Night of the Broken Gliph

Chor Shing Chit was surprised by this and immediately recalled his actions for the past six months. Indeed, after having to tattoo a gliph with mineral on him, Chor Shing Chit became even quieter than before. Other than chatting to and instructing Chui Yim, he did not even bother speaking to strangers. But when Wong Kwan was in danger back then, he felt extremely annoyed and ended up scaring the pride with a shout. Chor Shing Chit even could not contain his feelings and shed tears yesterday at the sight of his father 

Chor Chun Ping was amazed at Chui Yim’s words. Chui Yim was right—he wasn’t an old man who knew nothing about gliphism, but instead he was just trying to test the boy that his son thought highly of and genuinely worried about the impact that the mineral would bring to his son. 

After hearing Chui Yim explain, Chor Chun Ping was greatly astonished. It was as if he could see the future, where the world consisted of plantae faction, beastial faction, and mineral faction, the new faction that was now slowly rising like the sun! The most amazing thing was that his son was the first person to be tattooed with minerals and would become the first glipher of the rock faction! 

The late autumn evening came with amber glows and a cooling breeze. Not far away from the Southern Bulwak soldier’s residences was a long queue of coaches, and next to the night wolf coach stood the trio from Riding Clouds Academy. 

“Take care on your way back to the South Imperial City. Your father has already lost my stand in the clan, so you’ll definitely come across many obstacles on your trip back. As a three-chambered glipher and with little friend Chui, I believe you’ll be able to overcome all obstacles safely,” Chor Chun Ping said and fished out an item from his pocket with a smile. 

“This belongs to you.” He passed it to Chor Shing Chit. “You left it back at home nineteen years ago, and I’ve always carried it around with me. I shall return it to you now.” 

Chor Shing Chit stared at the black coloured jade in his hands. A grey Spiral Dragon, the Chor Clan’s crest, was carved on the jade, symbolising his identity as a Chor Clan member.

“Shing Chit is now back to make up for all the trouble I’ve caused. After father returns from the checkpoint, Shing Chit will have everything in place and await your return.” 

“Haha! Great!” Chor Chun Ping laughed happily, staring at his son proudly. He was no longer the strict father he used to be. 

The night wolf drove towards the North, headed for the five cities. Chor Shing Chit looked out of the window, watching Chor Chun Ping get further away from him as he held onto the piece of jade tightly. Chor Chun Ping left something unsaid, but it didn’t mean that Chor Shing Chit knew nothing about it. 

Clans held huge power in the world, and like the Tse Clan, all of them were separated into different factions. As the direct line of descendants, it made no sense for his father to be appointed to guard the Southern Bulwark. But now that it was a fact, it meant that his father had indeed lost his standing in the clan. 

And the reason was because his father wasn’t as powerful as compared to others… which Chor Shing Chit had a crucial part to play. Just like how Tse Yu Bak was assigned to manage the inn because he was deemed as a trash that could not break through. 

After I left, my father had no descendants, thus he was sent here. It’s my selfishness that got my father assigned to the Southern Bulwark…

The thought of this annoyed Chor Shing Chit, causing his will to battle to reach the brim. 

“Chui Yim, I might need your help after I return to the city.” 

“That depends on your performance.” Chui Yim grinned. “Good wine and delicious food is a must!” 

“All on me.” Chor Shing Chit laughed. 

“Me too!” Bak Wun steering the night wolf cried out. “But don’t forget, we are here for the Cloud Palace! Don’t stray away from the aim!”

Under the trio’s chattering, the night wolf which had blended into the night with its pitch black fur drove them towards the north, headed for one of the five cities, Southern Ping. 

In the dark night, nature’s black embraced the sky, hiding the distinguishing mountain of the city amongst the dark. The mountain was no ordinary mountain; it was part of the metropolis, Southern Ping. 

It was now late at night. Silence took over the streets of Southern Ping, and there was not a single lit candle. A figure travelled on the streets quietly. He seemed to be walking slowly, but everytime he moved, he appeared ten metres away from the original spot and within a few seconds travelled a hundred metres. 

Suddenly, he stopped outside a shabby house. Being small-sized, the person was camouflaged in the dark, hiding his face and gender. In the house was a teenage girl sleeping in the arms of a woman. 

Huff. 

A chilly breeze blew across the place. In no time, the black shadow was already next to the bed. Feeling the breeze, the teenage girl moved closer to her mother and opened her eyes subconsciously. A black claw that seemed as if it had black flames burning on the fingers welcomed her. 

“Ahhh!!!” 

Miserable screams rang across the entire Southern Ping! Lights lit up all across the city with the house as the centre. Neighbours close to the residents of the house gathered their courage and dashed out towards the house. All they saw was that the door was widely open, and there was nobody in the house. All that remained was a big mess and  traces of blood. 

Whoosh…

Numerous sounds of breaking through wind were heard. When all that was surrounding the house regained their senses, many figures were already standing in front of them. 

Respect washed over their faces immediately. Not because the figures were superior cultivators, but because of the jade badge hanging at their waist. There was a pill-like pattern on the jade, with the word “Ping” carved in the middle which represented the Alchemy Ping Clan. 

As a clan in South’s Five, no clans were able to rule over the entire city like how Tse Clan did, and they had to share with other clans. However, Ping Clan in the Southern’s Ping was an exception. They were the leader of the other four clans in this city. 

Southern Ping was the holy place of glipheons and alchemy masters. All clans in Southern Ping focused on medicine and alchemy, and the Ping Clan was the leader of all. Not just in the South, but even Northerners considered the Ping Clan as the world’s best in alchemy and medicine. 

However, all Ping Clan cultivators currently wore an ugly look on their faces, especially an elder of theirs as he stared at the bloody scene and spoke to other cultivators.

“This is the forty-eighth case.” Only Ping Clan members could hear him. To commoners, they only saw his lips move and heard nothing.  

“He’s getting more and more overboard! He has made teenagers disappear silently in the past, but he’s doing it openly now!” Realising that his elder had made use of the Silence gliph formation, the teenager on the side replied in anger. 

“Maybe… He can’t wait any more,” another calmer teenager pointed out. 

Their elder nodded slowly, looking at the calm teenager in admiration. “No matter what he is here for, this is our city. The Ping Clan’s city. We are not going to allow any killings of innocence or evil deeds here. 

“Forty-eight teenagers were kidnapped or killed within seventy-nine days… No matter his aim, it will not be anything good. Search for him now!” 

“Yes elder!” 

Whoosh! When the spectators took a better look, the cultivators were already gone. Residents were filled with fear, but they kept their composure and left; some with kids even planned to leave the city. Just like what the elder had mentioned, this was the forty-eighth time such an incident took place. No matter how the Ping Clan wished to keep this information under wraps, it was now already known to the residents. 

As all left, nobody noticed three corpses laying at the dark corner of the place. It belonged to the girl and her parents. 

A shadow swayed with the wind like a dark candle on Southern Ping’s city wall.

“Forty-eight…” the gloomy voice mumbled. “One more to forty-nine for my treasure… Two days later, there will be a full moon, and that is when I succeed with my treasure.”

The shadow flapped in the midst of wind, as if a ghost was howling along with the laughs of a madman.