Lordi Payne's hair stood on end, but in this critical moment, his survival instincts kicked into overdrive. He twisted his body and rolled to the side, narrowly evading the deadly strike.
Woods Tinshee's sure-kill attack missed its mark, leaving him momentarily stunned. However, as a disciple of a major sect, his reflexes were razor-sharp. He quickly adjusted his stance, abandoning his original plan to stand triumphantly over Lordi Payne's corpse and deliver a mocking speech. Instead, he stomped the ground and lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant.
The next moment, his fist connected with Lordi Payne's face.
Thud!
Lordi Payne's vision blurred from the impact, but inwardly, he felt a surge of hope. As a third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, he had never learned any offensive techniques. If Woods Tinshee had continued using the Five Poisons Finger, even if Lordi Payne had dodged the first strike, he would have been doomed.
The fact that Woods Tinshee was now resorting to physical attacks was a clear sign of how severely injured he was—likely no better off than Lordi Payne himself.
Without hesitation, Lordi Payne wrapped his legs around Woods Tinshee's torso, locking him in place to prevent him from creating distance and using more advanced techniques. At the same time, he swung his right fist with all his might, aiming squarely for Woods Tinshee's chin.
This was a full-force strike from a third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator with perfect-grade Iron Bone. In the past, Woods Tinshee wouldn't have batted an eye at such an attack, but now, severely weakened, he couldn't dodge in time. His head snapped to the side, and the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth.
"Bastard!!!" Woods Tinshee's eyes bulged with rage. Suddenly, he slammed his forehead into Lordi Payne's with all his strength!
Lordi Payne's vision blurred. Woods Tinshee took advantage of the moment to break free, scrambling to his feet. He grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at Lordi Payne.
Hearing the whistling sound of the rock hurtling toward him, Lordi Payne rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile. At the same time, he scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it into Woods Tinshee's face.
Woods Tinshee instinctively closed his eyes, and Lordi Payne seized the opportunity. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Woods Tinshee's waist and slamming him to the ground with all the strength he could muster. The two of them tumbled in a chaotic, desperate struggle, each fighting for survival with everything they had.
"Cough, cough…" Woods Tinshee choked, blood filling his mouth as he struggled to breathe. His organs ravaged by earlier injuries. This latest attack had only deepened the damage.
Realizing the danger, Woods Tinshee fumbled in his sleeve pocket during the ground fighting, deftly retrieving the round bullet he had prepared earlier when startled by the rat.
This bullet was a relic left by his shifu, one of the final trump cards of their faction. Woods Tinshee was reluctant to waste it. Using it against Kinson Wexford would have been like cracking an egg with a sledgehammer—overkill. And now, to use it on a mere third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator like Lordi Payne? It felt absurd, almost laughable.
Woods Tinshee hesitated for a moment, but then his wrist suddenly flared with pain. Lordi Payne, sensing something was wrong, endured Woods Tinshee's headbutts and kicks to grab his wrist and slam it repeatedly against a nearby rock.
Woods Tinshee cried out in pain, and the bullet slipped from his palm, rolling to the ground.
Filled with shock, rage, and regret, Woods Tinshee's fighting spirit waned. Lordi Payne, on the other hand, grew fiercer and more determined. In an instant, the tide turned, and Lordi Payne seized the opportunity to pin Woods Tinshee down and smash his head with a rock.
Fearing that this disciple of the sinister sect might feign death and ambush him, Lordi Payne didn't let loose even when Woods Tinshee stopped moving. He continued smashing the rock until Woods Tinshee's skull was broken in a bloody mess and his body had gone cold. Only then did Lordi Payne stop, panting heavily and wiping his bloody face with a trembling hand… He won!
He killed Woods Tinshee!
In the aftermath of his desperate struggle, Lordi Payne allowed himself only a fleeting moment of triumph before forcing himself to move. Ignoring the throbbing pain of his injuries, he scrambled to his feet and immediately gave the system a one-star rating.
