Soul of the Revered Banner
Chapter 29: Gone Mad

"I don’t know."

"Truly."

"I wronged you."

"Qingfeng, whether you choose to kill or torture me, I, Yang Linggu, will have no complaints."

Yang Lingu suddenly raised his head. His forehead, a mangled mess of blood and flesh, streamed with fresh blood that mixed with tears as it trickled down his face.

He crawled forward and knelt before Li Qingfeng.

Li Qingfeng abruptly raised his magic sword.

Struggling.

In pain.

"I swore to avenge him on the spot."

"Then why did you give in so easily?"

Li Qingfeng’s voice was sharp with fury.

He hated.

But in the end, he could not do it.

He couldn’t bring himself to cut down an old friend.

Killing someone was easy but then what? What had all this been for?

Rip!

The spirit sword slashed through his robe. Half of Li Qingfeng’s blue robe fluttered to the ground.

"Today, I, Li Qingfeng, sever all ties with you. From this moment on, we are strangers."

"Get lost."

Li Qingfeng looked as if all his strength had drained away, barely able to remain standing with the support of his sword.

His withered hair fell loosely over his shoulders.

His voice was soft but resolute.

He had no more time to waste on things like this.

His gaze turned back toward the governor's residence.

His enemy was there.

Spiritual power surged within him, sweeping away all listlessness. He strode toward the main gate.

"I know… my one life cannot repay for the one hundred and three lives from your household."

"Today, I return one life to you. If there’s a next life, I’ll pay back every life, one by one!"

"Lifetime after lifetime until the debt is paid in full!"

"I’ve wronged you. I’ve wronged Meng Zhen too."

"But I, Yang Lingu, am not a coward afraid of death."

"I didn’t expect… I never expected Zhang Wanlong to massacre your whole family over something so trivial."

"I really didn’t know."

Yang Lingu picked himself up from the ground, shouting after Li Qingfeng’s retreating figure.

He was lost, desperate for Li Qingfeng to turn around.

Then, he pulled a dagger hidden in his sleeve.

Gripping it tightly with both hands.

He plunged it into his heart through trembling fingers.

Blood filled his mouth. Yang Lingu’s eyes widened as he gripped the dagger with all his strength.

That was the feeling of life slipping away.

He collapsed to his knees, eyes fixed on Li Qingfeng’s back.

Until they dimmed for the last time.

He was dead.

Tu Shanjun could clearly feel the gathering of murderous aura, the extinguishing of vitality.

But without being drawn into the Soul Banner, the soul would soon dissipate.

Li Qingfeng did not look back.

He severed their bond because he couldn’t bring himself to kill him.

But that didn’t mean he forgave Yang Lingu.

Not expecting something didn’t mean it should have happened that way.

Too many tragedies are caused by the words: I didn’t expect it.

He should’ve been prepared for the worst long ago.

The moment he knew what had happened to Meng Zhen, he should’ve been ready.

Li Qingfeng walked toward the governor's residence.

The setting sun cast fading rays over his figure.

His hair was disheveled.

He laughed wildly.

So wildly that tears came spilling down.

"Eh? Isn’t that the young master of the Li family?"

"Which Li family?"

"The one that was wiped out."

"I heard he disappeared, so he’s back now?"

"Looks like he’s gone mad…"

"His whole family’s gone. How could he not go mad?"

"What a tragedy."

The dusk in Eight Directions City no longer carried the bustle of the past, though street vendors still lingered.

Refugees and beggars huddled in groups.

Teahouses and taverns remained open.

Life, after all, must go on.

The people at the bottom had grown used to following orders.

As long as they had food to eat, they would not rebel.

Within the governor's residence, the guards and officials were numerous.

Yet no one dared speak loudly, or even breathe too heavily.

The air felt suffocating.

The main hall had not been rebuilt, still a half-ruined shell.

In the rear hall, Zhang Wanlong was entertaining two guests dressed in elegant robes.

The two exchanged pleasantries over drinks, praising Governor Zhang profusely.

"No need for such high praise, honored immortals."

"Ah, Governor Zhang, there's no need to worry. From your description, that demonic cultivator is nothing special."

"He’s merely flaunting his power with the help of some strange magical artifact."

"There’s no need to trouble the elite disciples of the Five Spirits Sect, we brothers are more than enough to handle it."

"With you two here, I am reassured," Zhang Wanlong said with a smile.

But not a trace of joy could be seen in his eyes.

