Jinshen took a deep breath, steeling himself mentally before jumping off the mound of corpses that had gathered below him.
"I'm sorry but, you all should understand where I'm coming from right?"
He spoke with a stoic and distant expression on his face, looking at the remaining disciples that were below him. His eyes glowing with crimson red Qi that illuminated the rain that fell before his face.
Old man, are you a damn RGB keyboard or somethin? Like sometimes your eyes glow blue—sometimes they glow black and blue like come on! Just pick some stupid color!!
Xian yelled in Jinshen's mind in an annoyed tone, despite the previous serious and worried tone he had.
Jinshen gritted his teeth, getting momentarily distracted—the disciples noticing this immediately ran away.
"Damn... Well, lets forget about them for now.."
Jinshen shook his head in annoyance—but before he could leave, he heard a the bellowing of a cloak behind him and when he turned around.
A shiver of fear and terror ran down his spine.
The Grand Marshall stood in front of him, wearing a bright red changshan and a black cloak with golden embroidery on it.
"I was wondering why my granddaughter was vomiting, you have crossed a line, Jinshen Zhe, killing my sect members... You will have to die now."
He spoke in a monotone and cold voice, one detached from any emotion but one thing was clear—he was seething with rage.
Jinshen took a deep breath, standing up straight. His eyes narrowed and jaw clenched.
"You suddenly care for sect members? You stood by while I was dying. You could have helped, could have taken care of me."
The Grand Marshall remained stoic—he tilted his head to his side.
"Alright then. I accept my mistake, I'll even take my punishment."
He paused, taking a step towards Jinshen, his eyes glowing golden and red—his voice dropped to a more angry whisper.
"But you did not have to kill anyone, had you come to me I would have settled things between us all, we would have been normal again-"
He got cut off, Jinshen punched him in the face—of course he was completely unharmed but his anger only rised.
His cheek which Jinshen had punched had steam rising off from it.
"Jinshen, I won't apologize to anyone."
The Grand Marshall muttered under his breath in annoyance.
He reeled his middle finger back—and flicked away Jinshen like a fly, sending him flying into a mountain.
The base of the mountain itself shook—a few rocks falling down on Jinshen before he stood up, his eyes glowing blue as he took a deep breath.
He's holding back.. Is he trying to... Give me a chance?
A small scheming smirk spread across his face.
He walked out of the hole in the mountain, dusting himself off. The smell of blood getting mellowed out from the rain washing it away.
"Hey Grand Marshall."
Jinshen yelled out, grabbing the Grand Marshall's attention who was standing patiently—waiting with his hands behind his back.
Jinshen's injuries healed on their own as his eyes glowed blue—the ground started shaking.
He looked up into the sky before a blue construct of Qi rose from behind him—enveloping him before carrying him up with itself.
The Grand Marshall looked at the construct, seeing it take form—the Qi twisting and turning to become a giant version of Jinshen with glowing white eyes and a sword in his hand.
"A cheap trick."
The Grand Marshall talked in a condescending tone.
"You're trying to emulate the Soul Manifestation realm by damaging your lower and middle dantian to remove the limit of Qi they can release."
Jinshen smirked, his nose and eyes bleeding—he wiped the blood away before swinging his hand downwards—like he was holding a sword.
The constructed Jinshen did the same, swinging its massive blue sword downwards in hopes of damaging The Grand Marshall.
But The Grand Marshall just yawned in boredom.
He put up two fingers, catching the sword in between them—stopping the massive weapon dead in its tracks.
"Did you really think that would work?"
Jinshen smirked, his eyes glowing brighter and brighter—his veins also gleaming with blue.
"Let me tell you something Grand Marshall!"
The massive Jinshen spoke alongside the original, its voice booming and loud—sending waves of sound across the whole base, shaking it like an earthquake.
"Lightning tends to strike bigger objects more!!"
Almost as if on cue, tens if not hundreds of bolts of lightning came—striking down on the Qi construct, which transferred the energy to the Grand Marshall.
He's so not fucking dead!!
Xian exclaimed in frustration and annoyance, knowing something Jinshen didn't.
Before the lightning could even reach him, The Grand Marshall, just glared it—almost like it was alive, the lightning stopped right in its track.
