Chapter 172: Confidence

　　Leyang Wen could not have picked a better time. He barged into the Miao stockade village when Wen Leyang, who knew nothing about witchcraft, tried to cast the Heart-linking Lock. If the person who was casting the spell was little Chi Maojiu, not only will Leyang Wen face a great opponent Wen Leyang, little Chi Maojiu might manipulate the witchcraft, which he knew only too well, to activate the vital fire of the Heart-linking Lock, confronting Leyang Wen with powerful spells.

　　Therefore, Leyang Wen did not underestimate his opponents.

　　At the City God Temple of Shanghai, he knew that Wen Leyang was agile and strong. Wen Leyang even had the Metal Poison Stream flowing freely beneath his feet, which was comparable even to the might of a cultivator’s treasured weapon. He had guarded himself against the possibility that Wen Leyang would attack him while risking the backfire of the Heart-linking Lock since he cast the Laughing Face witchcraft spell.

　　In his eyes, Wen Leyang was a leopard. However, he did not expect that the leopard would turn into a Tyrannosaurus!

　　Short-statured Leyang Wen understood that the instant he was punched. Although he did not underestimate his opponent, in reality, he still took Wen Leyang too lightly.

　　In terms of speed or power, Wen Leyang, who had his bones remolded by the Poison of Life and Death and the Power of Yin and Yang, was no less superior than old demon rabbit’s glory days. Although he did not understand the demonic or Buddhist magic powers of Bu Le, his skins and bones were tougher. If the old Bu Le and the young Wen Leyang were to battle, the results would be hard to tell.

　　Leyang Wen had underestimated his enemy and was struck by little Chi Maojiu’s Ben Ming. In that flustered state of mind, he could not evade Wen Leyang’s lightning-fast sneak attack.

　　The short-statured man’s sudden improvement in witchcraft was just as Wen Leyang had guessed. After Leyang Tian and Taoist priest San Wei met their demise, the witchcraft power, which Leyang Tian had inherited from his ancestors, was passed onto Leyang Wen.

　　The reason the Painting Town elders did not pass the witchcraft power to Leyang Shoujin but passed it down to Leyang Tian instead was because Leyang Tian had natural qualities that were suitable to learn the Art of Witchcraft. However, Leyang Tian died a month ago and Leyang Wen was the only surviving member of Painting Town’s Leyang line.

　　A mark would be planted by the witches of the family on each newly-born Leyang disciple. Even if the witch died abruptly, the inherited witchcraft power would be passed on to the next disciple with the mark. That was why when Leyang Tian died, Leyang Wen inherited Painting Town’s witchcraft power almost immediately. Lue Luo’s power of witchcraft was passed down from generation to generation for the past two thousand years. However, its power would diminish a little every time it was passed on. Hence, the power of witchcraft which Leyang Wen had inherited was weaker compared to two thousand years ago.

　　His talents were not as good as his brothers’ as the inherited witchcraft power was weakened. In terms of witchcraft abilities, Leyang Wen was naturally fweaker than his younger brother. Even if he fought Wen Leyang fair and square, he would be no match for him. It would not surprise him if he was beaten to a pulp.

　　The Heart-linking Lock’s witch’s fire was still rolling ferociously. Although the jade talisman was swallowing it at a fast speed, the witch’s fire was vast. It was not something that can be completely absorbed in a moment. Although Wen Leyang was unscathed, he dared not let his guard down. He was not confident of the capacity of the jade talisman. After a while, he probingly shouted towards the outside, “How’s Second Mother? How’s Chi Maojiu?” His skin was tense, ever ready to withstand the Witch’s Fire. He also retracted his telegnosis ability, hence, he was unable to see the situation outside.

　　The replies were a series of cries.

　　Second Mother managed to sit up with the elder’s support. She responded strenuously in a loud voice, “We’re alright. Good brother, are you alright?”

　　Wen Leyang did not know whether he was alright or not. Previously, when the primordial mountain demon was sealed inside the jade knife, it was awakened after it was filled with Heaven’s Thunder. Who knew what would happen after the jade talisman was filled. Knowing that Second Mother and Chi Maojiu were alright, his heart was slightly at ease. He opened his mouth again to ask Leyang Wen, “What’s with this jade talisman?”

　　Leyang Wen was in excruciating pain under the witchcraft of the few Qing Miao elites who were removing the Spell Bugs planted by Chi Maojiu. After hearing Wen Leyang’s words, he gritted his teeth and shook his head. He answered with hatred, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

　　Leyang Tian, who had a body containing witchcraft power, was the true inheritor of the Lue Luo line. Leyang Wen, who had little talents and was practicing artistry magical power, could only assist his younger brother. He settled the big and small matters of Painting Town in the cultivation world but did not understand much about the inner workings. He had no idea about the use of this jade talisman.

