A Demon's Path Volume 1 Chapter 27

Ling Xiao was quite a ways away from Tang Yingying. To his surprise, he found six corpses lying on the ground. Judging from their attire, they were disciples of the Moon River Sect. Although their bodies were still in one piece, the way in which they died was inhumane to say the least. Whoever had killed them had sucked their brains out!

I reckon these guys were tailing me, but someone got to them before me. And judging from their corpses, it was likely done by a member of the Demonic Clan, Ling Xiao speculated in his heart. Confident in the array he spent so many yellow gems on to set up, he didn't return to check on Tang Yingying. At the very least, his mind was connected to hers and he could feel she wasn't in any kind of danger.

Ling Xiao didn't enter the Moon River Sect through the main gate when he returned, but rather found a remote corner and climbed over the wall. A garden lay on the other side. Ling Xiao's feet landed on the soft lawn and he couldn't help but hatefully spit out, "I don't know what piece of shit owns this place, but he really does know how to enjoy life!"

Ling Xiao didn't dare curse out too loudly as he carefully roamed about in the Moon River Sect. He spread his spiritual power out to its maximum and looked around as he walked about. Whenever he spotted some abnormal movements, he would heighten his senses and cleverly go round the other end.

It was evening and just as before, there were many disciples on patrol inside the Moon River Sect. These disciples looked nervous, as though they were guarding a precious treasure.

"What are they planning to do with such tight security?" Ling Xiao was filled with questions as he proceeded to where his Master was with increased vigilance. Ling Xiao had sprinkled some special medicinal powder on his Master and comrades. Only he knew how to use it to track them down. However, he was caught a little off guard when he realised the scent came from different directions.

"Could it be that Master and the rest have split up?" Ling Xiao made a slight guess and decided to head to where the scent was heaviest first.

After following the scent, Ling Xiao arrived at a large dining hall. Three tables were filled with food and drinks and the appetising scent was enough to make one drool with desire. The disciples from the Northern Jade Sect and the Everlasting Pool Sect heard their stomachs growl loudly for the food. They were famished! Happily, they gave in to the calls of their stomachs and dug into this hearty meal of mouth watering delicacies.

However, Ling Xiao noticed several people were missing. The Cheng family, Li Yuanhuan, and the Qian family weren't present.

Most of the food had already been devoured by the time Ling Xiao arrived at the dining hall. Ling Xiao slightly rubbed his stomach as he saw the grease covered mouths of his comrades. "You guys are heartless. You're enjoying a good meal here while your Grandfather Ling is going hungry!"

Wang Tong, a disciple of the Northern Jade Sect, suddenly said, "Hey guys, we shouldn't finish everything. Let's leave some for Junior Brother Ling."

"Junior Brother Ling is excavating a treasure with that little girl. He's killing two birds with one stone, a beauty in one hand and riches in the other. Why would he need to eat anything? Haha!" The other disciples sneered.

Ling Xiao chuckled as he cursed his comrades under his breath, "I hope you guys choke on your food!"

"Ah-" The words had just left Ling Xiao's lips when a disciple from the Everlasting Pool Sect tightly clutched his throat. His face turned black and he lost the ability to talk.

The others barely had time to show their shock when the symptoms started appearing on them, too.

"There's poison in the food! It's the Dark-faced Magistrate! Dammit!" Ling Xiao quickly took out a large amount of green medicinal herbs from his chain's depository. He hurriedly pinched them between his fingers, squeezing out a green juice. At the same time, he took out a small bottle and carefully caught every single drop within.

Around 30 disciples from the Moon River Sect rushed in after everyone fell unconscious and tied up all the victims of the Dark-faced Magistrate. They didn't show any hint of respect. One of them even groped a female disciple unbridled, an obscene smile on his face. "If her Master doesn't agree to our Master's terms, hehehe!"

Another disciple from the Moon River Sect quickly interjected, "Young Master, don't mess around! If you foil Master's plans, you'll have it coming for you!"

Ling Xiao wore a cold expression. "Grandfather Ling won't be polite to the Moon River Sect since you guys dared to poison the Northern Jade Sect!" He retrieved 30 Miasma Talismans stained with Corpse Blood Poison and threw them through the window, straight at the disciples of the Moon River Sect.

