Chapter 33: Dragon Cry Middle School (Part 10)

The gradually spreading water-blue scales involuntarily brought to mind marine creatures, like fish—beautiful on their own, but utterly horrifying when growing on a person’s face.

Fu Wuxuan trembled all over, clutching his face. Yun Xueqing looked over and saw the agony in his expression. His originally pitch-black pupils seemed dyed by paint, gradually taking on a faint water-blue hue.

Fu Wuxuan was being eroded step by step by the Weird, his sanity devoured. He could only resist on instinct.

Yun Xueqing shouted to Ye Xuechun, who watched from the sidelines, “Take him away.”

There was no benefit in letting him stay any longer; he might fully Weirdify and turn into their enemy.

Sun Li, now fully transformed into the Rat Mother form, let out a sinister laugh. “Now it’s just you left.”

Ye Xuechun tremblingly supported the nearly Weirdifying Fu Wuxuan and led him away. He looked back at Yun Xueqing. “Bro, what about you?!”

Yun Xueqing gripped the Calamity Blade in his hand but said nothing.

The Rat Mother sneered coldly. “Such audacity. You’re really not afraid of death!”

In their earlier clash, Fu Wuxuan had barely held his own under the boost from the Spinebone Whip. Now, with Fu Wuxuan Weirdifying, only Yun Xueqing remained. She didn’t take him seriously at all.

He was just an ordinary person without a shred of Spirit Energy, barely holding on with some physical techniques—like a paper lantern, fragile enough that one strike from her would shatter him completely.

Yun Xueqing looked up at the Rat Mother, who towered several times his size, and suddenly cracked a faint smile. “Master always told me to do good deeds and accumulate merit, but now’s not the time for that.”

Even if he went all out and killed the Rat Mother, he might lose his own life in the process.

Paying so much for a bit of merit wasn’t worth it.

It wasn’t a worthwhile trade.

Seeing him lower the Calamity Blade, the Rat Mother cackled darkly. “You should have done that sooner. No matter what you do, it’s just futile resistance.”

She gathered her Weird Power, condensing a black orb in her rat-furred hand, preparing a fatal strike.

But then Yun Xueqing suddenly raised the straight blade and slashed a long gash across his palm.

Blood flowed down the hilt, staining the silver-white thin blade red. Having drunk Yun Xueqing’s blood, the Calamity Blade erupted with a faint blue glow.

“With demons and evil spirits before me, a disciple of the Sword Pavilion shall not retreat.”

A smile hooked up on Yun Xueqing’s calm face, his mild features gaining a touch of sternness—like a long blade unsheathed, its edge unhidden.

Spiritual Power condensed at the blade’s tip, the blue light intensifying. Yun Xueqing’s movements became swift as the wind. His toes lightly touched down as he floated up to the Rat Mother’s shoulder.

The Rat Mother screeched, “What are you trying to do?!”

He raised the long blade, blade qi slashing horizontally, cutting into the flesh on her shoulder.

“Sword Thrust.”

The Calamity Blade pierced like a sharp sword into the Rat Mother’s right shoulder blade!

The Rat Mother cried out and clumsily grabbed at him with her massive hand, but he moved with extreme agility, like an elusive gust of wind. He slid along her neck and landed on her left shoulder.

“Sword Thrust.”

But the Rat Mother, having been wounded once, was on guard. She reached straight for her shoulder.

Yun Xueqing didn’t panic.

“Just kidding.”

His toes lightly pushed off, and he floated upward from her shoulder, landing directly on top of the Rat Mother’s head. With a soft exhale, he said, “Severing Head.”

The blade flowed like water, Wu salt purer than snow, hand shattering all evils!

The glowing blue Calamity Blade slashed fiercely forward, its edge aimed at the Rat Mother’s head!

Amid a miserable scream, blood sprayed, and the Rat Mother’s head hit the ground.

The headless Rat Mother had blood gushing from her neck, and amid the blood, Rat Spawn began crawling out one after another!

The Calamity Blade, having drunk Yun Xueqing’s blood, had drained his life force.

Now, his Spiritual Power was depleted, and his mental power was plummeting. If he tangled with the Rat Spawn now, Weirdification was highly likely.

Yun Xueqing yanked out the Calamity Blade on the spot and bolted toward the Orphanage gate, shouting at the stunned Ye Xuechun, “Run!”

Ye Xuechun reacted a beat late, dragging the now delirious Fu Wuxuan out the Orphanage gate. As he ran, he exclaimed in shock, “Bro, you’re amazing! You killed a B-Grade Rat Mother with one slash!”

Yun Xueqing didn’t dare speak. He feared that opening his mouth would let blood spill from the corner of his lips.

He locked the Orphanage gate, hoping it would briefly hold back the endlessly emerging Rat Spawn.

Both he and Fu Wuxuan had mental power at the critical limit; neither could afford contact with the Rat Spawn now.

They prepared to flee far from the Orphanage when they saw Shen Qing blocking the main road, his expression grim.

But even more eye-catching than Shen Qing was the tall man beside him, wearing a Veil Hat.

Shen Qing blocked their path. “Leave Fu Wuxuan behind, and you can go.”

With Rat Spawn right behind them, ready to burst through the gate at any moment, Ye Xuechun cursed furiously on the spot. “You opportunistic scum, get out of our way!”

Shen Qing’s face darkened unnaturally. “Keep talking, and I’ll kill you too.”

The Veil Hat-wearing man suddenly spoke. “Shen Qing.”

Called by name, Shen Qing immediately became meek and obedient, falling silent. But his downcast eyes couldn’t hide the gloom.

Ye Xuechun’s eyes widened. “Who are you?”

Though he asked, he knew only a few could make Shen Qing so compliant.

