In the southern region of the Black Wind Continent, among towering mountain ranges that pierced the sky and were covered in dense mist all year round, the Sword Mountain Sect stood proudly atop several peaks. Hundreds of buildings were arranged along the ridgelines, their dull tiled roofs reflecting the gloomy sky in silence.
Today, what had been a bright morning suddenly turned into rainfall without any warning.
Cold droplets struck the stone ground one by one before gradually turning into rain that covered the entire sect. The atmosphere was unnaturally quiet, as if nature itself was holding its breath.
Inside the main hall
A middle aged man sat calmly upon the leader's throne. His face showed no emotion, but deep within his eyes it seemed he was thinking about something.
His voice sounded slowly.
"Is that so… the three ancestors have already died"
The supreme elder standing below lowered his head slightly before answering.
"I am not completely certain… but their soul lamps have gone out."
Silence covered the hall. The man on the throne let out a soft sigh.
"Keep this matter secret… for now only you and I know."
The supreme elder replied.
"Yes."
Footsteps sounded from outside along with a sudden shout.
"Sect Leader, something terrible has happened…"
…
…
Not long before this, at the outer sect plaza, the sky was covered with dark rain clouds when the rough voice of a man broke through the rain.
"Hand over this month's pills and spirit stones to us."
Three men stood surrounding a young man. Their faces were filled with arrogance and disdain, as if they were looking at a worthless little animal.
The young man clenched his teeth while clutching his storage pouch tightly, his hands trembling slightly.
"I already gave you some… what will I use to cultivate…"
Bang!!
One of the three men slammed his foot violently into the young man's face. The impact echoed through the air as his body flew into a stone wall with a loud crash. His face twisted in pain, his consciousness nearly fading.
The three men walked closer slowly before raising a sword to press against the young man's throat.
"Do not force us to be cruel, junior brother. Hand over everything valuable… and you will continue breathing today."
The young man's vision blurred, but suddenly a spark of hope flashed.
He tried to shout with a trembling voice.
"Holy Maiden… save me…"
Suddenly, all three of them froze when they sensed a presence appearing behind them.
They immediately turned around and saw Mu Ling standing in the rain. Her current appearance was as beautiful as a goddess. Rainbow colored hair swayed gently, her skin was as pale as clear jade, her eyes cold and devoid of emotion. The aura she released was so noble that the breathing of everyone nearby faltered.
All three stood frozen in body and breath, as if trapped in a spell they could never awaken from.
Then her soft voice sounded.
"Stop… please… stop…"
The three men quickly lowered their heads.
"We apologize, Holy Maiden. We were disciplining a junior—"
Slash!!
The flash of a blade streaked across the vision of all three.
In a fraction of a second, their heads flew into the air. Blood arced outward before their headless bodies collapsed, blood splattering across the stone ground.
Thud!! Thud!! Thud!!
The three heads struck the ground. Silence covered everything.
The young man looked at the scene with shock mixed with joy.
"Thank you, Holy Maiden…"
Before he could finish, the view before him slowly shifted. It lowered gradually, as if the ground was moving closer to his face, and his voice could no longer come out.
The last thing he saw was his own headless body.
…
…
Mu Ling walked forward slowly through the rain. Every step she took was silent, yet every movement was death.
Clang!! Clang!! Clang!! Clang!! Clang!! Clang!!
The sound of blades cutting through flesh and bone rang out continuously without any sign of stopping. Countless corpses piled upon one another until the original ground was almost invisible. A massive lake of blood gradually formed and spread outward. The thick scent of blood was so heavy it nearly suffocated those who breathed it.
Some core disciples clenched their teeth and tried to resist. True energy erupted from their bodies, rallying shouts echoed as they charged forward, using their strongest techniques and every ounce of power they had.
But every resistance ended the same way, with even swifter death.
"Aaaaaah!"
"Everyone run… aaah!"
"Someone help…"
The screams of countless disciples mixed together until it was impossible to tell whose voice was whose. Fear spread like a deadly plague with no cure.