　　Wen Leyang kept quiet for a while and diverted the topic, “Before Leyang Tian died, he was with me. The Leyangs of Painting Town were disciples of Lue Luo. Our Wen family, Luo family and the Miao clansmen of Seven Maidens Mountain are all Tuo Xie’s disciples…”

　　Leyang Wen did not wait for him to finish. He cursed with a wan smile, “So what? Of course, I know that the Miao Bujiao are descendants of Tuo Xie. Can’t I snatch away the witchcraft power of Tuo Xie’s descendants? The ancestors’ dying wish was for me to complete his spell and bring the Ice Cone Nail back to Black and White Island to restore the demon-subduing formation. They also ordered me to support Fifth Brother Hanba until the end of time but they did not forbid me from touching the thing the Tuo Xie family! So what if I take away the Miao Bujiao’s witchcraft power? If killing Tuo Xie could fulfill the ancestors’ wish, of course, the Leyangs will harm him!”

　　For two thousand years, Grand Master Tuo Xie had been regarded as a holy person by the Miao Bujiao. With Leyang Wen talking uncouthly, the elder who was helping him remove the Spell Bugs raised his hand and gave him a merciless slap on the face.

　　Leyang Wen did not cry out in pain but laughed out loud, “Nice hit! Some bones the descendants of Tuo Xie have! I don’t get it, why did Tuo Xie not entrust these matters to his descendants with backbones but entrusted it to my Grand Master instead. What perplexes me more was where did Tuo Xie f*cking go after entrusting his own matters to others! Miao, Wens, whoever among you can explain this to me, I’ll kowtow and beg your forgiveness immediately!”

　　Leyang Wen had just finished when another slap was heard. The Qing Miao elder in front of him slapped himself on the face. He hit himself so hard that even the corner of his lips cracked.

　　Leyang Wen was slightly stunned. He asked casually, “What’re you doing?”

　　The Qing Miao elder’s Mandarin was extremely jerky but his tone was firm, ‘The Leyangs do not deserve to be hit but those who insult the ancestor must be punished. I have hit you, I’m paying you back now!”

　　Little Chi Maojiu had been staying on Nine Peaks Mountain for some time, listening to Wen Leyang telling the process of the whole story. When he learned of the origins of the Leyang line, Fifth Brother Hanba and them, the Tuo Xie disciples, he had written home a few days ago and told the entire story to Second Mother. The Qing Miao elders and other core personages all knew about Leyang Wen’s identity.

　　Wen Leyang sighed softly. Although Leyang Tian was not as fierce as Leyang Wen, his attitude was the same. They followed their ancestor’s orders, but did not have an ounce of good impression towards Tuo Xie and his disciples.

　　Lue Luo had given the Painting Town disciples two orders, which were to assist Hanba and to erase the Ice Cone Nail’s memories after she woke up.

　　The Leyang disciples had been tightly restricted by the order for two thousand years. During the first one thousand years, they were constantly monitoring and controlling Xiang Liu’s wicked soul. Neither could they let it kill any powerful demons, nor could they let it starve to death. The wicked soul was a vile thing. Its thoughts were sinister and its tricks were malevolent. It would not allow itself to be controlled by Painting Town’s ancestor. Who knew how many Leyang elites had been led to their deaths by the wicked soul. But this was a revenge that they could not take. If the father passed away, the son would have to continue to control and monitor.

　　During the second thousand years, Mi Xu’s zombie Hanba was resurrected. Painting Town hunted down great demons under the heavens to create demon figurines, which took many more of their ancestors’ lives. When Cone Nail was revived but was unwilling to return to Black and White Island, the Leyang disciples had failed on the verge of success. Even Leyang Shoujin died with regrets.

　　It did not matter what method was used to make Cone Nail return to Black and White Island, in the end, it all came down to how much power one had. Leyang Wen did not have such power.

　　When he inherited the witchcraft power from his brother, he had sensed a surge of witchcraft power on Seven Maidens Mountain. He had sneaked over to find that the Qing Miao were amassing witchcraft power. He laid in ambush to plunder when he had the chance. It was to raise his powers, making him capable of doing his ancestors’ orders.

　　To die for their ancestor’s wish and to acknowledge their ancestor’s wish were two separate matters. Almost none of the Leyang disciples were willing to do it but they carried on nonetheless. In their hearts, the hatred they had towards Tuo Xie was greater than the complaints they had towards their ancestor.

