The Unkillable Fate Twins

The evening glow dyed the western sky crimson, and Moon Lake reflected a molten red. Ripples shimmered like shattered pieces of red crystal, the beautiful lake glittering with a thousand lights.

By Moon Lake, the crowd was in an uproar. With a single, casual motion, Xiao Chen had extinguished Hu Zitong of the Sixth Heaven, slaughtering a Tiger Family expert from the Central Plains as easily as one kills a chicken or a dog. The clean, decisive victory stunned everyone present.

“Unbelievable!”

“Is this the strength of the rogue cultivator who fought the Southern Wastes’ top expert to a draw? I’d wager he’d have no trouble even against Yin Capital’s Four Talents!”

Thousands of men seethed with excitement; the buzz of conversation filled the air.

The young nobles of several royal families involuntarily stepped forward, their eyes fixed on the unmoving figure at the center of the field.

The Third Princess of Great Shang and a dozen beauties of Yin Capital all rose from their seats in shock, staring at the young cultivator in the ring.

Dugu Jianmo said nothing, but his entire person became as sharp as a sword, causing those near him to flinch and edge away.

Qilao and Yuwen Feng’s emotions surged; they clenched their fists.

Yan Qingcheng showed a hint of puzzlement, staring suspiciously at the figure in the ring. The more she looked, the more she felt she had seen him somewhere before. But she could not connect this to Xiao Chen, for their cultivation methods were worlds apart.

“Xiao Shishui!” Hu Zifeng roared as he charged forward, only to see the floating head of Hu Zitong burst like a bubble under the rippling Psychic Sword Wave.

The pale, beardless Hu Zifeng, usually so effeminate, now wore an expression of utter ferocity. Gnashing his teeth, he transformed into a white streak charging at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen raised his head abruptly, his eyes shooting out two dazzling beams—needle-thin golden rays that struck straight at Hu Zifeng.

“Ah…” Hu Zifeng screamed, clutching his eyes. Yet his body moved with uncanny agility, instantly retreating backward as swiftly as he had come.

Xiao Chen did not move a muscle. He stood in place, watching Hu Zifeng with cold indifference.

Hu Zifeng flew back dozens of meters, then crashed to the ground. Blood seeped through his fingers as he groaned in agony.

When he lowered his hands, the crowd drew in a sharp breath. Blood was streaming from Hu Zifeng’s eyes. The needle-like golden light that had shot from Xiao Chen’s eyes was not an illusion—it was real, and it had grievously wounded Hu Zifeng.

Fortunately, the strike had been slightly off, missing his pupils. But the whites of his eyes were pierced, and two small bloody holes marked his eyelids.

Everyone by Moon Lake felt a chill. To kill with one’s eyes… that was terrifying enough to curdle one’s blood!

Only those of profound cultivation understood that Xiao Chen’s attack had not been a special divine art. It was born of absolute self-confidence and utter contempt for his opponent. He had condensed his own life energy, shot it forth, and instantly recalled it after striking.

The two golden beams were nothing but a tangible form of Xiao Chen’s vital essence.

“Xiao Shishui…” Though nearly blinded, the wound had cooled the hatred-clouded mind of Hu Zifeng. He ground his teeth. “You forced me to this. Today, you must die.” With that, he drew a crystal-clear jade gourd from his bosom, no more than an inch long and as thick as a thumb. He uncorked it and poured its contents into his mouth.

The sharp-eyed saw a red liquid vanish into his throat.

“White Tiger True Blood?”

“It must be. He’s about to go all out!”

Many knew the legend: the ancestor of the Tiger Family of the Central Plains was a true White Tiger Saint Emperor. Through intermarriage with humans, his descendants were human in form, but over generations the White Tiger blood had thinned. To counter this, he had chosen a few exceptionally talented descendants and washed their marrow with his own holy blood, making their bloodlines closer to that of a White Tiger, vastly augmenting their power—even surpassing ordinary White Tiger sacred beasts.

