Critical: Ages Below Critical Chapter 13.1

Chapter 13.1: Method of the Dead Man (Part 1)


The black metamorphic rocks are as if large fangs of monsters,
jutting out messily and sharply along the coastline.
The strong typhoon smashes against the ocean,
resulting in large black waves slapping against the rocks and
spraying murky foam around.


[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding Waters of Rennes]

The black metamorphic rocks are as if large fangs of monsters, jutting out messily and sharply along the coastline.

The strong typhoon smashes against the ocean, resulting in large black waves slapping against the rocks and spraying murky foam around.

Thalia’s black robes that is as soft as mist is rustling in the wind. Her pupils gleam brightly and clearly in the faint light. It looks as if there are ghostly daggers revolving in her eyes.

At this moment, Shen Yin recovers from the shock. Standing opposite Thalia, the surprise fades away from her face slowly into a calm and cold make of the winter day.

The tall and handsome Ni Hong stands in between them.

He neither knows of what has happened, nor will he know what will take place later on. As if he is just a furnace radiating heat as he stands upright in the coldness between the heavens and earth. His innocent and youthful is facing Shen Yin, the pa.s.sionate admiration and domineering air makes him out to be a guiltless beautifully handsome angel caught up in a ma.s.sacre.

Thalia narrows her eyes at the side as she detects the flow of soul powers in Shen Yin’s body in detail. The white mist surges around her pupils.

“Ah……what miracle……the soul’s return circuit rebuilds, branches out, recovers even better and move towards perfection slowly……it’s like brand new tributaries branching out of a river, cutting up the body in order to sew them up again……this……what a masterpiece!” She stares at Shen Yin in a daze, a white cyclone unfurling in her eyes, “……Every single soul’s return circuit branches out and regroups, bringing you brand new abilities and more precise control of the water element. All the imperfections and weaknesses of your previous soul’s return circuit are gradually perfecting themselves with every differing attack……oh you, you’re a monster created by the G.o.ds. Oh no, I mean, you’re a nightmare created by the G.o.ds, heh heh, heh heh……”

Shen Yin looks at Thalia coldly, “Speaking of which, aren’t you a monster too?”

A faint blush the colour of peach blossoms wash over Thalia’s cheeks, she lowers her head in both bashfulness and elation, however, when coupled with the disturbing vacant murkiness in her eyes, there is a twisted strangeness to the picture, “Yes, you’re right, I am too.”  She then lifts her head and raises her thin and pale fingers towards the vast land behind Shen Yin, “Another two comes from that way. Normally, they’re not much, yet on such a large piece of water body, they are basically invincible. According to my knowledge, there are tens upon thousands of soul beasts beneath the surface of the water, in addition, there’s that ‘thing’ underneath……”

Shen Yin turns. There is not a single being in sight on the vast and dark island. The sky in the distance has countless storm clouds tugged by the cyclone. The dark clouds surge above their heads like a violent black ocean. There is not a strand of soul power that she can detect among the dull roars of thunder and lightning.

Shen Yin looks back to see Thalia’s pupils clearing. The fear in her heart spreads. She understands that since Thalia is able to become the sole female n.o.ble Lord amongst them and is in charge of the most important Tiange, her powers cannot be neglected. However, Shen Yin never thought that a person’s detection of soul powers could be so tremendously accurate to such a shocking extent.

Thalia giggles as she moves towards Shen Yin. Raising her hand, she caresses Shen Yin’s face that is as tender as flower petals. Leaning close to her ear, she whispers: “Don’t waste your energy. With your abilities in detecting soul powers, even if they’re almost in front of you, as long as they don’t use any soul powers, you’re not going to sense it……the person that’s coming, you were hunting her down just now but you let her escape. Yes, the Fifth Disciple, Guishan Lianquan. However, this time when you’re going against her, it won’t be as easy as before. She just retrieved her soul weapon from the Grave of the Souls, and from what I can detect, it’s pretty d.a.m.n powerful. Also, I’m sure you’re aware of what her gift is? Heh heh……may you enjoy your experience on this water body.”

Thalia’s eyes rolls around, as if suddenly remembering something, “Oh yes, her lord came with her as well. Ai yah, what to do now? I’m sure you’re still shouldering the task of killing Guishan Lianquan? Now both her lord and her are there, I’m not sure if you’re going to die.”

Shen Yin tilts her face to glance at Thalia, “How did you know that I need to kill Guishan Lianquan?”