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> [★☆☆☆☆]
> Submitted. Thanks for your feedback.
He then turned his attention to Woods Tinshee's lifeless body, searching it thoroughly. Remembering the bullet Woods TInshee had been so reluctant to use, sensing its potential value, he spotted it nearby and quickly tucked it into his robe. After hastily disposing of the body, he leaned heavily against the cave wall for support, his vision swimming as he fought to stay conscious. Gritting his teeth, he staggered forward.
With Woods Tinshee no longer a threat, Lordi Payne spent some time navigating the labyrinthine passages of the cave. Finally, he found an exit and emerged into the open air. The familiarity of Mountain Grimvale's outer regions brought a small measure of comfort. Thanks to years of neglect from his father and stepmother, Lordi Payne had been forced to gather herbs and hunt in these mountains since childhood, making him intimately familiar with the terrain. After quickly orienting himself, he avoiding the main trails, chose a secluded path to descend the mountain.
Along the way, he encountered a few Payne Clan disciples. Well, since he had been with them earlier in the main hall, they didn't question his disheveled appearance. Lordi Payne claimed to have been attacked by a wild beast, his story earning him a sympathetic nod and even a bottle of hemostatic powder from a kind-hearted cousin. He accepted it with gratitude, excused himself to seek medical treatment in town, and continued his escape.
Once he left Mountain Grimvale behind, he recalled Woods Tinshee's advice to head west—and promptly chose the opposite direction, heading east instead.
However, after traveling for a while, Lordi Payne once again felt the unsettling sensation of being watched. To make matters worse, the pain in his left arm began to fade, replaced by an ominous numbness. Though he saw no one around, the weight of unseen gazes grew heavier with each step. Lordi Payne's pace slowed, his face pale as the reality of his situation sank in.
He was in deep trouble. Not only had the Bone Raksha Painting's eerie presence returned, but the wound from Woods Tinshee's attack was clearly poisoned. Panic threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced himself to stay calm. He rummaged through the items he had taken from Woods Tinshee, hoping to find something useful. Woods TInshee perhaps was on the run for so long, he hadn't carried much medicine. Among the few remaining jade bottles, Lordi Payne only recognized the Blood Qi Pills—the others were a mystery, their contents unknown and potentially dangerous.
If things continued like this, even if he used the system to temporarily fend off the Bone Raksha Painting, there was no guarantee he would survive.
Moreover, this idiotic AwfulOS system had already caused him trouble twice: the first time, it led him to steal Kinson Wexford's Bone Tempering Pills, attracting the attention of the Bone Raksha Painting; the second time, it made him snatch Woods Tinshee's Blood Qi Pills, resulting in a life-and-death struggle. Who knew what kind of trouble the next cultivation session would bring?
Lordi Payne's thoughts raced as he stared at the items he had taken from Woods Tinshee. After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and turned back toward Deerspring.
Half a day later.
The Payne Manor, Deerspring Town.
Clan Chief Shaw Payne looked at the disheveled and battered Lordi Payne with surprise. "You found Woods Tinshee? Then why didn't you send the clan's smoke signal?"
"Chief, I was severely injured at the time. I was afraid that sending the signal smoke would draw Woods Tinshee's attention, and I might not have made it back alive," Lordi Payne replied, breathing heavily. "May I ask where Immortal Master Wexford is? I need to report this to him in person."
Shaw Payne's eyes flickered. "Good. FellowDao Wexford's not in the manor right now. I'll have someone take you to rest and treat your injuries. Tell me where Woods Tinshee is, and I'll relay the information to FellowDao Wexford."
The place is quite complicated," Lordi Payne refused outright. The reason he had risked returning was to negotiate directly with Kinson Wexford. There was no way he would let Shaw Payne act as a middleman. He added, "I'm afraid even if I explain it, you might not understand. If we delay Immortal Master Wexford's mission, the entire Payne Clan will suffer his rage."
Shaw Payne's expression darkened, and he stared directly at Lordi Payne.
