Chapter 177: Soul of the Black Tortoise (1/2)

Tempest Manor was one of the three generals’ manors in Cloudwater, inhabited by Feng Wujiang. Lu Yun hacked through a few hundred guards with a single slash and set foot into the manor.

Another few hundred guards encircled him in the span of another breath.

“Come out and meet your maker, Feng Yin!” Blood dripped down Lu Yun’s sword as he spoke. “Don’t let these innocent immortals die for nothing.”

“My, my, listen to this arrogance!” echoed an old voice from the inner residence. A figure of faint cyan emerged out of nowhere, solidifying as a hearty old man in high spirits and clad in extravagant silk robes. His silver hair was impeccably coiffed, a gleaming topknot offsetting the deep cyan of his clothing.

All of the guards looked at him with deference as he walked up to Lu Yun.

“Get going or die,” snapped the governor.

“Junior, you should know when to let things go.” The silver-haired elder shook his head. “Feng Yin knows his mistakes. If you leave now, the Feng Clan will allow this to all be water under the bridge.”

“Water under the bridge?” Lu Yun snorted. “Back in Duskwater City, Feng Li joined hands with Lu Yuanhou to kidnap my maid as a sacrifice for the river god, not to mention all the times he’s attempted to kill me. I killed Lu Yuanhou, but spared Feng Li. That was already an olive branch for your clan.

“This time, Feng Yin combined efforts with Warden Feng Wujiang in an assassination attempt, and even came close to hurting His Majesty’s envoy. How can you have the audacity to say the Feng Clan will let it all wash away?”

The old man’s expression darkened. “So you insist on courting death?”

As one of the top factions in Nephrite Major, the Feng Clan surveyed all beings from a lofty position of superiority. Lu Yun was merely a provincial governor without any backing; he wasn't even an immortal! Being appointed a youth sovereign didn’t change the fact that he was nothing but an insignificant ant.

It was a mercy incarnate that the Feng Clan would let bygones be bygones. The boy should’ve sank to his knees in groveling gratitude for their favor!

Swoosh!

A crescent of golden brilliance replaced the old man, the light coming at Lu Yun with abrupt ferocity. It wasn’t an attack of sword energy, or a combat art, but the light of a golden immortal!

The old man had reached half-step golden immortal realm, the highest bar for immortals in the province. Although he hadn’t fully ascended to that realm, he was in a completely different league from an august immortal.

Lu Yun wouldn’t be able to defeat him. He’d been able to defeat a peerless immortal because they’d sealed their cultivation to august immortal, not a half-step golden immortal. The two were as different as night and day.

Cloudwater Township lay between Dusk and Outré Province, a nebulous placement that sufficiently weakened the influence of the Dusk restriction. Although golden immortals still couldn’t set foot in the region, half-step golden immortals weren’t affected.

Wham!

A crimson hand probed from the void and knocked the golden figure away. The space next to Lu Yun filled with a bloodcorpse that scanned the surroundings with its crimson eyes.

The old man tumbled roughly to the ground, a ball of uncanny brilliance glowing red at the center of his chest. Thick despair filled his eyes as he cried out, “How do you have another arcane immortal zombie at your command!”

He looked to the town gate, where Qing Han was. A crimson figure stood before the imperial envoy, protecting him along with Ge Long. There was more than one zombie under Lu Yun’s banner! He’d fooled them all!

Pah!

The old man spat out a mouthful of blood as crimson light burrowed into his body, disintegrating him from within. Gone were his body and his soul!

“Uncle Heng!!” Feng Wujiang howled, as if he’d just witnessed the death of a parent. “You killed Uncle Heng. I’LL KILL YOU!!”