Chapter 26: Now is not the time for ambiguity

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The massive counter-shock force traveled through the Five Elements Blade and surged throughout her entire body.

Luo Qingchen instantly lost all feeling in both hands.

A sweet metallic taste filled her throat.

She sprayed out a mouthful of fresh blood, painting a startling red arc in mid-air.

Her entire body flew backward uncontrollably at extreme speed, with nothing but the whistling wind howling in her ears.

Her internal organs felt as if they were being twisted together, the pain so intense she couldn’t even manage a scream.

‘This crappy technique!’ she cursed inwardly.

The Blade Vibration Technique had indeed reduced the damage, but the fury-filled strike of a Core Formation stage monster was simply too powerful!

Her small body at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment couldn’t withstand it at all.

If she hit the wall like this, they would have to scrape her off with a shovel!

“Little thief!”

A shrill, piercing cry echoed from the distance.

Ling Xiyue’s already pale face instantly lost the last of its color.

She ignored her depleted spiritual energy and torn meridians.

Forcing herself to bite the tip of her tongue, she squeezed out every last drop of her latent potential.

Her purple-clad figure transformed into an afterimage, lunging directly into the air.

A split second before Luo Qingchen was about to slam into the cliff wall, Ling Xiyue caught her in a death grip.

Carried by the terrifying residual force, the two of them slammed violently against the hard stone wall of the Heavenly Pit.

*Boom!*

Rubble cascaded down in a shower of stone.

Ling Xiyue acted as a cushion, her back striking the rock with a dull thud followed by the sickening sound of a bone cracking.

She let out a muffled groan, a large amount of dark blood seeping from the corners of her mouth.

Her hands remained locked around the person in her arms, not loosening their grip even by a fraction.

As the dust settled, Ling Xiyue looked down at Luo Qingchen.

The petite girl who usually spent her time jumping around and spouting nonsense was now lying limp in a pool of blood.

Her chest heaved violently; she was breathing out more than she was taking in.

For some reason, a flicker of panic rose in Ling Xiyue’s heart.

Her eyes reddened.

Her voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Little thief…”

“Don’t scare me…”

“Hold on…”

Luo Qingchen struggled to open one eye.

Looking at the beautiful face just inches away, which looked like pear blossoms in the rain, she exerted a great effort to lift her hand and wipe away the bloody foam on her lips.

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Big sister…”

“This monster isn’t even dead yet…”

“Now is really not the time for flirting, okay?”

What time did she think it was, acting out a scene of life-and-death parting!

Suddenly, a skin-crawling sound of grinding crystals echoed from the center of the Heavenly Pit.

The Spirit Sand Crystal giant, missing the left half of its body, rose unsteadily to its feet.

Its massive single eye flashed manically.

The red light grew more intense, flickering at a terrifying frequency.

The mechanical voice emanating from within the giant had changed its tone, dripping with a strange sense of madness.

[Assessment passed?]

[No…]

[Assessment failed…]

[I do not wish to die…]

[Eliminate the examinees!]

This puppet, a mere dead object, had actually birthed a survival instinct within its logical death loop!

Dragging its mangled body, it began to approach with heavy strides.

With every step, the ground trembled in response.

The last remains of spiritual energy around the Heavenly Pit were frantically siphoned away, converging into that single eye.

The violent energy fluctuations caused the surrounding air to distort.

A devastating, blood-red beam of light was rapidly taking shape within its eye.

It was locked firmly onto the two people beneath the cliff.

There was nowhere to run.

Space was sealed, and their spiritual energy was completely exhausted.

Ling Xiyue looked at the increasingly bright blood-red light and smiled sorrowfully.

She turned her head to look at the eye-rolling Luo Qingchen in her arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m too weak. I guess we’re dying together.”

She tightened her grip on the Green Scale Sword beside her.

She prepared to burn her life’s essence.

Even if her soul was extinguished, she would not sit idly by and wait for death.

Before she could finish her last words, a small, blood-stained hand suddenly reached out.

It grabbed Ling Xiyue’s chin.

And forced it open.

“Stop your yapping!”

