Kindling, page 17
part #6 of Painting the Mists Series
“These humans are all despicable,” Xiao Bai said as she kicked an attacking cultivator with her powerful legs. His ribcage shattered, and he crumpled to the ground, dead. Xiao Bai rapidly absorbed his moon stones, but her power only increased negligibly.
“They think we’re easy pickings,” Huxian said. “It’s a good thing I sent the others out ahead of time. They’d be nothing but a hindrance.”
His light and shadow domains actively suppressed a dozen-odd cultivators who’d decided to take the opportunity to finish them off. He swatted them away easily, and they crumbled their tokens just before crashing into a nearby pillar.
Huxian and Xiao Bai turned their attention the cultivators’ commander, who was fleeing for his life. “You think you can run after trying to kill us?”
Shadows ran out toward him and held his arms and legs. “I’ll crumble my token!” the cultivator shouted.
“Too late!” Huxian roared. The cultivator’s arms and legs disintegrated and were quickly followed by his body, which Huxian devoured in a single gulp. His power surged from the sudden influx of two thousand moon stones.
“These cultivators are so rich,” Huxian said. “I really wish I could just eat them all up and steal their things. These guys are all rotten anyway.”
“So do I,” Xiao Bai said. “But my friend is too nice. She doesn’t want to kill anyone who doesn’t attack first.”
“I sympathize— Wait, you have a human friend too?” Huxian said.
“Wait, we both have a human friend?” Xiao Bai said. “Which human is yours?”
“The one with the staff and runic fragments over there,” Huxian said while gulping a pile of moon stones. “Yours?”
“The jade-cloaked girl a short distance away,” she said. “I think they’re part of the same team.”
“No way!” Huxian said. “Should we tell them?”
“What, and spoil the surprise?” Xiao Bai said, confiscating yet another pile. This was one of the small ones—only medium-sized and larger piles remained. Half of the remaining three hundred or so cultivators retreated to the periphery to observe the situation and take advantage of any conflict in the middle. “The middle looks like fun. Let’s go there.”
“Let’s teach these cultivators that us demons aren’t easy to bully,” Huxian said, rushing in.
Cha Ming ran up beside Yu Wen, who had just dispatched three cultivators with silver strings. “Hateful fellows,” she said, pouting. “They won’t even let off a beauty like me.”
“They say beauty is a sin that only invites punishment,” Cha Ming said.
Zhang Fei, Mu Qianlin, and Fang Li approached from their respective areas. Everyone’s aura had stiffened substantially. Cha Ming now possessed three thousand moon stones while Yu Wen had collected two thousand.
“Well, then, shall we rush to the middle?” asked Cha Ming.
“One half of the piles have yet to be claimed,” Zhang Fei said. “But is there a need to be greedy?”
“We’re not greedy,” Cha Ming said. “It’s a fair competition, and we still have an edge. The greedy people were those who tried to kill us and snatch our moon stones.”
“You know what I mean,” Zhang Fei said dryly.
“I think we stand a good chance,” Cha Ming said. “Besides, both Yu Wen and I have friends who can back us up. I don’t know about hers, but mine is much stronger than I am.”
“I’m sure mine is the strongest,” Yu Wen said. “She’s one of the top two fiercest in this entire runic circle.”
“We’ll see,” Cha Ming said. He looked at the various fighting groups and carefully selected one far away from both Huxian’s duo and his Alabaster Group compatriots. A group of fifty cultivators, half of which had thick ochre auras, were busy fighting two guardian puppets for a pile of one thousand moon stones.
“Those ones will do,” he said. “No need to spare any of them. Birds of a feather flock together, and we’re better off without those who want to collude with devils.”
Both Cha Ming and Zhang Fei projected their Devil-Sealing Intent. Cha Ming spread out his Dao Fragment Formation, supressing those who were busy fighting the two puppets.
“An ambush!” one of the cultivators yelled. “Retreat!”
Cha Ming heartlessly wielded his staff at the ochre monsters who were unable to transform in the Bridge of Stars. Not being able to transmit and not being able to transform—these were the two penalties devil cultivators suffered under the Jade Moon Blessing’s suppression.
