Chapter Fifteen: When Will Vengeance Cease?

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A torrential downpour crashed from the sky, black as a gaping abyss, the rain falling like iron chains mercilessly lashing trees, huts, and earth with a relentless, heart-wrenching sound. Bolts of lightning ripped through the darkness, descending in fury, howling, weeping, and mourning as though voicing some endless injustice. Everything in this scene was steeped in a bleak sorrow, enough to wrench the heart of any who witnessed it, to sadden any who heard.

Amid the wild wind and rain stood two figures. One wielded the Blood Spirit Serpent Spear, the other gripped Lightning and Thunder. Their auras clashed, neither giving ground. This was a confrontation of titans, a battle between life and death where a single misstep meant demise. But in the end, what waited for the victor? The glory of triumph? The relief of vengeance fulfilled? Or, perhaps, nothing at all. The soul would remain unredeemed, the dead would not rise again. The departed could never return, and those who did were no longer who they once had been. What, then, did victory bring? What fate awaited the defeated? What meaning did it all hold? Perhaps not even they themselves could say. In their eyes, it was only about revenge for hatred, about fighting to survive.

The man wielding lightning struck first, brandishing it with the ease of an ordinary man with a whip. The lightning in his hand was beautiful, especially as he swung it — a dazzling chain of tiny stars dancing through the shadowed forest. But the more beautiful a thing, the more destructive its nature. Wherever that lightning swept, chaos followed: the land left battered and scarred, the trees and earth split with deep fissures, rainwater running through them like colorless blood from a wound — drop after drop, a pitiful sight for any onlooker.

Meanwhile, in the deluge, the Blood Spirit Serpent Spear in Xiao Yin's hand glowed crimson, its protective light enveloping him, keeping the rain at bay and leaving him undisturbed. A splash of red amid the rain-curtain — an unexpected, striking sight.

White and red light flashed through the black woods, colliding and clashing, spawning sparks. The white was fierce, suited to attack; the red was gentle, suited to encirclement. Hardness met softness, neither yielding. Would hardness subdue softness, or would softness entangle hardness? For now, all remained unknown.

"Raging Waves!" Xiao Yin roared, and countless raindrops gathered between his hands, swirling as he moved, forming a strange, suspended river. Suddenly, he thrust his hands outward, and the river surged, tidal waves crashing toward the armored man.

"Hmph. Sinking Stones in the River." The man snorted dismissively, sending forth a blast of true energy. The energy wrapped around the surging river, dragging it to the ground in a spray of fountains, beautiful to behold.

"Sky of One Hue!" the man intoned gently, though the savagery beneath his calm was unmistakable. A wall of energy, thick as iron, swept toward Xiao Yin with murderous force.

Xiao Yin howled in response, red light bursting from within him, blinding to behold. When the light faded, he had revealed his true form: no longer the elegant, striking youth, but a blood-red serpent spirit, several meters long, maw filled with savage fangs. The serpent spat crimson light at the oncoming energy, and as chaos erupted at the point of collision, it slipped away unseen.

"Damn it! In my carelessness, the wretch escaped. Even if I must chase you to the ends of the earth, I’ll tear you apart to soothe my grief over my lost son!" Roaring to the heavens, the armored man gave chase.

Xiao Yin, now in his true form and gravely wounded, reached the border between the Netherworld and the mortal realm but hesitated to go further. “Am I truly so desperate as to seek refuge in the house of Ling Yun?” he muttered. “Though the Immortal and Nether realms currently keep to their own affairs, both are riddled with hidden agendas. War is only a matter of time. Having offended the Immortal Realm, I have nowhere to hide but here. Besides, the Netherworld is now dominated by the Ling family, to whom I once owed a debt of life. Surely they would not betray me. Still, life as a guest in another’s house is never easy.” As Xiao Yin hesitated, the armored man closed in. With no retreat left, Xiao Yin stepped through the gate of the Netherworld, escaping alive and leaving the furious man outside, unwilling to risk following.

It all began years ago, when an absurd rumor triggered a power struggle between the Immortal and Nether realms. The ensuing war left countless dead and both realms weakened, each now waiting for a reason to reignite hostilities. Xiao Yin entered the Netherworld precisely because he knew the man dared not follow, lest he spark another war and die in vain. The Ling family, nearly exterminated by the Immortal Realm, could never forgive that humiliation. Had Xiao Yin not saved their bloodline, the Ling clan would have perished completely. They once swore: “If any from the Immortal Realm step into the Netherworld, they shall be killed without mercy!” Such a dire oath, no one would challenge lightly — least of all the armored man.

Through brambles and thickets, Xiao Yin finally found his way to the Ling family’s direction, dragging his battered body onward. “Had I not released several soul essences to resist earlier, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Though it cost me dearly, ruining my strength, at least I survived!” he gasped.