　　After Tuo Xie entrusted the matters to his two brothers, he patted his buttocks and vanished. After Lue Luo’s and Mi Xu’s deaths, the eternally endless task fell upon Painting Town and Hanba whereas the Tuo Xie’s disciples cultivating in poison, witchcraft and corpse knew nothing about this.

　　“Also, there’s something that I don’t understand and wish to ask you.” Wen Leyang waited for a while for Leyang Wen’s emotions to calm down somewhat before continuing.

　　Leyang Wen’s reply was straightforward, “Ask whatever that you don’t understand!”

　　Wen Leyang filtered his own thoughts, “In the Gold-Consuming Lair, why were you kidnapped by San Tong? I asked Qin Zhui to rescue you. However, we saw that you had escaped from City God Temple of Shanghai. Qin Zhui also appeared. What actually happened?”

　　Wen Leyang was not especially eager to know the truth. He only intended to divert the topic to calm Leyang Wen’s thoughts down. Ever since the few elders took back the two treasures, Bushuo and Buzuo, Wen Leyang had started to use his mind more.

　　However, he did not expect it to be better if he had not asked. When he asked, Leyang Wen immediately cursed, “That mule-faced green bean-eyed ugly man is an unreasonable person! It is enough if you Tuo Xie descendants did not come to help, but you sent a bastard after me to mess things up…”

　　“Actually…” Wen Leyang had wanted to be nice, but it backfired. He quickly diverted the topic, “After the Tuo Xie disciples knew about the whole incident, we were really thankful. Whether it was Tuo Xie, Lue Luo or Mi Xu, the words of the Grand Masters should be the mission of our three families. Leyang, for the remaining matters, let’s…”

　　He had not finished when he was interrupted mercilessly by Leyang Wen, “No thanks. You, Tuo Xie disciples, better conserve some energy to look for the tombstone of your Grand Master, burn some paper money and ask that old man where did he go to have fun after disappearing. Haha, after you’ve found that out, remember to tell us Painting Town about it. That will solve one of the Leyangs mystery!” After he finished, the short-statured man turned towards Second Mother, “I did not manage to take the witchcraft power. I’ll break it into two with just one hit. Don’t be shy, just kill me…”

　　When Leyang Wen mentioned the word ‘kill’, a hint of longing for freedom suddenly appeared in his tone.

　　At this moment, a clear jeer echoed steadily and coldly into the Miao stockade from the dense forest, “I would like to see how the descendants of Tuo Xie kill a Lue Luo disciple!”

　　Amidst the cold voice, a middle-aged man with an average body build came out with slightly stiff movements from the dense forest. Under the morning light, his exposed skin was gleaming with a layer of delicate shine, looking fairer than a young girl’s neck, more delicate than a baby’s face.

　　Leyang Wen exclaimed in utter surprise. Then, he managed a smile. He talked with his fluent Beijing accent, a genuine friendliness apparent in his tone, “Fifth Brother, why did you come?”

　　Hanba faced Leyang Wen and let out a laugh, which was like a nightingale’s song. This was a rare occasion. However, the muscles on his face were still stiff and did not change, “Tangtang died. I was worried if anything had happened to you. I have been looking for you everywhere recently. A few days ago I felt a surge of witchcraft power here and came to check. Still good, very good!”‘Still good’ was aimed at Leyang Wen, but ‘very good’ was aimed at Second Mother and Qing Miao.

　　The unscathed Miao Bujiao saw that another enemy had appeared and immediately gathered slowly behind Second Mother with vicious faces. The Qing Miaos who were unable to cast spells took out their knives strenuously.

　　Hanba completely ignored the other Qing Miao. His cold and stale gaze locked onto Second Mother, “Release the man, I’ll leave!”

　　With the support of the clansmen, Second Mother sat up straight with some effort. Her eyes did not show weakness as she returned Hanba’s glare, “Wait! We’ll release him if Wen Leyang’s alright!”

　　Wen Leyang immediately shouted from among the vital fire’s envelopment, “Second Mother, I’m alright. Let them go!”

　　However, Second Mother unexpectedly shook her head with determination, “Your words don’t count now. Wait until you’ve come out!” The stubbornness of the Miao Bujiao was not something that outsiders can comprehend. The Qing Miao could be indifferent to Leyang Wen destroying the Heart-linking Lock, injuring Big Dragon’s Root and countless clansmen, but if Wen Leyang had died because of him, he could only pay with his life!

　　Second Mother took a few deep breaths to make her voice sound calm, “Tuo Xie and Lue Luo, Miao stockade village and Painting Town, we Qing Miao could not count and are lazy to count this debt. If Wen Leyang can live no more, there must be someone to pay with his life!”