“You think one of you can kill all of us?” one of the devilish cultivators sneered. He pulled out a long scroll filled with mystical black characters. They peeled off and formed a vicious wolf that radiated a transcendent aura. Cha Ming was forced to retreat a dozen steps as the wolf batted at him with its paw. His runic fragment array shattered, resulting in four deep gashes on his chest.
Powerful, he thought as he sent the array fragments backward into a new one. This time, he used it for support as his Clear Sky Staff grew to the size of a pillar. His joints crackled and his muscles went taut as he struck down with the massive pillar.
“Crushing Chaos!” he shouted as it crashed down on the wolf in a gray blur. Its bones shattered and its fur split, but it still managed to survive.
He swiftly pulled back his staff and urged it to shrink before spinning in a horizontal circle. The slender staff projected a thin blade of white wind that cut halfway through the battered transcendent wolf as he executed Splitting Heaven and Earth.
The summoned wolf howled in pain but lunged forward nonetheless. Seeing that it hadn’t yet dissipated, Cha Ming pulled back his Clear Sky Staff and stabbed at the monstrous black wolf. He thrust it like a spear, perfectly executing Origin Strike with the elongated staff. Although the strike drained him, it was the most lethal one in his arsenal.
The wolf dissipated into thousands of black runic fragments as the staff pierced his heart. The devilish cultivator who’d summoned it paled as he realized that his trump card was useless against Cha Ming. He tried to run away but was promptly grasped by Yu Wen’s strings and diced to pieces.
Cha Ming didn’t stand on ceremony and split the moon stones half and half. They then joined together with Zhang Fei, Mu Qianlin, and Fang Li, who had dispatched the rest of the group. They collaborated and easily robbed the guardian’s pile. During this time, Huxian’s group had robbed three medium piles as well. Only four groups of fifty or so cultivators remained.
“Friends, I’m afraid that you’ve been too greedy,” a voice said. A golden-armored man appeared in front of him. Judging by his aura, his power was enhanced by at least five thousand moon stones. But the most concerning thing was the sword in his hands.
Its blade gleamed fiercely with the frightening might of a transcendent treasure.
Chapter 16: Essence
“What’s Group Leader doing?” Han Jiling said to Song Min. By now, both had accumulated an extra hundred moon stones, bringing their total to two hundred each.
Song Min shook her head. “Cha Ming’s group got too greedy. They took too many moon stones, so Group Leader will rob him.”
Han Jiling frowned. “Shouldn’t we stop him? He’s part of the Alabaster Group, after all. We don’t abandon our members.”
“No, he was foolish to reject my good intentions,” Song Min said. “He can reap the consequences of his actions.”
Han Jiling said nothing as he looked at Cha Ming and their group in indecision.
“Jin Tian is right,” another voice said. A black-robed woman appeared in front of them. She exuded an unusual charm. Most amazingly, she was floating on a black fan whose power didn’t lose out to Jin Tian’s sword. “But there’s no need to hand over all your moon stones to him. Just give us nine tenths, and we’ll protect you from his group.”
Cha Ming’s frown deepened.
“Don’t let them bully you too easily,” two more men said as they rushed over. One wore red robes and another blue robes. They each wore a saber at their waist whose power lay somewhere between transcendence and the peak of core formation. “While our group of one hundred cultivators is weaker than theirs on an individual level, we are much fairer. Us two leaders only take fifteen percent of the moon stones each, and the rest is spread evenly across our remaining members. You would all get the same treatment if you joined us, and you needn’t worry about these two tyrants. We also won’t rob you. You can choose to join us or not join us, but we really can’t risk our members lives without enough benefit.”
Compared to the previous two, Cha Ming had a more favorable impression of these two. “Many thanks for your concern,” he said, bowing to them. “We’ll be fine on our own.”
At that moment, a white-cloaked figure floated up beside the golden-armored man.
“Could you perhaps show mercy to these fellows on account of our Alabaster Group?” Han Jiling said. “Although we aren’t very strong, we have been collaborating for a millennium.”
