Chapter 18 Checkmate

Ling, with her hands clasped behind her back, calmly looked at the sneering Master Mu. "Master Huang, tell your people to continue killing."

"This…" Huang Tiangong looked at Ling and asked, "Is this really okay?"

Ling said indifferently, "The arrow is on the string. Can it still be taken back?"

"Then let loose a volley of arrows!" Huang Tiangong threw off his coat, revealing a set of close-fitting attire. "Tell the disciples to stop thinking and kill without restraint. Not a single member of the Mu family can be left alive! Kill…"

The sound of blades, already as dense as rain, intensified with Huang Tiangong's order, but the screams from afar grew fewer and fewer.

Master Mu's eyes were bloodshot, but he stood his ground, sneering.

He was waiting!

Waiting for the moment the disciples of Tiangong Sect would face their retribution.

Ling's expression remained as calm as still water, without a ripple.

Only Huang Tiangong was sweating profusely, glancing back every now and then.

After a short ten minutes or so, disciples of Tiangong Sect, covered in blood, approached one after another. "Reporting to the Master, the Mu family has been slaughtered, none escaped."

Master Mu gnashed his teeth. "You'll see. Your retribution is coming soon."

Huang Tiangong, his whole body tense, looked at Ling and asked, "Lord Ling, are you sure nothing will happen?"

Ling said, "The Mu family's method of controlling Tiangong Sect is nothing more than ghost and god curses."

"The Mu family violated our contract. The ghosts and gods will naturally bring down punishment. Ghosts and gods don't personally kill people, but that doesn't mean they won't act through others. The Tiangong Sect disciples are the ones carrying out divine punishment."

"You…" Master Mu trembled. "When did I violate the ghost and god contract?"

Ling gently waved her hand backward, and Shen Qingbai unrolled the ghost and god contract. "Article 3 of the contract states that secret techniques are not to be viewed by anyone outside of blood relatives. The key is blood relatives."

Master Mu's eyes widened. "When did I…"

Huang Tiangong instantly understood. "Hahaha… Mu, can you really guarantee that all your sons are your own? Hahahaha… I'm dying of laughter!"

Master Mu staggered a few steps and suddenly unleashed a spirit talisman. "Mu family descendants… Mu…"

Huang Tiangong sneered. "Isn't there anyone answering? I'll tell you the truth, the Mu family is all dead."

Master Mu, trembling, pointed at Ling. "You… it's you… you violated the ghost and god contract."

Mi Tianyue stepped forward and said, "It's not her. It's me, and it's Huang Tiangong. I'm a killer, and Huang Tiangong is the client. Ling is just someone traveling with me. Does my killing have anything to do with her?"

Master Mu roared, "I didn't ask you. I'm asking Ling!"

Shen Qingbai said indifferently, "My Commander never speaks to three kinds of people, and one of them is idiots. Because the Commander thinks explaining things to an idiot is not only a waste of time, but also impossible to get through to them."

Ling glanced at Master Mu, turned, and walked towards the mountain gate. Huang Tiangong sneered, "Kill him!"

Master Mu fended off several disciples and shouted hoarsely, "Ling, tell me, why did you attack the Mu family? Why?"

Ling only said a few words, "Someone entrusted me. For a favor."

"Who is it?" Master Mu shouted frantically, "Just for a favor, you exterminated my entire Mu family?"

Desperate to know who his enemy was, Master Mu recklessly chased after Ling, but before he could reach her, Huang Tiangong struck him down with a palm. "Chop him into mincemeat and feed it to the dogs!"

The Tiangong Sect disciples swarmed forward, hacking wildly with their blades. In just a moment, Master Mu lost all semblance of human form. Huang Tiangong quickly followed Ling to the entrance. "Lord Ling, I'll see you down the mountain!"

"No need. No one can stop me from going where I want!" As Ling spoke, she leisurely stepped onto the ascending ladder of Tiangong Sect, which struck terror into the hearts of all martial artists.

Huang Tiangong watched Ling disappear into the end of the mountain path before muttering to himself, "Ling, what exactly are you? A human? A god? Or a demon?"

After Ling walked out of the mountain gate, she said, "Tian Yue, our deal is done. You can leave."

Mi Tianyue smiled. "I have a problem. When I meet a beauty, I can't bear to leave. How about I stay with you for a while longer?"

"Then let's go!" As Ling spoke, she tossed Mi Tianyue a wine flask.

Mi Tianyue twisted open the lid, tilted his head back, and took a swig of wine before sighing, "This is probably the most expensive flask of wine I've ever drunk in my life. Drinking it means risking my life!"

Ling only smiled lightly and continued forward. Mi Tianyue said while drinking, "Li Po has drunk so much of your wine, does he have to pay you back with his life too?"

Ling smiled, "I was inviting him to drink!"

"I don't think this wine smells good anymore!" Mi Tianyue shook his head and said, "I drink wine and risk my life for you. Li Po drinks wine and you risk your life for him. People really can't be compared. Qingbai, don't you think so?"

Shen Qingbai said, "That's why you're a killer under the Commander, but Li Po is the Commander's friend."

Mi Tianyue laughed and said, "The moon is up. Where are we going?"

"To find a place to play chess!"

When Ling said she was going to find a place to play chess, she really did book a small courtyard, set up a chessboard, and started playing chess against herself.

In just a short moment, the black and white pieces were in a tense state. If a chess master were present, they would be able to see that the game had reached the point where a single move would determine the outcome.