Spirit Realm Chapter 587-588

Chapter 587: You Need to Die!

Xing Yuyuan busied himself, trying to console his big brother in the face of Xiang Xi’s and Bo Boze’s insolent, grating laughter. It resounded across all of the Setting Sun Islands.

The Xing brothers didn’t ride their crystalline war chariots out to face them. Instead, they emerged from their Flowing Gold Fire Phoenix and appeared before everyone’s eyes.

Xing Yumiao wore golden spirit armor forged from a type of light metal. The surface of the spirit armor looked like liquid gold. The armor shone brightly, the power of light coursing through it.

Xing Yumiao resembled a frightening golden war god that had appeared from an ancient battlefield, cutting through the void.

wwA bright golden halo burst from him, radiating outward and transforming into an aura of immeasurable sharpness that intimidated everyone nearby.

Xing Yuyuan, on the other hand, wore bright dazzling silver armor. Patterns of celestial bodies and spirit birds were engraved into it, making him appear impressive and refined.

Both brothers floated into the air and put their late stage Fragmentation Realms on display. This instilled the Xing Family clansmen, as well as the Gold Sun Island martial practitioners loyal to them, with confidence.

Upon seeing how calm the Xing brothers were, all of them shed their panic and regained their composure.

They believed in the Xing brothers.

“Xiang Xi must be tired of living!” Xing Yao cried. Instead of leaving her shocked, this outcome cheered her up. “Considering my father’s realm, he can kill all four of those traitorous enforcers by himself. These people are literally committing suicide right now!”

“It can’t be this simple.” Guo Yanzheng shook his head, a grim expression on his face. “Xiang Xi may have a horrible temper, but he isn’t stupid. There must be a reason why he dares to take such a reckless approach!”

“Bo Boze is on his side,” Qi Jing added. “He is full of evil tricks and never fights a war he isn’t sure he can win.”

They knew that the situation definitely wasn’t as simple as Xing Yao thought.

Numerous Xing Family clansmen stared up at the enforcers led by Xiang Xi. Their group of four drove their crystalline war chariots through the sky, slowly approaching the Xing brothers.

Qin Lie’s group had emerged from their five-story wooden building on Xu Changsheng’s fire phoenix long ago. All of them watched this scene unfold from a distance.

“Fighting the Xing brothers head on is suicide,” Xue Moyan said softly. “Xiang Xi must have a trump card.”

She used her soul consciousness to pay close attention to the surroundings islands, trying to see if she could figure out where that trump card was hiding.

“This is quite a spectacle!” Du Xiangyang exclaimed in excitement.

“It has nothing to do with us,” Luo Chen said.

All of a sudden, Qin Lie spoke up.

“Don’t bother searching for their trump card anymore,” he said. “It’s under the sea.”

Everyone immediately turned to Qin Lie, questioning looks in their eyes.

“The eight god corpses are around two thousand meters deep within the sea,” Qin Lie said calmly. “Xiang Xi’s trump card is about a thousand meters above them.”

“You can sense them?” Xie Jingxuan asked, somewhat surprised.

“With my realm, it obviously isn’t possible for me to actually sense them. But god corpses can,” Qin Lie explained. “I share a… unique connection with them.”

When he had the god corpses stealthily make their way to the depths of the sea around the Setting Sun Islands, they’d already noticed powerful signs of life there.

The eight god corpses weren’t completely dead. They still possessed some of their fragmented soul. These god corpses had reached a terrifying realm prior to their deaths. Just their fragmented souls alone were like bright lamps capable of revealing people hidden in the shadows.

The people hidden in the depths of the sea were so inferior to the god corpses in realm and quality of soul that they had no idea that the god corpses were in the waters far below them.

“How many of them are there?” Xue Moyan asked hurriedly. “What are their realms?”

Since she still wanted to convince the Xing Family to serve Blood Fiend Sect, she was still concerned about them. She clearly hoped that the Xing Family would be able to weather this calamity.

