Critical: Ages Below Critical - Chapter 13.2

Chapter 13: Method of the Dead Man (Part 2)


On the other side of the island, Thalia stares at the surging storm clouds. A chaotic white gleam fills her eyes.

“Ai yah…...so clever, to be able to use her soul weapon so efficiently……although she won’t be able to reach the area of detection I can, but with her outstanding usage of her soul weapon, she can multiply the strength and area of her detection, this to her ability in sensing soul powers is really advanced……heh heh……”

As if murmuring like a sleep walking person, coupled with the surging whiteness in her eyes, Thalia resembles a puppet with her soul taken away. Shen Yin’s heart sinks as she suddenly remembers when she first met Qi Ling; she extended her whip like a web over the entire forest in order to detect the flow of soul powers. How can Thalia know that?

“Whom are you talking about?” Shen Yin asks coldly.

“I’m not talking about you,” Thalia returns her gaze as her pupils clear up instantly, “Of course I’m talking about your opponent, Guishan Lianquan. She retrieved the Resurrection Chain from the Grave of the Souls. Similar to your long whip Shu Long*, it is also able to extend limitlessly and break apart at all. Your Shu Long is stretchy yet firm, her Resurrection Chain is sharp and indestructible……then again, your Shu Long is still more powerful……your soul weapon is alive……if I’m not wrong, it’s made from the meridians from four different dragons? Also, the person who created this soul weapon also casted the souls of the four dragons into it as well……”

Shen Yin says nothing but fear grips her heart. She finds it hard to believe that Thalia’s ability to sense soul powers is to such an extent. Her soul weapon is still ingrained in her body and hasn’t been unleashed. The fact that Thalia is able to detect her soul weapon through her body and tell its materials and structure is incredible. Before soul weapons are released, they exist as soul powers in the lord’s seal and is the same as the vast ocean of soul powers swimming in the soul’s return circuit. To be able to do that is like distinguishing a leaf in an entire forest.

“If you want to kill her, you have to hurry. Because they’re trying to do something grand at this moment, if you don’t kill now, it will be too late.” Thalia’s expression turns series. It looks as if a later of frost has crept up her beautiful face.

Shen Yin knows that Thalia is not joking and so she turns to look at Nether. Nether nods and so she turns to dash towards the other end of the island like wind in the sun. At the same time, a gush of even wilder and larger black tornado follows closely behind – Killing Lord, Nether.

A cruel smile breezes past the corners of Thalia’s lips as if the life and death of anyone is not of her concern. That she is only there to watch an exciting show in the arena. She turns but before she has the chance to say anything, Ni Hong who has been standing behind her suddenly leaps up and chases after the black and white shadows that have just disappeared at high speed. His tanned skin is like an orange bolt of lightning in the twilight.

Thalia stomps on the ground angrily with her teeth clenched, “Are you going there to give your life to them!” After cursing them, she chases after them just like Ni Hong.


Crash---- Crash---- Crash----

The sound of continuous explosions is coupled with rocks shattering and spraying. The turbulent air, making it look like soft and beautiful petals of water lilies, carries Guishan Lianquan’s long robe up. Countless silver chains are wrapped around her arms, each diving into the cracks on the ground at the speed of a shooting star. They resemble white pythons slithering deep into the island. The sound of metamorphic rocks crackling can be heard from deep within the ground. Her eyes are closed tightly as she carefully analyses the changes in soul powers the chain transmits from the depths. Shards of rock and dust fill the air around them.

“Found it……” Guishan Lianquan opens her eyes suddenly, “My goodness……” She finds the remnants of soul powers that the chains transmitted to be unbelievable…….that is almost as if……

“Let’s find a way to enter……” Guishan Fenghun releases his large sword from his body. It is coloured like that of the moon.

“No need, I’ll do it.” Guishan Lianquan withdraws all but one of the chains from the rocks, leaving behind the single chain that has found Xiliuer’s heart. She directs the others towards the target. After a period of loud rattling, they form a circle on the rock. She narrows her eyes as the intersecting golden patterns on her body explode into a golden gleam. With tremendous sounds of crashing and the rattling of metal, the five white python-like chains break the rocks and a hole resembling the mouth of a well is formed among the dust of rocks.

When the spraying rocks and dust settles, a dark and deep entrance of a cave is presented before them, as if a dark and silent invitation from Hell.

“Let’s go.” Guishan Fenghun withdraws his sword into his body.

Guishan Lianquan follows behind him.

