Naked Sword Art

[ Fear ]

"This…"

The Elders instinctively took a few steps back.

Despite his Death Reaper cultivation only being in the Refinement Realm, the energy he exuded was anything but weak. Even Sihun Kuye couldn't suppress the tremors that ran through his body.

In that moment, Xiao Fang's presence was reminiscent of death itself—cold and absolute.

Elder Luo's gaze remained fixed on Xiao Fang.

"That boy… he's cursed."

Luo Yue blinked, confusion crossing her face.

"Cursed?"

In the world of Taboo Cultivation, possessing a curse was a necessity to break through to the Heavenly Realm. Without one, no amount of training could push a cultivator beyond the 9th stage of the Divine Realm.

In Xiao Fang's case, the curse he wielded wasn't just any curse—it was the very kind required for a Death Reaper cultivator to ascend to the Heavenly Realm. Even more astonishing was the fact that he had unlocked its full power despite not yet reaching that realm. Such a feat was considered impossible.

Many of the Elders were stunned, but some wore grim expressions, their eyes heavy with realization. There was only one way Xiao Fang could have acquired that particular curse—it had to have come from their late Patriarch. He had vanished while fending off a powerful enemy, buying them the time to seek refuge in the Chaos Sect. Xiao Fang's possession of that curse practically confirmed their darkest suspicions: the Patriarch of the Death Reaper Clan was dead. And now, his curse resided in Xiao Fang's body.

Xiao Fang held his ground, his gaze steady and unyielding. "If you have more questions, ask them. I'm not in the habit of standing around for mere curiosity."

As simple as his words were, coming from Xiao Fang it felt more like a threat, as if they weren't worth his time. Knowing what they know now, no one had the courage to look at him with an arrogant gaze, even by how Xiao Fang carried himself, it was as if they were facing their late Patriarch himself.

A hushed silence fell over the crowd before, unexpectedly, the Elders began to lower themselves onto their knees—not in submission, but in reverence. One of the leading Elders looked up at Xiao Fang, his eyes shining with something akin to awe.

"Young man, what is your name?"

Xiao Fang raised a brow at the sudden change in atmosphere but answered plainly,

"Fang."

The name resonated among them, murmurs spreading through the crowd. It was as if they were hearing the name of someone destined for greatness—someone marked by fate.

The Elder's eyes glimmered with newfound respect.

"Master Fang… the curse you possess must have belonged to our late Patriarch, if you can already draw out its full power, that means you must be an exceptional cultivator."

Sihun Kuye's expression hardened, but he held his tongue. Xiao Fang's demonstration had shaken even the Elders, and that was not something easily dismissed.

'My curse belonged to their Patriarch?' Xiao Fang thought.

It wasn't too hard to believe since he was able to loot a spatial ring from the corpse.

Xiao Fang's gaze remained calm but sharp as he observed the kneeling Elders. Their reaction struck him as somewhat dramatic, but the palpable weight of their reverence pressed heavily against him.

Suddenly, the sound of grinding stone rumbled through the air, drawing everyone's attention. The sealed entrance to the Dual Cultivation Clan's territory was opening, the heavy stone slab shifting aside with a groan.

The crowd turned to look, and the moment their eyes fell upon the woman emerging from behind the stone, nearly all of their hearts skipped a beat. Her aura was radiant and unyielding, her steps graceful yet powerful.

"Mother," Xiao Fang called out, his voice steady.

His words struck the Elders like a hammer, their eyes widening with realization as the connection became clear.

Yu An stood there, speechless, her gaze sweeping over the scene. To find several of the strongest Elders from another Inner Court clan kneeling before her son was something she could hardly believe.

Her eyes settled on Xiao Fang, then shifted to the Elders kneeling before him. "What is going on here?" she asked, her voice steady and commanding, carrying the weight of authority and experience.

The Elder who had been speaking with Xiao Fang was the first to step forward. He straightened his back and cupped his fists respectfully.

"My name is Sihun Kuang," he introduced himself with a dignified tone. "We came here to discuss the possibility of an alliance between the Death Reaper Clan and the Dual Cultivation Clan."

His eyes flickered back to Xiao Fang for a brief moment, still visibly unsettled by what he had just witnessed.

"My name is Yu An, and I am the Matriarch of the Dual Cultivation Clan. If you're here to discuss an alliance, please follow me into my clan. We can talk there," Yu An said calmly, her gaze firm and unwavering.

