Chapter Sixty-Nine: A Simple Gesture, A Thousand Fates Entwined

The sudden voice startled everyone present.

Jade Envoy whipped his head around, his gaze sharp as a blade, sweeping toward the direction of the sound. He barked, “Who’s lurking in the shadows? Show yourself!”

The night wind blew, and from the bend at the end of the mountain path, a figure stepped forth.

It was an utterly unremarkable man, dressed in casual clothes, with a curious girl of fourteen or fifteen at his side.

It was me, with Yi Yi in tow, strolling unhurriedly from the hotel.

“Papa, they look so ugly,” Yi Yi commented quietly beside me. Though her voice was soft, it reached everyone’s ears with perfect clarity.

The corners of the Demon Sect members’ mouths twitched noticeably.

Jade Envoy’s gaze swept over me, finding no trace of internal energy—just an ordinary mortal. His wariness instantly gave way to scorn and cruelty.

“Foolish mortals who see what they shouldn’t must stay behind—and die with her!” He signaled his subordinates.

One of the Demon Sect members closest to me grinned wickedly, his figure blurring into a shadow. With clawed fingers, he lunged straight for my crown.

I didn’t even glance at him. Holding Yi Yi, I simply took a step forward.

Just one step.

The lunging figure halted as if he’d slammed into an invisible wall, suspended motionless in midair. The wicked grin still lingered on his face, but terror now filled his eyes.

In the next instant, before all those horrified gazes, his body began to crumble from within, turning to drifting ash, which the night wind scattered to nothingness.

No explosion, no sound—simply erased from existence.

The entire scene fell deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned by this uncanny display. Even Tang Ling, whose throat was being gripped, forgot to struggle. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

“You… what are you?” Jade Envoy’s voice trembled for the first time. He yanked Tang Ling in front of him as a shield and shouted, his bravado wavering.

I didn’t answer him. Instead, I looked to Tang Ling and asked calmly, “Young lady, do you want to live?”

Tang Ling froze, then nodded vigorously.

“Good.”

No sooner had I spoken than Jade Envoy felt an irresistible force seize his arm—the one choking Tang Ling.

Crack!

A crisp snap sounded. His entire arm bent backward at an unnatural angle. Agony struck, and he screamed, releasing his grip.

Tang Ling broke free instantly. She darted back without hesitation, putting distance between herself and the Demon Sect, her gaze lingering on me in shock.

“Run!” Jade Envoy barked, clutching his broken arm and spinning to flee. He knew now he’d kicked an iron wall beyond imagination.

But as he turned, he found his feet weighed down as if filled with lead—he couldn’t lift them at all.

The same fate befell the other three Demon Sect members, who were likewise rooted to the spot.

“Did I say you could leave?”

With Yi Yi in hand, I strolled forward, each step pressing upon their chests like a heavy weight.

“Spare us, senior!” Jade Envoy’s composure crumbled. He fell to his knees, kowtowing desperately. “We failed to recognize your greatness and offended you. For the Demon Lord’s sake, please spare us!”

“The Demon Lord?” I paused, a flicker of interest in my voice. “Is he formidable?”

“Yes! The Demon Lord is a legend in our time, unmatched in power…”

“Enough.”

I waved my hand impatiently.

In the next moment, Jade Envoy and the other three met the same fate as their companion—silently turned to ash, vanishing from the world as if they’d never existed.

It was the first time since entering the mortal realm that I’d killed. But their deaths were deserved—these men were evil incarnate, destined for destruction.

Having settled matters, I turned to the dazed girl.

“It’s all right now. You’re safe.” I smiled, as if what I’d done was a trivial matter.

Tang Ling looked from me to the scattered ashes on the ground, swallowing hard before finding her voice. She bowed deeply.

“Tang Ling of the Tang Clan thanks you for saving my life, senior! May I have your name? The Tang Clan will surely repay this great kindness!”

I gazed at her, understanding that fate had now bound us together.

“My surname is Jiang,” I replied calmly. “As for repayment… I did come to Shu for something.”

“I’ve heard your clan possesses a wondrous item known as the ‘Thousand Mechanism Coffer.’”

