Chapter 70-Part 2

“Mm…” Lin Xiao opened his eyes, shifting his newly-strong body. He sensed how much higher his cultivation was, and he couldn’t help but grin. Happiness filled his heart.

“Huangfu Shan.” Lin Xiao called out to her.

She didn’t answer.

He jumped up from the ground. Looking about, he saw a large swath of toppled trees circling around him. The forest looked destroyed…and there were carcasses of spirit beasts rotting here and there. A large, dank pool of blood stagnated not far from where he had been laying…

Examining everything around him, a few images flashed through his mind.

He widened his eyes in horror, feeling uncertain. The destruction surrounding him was probably the result of him being unable to control his power when his cultivation increased. When he broke through, he madly killed these monsters, venting his energy…?

And that pool of blood he had been next to…Another picture rose up in his memory…

Two frightened faces in a brief moment of consciousness…Ling Tian and Ling Luo’s mother…it wasn’t their blood?

Lin Xiao shook his head violently, biting his lips. His elatedness vanished, giving way to gut-churning panic.

No…it hadn’t been Ling Luo’s parents. Not necessarily.

Lin Xiao forced himself to face the congealing pool, his body trembling. Pieces of clothing were scattered there. Clothes that Ling Tian had been wearing. Lin Xiao helplessly knelt, shivering.

Blankly, he sat on the ground for a long time, covering his face. Finally, he wondered where the bodies would have gone? If he had killed Ling Luo’s parents, had he had an instinctive reaction to dispose of the bodies?

It was the only explanation he could think of.

He couldn’t figure out any other possibilities. He had seen their faces. He had felt the hot liquid spurt across his face. Lin Xiao touched his left cheek, blood staining his fingers.

He didn’t doubt it. He had killed Ling Luo’s parents.

Neither he or Huangfu Shan had guessed that the side effect of taking the yellow grass would be him, unable to control his behavior, going into a devilish rage. And the damage not even sparing Ling Luo’s parents.

When he was under the sway of the yellow grass, he must have been running for a long time, and came across Ling Tian and his wife. Their combined cultivation would have been no match for his newly surging power. The end result? They died by his hand.

Lin Xiao laughed bitterly at himself. And now Huangfu Shan was silent. Was she no longer with him? Or when he broke through, that intense heat wave, did it make Huangfu Shan disappear also?

There, amidst the havoc he had wrecked, Lin Xiao thought the cost too high. He would not have chosen to advance his cultivation if he had known the price would be the life of Ling Luo’s parents. Truly, his life was nothing. Every time he thinks he has an opportunity, will fate knock him down into the muck?

That’s been the truth, every time. How foolish could he be? Go on great adventures? He’s nothing but cannon fodder…that he stayed alive till now was just fate’s whim.

Lin Xiao’s lips curved up in a rictus smile. He didn’t know what to do. Ling Luo’s parents dead. Huangfu Shan gone…or dead. Waves of guilt crashed over him. Death would be a mercy.

He considered killing himself right there. However, he knew. He knew he had to tell Ling Luo. It was Ling Luo’s parents, after all, and Ling Luo deserved to know the truth. If Lin Xiao died right now by his own hand, Ling Luo would never know what had happened.

It was possible… maybe? Lin Xiao glanced around at the damage he’d caused. Perhaps Xuan Huang cultivators had already passed by and caught sight of what Lin Xiao had done…there was no evading…

Lin Xiao couldn’t stop his chaotic thinking. He had hurt innocents, and become a walking dead man. Ling Luo would now be his sworn enemy.

Another frightening thought trickled in. Would the happenings of his previous life repeat? Last time he had wanted to kill Ling Luo. But now he had murdered Ling Luo’s parents.

Would Lin Xiao’s family die because of him again? His death wouldn’t matter, but his father’s…Lin Xiao squeezed his eyes shut. Ling Luo’s cultivation would be too strong, his family wouldn’t escape, wouldn’t escape…

Opening his eyes again, a glimmer of hope flashed across his face. His cultivation has risen. Ling Luo might not be stronger than him right now. If he found Ling Luo in time, he could…kill Ling Luo. Then his father and family would be safe!

