Jinshen flied straight through the air. Wind whistling past him, making his hair fly around wildly, his expression hardened with determination and anger.
He eventually reached The Echoing Range. A vast mountain range with natural acoustics tuned for swordplay over years and years of battles and planning. Now complete.
A grand, blue and white palace was constructed on the ground, in between the mountains, hidden inside like a treasure.
There were a few small rivers flowing around the palace, the sound of the river flowing reverberating off the cliffs and mountains, almost like a welcoming song.
Jinshen landed in front of the large, vermilion gates of the palace, a guard walking around the corner immediately letting out a yelp as he readied his spear. Pointing it at Jinshen.
"W-Who are you intruder?!" The guard said trying his best to be firm and authoritative despite knowing exactly who Jinshen was.
Jinshen pushed the spear's head away nonchalantly with a finger, getting dangerously close to the guard with a scowl on his face. His eyes were glowing a dangerous, blood thirsty red.
"Bring me Lin Zhu. Now."
The guard cowered in front of Jinshen, his knees trembling. He immediately nodded, discarding of his spear as he pushed the gates open. Sprinting inside.
Inside of the palace was dim, only light by a few lanterns but the guard didn't care.
"The Devil from the Demonic Sect is here!!" He yelled out into the darkness, but as soon as he mentioned Jinshen's presence, lanterns started to become alight.
Disciples and elite members started to panic, walking out of their rooms. Some were half dressed while some were fully prepared to fight for their lives, holding sword and dressed in heavy armor.
"Where is he." Said a booming yet calm voice from on top of the palace itself as everyone's eyes darted towards the man who was sitting on the roof.
He was a rather pale man with short black hair and faded, almost dead violet almond, deep set eyes and pale white skin, his thin lips were pursed into a line, a sign of annoyance.
He was wearing an elegant white silken robe, one that might be used for sleeping but still looked incredibly expensive, one that only royal or nobleman would wear.
"He has come for me has he not?"
The guard looked at Lin Zhu silently for a few moments, reluctant to respond before he slowly nodded.
"Ah.. Yes Young Prince he's searching for you." He paused before adding in a muttered comment "I think its because of your new escapades.."
He heard the faint flutter of a robe before he was suddenly grabbed by the cold, boney hands of Lin which gripped his jaw so tightly it felt like the bones themselves would break just from the pressure.
Crack... Snap... Crack...
The guard yelled out in pain as he felt the bones of jaw slowly break before he was thrown onto the ground, Lin putting his foot on the man's head.
"I'm higher then you in rank. Worthless trash. I wouldn't even keep you in this Clan if I could. The Mount Hua sect gave you to us for free. You have no value, remember that." Lin said in a matter of fact tone before pushing the guards head back onto the ground, blood pouring from the back of the man's head.
Lin nonchalantly walked over to the gates, pushing them open to see Jinshen who stood at equal height to him.
His eyes glowed a bright vibrant purple, a wispy pulsating dark violet aura forming around his body before he stood straight in front of Jinshen, staring deep into his eyes.
Jinshen stared right back into Lin's eyes, his eyes narrowed and glowing a mix of fiery red and golden, his body enveloped in Qi resembling flames that roared.
Both of them stood in front of each other for a few moments before Lin broke the ice, in a simple and concise tone. His voice showing that he wasn't fazed by Jinshen's strong Qi.
"You have been searching for me, but that was my plan. I wanted to meet you."
Jinshen remained stoic, but a twinge of curiosity was now in his eyes as he put the spear he was holding back onto his back, ready to be drawn at a moments notice.
"Speak then, if it's something useless. I'll shove the whole palace up your ass."
Lin remained nonchalant, gesturing for Jinshen to follow him. Jinshen confidently fell in step with Lin as they walked into the base of the Swordsong clan.
The guard and the people that had gathered had simply disappeared, the blood stains were still on the ground but apart from that, the front was completely barren and silent.
Lin looked at Jinshen silently, noting his sour expression before a small, unnervingly calm yet still genuine smile spread across his thin lips before he spoke.
"I apologize for defeating you back then. But it seems you have risen quite a lot. You put up a fight against Mo Yuxan huh? That's amazing..."
Jinshen's expression remained unchanged but internally he was starting to listen to Lin's words. Jinshen just nodded in response, not saying anything.
He seems a bit normal. But I shouldn't trust him right now...
Lin walked with him into the rooms and maze like hallways of the palace, the interior followed the same theme as the outside, blue and white the prominent colors.
Elegance is key in this sect.. So I guess that's why Lin's dressed in new and expensive clothes... I think that could buy a house if you search right...
Jinshen thought to himself as Lin opened the sliding door to a room where a young, beautiful woman with long, white almost angelic hair that shimmered in the moonlight that leaked into the room through the window.
She had pink eyes and softly tanned skin that glistened in the moonlight. She was sitting on a bamboo bed that had a white veil wrapped around it, but currently. The veil was removed.
"Jinshen Zhe, the Devil himself." The woman began. "I've been waiting for you."
Jinshen looked at her silently. Not responding immediately, his gaze momentarily meeting with Lin who gave him an indifferent shrug before sitting down at the edge of the bed.
The woman seemed healthy and just slightly older then Jinshen, probably in her late thirties but the amount of Qi she had rivaled the likes of Mo Yuxan and The Grand Marshall, evident by the heavy atmosphere in the room.
