novelraw Chapter 986: Defying Fate (2)
Chapter 986: Defying Fate (2)
The method of extending life wasn’t something Huang Qifa inherited from Mr. Blind.
The "Plain-Clothed Dao" sect, being an orthodox school of geomancy and physiognomy, strictly forbids its practitioners from using such sinister methods. However, Huang Qifa couldn’t be considered an orthodox disciple of the sect. His grandfather had only served as Mr. Blind’s personal attendant and was never formally apprenticed.
Thus, Huang Qifa believed that the sect’s rules didn’t apply to him.
This dark art of life extension was something he had learned elsewhere over the years. During a trip to Thailand, invited by a local general for guidance, he encountered a Nanyang witch doctor. From this witch doctor, he learned the sinister technique.
However, the method was extremely cruel, and despite mastering it, Huang Qifa had only used it twice over the years.
The first time was for a high-ranking individual, extending his life. The second time was under duress—someone had threatened him with a knife to his throat, leaving him no choice.
This was the third time.
Huang Qifa took a deep breath and carefully pulled out a short bamboo tube—an artifact he had obtained from the Nanyang witch doctor at great expense, capable of being used only three times.
For years, he had kept the final use as a last resort. Now, it was time to use it.
Inside the bamboo tube was a peculiar gu worm known as the "Life-Transfer Gu." The worm would extract the lifespan of the first person it bit and, upon biting a second person, transfer that lifespan to them. However, the gu worm would die after a single use.Huang Qifa needed to seize the right moment.
In his eyes, the two young men before him emitted an inner brilliance, radiating vitality. They were destined for greatness, but he couldn’t determine whose fate was more promising.
Huang Qifa didn’t aspire to immortality; he knew he lacked the qualifications. Otherwise, Mr. Blind would have allowed him to follow as a disciple during their encounters.
He merely wanted to live longer and continue enjoying the pleasures of life he hadn’t yet had enough of.
“Twenty years... No, just fifteen years,” Huang Qifa muttered darkly as he pulled the stopper from the bamboo tube. “I only need fifteen years... You’re still so young.”
Finally, Huang Qifa aimed the bamboo tube at the younger-looking Chasing Wind, chanting strange syllables—a technique he had learned from the Nanyang witch doctor to summon the gu worm.
Yet, no matter how much he chanted, the gu worm refused to emerge. Panicked, Huang Qifa checked the bamboo tube and found the gu worm alive, which reassured him slightly.
Frowning, he muttered, “The witch doctor never mentioned the Life-Transfer Gu refusing to bite.”
With no time to spare, he turned his attention to Mo Xiaofei.
“It’s moving!”
This time, under his chants, a vibrantly colored centipede slowly crawled out of the bamboo tube.
Huang Qifa’s breathing quickened. He was confident the young men wouldn’t wake easily—he had released a heavy dose of sleeping gas into the air beforehand.
But then, something unexpected happened. The centipede stopped short of climbing onto Mo Xiaofei and curled up on the table as if in fear.
“What the hell is going on?” Huang Qifa exclaimed.
The Life-Transfer Gu seemed terrified—a reaction he couldn’t comprehend. Could it be that these two young men’s destinies were so strong that even the gu worm dared not harm them?
“The harder it resists, the stronger their fates!” Instead of despair, Huang Qifa grew excited. A stronger fate would yield greater benefits for him.
Determined, Huang Qifa bit his own finger and smeared blood on the centipede’s back. The blood was quickly absorbed, and the centipede's body began to expand.
Chanting again, he watched as the centipede crawled onto Mo Xiaofei’s arm, then his shoulder, and finally toward his left ear. It burrowed into Mo Xiaofei’s ear, disappearing inside.
Huang Qifa sighed in relief, sitting back down. All he needed to do now was wait for the gu worm to extract the life force.
Suddenly, Chasing Wind’s eyes snapped open!
---
Chasing Wind’s eyes glowed red briefly. He sat up, instantly noticing the bamboo tube in Huang Qifa’s hand and the bloodstains on his fingers. The tube was aimed at Mo Xiaofei.
“Big Brother? Big Brother?” Chasing Wind shook Mo Xiaofei, who showed no signs of waking. Furious, he bared sharp canine teeth at Huang Qifa. “What did you do to my brother?!”
Terrified by Chasing Wind’s fierce demeanor, Huang Qifa stammered, “How... how are you awake? I used a heavy dose of sleeping gas!”
Ignoring him, Chasing Wind grabbed Huang Qifa’s arm with terrifying strength, making him scream in pain.
“Answer me! What did you do to my brother?” Chasing Wind demanded, his eyes narrowing into slits glowing purple—not human eyes.
“You’re... you’re not human!” Huang Qifa gasped in terror.
Chasing Wind tightened his grip. “I’ll kill you if you don’t speak! I’ve never liked humans anyway!”
Panicked, Huang Qifa suddenly saw Mo Xiaofei collapse to the ground, writhing in agony as if enduring excruciating pain.