It was afraid of him despite not being a living being.
The lightning immediately struck back at Jinshen whose eyes went to the top of his head, the construct getting destroyed like glass—shattering into pieces and Jinshen falling towards the ground.
The Grand Marshall caught him in mid-air, grabbing his foot and slamming him onto the mountain—holding him by the throat.
"One last chance. Jinshen. Apologize and plead your loyalty to me."
Jinshen gasped for air, his body burnt across many areas—skin sizzling and senses overwhelmed, he even lost connection to Xian for now.
"I.. I apologize... I won't.. I'll be a member of the Demonic Sect..."
Jinshen muttered in a hoarse voice before he was let go—he fell to the ground with a large thud letting out a small groan.
The Grand Marshall stood before him, his hands behind his back—the rain itself not hitting him. His cloak completely dry.
"Alright then-"
He was cut off once more, his head snapping towards his right—his eyes wide and fearful.
There, off in the distance was a ghost.
One who he wanted to be dead. Zhenwu.
Zhenwu had a small smirk on his face—he was sporting a black robe and white cloak. A golden belt wrapped around his waist and a large broad-sword in his hand—his face was clean shaven and younger.
"Never take your eyes off of your opponent Liangshen."
Just for a moment, he felt true fear but just as he was about to launch an attack, Zhenwu disappeared but he could hear his voice echo in his mind.
Jinshen not knowing what The Grand Marshall just saw took the opportunity—he put his hand forward, the cube of mirrors Yunxia gave to him materializing as it immediately shattered.
The glass shards wrapped around The Grand Marshall, piercing deep into his skin as he let out a small wince.
Pain...? blood?
The Grand Marshall looked at the chains of glass in astonishment before he was enveloped by them completely but just before he was buried inside he glared at Jinshen one last time.
"You did not know what you just did Jinshen Zhe!! This is the Mirror of Enlightenment-"
He screamed at Jinshen—his voice muffled beneath the glass before it just... Stopped.
Dead silence.
Jinshen looked at The Grand Marshall's body which slowly and slowly shrunk back into the cube, but now the cube was glowing red, streaks of light coming off it.
He slowly stood up, his eyes wide and surprised—he was confused.
"Is it over..?"
There was a small methodical chuckle from above him—the cube floated up into none other then Wanmei's hand.
"Wow. You're.. Stupid, Jinshen Zhe, I can't believe I feared you even for a moement."
Jinshen looked up at Wanmei, surprised and astonished by the sudden stranger's appearance.
"Who are you! Let go of that thing!"
He exclaimed in anger before leaping up to the floating Wanmei but before he could grab onto the cube, he was kicked away by someone cloaked in golden clothes.
Jinshen grunted slightly as he stood up, dusting himself off—his injuries might have been healed but his dantians hadn't recovered.
"Alright, let me guess. You're Wanmei huh?"
Wanmei's eyes gleamed in purple light under his mask as he nodded—eyes crinkled at the edges in amusement.
"Yep. And I'll keep it short."
He turned in the air, looking down at Jinshen.
"So, the thing is. I can basically take over anyone. But The Grand Marshall? That's like an amateur snake tamer trying to take over Bai Suzhen. Just not possible right?"
He spun the cube around on his finger—his voice smug and almost mocking.
"Well, that's where the cube comes in, if I can manage to corrupt The Grand Marshall's mind enough, he'll be under my control."
Jinshen's eyes widened in surprise and instant regret—he took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his composure.
"The Grand Marshall had been cultivating for at least one half a century in isolation, you think this'll break his mind?"
Wanmei paused—before shrugging indifferently, cleanly pocketing the cube and putting his hands behind his back.
"Even then, I still have him under my palm. Anyways, why am I even listening to you? You're an absolute idiot..."
He turned around, the cloaked figure also following his lead as they both started flying away, leaving Jinshen alone in the Demonic Sect's base.
"Damn it.. I'm an idiot.. How am I going to explain this to Yunxia.."
Jinshen muttered under his breath, grabbing his hair—pulling at it in anger.
SO... I just came back online and calculated one thing... We. Are. Royally fucked.
Xian spoke in a half serious—half joking voice. It seemed like he already had a plan in mind.