Though only a handful had received this boon, the Tiger Family had devised methods to benefit later generations. They had diluted small quantities of the ancestor’s surplus blood into many portions, passing them down to important family members to use in life-or-death situations.

The amount was small and diluted—it could not change one’s constitution or advance one’s cultivation—but it could temporarily raise the user’s power by a full tier. Hu Zifeng had just consumed the Saint Emperor’s blood. Now, hideous and grim, he let out a roar like a tiger’s and charged at Xiao Chen again.

His speed was blinding—a streak of white lightning tearing through the sky.

“Spirit-Treasury Seventh Heaven!”

Bo Shi, Chen Hangjin, and the other royal experts gasped. They were true masters of Yin Capital, and they instantly recognized Hu Zifeng’s cultivation level.

“Roar…”

A real tiger’s roar burst forth. Before Hu Zifeng’s body, a white tiger condensed into form—a ten-meter-long behemoth of fangs and claws, ferocious and savage, pouncing toward Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen was unmoved. He had no intention of dodging. His hands moved swiftly, forming the Fearless Lion Seal. A fierce lion’s roar shook heaven and earth. As his hands joined, the Golden Lion King materialized behind him, its three heads lifting together to roar at the sky.

Golden divine light blazed in all directions. By Moon Lake, the radiance was blinding, golden energy rippling outward like water.

The Golden Lion King leapt into the air, charging straight at the giant white tiger.

“Roar…”

Tiger and lion roared together, and a cataclysmic wave of energy swept the battlefield. The light was so intense that no one could keep their eyes open; the crowd was driven backward by the shockwave.

“Crack…”

The sound of void shattering rang out, followed by a force like an avalanche. Even Moon Lake surged with waves, and the earth trembled.

“Boom!”

No one could watch the battle. The glare was a hundred times brighter than lightning, forcing tears from the spectators’ eyes and making them unable to look.

As the tiger’s roar faded and the lion’s cry died away, the battlefield became visible once more. Hu Zifeng stood with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, staring at Xiao Chen in shock and uncertainty, as if he had not expected such a result—Xiao Chen had effortlessly dismantled the attacks of a Spirit-Treasury Seventh Heaven expert.

Xiao Chen had not moved an inch. He still stood at the center of the ring.

Hu Zifeng’s heart turned cold. Even at the initial stage of Spirit-Treasury Seventh Heaven, he could not wound his opponent—a devastating realization. But the arrow had been fired; he had no retreat. Gritting his teeth, he charged forward.

His Asura Blade Body manifested—a long blade floating before him, slashing forward. This was the divine art he had cultivated: condensing his life essence into an indestructible Asura Blade, not an avatar but even more effective.

White light flashed in waves, layer upon layer of blade energy surging like a thousand overlapping ocean swells.

Xiao Chen did not retreat; instead, he surged forward. The Fearless Lion Seal hammered repeatedly, its fierce handprints smashing into the Asura Blade with metallic clangs.

Hu Zifeng coughed blood, stumbling backward. Finally, Xiao Chen’s Fearless Lion Seal sent him flying. In that instant, he clearly heard the sound of his sternum shattering. Even his heart meridian snapped.

Facing the ebb of his life, Hu Zifeng smiled cruelly. He somersaulted in the air and crashed down, then charged at Xiao Chen like a gust of wind. His clothes burst apart, and his body became nearly transparent; veins and bones were starkly visible through his flesh—he meant to self-detonate and drag Xiao Chen with him into death.

How could Xiao Chen let him succeed? He cast a cold glance, then unhurriedly formed the Perfect Vase Seal. A giant crystal vase, carved like clear crystal, appeared above his head, glittering and shimmering with divine light.

“Boom!”

The crystal vase spewed forth a brilliant beam that slammed into Hu Zifeng’s body.

“Pfft!”

Blood splattered. It was as if a mountain had rolled over him. Hu Zifeng’s lower body instantly turned to bloody pulp, shattering in the air. The self-detonation failed; his upper torso was blasted away.

