Chapter 15: Destroy the enemy

Ling Xiyue let out a cold snort.

She kicked off the ground, soaring into the air with her sword pointed straight up.

The cloud patterns on the Green Scale Sword glowed brightly.

The blade split into twelve light swords, rotating around her to form a sword formation—

*Boom.*

An invisible force slammed down from the sky.

A flight restriction.

Ling Xiyue’s figure plummeted, her feet slamming back onto the ground as her knees buckled slightly.

Eight of the twelve light swords shattered instantly.

‘Not good, I was careless…’

She grit her teeth and cursed herself.

Having fought at such a high intensity for so long, she had momentarily let her guard down and forgotten about the flight restriction in this Secret Realm.

That sudden drop had forced her to waste a significant amount of spiritual power.

Meanwhile, the pouncing Scaled Horned Beast was already upon her.

Its violet-black claws, carrying a fierce wind, swiped straight for the top of Ling Xiyue’s head.

Ling Xiyue didn’t have time to raise her sword; she could only brace herself for the impact.

*Clang!*

Sparks flew everywhere.

Luo Qingchen rushed in from the side, holding the Five Elements Blade horizontally as she blocked the way in front of Ling Xiyue.

Blade Vibration.

This was the first time she was using the secret technique that had just been funneled into her mind in actual combat.

Spiritual power surged from her Dantian into the body of the Five Elements Blade.

The dagger vibrated violently, emitting a low hum.

Luo Qingchen’s movements, reminiscent of a ghostly wail, split her figure into six phantom images before the Scaled Horned Beast.

The six phantoms raised their blades simultaneously, merging into a single point the moment the beast’s claws fell.

*Vibrate!*

The Five Elements Blade collided head-on with the beast’s claws.

A piercing screech erupted from the friction.

Luo Qingchen’s arms shook violently, and the skin between her thumb and index finger split open.

Blood flowed down the hilt of the blade.

The massive recoil sent her flying backward.

She flipped twice in the air to dissipate the force, sliding 7 or 8 meters after landing.

Her feet plowed two deep furrows into the muddy ground.

Her chest heaved, and she nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, but she forced herself to swallow it back down.

To block a claw strike from a beast in the early Golden Core stage…

For an early Foundation Establishment stage cultivator like her to manage that without suffering multiple fractures meant the Blade Vibration technique was truly overpowered.

But she could only do it once.

Her spiritual power was completely depleted.

“Thanks,” Ling Xiyue’s voice came from behind.

It was soft and steady.

Luo Qingchen looked up.

Ling Xiyue stood up and began gathering spiritual power.

The bloodstains on her purple robes were still wet, and her hair fell messily over her shoulders.

Her steps were slow, but with each pace, her aura surged higher.

The Green Scale Sword hovered by her side as the cloud patterns lit up one by one.

Ling Xiyue stopped in front of the two Scaled Horned Beasts.

She raised her left hand, pressing her index and middle fingers together against the blade.

She slowly ran her fingers from the hilt to the tip.

Wherever they passed, green sword Qi overflowed from the blade, layering upon itself until it grew thick and dense.

The two Scaled Horned Beasts sensed the threat of death.

They let out short roars and turned to flee.

Ling Xiyue’s fingers reached the tip of the sword.

“Seventh Form of the Green Scale Art.”

She released her fingers. The Green Scale Sword flew out of her hand.

The blade exploded in mid-air, transforming into a downpour of green sword light.

Dense sword Qi blanketed the entire riverbank like a shroud.

Every strand of Qi accurately navigated the gaps between trees and rocks, falling only upon living targets.

*Thwip, thwip, thwip, thwip—*

The two early Golden Core beasts didn’t even have time to scream before dozens of blood holes were pierced through their bodies.

Their massive violet-black frames crashed to the ground.

In the distant forest, four miserable roars rang out almost simultaneously.

The sword rain had traveled hundreds of meters.

The four mid Foundation Establishment Scaled Horned Beasts chasing Xiao Bai were pinned to the spot, dead.

Xiao Bai had been running so hard its four legs were practically tangled when the noise behind it suddenly stopped.

It looked back.

Four beasts lay on the ground, riddled with green light swords, twitching twice before going still.