Beautiful maids poured wine for the two cultivators.

Zhang Wanlong couldn’t see through their strength, but he realized one thing: immortal masters were people too.

They had the full range of human desires, perhaps even more intense ones.

Immortal masters like the city’s guardian who were calm and ascetic, were clearly the minority.

After all, the Five Spirits Art was something he had exchanged for using treasures he offered to the previous guardian immortal master.

Regardless of their character, anyone who could serve as a Liang City enforcer had to be powerful.

Just one guardian immortal master alone had injured and even nearly killed that assassin and his ghost spirit.

And now two more had come. Surely, this time, the threat would be eliminated completely.

After feeding and entertaining the two Liang City cultivators for half a month, Zhang Wanlong was starting to grow tired of them.

He was eagerly hoping that assassin would show himself again.

"My lord!"

An official burst into the room in a panic, face full of fear.

Zhang Wanlong’s eyes narrowed. "What are you panicking about?"

"Someone has broken into the residence, my lord. They say they’ve come for revenge!"

Zhang Wanlong shot to his feet, a cruel smile flashing across his face. "Good. So he’s finally come again. Looks like he’s healed up."

"Gentlemen?"

He turned to the two cultivators beside him.

"Perfect. That fool actually dares to walk into our hands. Let’s take care of this and be done with it."

"Come. Let’s meet this madman," the two said with a smirk as they rose.

...

Five Directions Temple.

The young immortal master opened his eyes from meditation, gazing toward the governor's residence.

Killing intent filled the air.

"He’s here."

He opened his hand. The message he was supposed to send to his sect still sat silently in his palm.

He sighed and shook his head.

If he summoned his senior brothers now, that man would have no more chances left.

All he could do now was stand guard over Eight Directions City, repel demons and evil spirits.

Anything else, he’d rather not interfere in.

That was all he could do.

He stepped out of the temple.

Alone, he slung the ebony sword across his back and headed for the governor's residence.

...

Li Qingfeng, holding the ghost-face Soul Banner, strode into the governor's residence surrounded by deadly energy.

No guards or officials could stop him.

Until he reached the main hall.

Zhang Wanlong appeared to have been waiting.

Beside him stood two men with unreadable expressions.

Their ages couldn’t be discerned but they were clearly not young.

One smiled as he studied Li Qingfeng. "Truly cloaked in deathly yin aura… you must have killed quite a few people."

"I am Wen Lichun, honored cultivator of the Great Liang Court."

The stockier one snorted with contempt.

"If you give up your magical artifact and surrender, I’ll grant you a complete corpse. After all, we’re both cultivators."

Li Qingfeng didn’t look at either of them.

His eyes locked solely onto Zhang Wanlong.

His murderous intent was plain as he roared, "Zhang Wanlong, today is your day to die!"

"Kill!"

The ground beneath him shattered, dirt and stone flying.

Li Qingfeng charged forward.

The stocky cultivator was incensed. "Scoundrel! You dare act so wildly?"

Face-to-face, Li Qingfeng’s twisted expression was full of rage.

The pudgy cultivator had never seen anyone like him like a madman with no regard for life and froze for a moment.

Fortunately, Wen Lichun reacted quickly and prepared to subdue him.

But Li Qingfeng darted past Wen Lichun like a monkey, both hands swinging up in an overhead strike-

Boom!

Right under the stocky cultivator’s chin.

The man flew three feet into the air, blood spraying everywhere.

Tu Shanjun sneered. That fat fool dared to block Li Qingfeng now?

Even though the Demon Ape Three Forms focused mainly on enhancing soul power, it was still a deadly martial art.

Taking it head-on?

Suicidal.

"Die!"

In the blink of an eye, Li Qingfeng was past him and face to face with Zhang Wanlong.

He raised his palm and struck toward Zhang Wanlong’s crown.

A heavy blow.

The palm wind blew off Zhang’s ceremonial headdress, letting his hair fall loose.

Zhang Wanlong could clearly see the lines in Li Qingfeng’s palm.

But unlike their first two encounters, he showed no fear this time.

"Not good!"

Wen Lichun hurried to unleash his magical tool.

If they let this demonic cultivator kill Zhang Wanlong right before their eyes, it would be disgraceful, not to mention punishable.

Clang!

Li Qingfeng’s sword hairpin transformed into a full sword behind him.

Blocking Wen Lichun’s attack.

At the same time, Li Qingfeng’s eyes went wide, filled with shock.

(Chapter End)