More Killing
Chen Le cannot understand why her ancestor killed Chen Wan Yun. Sobbing, she fears Chen Li Zhi met the same fate. She thinks of family before Hei Cheng, so she stops crying, conceals herself, and runs for Chen Li Zhi’s palace to warn him. Fang Yuan, having killed Chen Li Zhi and failed to find her, now means to find and kill her too. ch. 1125
At Chen Li Zhi’s palace, Chen Le finds mortals and Gu Masters but no Chen Li Zhi. She does not alert them, doubting they would believe such news. Fear rises again: her ancestor has killed one relative, and Chen Li Zhi has likely met the same disaster. Only then does she think of Hei Cheng as someone to trust, and turns toward his quarters. Almost at once, Fang Yuan reaches Chen Le’s own palace and finds nobody there. With few places she could have gone, he returns to his own quarters and changes back into Hei Cheng’s appearance to wait for her. ch. 1125
A bright light shoots into the sky. It is an old warning signal from the first generations who banded together against desolate beasts, and it has gone unused for a hundred years. Fang Yuan recognizes it from what Chen Le told him in past days, and admits he underestimated her. He realizes only she could have sent it, since the other three are dead, and reasons her staying away means she suspects him. ch. 1125
In fact Chen Le never suspects Fang Yuan. She had meant to seek Hei Cheng, but doubted even he could defeat an ancestor whose power she believes immeasurable. She sends the warning light instead, then decides afterward, fearing her ancestor will find her too, to seek Fang Yuan after all. ch. 1125
Elsewhere, Zheng Tuo, Feng Jun and Zhou Min see the signal and find it suspicious, and two solitary immortals set out for Chen Chi’s palace as well. Zhou Min finds it peculiar that Chen Chi, who commands their strongest force, would need help against any beast inside. Zheng Tuo asks whether this concerns Hei Cheng, and Feng Jun answers most likely, since the light has gone unused a hundred years and Hei Cheng has stayed days with Chen Chi. Feng Jun notes they are close to completing blood light spirit suppression, which within days would force the true inheritance from the heavenly spirit. They agree to play along while investigating. ch. 1125
Seeing the signal, Fang Yuan briefly assumes exposure, then adapts to weaken the remaining immortals first. Since three of Chen Chi’s side are dead, the sworn siblings are the next-largest group, so he takes Chen Le’s appearance and flies to their cave. On the way the three meet a fleeing, blood-spattered Chen Le, in truth Fang Yuan in disguise. She claims Hei Cheng attacked after failed negotiations, killed sister Wan Yun, and is still chasing her. Shocked, they promise her justice as family. They resolve to take down Hei Cheng and gather the other immortals first. Fang Yuan judges Zheng Tuo the most threatening, and Dark Assassination cuts him down: Zheng Tuo’s mortal killer move cannot stop an immortal one cored on rank seven Flying Sword, and he is cut in half at once. ch. 1125
Feng Jun, furious, claps his hands and sends winds at the false Chen Le, then pulls Zhou Min back. Zhou Min tears free, screaming that this creature killed their brother and that she will pull out her skull as an offering. Feng Jun recognizes the attack as a sword path move the real Chen Le could never use. This is not her; the disguise drops, revealing Hei Cheng. ch. 1125
The real Chen Le reaches Fang Yuan’s quarters and finds him absent, disappointed and worried. She does not know how narrowly she escaped his next killing. Fang Yuan reflects the killings went more smoothly than expected, since these Gu Immortals, long at peace, are no match for Northern Plains’ vigilance. He decides to kill the remaining two, and charges at Feng Jun and Zhou Min. ch. 1125
