Although Zhan Mubai was fully aware that the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master had been gravely wounded previously and might lack the strength to kill him now, the very name instilled fear. Especially since he himself was suffering from internal injuries, however slight, which certainly diminished his combat power!
“Emperor Zhan, am I correct?”
The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master’s accent carried a subtle disdain and an air of utmost arrogance, as if merely deigning to speak with Zhan Mubai was granting him a colossal favor.
Zhan Mubai had initially been eighty percent certain this man was the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master, but the moment the words left his lips, that eighty percent certainty solidified into absolute, one hundred percent affirmation!
No one else in the world spoke with such an insolent tone! And this was directed at a Saint Emperor, no less!
Zhan Mubai’s own state of mind swiftly stabilized. Facing a situation that could not possibly be worse, he found a strange calm settle over him.
He slowly stood up, offering a slight smile. “I apologize, Senior, for failing to welcome you properly upon your arrival. I confess I engaged in a skirmish today and sustained some minor injuries, leaving me less than presentable. I trust I haven't given you cause for amusement.”
The fame of the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master far predated his own; addressing him as Senior was entirely appropriate.
Furthermore, the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master was renowned not only for his transcendent power but also for his ruthlessly decisive and swift methods. If he had truly come to kill him, he would likely have done so without a word already.
Since he hadn't struck yet, his primary intent must not have been immediate execution. As long as he avoided provoking this peerless fiend, a bloody confrontation could be averted, removing the need for excessive tension that would compromise his status.
Besides… it had been barely a month since the brute was severely injured. He shouldn't have recovered this quickly. Even if Zhan Mubai was still no match for him, holding out long enough for reinforcements to arrive should be manageable.
With this thought, Zhan Mubai’s heart settled. As long as his life was secured, everything else could be negotiated!
Having settled his internal calculations, Zhan Mubai instantly regained the graceful composure of a Saint Emperor. At least, he was no longer trembling with apprehension. Yet, any perceptive observer could still detect the brittle facade masking deep-seated fear. In truth, this was understandable; who among the current generation, facing such a singular menace alone, could remain truly fearless? Even Young Master Jun himself might have harbored a degree of nervousness that day!
“Hmm,” the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master drawled with palpable arrogance, “Little Zhan, if you hadn't been injured today, this Young Master wouldn't have bothered showing up.”
“Er? Senior, what is the meaning of your words?”
Zhan Mubai felt a strange mix of amusement and dismay at the address. Little Zhan? I’m pushing seven hundred years old, good sir… However, rumors from the Three Great Holy Lands long confirmed that referring to oneself as ‘this Young Master’ was the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master’s verbal tic. And for this unparalleled fiend, who was at least a millennium or two old, calling him Little Zhan was, perhaps, fitting enough.
“Jie jie jie… Zhan Mubai, back in the Heavenly Punishment Forest, you mobilized your sword strike, wounding my heart and lungs, piercing straight through, nearly condemning this Young Master to eternal ruin. That was quite impressive, wasn't it?”
The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master cackled, his killing intent sharp and palpable.
This statement, too, was something only someone who had personally experienced it could utter!
Zhan Mubai smiled faintly. “Senior, what kind of talk is that? Let alone that day, even now, we remain adversaries engaged in battle; naturally, no means is spared! I only regret that my profound cultivation was shallow, preventing me from finishing the job with a single strike, wasting such a massive opportunity. Even now, when I dream at midnight, I regret it endlessly!”
The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master let out a scornful chuckle. “You possess considerable audacity. Facing this Young Master with the might of the Evil Sovereign, yet you dare to speak with sarcasm? Are you truly unafraid to die?”
Zhan Mubai laughed heartily. “I believe every person fears death. But if Senior truly intends to kill me, whether I am sarcastic or unafraid, does that alter the outcome of your decision to strike?”
The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master paused, then burst into a strange, booming laugh. The black mist swirling around him surged violently. He roared, “Well spoken, Zhan Mubai! With such a state of mind, such bearing, you are indeed worthy of the Saint Emperor title!”
He paused again. “But how can you be certain I haven’t come to kill you? Or do you genuinely believe I lack the ability to do so?”
Zhan Mubai was momentarily stunned. The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master, who had been right before him, vanished with startling abruptness. Simultaneously, a sharp sound of air being rent pierced the space behind him, as if a blade were tearing through the void!
A wave of terror washed over Zhan Mubai. His body shot forward rapidly while simultaneously becoming as thin as parchment. He lunged violently to the ground, yet still felt a sharp stinging pain behind him—evidently grazed by some weapon. Under his full evasion and counter-response, it only resulted in a superficial flesh wound, a testament to the spiritual awareness of a Saint Emperor expert.
Zhan Mubai inwardly sighed in relief, yet dared not slacken his guard in the slightest. With a swift flip, he instantly cycled through seven or eight exquisite movement techniques, altering his physical form more than a dozen times, focusing entirely on escape! (The text in parentheses refers to the original posting site address.)