Ling Xiao had 4 years of experience in concocting medicine and his mental strength had developed through both the Demonic and Celestial Seven Souls Chain. If he couldn't control the talismans and hit his targets head on, his name wouldn't be Ling Xiao!

The disciples of the Moon River Sect lacked the time to comprehend what was going on when blood-curdling screeches left their lungs. They painfully clawed at their rotting skin, worsening the festering with every scratch. When insanity took over, they were wildly clawing their skin like lunatics. A pitiful fellow actually mutilated his face beyond recognition while he was still alive! Within a minute, all 30 of them dropped dead to the ground.

The Moon River Sect probably thought they had this in the bag so there weren't any disciples on patrol duty around the dining hall. There was no back up. No one even noticed the commotion.

Ling Xiao rapidly rushed in and pried open the lips of the disciples from the Northern Jade Sect and the Everlasting Pool Sect, pouring one drop of the liquid he prepared into their mouths. He then undid the ropes binding their bodies.

"This… What's going on?" Everyone clutched their heads which were throbbing with a splitting pain. They slowly regained their consciousness. Still somewhat in a daze, they looked around and spotted Ling Xiao. "Junior Brother Ling, why are you here?" After they looked past Ling Xiao, their eyes fell on the mutilated corpses littering the ground. Before Ling Xiao could explain, terrified screams ensued. "Aaahhhhhh!"

Ling Xiao had a murderous look on his face. "Everyone, deal with these corpses and stay on guard. Don't run around, stay here! I'm going to check on Master. You guys can rush out when you hear the sound of my signal later on."

When everyone recalled how they'd been poisoned, they held lingering sorrow in their hearts. They quickly understood that the Moon River Sect was the perpetrator and had no intentions of treating them kindly. Even though their anger soared through the roof, they still obeyed Ling Xiao's order and waited for his signal.  

Ling Xiao rushed out of the dining hall, worried about Cheng Qiantai, Li Yuanhuan, and Cheng Yu's safety.

Ling Xiao had concealed himself and was about to arrive where Cheng Qiantai was at when he heard Cheng Qiantai furiously scream out in a thunderous voice, "You Songxi, stop dreaming! Even if you kill every last of my disciples, I still won't wallow in the same mire as the Demonic Sect!"

"Dammit, Master is being crabby!" Ling Xiao knew things were anything but reassuring when he heard this voice. As expected, Cheng Qiantai, Li Yuanhuan, and Cheng Yu charged out of the hall before he could even blink his eyes.

Just as they charged out, a large group of disciples from the Moon River Sect surrounded them.

A middle-aged man with tender, white skin walked out of the hall. He was wearing a tastefully chosen pullover. One look at this man and one could tell that he took good care of himself and knew how to enjoy life.

Qian Gui and Qian Hai were beside him. Both of them dispiritedly hung their heads like defeated cocks.

You Songxi regretfully said, "Sect Master Cheng, is this really worth the trouble? Are you prepared to have those who trust you die for nothing, all because of you? After killing you and your disciples, I can accuse the lot of you for colluding with demons. Do you think anyone will believe the words of a dead man?"

Cheng Qiantai didn't look You Songxi in the eyes, but rather bore his eyes at Qian Gui. "Sect Master Qian, you and I can bring this shameless fellow down if we work together. Why are you such a coward?"

Qian Gui helplessly sighed. "Sect Master Cheng, not everyone is as upright as you are. I'm not that capable of a person. Since I have so many disciples following me, I have to protect them, whatever the cost."

"Fine, I won't impose myself on you!" Cheng Qiantai didn't have a fearful bone in him. "At worst, all three of us will die tonight!"

I never thought Master has such a heroic spirit! Ling Xiao nodded to himself. He's really worthy of being my Master!

The Prime Disciple of the Moon River Sect suddenly walked out of the hall, pulling a person by the arm with one hand while the other held a sword right at their throat. Cheng Qiantai immediately turned pale. "You guys, you guys are despicable!"

The person Dong Xuan had seized was Cheng Qiantai's wife, the charming Cheng Shi!

Cheng Shi was pale as she called out in a delicately trembling voice, "Husband, save me!"

"Fuck!" Ling Xiao fiercely cursed. "Master will fall to ruin in this woman's hands! This won't do! I better think of a way!"

Chapter end