Free Web NovelChapter 182: Chapter 175: My Legs, Move! Move Faster
"What’s there to panic about!"
"As long as I, Dong Changsheng, am here, I won’t let you come to the slightest harm!"
"I’ll get you across!"
"Get us across?"
One of the disciples was stunned.
"That’s right," he said, pointing to his own arm. "I’m going to throw you over!"
As soon as he said this, the disciples’ faces turned even paler than before.
They instinctively glanced down at the pitch-black abyss below, then looked at the other side, their legs already starting to feel weak.
"N-no, please don’t, Mr. Dong!"
"It’s too far! What if... what if you miss...?"
"Yeah, Mr. Dong, is this really okay? I... I’m scared!"
Seeing their pathetic state, the smile on Dong Changsheng’s face instantly twisted into a scowl. He roared at them:
"What a disgrace! Look at you all!
Crying and whimpering, what kind of behavior is that!
We are Cultivators, seekers of the Dao! If you don’t even have this much courage, how will you ever face your tribulations!
How will you ever achieve success!!
We can’t let others look down on us!!!"
He seized the disciple who had been the first to beg for mercy, who trembled in fright.
Dong Changsheng looked him straight in the eye, his tone softening:
"Don’t cry. Show some backbone!
Even if I miss and you fall, in eighteen years, you’ll be a hero again!
Besides, do you not trust me? Junior Brother, I will help you!"
With that, he gave the disciple no chance to resist. His biceps bulged as he channeled Spiritual Qi into his arms, then he suddenly grabbed the disciple by the waist and, amidst a strangled scream of terror, hurled him toward the other side!
The disciple flew through the air in a perfect arc, completely disoriented. He landed ungracefully, tumbling several times, but he had ultimately made it safely to the other side.
Where there was one, there was a second.
Under Dong Changsheng’s mix of coercion and feigned kindness, the remaining disciples could only tremble in fear as they accepted their fate of being thrown.
After the last disciple landed safely, their feelings toward Dong Changsheng became extremely complicated—a mixture of gratitude and an unspeakable terror.
"Thank... thank you, Mr. Dong..."
"Mr. Dong... your great kindness... we... we’ll never forget it as long as we live!"
"It’s our fault for being unskilled and holding you back, Mr. Dong!"
Hearing the sounds of gratitude from the other side, a huge sense of satisfaction swelled in Dong Changsheng’s heart.
Leaning on his knees and panting, he preached loudly:
"Remember this!
The reason I could save you today is because I have a stronger mentality than you!
I have more faith than you that I will definitely succeed!!
In the future, you must be like me. Always remember: good people may be bullied by men, but never by Heaven! Evil people may be feared by men, but never by Heaven!
As long as our hearts are filled with good intentions, the heavens will surely be on our side!!!"
His words were powerful and resonant, moving the disciples so deeply that their admiration for Dong Changsheng reached its peak. They even felt ashamed of the slight discomfort they had felt while being thrown.
"Wait just a moment! I’m coming over now!!!"
However, just as Dong Changsheng took a deep breath, preparing to back up for a running start and gather Spiritual Qi at the soles of his feet to make the final leap...
The unexpected happened.
On the other side, right behind the disciples who had just thought they were safe, several twisted, cursed wraiths began to crawl out from the shadows!
"AHHH—!"
"They’re... they’re behind us!"
The gratitude on the other side instantly turned into screams of utter horror.
Behind them was the abyss, and before them were man-eating monsters!
They were trapped, with absolutely no way to retreat!
This sudden turn of events made Dong Changsheng, who was about to jump, freeze instantly.
The righteousness, composure, and noble grandeur on his face all collapsed!
’These damn things, they tricked me!’
’They let us cross on purpose, making me send my junior brothers right into a trap!’
’How vicious!’
’How insidious!’
’I... I have to go over there and save them!’
’I’m their senior brother!’
’How can I just stand by and watch!!!’
The thoughts screamed wildly in Dong Changsheng’s mind. He could even picture himself leaping across, unleashing his mighty power... or dying together with them!
’Jump!’
’Dong Changsheng!’
’Just jump!!!’
He commanded himself, his eyes locked on the other side.
But his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, refusing to move an inch.
The Spiritual Qi gathered at the soles of his feet had now become incredibly sluggish.
’My legs... why won’t my legs move!’
’Move!’
’Move, damn it!’
Just as his mind was in turmoil but his body remained honestly frozen in place, the floor beneath him suddenly warped.
A small, ghoulish wraith appeared less than a foot in front of him, grinning.
"AHHH—!!!"
This up-close terror completely shattered the last thread of his sanity.
He didn’t even have time to think. Spiritual Qi gathered in his palm, and he slapped out at it!
SMACK!
The small wraith was hit by a palm strike containing the Spiritual Power of the eighth layer of Qi Refining and was instantly annihilated, its soul scattered to the winds.
And that strike was like flipping a switch.
The success of killing the little wraith and the horror of facing death up close intertwined, transforming into the most primal survival instinct.
A jolt of fear shot through Dong Changsheng, and the stiffness in his body was instantly broken.
Without any hesitation, without any delay.
He spun around abruptly and poured all his Spiritual Power into his legs to sprint backward!
"Mr. Dong! Save us!!"
The disciples on the other side cried out in disbelief.
Their only answer was the sight of Dong Changsheng’s back as he fled without a second glance, and his shriek, distorted by fear yet still self-righteous, echoing through the corridor:
"Junior Brothers! Hold on! This is a test from the heavens on your path to success! I have given you the opportunity to face this test!"
"You must use your lives to prove that evil can never triumph over good!"
"Remember! This is not death!"
"When you realize this is all just an illusion and you’re still alive, you will understand my difficult decision!"
Before his voice had even faded, he had already disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
All that remained were the few disciples, who, in the bone-chilling cold and a final sense of absurdity at his twisted, heretical logic, were completely devoured by the countless wraiths pouring out of the shadows.
Their bloodcurdling screams echoed over the abyss, but they would receive no mercy...
...
「Hundreds of miles away, at Qingxu Temple.」
In a secret chamber in the forbidden back mountain.
The Daoist Xuanyuan sat cross-legged. On the stone platform before him, an ancient bronze mirror floated silently.
The main Lingxi Inquiry Profound Mirror.
On the mirror’s surface, a point of light symbolizing one of the sub-mirrors flickered several times without warning, then, with a soft POP, went out completely.
Immediately after, as if in a chain reaction.
POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!
Several more points of light went out in quick succession!
