The Inverted Dragon's Scale

Living, this word transcends all the norms and codes of the world.

Lu Lin felt Li Muyang’s hesitation.

He knew that what he said is exactly what he was worried about.

He was chased by countless cultivators, fled in a wounded state, and before his injuries had recovered, he had come to Wind City to save his parents and family——All he wanted was it not just to let his parents and families live, let them live well?

If he dies, then his parents and family were all going to die. It was impossible for even Li Muyang to escape the combined assault of those people and they will be buried with him.

Li Muyang was not a fool; he knew well what choice he had to make.

“Li Muyang, you’re an intelligent man, you’ve concealed yourself very well before, you know what choice to make——I don’t want to die, and you don’t want to see your family die. Isn’t that right? Put me down, and I’ll take you to your parents. Also General Xuda and the others who escorted them here, I can leave them all to you.”

“My father only has one son, and in order to protect my life, he would be willing to accept any of your demands——Whatever you need, just talk to him——Li Muyang, let’s make a deal——” “

“Li Muyang, let’s forget about the matter today——life is more important——Li Muyang——”——

The more Lu Lin spoke, the more nervous he was, and the more nervous he was the more he wanted to convince Li Muyang.

Originally he thought that he could persuade Li Muyang with reasoning and move him with emotion. He thought that Li Muyang would certainly accept his deal that no one will have to die.

However, he found that Li Muyang’s face did not relax in the slightest, instead there was a mocking expression spreading across his face.

And his eyes——his eyes were like those of a beast, chilling and full of killing intent, blood tumbling inside. There wasn’t any intent to compromise or negotiate, nor was there the slightest mercy.

“He’s going to kill me.” Lu Lin thought. His body tensed up, heart violently pounding non-stop.

“You are making a deal me?” Li Muyang hissed. The voice was biting-cold and ruthless, mixed with a hint of ridicule.

“Yes. I think——it’s a win-win situation.” Lu Lin finally let go of his young master’s pride, let go of all his arrogance, and also let go off the backbone and self-respect that a human should have. “Li Muyang, in your eyes, I am just an ordinary human being, no, just a small ant——I cannot do any harm to you. When we first met, from the way you looked at me I already knew that you don’t attach any importance to me.”

“Li Muyang, your opponent is my father, the cultivators and senior generals around my father——It was they who decided to betray the Lu family after consultation. It was they who surrendered to the Song family and the Imperial family for their own benefit. They imprisoned your parents and family——These things have nothing to do with me. I have done nothing.”

“If you bring me to make a deal with Lu Wuyong, he’s going to be in pain and struggle——but in the end he will have to agree to all your demands——isn’t that what you want? Li Muyang, look, I really have nothing, why stain yourself with the blood of someone like me?”

“I’ll also make a deal with you too.” Li Muyang’s voice was icy-cold, without a trace of human emotion.

“What deal?” Lu Lin exclaimed in joy. He thought that there was finally a turnaround, and Li Muyang was finally willing to compromise.

“Do you want me to break your neck or sever your legs?”

“Li Muyang——” He didn’t expect the ‘deal’ that Li Muyang mentioned was to make him make such a difficult choice. In other words, despite his persuasion for half a day, he had not listened to any of the words he had said.

If his neck was broken he would die, if his legs were chopped off then he would live no better than dead.

“Li Muyang, you don’t——”

“If you don’t want to choose, then I’ll choose for you.” Li Muyang said out loudly.

“Shinian——Miss Shinian——” Lu Lin wailed. As the son of the Lord of Wind City, as a huge branch of the Lu clan, how many times in his life had he been threatened like this before? When had he ever been through such torment? “Miss Shinian, save me——considering my kindness to you these days, considering my hospitality, considering that I didn’t kill you, please say a word for me——Miss Shinian——”

Lu Lin sobbed, begging Li Shinian constantly.

“Do you think you can summon someone here by shouting like this?” Li Muyang sneered: “I’ve put up a sound barrier in this room, no one else can hear your scream——”

Li Shinian had already quickly dressed herself, tied the waistband, and was ferociously staring at Lu Lin with infinite hatred: “Lu Lin, during these days, I was indeed grateful to you, because you did not directly kill me like the bad guys I know, did not kill my parents——because I know that, there is hope as long as I am alive. I know that it’s possible——it’s possible that our family can be reunited one day and we can live together happily again. That was what motivated me to hold on in these days.”

