Chapter 107: The Taoist

The Taoist who appeared before the small tavern looked to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. His eyes were as bright as the morning stars, and his face was as refined as polished jade. He wore a traditional Taoist robe, a precious sword strapped to his back, and a purple jade gourd hanging from his waist. His hair was simply knotted atop his head, secured with a wooden hairpin.

"Is this small tavern run by the two of you?" The Taoist’s gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over Fang Yue and Liu Qin.

Fang Yue stood up and replied, "I am merely a guest here for a drink."

This young Taoist possessed the cultivation of the early Foundation Establishment stage. His aura was vast and imposing, deep as an abyss, causing both Liu Qin and Zhao Yudong to turn deathly pale. Fang Yue, however, felt no fear; given his own strength and hidden trump cards, he would have to cross blades with this early-stage Foundation Establishment practitioner to see who would ultimately prevail. Nevertheless, it was clear the Taoist had come specifically for the tavern owner and his wife, and his intentions were hostile. Fang Yue stepped aside to watch the spectacle.

"I am the proprietress of this tavern. Is the Daoist priest here for a drink?" Liu Qin managed to force a smile, but behind her back, she gestured for Zhao Yudong to summon their corpse-fiend, preparing for a fight.

Ignoring her, the young Taoist let his cold, piercing gaze sweep through the tavern before fixing it on a spot behind the building. "I heard on the road that strange occurrences have been happening along this path, and travelers often go missing. It seems you are indeed the ones behind these wicked deeds."

Before the Taoist could finish his sentence, Liu Qin shouted, "Attack!" She immediately turned and scrambled backward.

The Taoist sneered and drew the sword from his back.

"Roar!"

With a bestial cry, a monster nearly ten feet tall leaped from behind the tavern. It landed on all fours, blocking the Taoist's path. The creature’s flesh was black and rotting, exuding a foul stench. With a greenish face, fangs, and a body covered in coarse gray fur, it was a hideous sight. This was the corpse-fiend that the two disciples, Liu Qin and Zhao Yudong, had refined using living martial artists.

Leaving the corpse-fiend to fend off the Taoist, the two disciples turned and fled in opposite directions as fast as they could. A Foundation Establishment cultivator—even one in the early stages—was far beyond their ability to resist. Their only hope was to sacrifice the arduously crafted corpse-fiend to buy themselves a chance at survival.

Fang Yue stood to the side, holding his wine bowl. Seeing them flee in different directions, he made no move to intervene. He wanted to witness the young Taoist’s methods; if a Foundation Establishment cultivator were easily evaded, he would be quite pathetic indeed. The corpse-fiend, following its command, charged fearlessly at the Taoist.

The Taoist struck with his sword, releasing a wave of sword energy that flashed like lightning. Simultaneously, he held a talisman in his left hand and flung it toward Zhao Yudong, who had already fled several dozen yards away. The talisman transformed into a crackling bolt of thunder, striking Zhao Yudong in the back almost instantly.

This was the Five-Thunder Heaven-Shattering Talisman, a weapon of astonishing power. Crafted by the Taoist himself, its strength was comparable to a full-force strike from a mid-stage Foundation Establishment practitioner. Zhao Yudong, who was only at the late stage of Qi Refining and fleeing in a panic, was struck by the thunderous blast and collapsed to the ground, his fate uncertain.

"Senior Brother!" Liu Qin shrieked. Despite having already fled, she turned back.

The Taoist was locked in combat with the corpse-fiend. While the monster was only at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, its body was as hard as iron, its strength was immense, and it could spit toxic gas. Moreover, it knew neither pain nor fear. For a moment, the Taoist was entangled and unable to finish it off.

When Liu Qin returned to check on her brother, the Taoist cast a spell with his left hand, summoning a bolt of thunder that forced her to a halt. He then unleashed a surge of sword light, sweeping both Liu Qin and the corpse-fiend into the fray.

Now unable to look after herself, Liu Qin realized this was a life-or-death moment and began to fight with everything she had. Her skin turned black, toxic fumes erupted from her body, and her cultivation surged from the late Qi Refining stage straight to the peak. She was nearly approaching the Foundation Establishment threshold. However, in doing so, the once-delicate and curvaceous beauty transformed into a bloated, black-skinned creature wreathed in poison. Her clothes were dissolved by the toxins, leaving only rags that revealed large patches of skin. Yet, in this hideous state, she was nothing more than a monster; even her nudity held no allure, only revulsion.

After being struck down by the thunder, Zhao Yudong had not died. After a moment, he struggled to his feet, coughing up blood.

"Run, Senior Brother!" Liu Qin croaked. Her voice, like her appearance, had become harsh and grating, sounding like a sinister old hag.

Zhao Yudong regained his senses and looked back at his junior sister, who was fighting for her life against the Taoist. He was mortally wounded and knew he was in no state to join the fray. "Junior Sister, I will avenge you!" he screamed internally. Gritting his teeth, he dragged his broken body away and continued to flee.

He knew that returning would be a death sentence and served no purpose. Furthermore, Liu Qin had used a dark art to forcefully elevate her cultivation; even if she managed to survive the battle, she would likely not live for long.

Seeing Zhao Yudong about to escape, a cold light flashed in the Taoist's eyes. As a Foundation Establishment practitioner, he could not afford the humiliation of letting them escape. However, the peak Qi Refining corpse-fiend and the now-monstrous Liu Qin—both tough, unyielding, and fearless—kept him pinned down.

Fang Yue shook his head. Having seen enough, he tossed his wine bowl onto a nearby table; it landed perfectly steady. He tapped the hilt of his sword and, using his light-foot technique, moved as gracefully as a swallow. In just a few strides, he caught up to the heavily injured Zhao Yudong. His sword left its scabbard, turning into a flash of cold light.

"No!"

A hoarse roar of terror, despair, and pleading erupted. Even in the heat of her life-or-death struggle, Liu Qin was still looking out for her brother. But Fang Yue remained unmoved. Those who kill must be prepared to be killed.

A splash of blood painted the air. With a single strike, Fang Yue decapitated the fleeing Zhao Yudong. The headless corpse stumbled forward a few more steps before collapsing, blood spraying from the neck.

Seeing her brother slain, Liu Qin, now a hideous, poisonous monster, went completely mad. Ignoring the damage the Taoist’s sword energy was inflicting upon her, she lunged toward her brother's body, intent on revenge.

The Taoist’s expression darkened. He produced another talisman, crushed it, and watched as it turned into a small purple bolt of lightning that merged with his sword. He then cast a final spell, his form moving like a swift swallow as he intercepted Liu Qin. He struck with his blade, the sword light now crackling with purple thunder.

Liu Qin was enveloped in the light, countless fine purple bolts of electricity weaving across her bloated, hideous form. A moment later, as the sword energy and lightning dissipated, the scene was revealed.

Fang Yue gasped. Liu Qin, transformed into a monster, was gone. Only a pile of ashes remained on the ground. The purple lightning within the sword energy had, in an instant, utterly refined her into dust.