Chapter 26: Duan Jian
Pa! Pa! Pa!
Crisp clear sounds of whipping could be heard.
After entering the hall, the first thing that they saw were two huge pillars. One of the huge pillars had a robust youth tied to it. His body is filled with bloodstains left behind from the whipping, none of the skin on his body was intact.
This youth also had a pair of wings on his back. However, they're dark gold in colour, different from the other members of the Silver Winged Family.
Two guards that wore leather armour continuously waved their whips, lashing the youth. Although the pain caused his face to be twisted, the youth still bit his teeth and did not issue even a hum of pain. His eyes were unyielding.
Itachi looked at Sikong Hongyue and curiously asked, "He is...?" Itachi knew who he was, but he wanted his girls to also know what they were dealing with.
"Hmph, a cheap bastard!" Sikong Hongyue snorted, "His mother was a member of my Silver Winged Family but had a relationship with our enemy, the Black Dragon Family, and bore him. After being found out by us, his parents were pursued and killed by us, leaving behind this bastard. Funny that those cheapskates begged us to let him off. Ridiculous! We'll slowly torture him to death!"
Sikong Hongyue's voice was extremely chilling. In her view, this kind of scum of the family must be killed.
Itachi translated her words to the girls, the girls were instantly furious, how could anyone treat someone as low as this? Now they understood why Itachi was cold to Hongyue, but how did Itachi know all of this before hand? The girls wondered.
Itachi glanced at the youth that was tied to the pillar. Although he was outrageously tortured, Itachi could still vaguely feel his unyielding eyes, and determined expression. That pair of black eyes were filled with hatred under his long hair.
Those dark gold coloured wings of his are in fact, dragon wings that have undergone evolution by the Black Dragon bloodline. It's much stronger than Silver Wings.
However, his cultivation is only 3-star Gold rank.
In Itachi's view, there's no right or wrong between the hatred of two families. However, causing such torture to a youth is a little too inhumane. Itachi's and the youth's eyes made contact, he walked towards him and asked "What's your name?"
On the body of the youth were chains that were tied around him several times. His cultivation had also been suppressed by a seal that was on his stomach.
The guards looked at Itachi and then at Sikong Hongyue, seeing Sikong Hongyue motioning them to be quiet, they didn't disturb Itachi and let him do whatever he wanted.
Although the youth is tightly bound, he still held that unyielding pride on his face. After taking a glance at Itachi, he turned his head around and went silent.
Itachi patiently waited before asking again "What's your name?"
That youth looked at Itachi, slightly puzzled, and proudly said, "Duan Jian"
Itachi said after pondering for a long while, "If I were to give you a chance towards freedom, what would you do?"
Duan Jian dumbfoundedly looked at Itachi. He doesn't understand why Itachi would suddenly ask such a question.
"I'm not a member of the Silver Winged Family and I don't have any good impressions of them." said Itachi as he shrugged his shoulders.
Hongyue who heard their conversation, stood petrified. She was unable to think for a moment, she started to have a bad premotion in her heart.
She can't be blamed, after all Itachi was in their territory and to publically say he didn't have good impression towards them, maybe only Itachi would say so.
Within Duan Jian's originally dull eyes, a ray of chilling light suddenly shot out and he said, "If you're willing to give me such an opportunity, I will swear my allegiance to you for the rest of my life in the name of my dead parents and I will never betray you!"
"This is what you, yourself, said." Itachi said. He could vaguely feel that the pair of dark gold wings on Duan Jian's back contained an infinite amount of power, "In the future, you'll follow me. I can guarantee that I will help you avenge your parents."
Duan Jian tried to kneel on the ground but the chains around him held him tight. Itachi seeing this held the chain in his hand and broke it and freed Duan Jian.
As soon as he was free he knelt down. Those eyes of his were filled with an unyielding will and hatred, like a volcano that's ready to erupt. He inhaled a deep breath and said, "If you can give me ten years time, I'll definitely have the head of that old bastard, Sikong Yi! If you're able to help me with this, I, Duan Jian, vow to serve you as my lord. For the rest of my life, I'll swear my allegiance to you and will never betray you! If I were to break my vow, I'm willing to suffer the curse of the heavens."
Duan Jian is in a blood feud. There were countless times that he thought of death. However, he bore it all down, like a wounded beast, and was waiting for the right time to strike the Silver Winged Family.
Hongyue felt her blood run cold, she looked at the guards and instructed them to kill Duan Jian with her eyes. The guards got the signal, just as they were about to attack Duan Jian, they heard the boy say "Scatter, Senbonzakura!" while taking his katana from it's sheath.
Itachi could feel Hongyue's killing intent, he frowned he didn't like to be interrupted when he was talking, he also saw the guards trying to make a move, he reached for his katana and said "scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Hongyue and the guards felt their souls being pressured just from his words, then they saw the metal blade disintegrate into countless petals, which instantly flew towards the guards and sliced the life out of them.
Hongyue was breathing heavily, she heard him say "Anymore of that funny tricks, then the next one will be you."
Itachi recalled Senbonzakura and looked at Duan Jian, passed him an elixir and said, "Eat it."
Duan Jian swallowed the elixir without hesitation.
"You're not afraid that I'll poison you?" Itachi calmly asked Duan Jian.
"If you want me dead, it'll be absolutely impossible for me to survive. In the future, my life will belong to you. If you wish for it, you can take it at anytime!" Duan Jian said, proudly raising his head.
Even as a prisoner, Duan Jian still had a lot of backbone. If Itachi didn't say that he could give him the chance to take revenge, he wouldn't yield to anyone. Itachi still remembered those fearless and vengeful eyes he had when he was being lashed. If such a person is treated with sincerity, he would not betray his benefactor.
"Well now that you're almost healed, follow me. It's time to look for the patriarch. Oh and these three beautiful women are my wives." Itachi said while pointing towards the girls.
Duan Jian nodded his head.
Itachi looked towards Sikong Hongyue and said "let's go, lead the way."
Sikong Hongyue was still in the state of shock, she didn't understand this boy at all. But the last attack he used, was enough to tell her that he can do anything he wants in their territory. Even her father doesn't have soul force as strong as the boy. She shuttered "Young master… can you at least tell me… why are you looking for the patriarch?"
Itachi looked at her in the eyes and said casually "You don't need to know, just lead the way."
Sikong Hongyue shuddered under his gaze and unconsciously stepped back and lead the way.
Itachi and the girls along with Duan Jian followed behind her.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone