Chapter 197: Sacred Relic

They had still been debating whether to rob both sides.

Then everyone over there suddenly died.

This luck was almost unbelievably good.

The instant Zheng Fan recovered from his surprise, he immediately ordered Zuo Jiqian, “Take everyone and withdraw.

“Far away.

“That evil thing can devour people’s minds!”

An evil object.

It truly was one.

At least to ordinary people, the thing was simply far too bizarre and terrifying.

Even so, Zuo Jiqian hesitated at Zheng Fan’s military order.

“Garrison Commander, then...”

“Obey orders!

“You are all brothers under my Zheng Fan’s command.

“I cannot stand here and watch you be bewitched by some evil object and die for nothing!”

Zheng Fan shouted with absolute sincerity.

The surrounding riders were deeply moved.

Only Zuo Jiqian frowned slightly.

Then he seemed to realize something.

He immediately answered, “This general obeys!”

He ordered the surrounding cavalry to follow him and withdraw.

At the same time he loudly explained to everyone how deeply their Garrison Commander cared for them.

Once the riders had pulled away, A’Ming laughed.

“This Zuo Jiqian’s mind works pretty quickly.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

“After we return, Blind Man—have a heart-to-heart talk with him.”

“This subordinate understands.”

The reason Zheng Fan had sent his soldiers away was not actually fear of excessive casualties.

Truthfully no matter how sinister this evil object might be, the middle-aged Daoist and black-clad man had probably already exhausted most of its strength.

There could not be much left.

If everyone swarmed it at once even if someone became bewitched, his comrades could simply cut him down.

Could this thing, already at the end of its strength, truly slaughter its way through the entire force?

If the Jade Human Token could actually accomplish that how could anyone call it merely an evil object?

It would be a divine artifact!

Sending everyone away first meant that when Zheng Fan and the others acted, whatever they obtained would belong to them.

Afterward, they could simply invent some explanation.

Say the thing escaped in the end.

The black-clad man had clearly belonged to an unusual branch of the Secret Intelligence Department.

And Daoists from Heavenly Tiger Mountain in Jin had chased the Jade Human Token all the way into Yan.

That alone proved how much importance those above placed on the object.

If they wanted to pocket it better do so quietly.

There was no guarantee the higher-ups would not send people to continue investigating afterward.

“A’Ming.

“Master and I will go forward.

“You stay nearby and watch the situation,” the Blind Man arranged.

The Blind Man himself possessed mental-type abilities.

His resistance to bewitchment was naturally stronger.

As for Zheng Fan with the Demon Child added bewitching him would also be extremely difficult.

After all, judging by the Demon Child’s temperament, it did not even want a stepmother.

Anyone trying to bewitch Zheng Fan would effectively be trying to become the Demon Child’s daddy.

How could the Demon Child possibly allow that?

“Understood.”

A’Ming did not waste time complaining.

When picking up spoils, the important thing was speed.

Who had time to stand around dawdling?

“Master.

“I’ll deal with the controlled black-clad woman.

“You handle the snake.”

Zheng Fan originally wanted to say he was somewhat afraid of snakes.

Could they switch?

But the Blind Man had already risen and started walking forward.

So Zheng Fan gritted his teeth.

“Son!”

To be safe even though it might leave him bedridden for several days afterward—

Zheng Fan summoned the Demon Child for complete possession.

Calamity.

Terror.

Curses.

All manner of negative auras began swirling around Zheng Fan.

He raised his head.

Both eyes had become completely black and white.

Not the slightest trace of emotion remained.

“Hehehehehe...”

Perhaps because the situation was not as urgent as last time.

Back in Upper Capital, the assassins had struck too fiercely.

There had been no time for anything except rushing out to kill them.

This time was different.

Zheng Fan turned toward A’Ming.

The corners of his mouth split outward revealing the Demon Child’s signature smile.

“............” A’Ming.

A’Ming badly wanted to kick Zheng Fan.

After thinking about it he restrained himself.

He returned a gentlemanly smile.

Then pointed toward the other side.

Meaning smile finished?

Go do the job.

The Demon Child’s eyes once again revealed disdain.

That contempt was directed at A’Ming.

And at the Blind Man.

As the biological son the legitimate son he naturally possessed an enormous sense of superiority over these adopted sons.

Besides in terms of absolute strength, the Demon Child had always been the most mysterious and powerful of the Seven Demon Kings.

Even putting everything else aside back then, he had also sold the best.

A’Ming drew in a deep breath.

Then slowly exhaled.

He forcibly suppressed the urge to fight the Demon Child right there and pointed again.

You.

Go there.

The Demon Child turned around.

Then began limping forward.

He did not run.

Instead, he advanced in an eerie posture like someone who had never learned how to walk.

But if one observed carefully every twist of Zheng Fan’s joints and every contraction of his muscles carried a peculiar rhythm.

By then, the Blind Man had already reached the black-clad woman.

She raised her saber.

Lowered it.

Raised it again.

Lowered it again.

Repeating the motion endlessly.

“Has its strength already run out?”