　　Hanba seemed to have smiled. His stiff body walked towards Second Mother. His speed was not fast, but other than Second Mother, the other Qing Miaos around her felt as though a shapeless mountain was abruptly and forcefully hitting them. They did not have a chance to retaliate. They were heavily sent flying under furious howls and wails!

　　However, Fifth Brother Hanba had only taken two steps and abruptly stopped. He turned and frowned slightly. This was the first time Second Mother saw him changing his expression.

　　At the same time, a pitiable voice with a tinge of heart-wrenching fear said with a slight tremble, “Can… can I say some fair words?” Wen Leyang’s heart did a somersault. He could not help but grit his teeth and exclaimed in a low voice, “Cone Nail!” He started seriously calculating in his heart. If he rushed out from this boiling and fierce Witch’s Fire inferno, how much damage will he suffer?

　　However, Leyang Wen laughed, “Sure. Of course, you can. If you have no right to speak even if everyone under the heavens became dumb would not be too much!” Halfway through his laugh, he could not help but grunt in a low voice in pain. He cursed at the Qing Miao elder who was helping him break the spell, “Gentler, will you!”

　　The Qing Miao elder immediately flashed out a purplish-black knife and mercilessly carved Leyang Wen’s arm, picking out a white larva sac.

　　Cone Nail’s body was swaying. She walked out of the forest with light footsteps. As she saw the raging witch’s fire in front of the Miao stockade village and the number of casualties, she seemed to be greatly shocked. Her fair and slender hands covered her mouth softly, suppressing her cry. She looked at short-statured Leyang Wen with an extremely wronged expression as if Leyang Wen had trampled on her most beloved toy. Then, she turned slightly. The Qing Miaos only saw a blur before their eyes. When they looked again, little Chi Maojiu was already held by Cone Nail in her embrace.

　　Just when the Qing Miao cursed in unison, brandishing their witch’s fire or witch needles, ready to attack, little Chi Maojiu suddenly coughed loudly in Cone Nail’s embrace. He opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings with a dazed expression. Just when the kid was about to comfortably plunge his head into that soft bosom, he suddenly realized that the person who was caring for him with a worried expression… looked familiar?

　　Wen Leyang could not have cared less about the Witch’s Fire backfiring now. Ever since Cone Nail came, he spread out his telegnosis ability. He was not sure if Cone Nail did not deliberately conceal her presence or his powers have improved greatly, his telegnosis ability was following the expansion and contraction of his pores, transmitting the happenings around the Miao stockade village back to his mind. When he saw that Cone Nail had grabbed hold of Chi Maojiu, Wen Leyang howled without hesitation, “Leave him alone!”

　　Wen Leyang’s voice had not faded when his vision suddenly blurred. Cone Nail had rushed into the envelopment of the witch’s fire with a surprised cheer. Her gaze was full of endless happiness. Then, Cone Nail cried in surprise again. She flashed and disappeared…

　　Cone Nail was like a happy little girl, abandoning the toy in her hands after hearing her big brother’s voice… But this little girl was strangely fast. She had immediately remembered that the toy could not withstand the fall. She went back in the time it took to make a spark. She held Chi Maojiu in her arms again the instant that he was about to crash heavily onto the ground.

　　This time, Cone Nail carefully placed Chi Maojiu on the ground before returning back to the front of Wen Leyang. The Heart-linking Lock witch’s fire, which surged like dragons and was as heavy as the ocean was not even a breeze in Cone Nail’s eyes. She did not slow down while entering and exiting.

　　She did not conceal her surprise and excitement. Cone Nail’s voice was even trembling, “You… you’re here?” As she was saying this, she hesitantly reached out as if wanting to caress Wen Leyang’s cheek, but did not have the courage.

　　Wen Leyang did not dare to move. He stared at the white jade-like small hand.

　　In the end, Cone Nail mustered up enough courage and brushed swiftly against Wen Leyang’s face with her soft, small hands. Then, it was as if she had accomplished some world-shocking huge feat, her eyes and brows showed a genuine happiness, “You’re here too!”

　　Wen Leyang had also mustered up enough courage but he was almost scared to death by Cone Nail’s soft brush. He quickly used his telegnosis ability to ‘see’ if his head was still attached to his neck. Then, he shook his head with a bitter smile, “Even if you’re late, wanting to see me isn’t such a difficult thing. You don’t have to…” Wen Leyang was still a kind person. The two words ‘feign ignorance’ stayed on the tip of his tongue but he could not bring himself to say them.