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Just as he neared the Ling residence, a voice called from the woods a few miles away: “I’ve been waiting a long time for you!”

Startled, Xiao Yin tensed, readying himself for defense. “Who’s there? Show yourself at once!”

Two green lights flickered in the forest — eyes, Xiao Yin realized as he drew near, though he couldn’t quite remember where he’d seen them before. Beneath those uncanny eyes was a striking face.

“It’s you!” Xiao Yin exclaimed in surprise.

“Well, well, you actually remember me!” the green-eyed youth sneered. “How does it feel to be hunted by the Immortal Realm? Isn’t it wonderful, being falsely accused?”

“Falsely accused? How do you know about that? Could it be—” Xiao Yin’s thoughts raced.

“Yes, it was me! I struck you while your guard was down, killed that young immortal, and set you up to be hunted by the Immortal Realm — nearly costing you your life!” the green-eyed youth laughed coldly.

“Why would you do this to me? What deep grudge do I hold against you that you’d see me dead?” Xiao Yin demanded.

“If not for you and my brother, who always sought to expel me from the clan, would I have been cast out, branded a criminal? I swore I would have my revenge, that I’d make you suffer a thousand — no, ten thousand times worse than me!” the green-eyed youth spat.

“Framed? I saw you with my own eyes — you wounded the clan chief and tried to steal the clan’s secret treasure! How can you pretend you were framed? Why do you show no remorse even now?” Xiao Yin retorted.

“Enough! Spare me your righteous talk. You and my brother were close — if he removed me and inherited the clan, you’d profit plenty, wouldn’t you? Hmph!” The green-eyed youth looked at Xiao Yin with contempt.

“I only spoke the truth as I saw it. Whether you admit it or not is no concern of mine!” Xiao Yin said, unwilling to argue further.

“Fine, then. Take your so-called truth with you to hell!” With those words, the youth revealed his true form and leapt at Xiao Yin.

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Grievously wounded, Xiao Yin stood no chance against the green-eyed youth at his peak. He mustered his remaining strength, wrapping his serpentine body around the black cat’s true form, trapping it. But the black cat was far from yielding: its claws, sharp as blades, raked at Xiao Yin. In their struggle, someone unleashed a burst of true energy, opening a mysterious and unfathomable portal. A force beyond resistance drew them both inside.

When Xiao Yin opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange land — the black cat was nowhere to be seen. Before him stood a grand but ruined hall, its surfaces mottled with age. Though dilapidated, the place retained an imposing majesty, less resplendent than other palaces but far more enigmatic and alluring. Clearly, this was no ordinary place — perhaps once the residence of some great figure.

The walls were carved with ancient mythical beasts, some hunting, some sleeping, each rendered vividly, lifelike. Further down, the carvings depicted scenes from the war between the Immortal and Nether realms years ago — slaughter, shouts, screams, and wailing, all captured in the murals. For some reason, Xiao Yin felt a pang of inexplicable sorrow as he gazed upon them. The images seemed to possess a kind of magic, pulling the viewer’s spirit into the memory of those unforgettable events.

He closed his eyes and rested briefly, calming himself before looking around once more. Four pillars stood at the corners of the hall. The first bore a carving of a man's back, holding a blood-dripping blade, standing in desolation. The second pillar was smooth as a mirror, with nothing upon it. So too were the third and fourth, which puzzled Xiao Yin.

Though the hall was decrepit, one thing stood out as pristine — the throne at the center of the rear wall. Carved entirely from white jade, it radiated a majestic aura. Xiao Yin’s gaze was drawn to it, unable to look away. His body moved of its own accord toward the throne, but as he approached, a force swept over him, hurling him several meters away to the floor.

“What happened? In an instant, I was thrown back by that jade throne — how strange. Clearly, whoever rules here is extraordinary. I’d best tread carefully,” Xiao Yin thought to himself.

He steadied himself, scanning the hall for a way out. Suddenly, the faintest hint of breathing reached his ears. “Could there be someone else here?” Curiosity compelled him to follow the sound.

Soon, he found himself before a side room. He pushed the door open quietly and entered, surprised by the room’s furnishings — it was a bridal chamber, swathed in red. Most eye-catching was the wedding bed draped in crimson curtains, from which the sound seemed to emanate. Xiao Yin sent a gentle wave of energy to part the curtains, revealing a figure lying on the bed.

“Who are you?” Xiao Yin asked cautiously. There was no answer, not even the faint breathing he’d heard before. “Are they dead? But I heard breathing just now,” he wondered, stepping closer for a better look.

The person’s face was hidden by a fall of hair, making it impossible to see their features, but judging by the figure, it was a man. Why was he wearing wedding robes, lying on this bed? Was he alive or dead?