In the end, Musi Te's strength was solely due to all the resources, potions, and herbs he had consumed, rather than his own skill, talent, or hard work. His tutors were the best the Musi clan could afford, and countless soulshards were his to pick and choose, but in the end, he was hardly a battle-hardened fighter.
On the other hand, Hong Xi had spent the last two months struggling just to live. She had threaded the line between life and death so many times that she had become inured to it all.
"And this blow's for the ancestors of the Hong clan! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Moonbeam]!"
Musi Te was moments from death; his death would be all but guaranteed even if Hong Xi did nothing. However, she didn't plan on stopping just yet.
Thin cracks propagated through the sky around his body, and twin beams of moonlight shot out from her palms. The indignation, anger, and helplessness that Hong Xi had felt all these years, she returned to Musi Te with her fists. contemporary romance
Blood sprayed from Musi Te's battered body, dyeing Hong Xi's fists red. Hong Xiao's eyes widened in pride and awe.?Father, Mother, Grandfather, spirits of the Hong clan, are you watching this sight? My sister's fighting for the Hong clan—she's paying them back for a century of humiliation and disgrace!
Hong Xi's genetic energy spiked as she concentrated it all on her fists. Her right shoulder was aching; her body was on the verge of giving out. Her anger overrode these feelings. Raising her right arm high up into the sky, shining as brilliantly as the moon, she cried out, "Trash of the Musi clan, perish! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Radiance]!"
As space splintered all around her, a man appeared out of thin air, thrusting a sharp blade toward Hong Xi's heart.
Musi Te's eyes gleamed as he regained consciousness. "Uncle Fala!"
Hong Xi twisted her body slightly and continued her punch, ignoring the blade in her chest as light exploded out of Musi Te's body. His body burst apart in a dazzling flash of light, sending Hong Xi's body flying out into the distance.
With his last shred of consciousness, considering how crazy Hong Xi had revealed herself to be, Musi Te regretted provoking her.
A deep crater was left in the storehouse's floor, one that almost seemed to have been carved out with prodigious effort by a sharp blade. As the smoke and dust from the battle cleared, Hong Xi clutched her chest as she rose from the ruins of the warehouse, her face cold and desolate.
Musi Fala couldn't help but be impressed by her willpower.
"Give up on those crazy thoughts in your head, lass! I saw everything that happened. Believe me, I don't want to kill you, and I don't want [Eclipse] to die out just like that. To be honest, despite being enemies, I was very impressed by the Eclipse Sage, and I don't mind preserving the blood of the Hong clan."
Hong Xi's eyes flashed coldly at him. "Even if I've killed those from the Musi clan?"
Musi Fala shrugged. "The Musi clan is large and prosperous, and we have countless talents. Musi Te was a rather strong fighter in his generation, but hardly unparalleled. The fact that he lost to you meant that he was weak, and a weakling would hardly matter to the clan."
Hong Xi snorted. "As cold-blooded as I'd expected."
Musi Fala corrected her, "Not cold-blooded, but realistic. Musi Te has no value to us dead, and living hunters will always be worth more than the dead."
Hong Xiao naturally took his sister's side. "The Musi clan really doesn't seem like a clan of humans."
Musi Fala folded his arms. "Were Musi Te still alive, I would be his uncle, his elder—but now that he's dead, what is he to me? The two of you are far more important than a corpse, wouldn't you agree?"
Hong Xi stared at Musi Fala without speaking a word. No matter what, it was obvious that he was far stronger than Musi Te.
"You don't have to stare at me so cautiously. I don't believe there's any need for the Musi and Hong clans to be mortal enemies. Perhaps we can conduct a private trade? Give me [Eclipse], and not only will I let your brother go, I'll let you live a life of luxury."
"We don't need wealth or riches!"
"Is that so? Well, the two of you both seem to have excellent talent as hunters. With appropriate nurturing, you might well become as strong as your forefather, the Eclipse Sage. Follow me. Let go of this grudge between your clan and mine, and I promise those of the Musi clan will never find you. I hope this sufficiently demonstrates my sincerity. As long as you nod, I'll instantly guarantee you and your brother a peaceful life."
Musi Fala's offer was tempting, but Hong Xi knew what he was plotting. "You want to squirrel us away to some unknown location, then monopolize [Eclipse] for yourself!"
Musi Fala waved his arms. "No, no, you're mistaken—I've told you, this is just a transaction. You give me [Eclipse], and I give you shelter and protection. Isn't this a win-win situation?"
A win-win situation? No, of course not—the grudge between the Musi and Hong clans was simply too deep. If Hong Xi were to agree, he would treat her well until she divulged the secret to [Eclipse]—then kill her afterwards. After all, she would have no further value beyond that.
To Musi Fala, the two siblings were children that he could manipulate at will, but he was mistaken. Having traveled with Zhang Lie for a few months, Hong Xi had matured greatly, and it was straightforward for her to see through the flaws in Musi Fala's logic.
done.co