The Veil Hat-wearing man chuckled softly and removed his Veil Hat, revealing a profound face.

Ye Xuechun’s expression turned ugly.

If he hadn’t learned that Fu Wuxuan was Dong Jun, Ye Xuechun wouldn’t have feared much.

But Fu Wuxuan was Dong Jun—the Dong Jun who had a deadly feud with the Divine Temple.

Yun Xueqing was gravely injured, Fu Wuxuan teetered on the edge of losing his mind to Weirdification, leaving only Ye Xuechun to hold up appearances. He forced a smile. “So it’s the Divine Temple’s current High Priest. I wonder what business you have blocking us… There are very dangerous Rat Spawn behind us. We should all leave quickly.”

Leng Yin curved his lips in a smile, his tone elegant. “I’m naturally aware of the Orphanage and Rat Spawn situation—after all, my subordinate works at the Orphanage.”

Shen Qing beside him kept his head lowered, silent.

His randomly assigned identity was one of the behind-the-scenes culprits working for Sun Li at the Orphanage, privy to many secrets. That was how Leng Yin had learned of the clues early, ahead of Yun Xueqing’s group. He had set this trap to lure them in.

His voice was low and resonant like a cello, exuding effortless poise. “Hand over Dong Jun, and the Divine Temple won’t trouble you.”

Ye Xuechun shook his head. “I don’t know any Dong Jun. None of us three is Dong Jun. Let us go!”

Shen Qing sneered contemptuously. “Ye Xuechun, are you taking us for fools, or do you actually have a problem with your brain?”

Ye Xuechun didn’t get angry or argue. He racked his brains for a way to escape unscathed.

But every path seemed like a dead end.

Yun Xueqing casually wiped the blood from his mouth and suddenly spoke. “You can take Fu Wuxuan. What do you plan to do with him?”

Shen Qing’s expression was grim, his hatred unconcealed. “He killed our previous High Priest. Even grinding his bones to dust wouldn’t avenge that blood debt!”

Leng Yin kept a smile on his lips from start to finish, though his eyes were as cold as Shen Qing’s. “Shen Qing, no need for such violence.”

He said to Yun Xueqing, “Naturally, we’ll take him back to the Divine Temple for interrogation—to question why Dong Jun killed my brother.”

Yun Xueqing pointed at Fu Wuxuan beside him, his expression indifferent. “He’s already Weirdified and lost his reason. He probably can’t tell you the truth you want.”

Leng Yin’s smile persisted, but impatience crept into his face. “That’s not for you to worry about.”

“Negotiations broken,” Yun Xueqing raised the Calamity Blade in his hand. “Only battle will decide the outcome.”

Leng Yin crossed his arms leisurely. “An ordinary man thinks he can stand against Oracles? Shen Qing.”

Shen Qing, standing obediently to the side, stepped forward at the call, drawing a long blade from his Storage Space. Seeing the Calamity Blade in Yun Xueqing’s hand, he sneered coldly. “Your Ghost Artifact is a blade too? Fine blade, but you’re not worthy of it.”

He gripped his long blade and lunged, when a voice suddenly came from behind. “Two A-Rank Ability Users ganging up on a few wounded? Truly shameless.”

Yun Xueqing was somewhat surprised by the newcomer. “Su Bai?”

Su Bai had a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a long spear in hand. He effortlessly blocked Shen Qing’s slash. “That’s me.”

The blade ground against the spear shaft, jarring the hand. Shen Qing did a backflip, landing beside Leng Yin.

Shen Qing had memorized the roster and info of A-Rank Ability Users, knowing their organizations and Oracles like the back of his hand. He identified the man instantly. “Su Bai? The Special Ability Control Bureau sticking its nose in too?”

Su Bai grinned. “Though we cooperate with the Divine Temple, only the Control Bureau has the right to make arrests. You have no authority for private captures or vigilante justice.”

Shen Qing ignored his official spiel entirely and sneered. “Su Bai, we’re both A-Rank Ability Users, but you’re alone. We have two. You can’t take Dong Jun!”

Su Bai waved it off. “Not quite. There’s a big gap between A-Rank Ability Users—not like 1+1 equals more than 1.”

Shen Qing raged. “Su Bai, you’re arrogant! You think you can beat both of us?!”

“Of course not,” Su Bai slid to his knees swiftly, stowing his spear, and shrugged helplessly. “I’m not that strong yet.”

He scratched his stubbled chin and suddenly grinned. “But who said I came alone?”

“Su Bai, is the negotiation done?”

Everyone turned toward the voice. From the other side of the wall slowly walked a man in a black trench coat.

He emerged from distant shadows, his face obscured by the light, only his tall, upright figure barely visible.

Shen Qing didn’t recognize the man but sensed the immense pressure he exuded.

This man’s Spirit Energy was at least his equal—possibly far superior.

As the trench coat man drew near, Shen Qing finally saw his face.

Beside him, Leng Yin’s poised smile faltered as he pointed out the identity. “To think one Dong Jun dragged in the Special Ability Control Bureau’s Vice Director. He truly has some skill.”

All their elaborate setup had ended up benefiting others.

Masking his reluctance, he said to Shen Qing, “We can’t take Dong Jun this time. We’ll find another opportunity. Let’s go.”

Shen Qing was equally unwilling but had no choice. He stowed his blade and nodded.

The two vaulted over the wall and vanished hastily from Yun Xueqing’s sight. Their rushed departure looked undignified, like a rout.

With the great foes gone, Yun Xueqing’s expression didn’t relax. Instead, his nerves grew tauter.

The Special Ability Control Bureau’s Vice Director sounded like no easy opponent.

The approaching trench coat man wasted no words on pleasantries, cutting straight to the point. “Hand Fu Wuxuan over to me.”