“It isn’t really possible to investigate all of them closely,” Qin Lie said. “There are, however, quite a few of them, and there are a few auras that… should be no weaker than those of the Xing brothers.”

The moment he said this, a solemn expression came over Xue Moyan’s beautiful face. She sighed and said, “The Xing Family is definitely in great danger this time.”

“That’s good news!” Qin Lie exclaimed gravely. “Without Xiang Xi’s inescapable death trap, how else would we recruit the Xing Family?”

“You’re saying that…?” Xua Moyan suddenly became excited again, her eyes lighting up.

“Are you going to stick your hand where it doesn’t belong again?” Xie Jingxuan asked with a slight smile on her face.

“Even if I only care about Xing Shengnan, I can’t just stand by and watch the Xing Family get slaughtered to the last clansman,” Qin Lie declared in a calm voice.

Song Tingyu, Xie Jingxuan, and Xue Moyan couldn’t help but give him a second, closer look.

“Your taste is seriously…” Before he could finish what he was saying, a sudden realization struck Du Xiangyang and he shut his mouth.

Du Xiangyang quickly thought about the matter and understood that Qin Lie didn’t want to help Xing Shengnan because she was a woman. He wanted to help her because she truly thought of him as her little brother, and in recent days, had clearly shown how genuine her concern for him was.

That was all.

Upon looking at Qin Lie once more, Du Xiangyang wore a complicated expression and couldn’t help but inwardly nod in understanding.

Floating in the air, Xing Yumiao sighed. That sigh contained a hint of loneliness.

“Why, Big Brother Xiang? Why have you done this?” he asked. “I truly miss the days we shared back then. When the three great families hunted us Xing siblings and cornered us, we sought your help and hid in Gold Sun Island. You were the one who gave us a home. It was thanks to your care that the three of us were able to set foot on Gold Sun Island.

“We fought many forces for the sake of Gold Sun Island. With our combined efforts, not only did Gold Sun Island escape the oppression of the Pan Family, it even became a Copper rank force capable of standing amidst the surrounding forces as an equal.

“You were a noble person of unquestionable integrity, Big Brother Xiang. You insisted on giving us the positions of island masters so us Xing siblings could lead Gold Sun Island.”

Xing Yumiao paused for a moment, clearly reminiscing about the past.

“I have always been grateful to you, Big Brother Xiang,” he eventually said. “I never thought you would do something like this.”

He gave Xiang Xi a deeply profound look and said, “If you truly want to be Gold Sun Island’s island master, Big Brother Xiang, you can just say so. I, Xing Yumiao, am willing to surrender it to you.”

“Big brother!” Xing Yuyuan exclaimed. “Have you gone insane?”

“Big brother!” Xing Shengnan cried out from below.

“Cease your hypocrisy!” Xiang Xi suddenly yelled.

All eyes turned toward him.

“If you truly felt grateful to me, you would’ve left a long time ago, in secret. Why would you have waited until this very moment?” Xiang Xi snorted coldly, then continued. “Yes, my talent doesn’t compare to that of you Xing siblings. I admit that I’m inferior to you. When I led Gold Sun Island, it was just a Black Iron rank force under the Pan Family’s control. Thanks to the three of you, Gold Sun Island is able to enjoy what it has today. I’m well aware of how outstanding your achievements are and that you do deserve to be island masters!”

“But?” Xing Yuyuan sneered.

“I created Gold Sun Island!” Xiang Xi yelled, pointing to Xu Changsheng and Xu Jiadong. “I, Old Xu, and Jiadong risked our lives to conquer Gold Sun Island and raise it to glory! What I don’t understand is… how Gold Sun Island suddenly became the Xing Family’s!”

“I just told you I would relinquish control over Gold Sun Island,” Xing Yumiao said solemnly.

“No, you won’t.” Xiang Xi shook his head. “Not only will you not give up control, you just can’t! I know you, and I know what you’re trying to do.”

Xing Yumiao frowned.

