qin Wentian and the two women mounted the white crane, soaring through the air in pursuit of the trail left by the footprints.

The white crane's speed was astonishing as it carried them swiftly forward.

Qin Wentian pointed downward upon spotting the corpses of demonic beasts strewn about the ground. "Look there."

Rain observed the densely clustered trees ahead and cautioned, "Be cautious. That thicket looks like a perfect spot for an ambush."

Qin Wentian's sharp eyes detected a group of figures blending into the forest's shadows, sneaking away toward the dense cluster of trees. "There are people over there," he whispered.

Mo Qingcheng's voice joined in a low tone, "And there's someone here too." Qin Wentian's gaze turned icy upon seeing the newcomers, and a terrifying light glinted in his eyes.

"Ye Wuque, Wang Teng, Wu Chong." These three were none other than the challengers from their previous encounter.

The trio levitated, blocking the white crane's path. "What a coincidence," they said in unison.

"Step aside," Qin Wentian coldly demanded, but they remained immovable, and faint rustling noises emanated from the shadows below them. Several figures cloaked in black stealthily disappeared into the densely packed trees.

The white crane screeched angrily and charged forward as if it wanted to confront the three cultivators head-on. Rain faced Wang Teng on the left, Mo Qingcheng faced Wu Chong on the right, and Qin Wentian confronted Ye Wuque.

Demonic energy surged as Qin Wentian unleashed countless palm imprints, his arterial pathways resonating as he channeled energy into his arms. He attacked with the Falling Mountain Palms on his left and the Forgotten Imprints on his right, aiming to obliterate everything in his path.

Ye Wuque chuckled coldly and met the attack with both his palms. A monstrously sharp aura radiated from him.

Upon impact, Qin Wentian felt Ye Wuque's energy flow like an uninterrupted river. This was the power of Yuanfu. The vast reserves of Astral Energy within a Yuanfu cultivator's body were beyond an Arterial Circulation cultivator's reach. Qin Wentian's arms trembled violently, and his body was sent hurtling backward.

The white crane retreated, allowing Qin Wentian to land on its back. Rain and Mo Qingcheng also fell back. The last of the black-cloaked figures had successfully vanished into the dense trees.

Blood trickled from the corners of Qin Wentian's mouth. His eyes grew ice-cold and incredibly demonic in that moment.

"Let's go back," Rain said in a hushed voice, and Mo Qingcheng concurred. They knew they would be in grave danger if they pressed on. However, as Mo Qingcheng glanced at Qin Wentian, she noticed a profound transformation in him. His face was devilishly handsome yet chillingly cold, his long black hair dancing in the wind.

"Ye Wuque, you'll pay for this," Qin Wentian spat out. The white crane turned and departed, and Qin Wentian's icy voice echoed in the air.

Ye Wuque furrowed his brow, the memory of Qin Wentian's cold, sinister eyes lingering in his mind. In that moment, Qin Wentian had seemed unnaturally demonic.