Chapter 0205: The Fickleness of Human Friendships
Cheng Yixiao also seemed to have awoken from the shock that Ning Cheng was a Devil Cultivator. With Sha Sha shouting out in a heart wrenching voice, it made him realize that all of what was happening in front of him was in fact real and not a hallucination. Looking at these cultivators struggling and fighting over to get into the Second Segment of the Law’s Way, it immediately made Cheng Yixiao frown. It was not that he did not understand the viewpoint of these people, that Cheng Xiaoning obviously was not going to hold on for much longer, once those people finally ended up killing Cheng Xiaoning, then for them to want to pass through this place would simply end up being a dream.
Cheng Yixiao did not follow behind the people as they rushed towards the entrance to the valley. Even though his injuries had not recovered, he must give a hand to help out Ning Cheng.
Once Nalan Ruxue saw the actions of Cheng Yixiao, she immediately knew what Cheng Yixiao wanted to do. She gave out a sad sigh as she sent a sound transmission to him, “Senior Apprentice Brother Cheng, that person is a Devil Cultivator, regardless of the time frame in which we meet him, he would try to kill you too. If you interfere here and help in the matter regarding a Devil Cultivator, once this news spreads outside, then our Wu Nian Academy’s reputation would also be completely ruined and corrupted to the extreme. You also know that our Academy Head is incapable of leaving his location. Moreover, you also know about the matters that transpired a few hundreds of years ago, whether that matter be re-enacted once again or not, who can dare to affirm it.”
Hearing Nalan Ruxue’s words, Cheng Yixiao’s footsteps also halted, before he finally subconsciously stopped himself from moving forward. It didn’t matter if he was going to help or not, even if in the end he was killed by these cultivators, it did not matter much to him. However, if he really helped in the matters relating to a Devil Cultivator, and once the news of this matter spread out, then the Wu Nian Academy’s image would be thoroughly tarnished without any hope of recovery. Only if he completely killed off all the people here, without even leaving a single one alive, only then could he prevent this matter from leaking out, otherwise this matter would definitely spread out like wildfire.
Several hundred years ago, in the Le Continent, there was an Academy that dominated over the current three greatest Academies, it was the Kun Yun Academy. But because that Academy’s genius disciple, Jing Haoyao protected a female Devil Cultivator, who had chased down and killed several of her fellow women of her own Academy like a crazed devil. The result of this incident led to the Kun Yun Academy to be besieged by dozens of large Academies, and using it as excuse, completely eradicated it. Moreover, of all those besieging the Academy, their Wu Nian Academy was the one that had arranged the entire line up.
The Wu Nian Academy was one of the current three largest Academies on the Le Continent, once news got out that he had helped the Devil Cultivator. Some of the people with ulterior motives would then even go to the extent to exaggerating the rumour that he had helped the Devil Cultivator kill off the rest of the cultivators. In such a situation, even if he had 10,000 mouths, he would not be able to clear all the misunderstandings that would arise. It was especially true because of his special identity.
Cheng Yixiao looked at the disciples from his own Academy who were running away in a hurry, and gave out a painful sigh, he could not blame these people for running away. Since he was able to think of this, then the others would obviously also be able to think of this.
The few Profound Congealing Cultivators from the Wu Nian Academy in his team were aware of Cheng Yixiao’s personality, they all knew that he hated the wicked as if they were his own personal enemies and would always come forward to defend against any and all injustices in a just and righteous manner. Seeing Cheng Yixiao hesitating at present as to come to a decision on whether to act or not, the few of them immediately came forward and tightly grabbed onto Cheng Yixiao, they could not dare to even let Cheng Yixiao take a single step forward. They even forcibly pulled him along with them as they crashed through the now completely open the blue stone doors and quickly vanished from the scene without even a single trace.
“Elder Sister Lingwei, I do not feel good in my heart……” After Zhangsun Yan came out and had already travelled quite a distance, she suddenly could not remain silent in keeping her feelings suppressed in her heart, and finally spoke up.
Jia Lingwei also gave out a slow grieving sigh as she spoke, “I know that Yan Yan, but even if we wanted to help him, we would not be able to. On the contrary, we would only be dragging him down. We are not the only two people who are unhappy about it, there are still a few other people who are also unhappy, but we simply have no choice but to walk away from there.”
Although Zhangsun Yan could not connect to the words spoken by Jai Lingwei, she still was able to understand the underlying meaning of her Elder Sister Lingwei’s words. Even if they wanted to stay there, they would be unable to help them. Once the others escaped from there, and only they stayed back, then word would definitely spread out that they were there to help the Devil Cultivator. Moreover, not only the two of them would be implicated in this mess, but it would even implicate the Academies behind them. It was a responsibility that they could not afford to accept, even if they wanted to.
As Sha Sha saw the scene of people escaping away instead of helping even after she called out for help in a heart wrenching manner, she turned somewhat sluggish, before she suddenly came to a realisation. At the beginning when she was being humiliated by that person, didn’t a single person from among them stepped up to help her out? Not to mention that the entrance of the valley was now wide open. As such all the people can also leave from this place.