Looking deep within himself, he realized that Xiang Xi was right. He couldn’t give up Gold Sun Island. He would at most take the Xing Family and his subordinates and leave Gold Sun Island.

But doing that would be no different from taking away the very core of Gold Sun Island. He would be taking the elites and the people that made it… it.

The only thing he’d leave Xiang Xi and his men was an incomplete Gold Sun Island—a force that would fall back to Black Iron rank.

“I know about your plan to kill your way back to the Heavenly Calamity Continent and slaughter the every last member of the three great families.” Xiang Xi frowned. “I know you want to take revenge for the Xing Family’s destruction from a thousand years ago. You’ve spent a large amount of resources in the past few years sending men there and making preparations. I know what you’re trying to do.”

A dark expression covered Xing Yumiao’s face.

—He didn’t bother explaining anything because Xiang Xi spoke the truth.

“I’m not rebelling today because others convinced me to. I’m not even doing this for myself. I’m doing this so that Gold Sun Island will live on!” Xiang Xi exclaimed, his voice gradually growing louder and more spirited. “Fighting against the three great families in the Heavenly Calamity Continent is no different from walking to our own deaths! Victory is impossible! Gold Sun Island would only be buried along with your selfishness and hatred. The Gold Sun Island that my brothers and I risked our lives to create… you’ll destroy it all!

“I’ve chosen to rebel against you because you’ve been blinded by hatred. All you care about it revenge and striking back at the Heavenly Calamity Continent!

“I’ve chosen to rebel against you because your actions are no longer in the best interests of Gold Sun Island. You are acting out of selfishness and concern for just your family!

“I’ve chosen to rebel against you because you are leading Gold Sun Island to its doom!”

Xiang Xi’s words rang loud and clear.

Every martial practitioner loyal to Xiang Xi, such as Xu Changsheng, Xu Jiadong, and many other veterans held their heads high when they heard this.

Everyone on the side of the Xing Family, however, fell silent.

Guo Yanzheng, Qi Jing, and most of the other martial practitioners loyal to the Xing Family came from the Heavenly Calamity Continent. All of them were people that had been harmed by the three great families and were later invited by the Xing brothers to join Gold Sun Island. The reason for this didn’t need to be stated.

Xiang Xi was right.

From the very beginning… from the day that Xing Yumiao stepped foot on Gold Sun Island and began fighting for it… his goal was to borrow this force’s strength to fight his way back to the Heavenly Calamity Continent.

Hearing Xiang Xi’s words, both Xing Yumuiao and Xing Yuyuan wore grim expressions. They had no response.

“The idea of a mere Copper rank force fighting against three Silver rank forces is just wishful thinking,” Xu Changsheng shouted. “You, Xing Yumiao, are a madman!”

“We do not wish to die with you,” Xu Jiadong said.

This was the main reason they decided to stay on Xiang Xi’s side, rebel against the Xing Family, and seize control of Gold Sun Island.

In recent years, the Xing brothers sent many people to assassinate martial practitioners of the three great families. They sometimes slipped into the Heavenly Calamity Continent personally. They had long since attracted the attention of the three great families.

In the eyes of Xiang Xi’s men, the Xing brothers had already gone insane.

Xiang Xi decided to rebel during this voyage because the three great families had already figured out what the Xing brothers had done and even took the initiative to seek Xiang Xi out personally.

The three great families had two choices.

They could either assist Xiang Xi in eliminating the Xing brothers and ending Gold Sun Island’s internal strife. By doing that, they’d be able to avoid a breakdown in relations with Illusory Demon Sect and starting a war to the death…

—or they could risk completely destroying relations with Illusory Demon Sect and eliminate the threat that Xing Family and Gold Sun Island represented.

Xiang Xi didn’t have much of a choice, and this one was one he hadn’t wanted to make.

Because he understood Xing Yumiao. He knew that once Xing Yumiao made a decision, there would be no way to stop him.