What was he thinking? Lin Xiao hammered his chest. First he was guilty of killing Ling Luo’s parents, and next he wants to murder Ling Luo?

“Hehe.” Lin Xaio hid his face yet again. He really didn’t know what to do.

There was no one there with him, and no one could give him an answer. Abandoned, and reaping disaster at every encounter.

Biting his lower lip so hard that blood oozed, Lin Xiao raised his head back up. The only thing he could was to find Ling Luo and tell him the truth. When that time came, Lin Xiao would beg Ling Luo to kill only him and spare the rest of his family.

Lin Xiao was the one who had made an irreparable mistake…

……

Lin Xiao changed out of his dirty clothes, and started walking out of the forest, desperately summoning what fragments of courage he had. When he emerged from the trees, he looked pale and frightful, the pace of his feet slow.

As his steps plodded along weakly, Lin Xiao remained obliviously dejected. No matter how many people went around him, or how noisy they were, he stayed trapped in his own sad world.

If he had just injured Ling Luo’s parents, he could have asked for forgiveness. Now he hated his own freshly strong cultivation. Cultivation too high for Ling Luo’s parents to fend off.

If he had stayed at xuan level, Ling Luo’s parents would still be alive…

Lin Xiao paid no attention as he crossed through one city to another, to another. He only registered how sluggish he moved. No matter how much he dragged his feet though, he reached the Nebula country soon enough.

Instead of going to the Medicine Court and handing off the heaven spirit grass to Murong Tian, Lin Xiao decided instead to go back to the Lin house first. He wanted to see his father.

He was full of helplessness and a warm harbor beckoned. Even if the warm harbor was only for a brief moment. So Lin Xiao went and found Lin Yue.

Lin Yue looked at his wan son, frowned and exclaimed: “Lin Xiao? What happened to you?!” He touched his son’s forehead, only to feel a chilled body.

Lin Xiao slapped on a reluctant smile. “Father, I’m fine. I found the heaven spirit grass I was sent to look for. But I haven’t seen you for a long time. I missed you a little.”

Patting Lin Xiao’s shoulder, Lin Yue took him to the study. Both of them sitting down, Lin Yue kept casting worried looks at Lin Xiao, finally saying, “Son, if you’ve been wronged, tell your father! Your father will help you!”

Lin Xiao shook, wanting to cry. He had failed in his filial duties the last life, and here he was being unfilial again in this life. Ignoring the bitter taste in his mouth, and trying to look normal, Lin Xiao said: “Father, if I’m not here one day, you must still live well. Don’t think of getting revenge!”

Lin Yue was not reassured and his brow creased. What had happened to Lin Xiao? What did he meet during his travels? Now Lin Xiao thought he was going to die?

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Lin Yue erupted, patting his son’s head a little fiercely. Who would dare to hurt Lin Xiao, his son, his lifeblood? He, Lin Yue, would pay them back.

Faking a laugh, Lin Xiao dropped the subject.

Moving on to other topics, Lin Xiao and Lin Yue continued talking. Being with his father, Lin Xiao’s mood lightened.

Lin Yue told Lin Xiao that after he left, Ling Luo went to live at the Medicine Pavilion. Lin Xiao couldn’t help feeling relieved. Now he could spend a little more time with his father, before gearing himself up to face Ling Luo.

Staying at the Lin home overnight, Lin Xiao briefly forgot what had happened in the forest. Eating with his father…it was just like old times. Lin Yue kept preparing dishes for Lin Xiao, and Lin Xiao obediently ate them all.

But time does not stand still…

The sun rose on a new day, and Lin Xiao had to go to the Medicine Pavilion. Trying to escape was useless, mistakes made must be faced.

