Chapter 226: A Mysterious Treasure Map
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shen Yushi let out a loud cry but it was a gush of flame that came blazing through his mouth along with charred, powdered particles. Despite his formidable mystical skill, how could he withstand burning organs?
Torn inside out by the flames, he closed his eyes, knocking his head harshly against the secret chamber’s floor.
"I beg you… I beg you… Grant me an easy death!"
Another surge of fire rose from his body; his body spasmed while his throat made gurgling noises.
With a sudden swoosh, the flame left his body without leaving behind even the slightest trace of fumes; making a few rounds in the air, it took Yun Yang’s form and landed on the floor.
However, the moment Yun Yang landed, he staggered; his face was as pale as a sheet.
It was obvious that his flame manifestation had taken his all to successfully defeat the enemy although the price paid was substantial. It was lucky that it was worth it; after all, he had retained the man!
Yun Yang had never considered losing in this battle. Despite knowing that the opposite party’s cultivation base was higher than the sixth peak he had just broken through – perhaps more than a little higher - he still withheld absolute confidence in his ability to win.
As Yun Yang’s cultivation base improved by leaps and bounds, the power for each of his manifestations improved tremendously. Even if he faced a ninth peak expert, they would undoubtedly die if he were to show his last card.
What truly muddled Yun Yang was that despite winning, the differences between their abilities could not retain the target!
Just as Shen Yushi had said, the secret chamber contained several hidden passageways that offered several chances of escape. With the capability of the other party’s cultivation base, he could leave unscathed, once given an opportunity.
Yun Yang could not even block him, given that Shen Yushi’s cultivation base was much higher than his.
Once the latter managed to escape, he could possibly expose Yun Yang’s secret. The enemy would definitely be alerted and there would be terrible consequences.
Therefore, Yun Yang had purposefully manoeuvred them into this situation – first, he had to trick the words out of his mouth, but this wasn't the primary objective. His real purpose was to be within five feet of Shen Yushi!
It was only then that he would be wholly confident and assured that he would win.
Indeed, he had – but Yun Yang was also exhausted.
On the floor, Shen Yushi had already been burnt to charred cinders – his eyes were two sunken, black holes. An ordinary person would have been long dead if they were rendered into this state but Shen Yushi’s cultivation base was exceptional. He was left with one last breath. He was groaning as his remains trembled and spasmed.
With a wave of Yun Yang’s hand, a chilling breeze caressed his face.
With a final shudder, Shen Yushi stopped moving.
Black smoke was oozing from his mouth as he coughed weakly.
"Cough… Cough, cough…"
As the coughing persisted, black smoke came out in puffs from his mouth.
"Expert of the eighth peak mystical Qi, truly exceptional indeed. To be able to survive this state! Remarkable!"
Yun Yang said nonchalantly, "Shen Yushi, can you still hear me?"
Shen Yushi had already lost all sanity, clinching onto the last slivers of stubbornness that showed itself as disbelief as he murmured, "Im – impossible… Impossible… How can this be… S – supreme Flame…"
His voice was weak but the disbelief laced within his tone was clear as day.
Yun Yang could already see that Sir Shen was on the brink of unconsciousness from being incinerated; it was this sense of disbelief that was spurring him on but it made Yun Yang immensely curious – why was he so sure that it’s impossible for me to be Supreme Flame?
He had never even suspected that Yun Yang was one of Nine Supremes all the while.
It was very bizarre.
After all, his fire attack was Supreme Flame’s Fiery Charm Spell!
"How can it possibly be… Supreme Flame… I – I… watched them die with my own eyes… my own hands…" Shen Yushi’s voice was soft; the absurdity of the situation was reflected in his tone.
With a violent jerk, Yun Yang pulled back abruptly.
Looking at Shen Yushi, who was about to lose his last breath, an unprecedented murderous intent erupted in his eyes.
A strong sense of abhorrence grew like mushrooms after the rain.
Watch them die with my own eyes?
My own hands?
Yun Yang raised his saber with a cold fury. "If that is so, what afterlife do you even need?"
The Divine Edge slashed down.
When the saber flew downwards, it was already laced with Emmie’s energy. Shen Yushis’s charred head rolled off, following the sound of a swoosh while his spiritual energy that had just left his body was struck with a green ball of power, dissipating into nothingness right away.
The shattering of soul and deific consciousness – irreversible and forever obliterated!
"Own hands! Own eyes!"
Yun Yang took in a deep breath, feeling his body tremble.
This dead man before him was the first one of the masked men in the battle at Tianxuan Cliff whom Yun Yang had found to this day.
It was no wonder he had never suspected him to be one of the Nine Supremes!
Only those who had watched Nine Supremes die with their own eyes and those who killed Nine Supremes with their own hands would be as confident.
"Damned to death!"
Yun Yang huffing, barely recovering after a very long time. Suddenly, he laughed with his head raised. "Brothers, I have found one! I’ve killed one of them!"
