"Are you ready, Black Dragon King? I'm coming in now for you to kill me."
Ning Beichen picked up the compound bow and quiver from the ground, then walked step by step towards the ancient castle's gate.
The sky was overcast, with dark clouds pressing down as if to crush the castle. As Ning Beichen pushed open the castle's gate, a swarm of bats flew out from the castle's windows and small openings.
"Playing spooky tricks!"
Ning Beichen snorted and walked in fearlessly.
The castle was an old Western-style building with a large hall on the ground floor and stairs on both sides.
The hall was empty, with no sign of any ghosts. Ning Beichen looked around and shouted loudly.
"Black Dragon King, I'm inside. Where are you? Still hiding your head, afraid to show your face?"
"Ning Beichen, I will kill you!"
The Black Dragon King's voice suddenly came from behind Ning Beichen. Without turning his head, Ning Beichen already had his compound bow pointed backward and shot an arrow.
*Pfft.*
The arrow pierced through the Black Dragon King, but it was only an illusion, not his true body.
"Black Dragon King, that's all you can do, isn't it?"
Ning Beichen said disdainfully.
"Ning Beichen, don't get cocky. I'll show you something spectacular."
As the Black Dragon King's voice faded, Ning Beichen saw a scene that made his eyes split open with rage.
In the image, Mu Ye was lying on the verge of death, locked in a cage. He could also see the Black Dragon King torturing Mu Ye with a glowing hot iron skewer.
"Black Dragon King, if I don't tear you to shreds, you can write my name 'Ning Beichen' backward!"
Ning Beichen gritted his teeth until they bled, speaking each word deliberately.
"You feel the pain now, don't you? Do you know how much my heart aches when you killed my disciple?"
The Black Dragon King's voice reached Ning Beichen's ears.
"Your disciple's death was his own fault! He has no one to blame but himself."
Ning Beichen roared loudly.
"What do you mean his own fault? My disciple wanted to kill you, so why didn't you just let him? Why did you kill him?"
The Black Dragon King spoke unreasonably.
"Black Dragon King, so if I wanted to kill you, I should just let me, right? Why are you hiding like a rat?"
Ning Beichen said, laughing in extreme anger.
"Hahaha... Ning Beichen, no matter how eloquently you speak, you will pay for my disciple's life today."
The Black Dragon King burst into loud laughter, acting as if there was nothing Ning Beichen could do.
"Black Dragon King, you're seeking death!"
Ning Beichen yelled, searching all over the ancient castle.
But the castle was too large, and there were many underground chambers. It was impossible for Ning Beichen to find the Black Dragon King in a short period.
"Black Dragon King, get out here!"
Ning Beichen was almost driven mad. He kicked open a room door, but it was empty inside. He roared in anger.
"Ning Beichen, I'll give you ten minutes. If you can find me within ten minutes, I won't kill him."
At this moment, the Black Dragon King's voice reached Ning Beichen's ears again.
The "him" the Black Dragon King referred to was naturally Mu Ye.
This time, Ning Beichen no longer wanted to exchange insults. He began searching the castle at his fastest speed.
However, six minutes passed, and Ning Beichen had found nothing. He hadn't even searched one-third of the castle. To accurately find the Black Dragon King and Mu Ye within ten minutes.
Either Ning Beichen would have incredible luck, or he would be divinely aided. Otherwise, he would have no chance of rescuing Mu Ye within ten minutes.
"Hehehehe... Ning Beichen, don't you feel useless and incompetent? There are three minutes left. I will make you witness his head being cut off by me."
The Black Dragon King seemed to be everywhere, yet Ning Beichen couldn't find his hiding place no matter how hard he searched.
However, this time Ning Beichen did not get angry at the Black Dragon King. He just looked at him in the image with icy eyes. Anyone familiar with Ning Beichen would know that trouble was brewing if they saw his expression.
An angry King Yama was not terrifying. The most frightening thing was when King Yama refused to speak to you, which indicated that Ning Beichen's anger had reached its extreme.
"Mu Ye, I don't know if you can hear me. If you can, give me a smile. I... will send you on your way."
Ning Beichen looked up at Mu Ye in the illusion and said softly.
A miracle happened. Mu Ye in the illusion actually smiled at him, his face devoid of any fear or dread.
"Mu Ye, if you survive, we'll have a drink together."
After Ning Beichen said this to Mu Ye in the illusion, he saw Mu Ye press his finger to his ear.
"Commence the funeral."
Ning Beichen spoke only four words, then jumped directly out of the castle window. Upon landing, he rolled to dissipate the force of his fall, then ran out of the castle without looking back.
Meanwhile, the Black Dragon King, hiding in a basement somewhere in the castle, had a bad premonition and roared loudly.
"Ning Beichen, what are you doing? Don't you want his life anymore?"
But Ning Beichen couldn't be bothered to respond. In the last three minutes, he had already run hundreds of meters away from the castle.
At this moment, a fighter jet roared overhead and passed over the castle. Soon, two trails of fire detached from the fighter jet and streaked towards the castle.
*BOOM!*
A small mushroom cloud rose into the sky. The entire castle was leveled, and a massive crater was left in the ground.
"Brother Chen, the funeral is over."
A subordinate's voice came through the earpiece.
"You can go back now. I'll handle the rest."
Ning Beichen said to his subordinate.
"Yes, Brother Chen."
The fighter jet made a 360-degree roll, flying low over Ning Beichen's head. With a sonic boom, the fighter jet disappeared.
Ning Beichen walked towards the leveled castle. He couldn't be sure if Mu Ye could survive such a bombardment.
But he knew that Mu Ye would rather die by his hand than be used by the Black Dragon King, that old dog, to threaten him.
The ruined castle was still emitting smoke and fire.
Ning Beichen approached the castle ruins and looked at them. However, he didn't believe that the Black Dragon King and Mu Ye could survive such an intensity of bombing. Even if they were hiding in the basement, the chance of survival would be as high as 99.99%.
For Mu Ye to still be alive would require a miracle.
"Mu Ye, I'm sorry. I am not a person who can be threatened. I hope you don't live such a life in your next."
Ning Beichen clasped his hands together and whispered towards the smoking ruins.