If Xing Yumiao didn’t die here, he’d still ignore all the consequences and fight the three great families to death all the same.

He would lead Gold Sun Island to a bitter end.

This was why Xing Yumiao needed to die.

Chapter 588: A Surprising Turn of Events!

“Is this Xiang Xi telling the truth?”

From their wooden building in the crook of one of the Flowing Gold Fire Phoenix’s wings, Du Xiangyang wore a surprised expression as he rubbed his chin and watched Xiang Xi off in the distance.

He realized that he needed to take another look at the person called Xiang Xi.

Du Xiangyang wasn’t the only one thinking this. Even Qin Lie wore a look of astonishment as his brow slowly furrowed.

Qin Lie thought of Xiang Xi as stubborn, opinionated, arrogant, conceited, and recklessly ambitious. In his opinion, Xiang Xi had no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Yet, after hearing Xiang Xi’s side of things, the image of the man that Qin Lie had in his head underwent a drastic change.

If Xiang Xi really was telling the truth about Xing Yumiao using Gold Sun Island’s resources just to plot against the three great families… if Xing Yumiao was sending men to the Heavenly Calamity Continent to assassinate members of the three great families, and even personally carrying assassinations himself… then yes, Xing Yumiao actually had been quite reckless.

Gold Sun Island was just a Copper rank force. If the Xiahou, Su, or Lin families ever decided that Gold Sun Island needed to be regarded as a target to exterminate with extreme prejudice, then Gold Sun Island would quickly meet its end.

Xing Yumiao was the one who constantly provoked them. Even Illusory Demon Sect might not necessarily be able to defend Gold Sun Island.

If this were the case, Xing Yumiao’s actions were definitely problematic and extremely detrimental to Gold Sun Island.

If Xiang Xi wanted to protect Gold Sun Island, making sure it continued to exist by opposing Xing Yumiao’s madness, then he really couldn’t be blamed for rebelling.

Qin Lie thought to himself for a moment, then smiled. “This is getting more and more interesting…”

“It certainly is more interesting than I thought it’d be,” Luo Chen chimed in, his interest piqued.

“Why are you wasting so much of your breath on the Xing brothers, Chief Enforcer?” Bo Boze asked grimly, the first among the rebels to grow impatient. “The Xing Family needs to be eliminated or they’ll kill all of us once this is over! It isn’t like you don’t understand how ruthless they are. Do you really think they’ll turn over a new leaf? That they’ll surrender just like that?”

Bo Boze paused to glance at the water below, then added, “Besides… it’s too late to turn back now.”

He was well aware of the fact that experts of Heavenly Sea Pavilion and Black Cloud Palace were hiding under the sea. The second Xiang Xi gave the order, they’d immediately charge out and slaughter the Xing Family.

Aside from them, experts of the three great families were probably nearby as well, observing in secret.

Xiang Xi needed to prove himself and eliminate all of the Xing Family clansmen here.

“I’m curious, Bo Boze. Just where are you from?” Xing Yumiao asked, a grave expression on his face. “You aren’t an elder of Gold Sun Island. After obtaining Big Brother Xiang’s trust fifteen years ago, you joined Gold Sun Island. Your son attempted to… humiliate and rape Yao’er, and I believe that crushing his family jewels was already an act of mercy! Furthermore, I imprisoned Yao’er for a long time even after that matter concluded. How are you still not satisfied with that outcome?”

“How could I possibly have been satisfied with just that?” Bo Boze hissed like a venomous snake whose tail had just been stomped on. He glared at Xing Yumiao, hate gushing from his eyes as he yelled, “Your daughter is a whore! She’s the one who purposely seduced my son and made him lose control of himself just so she would have an excuse to ruin his life! How could such an outcome possibly satisfy me? Unless I kill all of the Xing Family and have that whore Xing Yao kneel before my son and beg for his forgiveness, I’ll never be satisfied!”

“You’re the whore! Your entire family is full of whores!” Xing Yao screamed at the top of her lungs.