Two seconds later, before Guishan Lianquan has the chance to react, Guishan Fenghun grabs her into his arms after shouting a warning. They fly towards where they started. The ground that has been beneath her feet a moment ago has a sharp black crystal protruding. Countless thorn-like black crystals crowd and mask the black hole, resembling an open jaw of a tremendously insect.

A chill runs through Guishan Fenghun. The black crystals seem all too familiar to him. It is the Killing Lord’s symbol.

“Lianquan!” Guishan Fenghun roars. Lianquan reacts with a quake of her soul’s seal. A large white glow rushes out loudly from the lord’s seal beneath her earlobe. A dense concentration of white features quickly fills the large carven between the heavens and earth as if they morph into sprites once they come into contact with the wind. In mere seconds, Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan are standing tall on An Chi’s back. The soul beast that’s the size of a small hill beats its wings as it pushes off the ground and soars towards the sky. Guishan Fenghun straightens in the wind with his moon-coloured long sword in his hands, intimidating in his armour. Behind his majestic physique, the beautiful and cold Guishan Lianquan stands with her silver chain in her hands. They resemble to white snakes moving nimbly in the air with chattering sounds.

Facing them are two mobile tendrils of light, one black, one white, falling onto the tip of the cliff like turbulent ghosts. The light is scattered by the wind instantly, leaving behind a handsome but treacherous Nether and a daintily smiling Shen Yin looking like a perfect couple perched on the cliff in the face of the wind.

“Jiejie, where do you think you’re going?” Shen Yin lifts her hand to the location of her spine before slicing open her flesh lightly with a finger nail, releasing the spine-like white whip Shu Long from her body. She narrows her eyes as she smiles lightly at Lianquan. Her fearful expression in front of Thalia from a moment before has disappeared completely, and at this moment, just like Nether standing beside her, they are both the symbols of massacre. They are the messengers of death. Her look is murderous.

“None of your business.” Guishan Lianquan bites back a response. The chain in her hand suddenly expands and separates into many others. In a short moment, her large white chains cover the space between the heavens and earth, and the surroundings has been locked into a web by her chains.

“Stop embarrassing yourself!” Shen Yin leaps into the air and heads for An Chi at lightning speed. At the same moment, her whip breaks into four parts. Every dragon meridian is expanding rapidly in the wind, morphing into four massive dragons. On the tip of each long whip is now a dragonhead with its mouth wide open, its mouth revealing countless sharp fangs and constant howls. The four dragons roll to engulf Lianquan’s chains. The clashing of sharp metal on the chains with the dragon scales emits an ear-piercing sound, striking a person’s eardrums. Even Nether and Guishan Fenghun feels the blood churn in their veins.

For two disciples to have such similar soul weapons is as if it is fated for one or the other to die.

Shen Yin chooses to employ such a large amount of soul powers at the very beginning because she is clear that the Guishan Lianquan at present is no longer the pitiful disciple that she blocked in the tunnel back in Rennes. On this vast ocean, if the Guishan siblings are not gotten rid of before they hypnotise the countless soul beasts in the sea, then they will be in big trouble. She also understands that when facing the Guishan siblings, nether she not Nether can release their soul weapon as it is highly possible that they may be hypnotized and turn against them. Especially Nether’s Ragnorak. If it is uncontrolled, this entire island and its surrounding waters may immediately become a purgatory.

The golden patterns on Shen Yin’s entire body are gleaming recklessly and violently. Her eyes are tinged red. She throws her arms toward and wish rustling sounds; two of the long dragon whips soar towards An Chi’s sharp talons. When the whips wrap themselves around An Chi’s legs, she twists backwards in the air with a strong roar ripping from her throat. Shen Yin’s massive strength causes the large An Chi to become off balance and it slides towards Shen Yin at the pull of the whips. At the same time, Shen Yin tosses the blue jewels on her whist into the sky. In a split-second, seventeen Shen Yins maneuver like goddesses of light in the turbulence. Seventeen faces that are as tender and beautiful as flowers are all filled with a murderous air like snakes bearing their fangs.

Guishan Lianquan’s heart sinks. The dragon-like whips hold the hovering chains tightly. She closes her eyes as a tremendous amount of soul powers echo through her body. Instantly, the Resurrection Chain expands thrice in size with the thickness of a large pillar. In every ring on the chain, the sides are as sharp and thin as blades. The sudden expanding force cuts the dragon meridians, causing them to spray dragon’s blood in all directions. As if a red storm has descended onto earth. The sorrowful moans of the dragons fill everyone’s ears. They echo across the heavens and earth, so loud that even the storm clouds in the sky are rolling due to the quake.