Lin Xiao stood in the doorway of the Lin house and said goodbye to Lin Yue. Unable to stop himself, Lin Xiao reiterated to Lin Yue, that if anything were to happen to him, Lin Yue should not seek revenge. Lin Yue nodded at Lin Xiao’s words, but inwardly Lin Yue was considering sending someone out to investigate just what had happened.

Lin Xiao was being naïve to think that if he were killed by someone…How could a heartbroken father just let it go? It didn’t matter who was in the right or the wrong, Lin Xiao was his son.

……

Lin Xiao dragged his heavy feet to the Medicine Pavilion, going to see Murong Tian first.

He turned over the heaven spirit grass to Murong Tian. Murong Tian held it in his hands and examined it, but did not put it away. Instead he handed it back to Lin Xiao, chuckling a little, “Lin Xiao, you really didn’t let me down!”

Lin Xiao stayed silent. If not for the spectre of Ling Luo’s parents, he would have been very excited.

After all he was about to get the four-wave badge, a symbol of his new rank. But without mentioning the badge, Lin Xiao asked: “Lord, where is Ling Luo right now?”

“Ling Luo?” Murong Tian smiled, “I was just going to talk to you about this.”

He gestured for Lin Xiao to sit down. “I sent Ling Luo and Murong Xue to a refining assembly being held in Xuan Huang. You should know the significance of this?” Murong Tian glanced at Lin Xiao, who seemed a little shocked.

Lin Xiao was thinking about Huangfu Jiquan. Was this the reason Huangfu Jiquan had suddenly been called back by his family? And Yu Weiwei summoned back also…And why Ling Luo’s father was worried about finding him in time…

The reason for all of it must be the refiners assembly.

“You had a three-month deadline,” Murong Tian interrupted Lin Xiao’s thoughts, “And now there is still time before the assembly starts. You keep the grass you found, you may find it useful. As for your four-wave badge, I’ll give it to you on your return.”

Lin Xiao had been preparing to be killed Ling Luo that very day. Now he found out Ling Luo wasn’t even at the Medicine Pavilion, but had set off for Xuan Huang. Lin Xiao felt adrift. Every time he readied himself to face Ling Luo, Ling Luo wasn’t there…

Lin Xiao didn’t know how much longer he could go on like this. It was difficult holding onto what little courage he had…

But he had to go to Ling Luo. So Lin Xiao asked Murong Tian: “Very well, the assembly, should I leave for it now?”

“Yes,” Murong Tian said. Murong Tian sensed a change in Lin Xiao, but couldn’t pinpoint it. He didn’t really expect Lin Xiao to make much of a mark at the assembly. His main hopes hung on Ling Luo and his daughter Murong Xue. “After the assembly, if there are things you don’t understand, you can ask Ling Luo.”

“Yes.” Lin Xiao nodded.

After explaining a few more things, Murong Tian waved for Lin Xiao to leave.

Leaving the Medicine Pavilion, Lin Xiao had no intention of going back to the Lin house. If he returned there, he might really lose all of his courage. He wouldn’t want to leave the warmth of home and he wouldn’t face Ling Luo…

Once again, Lin Xiao set out for the Xuan Huang country.

He couldn’t help bemoaning his destiny again. He really wasn’t blessed by fate. Just a little cannon fodder that can’t compete with the main character. No matter how he strived, he couldn’t rid himself of the ending of his last life.

Fine! After Ling Luo killed him a second time, he hoped his soul just flew away! He was tired of living. Let it end.

Like someone planting flowers for the first time, inexperience had caused the flowers to wither. The second try, the flowers shriveled up. Time to stop planting. That was how Lin Xiao described his situation to himself.

Ling Luo was going to end him again. Well, Lin Xiao was fairly sure that would be Ling Luo’s reaction…

It wasn’t long before the assembly was due to start, so with his increased cultivation, Lin Xiao traveled quickly. Right back to Xuan Huang, the country he had just fled from.

Coming back, it was a nightmare…