Thalia seems unhappy but elated at the same time as she complains: “Ai yah, see, this is why disciples are disciples. Always have to explain so much to all of you. Your killing task is an order given to you by Nether, and Nether’s killing task originates from the Red Alarms distributed through the Tiange by the Silver Priests, and all of the messages from the Tiange……” Thalia twirls her thin index finger around and points to her own face, “They all come from me.”

“Does Nether know that Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan are coming to this island?”

“About this……you should ask him yourself.”

Shen Yin’s heart falls as she looks behind Thalia. Among the mist from the surging waves, a tall figure cladded in black robes is approaching at rapid speed.  Although his movement seems unhurried and elegant, yet he’s like a black bolt of lightning, one flash and he’s before them.

Thick brows that slant into his sideburns, irises an emerald green, his lips that are as thin as blades are filled with a perverse murderous air. His bared chest is firm and full. His tanned skin emits a strong s.e.xual desire and domineering aura.

Nether smiles lightly as he moves to stand beside Thalia. Looking at Shen Yin, he speaks with a low voice, “If I didn’t arrive, who knows how you will die later.”

Shen Yin goes down on a knee slowly. “My lord.”

Nether says nothing as he looks at Shen Yin who is kneeling before him. After a while, the corner of his lips slant up, “So you still know that I am your lord.”

Thalia has a small smile on her face as she watches the two corroders before her. She is all set on enjoying the show. It is obvious that Nether, as a n.o.ble Lord, is unaware of how many ‘injuries’ Shen Yin has withstood within this period of time. And those injuries have allowed the soul’s return circuit within Shen Yin’s body to perfect itself better day after day. In other words, the Shen Yin in present time can be said to be equivalent to a low-tired n.o.ble Lord.

And at the same time, Shen Yin probably underestimated how terrifying Nether can be as the corroder of the previous generation. He has never stopped his ma.s.sacre of killing all beings with a soul’s seal in the mortal realm. Perhaps only he himself knows how shockingly far his soul powers are now. In her mind, Thalia is clear that even though she is the personal at the pinnacle of detecting soul powers, what she can sense is only the soul powers on Nether’s surface. She has always believed strongly that, Nether has hidden his true abilities. In other words, those who discover them give their lives as the price.

And for Thalia herself……she smiles before addressing both Nether and Shen Yin, “How lucky of me to be able to see the two of you working together to kill. It’s been a while since the lands of Aslan has been so lively. However, I really have to remind the two of you that in places such as the Abyss Corridor or the surrounding waters, as long as there is a large number of soul beasts around, the two of you should really be warned about the Fifth Lord and his disciple……”

Shen Yin’s face pales, “Their gift is……”

Thalia grins but remains wordless. A gloating smile grazes her features. Nether narrows his long eyes. His emerald pupils are emitting a cold and harsh gleam.

“The soul’s return circuit of the Fifth Lord is that he can hypnotise and control soul powers over a very large area. Since this entire ocean is the medium of the element of water, he can easily form a large array here. In this array, the sheer number of soul beasts he can control will multiply exponentially, and their abilities will multiply as much, which means, in order to defeat him and Guishan Lianquan, we must first defeat the soul beasts that fill this entire ocean……”

“How……how can this be……” Shen Yin’s lips are completely pale. She never imagined that the Guishan Lianquan, a mere fifth disciple, whom she defeated before will have such powers of destruction when on the ocean. She suddenly remembers something as she turns to Nether, “Don’t you have the Mirror of Dead Souls? As long as your soul powers is higher than them, then there’s nothing to be afraid of……”

The tinkering of Thalia’s laughter cuts of Shen Yin’s words. She lifts her head to stare at Thalia. Thalia is gently pressing her finger down onto her dress that is being picked up by the sea breeze to hide the faint glimpse of seduction under her skirt. She says to Shen Yin tenderly, “The soul beasts that the mirror projects are still soul beasts. They will still be hypotised by the Fifth Lord. If you use the mirror to project a ton of enemies, aren’t you seeking death?”

“Then, can you project Guishan Lianquan and Guishan Fenghun directly with the mirror?” Shen Yin asks Nether.

“I can but……” Nether replies expressionlessly, “The projections will only be two puppets that have the soul power levels of the Fifth Lord and disciple.”

“Which means,” A worried expression hangs over Thalia’s face, yet Shen Yin sees it as mocking, “The projection of the ‘Mirror Origination’ means that the gift, soul weapon, intelligence and others cannot be replicated. The ‘Dead Soul’ projected is just a corpse with no thinking abilities. In other words, it’s just another soul beast. If the Guishan siblings can even hypnotise puppets, then that’s going to be a very big problem.”

Nether and Thalia’s appearance fades into the grey-black of the setting sun as the sky gradually darkens. The entire black ocean rises and falls violently and slowly, as if it is going to engulf the skies and ground.