The scene fell silent. All felt the terror of this rogue cultivator from across the sea. His methods were savage and utterly without mercy. To have such a man as an enemy would be a nightmare.

The sun set. Moon Lake was half-shrouded in darkness, the stench of blood drifting on the air. It was a long time before the crowd recovered.

“Horrifying.”

“I will never make an enemy of this man.”

Chu Xingkuang’s expression was very ugly. Both Tiger brothers were dead. This was a headache—how would he explain to that old tiger within the city?

“You…” The half-ruined Hu Zifeng still had a sliver of consciousness. He pointed at Xiao Chen, his face a mix of venom and terror, but no words came out.

Immobility King Seal!

Xiao Chen formed the seal and pressed forward.

The great image of the Immobility King appeared behind him, and an enormous palm descended with his motion.

“Boom!”

The Immobility King’s palm was the size of a house. As it landed, it ground Hu Zifeng into nothing, crushing him completely into a bloody paste that merged with the soil.

Killing a Seventh Heaven expert like a dog—it seemed it really was nothing special.

“It seems… letting you go was not easy,” Xiao Chen sighed softly. There was no pretense—only a genuine feeling. He had not wanted to kill the younger generation of the Tiger Family, but this man had come seeking death; there had been no choice.

The scene was deathly still. Many were shaken to their core. The young nobles of Great Shang’s Yin Capital, who had always believed the world’s experts gathered among the great hegemonic states and that Yin Capital’s youth stood supreme, now saw their confidence shattered by this rogue cultivator from across the sea.

“Our kingdom must recruit this man!” The Third Princess of Great Shang’s beautiful eyes sparkled with resolve, as if warning the beauties of Yin Capital not to have other ideas.

But the young ladies of the capital were all sharp as needles; none of them said a word, but each had her own plans. Such an expert would be vigorously courted by every family.

Chu Xingkuang strode forward. But before he could act, three death-sworn followers under his command rushed ahead. They were utterly loyal. Seeing Xiao Chen’s overwhelming strength, they feared Chu Xingkuang might fall, so they struck first to wear down Xiao Chen’s energy.

Many cried out in protest at the three experts charging the field at once. It was clearly unfair. Even the Third Princess frowned. She was about to order them seized when Xiao Chen spoke.

“Even three are not enough…” There was a hint of regret in his voice. Since they chose to attack him, he would show no mercy.

Hearing this, the onlookers were horrified. The Third Princess swallowed the words she had been about to say.

The royal young masters of Yin Capital were even more stunned. With their own profound cultivation, they could easily see the strength of the three men charging into the ring—Spirit-Treasury Fourth or Fifth Heaven, each of them! Not one man, but three! If they possessed special divine arts, no single young expert should have been able to handle them.

“Kill!”

The three figures moved like lightning. A cascade of dazzling beams, like a meteor shower, streamed toward Xiao Chen, quickly engulfing his position.

A resonant bell-like tone rang out. Xiao Chen curled his index, middle, and ring fingers, then flicked them open in an instant. The Psychic Sword Wave rippled outward, like the tolling of a death knell.

Though the sword wave spread like gentle ripples, to everyone present it was as terrifying as the Grim Reaper’s scythe.

A great circle eighty meters in diameter instantly formed around Xiao Chen. Within that circle, the sword wave rippled—tender on the surface, but annihilating all tangible matter!

Boom!

The first death-sworn man, at the front, disintegrated instantly. No blood mist even formed; he turned directly into dust—insignificant dust!

The second tried to retreat, but it was too late. He watched in horror as his body shattered piece by piece: first his feet, then his legs, then his torso, and finally his head. They vanished like two fading lights. In an instant both men were gone.

The last man was lucky; he had not yet entered the circle and fled back.

But Xiao Chen gave him no chance. Since the man had intended to kill him, he was already dead. On the battlefield there was no mercy. To survive, one had to be decisive.

