Chapter 3: A Twist of Fate Unforgiving

Blades fell like thunderbolts, carrying fierce winds and blazing fire.

Lin Fan drew his blade and surged forward, transforming the Profunda Flame Blade into a crimson streak of light that roared through the gale and inferno.

Hiding a thousand cubits away, Ma Hefeng had yet to react when he saw a crimson meteor hurtling straight toward him.

In a fraction of a second, Ma Hefeng's head and half of his body were blasted into oblivion.

The Profunda Flame Blade traced a scorching arc in the air, returning amidst roaring flames to sweep away the demonic monkeys lingering along its path.

Following Ma Hefeng's death, the demonic monkeys could no longer suppress their primal terror and fled in panicked disarray.

Moments later, Jiang Sheng and Lin Fan arrived before Ma Hefeng's remains.

Lin Fan reached out to summon the token from the half-corpse's waist, his brow furrowing deeply. "People from the Ma family?"

"Could it be that the secret realm has been discovered?"

"Unlikely. Could members of the Ma family be hunting something here?"

Answering his own question, Lin Fan calculated the date and said, "With spring turning to summer, it must be the younger generation of the Ma family out on a hunt."

"The people of the Ma family excel at driving venomous insects and fierce beasts, and they are notoriously protective of their own."

The Qingping Sword in Jiang Sheng's hand emitted a faint, vibrating hum. "Wipe them out."

"Hmm?" Lin Fan cast a surprised look at Jiang Sheng.

"Though a member of the Ma family is dead, and though he struck first, the commotion here must have already spread. Since that is the case, let us hunt them down directly!" Jiang Sheng repeated.

Lin Fan's lips curled into a grin. "Makes sense. The Ma family has always been fiercely protective. If they learn we killed one of their kin, it will breed endless trouble down the line, impossible to untangle."

Without further ado, the two plunged straight into the dense fog.

Dozens of miles away, five direct descendants of the Ma family were mapping out their hunting strategy.

These were members of the younger generation from recent years, each possessing cultivation at the middle or late Foundation Establishment stage. Bringing along numerous collateral disciples and servants, their purpose was to hunt down the venomous golden silkworm gu within the Thousandfold Valley.

The Thousandfold Valley was choked with toxic miasma, dense jungles, venomous insects, and fierce beasts—many of which were favorites of the Ma family to command.

The golden silkworm gu was one of them, and also among the most lethal.

The young scions of the Ma family possessed natural arrogance; they disdained hunting ordinary prey. If they were going to capture anything, it had to be the most venomous and ferocious kind.

Ma Hehui, Ma Hejing, Ma Hefu, Ma Heguo, and Ma Hexiao positioned themselves at the center. Spread out for dozens of miles around them were over twenty collateral members of the Ma family and a hundred servants, guarded by two core clansmen at the Purple Mansion realm.

As they finalized their plans, one of the Purple Mansion elders suddenly spoke, "Ma Hefeng is dead."

"What?!" All five youths were startled.

Ma Hefeng possessed late Foundation Establishment cultivation and could command a hundred demonic monkeys. He was the pillar of their outer deployment—how could he just drop dead like that?

"Either he provoked someone he shouldn't have, or he ran into some ferocious beast. But either way, he is dead," the Purple Mansion elder stated again.

Ma Hehui glanced at his brothers and asked, "Since Ma Hefeng is dead, shouldn't we exercise more caution?"

Ma Hejing retorted, "Ma Hefeng cannot die in vain. Whether it's man or beast, they must pay the price and learn that the Ma family is not to be trifled with."

Ma Heguo chimed in, "Indeed. Who in the State of Chu does not know how fiercely protective our family is? If we cannot protect our own kin, wouldn't outsiders mock us?"

"I still believe caution is paramount," Ma Hexiao countered. "If the perpetrators knew our identity and still dared to strike, doesn't that imply they have something to rely on?"

At these words, the others fell into deep thought.

However, before they could ponder long, the Purple Mansion elder spoke again, "Ma Heyu's life tablet has shattered."

"Ma Heyun's life tablet has shattered as well!"

With that, the elder abruptly sprang to his feet. "This is bad! They are coming straight for us!"

At this, a creeping sense of foreboding rose in the hearts of Ma Hehui and the others.

A streak of azure light pierced through layers of mist and toxic miasma. In the next instant, the azure beam split into four, flashing across the space and taking the lives of four clansmen in a single breath!

Only then did the roaring sound of thunder reach their ears.

"Sword Qi transformed into thunder?!"

"Sword light division?!"

Both Purple Mansion elders and the five scions stared in utter disbelief.

Any swordsman capable of executing these two techniques was a prodigy among prodigies—why would they come to trouble them?!

Before they could react, a crimson streak came howling through, parting a thousand cubits of clouds along its path, scattering the toxic miasma, and directly obliterating two more caught-off-guard clansmen.

"There's another one?!"

Shocked and enraged, Ma Hehui and the others realized that executing such ruthless methods without a single word meant these must be assassins sent by their rivals!

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the surviving Purple Mansion elder channeled his spiritual power and roared in fury, "We are members of the Ma family! How dare you ambush direct descendants of the Ma family? Have you grown tired of living?"

Lin Fan let out a cold snort, offering no reply whatsoever.

The Profunda Flame Blade morphed into a crimson streak that soared into the sky amidst crackling thunder. Seeing such a ferocious attack, the shouting Ma family elder hastily commanded a massive swarm of venomous insects to intercept it.

