Chapter 106

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Chapter 106: The Auspicious Beast, Pi Xiu

"What should we do now?"

Ji Wu Xu inhaled sharply, her lips pale. At this point, she truly had no more options. She had already exhausted all the demon race secret techniques she could use, and the rest were beyond her current cultivation level. Even the Demon Spirit Curse, an escape spell, was unusable due to the restrictions of the Blood God Wilderness.

"If we can’t escape, we must face it."

Ming He tightened her grip on the Jing Ying Sword, her eyes cold and sharp as she stared ahead at the puppet army. She knew they were no match for the horde, but surrendering without a fight was out of the question.

A sword cultivator would rather die standing than live on their knees!

Even if death was inevitable, she would meet it in battle.

Ming He glanced down at the white long sword in her hand. The tip gleamed with a cold light, a silent witness to her journey—from the Liu Yun Sect to the Blood God Wilderness, from the Qi Refinement stage to half a step into the Wind Master realm.

With the sword firmly in her grasp, she had no choice but to fight.

"Ji Wu Xu, can you still fight?" Ming He turned to her, a flicker of concern in her eyes. She had vowed to stand together against their enemies, and she wouldn’t abandon her now. After all, Ji Wu Xu had saved her life when the Shura puppet had threatened them.

Ji Wu Xu was momentarily stunned that Ming He still remembered her. A softness briefly crossed her gaze, replaced by determination and cold resolve. "Of course I can."

She bit her pale lips and lifted her chin, her pride unshaken. The blood-red long whip in her hand cracked like a serpent, coiling and writhing through the air.

"Good."

Ming He felt a sliver of relief and turned back to the advancing puppet army. The green-eyed skeletons glowed faintly in the darkness, their skeletal frames eerie and menacing under the moonlight.

As she watched, she was reminded of the carvings on the walls of the quiet room in the Tomb of the Divine Sword. The puppet army radiated a powerful, oppressive aura, much like the Tian Yan Tribe she had glimpsed at the Martial Gate—ruthless, overwhelming, and indifferent.

"In this life-and-death situation, we fight our own battles."

Ming He murmured, raising the Jing Ying Sword as she faced the green-eyed skeletons before her. Suddenly, she thought of that towering figure who had stood alone against countless foes, his sword unwavering.

She was far from matching his unparalleled spirit and strength, but she refused to fall too far behind.

With the Unsheathing Style as her opening move, Ming He’s sword tip gleamed, its sharpness cutting through the air. The flowing light of her blade danced with unrestrained freedom. She had moved beyond rigid sword techniques; her sword now moved with her heart, blending agility with pure killing intent.

The essence of a killing sword.

As Ming He’s focus sharpened, a vision appeared before her. She was here, cutting down puppets, while another figure stood ahead, battling aliens. Though their swords were different, their movements mirrored each other, overlapping across time and space.

"Clang!"

The Jing Ying Sword clashed against the skeleton’s hardened chest, sparks flying and illuminating the dark night like a harbinger of dawn.

"Swish!"

The sharp sound of the blade continued. Ming He was fully immersed, her movements instinctive. In that moment, she rediscovered the sensation of connecting with her sword. The radiant sword light was so intense that even the skeletal bodies couldn’t withstand its advance.

Gripping the Jing Ying Sword, she employed the Shadow Steps, moving like a phantom through the puppet army’s chaotic attacks. With each swing, a green-eyed skeleton dissolved into demonic energy, swirling briefly before vanishing entirely, never to reform.

Ming He seemed to achieve a unity of person and sword, her focus solely on killing enemies. She paid no heed to the dissipating demonic energy, but Ji Wu Xu watched it vanish with undisguised astonishment. Her gaze deepened as she looked at Ming He. "Did it choose you?"

She murmured, a faint smile forming as she observed the puppet army faltering in the darkness. It seemed she would survive after all, though she hadn’t expected it to be because of Ming He.

On a hidden hill within the Blood God Wilderness,

A white figure stood at the peak, his hand resting on the hilt of his long sword, a faint smile on his lips. "So, she has grasped the initial sword intent of the Xuantian Sword Classic."