The Blind Man extended one hand toward her.

Mental power erupted.

The black-clad woman was smashed directly to the ground.

Her saber fell beside her.

Immediately afterward her skin began turning black.

The snake venom was taking effect.

The Blind Man looked toward the black snake lying there as though it lacked even the strength to move.

He did not hurry forward.

In fact, he took several steps backward.

Trying to play schemes against an old schemer?

At that moment, Zheng Fan arrived.

The black snake turned its head.

It seemed to abandon the Blind Man and focus entirely on Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan approached.

Then, stepped directly onto the snake’s body.

Boom!

The snake instantly whipped upward and opened its mouth to bite.

But Zheng Fan lifted his foot with unbelievable speed.

One hand shot downward.

He seized the snake precisely seven inches behind its head.

Then he turned the snake head downward.

His other hand pressed along its body from top to bottom.

The movement resembled squeezing an enormous tube of toothpaste.

Zheng Fan’s reactions looked remarkably like those of a baboon accustomed to playing with snakes.

Bang!

The snake’s head exploded.

A jade pendant dropped out.

It had rounded edges.

At its center was carved the figure of a woman.

After landing, the pendant trembled several times.

Then, a beam of red light shot directly into Zheng Fan.

...

Hot.

So hot.

That was Zheng Fan’s immediate sensation.

It felt as though he were no longer standing outdoors.

Instead he had been thrown into a massive urn and was being cooked alive.

“AH!”

A scream came from somewhere ahead.

Mist obscured his vision.

He could not see anything.

“AH!”

“AH!”

Screams continued sounding one after another.

Some shrill.

Some weak.

Some short.

Some drawn out.

Slowly the mist before Zheng Fan began dispersing.

He discovered himself standing above a field of magma.

All around him stood execution grounds.

Upon them men wearing hoodies were being subjected to every imaginable torture.

Look carefully and every man possessed the same face.

Look even more carefully and every one of them looked exactly like Zheng Fan.

These were all versions of himself being tortured.

And the versions of himself on the execution grounds clearly did not possess his current appearance.

Ever since waking in this world, Zheng Fan had cultivated, ridden horses, and fought wars.

His body had long since become strong and muscular.

The versions of him on the execution grounds were clearly still the shut-in cartoonist who had once buried himself indoors drawing comics.

“Master.

“It is searching for cracks in your mind.

“It is trying to find what you desire most.

“Do not panic.

“The Demon Child can block it for you.”

The Blind Man’s voice entered Zheng Fan’s mind through mental power.

Zheng Fan inhaled.

“I’m not panicking.

“And I’m not anxious.”

So this was not his own deepest desire.

What he was seeing was the Demon Child’s deepest desire.

Just look.

One version of him was being steamed alive.

Another was being sliced apart.

One was being thrown into boiling oil.

Another was being hammered full of nails.

For a moment—

Zheng Fan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Deep inside the Demon Child’s hatred toward him was actually this intense.

Tch tch.

As a father, seeing the inner world of his son really was a strange feeling.

He had spent so long mocking Tian Wujing for being such a “filial son.”

Turns out his own household was exactly the same.

“Master, wait a little longer.

“The Demon Child has already locked the Jade Human Token’s consciousness together with itself.

“This subordinate will attempt to reactivate the remaining seal on it.

“The jade pendant still carries the seal left by Heavenly Tiger Mountain.

“It’s merely damaged.

“Nothing serious.

“This subordinate should be able to repair it quickly.”

Zheng Fan nodded.

Waiting was waiting.

He had no desire to continue admiring all the different ways he could be tortured.

So he turned and walked toward the gray-white expanse ahead.

As he walked the screams gradually faded.

Zheng Fan felt considerably better.

He had been on battlefields.

Hearing other people scream was something he had long grown accustomed to.

At the very least he could face it numbly.

But listening to scream after scream in his own voice that was damned tormenting.

However, as his own screams disappeared waves of murmured whispers began to reach him.

It sounded like a crowd quietly reciting something.

Not scripture.

But somehow like prayer.

Zheng Fan continued forward.

And kept walking.

Eventually light appeared ahead.

Within that light he saw groups of wild men dressed in animal hides kneeling before him.

Beside them demon beasts lay prostrate on the ground.

Wild men and demon beasts alike bowed toward him.

Prayed toward him.

Offering the utmost devotion.

A memory?

“Blind Man.

“Blind Man.

“Can you hear me?”

“Master, I can hear you.

“I’ve nearly repaired it.

“Fortunately, it isn’t difficult.

“Endure a little longer.

“You’ll be able to come out soon.”

“Blind Man.

“I think I know what this Jade Human Token actually is.”

“Master saw fragments of the Jade Human Token’s memories?

“There should be an artifact spirit inside this jade pendant.

“But the spirit is extremely weak.

“And it seems to be missing many pieces.”

“Blind Man.

“If I’m not mistaken—this Jade Human Token... should be a sacred relic of the wild-men and demon-beast tribes within the Heavenbreak Mountain Range.”

(End of Chapter)