After Being Reborn, I Refuse To Be The Holy Son Of The Sect Anymore

Chapter 94:

(In the night)

The Azure Sun Sword Sect’s team for the Centennial Competition, led by Law Enforcement Elder Lei Lie, finally arrived at Black Wind City before nightfall.

The city gates stood wide open, and the city within was brightly illuminated.

As the group approached the gates, Lei Lie raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. A gust of wind passed, causing the lanterns hanging at the gate to sway.

“Master, this is…” Lei Renjie stepped forward, glancing at the open gates with a heart full of uncertainty.

“Hmm.” Lei Lie’s expression was grim.

Anyone could tell something was amiss in Black Wind City.

Suddenly, the sound of chopping meat echoed from within the city gates. The noise ceased as abruptly as it had started. The wind howled, and mist swirled in the darkness of the night.

Lei Lie leaped into the air to observe.

“This…” His eyes scanned the city. Every household had its lights on, but the streets were eerily deserted. The illuminated homes were also unnaturally silent, devoid of any sound or movement.

The entire city was deathly quiet, unnervingly so.

Lei Lie descended, his expression more somber than before. Although he had recently advanced to the Divine Martial Realm, his spiritual senses were not yet powerful enough to detect the faint demonic aura shrouding the city.

“This is too strange, Master. Perhaps we should spend the night outside the city,” Lei Renjie suggested uneasily.

The others nodded in agreement.

Just then, the chopping sounds from earlier echoed again from within the city.

“What is our purpose in descending the mountain?” Lei Lie swept his gaze over the group, his tone sharp and commanding.

“This…” The disciples were momentarily stunned into silence.

“I know! We descended the mountain to temper ourselves!” Lin Wangchuan stepped forward and spoke loudly when no one else dared to answer.

“Exactly. We came down to train. If we retreat at the first sign of trouble, why even bother coming down? We might as well stay on the mountain forever!” Lei Lie scolded, his voice booming with authority.

The disciples lowered their heads, not daring to respond.

“We’re entering the city. Let’s see which deity or demon dares to play tricks here!” Lei Lie declared, striding boldly through the gates.

The group had no choice but to steel their nerves and follow behind him, their sword energies swirling protectively around their bodies.

“Senior Sister…” Qin Fei tugged at Jiang Ting’s sleeve, glancing nervously at their surroundings. He was once again putting on his frail act. To be fair, he was currently a patient, having been thoroughly beaten by Xiao Yang earlier that day.

Initially, Lei Lie had intended to leave Qin Fei in Yuanlong City’s Xiao household to recover. However, Qin Fei had insisted on joining the group, claiming he needed to visit the Celestial Physician Sect for treatment. In truth, his condition was beyond medical help. His “injuries”—a complete removal of vital parts—could only be restored by rare items like the Nirvana Pill or by reaching the Void-Shattering Realm and ascending to immortality.

Qin Fei’s true reason for tagging along was simply to stay close to Jiang Ting and the team. His excuse? Seeking a Rebirth Pill to heal his injuries. After all, Xiao Yang had left him battered, with a broken left arm, four fractured ribs, a smashed nose, and several missing teeth. Speaking was now an effort, with his words lisping through the gaps in his teeth.

“Junior Brother, you’re a grown man. Show some backbone. Always hiding behind Junior Sister—what kind of behavior is that?” Song Qiang sneered.

“Does he even count as a man anymore?” Lin Wangchuan muttered.

The group stifled laughter but dared not burst out. Qin Fei’s face flushed with humiliation.

“Senior Sister, they…” Qin Fei feigned grievance, putting on a pitiful act.

“Third Senior Brother, Lin Senior Brother, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all!” Jiang Ting snapped, defending Qin Fei as fiercely as ever.

Song Qiang, visibly annoyed, glanced at Jiang Ting. He opened his mouth to retort but ultimately held his tongue. He couldn’t help but think that their First Senior Brother, Xiao Yang, had likely been heartbroken by Jiang Ting’s closeness to Qin Fei, prompting his departure.

Lin Wangchuan, however, was less inclined to hold back. Just as he was about to speak again, the group suddenly halted.

Everyone turned their eyes to a street on the left.

Jiang Ting followed their gazes. There, beside the street, was a butcher shop. A burly man with a blackened face and an apron was chopping a pig leg with a cleaver.

The chopping sounds they had heard earlier must have come from him. However, something about the man felt off. His eyes were vacant, his movements mechanical, as though he were sleepwalking.

“Customers, would you like some meat? It’s fresh…” The man’s voice was slow and eerie, as though it came from the depths of the underworld. Hearing it sent chills down everyone’s spines, leaving them covered in goosebumps.

“Stop pretending to be a ghost!” Lei Renjie shouted, unleashing a swift sword strike toward the butcher.

A flash of sword light pierced through the man’s body. The next moment, black smoke erupted from him. As the smoke dissipated, the figure of a hulking black bear, still holding the cleaver, emerged.

“A bear demon?”

“A black bear spirit?”

The group gasped in shock. Their eyes fell on the butcher block—and the severed human leg resting atop it. The so-called “butcher” wasn’t selling pork but human flesh.

Jiang Ting, unused to such gruesome sights, turned pale and retched. The others, though experienced in combat, couldn’t hide their unease.

Lei Renjie’s strike had shattered the bear demon’s illusion.

Excited by the prospect of a fight, Lin Wangchuan drew his sword. “A bear demon? This is a rare opportunity!” He charged forward, engaging the demon in battle with his flying sword.

The others quickly scattered. Lei Renjie and the other disciples also unsheathed their swords, and the street filled with swirling sword energy.

Meanwhile, on Black Wind Ridge outside the city, Xiao Yang stood silently atop the peak, his golden dragon-patterned mask concealing his expression. Watching the commotion in the city, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The performance had begun.

From within the city came the haunting sound of opera singing, its source indiscernible. The disciples of the Azure Sun Sword Sect were startled. The city was devoid of people, yet someone was singing? The eerie atmosphere thickened.

Xiao Yang observed as a stage materialized in the city square. Shadows flickered on the stage, but the seats before it were eerily empty.

A butcher bear and singing foxes—Black Wind City under the cover of night was a theater of the bizarre. Tonight promised to be unforgettable.