The Xing brothers could no longer tolerate Bo Boze’s vicious words.

“I’ll kill you first!” Xing Yumiao shouted.

A golden spear suddenly shot from within his sleeves, its tip burning with bright golden flames as it stabbed toward Bo Boze like a ferocious dragon that had just left its lair.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh…!”

Clusters of golden sparks flew from the body of the spear, making it look like a magnificent golden dragon swimming in a sea of shimmering flames.

This sudden attack caused shock to leap to Bo Boze’s face. He rushed toward Xiang Xi, seeking his protection.

He and Xiang Xi were both in the early stage of the Fragmentation Realm. Xing Yumiao’s attack, which contained his late stage Fragmentation Realm strength, wouldn’t pose a problem if they worked together to block it.

If they could buy even a moment of time and allow Xiang Xi to summon their reinforcements hiding in the surroundings, the Xing brothers would definitely meet an unfortunate end.

“Come to me!” Xiang Xi yelled.

A five meter tall bronze cauldron with three feet appeared before Xiang Xi. Giant threatening pythons were engraved into its metal, and five colors of smoke that seemed extremely toxic surrounded its mouth.

“Zzzt zzzt zzzt!”

Giant dark blue pythons writhed across the surface of the cauldron like sparks of electricity. All of them unleashed a strange collective cry as if they all came alive at the same time.

In that same instant, a violent, fearsome energy exploded from within the giant cauldron, and it rammed toward Xing Yumiao’s golden spear.

This sight made Bo Boze secretly sigh in relief.

However, as he stopped in midair and moved to brandish his own spirit artifact, intent on working with this giant cauldron to oppose Xing Yumiao’s attack—

—a surprising turn of events occurred!

The giant bronze cauldron with three feet, which was supposed to fly past Bo Boze and ram Xing Yumiao, changed directions in midair. Its strange movements brought it toward Bo Boze and slammed into him instead!

Catching him completely off guard, the force of the cauldron cracked Bo Boze’s bones and covered his entire face with his own blood.

Then the golden spear flew over.

“Pwack!”

The spear pierced straight through Bo Boze, leaving a gaping hole in his stomach.

“Xiang Xiiiii!” Bo Boze howled, locking onto the chief enforcer with an intense glare. Never had he dreamed that his life would end in such a way.

“Heavens!” Du Xiangyang cried. “What in Spirit Realm is going on!?”

Qin Lie shuddered suddenly, also stunned by this strange twist.

The rest of the group that had escaped from the Graveyard of Gods with him was also utterly confused by this surprising turn of events. Their eyes seemed as if they could form question marks.

“Could the Xing brothers have teamed up with Xiang Xi to kill Bo Boze?” Xue Moyan asked, her eyes alight. “Maybe they did this so they could deal with the people hiding under the sea?”

“That seems very likely!” Song Tingyu grew excited as well. “Who would have thought that the situation would change yet again? Today’s spectacle continues to grow more interesting!”

Enforcers Guo Yanzheng and Qi Jing, as well as the Xing Family clansmen and other martial practitioners loyal to the Xing Family, also stared at the sky blankly.

Xing Shengnan suspected the same thing that Xue Moyan did. “Could big brother and Xiang Xi have…”

She thought that Xiang Xi and Xing Yumiao had come to a secret understanding a short while ago.

However, when everyone looked at Xing Yumiao, they immediately realized that probably wasn’t the case.

—That probably wasn’t the case because shock also covered Xing Yumiao’s face.

“Big Brother Xiang,” he said. “You…?”

Xing Yumiao turned and looked to Xing Yuyuan. After a moment of hesitation, he tentatively asked, “Did you come to an understanding with Big Brother Xiang?”

Xing Yuyuan shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. “If I really had come to an understanding with him, would I hide it from you? I don’t know what’s going on either.”

Xiang Xi snorted.

