Song Sia had grown up around monstrous people, from those who were exceptionally talented to those who were incredibly strong. But as she fought this guy, there was something about his eyes...
He hadn't blinked once since the battle started. She was going all out, and she was technically winning with each exchange. However, Liu Feng constantly adapted and created countermeasures against techniques that had been in the Song Clan for centuries.
His Qi reserves were getting lower, but his control of his Qi was improving mid-battle. This was astonishing, especially since she knew he had only recently broken through—he hadn't been a Qi Gathering Cultivator when they first set off for the cities.
It was like fighting a shadow. Song Sia knew his techniques, but no matter how hard she tried, he used them in new ways. Everything made sense now as to why that monster trusted him. Birds of a feather flock together and all that.
Liu Feng was undoubtedly a monster in his own right. The way he modified techniques and used them on the spot surpassed even Song Song. It was like watching a child doodling, but at the same time, it was like seeing someone paint a masterpiece.
Despite seeming like a good guy when she met him, Song Sia didn't trust Liu Feng for even a second. While Song Song was known for her cruel ways, she too hid her worst vices.
Song Sia recalled a particular memory from many years ago when she and Song Song were just children.
It was a dark room, and like any child her age, Song Sia was wandering around the clan compound playing hide and seek with the other children. Despite the harsh training, the Song Clan children could still play and enjoy time with their peers.
She had snuck into one of the walls of the Clan Leader's building, which was usually empty. Song Sia found an opening that led to one of the backrooms. It was a dark, cold room made of stone with no decoration. The darkness was palpable, and she could barely see anything, with the only light coming from flickering torches.
As a dumb child, she had walked down the hallways and seen something she should never have...
A mountain of bones as big as a house, a pool of blood on the ground deep enough to reach someone's knees. In the middle of that were Song Song and the Clan Leader, Song Song's father.
The Clan Leader was saying something Song Sia couldn't quite remember. The grotesque sight was the only thing that stuck with her.
Her heart shook at the image of a young Song Song on her knees in front of a corpse, ripping flesh off and devouring it. The crunching noises, the sound of slurping blood, the small annoyed sigh as Song Song struggled to tear the raw human flesh with her teeth—it was all too horrifying.
Song Sia had no idea how she had left that place or how she had even been able to enter it in the first place. After all, there should have been arrays or something to stop people from coming in. Or perhaps the room was so secret that the Clan Leader wanted no one to even sense the barriers around it and come to investigate.
Either way... Song Song was a cannibal. She was a monster who wore human skin; someone like that could never feel human emotions and care for anyone.
When Song Sia was declared Song Song's servant, she almost broke down and cried in front of the messenger. But somehow, she kept her composure and played the part of a ditzy girl whenever Song was around. A part of her always felt like Song Song knew she was terrified. But Song Song never cared about appearing scary to people. Perhaps she even enjoyed those moments of psychologically tormenting her.
Song Sia's hand shook, and the cold brought her to her senses.
"You can continue your mission. But I'm going to have to ask you not to take the life of this suicidal fool," said Ye An, another victim of Song Song.
But Song Sia cared nothing about her, and instead her gaze went toward the dark sphere that Song Song was hiding behind. Then her gaze settled back on Liu Feng, who, despite being grievously injured, had bloodshot eyes wide open, looking like they were about to pop out of their sockets.
He looked creepy, and something was definitely wrong with him.
Should she leave him and deal with the greater evil at hand first? Song Sia wondered. But in the end, her gaze settled on Liu Feng.
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"If you think she is going to let us go, then you are very wrong. Sia here knows what she has gotten herself into, and if any of us make it out of here alive, then we can just as easily tell the Song Clan Leader about what has happened here. Then her life will be over," Liu Feng said in an eerily calm voice as if he were stating a known fact.
It was strange that the man looked calm and not worried despite his injuries, a sword through his chest, and a missing arm.
"Why would I tell on someone who kills Song Song? She is doing the world a favor," Ye An stated.
Liu Feng didn't answer at first and just approached Ming Mia's corpse, whom had stabbed through the back, and pulled out one of his daggers.
"Well, I will," Liu Feng stated, then turned his dagger toward Ye An. The latter smirked, more amused by this than anything else. But Liu Feng's intense gaze didn't waver, and he declared, "Also, you think I don't know what you're doing here? Why would someone come all the way here except to kill Song Song."
