A Father's Shadow
The second strike was different.
Far more demonic.
XiaoYan's body jerked violently.
Blood gushed out of his mouth.
His eyes widened as unbearable pain spread through his body.
He staggered backward.
The skill he had been preparing disappeared before it could be released.
The INSHI smiled.
XiaoYan tried to remain standing.
He couldn't.
His knees gave way.
He fell to the ground.
For a moment, he could hear nothing except his own breathing.
His vision became blurred.
The pain from both wounds seemed to merge together.
Yet what hurt him most was not the blood.
It was Mi-An.
He slowly lifted his head.
She stood there with the same empty expression.
Cold.
Unfamiliar.
XiaoYan couldn't understand it.
He had wanted her back.
He had endured so much believing that one day he would see her again.
And now she had returned only to become a weapon against him.
The INSHI began approaching him.
"XiaoYan! XiaoYan!!"
His voice echoed mockingly.
The INSHI slowly moved around him.
"Your father was much better than this."
XiaoYan struggled to raise his head.
The INSHI continued.
"He could defeat me in a strike."
He paused.
"But, look at you."
The INSHI looked down at him.
"Are you not even ashamed to call yourself his son?"
XiaoYan's hands pressed against the ground.
He tried to stand.
His arms trembled.
His wounds burned.
But he still tried.
The INSHI watched him struggle.
"Uhn, Uhn."
He shook his head.
"Stand up and talk to me."
Then he kicked XiaoYan in the tummy.
THUD!
XiaoYan's body curled from the impact.
"AAAGH!"
He groaned loudly.
Pain shot through him.
The INSHI looked down at him.
"The son of the feared AnSha is like this!!"
His voice carried contempt.
"What a disgrace to the celestial realm."
XiaoYan clenched his teeth.
He wanted to answer.
He wanted to rise.
But his body was barely responding.
Then another voice cut through the moment.
"Shut up!"
The INSHI stopped.
HaoNan was getting back on her feet.
Her body trembled.
The earlier attack had clearly affected her, but she forced herself upright.
"There's time for everything!"
The INSHI slowly turned toward her.
His expression changed.
He used his mind.
HaoNan's body suddenly lifted from the ground and moved toward him.
She struggled.
Before she could do anything, the INSHI strangled her with his hand.
"You bastard!"
His voice became colder.
"How dare you talk, when I'm talking?"
HaoNan began to cough.
Her hands moved desperately as she struggled against his grip.
XiaoYan watched helplessly.
"Stop! Stop!!"
His voice was weak.
He tried to move.
He couldn't.
HaoNan continued struggling.
"You…"
Her voice was strained.
"You're nothing but an outcast."
The INSHI's eyes narrowed.
HaoNan forced the next words out.
"You're the bastard."
"What!?"
The INSHI's expression changed.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then he spoke.
"Fine then."
His voice became terrifyingly calm.
"I shall let you all witness pains worse than death."
Suddenly—
A dark force spread across the area.
The disciples were lifted from the ground.
The gods were lifted.
The saints were lifted.
HaoNan remained trapped.
One after another, they found themselves being strangled by the dark force.
Their bodies hung slightly above ground level.
They struggled to breathe.
The scene became chaotic.
But the INSHI stood calmly in the middle of it all.
His power seemed to surround everyone.
Then his attention moved toward Mi-An.
He used his mind again.
Mi-An began walking toward XiaoYan.
Slowly.
Step by step.
XiaoYan watched her approach.
He could barely move.
Mi-An came to him.
She took a sword.
XiaoYan's eyes widened.
He knew what was about to happen.
Mi-An raised the sword.
She was about to strike him.