Who Kills Whom

Who Kills Whom . . .

In the heart of the perilous Sage Devil Gorge, Qin Wentian harbored no inclination for mindless bloodshed. He had ventured into this treacherous realm with a singular purpose—determined to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by the Heavenly Talisman Realm.

Amidst the chaos of this exercise, the unwavering goal of augmenting his strength remained paramount in Qin Wentian's mind.

During his sojourn within the Eastern Sage Cliff, he had immersed himself in profound revelations and gleaned a trove of innate techniques and martial arts. Among them, the crowning jewel was the wisdom he had extracted from the immortal statue at the journey's culmination—an inheritance traced back to an immortal king. This formidable battle art had ignited a blaze of martial prowess within him, soaring to level three, rendering its might nothing short of cataclysmic.

Within the Sage Devil Gorge, however, no serendipitous encounters beckoned. Thus, Qin Wentian resolved to invest his time in consolidating the profound insights he had previously acquired. For any disciple of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect harboring designs on his life, they would do well to comprehend the perilous toll they would pay.

The corpse of the ill-fated disciple lay before Qin Wentian, a stark testament to his unyielding resolve— a silent warning to would-be interlopers. It was a statement that screamed, "Disturb my meditation at your peril."

Yet, fate often wove its tapestry in unpredictable ways. After a considerable span of time had elapsed, two disciples, garbed in robes tinged with a delicate golden hue, arrived upon the scene. Their glances fell upon the lifeless form of their fellow sect member, their eyes simmering with frosty intent. However, the chill that enveloped them was not merely a result of their affiliation with the same sect; rather, it was born of a profound camaraderie.

The Eastern Sage Immortal Sect was a vast and fiercely competitive domain, a crucible in which disciples vied for guidance from elders and coveted cultivation resources. Here, the crucible of rivalry ran white-hot.

In witnessing their comrade's corpse manipulated by Qin Wentian as a macabre form of intimidation, an unbridled surge of murderous intent coursed through their veins.

"YOU DARE!" one of them thundered, his voice a frigid blade slicing through the air, aimed squarely at Qin Wentian. His gaze, sharpened to a lethal point, bore down upon Qin Wentian with merciless intent. His companion, too, contorted his features into a sinister mask, ready to descend into a frenzy of carnage.

At this juncture, Qin Wentian halted his meditation, his eyes flickering to life as they locked onto the pair who had just arrived.

"You speak of humiliation, yet he sought my life. Must I, after defending myself, lay him to rest in a pristine grave?" Qin Wentian retorted, his voice a measured barb.

"Such insolence!" the disciple seethed, his wrath boiling over. "You dare to degrade disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect! Rest assured, you shall not emerge from this gorge alive. Even if the two of us fail to exterminate you, your demise remains an inevitability."

One among them retrieved a precious artifact, and a brilliant golden ray burst into the heavens—a beacon signaling their intention to gather core disciples of the sect.

Witnessing this beacon, several disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect stiffened, and a sense of urgency enveloped them. Among the throngs of disciples, those in resplendent golden robes, the core disciples, fixed their gazes upon the luminous ray. This beacon served as a clarion call for their swift assembly.

In the crowd, many disciples locked onto the pinpoint of light, their discerning eyes detecting an individual whose cultivation matched their own. They, too, hastened towards the source.

Simultaneously, some participants within the gorge, donning perplexed expressions, observed the unfolding commotion. They noted others converging in the same direction, and curiosity tugged at their minds.

Qin Wentian, however, remained the epitome of tranquility. His gaze remained affixed upon the golden beacon, his expression cool and undisturbed. He understood that time was a patient ally.

Within the confines of the Sage Devil Gorge, a turbulent undercurrent of tension swirled. Qin Wentian stood unwavering, his determination etched deep into his being. He held no trepidation, be it for the external or core disciples who shared his level within the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect. His purpose here was resolute—to secure one of the top three rankings that would signify his talent, placing him on par with the revered Sage Children. These disciples, favored by the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor himself, occupied a hallowed position within the sect. Qin Wentian was destined to stand shoulder to shoulder with them; thus, he remained unperturbed by the presence of external or core disciples.

As his gaze swept over his peers of equal standing, a grim truth emerged—there was no one here he feared. Not a soul, unless they chose to unite their forces and assail him with overwhelming numbers.

The two disciples who had recently arrived shared his sentiment. They offered no immediate challenge, merely standing vigil as they cast watchful eyes upon Qin Wentian. Little did they realize that their notion of restricting his movements was a fallacy, for should Qin Wentian decide to depart, their efforts would prove futile.

Time passed, and two more external disciples joined the scene. Their eyes quickly assessed the situation, and upon encountering the lifeless body sprawled before them, their expressions hardened into frosty masks of disapproval.

"You have yet to formally join our ranks, yet your audacity knows no bounds," one of them rebuked, his tone laced with incredulity. Qin Wentian furrowed his brow at their puzzling reaction. Here, amidst a merciless trial of blood, were these Eastern Sage Immortal Sect disciples suggesting that his actions were audacious and insolent? Could it be that, in their eyes, the hunters were permitted to kill without restraint, while the hunted were denied the right to fight back? Were they to believe that, once killed, he would be granted the honor of a dignified burial?

"You naive imbecile," a voice chided. Qin Wentian turned his attention to the newcomer, noting a group of disciples in resplendent golden robes approaching. Among them, one figure sported robes of an even richer hue, signaling his elevated status—a core disciple.

The others, their robes faintly golden, represented the larger faction of external disciples.