"And you're going to be the valiant hero and stop me with that toothpick?" Ye An raised a questioning brow.
While they were distracted, Song Sia turned toward the guy with a sword in him and charged at him. Her sword shined brightly as she used her Earth Grade Technique to increase its cutting power.
Adamant Leaf Cutting Technique!
Just to be sure, she even used one of her movement techniques to ensure everything went smoothly.
Thousand Mourning Forgetful Steps!
This technique didn't increase her speed as much as a good Earth Grade Technique, but now that Liu Feng was concentrating on Ye An, she could easily slip past his attention. With the technique's help, he would only sense something once his neck was cut.
She was within Liu Feng's range, and he hadn't reacted yet. Song Sia almost smiled at what was about to happen. She never took pleasure in killing, but getting rid of someone who had the potential to become like Song Song felt exhilarating.
However, seeing Liu Feng flinch as she swung her sword at him made Song Sia's heart skip a beat.
How had he noticed?
But such thoughts quickly faded as Song Sia realized that even if he had noticed her, he was too injured to defend himself and had too little Qi to form a good defense like the greenish barrier he had used.
Certain things were not meant to be because even as the sword grew infinitely closer to Liu Feng's neck, a feeling of bone-chilling coldness enveloped Song Sia, and she was frozen instantly.
What?
The ice wrapped around her, turning her into an ice sculpture. Since the ice was made of Qi, it was stronger than normal ice.
Song Sia exploded her Qi outward, and the ice shook but didn't break. Even as she increased the intensity, it was no use; it seemed like the ice grew stronger the more Qi she used to try and break it.
Song Clan Secret Technique: Devouring Abyss!
Though she had not mastered this technique, Song Sia was forced to use it. The space around her arms shifted, causing the ice around them to shift and break.
Thankfully, that was enough to break the ice. No longer resembling an ice statue, Song Sia coughed out chunks of ice and almost threw up as she felt the frozen saliva at the back of her throat.
"Oh? You broke out? How did you do that?" Ye An inquired, tilting her head with genuine curiosity. "No offense, but that technique was made to handle someone of Song Song's caliber... and you are nowhere near that level."
Song Sia didn't bother answering and used the time to take deep breaths. One attack from Ye An and her lungs were burning, her eyes felt like they had toothpicks shoved in them, and her nose felt stuffed with cotton.
"Liu Feng, how about you? Do you have any idea how she broke through my technique? The little lady here seems preoccupied with gathering her bearings," Ye An asked nonchalantly.
"She twisted space in her palms, and that twist likely gathered in one strong point of impact. It is like glass: while a storm or people standing on it might not break it, if someone used a nail on the glass and a slight hit, all the force at the small point causes it to crack," Liu Feng explained without hesitation.
Even Song Sia was surprised because, even though she had broken through the ice, she hadn't known the exact specifics of how it happened. At that point, she tried everything out of desperation, and luckily something worked.
The understanding of martial techniques he showed freaked Song Sia out once again. There was something about Liu Feng that, despite his lack of power and cultivation talent, oozed danger.
"Well, it's about time we finish this. I have a certain someone to kill too," Ye An said as she casually walked toward Song Sia.
This caused Sia to immediately jump back, next to her two remaining friends who were still alive. She knew that from now on, defeating them was a lost cause. But no matter what, Song Song had to die today, or there would be no other chance like this.
Song Sia glanced at Liu Feng and recalled how he had fought against all of them. She knew how hard it was to fight above your cultivation level, but monsters like him and Song Song made it look easy.
Just as she thought that, Song Sia felt a warm splatter land on her cheek, contrasting with the cold that had settled in the room due to Ye An. She turned around to see what had caused this and was greeted by her friend's headless body.
Song Sia touched her cheek and examined her fingers, now painted red with blood. She looked toward where Song Song's barrier cocoon had been and found a black sphere with a jagged hole as if someone had broken through.
Time seemed to slow down as her brain tried to catch up with what just happened. Even though deep down she already knew.
Before her friend's headless corpse even fell to the ground, she felt a piercing sensation in her back. Looking down, she saw a hand covered in blood coming out of her chest.
But she wasn't alone. The cry next to her showed that even her last friend had suffered a similar fate, with the attacker's other hand coming out of her friend's chest.
She met her friend's gaze, and a tear rolled down her cheek. Song Sia felt a sense of overwhelming despair as she realized what had happened.
Song Song was done with her breakthrough...