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Chapter 52: -52- Senior apprentice-brother

"Hmph, no fun at all," Kai grumbled.

The group quickly descended the mountain, but soon they ran into a thick white mist.

"What the hell is that? Why can\'t I get through?" Kai said as he swiped down with an enlarged claw.

"Bang!"

"Damn, it must be a formation," Silas said.

"Red, you think you can break it?" Silas asked.

"I can try, give me a minute," Red said. Since he knew he would likely never be Silas\'s or Kai\'s match in combat, for the past two years he had spent a lot of his time studying the art of formations.

Red quickly began to analyze the formation. He started out by attacking it at various locations, and soon he just stopped and began hypothesizing and thinking about how to break the formation as soon as possible.

***

Inside the mountain, several men and women in dark robes stood in a grand hall, their faces illuminated by flickering torchlight. Their expressions were grim, eyes reflecting tension as they discussed their current task.

"We\'ve captured over a million mortals," a tall woman with sharp features said, her voice low and measured. She was known as Zhaoyin, one of the lead disciples. "Master\'s Sin Weapon is nearing completion, but we still need more... The energy from their suffering is crucial."

One of the other disciples, a nervous-looking young man, glanced around the room. "But if we continue like this, we\'ll draw too much attention. The local clans are already growing suspicious."

Zhaoyin waved her hand dismissively. "Master said we are to continue. Until the Sin Weapon is complete, we have no choice. His orders are final."

Just as they were about to continue the discussion, a cold, ethereal voice echoed through the chamber, cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Zhaoyin, Tulu, Xi, gather the others," the voice said, sharp and commanding. "Two of your fellow disciples, Shen, and my beast companion, Zan, were just killed inside the formation."

(A/n: From here on out I will be using both English and Chinese names. Hopefully it won\'t be too confusing, but I imagine most of you have read a Chinese novel or two, so I don\'t think it should be a problem, and I will keep the Chinese names the same as usual with the family name first and given name second...)

A sudden silence fell over the group. Zhaoyin\'s eyes widened. "Shen... dead? And Zan as well?"

One of the younger disciples, Xi, stammered, "Shen was one of the stronger among us! She was no pushover. How could someone kill her so easily within the formation?"

The tension grew palpable. Shen\'s death was no small matter. If someone was powerful enough to defeat her and Zan, it meant the intruders were far more dangerous than they had anticipated.

"We didn\'t even hear the sounds of battle," Nadia, another disciple, muttered. "If the fight was so quiet, they must have been overwhelmed quickly. Whoever these intruders are, they\'re strong."

Zhaoyin clenched her fists, her mind racing. "We need to deal with this quickly, but... who should go? We can\'t risk losing more disciples."

A murmur of nervous agreement spread through the group as they exchanged glances. None of them wanted to be the one to face these intruders, especially after Shen and Zan\'s swift demise. The room was filled with hesitation, and the once proud disciples were clearly wary of their new foes.

As they continued to argue, the heavy doors to the chamber swung open with a loud creak, and a tall figure strode in. His black robes billowed around him, and his eyes gleamed with a cold, sinister light. His presence alone sent a chill through the room.

Their senior apprentice-brother, Yanchi, had arrived.

He was a peak Revolving Core cultivator, both in body and qi, and his reputation as a ruthless and efficient killer was well known among the disciples. His very aura radiated strength and cruelty, and his cold expression did little to hide his irritation.

"What is all this bickering about?" Yanchi asked, his voice low but laced with authority. The other disciples stiffened as his gaze swept over them.

Zhaoyin was the first to speak. "Senior apprentice-brother, Shen and her beast companion, Zan, were killed inside the formation by intruders."

Yanchi\'s eyes narrowed, his anger barely concealed. "Killed? How?"

"We don\'t know," Xi said, his voice shaking slightly. "But the fact that they were both defeated so easily means the intruders are no ordinary foes."

Yanchi\'s frown deepened as he absorbed the information. "Shen was only at Early Revolving Core but she was no weakling," he muttered, almost to himself. "If these intruders were able to kill her without so much as alerting the rest of us, then they must be formidable indeed."

The other disciples watched him, holding their breath. They knew Yanchi\'s temper and were more than relieved that he was here to take charge.

Yanchi\'s expression turned cold as he looked at his fellow disciples. "I\'ll deal with them," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "These intruders will regret stepping foot here."

Zhaoyin\'s face lit up with relief. "Of course, Senior apprentice-brother! With your strength, they won\'t stand a chance."

The others quickly echoed her sentiments, eager to avoid being sent into battle themselves. "Yes, Senior apprentice-brother, no one can stand against you."

Yanchi\'s lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Flattery won\'t help you if you fail Master again. I\'ll take care of this."

Without another word, Yanchi turned on his heel and left the chamber. The other disciples exchanged relieved glances as he disappeared into the darkness.

As Yanchi stepped into the cold night air outside the mountain, his smile faded, replaced by a fierce determination. He was not like the others. These intruders would soon learn that crossing paths with him was a fatal mistake.

***

"So, Red, any luck?" Silas asked.

Red shook his head. "This formation is much more complicated than the ones I\'m used to studying... it was likely put down by a peak rank 3 Disciple skilled in formations or by a rank 4 Adept..."

"Damn," Silas said. While he wasn\'t that scared of a peak rank 3 Disciple, if they managed to run into a peak rank 4 Adept, they would likely be finished.

"Just do your best," Silas told Red. While he wanted him to rush, he knew that what Red would need most was time.

"If I had a chance to see the formation flags or formation marks, I would likely quickly be able to understand the secrets of this formation..." Red said. He then began to mumble to himself, "This formation seems to be based on the five elements, with water and wind being the majority..."

"Silas hit over there," Red pointed to the left.

"Kai, after Silas attacks, you attack there," he then pointed to the right.

"Got it," they both said, but before they could attack, they heard someone behind them.

"You have no shot in hell at breaking this formation set down by my master, so calmly accept your deaths..."