However, seeing that this branch family nephew showed no fear and even seemed willing to risk everything, Shaw Payne's thoughts shifted. He forced a smile and said, "Very well. But FellowDao Wexford really is not in the manor right now."
Lordi Payne's heart sank. Was Kinson Wexford in Mountain Grimvale?
Ok made sense. With so many Payne Clan disciples searching the mountains, Kinson Wexford would likely stay nearby to intercept Woods Tinshee as quickly as possible… But what about him? His situation was critical, and he might not survive long enough for Kinson Wexford to return.
Just as he was about to ask if there was a way to contact Kinson Wexford immediately and how long it would take for him to return, Shaw Payne spoke again.
"Fine. Here's the plan. Although FellowDao Wexford is currently in the mountains, Fairy Lith remains in the Evergreen Courtyard, deep in seclusion. I will lead you to meet her."
Fairy Lith?
Lordi Payne was momentarily dumbfounded but quickly realized this must be the other Abyss Pit Sect disciple who had come to Deerspring Town with Kinson Wexford. However, this Fairy had been so low profile that, amidst all the talk of Kinson Wexford's exploits, Lordi Payne had subconsciously neglected her.
"Chief," Lordi Payne couldn't help but ask, "How does this Fairy Lith compare to Immortal Master Wexford in terms of strength and status?"
What if she was just a minor figure who couldn't help him? That would be useless.
"Lordi Payne! You better carve this into your skull!" Shaw Payne cut him off before Lordi Payne could even get a word out, his face twisting like a storm brewing fast, voice dropping low and heavy with warning. "This Fairy Lith—she keeps to the shadows, sure, but her cultivation, her rank, and the future she's got? They're leagues beyond anything Kinson Wexford could dream of!"
"She's one of the Successor of the Abyss Pit Sect!"
"And barring some wild twist, she's sure enough to become the next Saintess of the Holy Sect!"
"When you meet her later, you must show even more respect than you would greet me or Kinson Wexford. Do you understand?!"
Lordi Payne's heart surged with a burst of joy, "Yes, Chief!"
Shaw Payne's eyes narrowed, "You damn well better be sure you know where Woods Tinshee's holed up. You wouldn't dream to wasting Fairy Lith's time, would you?" He started forward then halted abrupt-like, wheelin' on Lordi Payne. "If Fairy Lith reckon we're pulling a fast one on her, the Payne Clan will pay in blood."
Meeting the stare head-on, Pei Ling said, "Take it ease, chief. I ain't lie to you. If I weren't dead certain, I'd sooner cut my own throat than cross you. Besides, I'm here to beg for a favor with the Abyss Pit Sect's immortal master."
Shaw Payne studied him, his gaze boring deep. After a beat, said, "Let's go!"
He guided Lordi Payne swiftly into the Evergreen Courtyard, bypassing the main guest quarters entirely. Instead, they veered off onto a narrow path that skirted the edges of the courtyard, eventually leading them to a secluded area at the back.
This was Lordi Payne's first time stepping into this secluded part of the courtyard. Given his lowly status in the clan, he had always been sternly warned to steer clear of areas reserved for honored guests. Now, with his body aching and his mind consumed by the impending negotiation, he had no time to admire the extravagant decorations the Payne Clan had so meticulously arranged. After a brief pause, Shaw Payne slowed his steps and leaned in close, his voice dropping to a barely audible whisper. "When arrived, keep your head down. And whatever happen, don't look at the wind chime under the flying eaves. Understood?"
With that warning, Shaw Payne stepped forward, stopping before an elegant lodge. He bowed deeply, voice steady but laced with reverence. "Shaw Payne of the Payne Clan greets the Successor of Holy Sect, Fairy Lith, your highness! "
Noticing that Lordi Payne was a little bit slower to follow his lead, Shaw Payne's expression darkened. He shot a sharp glance at Lordi Payne and hissed, "Kneel, you fool! You're in the presence of the Fairy. Show your respect!"