A dense cloud of multicolored toxic insects materialized in mid-air, forming a living barrier before the elder.

Yet the next moment, the crimson beam pierced straight through the insect cloud, its scorching flames surging outward and transforming the swarm into a sea of fire.

Amidst a buzzing cacophony, charred insects rained down incessantly, forcing the Ma family elder to deploy his magical treasures for defense.

A bronze bell, a circular disk, and a wooden sword whistled forth under the elder's command, intercepting the lightning-fast crimson streak.

Instantly, the bronze bell was shattered, the circular disk exploded, and the crimson beam smashed the wooden sword away before piercing straight through the elder's glabella.

"Ugh... ugh..."

The Ma family elder stood frozen in mid-air in utter shock. His vision blurred with blood, and the mid-Purple Mansion core clansman plummeted headfirst from the sky.

Witnessing this, the hearts of Ma Hehui and the remaining four turned completely ice-cold.

The assailants were far too vicious; even a mid-Purple Mansion expert couldn't withstand them for a single moment. Where on earth did these monsters come from?

Seeing the crimson streak loop back to join the four azure beams, continuing to slaughter the surrounding collateral clansmen and servants, Ma Hexiao could no longer hold back.

The meager forces they brought along were utterly incapable of stopping these two fiends. Once the servants and collateral relatives were wiped out, they would undoubtedly be next!

"Seniors! Seniors, please wait! We have no enmity between us, why resort to such lethal force?"

"If we somehow inadvertently offended both seniors, we are willing to offer compensation!"

"If someone from the Hong family hired you to take our heads, we are willing to pay double, triple the price for you to stop!"

Hearing Ma Hexiao's plea, Ma Hehui snapped to his senses and hastily echoed, "Indeed, Senior! We are willing to pay whatever compensation is required, if only you give us a chance!"

As his voice trailed off, the four azure beams currently slaughtering their clansmen abruptly halted.

Then, Ma Hehui and the others watched as the four rays fused back into a single azure blade.

A figure in white robes materialized, grasping the hilt of the sword.

Beside him stood a figure in black robes, holding a blazing black longsword.

Ma Hehui, Ma Hexiao, and the others were struck with bewilderment as they gazed upon the two newcomers.

It wasn't merely because these fiends possessed Purple Mansion cultivation and terrifying combat prowess, but because of their striking appearances and extraordinary bearings.

They looked nothing like rogue assassins; rather, they resembled noble young lords from prestigious ancient families.

Why would such figures come to hunt them down?

"Brother Yuanchen, they are willing to offer us wealth and treasures as compensation. What do you think?" Lin Fan asked.

Jiang Sheng replied calmly, "I naturally prefer not to make enemies. Whenever possible, one should yield and endure."

Hearing this, Ma Hehui and the others fell into a stunned silence. *Yield and endure whenever possible?*

How could anyone believe such words coming from the mouths of these two mass murderers?

"Oh? Does that mean Brother Yuanchen is willing to let these people go?" Lin Fan asked again.

Hope instantly flickered in the eyes of Ma Hehui and his companions.

Regardless of why these fiends had slaughtered their clansmen, as long as they survived today, they would have a chance at revenge!

Yes, they were merely swallowing their pride temporarily because they lacked the strength to fight back.

Once they survived and returned to the Ma family, they could summon more Purple Mansion experts, or even Golden Core elders, to hunt these men down!

Thinking this, they looked at Jiang Sheng—dressed in white, with a face as flawless as jade, resembling a refined young gentleman—and increasingly convinced themselves that this soft-featured Purple Mansion fiend must have a soft heart.

Jiang Sheng's expression remained serene, without a single ripple of emotion. "However, since the swords have been drawn, there is no room for regret."

"In all things, one either does nothing at all, or carries it through to the absolute end!"

With those words, the azure sword that had just massacred a horde of Foundation Establishment cultivators vanished without a trace.

Amidst the screams and wails of the Ma family members, the azure light materialized right before Ma Hehui's eyes.

As his vision spun, Ma Hehui's head rolled across the ground. His very last sight was seeing that same azure beam make a single, effortless arc to sever Ma Hexiao's head as well.

The azure light split into four once more, flashing continuously across the area accompanied by roaring thunder and sweeping rainbows, until every last trace of the Ma family members was extinguished into silence.

With a soft hum, the Qingping Sword returned to Jiang Sheng's hand.

Surveying the desolate carnage, Jiang Sheng let out a soft sigh. "This karma with the Ma family is now truly forged."

Lin Fan nodded in agreement. "Indeed. You and I cannot shake off this entanglement. Before we even leave the Thousandfold Valley, the Ma family's Golden Core experts will likely be upon us."

Jiang Sheng summoned the storage bags of the slain Ma family disciples and shared them with Lin Fan. "If the Ma family's Golden Core masters truly come looking for us, we shall simply fight it out."

Lin Fan chuckled lightly. "Ah, wandering the martial world always brings such troubles. People don't attack me unless I attack them—though strictly speaking, the Ma family struck first here."

"It's a pity they are entirely too protective of their own; otherwise, negotiation might have been possible. But had we truly let them go, they would have inevitably brought forth the Ma family's heavy hitters to hunt us down."

Jiang Sheng's expression remained tranquil, completely undisturbed. "That is the crux of it."

"Let us go find the secret realm first. When the Ma family comes seeking us out, we shall simply settle the accounts."