Chapter Thirty-Three: The Infant-Sealing Array

The crimson figure darted swiftly into the crowd. “Kill!” The shout, brimming with murderous intent, sent a shiver through the guards' hearts. Many had not even reacted before both men and horses were destroyed by Lei Yan’s hand. Blood splattered, adding a peculiar scarlet to his blood-red robe.

“Borrowing force!” Amid the slaughter, Lei Yan was struck by inspiration. His movement technique abruptly accelerated, weaving through the throng like a white shark gliding beneath the waves. Wherever he passed, men and horses were annihilated. The gathered blood dripped from the brim of his hat, obscuring his vision like a torrential downpour. Unable to see, Lei Yan closed his eyes, relying on his powers to sense his surroundings. Suddenly, blood-red shadows streaked across the sky.

Horror. Lei Yan’s massacre not only terrorized the hundreds of guards but also provoked a chilling dread among Long Ba’s bandits. Abruptly, an impossible silence settled over the battlefield of hundreds, only to be shattered in an instant by screams of agony.

“Kill…” The enemies’ cries seemed to rekindle the bloodlust of Long Ba’s bandits. Hundreds of voices thundered across the heavens, the explosive chorus breaking the guards’ resolve and sending them fleeing in all directions.

“Who are these people…” The surge of emotion was the beginning of a fatal mistake. A blue figure flashed by, and a streak of blood spurted from a guard’s brow as he collapsed.

“Hm? Who is she?” Cui Ba’s brows knitted in confusion. Amid the carnage, the two figures stood out like shining stars against the night. The red figure killed with ruthless, bloody ferocity; the blue figure’s slaughter was subtle and hauntingly beautiful. He recognized the red figure, but the blue one baffled him. His mind raced, though his hands never paused—he swung his blade at a fleeing guard, sending the man’s head flying, blood gushing like a fountain from his neck.

A gust of wind howled as Lei Yan landed atop a wagon, his hidden eyes surveying the battlefield beneath his hat. “Borrowing force truly increases speed!”

Another gust swept past, lifting his robe. The blue figure appeared beside him. “Brother Lei, isn’t this too cruel?” As she spoke, her eyes flickered with a trace of compassion.

“Indeed, such slaughter is cruel.” Deep within, Lei Yan’s conscience stirred, his brows furrowing. His gaze swept the carnage once more. Suddenly, his eyes met Cui Ba’s, and his heart was jolted. “What’s happening to me? Must I lose loved ones again before I kill? No! No!” Shaking off the intrusive thoughts, the newfound conscience was snuffed out as quickly as it had arisen.

“As long as I can protect my loved ones, I care not how many I must kill!” Lei Yan’s eyes sharpened. With a light step, he vanished into the crowd once more.

“To protect loved ones?” The blue figure rejoined the slaughter, for in her heart, Lei Yan was her family.

“It’s her… How did she become so powerful?” Lei Yan’s departure finally allowed Cui Ba to clearly see the blue figure atop the wagon—it was Qing Ling. Yet he could scarcely believe it; how had Qing Ling’s strength surged so suddenly? As he pondered, a flash of cold light crossed his vision. Instinctively, he raised his blade to block, his left hand darting out like a ghost to press against his opponent’s brow.

“Leave no survivors.” Cui Ba’s icy voice swept through the bandits’ ears. His words acted as a stimulant, spurring Long Ba’s men to fight with renewed ferocity.

One guard wielding a long spear managed to flee further than the others amid the chaos. The screams of his companions forbade him to look back. Desperate, he ran, when suddenly a crimson figure flashed behind him. His head twisted to the side, and he fell with a muffled groan, never uttering a scream.

“Hm?” Lei Yan frowned amid the slaughter. The flower demon at his chest stirred, darting out from his cloak. Like Lei Yan’s shadow, it darted about, and wherever its red form passed, blood vanished mysteriously.

Hours of carnage left not a single survivor among the Sun family’s men. Lu Kai, ever eager to inspect the spoils, was no exception this time. He approached the nearest large chest.

Lei Yan sprang atop a wagon. The flower demon darted into his cloak, seeming changed by the slaughter. No sooner had it returned than it fell into a deep sleep. Lei Yan gazed at the corpses below, unease creeping into his heart. “Does such slaughter not bring death to Long Ba? Will it not endanger my foster father?”

“Cui Ba, come here quickly… What is this?” Lu Kai stammered, for he had never encountered such a bizarre sight. Inside the chest, nearly a yard tall, there were no gold or jewels, only several stone-like objects. These perfectly square stones formed a circle, with a larger square stone in the center, about a foot in length and width. That central stone occasionally thudded like a beating heart.

Within the giant chest, only a few glowing stones were stored. Cui Ba’s brows knitted tightly, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

“Infant Locking Array!” Lei Yan exclaimed as he approached. He had recently read of such an array in “A Brief Guide to Arrays.” This formation was designed to seal the nascent soul of cultivators. The array itself was simple and harmless, meant only to seal—yet judging from the reaction of the spirit stones, an infant soul had already been sealed within. Regardless of whose soul it was, Long Ba’s hunt had now embroiled them with cultivators.

Lei Yan’s alarm darkened Cui Ba’s heart. “Lei’er, you know what this is?”

Lei Yan’s powers spread out, sensing everything around him. “Foster father, take the items—we must leave immediately!”

“Young master, at least tell us—”

“I said leave! Now!” Lei Yan’s chilling voice cut Lu Kai short.

Lu Kai shrank back—Lei Yan’s earlier slaughter had left an indelible mark upon his heart, filling him with dread. Old Cold and the others dared not meet Lei Yan’s gaze. Cui Ba, however, was decisive, waving his hand: “Take the items and leave at once!”

“Foster father, the Poison Miasma Forest is no longer safe. Head straight for Blackleaf Town!” Lei Yan knew returning would spell disaster for Long Ba. He mounted a horse, pulling Qing Ling up beside him. At the same time, his powers spread as far as possible, searching for any living soul nearby.

Cui Ba asked no questions. Pointing ahead, he led hundreds toward Blackleaf Town.