"Chapter 7" Curse of Death

"Curse of Death?" Xuan asked, his eyes filled with curiosity. This was the first time he had heard of it.

Ning Binglan's expression turned serious. "You may not have heard of it, as it's a forbidden art used by the assassins of the Night Tower. But they were destroyed years ago due to their forbidden practices."

Xuan's eyes widened as he watched the man's belongings and clothes disintegrate into nothingness.

"If they were destroyed, then how could he...?" Xuan trailed off, but Ning Binglan's serious expression silenced him.

"I need to report this back to the sect. Girls, let's go." Ning Xi and Lei Yan nodded in agreement.

Ning Binglan turned to Xuan. "Our Sky Heaven Sect will soon be accepting new disciples. If you have nowhere to go, you're welcome to join us."

With that, the three women left, leaving Xuan to ponder Ning Binglan's offer.

"She must have had her doubts after I used that attack to kill the man, but she still offered me a place in her sect," Xuan thought to himself. "It seems I was right; they aren't bad people."

After the commotion subsided, the meat shop owner cautiously emerged from his hiding place. He was met with a scene of devastation: many houses, shops, and establishments had been destroyed during the intense fight.

Xuan, noticing the owner's distress, retrieved 10 spirit stones from his pocket and handed them to the man. "You've helped me greatly," he said with a smile. "Take these and live your life with ease."

The meat shop owner's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the spirit stones in his hand. But when he finally came out of his trance-like state, he looked up to find that Xuan had vanished into thin air.

Xuan utilized his Blur Wind Steps, swiftly departing the village. After exhausting his Qi, he had covered approximately 30 miles. Then he stopped at a nearby waterfall, where he decided to clean himself and rest.

Fortunately, Ye Xuan had stored some of the serpent's meat for him. After washing up, Xuan began roasting the meat over a fire. "Despite my lack of appetite, I just can't resist eating this," he said to himself, savouring the flavour.

Once he finished his meal, Xuan found a suitable tree trunk to lean against and settled in for the night. He planned to rest and then decide on his next course of action come morning.

Meanwhile somewhere, nine people in cloak were having a meeting, the atmosphere there was intense and their faces were hidden.

The man sitting in the sixth seat spoke up, his deep, hoarse voice filling the room. "Our chess piece in the south has been eliminated. It seems someone interfered with our plan." His eyes locked onto the man sitting in the first seat.

The man in the first seat took his time to respond, his voice filled with an authoritative tone. "Who killed him?" His question was direct and to the point.

The man who had delivered the news held up a crystal, displaying an image of Xuan's face. The room fell silent.

"This is just a kid," the man in the third seat exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise. "How is that possible?"

The man in the sixth seat nodded thoughtfully. "but It's true that this boy killed him. For now, we can assume that someone must be backing him, or he's using an Age Reversing Pill or Rejuvenation Pill which means he can be an old monster disguise."

"The Token of Death is of utmost importance to us. I won't tolerate any mistakes in this matter," the man in the first seat declared, his voice stern.

He turned his gaze to the sixth seat and issued a command. "Mobilize all the power we have in the southern lands and find it. If you need to send some of our people, then do so. I want that token."

He glared at the crystal, his eyes fixed on Xuan's face. "Send someone from the Energy Transmutation stage. That should be enough to handle this man."

The others nodded in agreement, and the meeting continued, shifting to discussions of other pressing matters.

Oblivious of the looming threat, Xuan woke up after a few hours of rest and began cultivating.

He was on the cusp of breaking through to the Meridian stage, so he utilized this time to refine his Qi and digest the experience he gained from killing the bandits.

Experience, in the context of cultivation, was a mental process. Accumulated over years, it not only enhanced one's cultivation but also paved the way for higher realms and the pursuit of the Great Dao.

Xuan understood that the reward he received might seem insignificant now, but in the long run, it would prove invaluable when he chose a specific Dao to pursue in the higher realms.

After four hours of intense cultivation, Xuan felt the wall to the Meridian Stage within his grasp, but it still lingered just out of reach.

He sensed that one final push would be enough to break through. However, he decided to postpone his attempt, choosing instead to follow the path taken by Ning Binglan and the others.

Xuan had come to realize that the reward system had its limitations. As his cultivation progressed, the challenges would only intensify, making it increasingly difficult to ascend.

With this in mind, he made the decision to join the Sky Heaven Sect, drawn by its reputation for providing a conducive cultivation environment and valuable resources to aid in his growth.

Ning Xi and Lei Yan served as living proof of the Sky Heaven Sect's exceptional cultivation environment. Despite being only slightly older than Xuan, they had already reached the Meridian Stage, a testament to the sect's rich resources and supportive atmosphere.

"If not for the system and its rewards, I doubt I would have reached this stage so early," Xuan thought to himself, a hint of gratitude towards the system flashing through his mind.

With a swift motion, he activated his Blur Wind Steps and set off towards the Sky Heaven Sect.