I thought my first kill would haunt me, but strangely, I felt nothing. It was like I hadn't just killed four people, but hit a stray dog by the road.
The pursuing cavalry closed in on the Prince's eldest daughter and her attendants, surrounding them completely. Though only about thirty men, each riding three horses and wearing full armor, it was no wonder they'd made such a loud noise earlier.
At first, these horsemen tried to pull Mo Qing's carriage into their circle. But after I killed four of them, fear took hold, and they didn't dare attack again.
Starting a fight is easy; ending it is harder. They tried to shoot me without care. If I were an ordinary person, I'd probably be dead by now.
I stopped the horse and pointed my finger like a sword. "Before I get mad, get out of my sight."
Several knights burned with anger, but none moved. They stared at me like hungry wolves, ready to tear me apart!
"We didn't mean to offend you earlier. Please forgive us. We're the Imperial Guards of the Great Bou Kingdom, acting on the Divine Empress, Buddha-Mother's orders to catch rebels. We don't know your school or sect, but once our mission is done, we'll report to the court. We'll have the Grand teacher come to your door to apologize."
The speaker was a knight in black armor and a red cloak. His words were calm but mixed threats with promises, sounding reasonable and righteous.
But what did that have to do with me? And the "Grand Teacher" was none other than Zhang Shouyi, the current Celestial Master of Dragon-Tiger Mountain and the eleventh-generation descendant of Zhang Dao.
Master once said Zhang Dao hated monks most, calling them hypocrites who wore holy masks but had a filthy hearts. They preached morality while chasing fame and fortune. Who'd have thought his descendants would work with monks, even serving as attendants to some so-called Divine Empress, Buddha-Mother?
I wondered if Zhang Dao's spirit in heaven would be so mad he'd send thunderbolts to strike down this eleventh-generation descendant.
I nodded. "Got it. Now get lost."
The knight's face darkened instantly. He shouted without giving me a moment to react. "Form the array!"
The knights on horse shifted positions fast. They made up thick dust clouds, probably to block my view.
Through the haze, I saw several banners planted in the ground, forming some kind of pattern. Suddenly, a heavy pressure surged from the heavens and earth, pointing toward me like chains.
"Slay the Immortals!" "Cut the Demons!" Two black knights burst from the gray mist, their sabers flashing with a cold, sharp gleam as they swung at me. I could tell their weapons weren't ordinary iron but magical artifacts filled with spiritual energy. If they hit me, I'd lose more than just skin.
But while the blades were strong, the riders were mortal, and their horses were just normal. Mo Qing's horse snorted again, scaring the knights' horses into rearing up. The riders stayed calm, though. They rolled and flipped, swinging their sabers at my legs.
My fingers formed a mystic seal, aimed at the knights' foreheads. First, their helmets shattered. Then, two bursts of blood shot outward. The headless corpses, unable to keep moving, collapsed before me.
Their helmets were magical too! I only meant to send a thread of True Essence through their foreheads, but the helmets blocked it. In a rush, I boosted the qi, shattering their skulls.
The Imperial Guards of the Great Bou Kingdom were well-equipped. Artifacts filled with True Essence are rare even among cultivators, yet every one of these thirty men had one.
What treasure did the Prince's daughter carry to justify such a costly chase?
In a flash, I broke the formation the Imperial Guards had set. Every formation has a core. The easiest way to break it is to destroy that core. Can't find it? Then hit one spot hard until brute force cracks it. That's what the Master taught me.
What if it couldn't be broken? "If you can't break it, you haven't trained enough. When the moment comes, your cultivation is too weak and you can only wait to die." Master said this with a calm expression not caring that her disciple had only just entered the Heart Awakening stage.
But breaking formations set by mortals was easy. Loud cryies echoed around me. The soldiers holding the flags and forming the array were hit by its backlash, their insides bursting, blood streaming from every hole.
The remaining troops charged forward silently, swinging their sabers at me. Watching these men who didn't fear death, I suddenly felt a pang of regret. Such fierce warriors, dying like this… it was a shame.
I stepped back, but they pressed forward relentlessly. Since that was the case, I had to send them to their deaths.
When the dust settled, only corpses remained on the ground. The horses refused to leave, staying sadly by their masters' bodies.
I sighed. Deep down, I still felt like a villain. It seemed I hadn't fully escaped the morals of my past life.
Shaking my head, I turned back to my horse, urging it to move forward.
"Master! Master!" The Prince's eldest daughter led three badly wounded subordinates in pursuit.
"Get lost!" I didn't want to waste words. If this woman hadn't lured them here, why would I have this trouble?
Maybe stunned by the sight of me slaughtering dozens, her three subordinates stayed silent this time.
"Master! This humble woman offers Master Kong's Buddha relics to you! I beg you to stop my subordinates bleeding and heal them, to save their lives!"