AZI Volume 7 Chapter 1

"…"

"…"

Surrounded on all fronts by a dense layer of fog, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng looked back.

Other than Su Xuan, they have managed to gather up more than 120 of their clansmen in the last couple of hours.

"…Qing-xiong, any ideas on how to deal with this fog?"

"This…- …Ai."

Being asked this by a clansman, Qing Ming Yang regrettably shakes his head, whereas another clansman suggests—

"How about we just head back to the estate?"

"Indeed, why don't we take a break back at the estate, and return later?"

"…"

Towards this suggestion, which is quickly followed by voices of agreement, Qing Ming Yang's eyes flash with coldness, and raising his voice, he shouts—

"There are still over 80 of us missing! Who knows where they might be! Possibly dead! You dare to call yourself a Ling Yuan family clansman without avenging the fallen?! Even if you don't have the strength to avenge them, you should still have the strength to at least carry their corpses back for a proper burial!"

"Un."

Nodding his head in agreement, Lin Yu Heng adds—

"Did each and every one of you thought of this investigation to be a vacation?! Know some shame, and tackle your duties to the Ling Yuan family with a greater sense of responsibility! Anyone who leaves right now doesn't deserve to be called a clansman of mine! As Qing-xiong had said, it is only proper of us—to take the corpses of our clansmen back for a proper burial, whole or not! And should any dangers arise…"

Taking out his spear, and smashing its base onto the ground, Lin Yu Heng continues to declare—

"Qing-xiong and I shall be the first to hold the line, so that the rest of you may retreat!"

Towards Lin Yu Heng's declaration, the clansmen of the Ling Yuan family responded with awe, whereas Qing Ming Yang blinks his eyes, while thinking—

(Hang on, I never agreed to that… Ai… Whatever. The important thing right now is to get as many of these guys killed as possible. We need this sort of hot-bloodedness.)

"So this is what a reliable man should look like."

"Indeed. Mother has always told me to find someone reliable to marry."

"…"

Noticing the infatuation-filled eyes that are being directed at Lin Yu Heng by their female clansmen, Qing Ming Yang—feeling an itch in his heart, clears his throat, and draws his weapon.

Raising his sword into the air, and adding to Lin Yu Heng's words, Qing Ming Yang states—

"Agreed! Should any dangers befall us, Lin-xiong and I shall be the first to hold the line! Hence! Let us find out just what exactly is happening inside this place! And if our discoveries turn out to be anything major, you can expect the elders to reward us greatly!"

"…"

"…"

As members of the crowd looked to their peers, the majority showed hesitation, while the minority showed determination.

For a brief instance, silence loomed in the air, but eventually conversations broke out.

"…We've already came this far."

"Hmm, almost everyone that I know has gotten themselves a good magic treasure…"

"I'm not willing to return empty-handed."

"With how experienced Lin-xiong and Qing-xiong are, danger can be minimized greatly…"

"I might not get to explore the Leng Bing Realm in such numbers again…"

"Opportunities and risks come as a pair, I'm willing to continue!"

"I'm willing to as well!"

With the crowd reinvigorated, both Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng raised a sigh of relief on the inside.

"Let us move then!"

"Time waits for none!"

Rather quickly, the group begins to move through the fog again.

Amidst their movement, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng thought—

(Ai… We may be moving again, but as for our directions, it's still just as aimless as before…)

(Hmm. The markings on some of the trees, these were made by the weapon spirits. …I wonder if senior had left us any specific markings to follow?)

...…

Maintaining their movements, the practitioners of the Ling Yuan family eventually—

"Hm? Qing-xiong, Lin-xiong, what's that?"

"Hm?"

Turning towards the source of this question, which turns out to be Su Xuan, Qing Ming Yang takes a few steps forward, and feeling the dirt beneath his feet wet, he looks down to find traces of blood.

"This is…?"

"Uh?"

Taking rapid steps forward, Lin Yu Heng sees a pile of corpses stacked together.

"Ah? Ah Qiong? Isn't this Ah Qiong? H-He…?"

"Xiao Fei is dead…?"

"Wh-? Those damn weapon spirits!"

Recognizing some of the corpses present, the reactions of the Ling Yuan family's practitioners varied between confusion and anger.

"…Uh?"

Sensing the presence of his marker—that should have originally been planted onto Yao Ying nearby, Qing Ming Yang begins to actively search for it.

And rather quickly—

(Hm? These bodies, they were stacked on top of one another after they had gone cold… This gap, it doesn't make any sense for it to be present, unless…)

Noticing an unusual gap in a few bodies, Qing Ming Yang covers his nose with one hand, and reaches his left hand into the breach.

"Oh?"

Fishing out a jade slip, Qing Ming Yang wipes the blood off, and presses it to his forehead.

Carved onto the jade slip is—

[Let prayers given to these damn statues guide you to the weapon spirits' sinister village!]

"…!"

Trembling his body in a way that makes it seem as if he is overwhelmed by rage, Qing Ming Yang snaps to Lin Yu Heng's direction, and shouts—

"Lin-xiong, take a look at this!"

"Hm?"

Catching the jade slip that is tossed to him by Qing Ming Yang, Lin Yu Heng also reacts in a similar manner upon reading the message.

Sucking a deep breath of air, Lin Yu Heng raises the jade slip, and shouts—

"One of our clansmen—with their dying breath, has left us a message! On it are instructions that will guide us to the weapon spirits' whereabouts!"

Throwing the jade slip into the crowd, the written instructions are gradually passed from one person to the other.

And in the same instance, both Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng turned towards the same statue of Lord Tian She Zi, while praying—

(I hope all these people behind me die!)

(I hope many of these people behind me die!)

Upon completing their prayers, and reopening their eyes—

"Uh?"

"Qing-xiong, are you experiencing what I'm experiencing?"

"The fog is turning clearer."

Turning to the others, Qing Ming Yang shouts—

"Finish your prayers quickly! Once we've finished collecting the corpses of our clansmen, let us head over to this village! For the sake of our fallen clansmen, we must uncover those weapon spirits' evil schemes!"

"We mustn't let those weapon spirits get away with this!"

"Avenge our fallen clansmen!"

"Down with those weapon spirits!"