However, after that sudden strike, the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master clearly did not follow up. Zhan Mubai’s tension eased slightly, yet he was deeply puzzled. Since the confrontation had begun, why did the fiend cease his pursuit? He finally turned back, facing the madman before him, and suppressed the rescue cry he had prepared. After all, issuing a call for help would certainly enrage this madman.
Let’s see what he intends to do before making my next move.
The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master stood casually, examining an unusually narrow and strange blade in his hand, using his left thumb to scrape at the edge, not even sparing Zhan Mubai a direct glance.
The Nether Cold Blade!
A loud, booming laugh echoed. The Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master kept his head bowed, appearing quite delighted. “That day, you played a part in inflicting grievous injuries upon me, injuries from which I have yet to fully recover. It has been quite vexing. I intended to eliminate you today to settle that old score. However, observing your conduct, you seem fairly upright and honorable. It appears this Young Master has come to oppress the weak, which would be an unfair victory. Very well. This Young Master has always preferred fighting against odds. If I were to kill you today, I suspect you would die without true conviction. I shall let you live a few more days.” As the laughter faded, the mist that ceaselessly billowed around the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master suddenly intensified, becoming thicker and thicker, gradually obscuring his human form. Then, with a whoosh, he completely vanished, his entire body disappearing without a trace.
All doors and windows remained tightly sealed. Only Zhan Mubai remained in the room. Even the furniture and fittings were untouched; there was not the slightest sign that anyone had entered.
From start to finish, it felt as if he had merely experienced a dream.
What a terrifying nightmare. Had Zhan Mubai died just now, it would have been the textbook definition of a ‘locked-room murder’!
Still submerged in terror, Zhan Mubai stood immobile for a long moment before slowly maneuvering his near-stiff body onto a chair. He sat in a daze for a while, then suddenly broke out in a cold sweat that drenched him!
That was too close… From the moment the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master materialized, Zhan Mubai’s outward calm had been a sham; his insides had been in utter turmoil, far beyond mere forced composure. Twenty Saint Emperors, including himself, had joined forces to ambush the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master just as he broke free from a seal—at most retaining three to two-tenths of his peak power—yet some still died or were maimed... Now, the man came looking for him alone. Could he possibly fare any better?
Facing such a terrifying menace, Zhan Mubai hadn't dared to feign bravado or loudly summon aid, fearing it would provoke the madman. Adopting the fearless, devil-may-care attitude of ‘you lose your head either way,’ Zhan Mubai forced himself to set life and death aside and spoke eloquently. Yet, even so, the instant the other party struck, Zhan Mubai’s soul had flown out of his body!
His reaction at that moment was pure instinct, a defensive reflex born of ingrained habit!
But the fact that he survived was not due to any superior response on his part; it was simply because the opponent did not wish to kill him… The strangest part, however, was precisely this: the fiend only spoke a few words, grazed him lightly, and then departed.
Why?
Why didn't he strike to kill? If he held no intention of killing him, why come at all? Were the words he spoke merely pointless chatter? What was the true meaning?
Some time had passed since the fiend left. Given the madman’s movement skills, he must be long gone. But Zhan Mubai's lingering terror began to surge like a rising tide, wave after wave crashing over him. Instantly, his face turned deathly pale. He sat dumbly in the chair, his body trembling slightly, with only one thought echoing in his mind: Why?
After a long while, the cold sweat finally ceased pouring from Zhan Mubai. He steadied himself and commanded hoarsely, “Men! Someone come here!” He failed to notice that his shout was incredibly raspy!
The imposter Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master used the Yin-Yang Evasion technique to sink underground and exit Zhan Mubai’s room, vanishing into the air with speed, leaving the Chen Family Manor in the blink of an eye.
Young Master Jun materialized in a relatively quiet corner, involuntarily wiping a bead of cold sweat from his brow—his own mind was screaming: Why?
It wasn't that Jun Moxie didn't want to kill Zhan Mubai. For such a deep-seated feud, given any chance, he wouldn't tolerate Zhan Mubai living a single second longer! But the problem was: he was an imposter of the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master, not the genuine article!
It wasn’t a lack of will, but a lack of ability!
With his current level of cultivation, he simply could not kill Zhan Mubai, even with Zhan Mubai nursing an internal injury and reduced strength!
Although Zhan Mubai had been terrified by the sudden appearance of the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master, he remained a Saint Emperor and still possessed a Saint Emperor’s instinctive defenses. Because of this, when facing the surprise attack, even with his entire Xuan power concentrated for defense, Jun Moxie’s strike with the Nether Cold Blade—powered by seventy percent of his strength—failed to breach his defensive Xuan force!
It only managed to leave a tiny wound on his body, a mere fraction of an inch deep.
For a Saint Emperor, such a minor injury wouldn't cause significant harm even if inflicted a thousand times!
Thus, Jun Moxie made the decisive call and retreated immediately!
In any case, his objective had been achieved. Whether Zhan Mubai was killed or not, the result was the same. As long as Zhan Mubai believed he was the Ninth Nether Fourteenth Young Master, his mission was considered perfectly accomplished.