Chapter 114: Evil Thought
"Xiao Yan!!!"
The death of his only son made Mu She completely lose his rationality. He roared angrily and charged toward Xiao Yan at full speed.
Facing the extreme fury of a Da Dou Shi (Dou Grandmaster), Xiao Yan's eyes remained calm and unwavering. Without any fear, he clenched his fist tightly and swung it violently at Mu She.
Boom!!!
Mu She's claw-like hand violently collided with Xiao Yan's fist, creating a powerful shockwave that stirred up a wild storm in the area. Then, a figure was forcefully knocked backward.
The one who was knocked back was... Mu She!!!
All the mercenaries were stunned as they watched this scene. They stood frozen in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Mu She, who had been pushed back, also looked at Xiao Yan in horror. His arm, which had just struck out, trembled uncontrollably and hung limply by his side.
His arm... was broken.
A cold sweat instantly covered Mu She's back. The madness caused by his son's death was forcibly suppressed by fear and shock.
What... kind of joke is this?
Xiao Yan was just a Dou Shi! A one star Dou Shi!!!
Breaking through from a three-star Dou Zhe (Dou Practitioner) to Dou Shi in two months was indeed very shocking, but compared to that, the fact that a Dou Shi could confront him, a Da Dou Shi, head-on and the one who ended up with a broken arm was himself?!
While Mu She was still in a daze, Xiao Yan lightly shook his arm that had just clashed with Mu She. Then, without hesitation, he strode toward Mu She, and violet flames started to rise from his back.
Xiao Yan did not understand why, when he, a Dou Shi, clashed fists with Mu She, a Da Dou Shi, it was Mu She who was forced back.
However, there was one thing Xiao Yan was absolutely certain about.
Mu She's son, Mu Li, had been personally killed by him. This was an undeniable fact.
This was an irreconcilable hatred—an absolute, unresolvable blood feud unless Mu She had no feelings for his son at all.
But from Mu She's previous reaction, it was clear that reality was the complete opposite.
Mu She cared deeply about Mu Li.
Therefore, even though Mu She did not make Xiao Yan feel as disgusted as Mu Li had, Xiao Yan would never let him leave this place alive.
Xiao Yan was not afraid of being hunted down. Since he had done this, he was prepared to face the consequences.
What he feared was that if he let Mu She go, the people he cared about might be endangered.
If his actions ended up implicating those he valued, Xiao Yan would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
So right now, there was only one thing left for him to do.
A black aura surged wildly from the depths of Xiao Yan's heart, causing his dark pupils to unconsciously turn blood-red. His eyes were filled with ferocity and murderous intent.
Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots!
As he watched Xiao Yan approaching with murderous intent, feeling the terrifying aura rising from him, Mu She couldn't help but fall into despair.
Why... is this happening?
He's just a kid...
He's just a Dou Shi...
But why... why is he such a monster that defies all logic?!
All the mercenaries, including Mu She, were paralyzed by the overwhelming killing intent emanating from Xiao Yan. They stood stiffly in place, unable to move a single finger.
What is it that truly makes people feel fear?
If someone had asked this question before, many might have struggled to answer.
A fourth-rank Magic Beast? A fifth-rank Magic Beast? Or perhaps the dominant Purple Crystal Winged Lion King of the Magic Beast Mountain Range?
A Dou Ling (Dou Spirit)? A Dou Wang (Dou King)? Or even a Dou Huang (Dou Emperor)?
People's answers would have varied.
But if you asked the mercenaries present at this moment, without a doubt, they would all answer in unison—
The fear before their eyes was Xiao Yan himself!
It had nothing to do with his actual strength. Or rather, his strength was not the main reason for their fear. What truly made them despair was the terrifying aura radiating from Xiao Yan! It was something they had never experienced before in their entire lives!!!
Without encountering any resistance, Xiao Yan stood in front of Mu She. In Mu She's terror-filled gaze, Xiao Yan reached out and grabbed his throat, lifting him high into the air.
Mu She wanted to struggle. His mind repeatedly warned him—
If he didn't struggle, he would die!
But deep in his heart, Mu She felt an overwhelming dread toward the Xiao Yan before him. The aura emanating from Xiao Yan prevented him from thinking clearly. Even his instinct to survive had been suppressed, leaving him unable to resist at all—even as Xiao Yan's grip tightened around his throat, lifting him into the air.
Then, Mu She felt a scorching heat spreading from his neck to his entire body.
Mu She knew—death was approaching.
Yet, he could do nothing about it.
At that moment, time seemed to slow down.
Mu She began to reminisce, recalling how he had ended up in such a dire situation.
Was it because I attacked Wan Yao Zhai ?
Was it because I swore to kill Xiao Yan?
No... that's not it.
Those weren't the real reasons.
Suddenly, Mu Li's face appeared in Mu She's mind.
In that instant, Mu She finally understood everything.
Yes... It was Li'er (Mu Li)...
If it weren't for Li'er's insatiable greed, things would never have escalated to this point.
The mercenaries wouldn't have died.
Li'er wouldn't have died.
And I wouldn't be facing death right now.
I wouldn't have attacked Wan Yao Zhai.
I wouldn't have developed a desire to kill Xiao Yan.
Perhaps, I might have even recruited this talented young man into the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
But... is it really all Li'er's fault?
Didn't I enable his behavior by never correcting him?
Didn't I, deep down, even approve of his actions?
In the end, the root cause... was myself.
If I had taught Li'er early on not to be so greedy...
If I had disciplined him instead of indulging him...
Things... would have turned out differently.
This is what it means to suffer the consequences of one's own actions...
A single tear of regret slid down Mu She's face.
He truly, wholeheartedly repented.
But... it was too late.
Boom!!!
Under the horrified gazes of the mercenaries, a violent purple flame instantly engulfed Mu She's entire body. His agonized screams echoed through the area.
Though it was just a moment, to everyone present, time seemed unbearably long.
A few seconds later, Xiao Yan slowly released his grip. A charred corpse fell to the ground, motionless, as the last traces of violet flames flickered out.
The leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Mu She—dead!
Xiao Yan stood silently, gazing at Mu She's corpse with neither joy nor sorrow in his eyes.
At the final moment before Mu She's death, Xiao Yan had seen the genuine remorse in his eyes.
But that remorse only made Xiao Yan even more furious.
Since you can repent...
Since you can recognize your mistakes...
Why must it always take death for you to wake up?!
Is self-reflection really so difficult for you people?!
As these thoughts swirled in Xiao Yan's mind, the black aura did not dissipate with Mu She's death. Instead, it grew even darker.
It grew to the point where even Yao Chen showed a look of shock.
Yao Chen had a foreboding feeling—Xiao Yan was slowly, but surely, heading toward a dangerous path beyond control.
Just as Yao Chen worried about this, Xiao Yan slowly turned his head and swept his gaze over the mercenaries, whose eyes were filled with fear.
A thought suddenly arose in his mind.
Wouldn't these mercenaries also pose a threat to the people he care about?
(End of Chapter)