The black island beneath their feet lets out continuous tragic breathing and sorrowful callings like a weak animal struggling in the ocean.



[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding Waters of Rennes]

In the dusty cyan of the sky, a large ball of white light seems to be free falling onto the black island with the howls of a shooting star. Countless elongated white glow seem to be like tens of thousands of wandering ghouls trailing behind this group of meteors. They blur into countless s.h.i.+ning sparks in the sky.

The sharp wind howls as the large group of star dust-like glow falls towards the island and slams onto the black ground like a meteorite. The entire white ball of light breaks apart and spreads. Countless while tendrils of light rotate to reveal a white-winged bird amongst the light. An Chi’s large body is like a small hill. In the moment it appeared, it morphs into tens upon thousands of s.h.i.+ning feathers. As if being sucked into the eye of a cyclone, they surge and roll into the lord’s seal beneath Lianquan’s ear.

The light from the explosion disappears immediately, leaving only the shadows of Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan perched against the wind among the vast darkness of the sky and ocean. Everything between the heavens and earth is sorrowfully silent. Beneath the dark starry night sky is the endless ocean. Lianquan knows in her heart that she is insignificant. As a n.o.ble disciple, what is she in comparison to the grandness of the skies and earth?

Guishan Fenghun’s Ares-like armour glows green in the twilight. Guishan Lianquan’s dress robes are rustled by the wind from the ocean. The blazing rigidity and luxurious soft beauty compliments each other strangely.

“We’re here?” Guishan Lianquan asks.

“We’re here.” Guishan Fenghun’s face has firmness to it as if carved from weathering the wind and snow.

“The Sixth Lord, Xiliuer, is on this island?” Guishan Lianquan closes her eyes and tries her best to detect the changes in soul powers on this island. Her brows furrow slightly as if she is filled with confusion at what she has detected.

Guishan Fenghun asks, “What did you sense?”

Guishan Lianquan opens eyes. Her face is filled with confusion and even a tinge of fear. She opens her mouth as if to say something but then pauses, as if her words seem absurd even to herself.

As if knowing what she is about to say, Guishan Fenghun nods with a tense expression on his face, “It’s alright, just tell me what you sensed.”

Guishan Lianquan takes in a deep breath and says, “Although I am not an expert in sensing soul powers, yet from what I can feel, although the soul powers on this island is obviously grand and is definitely close to the level of a n.o.ble Lord. It may even be greater. However, the strange thing is that I am unable to detect where the source of the soul powers are from at all. It is as if we are surrounding by it, that we are smack centre. If that is the case, then Lord Xiliuer should be standing right before us……yet……” Guishan Lianquan surveys the environment. There is not a single soul to be seen between the boundless lands. She says nothing more because a bone-chilling fear rises up her throat.

As if knowing what is going through her mind at the moment, Guishan Fenghun tells her, “Your feeling is accurate. Because at this moment, we are standing on the body of the Immortal Lord. This entire island is his body.”

“What?” Guishan Lianquan is unable to believe what she has just heard.

Guishan Fenghun says no more but raises his hand lightly. He draws an arch in the air directed towards the ground. As if being cut by a formless blade, a crack explodes on the surface of the ground. Black rocks spray everywhere.

“Look deep into the crack of the ground.” Guishan Fenghun points to the crack that just appeared.

A deep red liquid is currently gurgling from the crack. The blood is as if spring water from underneath the ground, flowing slowly. At the same time, the blood is rapidly congealing as the broken rocks slowly gather back in their original places, healing like a wound on a person’s skin.

Guishan Lianquan stares at the creepy and unbelievable scene before questioning, “How can this be?”

Guishan Fenghun raises his head. The surging ocean seems to be reflected in his gaze. “Seventeen years ago, Xiliuer received the command of the Silver Priests and headed to this island. The content of this order is for him to try his hardest to fuse himself together with this island in order to protect it.”

“This island is really ordinary. There are countless islands like this in the surrounding waters of Rennes. Why sacrifice a lord to protect it?”

“Of course it is not ordinary, if not, why would Xiliuer willingly imprison himself here and fuse his blood and flesh to the rocks of this island? ‘That’ Silver Priest only told me to come here in search of Xiliuer, yet he died before he told me why or what secret this island harbours……”

“The Silver Priest you’re talking about is the young child you rescued from the Abyss Corridor?” Guishan Lianquan enquires.

“Yes……”

“……But didn’t you say that, when he died……such a method of dying……is he really the Silver Priest?” Guishan Lianquan masters the courage to ask softly.