Mo Xiaofei’s body levitated, emitting a violent force that flung Chasing Wind into a wooden beam. Huang Qifa, less fortunate, was slammed into the wall, his old bones breaking from the impact.
Coughing blood, Huang Qifa lay crumpled, barely alive.
“Big Brother!” Chasing Wind shouted, struggling to approach Mo Xiaofei. But even with his supernatural strength, he couldn’t withstand the force emanating from Mo Xiaofei’s body.
“Big Brother!!”
Mo Xiaofei hovered midair, screaming in agony before crashing to the ground. The oppressive force vanished instantly.
---
Mo Xiaofei felt detached from his body, his head splitting with pain.
Countless chaotic voices filled his mind—some booming like bells, others roaring like armies, mingled with whispers of debauchery. They overwhelmed his senses.
“Your Majesty! The six states are now unified! Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king, and all within its borders are his subjects!”
…
“Xu Fu! I commanded you to seek the elixir of immortality. Have you accomplished this?”
…
“You shall not die well! Burning books and burying scholars! Retribution will surely come upon you!”
…
“Princess Yushu, do you understand my heart...”
…
Suddenly, Mo Xiaofei found himself standing in a grand palace. Candles illuminated the space, making it as bright as day, yet the eerie desolation sent chills through his heart.
In front of the palace’s throne, steps led to a seat shrouded by blue gauze. Cold winds howled through the hall, causing the gauze to flutter continuously.
Faintly, Mo Xiaofei could see a shadow seated on the throne.
“Who are you…”
Clutching his head in pain, Mo Xiaofei staggered forward, but the path to the throne seemed endless. No matter how far he walked, the figure on the throne seemed even farther away.
“Who are you? Are you my past life?” Mo Xiaofei groaned, pressing his temples harder. “Who are you!!!!”
Suddenly, the shadow behind the gauze on the throne slowly rose. With a wave of its hand, all the candles in the palace were extinguished in an instant.
“From this day forth, you shall remain in this cage for me!”
…
…
“Big brother! Big brother!”
Chasing Wind rushed to Mo Xiaofei’s side, shaking his shoulders forcefully and pressing his ear against his chest.
“Thank goodness…” Chasing Wind muttered in relief as he heard the steady and powerful beat of Mo Xiaofei’s heart.
At that moment, Mo Xiaofei’s eyes slowly opened.
When he first looked at Chasing Wind, he frowned slightly, then began scanning his surroundings. Afterward, he fell silent, his eyes shadowed with complex emotions, deep in thought.
“Big brother… are you alright?” Chasing Wind asked nervously, sensing something unusual in Mo Xiaofei—especially the sharp intensity in his eyes.
“What place is this?” Mo Xiaofei finally spoke, his tone cold and unfamiliar.
“Huh?” Chasing Wind blinked in confusion. “It’s Wudang Mountain. Big brother, have you forgotten?”
Mo Xiaofei frowned again, scrutinizing Chasing Wind before suddenly asking, “What did you just call me?”
“Call you what? Big brother, what’s wrong with you? Why are you talking so strangely?” Chasing Wind scratched his head in puzzlement. “It’s that damned old man’s fault! Something must’ve gone wrong! Big brother, you’ve been cursed by that old man, haven’t you?”
“Impudent!” Mo Xiaofei suddenly let out a cold snort, flicking his sleeve.
At that moment, Chasing Wind felt an immense, oppressive force, driving him to his knees. His heart pounded wildly under the overwhelming pressure.
“Big brother’s gravity power is getting scarier…” Chasing Wind thought, struggling to endure.
Mo Xiaofei, seemingly unaware, stared at his hands in a daze. “When did I…”
Gathering his strength, Chasing Wind pushed against the crushing force, transforming partially into his demon form to rise to his feet.
“Big brother! Snap out of it! I’m Chasing Wind! Don’t you remember me? Mo Xiaofei, my big brother!”
“Mo Xiaofei?” Mo Xiaofei murmured, frowning as if processing the name. “So, that is my name in this life? Ridiculous! And you…”
Mo Xiaofei glared at Chasing Wind, his face darkening. “You are a demon? A vile creature of another race, daring to call yourself my brother?”
Hearing this, Chasing Wind wasn’t angered but rather shocked, murmuring, “This is bad. Big brother’s really been cursed… he doesn’t even recognize me.”
Just then, Mo Xiaofei winced in pain, reaching toward his left ear. He pulled out a small, colorful centipede.
“Evil creature, perish!”
Mo Xiaofei crushed the centipede in his hand, killing it instantly.
The sight sent shivers through the battered Huang Qifa. “My ‘Life-Transfer Gu’! No!”
“Wicked man! How dare you harm me! You deserve death!” Mo Xiaofei pointed at Huang Qifa.
In an instant, Huang Qifa’s soul seemed to be sucked out of his body, leaving behind an empty husk. His mouth fell open as his lifeless body collapsed.
A single gesture dictated life and death—words of iron authority.
(End of Chapter)