Reincarnated as both God and The Devil

Chapter 68: Golden Pavilion

Once again, Xing Cai found Liu Hao's description of the destruction that has befallen the Golden Pavilion as an understatement.

Xing Cai used the calamity in Taizhou as base for her expectations, but what happened in Taizhou was nothing compared to the damage that has happened to her sect.

Dismembered parts of the disciples protrude from the trees like branches. Their intestines hanging and stretching from tree to tree. And unlike when Liu Hao reported it, it would seem that no one was alive anymore. Not a single moan could be heard anymore.

There were only the leaves rustling with each other, and the disgusting sound that the vines were making as they slither along the corpses of her dead comrades.

If it wasn't for the tall golden building that still stood in the middle of all this mess, then Xing Cai herself might not have recognized that this place was even her sect.

The memories flowed through her mind, but this was not the time to reminisce. She put on a serious expression as she sharpened her eyesight and looked around.

"We are trying to find a portal that is similar to the ones that have spawned on the skies of Tai-", Xing Cai did not finish her words, she suddenly remembered the words of Liu Hao. He mentioned something about a light, while the ones that appeared above Taizhou were pitched black. Could it be that every dungeon looked different?

"No, this time, try look for a bright portal. Keep your eyes sharp, and if you see something the tiniest bit irregular, the tiniest movement on the trees, you report it. Let us go and don't be too far from the group", Xing Cai said as she started to walk around. Viel walked beside her, immediately followed by the new guard.

"Is it not better to split up, Elder Xing Cai?", one of the senior guards said. Even though the Golden Pavilion was just a single sect, it was almost as large as the city of Taizhou. It would take hours before they could thoroughly search the area if they did not split up.

"If you wish to become fertilizer, then do so", Xing Cai stopped walking as she glanced at the 5 guardsmen, "Remember where you are and remember the ones who once stood here- members of the Golden Pavilion. There were no civilians here, only cultivators. That disciple", Xing Cai then pointed towards a dead body hanging on one of the trees, "is probably stronger than all of you"

There was a bitterness inside Xing Cai as she pointed at the dead body. Even if they were caught off guard, how was it possible that no one survived? Sure, the vines were durable, but they were not indestructible as someone like Xing Cai and General Diao could destroy it like a normal twig. That would mean that some inner disciples should be strong enough to fend the vines away, not to mention the Elders, the sect Master, and the Matriarch.

The Golden Pavilion was not weak!

And why would the Matriarch and most of the higher ups just leave their disciples and enter the dungeon? It truly does not make any sense.

With that doubt still lingering inside Xing Cai, they continued the search for the entrance to the dungeon together.

Their search was eerily quiet, and uneventful. The vines were moving, yes. But they really were not doing anything besides that.

After an hour, they found themselves inside a huge spacious building.

"Whoa, what is this place?", the small guard's jaw can be seen dropping from his helmet. His reaction was not unfounded, though. His other fellow guards could not help but snicker as they see their smallest and youngest member be in awe with something so simple, "Heh, truly a greenhorn", they remarked.

Although they can't deny, the small guard's awe was not unfounded. Even with the vines encroaching the walls, it was still a sight to behold.

"It's our training ground", Xing Cai answered.

"Your training ground is covered!?"

A training ground inside a golden building, how luxurious was that!? Thought the guardsmen. But they really did not voice it out, as the mood started to sour when they realized that hundreds of bodies were scattered all around the building. There was also a pile of bodies that were mounded like a hill in the middle of the training ground. Truly, a morbid sight.

They all turned to look at Xing Cai, whose expression could no longer be painted.

She had hope.

She had hoped that there were still people alive.

But seeing hundreds of her fellow members sprawled on the floor, lifeless, with their bodies being violated by the vines that burrowed into their flesh like worms. The mountain of bodies that were hugging each other, their bones twisted like a knot.

The reality truly was harsher when it is already right on your face. Xing Cai's breathing started to get irregular as she gripped her great sword. Her hand was trembling, the only thing she wanted to do right now was destroy this place.

She was wrong, this was not a forest of death. But the grave of the Golden Pavilion.

She slowly lifted the great sword, ready to wreak havoc, but before she could do so, she felt a small hand touching hers.

She looked down, only to see Viel staring at her while shaking his head repeatedly.

How foolish. Here she was losing composure that an unstable 5-year old child had to calm her down. Xing Cai quickly relaxed her breath as she nodded towards Viel.

"Thank you, Viel", said Xing Cai with a warm smile.

"Eh? Why are you thanking me?", Viel then pointed at a certain direction as he finished his sentence, "I hear someone crying over there"

"W-what? We're not hearing anything, s-stop scaring us, bro- Mr. Viel!", the small guard stuttered as he slowly got closer towards Xing Cai, tugging her robes.