“But then the situation changed dramatically, the Lu family collapsed, Grandpa Lu died, my brother was described by you guys as a dragon, and then was hunted down——I know, you kept us here to lure my brother over, you set up a net here to kill my brother, and then kill us all——”

“I’ve begged you countless times to kill me——but you had the illusion that I’m going to compromise to the cruel reality, or obey to your abuse of power——Lu Lin, I only have hatred towards you and towards your family.”

“If you and your father had not made that stab in the back, how would the situation come to this? If it wasn’t for you guys——how would the Lu family collapse? How would Grandpa Lu die in battle? And Aunt Gongsun and Tianyu——how would their whereabouts be a mystery? It is unknown whether they would survive——”

Li Shinian sobbed, tears falling like rain.

She had spent a long period of time in Tiandu, and had developed a deep relationship with the Lu family. In particular, Gongsun Yu took great care of her and treated her as her daughter. Lu Tianyu at the beginning only wanted to play tricks on her but after Li Shinian saved him, he was obedient and respectful towards Li Shinian.

Thinking of the little fatty who would bring fresh melon and fruits over to her every day was being chased and possibly killed——

Li Shinian felt her heart being pierced by a knife.

Why did two good families become like this?

Li Shinian’s heart was full of hatred. She hated all the people and things that took away her quiet and peaceful life, and her everything.

“If my brother had not arrived in time, I would have been assaulted by you. I would have been more miserable than dead——Lu Lin, you still have the face to ask me to speak for you? You still have the face to say you treated me with kind hospitality?”

“Miss Shinian, Li Shinian, save my life, I am willing to be a slave to repay you——” Lu Lin howled sorrowfully.

“Break your neck, or you chop off your legs——have you decided?”

“Li Muyang——”

“Then I’ll choose to break your neck.” Li Muyang’s began to exert force to his grip on Lu Lin’s neck.

“Leg. I pick my legs——” while still able to speak, Lu Lin shouted.

If his neck was broken, he would be dead.

If his legs were chopped off, although his life would be miserable, he would still be alive——

Li Muyang, after a thought, said aloud: “I don’t think you made the right choice.”

As he was speaking, he hurled Lu Lin’s body into the air.

Then, grabbing Lu Lin’s hand in one hand and his foot in the other, he forcefully pulled in opposite directions.

Kacha——

Blood splashed, flesh splattered.

Lu Lin’s body was torn in half, before he was tossed to the ground.

His face, hands, and clothes were covered in blood.

“Brother——” Li Shinian was frozen where she was, staring at Li Muyang with a horrified expression.

Li Muyang grinned at her, “When I saw what he tried to do to you, I had already thought what to do——”

“Brother——” Li Shinian’s tears fell like rain, pouncing over to hug Li Muyang. “Brother——”

“In order to save Mother and Father, I did hesitate for a moment, but I decided to do it in the end——because if the bad guys go unpunished, the good guys will live very differently.”

“Yes yes——” Li Shinian nodded frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks. “

“Don’t cry, don’t cry——” Li Muyang felt his lapel soaked in tears, which was warmer than Lu Lin’s blood that splashed onto his body. “Don’t cry, you know, growing up, I am most afraid of you crying——”

“I won’t cry.” Li Shinian’s face was buried in Li Muyang arms, shaking her head frantically, she said: “I won’t cry. We’ll go save Father and Mother——I don’t know where they are being locked up, they didn’t keep us together——” —”

“Don’t worry.” Li Muyang gently patted Li Shinian’s shoulder, and comforted, “As long as they are alive, I can certainly save them.”

“Unless I die.”

Li Muyang didn’t say this out loud.

His physical condition made it hard for him to be optimistic.

———————————————————————–

In the stone chamber, there was a small stone coffin.

On top of the stone coffin plate was an instrument made of unknown ore that was shaped like a wine bottle.

The instrument was adorned with various symbols, as well as depictions of mountains, turtles, birds, and animals. The instrument was attached to eight giant lions, each with a silver bead in its mouth.

Facing the lions’ mouths were eight toads squatting on the ground, each with their head lifted up, mouth opened wide, ready to receive the silver bead.

—— Clang——

Following a loud clank, the silver bead in the mouth of the lion on the southeast side fell after a violent shaking.

Swoosh——

The toad below leaped up, mouth widening and swallowed the silver bead into its stomach.

Gudong——

With a deeply satisfying belch, the golden toad crouched back where it was.

“Isn‘t it a delight to have a dragon come from afar?” A bearded elder who was resting opened his eyes and stared at the place where the silver bead fell, twirling his beard and smiled.