In the world of cultivators, strength reigns supreme, but sometimes, whether one can live out their life to its end also depends on luck to a certain extent.
Take for example, Young Master Cheng Lu, who was charging up the mountain with an axe, attempting to cleave Xu Mu in half on the summit. His luck, it seemed, was not very good.
Or rather, his luck was abysmal.
This was because the man in plain clothes with grayish-white pupils, who wielded a blade, possessed a temper that could only be described as extreme.
Throughout his short cultivation career of a few years, he had adhered to a simple and direct philosophy.
—All people are equal.
As the saying goes, if others do not offend me, I shall not offend them. Xu Mu, at this moment, was not considering whether it was out of necessity or concern for his identity within the Demon Extermination Division that he might refrain from acting.
All he knew now was that the man had charged onto the mountain, and the axe was about to fall on his head.
Thus, Xu Mu expressionlessly placed his right hand on his waist.
There lay a hunting knife.
Roar!
Cheng Lu, driven into a frenzy, roared loudly, his aura formidable. He was merely ten steps away from the summit, but at this moment, a scream suddenly erupted from below:
"Hurry back, you idiot!"
Vilitan's face was etched with anxiety. He no longer cared about the Demon Extermination Division. In his eyes, provoking Xu Mu was far more terrifying than provoking the entire division.
As the distance was too great, and seeing that he could no longer control Cheng Lu, Vilitan unhesitatingly deactivated his ability, "Preaching."
Zzzzt!
It was as if a current of electricity flashed through the brain, instantly unblocking a nerve. Immediately, purple-black ink began to flow from the ears of those who had been controlled, like a mudslide rolling down a mountain after heavy rain, thick and viscous.
Elder Tuoba and the others simultaneously regained their senses. Memories from the period they were controlled flashed before their eyes, and an overwhelming sense of regret washed over them.
Following this, almost everyone simultaneously coughed up blood due to internal injuries, slumping to the ground in a sorry state.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
In less than half an hour of combat, Yin Zhongxiu's black hair had already turned half white.
He had no solution against Vilitan's peculiar ability because he was not a mental ability user. His only recourse was to attack.
As for Yan Yu, who was highly proficient in mental abilities and could even utilize third-stage abilities in his second stage, he inexplicably remained inactive.
Yin Zhongxiu knew clearly that he would not be controlled by Vilitan, but why was he not acting? Was he waiting for an opportunity?
Yan Yu gazed at his fellow disciples, his left hand, which held his sword, dripping a hint of cold sweat.
He was no stranger to killing, but to take action against his own fellow disciples brought back some unpleasant memories.
The sword in his hand was called Gan Jiang.
Gan Jiang once had a wife named Mo Ye.
...
Cheng Lu's consciousness returned, but his abilities were surging within him, a fierce fire burning his body and mind.
Coupled with the memories that flooded back, he momentarily became disoriented.
What to do, what not to do, he was doing it all.
He brought down his dual axes with a fierce chop...
They struck a rock one meter from the summit. Subsequently, overwhelmed by the strain and severely injured, he fainted.
Crack!
Xu Mu expressionlessly sheathed his blade.
Had that person taken one more step forward, even if the axe had felt as light as cotton, even if he had merely lunged forward due to momentum, Xu Mu would have unleashed that blade.
"Huuu..."
Vilitan, watching from below, let out a long sigh of relief.
He didn't care how Feng Tianzhu died; he'd assume he brought it upon himself. As long as it didn't involve him, that was all that mattered.
He was well aware of the backgrounds of the people in the Demon Extermination Division. The only unknown, Yin Zhongxiu, had now had his abilities confirmed. No matter how strong these individuals were, they could not thwart his plan.
"You've always wanted to know the formation of the Heavenly Script; today, I shall show you!"
Enough blood had been shed here. Vilitan surmised that the altar had absorbed sufficient energy. He then bit his left thumb and dripped blood onto his scepter.
"You won't succeed!"
Yin Zhongxiu saw the five-pointed star shining at the center of the altar. The stone walls surrounding it were also carved with runes that they hadn't noticed before, but which had now revealed themselves. The chilling aura emanating from them startled him.
This was not a grand formation to defend against a source of pollution, but a veritable killing array. Vilitan intended to use their vital blood for a sacrifice!
"Stop!"
Yin Zhongxiu roared. He placed his spear on his shoulder, and all the abilities within his body flowed to his right hand, then surged into the silver spear.
A cold, chilling energy bloomed at the spearhead, illuminating the night. Before Yin Zhongxiu had even thrown his spear, invisible blades of wind began to whip around the surrounding space. Rocks cracked under the pressure of the immense power, trees toppled, and even the runes of the formation dimmed.
Such was the might of his stance; it was hard to imagine the effect of the thrown spear.
Seeing their Governor-General's actions, the others also sensed that something was amiss. Regardless of whether they would suffer a backlash, they all forcefully unleashed their most powerful learned abilities, attempting to attack Vilitan nearby and interrupt his actions.
Several powerful abilities converged, their might causing even Xu Mu on the mountaintop to frown.
How would Vilitan respond?
Expressionless, he stomped his scepter onto the ground and uttered two words:
"Fool."
Xu Mu was slightly taken aback. Fool? Wasn't that a realm of ability users in the continent of West Asia, which had fallen to the mutated state?
The realm divisions of the West Asian continent were roughly the same as those in Eastern Europe. The so-called "Fool" was roughly equivalent to the Awakening realm.
However, the "Fool" Vilitan spoke of carried a different meaning.
Like "Preaching," this was an ability he had learned from the Heavenly Script.
The utterance of the two words "Fool" would render anyone targeted by him foolish, people incapable of even releasing their abilities.
And so, all abilities in the area dissipated, including the silver spear, its radiance slowly fading.
Yin Zhongxiu's face turned pale. He could sense that his body's abilities were somehow being isolated, his meridians as if blocked, preventing him from using his powers.
"Impressive."
Xu Mu took a step back, a gesture of respect to the Heavenly Script.
Although this type of ability did not interfere with him, he still found it remarkable. Vilitan's methods had greatly increased compared to the past, which pleased him.
"You shall obediently become nourishment for my altar!"
"Soul Capture Grand Array, activate!"
...