I Want to Take on Ten

A patient discharged after recovery would usually inform their loved ones, but Tao Ran did no such thing.

He returned to Sword Peak but did not share his good news with his close friends. Instead, he went straight to his Cave Residence and immediately sealed it off, ensuring no one would discover his presence.

Sitting on his meditation cushion, he retrieved a golden feather from his chest and stared at it intently, his eyes brimming with overwhelming joy.

"Lingnan Immortal Sect… the Immortal Sect!!!" he muttered inwardly. "To think that I, Tao Ran, would stumble upon such an earth-shattering opportunity! Could it be that even I have a chance to ascend to immortality?"

His excitement surged, sending waves of electrifying sensations through his body before he finally calmed down.

"Three days?" Every second felt like an eternity. He tucked the golden feather back against his skin and closed his eyes to meditate.

After a long while, he finally entered a deep trance.

If he didn’t spend these three days in meditation, he feared he might go mad—or worse, collapse entirely.

Through relentless meditation and focus, Tao Ran endured the three days.

When he stepped out of his Cave Residence, dusk had just fallen. By the time he rode his sword away from Sword Peak, left Dao Sword Sect, and arrived at the bustling town at the foot of the mountain, night had fully descended.

Deliberately avoiding people and keeping a low profile, he reached the edge of town only to find the darkness too thick to see clearly. Huang Feiyu was nowhere in sight, nor were any others. He had no idea where the final meeting place was supposed to be.

Frustrated, he paced in circles, waiting. But as the night deepened, no one else arrived.

The eerie darkness made him question the truth of Huang Feiyu’s words. Had he been deceived?

From the nearby forest, the chirping of insects and birds grated on his nerves, their incessant noise feeling like mockery.

After what felt like an eternity, nearing midnight, there was still no sign of Huang Feiyu or anyone else.

At this point, Tao Ran was certain—he had been tricked.

"Huang Feiyu, you dare make a fool of me?!" Furious, he pulled out the golden feather from his robe, gripping it tightly as he channeled his spiritual energy, intending to crush it into a golden lump.

But when he squeezed, the feather remained unharmed. Instead, it suddenly burned white-hot, forcing him to drop it in pain.

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

The exhilaration Tao Ran had felt earlier now turned into pure rage.

"Hmph!" He unsheathed his sword and swung it down at the golden feather.

But before the blade could land, he noticed something unusual.

The feather didn’t flutter weakly to the ground like an ordinary one. Instead, it drifted purposefully forward, as if guiding him somewhere.

Tao Ran halted his strike, hesitated for only a moment, then decisively followed the feather.

The golden feather floated into the darkness, through the forest, and finally landed in the palm of a man standing among the trees.

The man wore a black cloak, its hood down, and as he caught the feather, he turned to see Tao Ran approaching. His expression darkened when he realized Tao Ran was alone.

He scanned the surroundings but found no other golden feathers. Instantly, the darkness around him felt oppressive, as if danger lurked within.

"Huang Feiyu…" Tao Ran landed nearby, glancing at him before looking around. "Where are the others? Don’t tell me I’m the only one who betrayed the sect?"

"Did you see anyone else while you waited?" Huang Feiyu countered instead of answering.

"No." Noticing Huang Feiyu’s grim expression, Tao Ran frowned. "What’s wrong? If they’re not coming, aren’t we leaving?"

"No…" Huang Feiyu’s gaze swept the darkness, sensing the presence of many powerful figures hidden within. "Perhaps the sect has already captured them…"

He glanced at Tao Ran—such a fool was exactly the kind of fool he needed. Only someone like him would fall for this. "Let’s go."

Pulling up his hood, Huang Feiyu turned to leave.

But just then—

"Why couldn’t you just give yourself a chance?" Qin Ran’s voice suddenly echoed from the darkness, accompanied by the sharp edge of his Mountain River Sword Intent materializing before Huang Feiyu, forcing him to stop. "A chance for yourself, and for us. If you had left, it would have been over. Why did you have to come back?"

"Fellow disciples, as dear as family, as close as brothers… yet you insist on taking some with you. What kind of twisted mind does that?"

Huang Feiyu landed on the ground, standing atop dry leaves as he searched the darkness for Qin Ran’s figure. He chuckled. "Elder Martial Uncle, I merely lingered nearby because I couldn’t bear to leave Dao Sword Sect. Forgive me. Junior Brother Tao Ran came to see me off."

"Are you here to see me off as well, Elder Martial Uncle?"

