I need to act insane, no one can know of my true capabilities for now. I need to act like I used some sort of forbidden technique to save myself.
Jinshen thought to himself before lunging at Ruoxue and Jinhai, his movements rapid and twisted.
"Come on!! Are you afraid of little old me?!"
He kneed Jinhai in the face but he was immediately struck by a barrage of glowing arrows by Ruoxue, each one freezing the part of skin it hit—sending jolts of cold pain across Jinshen's body.
"Good!!"
He turned his head to look at Ruoxue who had already prepared another few arrows but once more, he was interrupted by Jinhai who kicked him away with a flaming white leg.
Jinshen remained mostly unharmed except small singe on his coat which immediately got fixed up by a silvery liquid.
"Oh and old man." Xian began casually "I can control your emotions too ya know so... I'ma make ya batshit crazy."
Suddenly, Jinshen's heart started beating rapidly but in a rhythm like war drums—so loud that Jinhai and Ruoxue, both heard it.
Jinshen's eyes grew wide, his pupils dilated—he ran a hand through his hair, his aura growing more wild—erratic. And his body relaxing, like he was under the influence.
"You.. You all are dead."
Jinshen dashed at them at a much faster speed, now just a blur.
Ruoxue released the string, and hit him point blank—straight on the face—with his arrows, but Jinshen's maniacally grinning face didn't change.
He seemed to be enjoying the pain.
Jinshen tackled Ruoxue to the ground, headbutting him in the face multiple times before he was punched away by Jinhai—hitting the ground with a small laugh, his grin only growing wider and wider.
"Good! Good!"
He repeated under his breath a few times, throwing his spear away towards the ground as he got on all fours instead like an animal, the steam rising off of him making him look even more primal and uncontrolled.
The three of them were in a stand off, Jinhai and Ruoxue were disturbed, staring at Jinshen who was like a tiger on a hunt—ready to pounce at a moments notice.
The rain continued, growing even heavier, the sound of thunder going off in the distance.
Jinshen faked a jump, making both Jinhai and Ruoxue take a step back—he was toying with them.
He started laughing like a maniac, laying down on the ground as his hair splayed out on the wet, mud covered ground.
"Scaredy cats!"
Jinshen yelled out, he was laughing so hard that tears had started to fall down his cheeks and onto the floor.
Jinhai gritted his teeth, jumping up and stabbing Jinshen in the stomach—but that was just an afterimage.
Jinshen appeared behind him, hand prepped like a claw as he slammed it into Jinhai's back, sending him flying towards the air.
Crunch...
Jinhai let out a small pained yell in the air, he fell to the ground, unable to move anymore but before Jinshen could do anything.
He was also struck by a stab from Ruoxue's short sword that pierced his skin... But once more—he was one step ahead.
Jinshen appeared besides Ruoxue punching him in the face as one of his teeth went flying out and he fell to the ground, his head snapping to the side.
Ruoxue spun around, the short sword shimmering and shifting into Changyue as he launched a large, golden and teal arrow that hit Jinshen in the chest. No after images this time.
He was hit dead in the chest, leaving a large burn on it—bones and muscles visible underneath the burnt skin—the arrow having ripped through the button up shirt he was wearing.
But instead of backing down, he just grinned.
Jinshen breathed heavily, his grin only growing wider—but inside. He was contemplating something.
I know they almost killed me but... Should I honestly kill them?
Xian sighed deeply, its chaotic voice temporarily turning serious.
You're revenge isn't against them, it's against Elder Wei, but to send a message, you really need to either kill them. Or almost do so.
Jinshen's eyes narrowed at the options—they weren't good, at all.
While he was deep in thought Ruoxue and Jinhai both disappeared, fading away into red light as they were replaced by a horde of disciples. All wearing high quality armor and wielding weapons.
And floating above them? Mo Yuxan, his eyes glowing and his golden robe untouched by the rain, bellowing.
"The Grand Marshall is away at the Jianghu Alliance, and I will also go there. So everyone.."
He trailed off, the disciples each taking a stance of their own. Readying their weapons and some even using elemental Qi.
The rain grew heavier as Jinshen took off his coat, throwing it away—he also ripped off his button up shirt.
He put his hand to the air, his spear flying back into his hand.
"Everyone, either kill Jinshen Zhe. Or hold him off until Ruoxue and Jinhai get healed."
Jinshen grinned maniacally, his eyes glowing as he looked at the disciples charging towards him as fast as their legs would carry them.
"Come! I'll kill all of you!"
Jinshen yelled out, seeing Mo Yuxan disappear into a small flash of golden light. He readied his spear, putting it forward and retracting his rear foot back—before he lunged towards the disciples.
The fight began, the sound of metal clashing against metal, flames sizzling and thunder crackling coming from the ground.
Jinshen fought them all alone, his movements masterful and wild. He jumped into the air, spinning around, before landing, shaking up their formation before he thrusted his spear towards a large group of them.
Piercing through their black and red armor with ease.
he was hit in the back by a large bolt of lightning from a group of disciples that seared and damaged his skin but his face didn't change, he was pretending to enjoy the pain.
"Lightning?! Let me show you real lightning!"
He continued grinning widely, spinning his spear rapidly, the wind gathering around it like a tornado, the handle glowing white and blue—charging up with Qi before he struck the ground with it, a wave of lightning rippling out, electrocuting the disciples and even killing a few of them.
It was all a blur, Jinshen had long thrown away his spear. Now, his arms, leg and teeth were his only weapons he gouged, bit. Tore through flesh.
In the act of pretending to be insane Jinshen had lost himself in the mist, he was now an animal.
He elbowed one of the disciples in the head, but what he realized was that it wasn't a hardened, warrior, it was just a young man, but now, he was head. Head crushed and brain on the floor. But Jinshen did not care anymore
The large, almost army of disciples had almost been annihilated, Jinshen stood over a large mound of corpses, sporting a grin on his face as he stared down at the remaining, still determined few.
"Go. I'll spare you-"
He was interrupted, getting struck by a small purple dagger on the shoulder—the dagger filled with poison that spread across his veins, dyeing them black and blue.
"Ow! OW!" He mockingly yelled out, falling to his knees.
The black and blue veins continued to spread before suddenly—the color started retreating, the poison falling out of his nose, the purple fluid pooling on the corpses.
"Did you all really think that would work?"
Xian blew a raspberry in annoyance, its voice a bit more worried now.
You're playing into the insane part a bit too much old man. Get back to reality. If ya stare into an abyss for too long, it starts staring back ya know.
Something.. Stopped inside of Jinshen, a wave of clarity hitting him as the grin slowly melted from his face, the mound of corpses, lives he had taken far too real now.
I know. But I can't be weak, its kill or be killed Xian.
There was a small mechanical pause before Xian sighed deeply.
I know, just don't lose yourself, you're still my 'master' so I gotta take care of ya.