“I investigated Bo Boze quite a while ago,” he said. “He was a member of the Pan Family. Ever since he joined Gold Sun Island, he sowed discord among our ranks and constantly tried to persuade me to attack the two of you. His hatred for you was as deep as the sea, and he planned to kill every Xing Family clansman. For many years, we lost many men whenever we clashed with the Pan Family because he leaked information to them. I killed him for you because he deserved to die, not because I had a change of heart. I eliminated Bo Boze to take revenge for my dead brothers and keep him from becoming a thorn in my side in the future!”

Xiang Xi looked at Xing Yao who stood on the ship below them. If one were to look closely enough, they’d notice a hint of gentleness in his eyes.

“I stood by Bo Boze back then and forced your father to imprison your for more than half a year… for your own sake.”

Xing Yao couldn’t think of what to say for a very long time.

An eternity later, she eventually spoke in a soft voice and said, “Thank you, Uncle Xiang.”

“You haven’t called me that in many, many years,” Xiang Xi said, letting out a sigh. “I don’t think I’ll ever hear you call me that in the future… since I’m still going to kill your father, your uncle, and your aunt.”

As he watched Xiang Xi, a thought appeared in Qin Lie’s mind.

—Just what kind of person was he?

Qin Lie had already figured out that Xiang Xi’s promise to capture Xing Yao and have her service him had just been a way to pull the wool over Bo Boze’s eyes.

Although it was extremely well hidden, a hint of kinship could be seen in Xiang Xi’s eyes as he looked at Xing Yao. Qin Lie believed that Xiang Xi would never hurt Xing Yao.

He began to realize that Xiang Xi, a person who had built Gold Sun Island from the ground up, accepted the Xing siblings, and surrendered his power at a critical moment for the greater good, possessed a unique charisma.

Qin Lie slowly came to understand why Xu Changsheng, Xu Jiadong, and so many veteran Gold Sun Island martial practitioners trusted Xiang Xi so much. He gradually realized why they were so determined and willing to accompany Xiang Xi on his path of rebellion.

Xiang Xi… was a man that others could trust.

“Big Brother Xiang, I…” Xing Yumiao’s voice trailed off, a complicated look on his face. He clearly still wanted to try and persuade Xiang Xi to give up this rebellion.

However, Xiang Xi had already begun calling for the reinforcements hiding under the sea.

“Come out!” he roared.

Only then did he look at Xing Yumiao. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I’m different from Bo Boze. I do not act purely out of hatred, selfishness, or the desire to exterminate the Xing Family to the last man. I’ve promised others and convinced myself to take only the lives of three people: you, Xing Yuyuan, and Xing Shengnan. As for the rest of the Xing Family clansmen and… Yaoyao… I will allow them to leave Gold Sun Island once this matter has been resolved.”

All of a sudden, a heavy, droning voice reverberated from under the sea.

“You truly are an inflexible person, Xiang Xi. If you let these Xing Family clansmen go, more of them will pop up a hundred years from now. None of them will feel grateful to you. They will only seek your death.”

Everyone turned to look at the person who had spoken. He had already burst from the surface of the sea and flown into the sky.

This man wore gray robes covered in patterns that resembled dark clouds. His skin was dark, and his eyes were terrifying.

Numerous Xing Family clansmen and Gold Sun Island martial practitioners cried out in shock.

“It’s Black Cloud Palace’s palace master… Zheng Zhihe!”

Multiple willow-leaf-shaped boats gradually appeared on the surface of the sea. Each of them carried martial practitioners dressed like Zheng Zhihe. All of them were Black Cloud Palace martial practitioners.

“If you cut weeds without digging up their roots, they will just grow back when the spring breeze blows. You must understand this saying, don’t you, Old Xiang?”

Another person emerged from the sea.

This person wore clothing with patterns of waves embroidered into them. They were tall, had rough features, and stood atop the waves.

This was none other than Jiang Hao, the pavilion master of Heavenly Sea Pavilion.

After he emerged, several Heavenly Sea Pavilion martial practitioners rose from under the water one after another.