“You must seek death!” The chilliness radiates from Shen Yin’s face. Two of the great dragons suddenly loosen their grips on the chain and instead they surge towards Lianquan. Their large and teeth clash together. Lianquan panics, yet as An Chi is being held tight by Shen Yin, she has nowhere to run.

At this moment, Guishan Fenghun raises his moonlight-coloured long sword. The golden patterns on his chest glows brightly. Countless white airflow surges to the body of the sword and condense onto the surface into frost. He raises the long sword and slices it down onto the dragon’s body at An Chi’s feet. The air around the sword expands exponentially. Like a mobile and soft white blade, it pierces deep into the dragon’s scales at lightning speed.

Injured, the two dragon whips emit two ghastly howls as they release An Chi’s claws. An Chi calls loudly as it soars into the sky.

“Lianquan, now!” Guishan Fenghun roars.

Lianquan understands immediately and turns to lean her back against Fenghun’s. With their eyes shut tightly, a loud clash of thunder sounds between the heavens and earth as An Chi carries them high up towards the sky. At the same time, countless dull and distant roars emit faintly from the vast and dark ocean beneath their feet. Countless flowing tendrils of light glow faintly from beneath the ocean’s surface. In a flash, the boundless dark ocean becomes a murky starry night sky. Dense concentrations of light spots appear in the dull roar.

Shen Yin’s heart is filled with infinite fear as she turns to look at Nether.

Nether nods towards her as he soars into the sky like a black swirl of air. His long and toned body reaches An Chi instantly. His eyes are filled with anger as he directs his words to Guishan Fenghun coldly: “Why are you joining in on the battle among disciples when I am your opponent!”

After saying that, he whips his face upwards as the golden patterns on his chest spreads. Deep within the turbulent storm clouds, the water vapor condenses and morphs into millions of large black icicles as sharp as large swords. They shoot straight down.

Guishan Lianquan moves her white chain into motion, wrapping it around her and Fenghun like the revolving stars. The large black icicles shatter on the spinning chain, turning into shards of black ice. Only An Chi has nowhere to hide its massive physique, its body and wings pierced through instantly by dozens of black arrows of ice. A heavy blood rain falls from the sky. Coupled with An Chi’s sorrowful callings, they fall towards the surface of the ocean alongside it.

Nether lets out a curt laugh in the sky, like a black carp leaping out from the water, he switches direction and descends in chase of the Guishan siblings. Like a black spirit, he falls straight down. Whipping his left hand again, “Fall!”. Another batch of millions of ice arrows spray angrily down. This time, each individual arrow is larger and heavier than before, it moves even more rapidly, they gather together like a spiked wall collapsing.

What brings them to greater despair is that with a lift of Nether’s right hand, the flat surface of the ocean is suddenly filled with dozens of large and sharp black crystal icicles. They emerge from the ocean with their tips like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, in the blink of an eye, they morph into what resembles twisted vines as they creep up. Along the way, they absorb the water vapour and their circumference expands. Shattered pieces of ice fall back into the deep ocean. Guishan Lianquan sees the impending black icicles atop them and the vines of ice beneath their feet and panics under the sandwiched attack. A gap appears on the chain in her hand and an ice arrow pierces cleanly through Guishan Fenghun’s shoulder. Boiling blood sprays out.

“Ignore that and concentrate! Lianquan, if you slacken now, we will not have another chance!” Guishan Fenghun’s eyes remain closed tightly as he focuses all of the soul powers in his soul’s return circuit in flowing in a wild but orderly manner.

“Okay!” Lianquan’s eyes are filled with tears. She looks up at the approaching black spirit-like Nether before glancing at the resting and awaiting Shen Yin. She then closes her eyes to focus on forcing all of her soul powers into the surging black waves beneath her feet.

“Rise!!” Guishan Lianquan and Guishan Fenghun yell suddenly. The two open their eyes to reveal eyes that are fully red. They are emitting unsettling red glows. Lianquan collapses onto the soft feathered back of An Chi as a trail of blood drips from the corner of her mouth, yet she clenches her teeth to maintain the depletion of soul powers. Guishan Fenghun is perched beside her like a grand god of war, against the wind, thunder-like roars are released from his throat.

Shen Yin and Nether shouts in unison: “Oh no!”

In the next moment, as if the vast surface of the ocean beneath their feet is boiling, the waves surge. A few seconds of silence engulfs the heavens the earth. All sound disappeared. Only a smooth arch appears high on the surface of the ocean before a large bang is heard. Like the activation of a underwater volcano, tens of thousands of soul beasts in varying sizes emerge from the ocean and soar recklessly into the sky. Countless swordfish, seals, sea lions, dragons, butterflyfish, sea snake, sea horses, tridents……all sorts of unnamable soul beasts from the bottom of the ocean crowd at the horizon. Of course, the one leading them is Guishan Fenghun’s first soul beast, Hai Yin. It has the body of a Kirin and the tail of a dragon. Two pure-white fleshy wings are attached to its shoulders and countless sword-like scales grow densely on them like millions of blades.