The golden-armored man frowned. “Although we’ve collaborated in the past, they’ve accumulated too many moon stones. We could win many wars with such resources. I’m afraid I can’t grant you your request.”
Cha Ming’s heart warmed as he saw Han Jiling, who was usually strict and harsh, sticking his neck out for him.
“I understand,” Han Jiling said, nodding. Then he did something that shocked everyone present. He flew out to Cha Ming’s group and stood in front of them, sword drawn. “If you wish to harm them, you must go through me. Our Alabaster Group might not be strong, but we have our principles. As long as we stick to them, we will always prevail.”
“There’s no need to trouble yourself,” Cha Ming said quickly. “We can handle ourselves, truly.”
“Don’t try and convince me,” Han Jiling said harshly. “I do what is right, no matter the consequences.”
“Is this what you choose?” Jin Tian said. The pressure he gave off mounted swiftly. It manifested in a golden cloud that bore down on Han Jiling.
The older man summoned a forest of metallic shards that fought against the golden cloud. He sank to one knee but didn’t drop his sword.
“Then it’s decided. From this moment forward, the Radiant Alliance is no longer affiliated with the Alabaster Group.”
“Brother Jin, please reconsider,” Song Min said suddenly from behind him.
Jin Tian turned around and glared at her. “Are you with them or with us?” he asked.
She averted her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she clenched her teeth. “With you,” she said.
“Good,” Jin Tian said. He stared at Cha Ming, who looked at Song Min disdainfully. “Since you don’t want to cooperate, then we can only begin.”
“Don’t regret it,” Cha Ming said. He sent a message to Huxian and his five companions. Go now!
Runic fragments exploded out from around him, protecting everyone. Ranged techniques and flying swords raced toward them as they rushed toward the central circle. Cha Ming grabbed Han Jiling and dragged him back with them.
There are too many of them for us to fight, but there’s still one place they can’t breach—the center!
Are you sure that’s a good idea? Han Jiling sent back. The center is incomparably dangerous. If we all rush to the other teleportation arrays, we might be able to make it out alive.
Don’t worry, Cha Ming said. I have a plan.
He casually tossed Han Jiling a thousand moon stones. The man’s strength rose twofold, and with this increase in strength, he managed to deflect a flaming dragon that was about to overtake them.
“Hateful fellows,” he spat as they entered the central runic circle, whose puppets activated the moment they did.
“Everyone, use your all to block them,” Cha Ming yelled.
His Dao Fragment Array rotated and became a large shield that blocked the ten puppets. Just as it showed signs of breaking, thousands of silver strings reinforced it from behind. It was joined by thousands of vines from Fang Li.
Zhang Fei, not wanting to be outdone, dropped his sword to the ground. It passed through a spatial slit and transformed into a flaming sword that struck down with world-ending might. Two puppets deflected the sword, which promptly flew back to Zhang Fei’s hands. His vigor quickly returned as Mu Qianlin traced mystical runes with her exorcist’s staff.
Meanwhile, Han Jiling stood at the vanguard. He deflected the various blows that snuck past their shield. He was an unstoppable guardian, an indomitable bastion. However, it was difficult to hold everything back. He soon began to fall leeward.
“Fall back!” Cha Ming yelled.
“No, I can still hold on,” Han Jiling said. He gritted his teeth and moved forward. The skin on his face split as the pressure mounted, but he ignored it. Instead he raised his sword and channeled golden qi into a shield. It lasted five breaths before ultimately shattering, sending golden fragments flying back into his chest and causing him to cough up blood.
The older man wore a satisfied expression as he accepted his impending doom. He chuckled hoarsely as a puppet went in for the kill. As its blade neared his heart, he let out what should have been his last breath.
But just as it was about to land, clouds appeared above them. Cha Ming looked about in puzzlement, but his four companions looked up in reverence. A holy silence pervaded the circle. In fact, the guardians paused as though afraid of disrupting the sacred proceeding. The one who was mere inches away from slaying Han Jiling was no exception; it pulled back its sword and stepped back three paces.