“I’m going to kill you, you beastly bastards……” After Sha Sha sobered up, she immediately rushed forward as she brought out her long sword. But at the time she was rushing out, she saw a black light shooting towards Ning Cheng who was seemingly unaware of it, she did not even give any consideration to the power behind that black light as she immediately rushed towards it in order to block it.
“Peng……” With her cultivation at only Profound Congealing 4th Level, even if it was only a single beam of black light, she could not block it. This single beam of black light immediately exploded onto the pit of her stomach, immediately sending her flying away from the battlefield.
Although this was merely a small momentary respite, but it allowed Ning Cheng to gather up his sluggish spirit, but even so there wasn’t much time to check up on Sha Sha. Using the True Cosmic Devil Axe, he immediately brought out an almost inexhaustible quantity of twisting and distorting Axe Lines. These still distorting and twisting Axe Lines, one after another, quickly surrounded them with whirlpools formed out of killing intent.
Raging and extremely wild killing intent poured out, forming wave after wave of Killing Force, directly covering the entire area all around them.
“Boom Boom Boom Boom……”
The True Essence and the Killing Intent manifested with the help of the magical weapons immediately collided together, the True Essence that seemed to cover the entire sky was once again rent apart with explosion after explosion. Some of the poorer Profound Core Cultivators were directly killed off as the whirlpools condensed from the Axe Lines exploded on them. As for the Profound Congealing Cultivators, there was not even a single one left alive, each and every one was directly turned into a bloody mist by the distorting and twisting Axe Lines just as it touched them, right in front of everyone’s eyes.
Stimulating the True Essence in his Core Lake to attack continuously one after another, Ning Cheng finally felt a bout of weakness wash over him. After this wave of continuously being on the offensive, his waist was penetrated by two blade lengths, and a steady stream of blood was pouring out from the wounds.
In this place, adding up all the Profound Core Cultivators along with the Profound Congealing Cultivators, there were originally about a hundred people in total. But because of Ning Cheng’s violent and extremely wild attacks, he had directly dropped this number down to a single digit of 9 people.
But all these 9 people were Profound Core Cultivators, moreover not one of them was an Early Stage Profound Core Cultivator.
“He is at the brink of death; we have to kill this monster together….” A Profound Core Cultivator spoke up, while simultaneously making his move.
The rest of the people were also having similar thoughts, and were all rushing towards Ning Cheng, it was obvious that they were all viewing Ning Cheng as an already spent force.
Although Ning Cheng’s injuries were serious, however his mind was even more clear. He did not draw back, instead he actually went forward. He once again brought up the True Cosmic Devil Axe. But this time he used it differently from before, he used the True Cosmic Devil Axe to swipe its ‘blade edge’ sideways in an outwards swinging motion, bringing out a single Axe Trace.
Although it was a single Axe Trace, but it felt that it was more than capable to cut through anything that blocked its path, for it was the first form of Angry Axe, [The 1st Trace].
This Axe Trace brought along a strong gale as the Angry Axe Killing Intent condensed into a single extremely thin line, while at the same time the killing intent was completely locked down within it, as it cut through the air with just a slight ‘hum’ sound. The completely wild and berserk Killing Intent from before was now completely condensed into an extremely thin Axe Line, without even showing a hint of diffusing or even the tendency to spread out, this kind of thing was something that he had never ever done before or even thought of.
Even so, those 9 Profound Core Cultivators besieging Ning Cheng, being in the late stages, immediately realized that the power contained in this Axe Line vastly surpassed anything they had ever imagined, moreover the killing intent contained in it was extremely horrifyingly thick. They were sure that even if they went all out to defend against this, they would be fatally injured. But there seemed to be a flaw with this Axe Trace, that was that it did not lock onto the opponent.
“He is finally exhausted; this is his last shot. If we are able to survive this Axe Trace, then we can slaughter him however we like……”
Even without the words from that Profound Core Cultivator, the rest of them realized what was going on. Ning Cheng had used up all of his strength, although this Axe Trace was extremely horrifying, and did not even seem to have even a single trace of killing intent leaking out from it, but because it was unable to lock onto them, as such they would definitely be able to escape past it.
Once they were able to evade this Axe Trace, then Ning Cheng would only be able to stimulate what little was left of his True Essence through his axe. With his power completely exhausted, for him to be at the mercy of others to slaughter was something inevitable.
Long story short. In just a twinkling of an eye, the nine Profound Core Cultivators retreated back at the same time. But even so Ning Cheng heaved a sigh of relief. He was already long since experienced with Killing Arrays, how could he not understand their tactics?
If these nine people did not draw back, and all of them decided to face his [Angry Axe, the 1st Trace], then with his present condition, he could at most massacre only three of them, as for the other people, at most he would only be able to give them serious injuries, but even then it would be very difficult.