Whoosh! He turned into a streak of light and charged after him.

In truth, the man still harbored killing intent toward Xiao Chen. Having escaped once, he was looking for another way to rejoin the fight—but he had not expected Xiao Chen to be so fast. In the blink of an eye he was upon him.

“Kill you—no negotiation!”

With that, the Psychic Sword Wave rippled once more. At such close range, the third death-sworn man instantly dissolved into motes of light, scattering into the air, leaving nothing behind.

Three experts of Spirit-Treasury Fourth or Fifth Heaven—in mere moments all had vanished like dust by Moon Lake.

Even Bo Shi and Chen Hangjin, the royal scions, changed expression. An opponent like this was far too dangerous.

Chu Xingkuang strode into the center of the ring. The deaths of the two Tiger brothers were a headache but not a heartache; the deaths of his three death-sworn men, however, truly pained him. They had been loyal followers.

“Shall we continue?” Xiao Chen’s voice was cold.

In truth, by now Chu Xingkuang’s face had turned grave. He had a nagging feeling that he might not actually be able to kill Xiao Chen. But he was caught on the back of a tiger—it was hard to dismount. His grand boasts still echoed by Moon Lake: that he would behead Dugu Jianmo in eighty moves, kill the Southern Wastes’ top expert Xiao Chen in ninety moves, and slay Xiao Shishui before the crowd to strike terror into all barbarians beyond the Central Plains…

If he retreated now, Chu Xingkuang’s reputation in Yin Capital would be finished.

“Fight!” Chu Xingkuang said only one word. His purple robe billowed with surging energy, and he radiated an overwhelming aura.

The bright moon hung high, casting its silver light down upon Moon Lake. Mist curled over the water like a fairyland—the finest spot in Yin Capital for moon viewing.

Xiao Chen said nothing. He walked straight forward, as if the man before him were not an opponent but an ordinary commoner.

Chu Xingkuang’s eyes blazed with purple light. In an instant, his body split in two. One figure appeared sorrowful and compassionate; the other wore a murderous expression, surrounded by dark clouds of gloom.

“Divine Power—Fate Twins!”

“That’s said to be a peerless ability among divine powers!”

The crowd whispered briefly, then fell silent, watching the battlefield with intense focus.

One body divided into two, the Fate Twins representing good and evil. This was an exceedingly rare divine art; only two or three people in history had ever mastered it. Its power was unimaginable.

With this divine power, Chu Xingkuang had dominated the younger generation of Great Shang, and even Bo Shi, Chen Hangjin, and others whose older brothers were seven or eight years their senior had suffered greatly at its hands.

Facing two Chu Xingkuangs, Xiao Chen showed no emotion. The Psychic Sword Wave lashed out, instantly forming a circle a hundred meters in diameter. The terrifying ripples spread swiftly.

Everyone’s expression changed. The Psychic Sword Wave had destroyed every opponent it touched, leaving a deep impression on the thousands by Moon Lake.

Ripples shuddered, then burst into fury. The sword wave swept everything tangible within its range. The Fate Twins, without exception, shattered—soundlessly turning to dust that drifted in the air.

Was he already defeated?

No one could believe it. Had the famous Yin Capital Fourth Talent—this Chu Xingkuang—fallen in one blow, ground to dust and killed?

But Xiao Chen showed no sign of victory. He streaked away like a flash of light.

Silently, one of the twins—the Wicked Child—appeared exactly where Xiao Chen had stood a moment before, shattering that region of space. If Xiao Chen had been a fraction slower, he would have been annihilated, body and soul.

The instant Xiao Chen steadied himself, he shifted position again, flashing away.

Silently, the Virtuous Child appeared at the spot he had just vacated, smashing that patch of space.

Everyone gasped. This was terrifying. They had just seen the Fate Twins pulverized by the Psychic Sword Wave, so how were they reappearing now?

This was the true strength of Yin Capital’s Four Talents! Truly fearsome! Their reputations, lasting years, were not undeserved.