The Elder clasped his fists in respect. "We would like that very much," he replied courteously.

Without further delay, Yu An reopened the stone passage leading underground, the heavy entrance grinding open with a surge of Dual Cultivation Qi. She gestured for them to descend, her eyes steady and unyielding.

As the group began to file in, the Elder who had been speaking with Xiao Fang paused, turning back to face him.

"Master Fang," the Elder said respectfully, extending both hands. "Please accept this as a token of our goodwill."

Xiao Fang's gaze lowered to the object in the Elder's hands—it was the Death Reaper Clan's technique book.

Surprise flickered across his face, but he accepted it calmly, clasping his fist in gratitude.

"Thank you," he said with genuine appreciation.

The Elder mirrored the gesture, nodding before following his clan members down the stone path that led deep into the Dual Cultivation Clan's territory.

As they disappeared from sight, Xiao Fang turned to Yu An.

"Mother, why did you come up here?" he asked, his tone filled with curiosity.

"Ah, right, I almost forgot." Yu An smiled warmly as she reached into her spatial pouch. From its depths, she pulled out a beautifully crafted, ornate flute. Its surface shimmered with faint engravings of ancient symbols, radiating a faint yet distinct aura.

"A flute?" Xiao Fang asked, examining it closely.

"It's a high-grade artifact," she explained, holding it out to him. "Once you begin practicing from the Dual Cultivation technique book, you'll be able to perform certain techniques with it. It's something unique to our clan."

Xiao Fang took the flute, its weight surprisingly light, yet he could feel the dense concentration of Qi swirling within it. He had little understanding of how Dual Cultivators fought, so this revelation surprised him.

"Thank you, Mother," he said sincerely.

Yu An's eyes softened with affection. "Anything for you, my son. But listen," she added, her tone growing serious. "Be careful who you show that flute to. If the wrong people see it—."

Xiao Fang nodded firmly. "I know. I'll be careful."

Yu An reached out, placing her hand gently on his face, her thumb brushing his cheek with tender familiarity. Xiao Fang kissed her palm, causing her eyes to glimmer with emotion.

He stepped back, placing a hand on Luo Yue's shoulder, but not before turning back to look at Yu An one last time. She raised her hand, kissing the same spot he had kissed before waving him off with a smile.

Xiao Fang lingered for just a moment, capturing the image of her loving expression before activating [ Soul Merge ] with Luo Yue. His body shimmered with Soul Qi and vanished from sight, melding seamlessly into hers.

Without another word, they were off, leaving Yu An watching the empty space where they once stood, her smile lingering long after they had disappeared from view.

.

.

.

Xiao Fang didn't wait around once he returned to the Soul Devouring clan in the Outer Court. He said his goodbyes then went on his way back to the Black Paradise sect.

The path back to the Black Paradise Sect stretched long and winding, with towering trees and mist-covered hills flanking both sides. Riding comfortably on Xiao Hei's back in her majestic feline form, Xiao Fang held the Death Reaper technique book in one hand as he read from it.

Just like the Dual Cultivation clan's technique book, there were many techniques he could learn to assist him in a variety of ways, but when it came to physical attacks, nothing he found could compare to any of his Divine Sword techniques. So he decided the next technique he'd learn should be something that could be useful outside of combat.

Sitting behind him, Yin Fei clung tightly to Xiao Fang as they sped down the winding path. The sheer speed left her breathless—she had never traveled this fast before. Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Hei was merely cruising at a leisurely pace.

Her arms wrapped around Xiao Fang's waist, she pressed herself against his back, her heart racing not just from the speed, but from the closeness. It wasn't until she felt the firmness of his muscles against her chest that she realized how tightly she was holding him, her C-cup breasts pressing into him.

A small smile crept onto her lips.

At first, the sensation of moving this fast felt a bit reckless, even dangerous, but it didn't take long for excitement to replace her hesitation. She raised one hand, letting the wind rush through her fingers, tugging gently at her hair as they flew past trees and open plains. The feeling was exhilarating—liberating.

A sudden laugh escaped her lips, surprising even herself. The sound caught Xiao Fang's attention, and he glanced back curiously, his eyes meeting hers.

Looking up at him, Yin Fei found herself unable to look away.

"Are you having fun back there?"

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