The sudden turn of events left Wei in shock. Zhang Yu's voice came through in fits and starts: "Fine... I misjudged you. Do you intend to hoard the treasure all for yourself?"
"That's right," Zhou Yan's voice was still charming, but now carried a cold and ruthless edge. "Master, you have been kind to me, but 'Possession of a precious gem invites trouble.' Out of respect for the past, I will leave your body intact."
Wei, driven by curiosity, wondered what kind of treasure could compel Zhou Yan to murder her teacher. Although eager to know, he dared not act rashly. Knowing her ruthless nature and superior cultivation, he refrained from letting curiosity lead him into danger.
A pained scream followed by a spray of blood - through the gaps in the bushes, Wei saw Zhou Yan’s blade pierce her master's chest. A yellow orb of light, presumably Zhang Yu's soul, emerged from the body, attempting to escape in panic.
"Your soul shall not escape!" Zhou Yan, prepared for this, reached out and caught the orb in her hand.
The orb struggled desperately but to no avail. It began to plead, "Yan, remember the kindness I once showed you..."
Unmoved, Zhou Yan exerted a slight force, crushing the orb, dissipating it into thin air. Wei shivered at the sight; such heartlessness was rare, even among cultivators. While physical death was not the end for a cultivator, as the soul could reincarnate, annihilating a soul meant eternal damnation, a fate far worse than death.
After committing killing, Zhou Yan remained calm, searching Zhang Yu’s body. She soon found what she was looking for, her face lighting up with ecstatic joy: "I found it!"
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Despite knowing the danger, Wei's curiosity got the better of him. He peered out slightly, seeing Zhou Yan holding a small box, beautifully crafted from fine sandalwood.
"Who's there?" Suddenly, Zhou Yan's face twisted into a menacing glare. Wei cursed his luck – it wasn't his noise that alerted her but a passing rabbit.
Wei quickly weighed his options, his face darkening. Having witnessed Zhou Yan’s ruthlessness, he knew begging or flattering would be futile. Acting decisively, he leapt from his hiding spot and launched a flurry of icy projectiles at Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan snorted and conjured a red shield around her, easily deflecting Wei’s attack. She smiled coldly, realizing from the attack that Wei’s cultivation was weak.
After his attack, Wei didn’t hesitate to flee. He cast a wind spell to enhance his speed and ran in a zigzag pattern, using his knowledge of the terrain to delay pursuit.
After running some distance, Wei suddenly stopped and started searching the ground. This might seem bizarre, given Zhou Yan was close on his heels, but he had a plan.
As footsteps neared, Wei stood up, feigning panic.
“Trying to escape?” Zhou Yan’s voice, laced with venom and mockery, was close. She easily identified Wei as a sect disciple but underestimated him due to his low cultivation level.
Seeing the contempt in her eyes, Wei felt a glimmer of hope. Underestimating him could play to his advantage. He continued to act terrified, stuttering a plea for mercy.
As Zhou Yan raised her hand, a small sword, growing in size, flew towards Wei – a spiritual weapon.
Spiritual weapons, essentially simplified magical artifacts, were potent even though they paled in comparison to more advanced artifacts. Typically, cultivators at the fourth level of Ling Dong phase could wield them. However, they were rare and usually possessed only by those of the foundation stage or by exceptionally talented juniors.
Zhou Yan’s attack was ruthless, unleashing her spiritual weapon without hesitation, even though she had discerned Wei's low cultivation level.