"Impossible… Since when did Lin Jiu's cultivation reach this level?!"
The old man staggered back in shock.
Yet the golden light clung to him like a shadow—
Impossible to shake off.
"Pfft!"
It pierced straight into his forehead.
Blood burst from his mouth.
The straw effigy on the altar trembled violently—
Then exploded into ashes with a dull thud.
—
"Twenty years of planning…"
"All gone…"
—
His face turned ashen.
He collapsed to the ground—
As if he had aged decades in an instant.
—
"Master!"
His two disciples rushed forward in panic.
—
At that moment—
A figure appeared beside the altar.
Silent.
Unnoticed.
—
"It seems…"
"You need help."
—
Uchiha Mo stood under the moonlight.
His expression calm.
Almost indifferent.
—
The two disciples froze in terror.
Their legs gave way—
They stumbled backward.
—
"Y-you… who are you?"
The old man's voice trembled.
The young man before him—
Was unfathomable.
—
Mo did not answer.
—
He simply looked at him.
—
In an instant—
The old man's pupils lost focus.
His expression emptied.
His body stiffened—
Like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
—
The disciples broke.
They turned and ran—
Crashing into branches—
Ignoring the pain.
—
The elder disciple ran the fastest.
His only thought—
Escape.
—
Then—
His vision blurred.
—
The black-clad youth appeared before him.
—
"You—"
—
Before he could scream—
A cold sensation pierced his chest.
—
He looked down.
—
A strange projectile—
Embedded in his heart.
—
His consciousness faded.
—
The last thing he saw—
Was his junior collapsing the same way.
—
...
—
Back at the mortuary—
—
Jiu Shu had just dismantled the altar—
When he saw Uchiha Mo return.
Dragging two corpses.
—
"Brother Mo… what is this?"
—
Mo tossed them onto the ground.
—
"The evil cultivator escaped."
"I only caught these two disciples."
"They resisted."
"I had no choice."
—
Jiu Shu looked at the bodies.
Still warm.
—
He sighed softly.
Kneeling—
He closed their wide, fearful eyes.
—
"Amitabha…"
"They followed evil paths…"
"But they were still lives."
—
Wencai muttered,
"They harmed people… they deserved it…"
—
"Silence!"
Jiu Shu snapped.
—
"Human life is not so cheap."
—
Uchiha Xiuren stood at the doorway.
Watching quietly.
—
Unmoved.
—
"Dust returns to dust. Earth returns to earth."
Mo spoke calmly.
"They chose their path."
—
Jiu Shu said nothing.
Whether he believed it—
Was unclear.
—
After a moment—
He stood.
—
"Wencai."
"Bring two straw mats."
"We'll bury them tomorrow."
—
"Yes, Master!"
—
Out of sight—
Xiuren's gaze met Mo's.
—
A silent exchange.
—
The true "teacher"—
Had already been secured.
—
Xiuren smiled faintly.
—
"Jiu Shu's compassion is admirable."
"But we should consider the more immediate issue."
—
"The escaped cultivator."
—
Jiu Shu shook his head.
—
"He suffered heavy backlash."
"He won't return soon."
—
"He lost twenty years of work."
"His cultivation is damaged."
"He'll need months to recover."
—
...
—
The next day.
Noon.
—
Behind the mortuary—
A funeral pyre had been built.
—
Ren Weiyong's corpse—
Placed atop it.
—
Jiu Shu stood before it.
Peachwood sword in hand.
Expression solemn.
—
Ren Fa stood beside him.
Hands trembling.
—
Wencai and Qiu Sheng—
Held torches.
—
"Master Ren."
Jiu Shu spoke one last time.
—
"The corpse transformation has progressed too far."
"If we don't cremate it—"
"There will be consequences."
—
"…I leave it to you."
Ren Fa nodded.
Voice heavy.
—
"Light it."
—
Flames ignited.
—
Wood cracked.
Fire spread.
—
Thick smoke rose—
Carrying the stench of burning flesh.
—
Ren Fa collapsed to his knees.
—
"Father…"
"This unfilial son…"
—
Outside—
Villagers gathered.
Whispering.
—
"They really burned him…"
"I heard it almost broke out last night…"
"If Jiu Shu wasn't here…"
—
Fear lingered in every voice.
—
No one dared step inside.
—
The night before—
Had shaken the entire town.
—
The flames burned higher.
—
Strange cracking sounds echoed within.
—
Jiu Shu stood firm.
Compass in hand.
Watching.
Ensuring—
Nothing went wrong.
—
When it was over—
The mortuary returned to silence.
—
But—
Something had changed.
—
Jiu Shu's attitude toward the Uchiha brothers—
Shifted.
—
Back to caution.
Distance.
—
The killing he witnessed—
Left its mark.
—
Mo didn't care.
—
It was expected.
—
...
—
The next morning—
—
Uchiha Xiuren left first.
—
Under the pretense of tracking the evil cultivator.
—
His destination—
Unknown.
—
As for Uchiha Mo—
—
Through Ren Tingting—
He arranged a private meeting.
—
With Ren Fa.
—
In the study.
—
The door remained closed—
For a long time.
—
No one knew what was said.
—
Only that—
When Ren Fa escorted him out—
—
His expression—
Was complicated.
—
Awe.
—
And relief.
—
Soon after—
Uchiha Mo also left.
—
Disappearing from Renjia Town.
—
...
—
In the days that followed—
Changes emerged.
—
Grave sites once plagued by ghostly flames—
Fell silent.
—
Rumors of spirits harming villagers—
Vanished.
—
At the same time—
Jiu Shu began packing.
—
"Master… are we really going to Maoshan?"
Wencai asked.
—
"Of course."
Jiu Shu replied seriously.
—
"I don't know how long this will take."
"I can't leave you here alone."
—
Qiu Sheng suddenly remembered something.
—
"Oh right—Master."
"Brother Mo left you a letter."
"Said to give it to you today."
—
Jiu Shu paused.
—
He took the envelope.
—
Thin paper.
Few words.
—
As he read—
His expression changed.
—
From confusion—
To gravity—
To something far more complex.
—
"Master… what does it say?"
Wencai asked.
—
Jiu Shu said nothing.
—
He held the letter to the flame.
—
Watched it burn.
—
"To ashes."
—
"Pack up."
"We leave this afternoon."
—
Neither disciple dared ask further.
—
By mid-afternoon—
The mortuary was locked.
—
The three set off.
—
Toward Maoshan.
—
Before leaving—
Jiu Shu turned back.
—
Looking at the town—
One last time.
—
The calm faces of the Uchiha brothers—
And the contents of that letter—
Intertwined in his thoughts.
—
This journey—
Would not be short.
—
Not only did he need to investigate—
The origins of the evil cultivator—
—
But also—
—
Records of something else.
—
"…Outsiders."
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