A man stood trembling, his eyes bloodshot with anger and despair.
"Mu Ling… you traitor… I curse you to never die peacefully."
Slash!!
His words were cut off instantly. His body was split into two by the blade before collapsing onto the ground, joining the countless other bodies lying there.
At that very moment, behind Mu Ling, a three colored lotus slowly rose in silence. Red as blazing fire, black as deep as the void, and blue as cold as ice within 'the abyss.
The three rotated toward one another before merging into a single lotus that caused the surrounding air to tremble.
Mu Ling slowly raised her hand, her expression devoid of emotion, then threw it toward the disciples' living quarters.
Boommmmm!!
A violent explosion erupted. Waves of three colored flames surged outward, sweeping away everything in their path. Buildings collapsed and vanished in an instant. The flames devoured everything without mercy as wails echoed everywhere.
Many disciples ran for their lives in panic. Some fell, some were trampled, some were swallowed by the flames alive.
Several inner elders at the Saint realm rushed in to surround her. Their true energy pressed down on the air until it felt unbearably heavy.
"Stop… Mu Ling… have you gone mad?"
Mu Ling simply turned once slowly, the blade in her hand sweeping out in a circle.
Whoosh!
In a fraction of a second, the heads of every elder within her surrounding range separated from their shoulders at the same time. Bright red blood shot into the sky before their bodies fell and struck the ground.
Yet she continued walking without stopping. She killed everyone in her path like a machine of slaughter devoid of any emotion.
A young woman's voice sounded, trembling.
"Junior sister Mu… you… do you remember me… it is me…"
Slash!!
Before the sentence could finish, her head separated from her shoulders, her body collapsing without strength.
Another voice cried out in near heartbreak.
"Senior sister Mu… please spare me…"
Rip!!
The blade fell. Another head rolled across the ground, blood flowing like a crimson trail. Every swing of her sword brought unavoidable death. Each time the blade moved, at least one more corpse would be added.
"Senior sister Mu Ling…"
"Junior sister Mu Ling…"
"Holy Maiden…"
"Senior sister Mu…"
"Junior sister Mu…"
"Mu Ling…"
"Mu Ling…"
"Please… stop…"
Every call, every plea, every cry flowed past her ears and entered her mind without a single word being missed.
Those voices were sharper than the blade in her hand at this moment. Every scream, every plea slammed into her mind until it nearly shattered, carving deep into her heart again and again.
Tears flowed silently down her cheeks, yet her body could do only one thing, listen.
She could not stop herself. She could not resist. She could not control anything at all.
Boommmm!!
A terrifying pressure erupted in the sky as if the heavens were being torn apart. A wave of spiritual power pressed down upon the mountain peaks, cracking the stone ground into spiderweb fractures. The roar of power echoed across the area, and those who still survived froze as if their bodies were pinned down by an invisible force.
In the sky, the figure of a man slowly appeared with imposing grace. The aura of a Half Emperor Level 3 surged upward like a pillar supporting the heavens. The power he released twisted the surrounding air.
Behind him stood two Saint Emperors with tense expressions. Five Saint Kings released their full power, causing the space around them to tremble continuously.
He swept his gaze over the corpses and the sea of blood below before shouting at the top of his lungs, filled with rage and disbelief.
"Mu Ling! Stop this instant! What madness are you committing!!"
But when his gaze stopped on her face, his voice faltered. Those eyes were shattered like broken glass, with not a single intact piece remaining.
There was no trace of life, only a deep emptiness that made anyone who looked feel a chill down to their bones. Tears flowed silently down her cheeks, mixed with the blood splattered across her face.
The heart of the Half Emperor trembled violently. The anger in his chest was replaced by an indescribable fear.
"You… what happened to you…"
Before the question could finish, the air around them shook violently. Nine lotuses appeared without any warning, instantly surrounding their bodies. Each one emitted a mysterious light that made the air feel unbearably heavy, as if it were being compressed to the point of breaking.