AGM 246 - Wilted
Fan Le’s eyes reflected his agony and the intense struggle he was experiencing. That chubby frame of his trembled, he detested this feeling of helplessness immensely.
Leng Ning’s choice reflected her will to die. She had no intentions to live on any longer, not once had she entertained the thought of becoming that old freak’s woman.
Fan Le had been acquainted with Leng Ning for only a few months and although their relationship couldn’t be considered a deep one, their daily interactions had already built up a solid friendship. And now, especially when Fan Le had the inkling that Leng Ning may die, this revelation caused his heart to shudder violently with fear, and with unbridled rage. It was as though a fire was burning in his heart.
“ARGHHH!” A low sounding roar echoed out of Fan Le, a testament of his impotent fury. He turned and walked to a two-storied building nearby, staring through a window at Leng Ning’s departing figure. However in the next moment, he witnessed a row of Yuanfu cultivators from the Leng Clan descend upon Leng Ning. Apparently, her escape had been discovered.
“LENG NING!” Leng Lin’s father hollered, the clan had left him in charge of this matter.
Leng Lin also stood by his side, laughing coldly. “Slut, this is all your man’s doing. You can’t blame the clan for this, and no one will save you now.”
“Leng Ning, you truly deserve death,” another person cursed.
A coldness she never felt before flooded Leng Ning’s heart. Was this group of people really her family?
Eventually, her gaze landed on the skinny, hideous-looking old man standing to the far left. His sinister look convinced her that without a doubt, this man, was most definitely Yan Tie.
“Leng Ning, the Clan has decided to give you to Yan Tie. Your punishment shall be decided by him,” Leng Lin’s father spoke.
“Pathetic and disgusting.” Leng Ning swept her gaze at him, icily continuing, “A major Clan such as ours has actually decided to sacrifice one of their own, all just to beg for some illusory favour which may or may not come true. Utterly pathetic, I feel ashamed to be born as one of you.”
After speaking, Leng Ning turned to walk away. However, a cold, malicious glint of light flashed in Leng Lin’s father’s eyes. With a single step, he formed his hands into the shape of claws as he moved instantly towards Leng Ning.
However, Leng Ning’s actions then took everyone by surprise. A dagger appeared in her hands, about to be plunged inside her heart. Since she had already made her decision, how could she be afraid of death? It would be a form of relief, instead.
Leng Lin’s father narrowed his eyes, his palms flashed with a golden light and forcibly stopped Leng Ning. Grabbing the hand that held the dagger, he sent out another palm strike at Leng Ning. How dare she?
Leng Ning didn’t try to avoid the blow, nor attempt to defend herself. She allowed the palm strike to land on her body, the impact causing her to cough out a massive mouthful of blood. She grabbed hold of Leng Lin’s father’s arms, not intending to let him go.
“You are courting death!” Leng Lin’s father roared in anger. He twisted Leng Ning’s hand that held on to the dagger and as the sounds of breaking bones rang out, Leng Ning’s arm was violently twisted off. Yet, she didn’t let out a single sound, and instead retaliated by aiming a savage kick towards his crotch.
“Scram,” Leng Lin’s father spat out, sidestepping the kick and forcefully lifting Leng Ning up before slamming her onto the ground, the impact causing the surface to crack apart.
“Don’t dirty her, I still want to play with this woman.” The baleful aura in Yan Tie’s eyes was sky high. With his words, only then did Leng Lin’s father relinquish his hold.
Leng Ning crawled up, her right arm hanging uselessly at her side, staring intently at the faces around her. It was as though she wanted to engrave them all into her memory.
“I, Leng Ning, can only lament the fact that I was born into such a despicable clan.”
She added coldly, “But let me tell you this, Qin Wentian is a third-ranked Divine Inscriptionist that has already obtained the recognition and approval of the White Deer Institute. Not only that, there is nothing going on between us. We are only friends and not at all what the rumors have been spreading. On the contrary, Bailu Yi is in love with him, and suggested that they study Divine Inscriptions together. If you don’t believe me, you can easily investigate this, or simply just ask Yan Kong.”
After which, she shifted her gaze to Yan Kong, as she continued, “Yan Kong thought that he could obtain the recognition of Bailu Yi, but she only had eyes for Qin Wentian. Feeling humiliated, he wanted to take revenge and thus made a move against Qin Wentian. If you want to account for the death of Hades and the rest, look to him to settle it.”
The eyes of those from the Leng Clan and Yan Tie swivelled to Yan Kong, causing his countenance to turn ashen.
“Lies, even though Bailu Yi recognised Qin Wentian’s talent, they are merely acquaintances studying Divine Inscriptions together. Don’t try to use this method to protect him.” A wretched expression appeared on Yan Kong’s face.
“Hehe, Qin Wentian didn’t return to his lodgings at the Leng Clan for several months, interacting with Bailu Yi on a daily basis. Do you think that someone as proud as her would do so if there wasn’t the slightest amount of affection in her heart? Yan Kong, stop lying to yourself. Since my Leng Clan wishes to sacrifice me, I can only submit. But if the Leng Clan wants to make a move against Qin Wentian merely to please Yan Tie, they have to think carefully about it. Can you guys really withstand the flames of anger of the White Deer Institute resulting from the aftermath?”
Leng Ning coldly laughed, as the expressions of those from the Leng Clan all changed. They could sense that Leng Ning was telling the truth.
“If Yan Tie wants to deal with Qin Wentian, let him do so if he’s capable of it. But if the Leng Clan wants to join in the fun, let me tell you now that Qin Wentian, as a third-ranked Inscriptionist, will be attending the exchange with Bailu Yi. Think carefully about his status within the White Deer Institute. Not only that, if he defeats Yan Tie in the exchange then I’d like to see how you’d all swallow down your regret.”