The core disciple's commanding presence was palpable, and his words dripped with condescension. As someone already recognized by the sect, boasting both core disciple status and remarkable talent, his arrogance was well-earned. In contrast, many external disciples toiled ceaselessly, aspiring to join the coveted ranks of core disciples—a feat fraught with daunting challenges.

The allure of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect attracted heaven-chosen disciples from each of the thirteen prefectures. Becoming an external disciple was a source of immense pride, a distinction only a handful would attain. Of these, just over a hundred would rise to the coveted status of core disciples.

The core disciples were held in high regard by the sect, recognized as cultivators of exceptional potential. Their mission during this hunting exercise was not to indiscriminately slaughter participants but to discern and acknowledge those who displayed true talent. The task of external disciples, on the other hand, was to hunt down as many participants as possible. For them, the deaths of participants, even at the hands of external disciples, signaled their worthlessness.

Elite disciples assumed a supervisory role, overseeing the proceedings within the Sage Devil Gorge.

Qin Wentian locked eyes with the core disciple who had spoken. As the man approached, Qin Wentian remained unyielding. "Even if you possess talent, you shouldn't harbor the illusion of leaving this place alive. Your corpse shall dangle from a tree, a stark reminder of your audacity in using a fellow disciple's body to threaten others."

"Absurd," Qin Wentian countered, struggling to make sense of their logic. According to this man, it was perfectly acceptable for Qin Wentian to be hunted. Yet, when he defended himself against those who sought his life, he had apparently committed a heinous crime deserving of death. This action had even triggered the arrival of several core disciples, eager to exact his punishment.

"You will see the absurdity once you're dead," the expert retorted, his words laden with finality.

As the tension in the Sage Devil Gorge escalated, Qin Wentian's presence grew more pronounced. With deliberate intent, he rose to his full height, his aura commanding the very atmosphere itself. He locked his gaze onto the individuals before him, his eyes ablaze with a resolute determination. In that moment, he radiated an aura of loftiness, as though he were the protagonist in an epic tale, destined to shape the course of this world.

"Sage Devil Gorge," Qin Wentian began, his voice resonating with unwavering confidence. "The disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect hunt us, the participants. This is a bloodthirsty trial where strength reigns supreme, and the path for the weak is one of death. If I were feeble, the lifeless body on the ground would be mine. Yet, here you all stand, united in demanding retribution from me, oblivious to your own statuses, believing yourselves superior to mere participants. How audacious."

With a sweeping gaze, he assessed the group below him, his eyes bathed in a crimson glow. His demeanor oozed an unyielding arrogance that seemed to challenge the very heavens.

"If you seek my life, take it without hesitation. Spare me your sanctimonious sermons," Qin Wentian declared, his voice dripping with disdain. "But I genuinely wish to witness how the five of you intend to claim my life."

Floating in mid-air, he stared down at the five disciples, his battle halo blazing to life with a deafening explosion. He had activated only the first level of the battle art, yet his aura now resembled that of a war king, exuding a terrifying presence.

The core disciple surveyed Qin Wentian with a cold, calculating gaze. The power emanating from the young man was unparalleled, making it clear why he had been able to dispatch an external disciple with ease. Nevertheless, the core disciple remained unwavering in his conviction. "Your strength may have enabled you to defeat an external disciple, but that doesn't make you invincible. You overestimate yourself. Attack him."

With the core disciple's command, the four external disciples unleashed their formidable constellations, their energies spiraling to life in a coordinated assault.

"Perish!" one of them cried out, a surge of blood-colored energy coalescing into a tempest that hurtled toward Qin Wentian. Simultaneously, another disciple summoned a colossal palm imprint that blotted out the sun, while a third disciple swung a devastating saber strike through the void. The fourth disciple wielded a control-type constellation, summoning a multitude of devilish vines to ensnare Qin Wentian.

The collaborative onslaught unleashed by the four disciples transcended mere arithmetic; their attacks synergized seamlessly, leaving no room for escape. Despite their individual strengths paling in comparison to Qin Wentian's, their collective might was more than enough to end his life.

Qin Wentian found himself engulfed in a torrent of attacks, a veritable avalanche of destructive force bearing down upon him. Had he been only slightly weaker, he would have met his demise beneath their unrelenting assault.

The core disciple's smug grin revealed a sense of superiority. He had gravely underestimated the disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, confident that this single strike would be sufficient to claim Qin Wentian's life.

Yet, in the midst of the onslaught, the heavens seemed to quake as a thunderous chime reverberated throughout the gorge. An iridescent violet-gold light burst forth, the resounding chimes shaking the very earth and sky. The core disciple's eyes widened as he witnessed the brilliance, realizing that they had underestimated their opponent.

Before their eyes, the situation rapidly shifted. Qin Wentian stood aloft, his aura radiating unparalleled might. His crimson battle halo gleamed, and a magnificent violet-gold constellation materialized behind him. In that moment, he exuded an aura of supreme authority that sent shivers down the spines of all who beheld him.

"Do you, mere disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, truly think you can claim my life? Even if you harbored no intentions to kill me, you are still unworthy of inspiring fear or reverence in my heart."

Qin Wentian's eyes bore into the core disciple below, his words striking like thunder. He took a step forward, his outstretched palms pulsating with power capable of seizing the moon and stars. The four external disciples, reeling from their retreat, found themselves powerless to evade the descending giant palm imprint. With a deafening explosion, one of them was obliterated on the spot, his life extinguished in an instant.

"If you seek my life, prepare to forfeit your own," Qin Wentian declared with unyielding dominance, his words instilling a profound terror in the hearts of those who bore witness to his relentless power.