Versatile Mage

 —

 In the pitch-black underground, a few Light Mages were tossing Brilliant Lights into the distance to light the place up.

 The jagged rocks were like the fangs of monsters, like they were inside the body of an enormous creature. The path was sometimes narrow, and sometimes wide.

 “It’s not far from here, you promised me that you would let them go. You better keep your promise, or you will never find the Earth Pistil!” Lin Feili snapped.

 “You should know that I’m only interested in the Earth Pistil. Is it just ahead on the pile of rocks that look like fangs?” General Shi Qianshou’s eyes flickered. He did not bother concealing his greed and excitement.

 “Let them go first,” Lin Feili said.

 “The Earth Pistil, where is it?”

 1“There.”

 “Go retrieve it for me. How do I know if you aren’t trying to trick me?” Shi Qianshou might be greedy, but he was as cautious as always.

 Lin Feili went over to the rocks helplessly. He cautiously deactivated the layers of magic formations on them.

 A brown-yellow light rippled as soon as the magic formation was deactivated. A pistil like a piece of rock slowly opened above the jagged rocks. Its fragrance and aura immediately caused countless dark lotuses to blossom in the underground.

 “No wonder there’s an oasis here! I should have known, I should have known, HAHAHA!” Shi Qianshou was on the verge of pouncing on the Earth Pistil like a beast.

 He would soon have his own city with the Earth Pistil. Who would dare to criticize him? Who would dare to threaten to bring him to trial at the military court because of the things he had done? He would be the law in the city!

 “General Mu, just wait a little longer, I’ll definitely make you pay for forcing me into this!” Shi Qianshou went forward and grabbed the Earth Pistil.

 As soon as he touched the Earth Pistil, a part of it wilted instantly. Shi Qianshou quickly withdrew his hand and snapped furiously at Lin Feili, “What just happened?”

 “I don’t know either. I’ve already brought you to the Earth Pistil, Let them go,” Lin Feili replied.

 Shi Qianshou ignored Lin Feili. He began to inspect the Earth Pistil with his will.

 He was enraged after some time. He glared at Lin Feili and yelled, “This Earth Pistil is about to wilt soon. It doesn’t contain much energy; you tricked me, how dare you trick me!”

 Shi Qianshou grabbed Lin Feili’s arm. A deadly poison spread rapidly through Lin Feili’s body. His hand and arm rotted in an instant from the poison!

 “Do you have any idea the price I paid just to get this thing? Both you and the old captain deserve to die, everyone that opposes me deserves to die!” A poisonous aura burst out of Shi Qianshou’s body. Even the rocks were corroding because of it.

 Lin Feili was unable to resist the poison. Shi Qianshou continued to torture him.

 Shi Qianshou knew torturing Lin Feili would not help. The energy in the Earth Pistil was depleting. He had to find a way to replenish it. Otherwise, it was no different than a wilted flower!

 “You all are willing to pledge your life to me to build our kingdom, am I right?” Shi Qianshou stood above the rocks and said to his men.

 “Yes, sir!”

 “To build our own kingdom!”

 “All hail General Shi!”

 The soldiers responded. They were all in high spirits. It seemed like they were not following Shi Qianshou because of their personal gains. They had been brainwashed by the man to a certain degree!

 Zhang Xiaohou felt angry and sorry for the soldiers when he saw how passionate they were in following the greedy General.

 Soldiers were obliged to obey the orders of their superior, but if their superior was abusing his power for personal gains and ambitions, he was basically committing treason. This Shi Qianshou had completely lost his mind in his pursuit of power. He was leading the soldiers into a deep abyss of sins!

 “Very well, we are only one step away from achieving our goals. Brothers, it is time for you to sacrifice your lives generously. You will replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil with your unyielding spirits! I promise you I will carve your names on the gates of the city that I’m about to build!” Shi Qianshou suddenly switched his tone. He sounded terrifying and evil!

 Zheng Tong, Tong Zhuang, and the rest of the soldiers were startled. They did not understand what Shi Qianshou was saying.

 They understood only when countless poisonous insects suddenly flew out of Shi Qianshou’s body and landed on them!

 Shi Qianshou was planning to use their lives to replenish the energy of the Earth Pistil, even though they were his subordinates!

 The poisonous insects carried a deadly poison with a strong anesthetic effect. The soldiers standing closest to Shi Qianshou were soon staggering as if they were drunk. The poisonous insects that Shi Qianshou released entered their bodies through their nostrils, ears, and mouths…

 The poisonous insects were only the size of a thumb at the start, but when they burst out of the soldiers’ stomachs, they were as big as a human fist. The swollen insects flew toward the Earth Pistil under Shi Qianshou’s control.