Leng Ning didn’t know what the actual relationship between Qin Wentian and Bailu Yi was, and she also didn’t know that Qin Wentian would be attending the exchange together with Bailu Yi. She only wanted to frighten them off from making a move against him.
And as for herself, even before meeting Qin Wentian, she had already decided that if her Clan still forced her to marry Yan Tie, she would commit suicide. Hence, she was already prepared. There was nothing frightening about death, compared to the alternative.
“The man Bailu Yi has fallen in love with would definitely be someone extraordinary. But does the Leng Clan want to make a move against him merely to curry favour with Yan Tie? Even a thousand regrets would be insufficient for this folly. I curse you all, the entire Leng Clan will fall in the hands of such buffoons.”
After finishing what she wanted to say, a short sword appeared in Leng Ning’s hand. Yan Tie furrowed his brows as he cried out, “Stop her!”
Even before the sound of his voice faded, Leng Ning’s short sword had already sliced across her throat, causing fresh blood to spray out like a fountain.
The Leng Clan members were momentarily dumbfounded at her actions. They quickly recovered from the shock and rushed forward, but it was already too late.
Leng Ning’s eyes were still open, and her quiet words resounded in the cold air, a tone of finality in them, “Leng Clan, prepare to regret the choices you’ve made. For this clan without principles, so unappreciative of the things you have lost, your destruction is imminent.”
“You…” Leng Lin’s father lightly trembled. Leng Ning’s body slumped down to the ground, facing the skies. She saw the snow-white clouds drifting peacefully above, giving her a sense of pureness, and peace.
Over those white clouds, it was as though she could see a handsome-looking silhouette, smiling down with seemingly casual confidence.
“Braggart…” Leng Ning murmured in her heart as her eyes gently closed. The nightmare was finally over, there would be no one forcing her to marry that monster against her will ever again.
Fresh blood dyed Leng Ning’s robes crimson, the sounds of her curse echoed in the minds of her Clan members as they stared at her corpse. Their hearts were troubled with indescribable emotions.
Leng Ning’s death was akin to a wake-up call for them, bringing them back to their senses.
The Leng Clan would regret the decision they had made that day, and would ultimately face its destruction. This was the curse of a young lady, her final words spoken as her life faded away.
“Do you think you’ve escaped just because you’re dead?” Yan Tie glared at the corpse of Leng Ning as an evil light gleamed in his eyes. “Even in death, I’m still going to refine you into a Puppet. WHO WILL PAY FOR THE DEATH OF MY SON? So what if that man is Bailu Yi’s beloved? HE HAS TO DIE! DIE!”
Yan Tie’s words caused the minds of those present to rumble. His son? Hades was his son? Wasn’t Hades just his disciple?
Only now did they fully understand, Hades was Yan Tie’s disciple, and also his son. No wonder Yan Tie was so crazed in his quest for revenge.
“ENOUGH!” A shout drifted over, and suddenly Leng Ning’s father was seen reaching for his daughter. Kneeling down, cradling her body, he stared at Yan Tie in rage, “She wasn’t the murderer and she’s already dead. You still want to refine her into a Puppet? CAN YOU STILL CALL YOURSELF A HUMAN?”
Seeing how Leng Ning’s father intended to walk away with her corpse, killing intent could be seen flickering in Yan Tie’s eyes. “IMPUDENT, COME BACK HERE.”
Leng Ning’s father swept an icy glance at Yan Tie before ignoring him and continued walking away. His daughter had died. As a father, how could he not be heartbroken?
Being a member of the Leng Clan, he had done many things he was ashamed of with regards to Leng Ning. But now, he truly felt remorse eating his soul, the pain of it was almost unbearable. Yet Yan Tie couldn’t even spare his daughter even after she had died?
“Heh heh.” Yan Tie’s sinister laughter echoed. Abruptly, a Puppet appeared beside him, which then proceeded to chase after Leng Ning’s father.
Leng Ning’s father placed her on the ground before turning to clash with the Puppet. However at that instant of impact, he was easily repelled. Yan Tie slowly made his way over, as he stood before Leng Ning’s body. “Don’t expect to find peace, even in death. As for Qin Wentian, as well as that big lunk who uses arrows, I will make their lives worse than death. I want to hear them begging me for mercy before refining them into my Puppets.”
From afar, Fan Le’s Empyrean Flames Bloodline was boiling. His face was contorted with rage, as the flames of his bloodline burned brighter and brighter, almost to the point of eruption.
RUMBLEEE~ His aura soared to the skies, and within the space of that moment, Fan Le actually broke through. Under the intense stare of the fire flickering in his eyes, a bow and quiver of arrows coalesced, bathed in the radiance of the golden flames.
“Leng Ning, I will avenge you,” Fan Le’s voice rumbled. A thunderous sound rocked the void as the entire building began to burn. Yan Tie and the rest, who stood in the distance, could feel the source of impending heat rushing their way. Lifting their heads, they saw nine golden arrows transform into terrifying streams of light, fired at them with lightning speed.
“Hmph.” Yan Tie coldly snorted. He disdainfully sent out his palms, blasting forth with a black-colored palm imprint that knocked aside the arrow aiming at him. However, at the same time, the other arrows shifted their trajectories too. The arrows speedily sliced through the air, and the sound of their flight seemed to resemble wails mourning for Leng Ning’s death.
Bzzzzz. The arrows rained down, penetrating the ground surrounding Leng Ning, enveloping her within a shower of arrows. A terrifying heat generated as fearsome embers devoured her body, reducing it to ashes.
“WHO WAS IT?” Yan Tie howled in madness. After which, he sighted the faint silhouette of a fatty mounted on a demonic beast for just an instant, before both man and beast dashed away, disappearing in a flash of golden light!