When viewing from the distant cliff, he entire horizon is covered with millions of soaring soul beasts. Their eyes are bloodshot and they roar irrationally. Shen Yin’s chest contracts from the thundering roars and a gush of blood rise up her throat. She sits down quickly before the soul’s return circuit in her body becomes disordered so she can balance the soul powers that are almost spiraling out of control due to the howls of these soul beasts.

Between the dark space of the heavens and earth, the setting sun is drooping slowly on the horizon. In the remnants of the fresh red glow, the millions of large and reckless soul beasts resemble millions of hornets engulfing the surface of the ocean. The spraying scales, claws and fangs pierce through the small island, unsettling the rocks and dirt. Millions of wild soul beasts speed towards Shen Yin and Nether.

And at this moment, a few powerful tendrils of light glare from the cliff.

Qi Ling only manages to catch a glimpse of the black dirt beneath his feet before he was thrown back from the loud crashing between the heavens and earth. He just arrived on this island through Qi La’s chess piece. Never in his thoughts did he think he’d face such a change.

He swallows the fresh blood in his mouth and opens them in attempt to call out Yin Chen’s name. He realizes that he is unable to utter a single word. The thunder-like soul powers are echoing throughout the space between the heavens and earth, shattering the ground, his consciousness is slipping. In his rapidly blurring vision, he sees Yin Chen move to stand before him. A glow radiates from his waist. In an instant, a large silver shield is perched before him. The grand soft white light blocks out all the flying sand, ear-piercing calls and the violent soul powers.

Qi Ling regains his consciousness slowly. He looks at the wreckage before him and opens his mouth but he cannot find the words to speak.

“Is this……purgatory on earth……” He is unable to believe his own eyes.

And at this moment, Yin Chen pulls Tianshu Youhua behind the shield and beside Qi Ling, “You protect her.” After saying that, Qi La and Yin Chen soars towards the collapsing sky in a dash of black and white light.

“This may be an elysian field or purgatory on earth……no one knows, everything has only just begun……”

Thalia has silently appeared behind Qi Ling. Watching the chaos before them, a faint smile graces her features. Yet in her murky eyes, there is a wild and ambitions anticipating. No one knows what she is anticipating.

Just that, Ni Hong’s breathing beside her suddenly becomes urgent. The patterns on his body emerge densely and his reckless soul powers are like a tornado rolling from his body.

His gaze is direct and cruel. In his eyes, there is only Shen Yin and no one else.

Thalia is shaken by the force of the soul powers beside her. She turns to look at Ni Hong but says nothing.

The real storm that will destroy all things is about to begin, she thinks.

Only that, even she knows not of the result of this battle.

This is because, at this moment, she doesn’t know which side Yin Chen and Qi La who suddenly appeared will stand on.

If they joined in this battle, then this will be a grand war that will bring destruction onto Aslan.

None has realized, and none can explain this reality: Perhaps it is fate, perhaps it is a coincidence, but apart from the Top Lord Xiuchuan Dizang and his three disciples, all the existing Second to Seventh Lords and Disciples have gathered onto this island.

And at this moment, the vault of heaven is filled with storm clouds, the lights from the skies escaping. The black ocean is as if boiling water as countless angered and agitated soul beasts emerge like monsters of the sea. The doomsday-like atmosphere is a foreshadowing of destruction. As if the catastrophe from many years before is about to happen again. Perhaps in the unseen world, the deities once again predicted that all of the pinnacles of soul powers would gather again at the leading of their tacit understanding.

Thalia smiles as she looks at Ni Hong. She reaches an arm out charmingly and grasps onto his firm arm before leading his hand into her dress. She guides him like a naïve child. She allows him to caress her lord’s seal. Ni Hong’s slender yet strong fingers brush over the secret place’s most tender and most mysterious flesh. His chest rises violently. In his breaths are the burning sexual desires of a man. His angel-like face is flushed red. Thalia looks contently and proudly at her disciple as if a young girl looking at her most prized toy. Ni Hong’s soul powers surge like a volcano that may erupt at any time.

------ However, only Thalia knows that, upon constant caresses, the treasure that is deep in slumber in her lord’s seal, which is the true volcano that can destroy the heavens and earth. Only that it is still in deep sleep.

------ However, it is gradually awakening.