"What do you want?"
Jinshen said simply, not wasting time with any other questions that would be useless.
She seems strong.. I'd win like.. two times out of a hundred against her...
The woman smiled at him, patting the spot on the bed next to her but Jinshen remained motionless, staying put in his standing position in front of the door which brought a small frown to her face.
"Very well. I require something only you can provide."
Jinshen turned deadpanned, he blinked slowly before sighing deeply as he tried to open the door.
Pervy old coot.. Jinshen thought to himself before he heard Lin rise from the bed.
Lin stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder, with a small hint of amusement and mischief in his eyes as he spoke in a low tone so that the woman wouldn't hear them.
"I assure you. The request isn't perverted. Listen her out. Its important."
Jinshen sighed deeply, a small frown on his face but he breathed an inner sigh of relief before turning around to face the woman. He slowly shook his head as he sat down in front of her on the bed.
"Fine, say it. What do you want from me."
The woman sighed softly, running a hand through her hair as she reluctantly began speaking.
"My daughter, Xei. She has a problem with her upper and middle Dantians. I've had her cultivate using the Sects techniques that were provided by the Jianghu Alliance.."
She paused, clenching her fists as her voice became much more resentful and less controlled. Like a volacno just waiting to erupt
"I think we were sabotaged by either the Iron Mind Clan or another clan like The Heavenly Saint Sect.. Her Dantian were overloaded up by a large wave of Qi that damaged her upper Dantian and cracked her lower Dantian. I've managed to get physicians in order to sustain her but..."
She took a deep breath, trailing off. Unable to hold her anger back as her eyes starting glowing a light, pulsating violet
Jinshen frowned slightly at the mention of The Heavenly Saint Sect, they were basically the lapdogs of the Jianghu Alliance, carrying out atrocities in their name.
"Fine. I'll do it. I know your 'righteous' Qi has a strong affinity towards the Yang element." Jinshen paused before crossing his arms over his chest. "So you'll need someone with access to Ying Qi, like me."
Jinshen stood up from the bed, straightening his clothes out before putting his hands on his sides.
"But what do I get in return? I'm a good guy but I'm not stupid. I'll get in trouble if things get leaked you know." He smirked slightly in a dry but taunting manner "And you better not be cheap. I know your the Clan head. Lady of The Veil. Yunxia Shuyu."
Yunxia remained nonchalant, but gave a small impressed frown before standing up from the bed herself. She was rather short, reaching to only Jinshen's chest but she looked to be the average height for women.
"My daughter's hand in marriage or a weapon of your choice." She stated simply, opening the sliding door with an enlarged frown.
Jinshen smirked back at her, putting his hand on his hips before sighing deeply in mock contemplation, before he snapped his fingers and putting up two fingers.
"Well, how about both? I'll claim the weapon now. But after I achieve my goal. I'll take your daughter as well. Of course if she says 'yes' I'm not a pervert."
Yunxia's eyes widened for a moment before she clenched her fist, a vein popping up on her forehead but she bit her tongue.
You jest now, but marriage is a weapon in itself She thought to herself before taking a deep breath.
"Fine... But if my daughter refuses to marry you, I'll give you a weapon and ten qi pills of your choice.. Sound good?"
Jinshen just nodded, a small smile on his face as he followed Yunxia closely, leaving Lin alone in the room.
"You know. I was just joking about the marriage part. I don't mind if you just give me a weapon." Jinshen clarified. His teasing expression dropping for a stoic and more serious one.
Yunxia just shrugged, the moonlight making her eyes glow an almost ethereal mix of lavender and purple that was akin to purple flowers blooming in spring.
"Well. If my daughter agrees. Then I suppose I don't have a choice now do I?"
She said as she stopped in front of heavily fortified metal door before she pushed it open with ease as they both walked in, seeing Yunxia's daughter laying on a bed with many men in white robes surrounding her.
Jinshen curtly walked past Yunxia and pushed a few men away from Xie. Her skin was pale and sickly, her long golden hair seemed to grow duller and duller by the moment.
"Her body is pretty weak, the Qi is far too widespread. I can save her, but maybe not her cultivation. But I'll try my best."
Jinshen said in an urgent manner, gently pulling up Xie's robe to reveal her stomach which was pulsating with black smoke and seemed to have black veins around it.
He put his hand on it before it started to glow a golden hue, his Qi crawling like flames down from his shoulder to Xie's stomach slowly spreading across her body.
The men in the white robes slowly left the room, without protest since they feared both Jinshen and Yunxia who was watching her daughter with hopeful eyes, waiting for a sign of life.
The night slowly turned into day, Jinshen continued to purify Xie's body bit by bit. Her skin becoming more and more normal, her hair becoming vibrant and her breathing less labored.
But she had yet to wake up.
When noon hit, Jinshen finally fell to the ground on his back, utterly exhausted from the exertion, his body drenched in sweat.
He stared at the ceiling as he tried to prevent himself from falling asleep, but he felt a pair of voices speak to each other.
"I'm awake... Mother..." Said a feminine voice likely belonging to Xie.
Was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep, his body not only tired, but so were his Dantians.
While he was asleep, a blue light flickered through his veins as. His eyes momentarily opening, glowing blue before closing.
Master's finally getting action... Its sad I can't witness it...