89 The second tragedy (1/2)

There were many caverns along the cliff sides on this stretch of land and Peng Jipei didn't think too much about how he had escaped one cave only to find himself in another.

He didn't really care.

All he cared about was sewing his mother's arm back into place without the stitches looking so hideous.

Nothing else mattered.

”Wake up, trash.” A voice seethed at him.

But Peng Jipei was awake so he ignored it.

A pebble was shot at his head with enough strength and speed to kill a man. Peng Jipei yelped when his mother rose to her feet and protected him from the attack. The stone embedded itself in her arm.

Peng Jipei squealed like a damned pig.

”Fuck, you're loud!” Hui Ziwang scowled and flinched, ”Calm down for two damned seconds won't you!?”

”What the fuck are you doing! How dare you harm Mother! I'll kill you, you fucker!”

Hui Ziwang rolled his eyes. This kid sure knew all the damned ways of getting on his nerves. If he wasn't so annoyingly talented at cultivating the Devil's Path then Hui Ziwang would have gladly left the brat on the side of the road to rot.

”As if it's my fault that you weren't listening to a fucking thing around you. Do you even know how many fucking times I called? Useless piece of shit.”

Peng Jipei only continued to curse at him like a mindless animal. Did they really have use for trash like this?

The Demon King was impatient and there was work to be done back in Juganmen Province. He couldn't babysit this fucker forever now, could he? ”I'm leaving. This mutt's coming with me. You're on your fucking own.” The Demon King pointed a thumb towards the grumbling tiangou behind him.

The creature seemed a little fat and lethargic. While it could gain more power from consuming resentful energy, without a quick outlet it got a bit bloated from overeating.

Peng Jipei stilled as the words slowly processed in his mind. ”Wait, wait, wait!” He exclaimed, ”Don't tell me you're leaving me…with him! I don't want to deal with that piece of shit! I'll just kill him, I swear!”

Before he could even react, a clawed hand circled around his neck, squeezing the air out of his throat.

Cao Hong jolted in reaction, but she was easily held down by the tiangou's giant paw. The beastly creature snarled and drooled on top of her.

Peng Jipei flailed without avail.

”Think before you act, fool. Who do you think helped you resurrect that shit mother of yours?”

”Don't…insult…” The words squeezed out of Peng Jipei's lips.

Hui Ziwang sneered in distaste. ”If you don't do what you're supposed to get done, be sure that you won't be the only person dismember.” He eyed Cao Hong pointedly before continuing, ”If you decide to go against the Seven Moons Sect and I, the Demon King, do you think anyone will offer any protection to you and that corpse mother of yours?”

Tears gathered in Peng Jipei's eyes. His face was turning blue and words could no longer be squeezed past his abused throat. With all his strength he did his best to nod.

Hui Ziwang let him go and the young cultivator struggled to gasp for air. The tiangou still had the savage corpse trapped under its massive paw. Vacant gray eyes stared at her son and it was difficult to tell if there was any trace of her soul left or if she was simply a puppet to Peng Jipei's will.

”Let's go already. I'm done wasting my time here.” It was only then the tiangou stepped away, allowing Cao Hong to go and sweep her pathetic son up in her arms. He cried like a pitiful child but relished in her embrace. It was enough to keep him calm even as the Demon King and tiangou left him with that one annoying thorn in his side.

Zhao Fanyu.

If it were up to Peng Jipei, he would simply gut that piece of shit and get it over with, feed his scamming shit soul to his mother and make her stronger. Peng Jipei ground his teeth as he thought about how he was going to go about his next move.

He suddenly recalled the wooden idol that was given to him, the thing that first helped him with all his ails.

Peng Jipei pulled out the idol of the Golden God and set it on a small slab of stone. He pressed his hands together in prayer.

”Please help me, divine one. Please heed my prayers and in return, I shall give you a fraction of my soul.”

Almost instantly, a deep voice echoed in his mind. 'Young Peng Jipei. How may I assist you this time? What troubles you?'

”Just how am I supposed to deal with Zhao Fanyu… I'm not very smart or very strong. I don't know how to go about this…”

'Please do not despair. You have gained much power have you not? Do not discredit your own ability. I understand that you thirst for Zhao Fanyu's life. However, remember that there are things worse than death.'

Peng Jipei blinked.

The Golden God was right! There are indeed many things out there much worse than death…

Peng Jipei would rather die than live a life without his dear Mother! And Zhao Fanyu…

A twisted grin pulled his lips as he bowed to the idol in thanks.

…

Their first stop was actually not the Wayward Wind Temple. Rather, Yuan Xuelan insisted on going to a nearby location instead. It was the specific coordinates that were indicated in the portal array used by the Demon King.

Liu Sumeng had no objections and followed suit.

There was a cavern mouth on the side of the cliff they were scaling that was led to by no trail.

They made it up there on flying swords.

Yuan Xuelan insisted on going in first but somehow Huo Tang beat him there.

”Ugh, what an awful and terrible smell! The most unsuitable nesting ground I have ever had the displeasure of happening upon. I demand that we leave this place at once!”

Her little voice echoed back at her.