“Angelic endowment,” Zhang Fai said quietly. “To think that I would see it again in my lifetime.”
The clouds roared as lightning crackled through them. Those with substantial sin trembled as the heavenly power on the bridge grew increasingly thick.
“What do you all think his principle virtue will be?”
“Without a doubt, sacrifice,” Mu Qianlin said. “He’s thrown away his life for what he sees as a worthy cause.”
“It must be diligence,” Fang Li said. “He’s as hard as a rock and indomitable like a mountain.”
Yu Wen shook her head. “You’re both wrong.” Everyone looked to her in surprise. “These storm clouds contain more than colored lightning. They contain lightning of judgment. His aspect is, without a doubt, bravery.”
Cha Ming’s jaw slackened as one lightning bolt after another struck down. They didn’t harm Han Jiling. Instead they struck the puppets around him and forced them to back away. The residual lightning accumulated into a hazy shape around the older man.
Then nine bolts of lightning struck down simultaneously. These mysterious jade bolts joined together with the hazy mass of residual lightning and rushed to Han Jiling’s back, merging with his substantial jade aura. Two jade wings appeared on his back, and the lightning in the clouds poured into them and formed mysterious runic characters.
“You’ll pass over my dead body!” the red-faced Han Jiling shouted. He waved his sword, sending out the accumulated potential toward the nearby puppets. Like frightened rabbits, they ducked and protected themselves from Heaven’s wrath. Fragments of blue stone flew off their supposedly unbreakable bodies.
Huxian, now! Cha Ming yelled.
Already on it, Huxian sent back.
The entire central runic circle was suddenly filled with light, shadow, lightning, wind, and swamp. These five elements bore down on the puppets and greatly restrained their movements. Cha Ming sent out his runic fragment array once more, which hovered around the puppets and slowed them by yet another notch. He used the opportunity to grab the pile of moon stones and distribute them amongst the eight of them. Having strengthened substantially, the six cultivators and two beasts regrouped in the center of the puppets before starting a new offensive.
“What happened?” Jin Tian said from outside the circle. He had expected Cha Ming and the others to get repelled from the center. In fact, he’d already prepared his lines to threaten them once more and extort their moon stones. But things had developed much differently than he had expected. Now, a massive fox with three tails stood beside them. On his head sat a jade rabbit, whose aura had merged with the fox in one organic whole.
Due to these overlapping five barriers and the mysterious gray array, the movements of the puppets had greatly slowed and reduced in power. And to his surprise, the two monsters didn’t attack Cha Ming and the others. They were clearly allies.
“What are your thoughts?” the black-robed Hei Yin said from beside him. “Is there any way for us to fight that monster?”
“We can only wait from the side,” Jin Tian said. “Perhaps we can pay the rest of these cultivators fifty moon stones each for their collaboration.”
“That’s five thousand moon stones!” Hei Yin exclaimed.
“But we can gain over forty thousand if we’re successful,” Jin Tian said. “Are you with me? Our odds of success are much greater if you join me.”
Hei Yin hesitated. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. But why are they wasting their time in the runic circle now that they’ve already obtained the reward? Don’t they know it’s impossible to destroy even the outer puppets, let alone the central ones?”
“Who knows,” Jin Tian said. “Perhaps their background is insufficient to know such secrets. Regardless, it’s to our advantage if they waste their strength.” He then rushed toward the smaller cultivator groups.
Only Hei Yin remained, looking at the center with concern.
“Brother Cha Ming, even with the giant fox’s suppression, these puppet guardians aren’t good to cope with,” Han Jiling said as he deflected a puppet’s attack. Despite his moon stone empowerment and his angelic endowment, he could barely remain within the central circle. “How much time do you need?”
“As long as you can give me,” Cha Ming said as he clashed with one of the ten central puppets. The shadow of a runic fragment appeared in his mind, but it was elusive, difficult to grasp. Just as the essence of the rune was becoming clearer, another strike came his way. Frustrated, he sent ten layers of earth-based combat formations to deflect it. The image regained a modicum of its essence.
