The Life of a Necromancer as a Swashbuckler

Chapter 4: The Poison Sovereign, Xuan Yinzi

Just as I was marveling at the extraordinary twists of fate, I sensed a powerful aura descending from the heavens. The aura was suffused with an oppressive presence. The birds nesting in the woods seemed to sense something as well, taking flight one after another. The sun appeared to be suddenly obscured,the sky grew dark, and the air became thick and oppressive, making one feel thoroughly uneasy. Along with this sense of unease, a dark, shadowy figure appeared before us like a ghostly apparition. “Uncle Master, when did you arrive?” All traces of Gu Yuntian’s earlier composure had vanished; he immediately assumed a fighting stance, seemingly ready to engage at any moment. From his intense gaze, it was easy to see that this so-called “Uncle Master” and Gu Yuntian were polar opposites, while Shi Jingyu, standing nearby, seemed to be trembling slightly. “Nephew Gu, it’s been a long time. How have you been?” The figure, however, seemed quite at ease,with a soft, melodious voice. As he spoke, he walked out into the open, appearing before us. He was a middle-aged or elderly man of medium build, clearly quite advanced in years—at least well over sixty. He had brown hair and wore a black Taoist robe; three strands of black beard fell across his chest. He looked kind-eyed and benevolent, with a touch of the ethereal about him. The moment he appeared, the black aura vanished completely, as if everything that had just happened had been an illusion. “It’s been many years, Uncle Master. I never expected you’d come to the gates of Xiaoyao Valley. May I ask what brings you here today?” No matter how relaxed this Uncle Master appeared, Gu Yuntian dared not let his guard down for a moment; he knew all too well what kind of figure this so-called Uncle Master truly was. “What? Am I no longer allowed to visit Xiaoyao Valley?” The visitor feigned annoyance, then smiled calmly. “It’s nothing much—I was just passing by and saw you fighting someone, so I stopped out of curiosity. I didn’t expect you to struggle so much even against a mere bandit; your Senior Uncle couldn’t bear to watch any longer.” As he spoke, he casually waved his hand, and the two bandits who had been knocked unconscious by Gu Yunfei beneath the tree suddenly began to convulse. They foamed at the mouth and died. Poison Sovereign！ That title struck a chord within me. How formidable! I didn’t know how skilled he was in martial arts, but he was undoubtedly ruthless and merciless, treating human life as worthless as grass—which made me instinctively wary of the man standing before me. Although Gu Yuntian had also subdued his opponent with a single move, it was clear he’d held back at every turn, refusing to kill. But this so-called “Uncle-Master” had taken two lives right off the bat—he was clearly no pushover. Looking at the two dead bandits—one of whom was the very man I’d torn apart with my bare hands just moments ago—I felt a twinge of pity, even though they deserved their fate. “Senior Uncle Xuan Yinzi!” Xuan Yinzi’s practice of taking lives the moment he struck was also hard for Gu Yuntian to accept, but he dared not act rashly. “Although these bandits deserved their fate, they were still within the grounds of Xiaoyao Valley. We should spare their lives so they can report this to the authorities; the Four Divine Captors will handle them accordingly. Please, Senior Uncle, show mercy and do not kill indiscriminately.” “Hmph, just as old-fashioned as your master,” the little old man, who had been so affable moments ago, slowly let a menacing aura creep across his face. “Oh, so the young Miss Iron Sect Leader is here too. Who are you?” After sizing up Gu Yuntian, Xuan Yinzi noticed me and Shi Jingyu standing behind him. He seemed to recognize Shi Jingyu but not me, and he turned directly to me and asked. The question I hated most right now was “Who am I?” I didn’t know who I was either, and before I could figure out how to answer, I heard three voices ring in my ears: “Who cares who you are,” “Watch out, brother,” and “Ah!” My vision blurred, and I felt something slam heavily into me. It bit me, and I stumbled backward, crashing to the ground. In an instant, I felt dizzy and disoriented, with a sharp pain in my chest. When I touched it, I felt two bloodstains on my body. Immediately, it felt as if a thousand insects were gnawing at my flesh; I struggled to breathe, my internal organs felt as if they were about to burst, my blood seemed to be flowing backward—it was worse than death. Waves of dizziness washed over me as my consciousness gradually faded. Was I really going to die just after being reincarnated? I wasn’t ready to accept that! “Wake up!” A sharp, alert female voice suddenly rang out in my fading consciousness.