 The poisonous insects self-detonated above the Earth Pistil. The energy obtained from the lives of the soldiers sprinkled on the Earth Pistil. The wilted part of it gradually recovered!

 “This…this…” Zheng Tong was dumbfounded.

 “Those with a higher cultivation will provide the Earth Pistil with more energy! Zheng Tong, I promise you that your name will be carved above everyone else’s!” Shi Qianshou stared at Zheng Tong coldly.

 “I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, General, please, please spare my life… AHHH!”

 Cries of agony echoed in the underground passage. Countless poisonous insects flew toward Zheng Tong. The man was trying to hold the insects back with his magic, but the poisonous insects soon infiltrated his body. Huge insects burst out from his stomach and flew toward the Earth Pistil… they were like bees collecting honey, except they were using a much crueler method.

 Zheng Tong did not die instantly after the poisonous insects burst out of his stomach. There were insects crawling out from his eye sockets too…

 He had actually believed in Shi Qianshou, especially after the man had told him recently that he could enjoy any woman he wished once they were able to construct their own city. He could have fun with a few, or more than ten women every day. He had never thought Shi Qianshou was such a devil. He never wanted to share prosperity with others. His subordinates were actually worthless to him, just like the people that he had killed at the relay station!

 “He has completely lost his mind!” Ge Ming swore. Even Ge Ming felt sorry as he watched the soldiers falling to their deaths.

 The poisonous insects were prioritizing those with higher cultivation and stronger auras. Since Zhang Xiaohou and Ge Ming’s cultivation was sealed away, the poisonous insects did not target them straightaway!

 “Quick, run!”

 Lin Feili, still covered in poisonous blisters rose to his feet as Ge Ming and Zhang Xiaohou were slowly waiting for their turns to die.

 Lin Feili’s cultivation was not sealed away, but he was fully subjected to Shi Qianshou’s poison. Shi Qianshou had completely lost his interest in Lin Feili. He left him on the side and let the poison consume him. To Shi Qianshou’s surprise, Lin Feili was still able to run at an incredible pace prior to his death. He quickly grabbed Ge Ming and Zhang Xiaohou with his almost completely rotted hands and ran toward the other exit!

 Shi Qianshou was so busy controlling the poisonous insects that he was not paying much attention to Lin Feili. It gave Lin Feili a chance to bring Ge Ming and Zhang Xiaohou to the narrow exit.

 “Just follow the path and you will soon find a way out. You have to stay alive at all costs and let the outside world know what happened here…” Lin Feili brought them to a narrow passage. However, he did not go any further. He straightened up and blocked the path with his body.

 “Lin Feili!” Zhang Xiaohou did not have much strength left. He tried to drag the man with him, yet his effort was in vain.

 Lin Feili’s body was falling apart from the poison. His arms had fallen off now, as he used too much force. The wounds were full of poisonous blisters. Shi Qianshou’s poison was indeed terrifying…

 Poisonous insects were approaching the passage. They wildly dug into Lin Feili’s body and continued their way toward the exit through the gaps. They had no intention of letting Zhang Xiaohou and Ge Ming go.

 “Tell the outside world what happened…” Lin Feili set himself on fire. The flames devoured him and blocked the passage, burning the poisonous insects that tried to get past him to death.

 Zhang Xiaohou’s eyes reddened after watching how Lin Feili was unwilling to give up until his death!

 “Shi Qianshou, I’m going to kill you!” Zhang Xiaohou screamed in a hoarse voice, yet he had no choice but to go flee, using the light emitted by the fire consuming Lin Feili as a light source.

 The light gradually faded away. Ge Ming and Zhang Xiaohou were supporting one another as they fled. They did not dare to turn around.

 The two of them were trying to control their emotions. They had an urge to turn around and fight Shi Qianshou with all they had, but they knew Lin Feili’s sacrifice would be in vain if they died too!

 —

 The cries of agony never stopped. The soldiers were not as lucky as the two that had escaped into the tunnel. They were killed by the man they trusted the most in the cruelest way. Their dreams of being able to act as they pleased were destroyed; they were covered in the poisonous insects that drained their life away. They were filled with pain, anger, and hatred that they would never be able to vent, even if they turned into vengeful spirits!

 However, it was meaningless to learn the truth at the last moment. The man that had given them their dream showed no pity at their deaths, as if the Earth Pistil was the only thing in life. His eyes were brimming with passion and excitement as he watched the energy of the Earth Pistil being replenished!