"I’m here to send you to prison—or to your death." Qin Ran’s voice remained calm. "Which will it be?"

"Can’t I just return to Lingnan Immortal Sect?" Huang Feiyu asked.

"Does life give second chances?" Qin Ran countered. "I already gave you one."

"So there’s no room for negotiation."

Huang Feiyu lowered his head, staring at the leaves beneath his feet. Slowly, he shook his head—and as he did, flames erupted from his body, illuminating the dark forest.

He smirked at Qin Ran. "But Elder Martial Uncle, do you really think your Golden Core cultivation can stop me? Or do you believe those useless Dao Sword Sect Nascent Soul cultivators can?"

"Or perhaps Lu Junxing will draw his sword? If he could, you wouldn’t be wasting words with me."

As he spoke, his entire body transformed into a raging inferno—a being of pure flame.

The heat radiating from him was incomparably more intense than the original Lion Heart Flame. The space around him warped under the scorching blaze.

The dry leaves beneath his feet ignited, spreading fire in all directions. Nearby trees, untouched by the flames, visibly withered, their leaves curling as smoke and embers rose—soon, they too would burn.

"You’ve turned into fire, and it seems your brain has burned away with it. You’re human, not a demonic beast. You should know…" Qin Ran’s voice remained steady in the darkness, "humans don’t always kill with their own hands. There are countless methods—formations, artifacts, elixirs. We didn’t create these just to admire them while fighting barehanded."

"If one Nascent Soul cultivator can’t defeat you, what about ten? Huang Feiyu, Huang Feiyu… just how weak do you think Dao Sword Sect is? That we can’t even handle a single Nascent Soul cultivator?"

As Qin Ran spoke, figures emerged from the edges of the darkness illuminated by Huang Feiyu’s flames—one Nascent Soul cultivator after another.

Each held a stone tablet. The moment Qin Ran finished speaking, they drove the tablets into the ground. Instantly, a formidable barrier formation activated, trapping Huang Feiyu and the ten Nascent Soul cultivators inside.

Huang Feiyu reacted instantly, hurling a fist of flames at the barrier above him. But the formation remained unshaken.

"The Ten-Stone Demon-Sealing Array!" Qin Ran's voice rang out. "This is a pure confinement formation, specially prepared for you to prevent your escape. Are you pleased?"

"Petty tricks!" Huang Feiyu sneered.

Flames erupted as he lunged toward a Nascent Soul cultivator, intent on killing.

At the mountain gate town, where Tao Ran had initially waited, Qin Ran sensed the battle erupting within the formation. He kicked Chasing the Wind in the rear and barked, "Stay sharp! If his soul escapes, we're having tiger hotpot tonight!"

"Don’t worry, Dad!" Chasing the Wind pounced forward, reverting to his true form—a massive beast over thirty feet tall. He soared into the air, circling above the Ten-Stone Demon-Sealing Array, his 24k pure titanium alloy tiger eyes shining like high beams as he scrutinized Huang Feiyu’s every move. "If he escapes tonight, I’ll run backward from now on!"

In the darkness, Chasing the Wind’s glowing eyes resembled twin searchlights. Qin Ran nodded in satisfaction before turning to Li Shiyin and Tian Wenjin. "You two, stay alert—especially you, Wenjin. Keep your Ruthless Sword Intent ready. At the slightest fluctuation in spiritual energy or any strange spell transmission, sever it immediately. Not a single message leaves Dao Sword Sect tonight."

"Yes, Uncle-Master!" Tian Wenjin drew her sword, the Divine Thunder Sword Qi crackling along its edge, poised to strike at any moment.

"And you, Old Lu..." Qin Ran continued, addressing Lu Junxing. "Even though you're washed up, you still need to help. Watch for any signals we might miss and cut them off."

Slumped in his wheelchair, Lu Junxing replied weakly, "Fine, fine. Leave it to me."

"Weren’t you walking just yesterday?" Qin Ran kicked his wheelchair. "Why are you back in this thing today?"

Lu Junxing shot him a glare. "Standing is exhausting. No wine, no gratitude, and now you’re complaining about me sitting? I’ve never met anyone like you!"

Qin Ran ignored him and turned to Tao Ran, who had been dragged here. With a smirk, he asked, "Do you know why Huang Feiyu was taking you to Lingnan Immortal Sect?"

"To cultivate," Tao Ran replied sheepishly. Just days ago, he had vowed to fight for Dao Sword Sect’s future before abruptly defecting to Lingnan Immortal Sect.