　　Cone Nail did not seem to care. She replied confidently, “Every day I am thinking about how it would be if I am to see you again. This is one of the scenarios, there are a few others as well. Wait until I see you again in the future and I’ll show you, slowly.” When she was talking, her gaze towards Wen Leyang was full of longing. She was afraid that Wen Leyang would answer while shaking his head, “I don’t want to see it!”

　　Wen Leyang did not shake his head. Firstly, he dared not. Secondly, he could not. He clearly knew that Cone Nail was putting on a show but he could not bring himself to turn her down.

　　At this moment, the Bug Spells that were planted on Leyang Wen’s body was almost completely removed. He jeered at the Witch’s Fire and asked, “Ice Cone Nail, I thought you had some fair words to say? Leyang Wen is waiting for that fairness of yours and is growing impatient!”

　　Cone Nail naughtily stuck out her tongue towards Wen Leyang and said to him in a small voice, “Wait for me!” Then, her body flashed and she returned to the entrance of Miao stockade village. However, she did not walk directly towards Leyang Wen but flashed at lightly jump to the front of Chi Maojiu and asked smilingly, “Little guy, have your wounds healed yet?”

　　Chi Maojiu took a step back in alarm. He neither nodded nor shook his head. He only looked at Cone Nail, unwilling to show weakness. He remembered Cone Nail well. She had easily toyed with them in the palms of her hand back in the Gold-Consuming Lair. She looked to be meek but her abilities were so powerful that he dared not imagine them. Her temper was also volatile. The dwarf supreme leader of the Qilian Immortal Sect was beaten to a pulp by her.

　　To self-destruct their Ben Ming was the last resort for the Miao clansmen. Although it would not cost them their lives but once they did it, if they were lucky they would only be ill, if not, they would be crippled for life. He did not know what trick Cone Nail had used. Ever since little Chi Maojiu woken up, he felt a refreshing and cold air wrapping around himself, lightly massaging his meridians. The pain of a thousand ants eating away at his body was completely blocked by that refreshing coolness. Although his body was limp and had no strength, his spirits were very high.

　　Seeing Chi Maojiu’s hostile gaze, Cone Nail’s gleaming eyes quickly dimmed. She sighed with great sadness and helplessness. She turned and went away but Chi Maojiu seemed to have seen a sinister sharpness flash across her gentle and beautiful eyes the instant Cone Nail turned. He immediately broke out in cold sweat.

　　Then, Cone Nail looked at short-statured Leyang Wen with pitiable eyes, “I was thinking… Lue Luo and Tuo Xie were good guys, but good guy Lue Luo was nice to me, he wasn’t nice to you guys.”

　　The Qing Miao looked on fiercely as a tiger does with merciless eyes. Hanba was stoic and silent. Short-statured Leyang Wen was covered in blood while his expression was savage. Cone Nail stood beautifully between them, accentuating her pity and friendlessness.

　　Leyang Wen was slightly startled. He laughed and cheered loudly, “What fair words!”

　　Cone Nail acted as though she had received great encouragement and she continued on, “Good guy Lue Luo was good to me, so I’m a good guy too. I also want to be good to him, but Lue Luo wasn’t good to you guys, so you guys don’t have to take his words too seriously.”

　　Leyang Wen squinted his eyes. He was no longer laughed willfully but returned to his Beijing dialect and asked with a hint of flippancy with a smile, “Oh? What do you mean by this? How would you know that ancestor Lue Luo was not nice to us? Let’s not talk about other matters first, but the witchcraft powers of the Leyang disciples were inherited from the old man himself.”

　　Cone Nail smiled. Although she showed flirtatious expressions, she was still heart-wrenching, “He let you guys die, how could that count as being nice to you? In Painting Town now, how many Leyangs are left?” As she was saying this, she paused briefly before continuing with a smile, “If you’re dead, then the one who caused it wasn’t me, but good guy Lue Luo. Please don’t forget about this!”

　　Then, a series of bursting sounds sounded in the air. Fifth Brother Hanba and Cone Nail vanished in front of everyone’s eyes at the same time!

　　Only Wen Leyang could manage to see clearly with his telegnosis ability. The two were still on the spacious ground in front of Miao stockade village. They had only extended their bodies and started fighting each other. The eyes of the average person could never hope to catch up to the speed of the duo.

　　Both of them did not use their magical powers. They relied solely on strength and speed. It was as though they were testing each other out. By the looks of things, Fifth Brother Hanba seemed to have the upper hand.

　　However, on Cone Nail’s face, there was always a slight smile of confidence.

　　Wen Leyang breathed in deeply, the skin over his entire body tensed up suddenly. He could not wait to see the results. As to what Cone Nail’s smile meant, he wanted to try and find out!