The Samsara Jade

Chapter 11

"This is the end of the road," Li Chen whispered. He picked up a large rock from the ground and threw it over the edge. He waited and listened. One second. Two seconds. Ten seconds. He never heard the rock hit the bottom. 

He looked to his left. The cliff wall was smooth and slippery. There was no way to climb. He looked to his right. It was the same. 

The cliff stretched on for miles in both directions. He was totally trapped. The only way forward was straight down into the poisonous, monster-filled darkness. 

"Turn around, boy," Old Kui's voice whispered urgently in his mind. "The hunter is here."

Li Chen slowly turned away from the edge of the cliff. 

The bushes at the edge of the forest exploded. 

With a terrifying roar, the giant Spirit Blood-Hound leaped out of the trees. It landed heavily in the mud, its large claws digging deeply into the ground. The giant dog snarled. Its red eyes locked onto Li Chen. Fire sparked from its nose. 

Sitting on top of the giant dog was Enforcer Mo. He held his glowing blue sword high. The heavy black armor made him look like a demon from hell. The freezing rain hit his armor and instantly turned into steam. 

Mo pulled on the heavy leather leash, stopping the giant dog about twenty feet away from Li Chen. 

Mo looked at Li Chen. He blinked in surprise. 

"You?" Mo asked loudly. His voice was full of confusion. He pointed his long blue sword at Li Chen. "You are just a boy. You wear the grey clothes of a low-level outer sect disciple. How could a little rat like you kill Deacon Lin? Lin was a Fourth Level cultivator!"

Li Chen did not say anything. He stood near the edge of the cliff. The cold wind from the chasm blew his wet hair around his face. 

Mo looked closer at Li Chen. He used his spiritual sense to check Li Chen’s power. 

"First Level of Qi Condensation," Mo laughed. It was a loud, cruel sound that echoed over the roaring storm. "You are only at the first level! This is a joke! Did Lin slip in the mud and break his own neck? Did you just steal his money and run?"

"I killed him," Li Chen said. His voice was quiet, but it was very clear. 

Mo stopped laughing. His face turned dark and angry. "You lie, little rat. A First Level piece of trash cannot kill a Fourth Level master. But it does not matter. The sect rules are simple. You ran from the scene of a crime. You are guilty. And I am going to collect the reward for your head."

Mo climbed down from his giant dog. His heavy metal boots hit the mud with a loud clank. He held his sword tightly. 

"You have two choices, boy," Mo sneered, taking a slow step forward. "Choice one: you jump off that cliff into the Beast Chasm. The fall will kill you, or the poison fog will melt your lungs. If you somehow survive that, the monsters at the bottom will eat you alive."

Mo took another step. The giant dog growled, stepping forward with him. 

"Choice two," Mo continued, showing a nasty smile. "You surrender to me. You let me cut off your arms and legs. Then, I will tie you to the back of my hound and drag you back to the Enforcement Hall. The elders will torture you for weeks to find out what really happened to Deacon Lin. But at least you will live a few days longer."

Li Chen looked at the giant dog. Then he looked at the tall, armored man. Mo was at the Seventh Level of Qi Condensation. His power was huge. The air around Mo felt heavy, pressing down on Li Chen like a giant invisible rock. 

Li Chen knew he could not win a fair fight. If he tried to punch Mo, the heavy iron armor would block it, and Mo would cut Li Chen’s head off in one second. 

Li Chen needed a plan. He needed Mo to drop his guard. He needed to get close, but he could not show his true strength. 

Suddenly, an idea flashed in Li Chen's mind. It was a very dangerous idea. If he made one mistake, he would die instantly. But it was his only chance.

Li Chen’s face completely changed. The calm, cold look vanished. He made his eyes go wide with pure terror. He started to shake violently. He let his knees bend, and he collapsed onto the wet, muddy ground. 

"Please!" Li Chen cried out loudly. He made his voice sound weak and broken. "Please, no! Do not hurt me! I surrender! I give up!"

Mo stopped walking. He looked down at the crying boy in the mud. He laughed again. He loved seeing people beg for their lives. It made him feel like a god. 

"Look at you," Mo mocked. "You are crying like a little baby. What happened to the tough killer from a minute ago? You are just a pathetic piece of trash."

"I am sorry!" Li Chen screamed, putting his hands in the mud. He lowered his head, acting perfectly like a defeated coward. "I found Deacon Lin dead! I just took his bag! I was scared! Please, take the money! Take everything! Just let me live!"

Li Chen reached under his torn shirt. He pulled out the grey storage pouch he had stolen from Deacon Lin. He threw it into the mud, sliding it toward Mo’s metal boots. 

Mo looked at the grey pouch. His greedy eyes lit up. He knew that pouch was worth a lot of spirit stones. 

"Very good, little rat," Mo said smoothly. "You are finally acting smart. Keep your hands on your head. If you move even one inch, my hound will bite your face off."

"I will not move! I promise!" Li Chen cried, placing both of his hands on the top of his head. He kept his head bowed down so Mo could not see his eyes. 

If Mo could see Li Chen’s eyes right now, he would not be smiling. Because Li Chen’s eyes were not filled with fear. They were pitch black, completely empty, and completely deadly. The dark vortex tattoo on Li Chen's chest started to glow hotly under his wet clothes. 

"Blood-Fang," Mo commanded, pointing his finger at the crying boy. "Go grab him. Bite his left arm. Tear it completely off. I want to hear him scream."

The giant Spirit Blood-Hound growled happily. It loved the taste of human blood. The massive dog opened its jaws wide, showing rows of sharp, yellow teeth. It pushed off the ground with its strong back legs and lunged directly at Li Chen. 

The dog moved incredibly fast. It flew through the rainy air like a black rocket. Its jaws aimed perfectly for Li Chen’s left shoulder. 

"Now," Old Kui's voice echoed sharply in Li Chen's mind. 

Time seemed to slow down for Li Chen. He saw the giant dog flying toward him. He smelled the terrible, hot breath coming from its mouth. He saw the sharp teeth aiming for his flesh.