"To cultivate?" Qin Ran laughed. "Everyone knows there’s no free lunch, yet they still hope for one—preferably delivered straight to their mouths. With looks like yours, your path in Lingnan Immortal Sect would’ve been as a cauldron for some fairy. If you were... gifted, you might’ve even had a bright future."

Tao Ran opened his mouth but found no words.

Huang Feiyu was no pushover. Fighting one against ten, he held out for most of the night, shaking the Ten-Stone Demon-Sealing Array to near collapse before finally being slain.

The moment the battle ended, Chasing the Wind, Li Shiyin, Tian Wenjin, and Lu Junxing acted in unison.

The "King" mark on Chasing the Wind’s forehead flared, sucking Huang Feiyu’s fleeing soul into the evil ghosts space. Meanwhile, Li Shiyin, Tian Wenjin, and Lu Junxing each unleashed a sword beam, crisscrossing the night sky.

The inky darkness flickered violently between light and shadow.

Qin Ran’s heart skipped a beat. "What was that? Was the transmission that powerful?"

Gasping for breath, sweat beading on his forehead, Lu Junxing shook his head. "Soul transmission, spatial transmission, spiritual energy pulses, secret arts... Lingnan Immortal Sect doesn’t disappoint."

"Did you cut them all?"

"I only severed what I detected. What I couldn’t see is beyond me."

"Huang Feiyu hasn’t been with Lingnan Immortal Sect long. He shouldn’t be important enough for high-level protections." Qin Ran’s confidence wavered.

Hearing her master’s repeated "shoulds," Li Shiyin knew his cautious nature had him terrified. She stepped closer, taking his hand in both of hers.

"Don’t worry," she said, her eyes shining with unshakable resolve even in the dark. "I’m here."

Qin Ran gazed at her, then shook his head with a faint smile, brushing her cheek. His reckless disciple feared nothing—if Lingnan Immortal Sect came, she’d cut them down without hesitation.

Tian Wenjin watched this scene, her grip on her sword tightening until veins bulged on her pale hand. Expressionless, she turned away, focusing on the group collecting Huang Feiyu’s remains.

Lu Junxing glanced between them, baffled. When had the mood shifted? Had he missed something?

Just as he puzzled over it, another emotionally oblivious oaf crashed down from the sky with a boom, kicking up a dust storm that scattered the strange tension.

"Dad!" Chasing the Wind bounded over, dropping to all fours before the group. With a proud grin, he spat out a black bubble—inside floated Huang Feiyu’s soul. "Got him! Did you really think he could escape the great Chasing the Wind?!"

All eyes locked onto the bubble.

"Uncle-Master, Little Uncle-Master!" Huang Feiyu simpered from within. "We’ve known each other for years. Spare me this once? First offense!"

"Think Yama will reject you for being a first-time corpse?" Qin Ran chuckled.

"Uncle-Master, you refined pills for me! I’ve given you so much in return. Our bond runs deep—I’ve never forgotten you!"

Qin Ran shook his head.

"Uncle-Master, you saved my life! You’re like a second father to me!" Huang Feiyu kowtowed inside the bubble. "Dad! Have mercy!"

"It wasn’t me who saved you. It was Wenjin." Qin Ran couldn’t bear to look.

"Wenjin? Right, Wenjin!" Huang Feiyu, knowing Qin Ran held the reins, pressed on. "Wenjin’s perfect—gorgeous, curvaceous, her body brimming with alchemical essence. Regular... harvesting would enhance your physique and talent. A top-tier cauldron! Uncle-Master, I haven’t touched her. She’s yours!"

Before Qin Ran could respond, Tian Wenjin’s sword flashed. A bolt of lightning shot from its tip, striking Huang Feiyu’s soul and dragging it back into her blade.

Without a word, she sheathed her sword.

"Making him a sword spirit?" Lu Junxing asked.

"Sword slave," she corrected.

Qin Ran scoffed. "He’s not worthy."

"He guided me into the sect. He pulled me from darkness." Tian Wenjin’s voice was ice. "I’ll give him one last chance."

With that, she flew back toward Dao Sword Sect.

Lu Junxing watched her leave, then turned to Qin Ran. "She cultivates the Ruthless Sword Intent, right?"

"The heartless are often the most sentimental," Qin Ran sighed. "The deeper one's affection, the more easily one is wounded by love—and thus, the more prone one becomes to heartlessness. You never hear of an unfeeling person suffering from love's sting, for they need not fathom heartlessness... since they were never bound by it to begin with."