Guishan Fenghun closes his eyes as the scene of the Silver Priest pa.s.sing on in the Abyss Corridor flashes in his mind like lightning. The dark h.e.l.l-like image seems to be imprinted in his mind like ink. Indelible. Every single time he remembers it, an undeniable fear grips Guishan Fenghun, as if the hand of a ghoul reached into his chest and clenched its icy-cold fingers around his heart.

On that very day, together with Yin Chen, he witnessed the death of the Silver Priest, that pallid youth who seems as if he has been carved out from crystals. Originally, when the young boy’s amber-like irises lost their glow and his eyes closed slowly, sorrow filled Yin Chen and Fenghun’s hearts. However the next moment was when the horrifying shadow fell upon them.

The boy’s eyelids that have closed suddenly melt away like ice, leaving behind two black eye sockets, resembling that from a rotting corpse. What is more horrifying is that countless thick black liquid surge and fill the sockets. These liquid struggle and twist like soft black creatures with a life of their own, emitting shrill shrieks. This thick and sticky liquid ooze out from the boy’s eyes. The black gelatinous substance flow down the boy’s face, neck, chest……all the way to the ground. The black liquid struggles to form the shapes of limbs. On a wart of flesh that suddenly rose, there are two snow-white eyeb.a.l.l.s the size of fists. Countless broken blood vessels decorate it. A mouth-like dark hole is emitting hoa.r.s.e and terrifying howls……a large lump of black jelly-like substance releases the odor of rotten flesh. Hands and feet that resemble dried branches reaches out from it continuously, looking like charred limps from a black body after a heavy struggle. It also seems like a black swamp has engulfed rotten corpses……when the last of the black substance is supplanted from the boy’s body, this lump of wriggling and shrieking black liquid weakens gradually before turning into black gas that evaporates into the sky and dissipates with the wind. Leaving behind the crystal-like empty sh.e.l.l of the young boy with his empty sockets releasing white smoke……

Both Yin Chen and Guishan Fenghun find it hard to believe their eyes. Unless this unspeakable monstrous black liquid is the G.o.d-like Silver Priest they have trusted and wors.h.i.+ped? Unless the flawless, crystal carved, G.o.d-like body is only their sh.e.l.l? What about the Silver Priests in deep slumber underneath the crystal ground of the Heart? Does this mean that their handsomely beautiful bodies that resemble deities are also lumps of black, stinking mucus?

“It is not our place to think about it. We are just lords and disciples. Accepting and completing tasks is our fate.” Guishan Fenghun’s fringe is blown apart by the sea breeze in the dimming light, revealing his masculine features. Since when did the n.o.ble Lords and disciples that dominate the entire mainland become such a melancholic presence?

How many monstrously terrifying secrets are still present on this mainland?

“The physical body of the Immortal Lord, Xiliuer, no longer exists. He spent over a decade to fuse himself to this island. This is something that only Xiliuer can do in all the territories of Aslan. It is as if his soul’s return circuit is born for this. His ability to regenerate to the maximum is what allows him to shatter his blood, nerves, muscles and bones to cover the entire island. As along as there is a single bit that holds his flesh together, or even if there is blood pumping and flowing, then he lives on. It is difficult for us to imagine how dreadful and grand the process is. Only after over a decade does he finally turn himself into the……island beneath out feet. The hards.h.i.+p in the making of this isn’t something we can ever think of understanding.”

“What about himself? Since his physical body has been destroyed, then is he still considered to be alive?” Guishan Lianquan suddenly feels sorrow.

“Of course he is. It’s just that he’s in a state of deep slumber, or we can say that he has been in a chaotic consciously for a very long time and maintains it that way. If I guessed correctly, after fusing his entire physical body with this island, he must have pulled his soul and consciousness out and gathered them in a secretive place deep within this island, equivalent to our heart or brain……if we find this place, it would mean that we found Xiliuer.”

“After finding him, our task is……” Guishan Lianquan asks.

“Our task is……” Guishan Fenghun closes his eyes. The wind blows at the robe beneath his armour. “We gather his murky consciousness and then……we wake him up.”

Guishan Fenghun and Guishan Lianquan move slowly around the island. On their entire journey, they sense the strength and change in soul powers. When they reach a canyon-like crevice, they pause.

“The surging of soul powers is especially strong here. This should be an entrance to Xiliuer’s heart.” Guishan Fenghun states.

Lianquan stops as if remembering something. “I want to try to use the Resurrection Chain to pierce deep into the walls of the rocks. My soul powers will be able to extend deep into the island through the chain and it will be easier for us to detect……”