Xiao Chen stood at the center of the battlefield, gazing at the Fate Twins. As his mind moved, his seal formed. The Perfect Vase Seal crystallized above his head—a giant crystal vessel whose lustrous walls gleamed with brilliant light, radiating a sacred energy.

The Perfect Vase Seal struck!

The great crystal vase unleashed a dazzling divine beam, blasting toward the Fate Twins.

Boom!

A thunderous roar. The sky-rending force never touched the earth, yet the grassy ground beneath shattered into deep fissures two meters wide that snaked off into the distance.

Moon Lake became a maelstrom, churning waves shattering the reflected moon into a thousand pieces of crystalline jade.

The Perfect Vase Seal was overwhelmingly powerful—a technique created by the Forest King’s spirit matron by fusing the highest Buddhist truths. In an instant, it ground the Fate Twins into nothing, leaving not a trace.

But Xiao Chen sensed danger. Like a floating shadow, he shot into the sky and landed on another patch of cracked earth.

As he expected, the Fate Twins materialized once more, reborn again!

Everyone cried out in alarm. This was too terrible. The mighty Fate Twins could not be killed!

No one understood the horror of Yin Capital’s Four Talents better than the descendants of Yin Capital’s noble houses.

They had long heard of this divine power—the Fate Twins were unkillable. It was as if they possessed an eternal deathlessness: each time they were destroyed, they were reborn, with no loss of power. Even cultivators a full generation ahead had suffered greatly under this peerless ability.

“The twins cannot be killed.”

“They can revive endlessly.”

Bo Shi and Chen Hangjin, leaders of the royal factions, murmured the same thing.

Everyone else held their breath, watching the battle with rapt attention. This kind of fight was both terrifying and exhilarating.

The Wicked Child, its face twisted in malice, wreathed in murderous energy, lunged at Xiao Chen like a reaper of death.

The Virtuous Child, wearing a compassionate expression, struck without pity. Purple light flickered as it swept toward Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen formed the Fearless Lion Seal and hurled it at the Fate Twins, engaging them in a fierce struggle.

This was unquestionably a clash of titans. Both Xiao Chen and Chu Xingkuang moved at blinding speed, colliding relentlessly. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged over a hundred blows.

Brilliant light streaked across the sky—the energy beams of their clashes. The battle raged without pause, savage and cruel.

Xiao Chen finally confirmed that the Fate Twins seemed truly unkillable.

This unsettled him. For the first time today, he felt his life was threatened. In such a fight, his opponent was already invincible by nature. If this continued, unless he made not a single mistake, one solid hit would mean his defeat and death. He could not be reborn like his enemy.

“I thought you might have stronger divine arts. Don’t you? If this is all, then you are no match for me,” both twins said in unison.

Xiao Chen remained unmoved. He did have other divine arts he had not yet displayed, but he suspected they would not be able to kill the Fate Twins either. There was no need to expose them to the world too early.

The Mystic Flower-Pinch Seal!

Xiao Chen quickly formed the divine seal. Behind him, a ten-meter-tall image resembling himself materialized, and from its hand bloomed a strange flower, instantly dimming even the bright moon.

The divine flower opened, unrivaled in beauty.

Petals drifted down, then suddenly accelerated, slashing toward the Fate Twins.

Each crystal-clear petal contained unimaginable power. They shattered the heads of both Virtuous and Wicked Child and carved their bodies in two.

“I cannot be killed!”

Without surprise, the twins reappeared. Apparently displeased at having their bodies repeatedly destroyed, Chu Xingkuang sneered, “You’ve almost exhausted your attacks. Now it’s my turn!”

The Wicked Child was surrounded by surging malevolent energy; its purple light slowly faded. Endless black mist rolled forth, engulfing it in deathly gloom. A colossal Death Scythe appeared in its hand—indescribably sinister and terrifying, radiating a pulse that made hearts tremble.

