Chapter 5: Genocide

  A figure flashed in, I hadn't adapted to the alternating light and shadow yet, couldn't see who came in, only felt a pain in my arm, and was dragged out. All the way, stumbling and tripping, didn't know what hit me, then "crash" sounded, I thought it was the signboard that made me fall over, all smashed on me.

  Suddenly a gust of cold air entered the trachea, and I was instantly invigorated, but immediately followed by a strong bloody smell. Before I could react to what was happening, I was flung out, and my waist suddenly felt like it had been stabbed with a sharp needle. Enduring the pain, I struggled to get up, and as my eyes adjusted to the surroundings, my vision gradually cleared, only to find myself outside the temple.

  At this time, the sky was already very dark, and the temple outside had also lit up lanterns. I raised my head to look for that half-life-saving benefactor, half-life-taking killer "two-faced person", but found that in the courtyard, except for Wan Ri Cheng, there was no one else. Before I could ask if it was him, a long sword stabbed over, and I dodged in fear. The sword rotated again and struck once more, directly piercing my chest. This sword entering my flesh really hurt a lot.

  "Who are you?"

  "What do you mean? Are you going to kill me?" I instinctively grabbed the long sword that had pierced my body, but it was no match for the force of the thrust. This time, not only did my chest hurt, but even the palm of my hand that grasped the sword was throbbing with pain. Blood gushed out from my chest and flowed down my arm from my palm, and I could even feel the warmth of the blood.

  "Are you kidding me?" I only saw his wrist move, then the sword seemed to turn inside my body again, and another surge of blood gushed out. The pain made me grit my teeth, and my whole head was dizzy. What on earth is going on?

  "Even a little person like me wants to know what happened, to the point where you, an adult, would use a sword to kill me." My head is getting heavier and my consciousness is getting blurrier, how much longer can I hold on?

  The sword was suddenly pulled out of my chest, and the pain made my body sway. In a flash, Wan Ri Cheng grabbed my collar and pulled me close to his face. "Wasn't it you who did it? Using kindness to harm Master Xiang's family."

  "What's wrong with you, Master?"

  "They're all dead, over a hundred people, all dead!" What? I stared at him with wide eyes.

  He pushed me away with one hand, and I fell to the ground, clutching my chest. My clothes were soaked in a large area. Was this blood going to flow out? I gritted my teeth and got up to stand in front of Wan Ri Cheng.

  "You said... that everyone in your family... has died?!" Wanday Cheng looked at me with an expression of hatred, as if he wanted to tear me into pieces.

  Hearing this shocking news, I suddenly became much clearer-headed and no longer cared about the pain on my body. This news was completely indigestible to me. The Sima family had been exterminated, no wonder the bloody smell in the air was so thick, it couldn't be compared with the last time in the forest.

  But does Prime Minister have any enemies? No, even if he did, with his status as the most superior person and the one below millions of people, who would dare to do so blatantly, and it's a massacre.

  "It ends with the Shen surname." Suddenly, this sentence popped into my mind. At that time, Master Xiang said I didn't go to investigate the meaning of this sentence. Could it be that because of my appearance, they would exterminate their entire family? But why? Why did the Wan clan's ancestral teachings leave behind this sentence?

  "Why didn't you die!" I looked up at him, "You... why didn't you die?"

  Wan Ri Cheng's body trembled slightly, and he retreated several steps. "Clang" - the long sword in his hand fell to the ground.

  "With my... alone... a weak woman, do you think I could have killed the entire Zhang family? Moreover... I was trapped in that stone room, if it wasn't for you opening the door... I... I couldn't have escaped. You... how did you open the door?"

  "When I entered the shrine, the stone gate was already open."

  "I want to go see Director Xiang."

  Wan Ri Cheng didn't come to help me up, instead he picked up his long sword and walked straight out of the courtyard. I struggled to get up and followed him, the smell of blood getting thicker and heavier along the way. The corpses were scattered all over the ground, making me feel both scared and heartbroken. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't make a sound.

  Why, if what I think is true, as soon as a descendant of the Shen family appears, the Wan clan will be exterminated? This price is really too high. Why did the ancestors of the Wan family set such an unscrupulous ancestral rule? Is this considered loyalty?

  I don't know how far I walked, but Wan Ri Cheng stopped in his tracks. I followed his line of sight and indeed, Xiang Ye was lying beside a stone chair with a sharp knife lodged in his chest. My legs went weak and I knelt down. What is this? What is going on?!

  That's... Little Moon! She fell beside Master Xiang, at this tender age of blossoming youth!

  "Is the county master... dead?" Wan Ri Cheng didn't make a sound, he just pointed in one direction with his hand. I looked over and indeed, someone was lying under a tree. It really was a case of extermination.

  A faint coolness on my face, is it snowing? This snow that I've always thought was beautiful now seems so piercing. So many people close to me, how can you bring yourself to do this, Master Xiang?

  I stumbled to the front of Xiang Ye's body, Xiang Ye's expression was very peaceful, as if he had been relieved. I lifted up Xiang Ye's right hand, ignoring Wan Ri Cheng's long sword that was still pressed against my neck. I raised the arm that Xiang Ye had shown me before, and felt a warmth on my neck, probably because blood had flowed out again, but I didn't feel any pain. I rolled up the sleeve, and the black curse mark was gone.

  "Let go of me!"

  "Why didn't you die?"

  "Master Xiang told me to go out of the city to the secluded mansion and bring you this dagger - 'Moon Cutter'." He tossed over a small iron tool, which was a short dagger.

  "Master Xiang said let you take this for self-defense, it's been passed down from Master Xiang's ancestors, and he actually did this for you, but when I come back... "

  "What is a haunted house?"

  "The burial site of the ancestors of Mr. Xiang's family." Is it the ancestral tomb?

  "How much do you know about the Xiang family's affairs?"

  "I don't know."

  "Let's get started."

  "Let her go!" At the same time, a voice echoed mine, "I said let her go."

  I stood up and turned around, behind Wanri Cheng was a man with his face covered.

  "Let him go!" The man's sword was pressed against Wanjiday Cheng's neck, and the voice was very familiar.

  Wan Ri Cheng was a foolish god, and the man slapped him flying with one palm. He crashed into the wall of the house, and the long sword on his neck followed Wan Ri Cheng out, increasing the force. Blood spurted out suddenly, had the artery burst? I immediately fell to the ground, the wound throbbed, and my body trembled back and forth uncontrollably. My breathing was very urgent. The man quickly came over and pressed a few times on my chest. I looked up at him, but my vision was blurry.

  "I'll stop your bleeding for now, let's go get you treated." He made a move to carry me, I wanted to ask him who he was, but my mouth couldn't speak.

  "I am the one who killed the entire Zhang family." I stared with wide eyes, and a sword appeared beside the man's neck, it was Wan Ri Cheng.

  "If you're dead, you won't know the reason, do you want to die or live?"

  "Ten... days... sincere, put away... your sword." I broke through my own limits again, and I can hold on until now without hanging up. It's really unknown whether it's because my injury is not serious, or my willpower is strong, or maybe I'm not supposed to die, or maybe the random acupuncture points of that masked man allowed me to survive a little longer. Anyway, I am now that indestructible Little Strong, the legendary figure.

  "What did you say? He has already admitted, the revenge of Master Xiang..."

  "Sheathe... your... sword."

  "You!"

  I trembled as I reached into my clothes and pulled out the black jade that belonged to Master Xiang, holding it up for him to see. Wan Ri Cheng looked at the object in my hand, stunned for a moment, before sheathing his sword and leaving.