Xing Cai gave an intimidating glance towards the small guard, which made him instantly release her robes. Truly different from how she treated Viel earlier. The small guard quietly apologized and backed away, but he was still on high alert as he looked around him.

Xing Cai then slowly approached the direction where Viel pointed to. And Viel was right, there really was someone there.

And although weak, Xing Cai could hear the disciple whimper in pain.

"A-are you", Xing Cai was about to ask the disciple if she was alright, but Xing Cai already knew the answer to that.

Although still alive, the female disciple was in the same state as the countless dead bodies they have seen, with vines piercing in and out of her. Truly, unlucky to be alive.

"Elder XingCaiwhy?"

An airy but croaked voice came from the female disciple.

"Sshh Don't talk"

Xing Cai kneeled down to get closer to the female disciple. She wanted to touch her hand to comfort her, but the female disciple's hand already had vines coming out from the tip of her fingers. Any wrong and sudden movements will just inflict more pain to the female disciple.

Xing Cai knew now what she has been feeling ever since they arrived the Golden Pavilion.

It was helplessness.

Even with her comrade lying there in pain, struggling, Xing Cai could do nothing. Perhaps all she could do was end her pain.

"ElderXing", the female disciple was struggling to even speak. She tried to raise her hands, but the vines teared her flesh as she did so, making her unable to do so any further.

"I am really sorry", Xing Cai hit the ground in frustration. She tried to fight the tears that wanted to come out from her eyes. This was not the time to be weak, she said to herself.

"P-please Elder run run away", even though the female disciple was struggling, she still looked at Xing Cai in the eye.

"No, sister. I will not leave you behind", Xing Cai also looked at the female disciple in the eye, her eyes filled with resolution.

"Nno you don't understand"

It was obvious that the female disciple still had more to say, but before she could even finish her words, she took her last breath.

"It'sokay now. You can rest", and with much hesitation, Xing Cai closed the eyes of the female disciple.

Once again, Xing Cai felt a hand on her arms, and once again Viel was holding it. This time though, Xing Cai waited if Viel was going to point at a direction were someone was still alive again. But it did not come, instead, Viel just stood on his toes and patted her head.

"Viel.."

Xing Cai could not help but feel warm as the tears slowly fall from her eyes. She held Viel's hand and placed it on her cheeks as she sniveled.

On the side, tears could also be coming from the small guard's helmet, in which the senior guards could not help but remark again, "Tch. This greenhorn", said the senior guards as they wiped the inside of their helmet from the moist the was coming from their tears.

They decided to step back a few meters, pulling the small guard away to give the two a moment of privacy. They did not go far, of course. Who would even dare be alone after seeing how the female disciple died?

"Greenhorn, what's your deal? Why are you acting so close the Elder and that little monster?"

"Western brat!? You dare call my bro-", the small guard coughed, "You dare call Mr. Viel a monster!?"

"Well, isn't he? Have you seen what he did earlier!?", one of the guards added.

"Tch. Just because he is a bit stronger than most you call him a monster? This is why you uneducated people don't go up in life"

"W-what did you say you greenhorn!? I was an adventurer once, you know! Do you even have hair on your body yet!?"

"Ooh, I haven't heard that one before", the new guard said sarcastically as he waved his fingers.

"Let's see how arrogant you-", one of the senior guards were about to approach the new guard, but he heard a rustling noise on the side, "What was that?"

"W-what was what?"

All of them asked nervously as they looked at the direction where the senior guard was looking. "I thought I heard something there", he then looked at the new guard, "You, greenhorn, try to see what it was"

"What? No!", the new guard refused vehemently.

"Tch. Do it!"

"No! Elder Xing Cai specifically told us not to separate too far!"

"Pft. You're just a coward. Watch me", one of the guards slowly approached where the noise came from while brandishing his spear.

"There's nothing here", the guard said as he looked at where the other guards were, "See, greenhorn? It must've been just the wind and here you are wetting your pants!"

The guards laughed as they once again teased the new guard. But their laughter abruptly stopped when they once again heard a rustling noise coming from behind the guard who checked the noise.

One of the guards pointed, "B-b-behind you", his hand shaking.

"D-don't joke around guys, w-what's behind me?", the guard then slowly looked behind him, and there, he saw a pair of eyes looking at him.

"G-gaaah!"

Xing Cai was immediately alarmed by the shouting of one of the guards as she and Viel quickly ran towards them.

"What's the situation!?"

With Xing Cai's hurried questioning, all the guards pointed at a single direction. Xing Cai quickly looked at where they were pointing at, and there he saw one of the guards trying to talk to who seemed to be a disciple.

The guard who was talking to the disciple noticed that Xing Cai was looking at him, "Elder Xing Cai! There's someone alive here", the guard then looked at the Golden Pavilion disciple, "It's alright. You're alright now"

The disciple then almost fell on his knees, but the guard caught him before he could fall.