Luo Qingchen forced her last bit of strength to fish a pill out of the Jade Slip space.

The pill emitted a rich, exotic fragrance, its surface shimmering with seven-colored pill veins.

This was precisely the Top-grade Spiritual Pill that the Deception Jade Slip had provided earlier.

Luo Qingchen shoved the pill into Ling Xiyue’s slightly open mouth with extreme roughness.

She then used her hand to forcefully stroke the woman’s throat.

*Gulp.*

Caught off guard, Ling Xiyue nearly choked on the pill.

She began to cough violently.

“What did you give me — “

Before she could finish, Ling Xiyue’s eyes widened.

The pill melted the instant it touched her tongue.

A massive, almost outrageous, yet extremely gentle medicinal power transformed into a violent torrent that swept through her limbs and bones.

Her dried-up Dantian was crudely refilled by the overflowing spiritual energy.

Even the hidden injuries left behind from resisting the blood lightning earlier were completely healed in that instant.

And it didn’t stop there!

The medicinal power continued to climb frantically!

Her spiritual energy was restored to the peak of the middle stage of Core Formation!

Ling Xiyue froze in place.

Storms of shock raged within her mind.

Just what rank of pill was this!

It contained no impurities whatsoever, and its effects were domineering yet completely harmless to her foundation!

Never mind her status as the eldest senior sister of Hidden Sword Mountain; even the Sect Master of Hidden Sword Mountain could never produce a Top-grade Spiritual Pill of this caliber!

Just what was the background of this little thief!

Something she pulled out casually was actually more exaggerated than the sect’s supreme treasures!

Luo Qingchen wriggled out of her arms.

She leaned weakly against the rubble of the cliff wall.

She spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm.

Then, she grinned.

She revealed two rows of bloody white teeth, radiating an air of rogue-like defiance.

“I’ve got a tough life; even the King of Hell doesn’t dare take me.”

“The rest is up to you.”

“My Lady Demon King Protector.”

Ling Xiyue didn’t understand what the last part meant.

But she understood Luo Qingchen’s attitude.

She gave Luo Qingchen a deep, lingering look.

Slowly, she stood up.

Her purple robes fluttered loudly in the wind.

An extremely sharp sword intent surged toward the sky.

The surrounding rubble was instantly ground into dust by the sword Qi.

The Green Scale Sword let out a dragon-like roar that pierced through the clouds.

The sword-cultivator senior sister was back to full strength.

She had returned to her peak!

She stared coldly at the massive crystal monster in front of her.

The expression on her face returned to that of ten-thousand-year-old ice.

Her aura flared to its maximum.

*Ooooh — Boom!*

The blood-red beam in the giant’s eye finally finished charging.

A beam of destruction as thick as a water vat roared toward them, accompanied by a piercing sonic boom.

Everywhere it passed, the ground was plowed into a deep trench.

Soil and rock flew everywhere.

Ling Xiyue did not retreat.

Transforming into a bolt of purple lightning, she took the initiative to charge forward!

Gripping her sword with both hands, she raised it above her head.

Her spiritual energy at the peak of the middle stage of Core Formation poured into the blade without reservation.

The Green Scale Sword erupted with a green light more dazzling than the sun.

“Slash!”

A cold, sharp shout exploded within the Heavenly Pit.

The green sword Qi transformed into a rainbow, crashing into the blood-red beam with an unstoppable force.

There was no stalemate.

There was no explosion.

There was only pure, absolute cutting.

The sword Qi descended, slicing the devastating blood-red light clean in half from the center!

The red light instantly collapsed.

It transformed into countless specks of light that dissipated into the air.

The residual force of the sword Qi did not diminish, heading straight for the giant’s face.

The giant let out a soul-rending wail.

Its massive body stumbled back.

It felt the terror of death.

Its remaining right arm guarded its chest desperately, trying to shield the dark red core that had already been exposed within its body.

Ling Xiyue’s toes touched the ground, and her wrist flicked.

The tip of her sword pointed directly at the giant’s guarded chest.

She gave a cold snort.

“Protecting it now? Too late.”