Fortunately, these nine people retreated to the same spot at the same time. Because his opponent did not know that he was in possession of a Broken Core Pearl, as it was his trump card in situations like these.
When these nine people retreated back to the same place, Ning Cheng threw out the Broken Core Pearl that he had already prepared. While he simultaneously activated his Twin Heavenly Cloud Wings.
“Not good……” A Late Stage Profound Core Cultivator immediately felt the tyrannous aura of the Broken Core Pearl, and just called out two words before he hastily rushed forward to escape.
But the already gathered Killing Force behind his 1st Trace, immediately cut him down like tofu, as his body split apart at his waist.
“Boom Boom Boom……” wild explosions rang out, moreover judging from the wild and violent fluctuations, Ning Cheng could see that this was even more terrifying than all the scenes of his fights between him and the several Profound Core Cultivators, moreover it even several times much more powerful.
Because of the constant explosions, shattered rocks and soil rose up in the air turning into fine dust, before shrouding the entire area in a sea of dusty fog. After a few breaths, the explosions subsided. As the dust and fog dispersed, a Profound Core 7th Level Cultivator stood up shaking, as he held a grey shield in his hands.
Although the shield was a bit damaged, but it was actually not very big. It was clear that just now he had hidden himself behind this shield to escape with his life.
He sluggishly looked all around him as he spoke in a murmur, “The only one remaining is me……”
“You made a mistake, you cannot be the only one left……” Ning Cheng’s weak but calm voice slowly spread out, while at the same time an ugly looking axe entered his vision. In just a single moment, his huge head rolled off to one side.
Ning Cheng swallowed several pills. Looking around, this place originally had more than a hundred people a few moments ago, but in just a few moments, the only one remaining was him alone. The Broken Core Pearl was simply too frightening, moreover its power was equivalent to an all-out strike from an Early Stage Soul Essence Cultivator, it obviously showed how powerful a Soul Essence Cultivator was.
Ning Cheng looked at a female cultivator lying down on the ground at a distance. Looking at her, he felt a deep sadness well up in his heart. Even if being a Devil Cultivator was something terrible, he had still tried to help this person. But in actuality, other that this female cultivator that he rescued, there was not even a single person who came forward or even stood up to give him a hand.
Unexpectedly, it was in these kinds of situations, that the fickleness of human friendships was exposed.
Ning Cheng walked unsteadily to the front of this female cultivator, as he got down on one knee and gently helped the female cultivator up. He could feel that her injuries were extremely serious.
But when Ning Cheng finally helped up this female cultivator, his heart immediately sank. This female cultivator’s Dantian and internal organs were completely destroyed, even her meridians were all torn up, it was clear that her life was soon going to come to an end.
Ning Cheng hurriedly took out a healing pill and put it in this female cultivator’s mouth. But even so, he knew that even he, with his so called top tier medicines that he possessed, would not be able to save this female cultivator.
But because of Ning Cheng’s pill, this female cultivator finally managed to open her eyes, and the first thing that she saw was Ning Cheng covered entirely in blood. The corners of her mouth twitched a few times, as blood poured out from it.
“Thank you….” This female cultivator finally spoke out two characters with extreme difficulty.
Ning Cheng knew that what she had said was what she had meant. He knew that this female cultivator had said ‘Thank you’ for not letting her continued to get humiliated in front of all those people.
“I am sorry, in the end I could not help you out, rather it was you who had helped me out. If not for you who helped me in blocking that black light, I would not have been able to kill those beastly bastards. Moreover, there is also no means with me to help you out……” Ning Cheng spoke out in an ashamed manner. He deeply felt that he had really not helped this female cultivator at all, rather it was this female cultivator who had helped him out by saving his puny life.
This female cultivator slightly shook her head and spoke in an extremely laborious voice, “I am called Zhuang Xiangsha, and am a person from the Zhuang Clan of the Le Continent……. If…. if you are able to get out of this place in the future, I want to ask you to bring me back to the Zhuang Clan in the Le Continent to Zhuang Wenhan……”
“You can rest assured; this is something that I will definitely help you with.” Ning Cheng spoke in affirmation, deeply imprinting the vow in his heart.
Hearing Ning Cheng’s affirmative answer, the corners of Zhuang Xiangsha revealed a warm and comforting smile, as she spoke again, “You are a Devil Cultivator, do not stick out your head……”
Ning Cheng nodded his head vigorously, he knew what Zhuang Xiangsha meant, once the others thought that he was a Devil Cultivator, then he no longer could say anything. Once he got out from this place, he would become an existence that everyone would hunt to kill. Zhuang Xiangsha wanted him to change his appearance, even if he delivered Zhuang Xiangsha to the Zhuang Clan, he would have to do it in disguise.
“Tell Tai Qi, that I was unworthy of him……” Zhuang Xiangsha could not finish those words, before she became incapable to press on. It was at this point that Xiangsha finally perished.