A flicker of surprise flashed in Tang Ling’s eyes, but understanding quickly replaced it.

Someone as unfathomable as I would not have saved her out of idle chivalry. Seeking something in return was only natural.

“The Thousand Mechanism Coffer…” she murmured, her expression complicated. “Senior, I’m not authorized to decide such matters. My father is the current head of the Tang Clan. Please, come with me to our stronghold to discuss this.”

“As it should be.” I nodded with a smile, entirely at ease.

Under Tang Ling’s guidance, we passed through a defensive zone blending modern surveillance with ancient traps. Along the way, she reported the situation through a communicator on her wrist. No doubt, the Tang Fortress must be in turmoil by now.

When we entered the fortress’s massive bronze gates, we were met by dozens of Tang Clan disciples, each armed with intricate crossbows and sharp eyes. They lined up with murderous vigilance, but their gazes toward me brimmed with awe and curiosity.

Beyond the gates lay a broad training ground. At the far end, atop the steps of the main building—Cloud Piercing Pavilion—stood a tall, stern-faced middle-aged man. Dressed in a dark purple Tang suit, temples touched with frost, his very presence commanded respect. He was the current head of the Tang Clan—Tang Ao.

“Father!” Tang Ling hurried forward and bowed deeply.

Tang Ao’s gaze lingered on his daughter for a moment, and only after confirming her safety did his taut features relax somewhat. Then his hawk-like eyes settled upon me.

He tried to see through me, but found that I was like a bottomless ancient well—depthless and impenetrable. This feeling made Tang Ao, lord of the Tang Clan and a power of Shu, tense inwardly.

“Tang Ao of the Tang Clan thanks you for saving my daughter.” He cupped his fists, his voice steady and forceful. “Might I have your name? The Tang Clan will never forget this debt.”

“My surname is Jiang.” With Yi Yi in hand, I stepped forward to meet his gaze. “As for the debt—think nothing of it. I saved her only for the sake of a transaction.”

My frankness made Tang Ao’s brows knit slightly.

“You seek the ‘Thousand Mechanism Coffer?’” He was direct—clearly, Tang Ling had already informed him.

“Indeed.”

“I cannot oblige you.” Tang Ao’s refusal was firm. “The Thousand Mechanism Coffer is a sacred relic left by our founder, the symbol of our clan. It will not be traded to outsiders.”

His refusal came as no surprise.

I did not argue. Instead, I swept my gaze over the Tang Clan disciples on alert, and the faint glint of mechanisms on distant rooftops, then spoke softly:

“Clan Lord Tang, your hospitality seems… rather tense.”

Tang Ao snorted coldly. “Your power is unfathomable, and you come seeking our sacred relic. I must be cautious.”

“Cautious?” I smiled and shook my head. “You cannot guard against me.”

With Yi Yi in tow, I took a single step forward.

Just one step.

A deep hum resonated.

An invisible pressure radiated from me, engulfing the entire training ground in an instant. It was not a deliberate display of killing intent, but an overwhelming suppression of life itself.

All the Tang Clan disciples felt as if a mountain had descended upon them. Their breath caught, their crossbows weighed a thousand pounds, and they could barely raise their arms. Even the hidden mechanisms creaked under the strain, threatening to snap.

Tang Ao bore the brunt, his face blanching as he struggled to marshal his inner strength. Yet he felt like a lone boat in a raging sea, on the verge of capsizing.

He understood at last—my words, “You cannot guard against me,” were not arrogance, but a statement of fact.

If I wished, I could destroy the Tang Fortress with a mere gesture.

“Papa, they can barely breathe,” Yi Yi whispered in my arms.

At her reminder, I willed the crushing pressure away. Instantly, it vanished as if it had never existed.

Relief swept the crowd. Many disciples nearly collapsed, kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath. Their eyes, once filled with awe, were now brimming with pure terror.

Tang Ao’s back was soaked with cold sweat. He looked at me, his expression a tangled web of horror, anger, and—above all—helplessness.

“Now, shall we discuss our transaction?” I asked quietly.