Xing Cai squinted her eyes to see who the disciple was, he seemed to be an inner disciple as indicated by his robes. Xing Cai, though, noticed how pale the disciple was, and how he had bloated spots all over his body.

And then, right there and then, it clicked in her mind.

Liu Hao being able to escape.

Why the Matriarch and the other Elders left and went inside the dungeon.

And the female disciple's last words, "You don't understand"

It all finally clicked in her mind.

They were lured here.

"RUN!", Xing Cai shouted.

"Wha-", before the guard can finish his words, the Golden Pavilion disciple inserted his finger inside the opening of the helmet. "Vhat aw yu dong!?", the guard mumbled, he probably said "What are you doing!?"

But it was too late. All of them watched as the weak-looking disciple pulled the guard's jaw all the way from the skin of his neck, ripping it like jerky. The guard's jaw was now hanging from the base of his neck, with his tongue still squirming.

The disciple's fingers then stretched, no. It looked like it was stretching, but if one were to look closer, one would find that vines were extending from inside the tip of his fingers. The vines then slowly slithered its way on the opening that was just made on the guard's throat.

But before it could do so, Xing Cai cut the disciple's arms and kicked him away, effectively breaking the disciple's spine as he folded in two.

"Wu Jie!"

The 3 guards shouted as they rushed towards their companion. Wu Jie, that was the name of the guard that just had his jaws ripped from his body. The new guard was stunned as he did not even have the strength to approach their now dead companion, once again his jaw obviously wide open even with his helmet on.

The other guards lifted the dead guard's body, his helmet falling off in the process. Even with the blood oozing from its neck, the obvious wrinkle on the guard's face and his grey hair were fairly visible. Wu Jie was an old man. Probably just an old man trying to provide for his devastated family.

"Get away from him!"

Xing Cai shouted.

"W-what!? But he is our-"

But before they can finish their words, they saw something that utterly shocked them.

The disciple that Xing Cai just kicked, the disciple that was folded in two, was now currently standing.

Maybe standing was not the right word to describe it, as the disciple still was folded in two. So now it was using its feet, as well as its hand to stand. It truly was a disgusting sight.

And there, without anymore questions, the guards dropped their companion's body and backed away.

Xing Cai gripped her great sword as she slowly approached the disciple. "I will free you from this pain, brother."

But before she could even approach the disciple, a huge boulder of gold fell on it.

Xing Cai was stunned. Where this this huge chunk of boulder come from!?

"Eww What was that?"

They all then turned their head towards Viel, who was standing beside a huge hole on the floor.

Yes, he threw a part of the floor towards the disciple. Although the guards were stunned, their jaws were no longer showing from their helmets. Viel's question was valid.

What in the world was that!?

It was then that a worm-like vine crawled from the huge boulder. The vine moved fast, as if it was trying to get away from them, but alas, it could only go so far with crawling before Xing Cai squashed it with her great sword.

[DING! Discovered a Treant!]

"A treant?", Xing Cai's eyes widen as a set of text floated in front of her eyes.

[A Treant is a Parasitic Plant that attaches itself to a host. Once attached to the host, there is an incubation period.]

Xing Cai looked around her, but it would seem that only she was able to see the text in front of her.

Could it be only the ones who have already entered a dungeon can see it? Xing Cai surmised. She then decided to continue to read the text in front of her and one line immediately caught her attention.

[It will gain control of the host's body]

She was right! This was the reason why the Matriarch and the other Elders went inside the dungeon, maybe they wanted to avoid being controlled? Or maybe they were already affected, and decided to enter the dungeon to avoid any more casualtie-

It was then that Xing Cai stopped her thoughts as she nervously gulped. She then looked at the hundreds of bodies sprawled around them

"Outsidenow", Xing Cai said quietly.

The guards were confused, but with everything that has happened, all they could really do was to follow the orders of Elder Xing Cai.

So, all of them quietly walked towards the exit of the training ground.

But as they were about to go out, rustling noises could be heard from behind them. The guards did not want to look back, they really did not.

But they did.

And what they saw horrified them.

The bodies that were previously sprawled on the ground were now looking at them, their eyes wide open hundreds of them.

The mound of corpses in the middle of the training ground also started to collapse as the bodies started to roll to the ground one by one.

And slowly, at the same time, the bodies stood up.

Even with their guts telling them to move, the guards could no longer do so. How could they? They were frozen stiff, covered in fear at the sight that was laid in front of them. The small guard almost falling to his knees in fear.

Even Xing Cai was unable to move, but not for the same reason as the guardsmen.

Because there, in the middle of the training ground. Where the mountain of corpses previously was

There, the portal stood.

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