Meanwhile, the Virtuous Child’s purple glow receded, replaced by sacred, auspicious radiance that bathed the surroundings in an aura of holy peace. A Heavenly Buddha Wheel floated above its head, its vast, unfathomable energy equally blood-chilling.

“They’ve emerged—they’ve finally emerged,” Bo Shi murmured to himself.

“The Virtuous Child wields the Heavenly Buddha Wheel; the Wicked Child wields Pluto’s Supreme Death Scythe. One holy, one profane—their power is incalculable!” Chen Hangjin whispered.

The eyes of all the royal descendants were wide, unblinking, fixed on the scene. The Heavenly Buddha Wheel and Pluto’s Supreme Death Scythe made Chu Xingkuang’s Fate Twins divine power the pride of Great Shang’s younger generation—few other divine arts could compare.

“Pluto’s Supreme Treasure!”

Chu Xingkuang roared. The Wicked Child swung the Death Scythe at Xiao Chen. The dark power was so overwhelming, so irresistible, that Xiao Chen was sent flying dozens of meters, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

“Heavenly Buddha Wheel!”

Chu Xingkuang shouted again. The wheel above the Virtuous Child’s head blazed with billions of sacred rays, sweeping toward Xiao Chen. The holy power was even more violent.

Forced, Xiao Chen activated the Eight Aspects Divine Art, his speed like lightning, barely managing to evade.

Outside the ring, everyone gasped. Pluto’s Supreme Death Scythe and the Heavenly Buddha Wheel were too terrifying—almost unstoppable. With such peerless divine powers, who could defeat Chu Xingkuang?

No one still favored Xiao Chen, least of all the Yin Capital young masters who knew Chu Xingkuang’s fearsome abilities.

“Xiao Chen, admit defeat. You cannot overcome me!” The voice of the Fate Twins was utterly cold. “Serve me, and I will forgive all your crimes.”

At this moment, Chu Xingkuang’s Virtuous Child appeared solemn and holy, like a reincarnated Buddha, radiating boundless light and a thousand auspicious signs. His Wicked Child resembled Pluto descending to the world, black clouds boiling, murderous aura vast. He no longer seemed a mortal, but a two-bodied entity of Buddha and Asura.

In response, Xiao Chen said nothing. He chose to continue the fight.

The Third Princess of Great Shang had risen long ago. She knew well the strength of Yin Capital’s Four Talents. If this man she valued were killed, it would be a genuine loss. She wanted to stop the duel, but could not bring herself to speak.

Yuwen Feng, Qilao, Yan Qingcheng, A Bing, A Shui, Huo Xiao—the experts not from the Central Plains—all watched nervously. They all hoped Xiao Chen would defeat the Central Plains master.

Dugu Jianmo, his iron sword on his back, wore a rare expression of gravity as he silently observed.

From the royal faction, Bo Shi and Chen Hangjin murmured among themselves. In all these years, no one had ever been able to kill the Fate Twins, much less destroy the Heavenly Buddha Wheel and Pluto’s Supreme Death Scythe.

For years, only the other three Talents of Yin Capital, using even more terrifying divine arts, had been able to suppress Chu Xingkuang. No other young master had ever truly defeated him.

“You cannot kill the Fate Twins unless you banish the Wicked Child to the heavens and seal the Virtuous Child in the netherworld. Otherwise, who can break my Fate Twins? Who can withstand the Heavenly Buddha Wheel, who can resist Pluto’s Supreme Treasure?”

Chu Xingkuang laughed wildly, charging at Xiao Chen.

This was common knowledge among the Yin Capital nobles—but who had the power to banish the Wicked Child to heaven and seal the Virtuous Child in the netherworld? If one could, they might as well directly destroy the twins instead of bothering to seal them.

But upon hearing these words, Xiao Chen—who had been on the defensive—suddenly blazed with light in both eyes. He spoke coldly, without emotion, “Very well. I shall seal the Fate Twins—one in the underworld, the other in the celestial realm.”