His emotions were on a rollercoaster ride.
"I hate it that I don’t have the capability to capture him alive. If I could… I would surely know more… And if I had the power, I will make him live as long as possible – forever!"
Yun Yang clenched his teeth harshly. Suddenly, he swung his foot, kicking Shen Yushi’s charred remains into dust.
The bones were crushed, ashes flew.
Death had always been a significant thing; any ordinary person would not defile corpses – Yun Yang normally despised such deeds. In spite of this, Yun Yang hated the fact that he could only kick the corpse once. He wanted so much for Shen Yushi to be resurrected and kill him again and again!
He wanted to make him experience the taste of shattered bones and a shredded soul time and time again!
Even then, it was not enough to quench Yun Yang’s hatred.
"Hah…"
After a very long time, Yun Yang finally walked to the front of the table and sat down slowly.
There must be something substantial in this secret chamber!
Yun Yang tried hard to relax, forcing himself to calm down and shifted his attention to the table. There was a flat slab of white jade on it, placed on top of papers and other knick-knacks.
Yun Yang gave the white jade to Emmie swiftly.
Under the white jade was an old, torn piece of mystical beast skin that looked like an incomplete piece of a map; it was smoky and had traces of being burned, the years leaving their signs on the skin.
Yun Yang picked it up and tried pulling at it, unable to stretch it to his surprise. He could not help feeling curious, increasing his force to pull harder but still did not succeed.
He pulled harder, more forcefully… Until Yun Yang had exerted his force of sixth peak cultivation base, he could not stretch this piece of odd leather!
"What skin is this?" Yun Yang was bewildered.
With Yun Yang’s current physical strength, even a ninth level mystical beast leather would be hard pressed to withstand his exertions; the pulling and stretching should have torn it into pieces yet this piece of leather was not damaged at all – not even a trace of it being stretched!
Yun Yang was deeply curious; this piece of leather was a rare treasure. Whatever was recorded on it must have held an even higher value. As he observed it closely, he realized that the leather was only a corner of a whole piece of a painting; its side was smooth like it had been cut by a sharp blade.
"It must have been an extraordinary weapon to be able to cut this tough leather!"
"What has been recorded on this piece of skin?"
"A treasure map?"
"A mysterious place?"
"Perhaps… the residence of an immortal?"
"Ancient ruins?"
Yun Yang’s imagination went wild, one idea linking to another.
"Could it be that this is what Shen Yushi had said earlier… the so-called chance to rise above others in a single step?"
However, it was hardly possible to find the marked place on the painting based on this incomplete corner of a map. Since it could not be turned into a usable resource right away, it had to be temporarily put away, thrust into Yun Yang’s robe. After all, he still had things to do; there would be a time in the future to slowly study this odd piece of leather.
Consequently, what was on the table was some other things that Shen Yushi had penned personally. He was very cautious in what he did though, writing everything in code.
The information gave Yun Yang a headache just scanning through them – "Certain day of a certain month, ninth day accepted work of east and was paid seven hundred thousand silver taels. Mission code 7938 times completed, reported by Autumn…"
"Certain day of certain month…"
Everything was penned down in a similar fashion.
Yun Yang’s eyes were big circles as he read them.
A pile of papers was pressed on the last page. Written atop it was, "Prepared were sixteen directions, ambushes from ten places and attacks from nine routes to give chase into Tianxuan Cliff. Strikes of all sides overturned the world, heaven and earth upheaved as two hundred and forty mystical cultivators combined to assassinate the Nine Supremes. Hereby to recorded the extermination of the seeds of future troubles. Glory to reputable Nian, long live Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter."
These words were obviously documenting the attack by the Four Seasons Tower on the Nine Supremes.
Yun Yang clenched his teeth, reading the next sheet of paper but realizing that the contents were similar. Each stroke of penmanship in each sheet of paper was clear and precise.
Shen Yushi must have felt triumphant over the incident, using the contents of the paper to practice his penmanship – more than once.
The tens of papers contained the same thing; then, the content changed, "This lowly subordinate is only giving suggestions and making contacts, serving the tower master to the end of my day; this lowly one dares not take credit for it."
The words repeated once more much like the previous content – the man was obviously an undying devotee of the Four Seasons Tower.
"Are you this thrilled to frame the Nine Supremes with schemes and plots?"
Fury rose from within Yun Yang as he struck the two piles of papers into shreds with one palm. He then opened the drawers of the table to conduct a meticulous search.
He found a complete piece of a map in one of the drawers but the location of the map could not be determined since there were no symbols on it. From the folding marks, though, it seemed that the map had been unfolded and folded countless times.
Yun Yang was acutely aware of the map’s possible use so he stored it carefully.
After finding more things that did not seem to be of use nor possessed any hint of information, Yun Yang began plundering the place recklessly.
When he was done, he was shocked by his the loot he had unearthed.