Xiao Bai’s legs went weak, and it collapsed on the spot.

“…”

It opened its mouth but couldn’t find the words.

***

By the riverbank, the sword Qi dissipated.

Ling Xiyue extended her right hand.

The Green Scale Sword flew back from the distance and landed steadily in her palm.

She sheathed the sword and turned back.

She stopped in front of Luo Qingchen.

Luo Qingchen sat on the ground, her hands still shaking and blood still dripping from her palms.

Ling Xiyue knelt down.

She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, took Luo Qingchen’s hand, and began wrapping it carefully.

The handkerchief was cool, retaining a trace of spiritual power.

Luo Qingchen remained silent, watching her work.

Ling Xiyue tied the handkerchief and looked up.

“That Blood Soul Flower.”

“Huh?”

“Do you know how much it’s worth?”

Luo Qingchen’s heart skipped a beat.

‘Wait, she’s not going to lecture me for wasting such a treasure, is she? But even if I did waste it, I used it on her.’

“That… well, I don’t really know the market price…”

Ling Xiyue paused.

“A 1,000-year-old Blood Soul Flower… there are likely no more than three in all of Xuanzhou.”

Luo Qingchen’s lip twitched.

Three? Didn’t that mean she had just dropped a priceless bomb on Ling Xiyue?

Ling Xiyue stood up and brushed the dust off her knees.

Facing away from Luo Qingchen, her voice was low.

“Why didn’t you keep it for yourself? The backlash you’re suffering… you should have…”

“Heh, I’ll find a way to deal with the backlash,” Luo Qingchen said as she stood up with a grin.

“If you fall, who’s going to protect a little weakling like me?”

Ling Xiyue didn’t look back.

She took two steps forward then stopped.

“Don’t call me Eldest Martial Sister anymore.”

“Huh? Then what should I call you?”

“Xiyue.”

Luo Qingchen was stunned for a moment.

From the distance, Xiao Bai’s weak voice drifted over.

“Are you guys done talking? This dog is about to die… can someone lend a hand…”

Xiao Bai was pinned between the corpses of the two beasts, with only its head and tail showing.

When the sword Qi killed them, two had fallen directly onto it.

Purple-black blood dyed its white fur a messy range of colors.

Luo Qingchen ran over and circled the corpses.

“How did you end up under there?”

“If I weren’t pinned, do you think I’d still be here waiting for you!” Xiao Bai bared its teeth, its four legs kicking frantically under the corpses to no avail.

“Hurry up and pull me out!”

Luo Qingchen tugged on its front paws, but it didn’t budge.

Two beasts stacked together weighed at least 1,000 pounds.

Ling Xiyue walked over, tapped her scabbard against the beast corpses, and sent a pulse of spiritual power through it.

The two bodies were pushed aside, rolling away.

Xiao Bai jumped up and shook itself, splattering blood and mud everywhere.

It rushed to Luo Qingchen, pointing a paw at her nose.

“Luo Qingchen! You promised to lure four, but you tried to make me lure five! You promised to help soon, but you ran to the other side of the river! You promised to just run in circles, but I almost circled my way into the Palace of Yama!”

Xiao Bai’s voice trembled with agitation.

“If you’re going to be a bad human, that’s one thing, but you’re not even fit to be a dog!”

Luo Qingchen knelt.

“But you survived.”

Xiao Bai choked.

“And those four are all dead. You didn’t lose a single hair.”

Xiao Bai looked down at itself.

It was true; aside from being slightly flattened, it didn’t have a single wound.

“That’s still not—”

“Fine, fine. I’ll find you something delicious later,” Luo Qingchen patted its head.

“Let’s go. We need to cross the river first.”

Xiao Bai wanted to curse more, but it looked at the bloody handkerchief on Luo Qingchen’s hand and the bloodstains on Ling Xiyue.

It swallowed its words.

The three of them and the dog waded across the river toward the cave.

On the way, Ling Xiyue walked ahead, her pace a bit slower than usual.

Luo Qingchen followed, noticing several times that she looked like she wanted to say something.

This habit of her—of Xiyue—having something on her mind but not saying it was truly frustrating.