masters-orleans Chapter 370: Times Have Changed
Chapter 370: Times Have Changed
The Black Dragon wore a complicated expression. He had never met anyone like Yang Chan.
He was completely unfazed by external influences, yet also cautious to a fault. This was completely different from most Martial Arts Cultivators, who would charge forward with reckless abandon.
Back in his day, Martial Arts Cultivators were bold enough to venture into perilous lands where death was almost certain, all for the slightest chance to advance their Martial Arts Cultivation.
But now, this one was far too cautious.
’I feel like I’ve been sealed in this tower for too long. I can’t adapt to this new era.’
’Compared to my era, where people would fight to the death over the smallest opportunity, Yang Chan’s generation is too calm. The lines of profit and loss are drawn too clearly. They care more about their lives than their Cultivation. That spirit of risking everything in a single gamble is gone.’
’If everyone is like Yang Chan, I’ll never get the chance to leave this tower.’
’The next person will probably take one step inside and then immediately turn tail and flee, gone in a flash.’
The Black Dragon took a deep breath. He couldn’t resign himself to his fate, but he had decided on a compromise.
"Here is the Profound Yin Mala you wanted. However, my power is restricted. I can only send it a distance of about six feet."
As he spoke, the Black Dragon took the Mala hanging from his body and tossed it over.
It landed exactly six feet away.
Seeing this, Yang Chan glanced at the Black Dragon, a Flying Knife appearing in his hand.
He circled along the wall at the top of the tower for a few steps. After finding a suitable position, he aimed the Flying Knife directly at the Mala.
"CLINK!"
The Mala didn’t shatter. He knew this kind of bead was protected by a special power, making it difficult to break with brute force. He simply watched as the Flying Knife sent it flying.
But the distance it traveled surprised him.
The Mala only flew about three meters before stopping, as if some force were restraining it.
At a flicker of thought from Yang Chan, three Hidden Arrows appeared in his hand. A surge of Sword Intent coursed through him, and he fired again.
"CLINK!"
The Mala moved, but it veered back toward the Black Dragon, as if an invisible force was pulling it.
Upon seeing this, the cold look on Yang Chan’s face intensified.
Flying Needles, Hidden Arrows, and Flying Knives all appeared in his hands.
"Kid, I’m not playing any tricks."
"My power can only affect things up to three feet away. I have no control beyond that."
"This Profound Yin Mala isn’t mine. It was left in the tower by the Profound Celestial Divine Monarch."
The Black Dragon, seeing the weapons in Yang Chan’s hands, hurriedly explained.
He had sensed the killing intent surging from Yang Chan, a man who clearly meant what he said.
’The moment he feels something is off, he’s ready to kill. His decisiveness is beyond what I anticipated.’
The Black Dragon quickly splayed his claws, making his intentions clear to avoid being attacked by Yang Chan.
"That had better be the case. If I can’t retrieve the Profound Yin Mala safely, then I’m afraid it’ll be your funeral."
"After all, in my eyes, your life is nowhere near as precious as mine."
"For my own safety, I don’t mind killing an innocent party by mistake!"
Yang Chan’s gaze sharpened as he let even more of his killing intent show.
’I’m no stranger to bloodshed. Plenty of people have died by my hand, and they were all Cultivators of considerable strength.’
’Killing an expert of the Black Dragon’s caliber would be a new record for me.’
’Even if the Black Dragon is under numerous seals and can’t use its full power, it still counts.’
’When I killed those with higher Martial Arts Cultivation than me before, I didn’t rely on raw power. I used all sorts of tricks.’
’It’s the same now. I don’t care about the methods.’
’As for whether the Black Dragon would die an unjust death, that’s even less important.’
’Just as the Black Dragon, in its prime, wouldn’t have cared how many innocent lives it destroyed, I don’t care about its life either.’
’If I didn’t sense a potential threat, I would have been the one to strike first.’
’The Black Dragon may not have done anything to offend me, but the mere fact that it endangers my life is reason enough.’
Three more Flying Knives appeared in Yang Chan’s hand. After a moment’s thought, he changed his position, imbued the blades with his Sword Intent, and threw them out in succession.
Two of the Flying Knives were aimed straight at the Profound Yin Mala, but the last one shot toward the space just in front of it.
’If there’s some strange force pulling it, I’ll just sever it.’
"CLINK!"
A Flying Knife shot out, and the pulling force emanated from the Profound Yin Mala once more. But just as the force appeared, the second Flying Knife sliced through the air, shattering it completely. Simultaneously, the third Flying Knife struck the Profound Yin Mala.
"THUD!"
Propelled by the immense force, the Profound Yin Mala landed beside the mural on the wall.
If the mural hadn’t been protected by a special power, the Mala would have embedded itself deep into the wall, or perhaps even passed straight through it.
The force Yang Chan had used was considerable; an ordinary wall could never have withstood such a massive impact.
He glanced at the Black Dragon, who still had its claws splayed, maintaining its non-threatening posture.
With the Mala now separated from the Black Dragon, Yang Chan walked unhurriedly toward the Profound Yin Mala. He did not rush to pick it up.
’I spent a great deal of effort to get this Mala, but I can’t rule out the possibility that this is all a deliberate trap set by the Black Dragon.’
’These ancient monsters have lived so long, they’re bound to be devious beyond imagination. There’s no such thing as being too cautious. I have to be careful.’
As Yang Chan drew closer, he watched the Black Dragon out of the corner of his eye. It seemed a bit nervous, a bit regretful, but mostly, it looked indignant.
It looked as if it couldn’t accept giving up its chance to escape so easily.
Yang Chan approached slowly. Instead of picking it up with his hand, he used a Flying Claw from his belt to grab it. He then took out his flint and steel, created a small flame, and began to scorch the Profound Yin Mala.
It was as if he believed the Profound Yin Mala was tainted with something unclean and couldn’t be touched directly.
Seeing this, the Black Dragon in the center of the room widened its eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen someone so cautious.
’The times really have changed.’
’People these days are too cautious.’
The flame engulfed the entire Profound Yin Mala, scorching every inch of its surface. The already black Mala became even darker.
Nothing seemed to change on its surface. Still, Yang Chan didn’t pick it up. Instead, he summoned his Sword Intent and enveloped the entire Mala with it. After cleansing it with his Demon Suppressing Sword Intent, he sat down cross-legged to the side to recover his Spiritual Power, in no hurry to finally take it.
Once his Spiritual Power had recovered, Yang Chan began to eat some of the edible Spirit Medicine he carried, all with the same unhurried demeanor.
It was as if, now that the Profound Yin Mala was within his grasp, he was no longer in any rush.
The Black Dragon watched quietly from the side, its expression unchanging. In the depths of its pupils, however, a hint of panic flickered.
He hadn’t been entirely honest. He had tampered with the Profound Yin Mala.
’If I can’t leave the tower this time, if I can’t escape this special space, I’ll probably never get another chance.’
’On the surface, I was forced to tell Yang Chan the way out and even had to hand over the Profound Yin Mala. It all looked like a ploy to stay alive, to wait for the next "fated one."’
’But that was all a disguise. As an old monster who has lived for nearly ten thousand years, I’m full of countless little schemes. I laid my trap without him ever noticing.’