Turmoil Within the Sect: Chapter 28: He Is Already Dead

Using the momentum, Chu Xing let out a fierce roar and, gripping the long sword tightly, suddenly surged forward with a powerful step!

The distance between the two shrank in an instant!

Lu Mingchuan’s face turned pale with shock as he tried to pull back his sword, but Chu Xing’s grip on the blade was unyielding. His proud agility and martial skill proved utterly useless at this moment!

Within this mere breath’s length, Chu Xing’s right hand was already raised high, gathering all the overwhelming power formed from the liquid in his dantian into his right fist!

Lu Mingchuan’s pupils contracted sharply, a chill running through his body from the condensed force of the punch. Almost instinctively, he blurted out, “No…”

A single fist crashed mercilessly into Lu Mingchuan’s chest!

Crack!

The sound was like a hammer smashing a sealed earthen jar.

Lu Mingchuan’s chest visibly caved inward. Lowering his head in disbelief, he stared at the collapsing hollow of his chest.

Before the searing pain could fully register, a cold and domineering energy was already rampaging wildly inside him, obliterating every trace of his vitality.

He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but could only emit a faint, broken sound. The arrogance in his eyes was completely replaced by boundless terror.

The spark of life in his gaze quickly faded.

Yet the bloodied fist showed no hesitation, hammering blow after blow onto Lu Mingchuan’s body.

Flesh splattered, bones shattered.

Luo Shuyao stood frozen, staring blankly at the grisly scene before her, a chilling coldness spreading through her entire body. Witnessing the man transformed into a frenzied demon, the immense shock left her mind utterly blank as she weakly reminded, “Hey… he’s already dead.”

Her voice was like a bucket of ice water poured over Chu Xing’s fevered mind, instantly clearing it.

His movements froze, the bloodlust draining from his eyes, replaced by extreme exhaustion.

The mad energy that had fueled him suddenly retreated. A heart-wrenching pain surged like a tide from his left shoulder, sweeping through his entire body.

Gritting his teeth, Chu Xing grabbed the sword hilt still embedded in his body and yanked it out fiercely!

A jet of blood spurted forth.

Leaning against a tree trunk behind him, Chu Xing gasped heavily. He could clearly feel warm currents continuously flowing from the stone bead in his dantian, nourishing his wounded body and counteracting the tearing agony.

On one side was the ripping pain; on the other, the soothing warmth from the stone bead. Amidst these contradictory sensations, Chu Xing grinned silently.

This time, he had survived.

What flashed through his mind was not fear, but the unwilling, terrified look in Lu Mingchuan’s dying eyes. Chu Xing’s gaze turned cold, his heart calm and unruffled.

This was the world of cultivation: survival of the fittest. One misstep could lead to endless ruin. To live, one must show no mercy or hesitation. Had he not been ruthless today, he would be lying here instead.

Still… the price seemed steep—this was the first time he had suffered such a grievous injury.

After resting against the tree for the time it took half an incense stick to burn, forcing his surging blood and qi to settle, Chu Xing dragged his wounded body over to the pool of blood and flesh where Lu Mingchuan lay and knelt down to search.

Luo Shuyao watched silently, observing the man who moments ago had been a mad demon, now calmly rifling through the bloody remains.

The stark contrast sent an even deeper chill through her heart.

Chu Xing’s eyes flickered with complexity as they fell upon the bloody heap, but it was quickly replaced by icy resolve. In this world of survival, only what belonged to the dead was truly reliable.

Soon, Chu Xing found a heavy cloth bag and a thread-bound booklet.

Opening the bag, a pure surge of primordial energy hit him. Seeing the neatly stacked low-grade spirit stones inside, his breath caught for a moment.

More than two hundred!

A surge of fervent blood raced to his head. The pain and shock of the grievous wound were drowned beneath the immense joy brought by this sudden fortune!

Just moments ago, he had fretted over whether a single Blue Vein Grass seed could be exchanged for ten spirit stones. Now, here was a fortune beyond his wildest dreams! Along with several bottles of pills and herbs whose names he could not even pronounce, each worth a great deal!

He picked up the booklet; four characters were inscribed on the cover: Phantom Wind Step.

Unable to contain himself, Chu Xing let out a suppressed, off-key laugh that sounded eerie amid the silent forest.

Luo Shuyao, watching his unhinged expression, was momentarily speechless. Then, as he slowly stood and turned his expressionless gaze upon her, the helplessness in her heart was swiftly replaced by icy dread.

This guy… could he be planning to kill her to silence her?

That thought pierced deeply into her heart, leaving her mind in turmoil.

Chu Xing looked at her, his eyes utterly devoid of warmth.

Killing her would settle everything and eliminate future troubles.

The thought flashed briefly in his mind. Yet he recalled those two fools who had fought half to death but still fiercely protected their master. Although he had been dragged into this fight because of her, if not for Lu Mingchuan’s treachery, he would never have bothered. Chu Xing was not one to kill the innocent wantonly.

Enough.

He pointed at the bloodied heap on the ground.

“Carry him.”

“Ah?” Luo Shuyao thought she misheard.

“Hurry up. I’m injured and have no strength.” Chu Xing spoke matter-of-factly.

Luo Shuyao hesitated, glancing at the blurred figure on the ground. But seeing the emotionless look in Chu Xing’s eyes, she gritted her teeth, swallowed her nausea, and hoisted the mangled corpse onto her back.

Leading her deeper into the forest, Chu Xing found a secluded hollow.

“Dig a pit and bury him.”

“Okay.” Luo Shuyao replied softly, her mind numb and ceasing to think. She knelt in the hollow, digging into the damp, cold earth and tossed Lu Mingchuan’s corpse into the grave.

After finishing, she looked at the flat ground and belatedly realized: she had just helped him dispose of the body. Was he trying to bind her to him completely now?

At that thought, her fear inexplicably lessened.

“I originally intended to kill you too,” Chu Xing suddenly said.

Luo Shuyao’s heart, just set at ease, leapt wildly once more.

“But now,” Chu Xing grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, “we’re partners.”

Luo Shuyao looked at him, compelled by some impulse to ask, “Do… do you kill people often?”

“This is the first time,” Chu Xing answered bluntly.

“First time? Yeah, right!” Luo Shuyao snorted coldly in her heart. His practiced ease in killing and burying a body hardly looked like a first time.

Chu Xing ignored her thoughts, savoring the feeling he’d just experienced. There was no fear as he had imagined, but rather a sense of release—a thrill of grasping fate firmly in his own hands.

At that moment, Chu Xing stepped in front of Luo Shuyao and extended his hand.

“W-what are you doing?” Luo Shuyao anxiously shielded her chest. Could he be making a move on her?

“Robbery,” Chu Xing said simply.

“What?”

“If you hadn’t insisted on following me, I wouldn’t have met that guy, nor gotten so badly hurt,” Chu Xing said with righteous indignation. “So you owe me compensation. Hand over all the spirit stones you have.”