Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Four Great Kings of Resentment and the Dilemma of Acting with Caution

Han Chong cradled the lotus stalk in his arms, intending to put it into his storage pouch, but there was no response at all! Upon closer inspection, he was astonished to find the roots of the lotus still writhing—they were alive, even though separated from the earth!

If he destroyed this lotus stalk, who knew what would become of Duan Wenxuan? The two were originally one; without the lotus stalk, the Black Lotus would be nothing but a rootless floating weed.

Han Chong was just about to snap it in two.

"Don't! Don't kill me!" A wave of thought suddenly surged into his mind, the voice that of a young child!

"What—" Han Chong was taken aback. The same lotus—could it really have birthed two consciousnesses? Or perhaps the Black Lotus and this stalk were not one after all?

"Who are you?" Han Chong stayed his hand, voicing the question aloud to the thought.

"I don't know, either. I was peacefully growing in the spiritual spring within a mountain belly, and when I gained sentience, there were several other little friends like me in the spring. We played together every day, and we were so happy.

Then a man in black robes sent a soul into my body. I was soaked in demonic energy, forced back into the lotus root, while the man plucked the lotus flower.

Afterward, through his refining, he took the root and shaped that soul into a person.

Then I was transplanted here, into this lotus pond. Wuwuwu—" The child's voice grew aggrieved and finally broke into tears.

Seeing this, Han Chong was torn. The lotus stalk was truly pitiful—tainted by demonic energy, its true form stolen and tormented; he found it difficult to bring himself to act.

"Not good—he's coming!" the child's voice cried out in terror.

Sure enough, glancing back, Han Chong saw Duan Wenxuan swimming rapidly toward them. Han Chong's heart tightened. These two were as connected as root and stem—each sensed the other! And in the water, he was slower than his pursuer; if this continued, he'd be overtaken sooner or later!

With no other choice, Han Chong scrambled ashore, Duan Wenxuan bursting from the water right behind him.

"Boy! Stop right there!"

Helpless, Han Chong turned around slowly, the lotus stalk still in his arms.

"So it's you! You little brat, you dare covet my true form? Put it down now, and I might spare your life; otherwise, I'll burn you to ash!"

Duan Wenxuan's face was twisted with rage, all scholar's elegance gone.

"I am a Demon-Slaying Captain. Who are you really? Why found the Black Lotus Sect? What are you plotting?"

Han Chong's expression was grave as he questioned him in a low voice.

"Hmph! Boy, I advise you not to meddle. The more you know, the shorter your life!"

"Oh? You think you can kill me?"

"Tch, you really are arrogant!" As he spoke, a streak of black sword energy shot toward Han Chong at a flick of his finger!

However, seeing Han Chong feign to use the lotus stalk as a shield, Duan Wenxuan's face changed with shock and fury, hurriedly shifting his aim.

"Damned brat, are you seeking death? What do you want?"

Han Chong panted, his face flushed.

"I just told you—answer my questions, and I'll return the lotus stalk to you!"

"Oh? You mean it?" Duan Wenxuan raised an eyebrow, disbelief written all over his face.

"Of course I do—if your answers satisfy me!"

"Very well, listen up. The Pei Jun Prefecture now belongs to the Four Dread Kings. You lot are nothing but sheep to the slaughter."

"Oh? The Four Dread Kings? Besides you, the Black Tiger Demon King of Tigerfang Mountain, and the One-horned Ghost Ape King, who else?"

"What! You—you—how do you know about the other two?"

"Answer me!" Han Chong drew his black sword, pressing it against the lotus stalk as he demanded.

"No, wait! I really only know those two. The fourth Dread King is shrouded in mystery—even I don't know who it is!" Duan Wenxuan hurriedly raised his hand to stop him.

"Nonsense! If even you don't know, who named you the Four Dread Kings? Surely not someone else?"

"Heh, that's exactly right. It wasn't our idea. But even I don't know who the fourth is—I only follow orders!

I don't even know what comes next; I just await instructions. Does that answer satisfy you?"

Han Chong frowned in thought. Comparing the lotus stalk’s account and Duan Wenxuan’s, the true mastermind was that black-robed man!

To transfer Duan Wenxuan's soul into the lotus and forge a human body—such sorcery was beyond comprehension.

But there was no way Han Chong would ever return the lotus stalk now!

"Now, you can give me back my true form, can't you?"

"Of course I will—but not to me, to you!"

"What? So you know!"

Duan Wenxuan was startled, but suddenly understood why the young man hadn't destroyed his true form—he must have taken pity on the stalk's original soul!

Yet before he could finish that thought and seize Han Chong, he saw Han Chong draw a Cloud-Piercing Arrow and fire it skyward; a black-glowing tiger leapt into the air!

Immediately after, a massive blue blade of light, three feet long, shot toward him!

Duan Wenxuan cursed the boy’s cunning. Just as he reacted, the blade was already a mere ten feet away!

He raised his hand, sending out a burst of sword energy, dodging left at high speed.

But when the black sword energy collided with the blue blade, the latter suddenly swelled by a third. With a thunderous crash, both energies were annihilated at once!

Han Chong had already loosed a second Demon-Slaying Blade, his eyes gleaming.

The first blade had grown unexpectedly—it must have triggered a critical effect, or it would have been hard to match Duan Wenxuan’s sword energy!

This time, Duan Wenxuan managed to evade, but could no longer unleash sword energy to block it.

Even more strange, the blade of light, which should have missed him, suddenly curved ever so slightly, slicing toward his left shoulder!

No! Duan Wenxuan’s eyes widened. If that hit, half his body would be cut away!

Luckily, he spat a mouthful of black flame to burn away much of the blade’s power, but a portion still landed on his left shoulder.

"Ah!" A scream of agony—Duan Wenxuan clutched his arm, nearly severed, a ghastly gash three inches deep spurting green blood!

But when he looked again for the youth, Han Chong had vanished without a trace—only the lotus stalk lay toppled on the ground.

Gone? Just as he was about to rejoice and rush to retrieve it, his steps halted.

Something was wrong. He recalled the strange gray stone that struck his head, his legs being grabbed, and the mysterious blue flames not long ago.

Could the boy be capable of invisibility and stealth?

For a moment, the lotus stalk lay on the ground, but he dared not move.

His right hand flickered with deadly sword energy, eyes darting about as he desperately searched for Han Chong’s whereabouts.

Han Chong was indeed hiding below the earth, waiting for Duan Wenxuan to make a move for the lotus stalk, ready to strike at any moment.