Without mercy, Sekar continued to swing the sword in her hand. In no more than twenty seconds, eight lives had already been snuffed out. After that she helped Xiao Chen finish off Deng Yu’s remaining guards.Sekar’s arrival eased Xiao Chen’s burden somewhat, and before long the two of them had slain the remaining sentries. Dozens of corpses lay scattered, their bodies bearing gruesome wounds and the metallic scent of fresh blood.“You chose death, then don’t blame us for acting cruelly,” Xiao Chen said, staring at the motionless bodies of the guards.The two young warriors walked up to the front door, which was tightly shut. Xiao Chen decided not to force the house door open—Liu Yun was still inside, and he was afraid Deng Yu might use him as a hostage.“What shall we do now? Shall we just break this door down?” Sekar asked.“Better not. I’m worried Deng Yu will take Liu Yun as a hostage,” Xiao Chen replied, then moved to inspec

Lu Han closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. He swung his sword to the side and then leaped forward with all the strength he had left. With his remaining power, the old man slashed his sword toward Xiao Chen.Seeing the incoming strike, Xiao Chen stood still, not moving an inch. He only released a small amount of energy to form a shield that immediately enveloped his body. It seemed he had no intention of attacking back, only to withstand Lu Han’s final blow.“Soul-Reaping Sword!”Lu Han shouted loudly as his sword nearly reached his opponent’s body.Xiao Chen simply drew and raised the Demon Sickles to parry Lu Han’s strike.Blaaar!The clash of two opposing energies produced an explosion that wasn’t too loud, yet thick smoke quickly spread, briefly blocking vision.Lu Han was thrown far back, but before he hit the ground, a figure in a loose yellow robe caught him.On the other side, Xiao Che

Before sitting down, Xiao Chen placed the small chest on the table and opened it.“Here, Uncle. Please distribute this fairly among all the villagers tomorrow. I’m certain that if this money is used wisely, the villagers’ economy will greatly improve.”The village chief’s eyes widened as he saw the amount of money inside—something he had never imagined in his life. He stared at the chest full of coins for a long while. His mind drifted, wondering what he could do if all of it were his alone. But he quickly shook off such thoughts. He did not want to become greedy or unjust, taking what belonged to others.Xiao Chen gave a faint smile at the expression on the village chief’s face after seeing the coins with his own eyes.“Are you tempted to keep it for yourself, Uncle?”Unconsciously, the old man nodded, but a second later he realized his mistake.“Anyone would be tempted to have so many coins. But I understand that this is a trust placed upon m

Sekar gazed intently at her grandfather’s face. The question that had just entered her ears struck like a bolt of lightning crashing down from the heavens. She could hardly believe such a question would be directed at her, for she had no answer—perhaps she would never have one. Deep in her heart, she was not ready to part with Xiao Chen, even though, in truth, there was not yet any formal bond between them.“You need not be so startled, my granddaughter,” Hong Li said softly, his voice carrying the weight of wisdom. “The truth is, Xiao Chen is destined to become the savior of this world, the one who will stand against a being that will one day rise again from death itself to exact revenge.”“What do you mean, Grandfather? Does that mean Xiao Chen’s journey will not end here?” Sekar asked, her voice trembling with curiosity and unease.“No.” Hong Li shook his head slowly, his eyes reflecting both concern and certainty. “His journey will continue, for he must seek the sacred weapon best

Xiao Chen found it rather difficult to hide the embarrassment rising within him. His cheeks warmed slightly, yet he refused to surrender so easily to the awkward atmosphere. With a mischievous spark in his eyes, the young man cleverly responded to Sekar’s words by pointing casually toward the corner of his own lips.“There’s some drool at the edge of your mouth,” he teased with a half-smile. “How can someone as beautiful as you sleep while drooling?”Sekar widened her eyes, completely taken aback by the remark. She stared intensely at Xiao Chen as if trying to find some hidden truth in his face.“That’s impossible! I’ve never drooled in my sleep—not even once in my entire life!”“It’s fine if you don’t believe me,” Xiao Chen replied with a deliberately indifferent expression, before turning and walking slowly toward the mouth of the cave. His nonchalant attitude only added weight to his playful taunt.Not convinced, Sekar immediately rubbed th