Ming He was unaware of Ji Wu Xu’s thoughts, nor did she notice the white figure who had taken the Xuanyuan Sword standing in the shadows, watching her intently. At this moment, her focus was entirely on the puppet army before her. Her strongest desire was survival—she wanted to live, to reach the Qin Clan in the Central Region and reunite with her Senior Sister.

To live, the puppet army had to perish. Clad in blood-soaked blue clothes, she tirelessly swung her sword, her aura thick with killing intent, yet her eyes retained a glimmer of clarity.

This was the essence of the path of slaughter—a heart brimming with murderous intent, wielding the sword with death, yet maintaining an open and righteous spirit.

Ming He slashed her sword, releasing a gust of sword wind. Though her body was pushed to its limits, her soul had never felt more awake. She was in the fourth realm of Swordsmanship, the sword domain, a world belonging to sword cultivators. With the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Array, she stood as the most formidable force in this realm.

Her brow furrowed, her mood restless. She felt as though she was on the cusp of grasping something profound, yet it remained just out of reach. The principles of the Dao were close—she could sense them, but they eluded her grasp.

"Bang!"

A green-eyed skeleton deflected her sword with a single strike, slowly raising its foot. Seizing the moment while she was occupied with other skeletons, it kicked Ming He to the ground. It stepped forward, its skeletal foot poised to crush her as if to annihilate the heavens and earth.

"Ming He!" Ji Wu Xu, witnessing this from a distance, felt her heart tighten. No matter the circumstances, Ming He could not die here, not now.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Wu Xu ignored the skeleton lunging at her from behind and rushed toward Ming He. However, she was intercepted by the puppet army, forced to watch helplessly from afar.

"Is this the end?"

The white figure on the hill rested a hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed on the skeleton’s raised foot. His aura condensed into a single point, radiating immense power. Confident in his ability to save Ming He in this life-and-death moment, he did not act hastily.

But it seemed this was Ming He’s limit. She had already performed admirably to reach this point.

Though it was still far from enough.

The white figure sighed, lifting his long sword. Just as he was about to strike, he paused, as if sensing something. His brow arched, and in the next moment, his fierce aura dissipated, as though he had vanished from the world.

"Silly Ming He, you’re hurt again."

A childlike voice emerged from the purple storage pouch at Ming He’s waist. Though soft and melodic, it carried a power that seemed to shake the heavens. The green-eyed skeleton, poised to strike, disintegrated into dust, its demonic energy snuffed out before it could manifest.

A purple storage pouch?

Ming He’s breath hitched. Could this be… Qi Qi?

She glanced down and saw the little black beast peeking out of the pouch, its black horns slightly askew. It blinked at her, then crawled out, tugging at her sleeve before leaping onto her head. "Do you need help?"

The childlike voice rang out again, this time from above her.

Qi Qi… can talk?

The realization struck Ming He like a thunderbolt. For a moment, she was too stunned to process its words, remaining half-lying on the ground, her eyes a mix of clarity and astonishment.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

The puppet army, devoid of emotion, continued its relentless march toward her, mindlessly executing their master’s commands with unwavering loyalty.

"Since you didn’t answer, I’ll take that as a yes."

Qi Qi muttered to itself, baring its tiny teeth at the approaching puppet army. The fiery red mark on its forehead glimmered with starlight as it stood atop Ming He’s head, surrounded by a radiant glow.

"By the name of Pi Xiu, I decree your demise."

The commanding voice echoed across the wilderness, imbued with the authority of the Great Path, as if delivering a divine judgment.

Ming He lifted her gaze. Where the light touched, an enormous beast materialized—a dragon’s head, a horse’s body, and hooves like a unicorn’s. Its once dark, fluffy fur now radiated a brilliant light, piercing through the darkness like warm jade. Its aura was sharp and ancient, as if it had stepped out of legend.

The beast hovered in mid-air, descending into the midst of the puppet army. Without any visible movement, the sea of skeletons that had filled the wilderness crumbled into dust. The once demonic energy-choked land was now clear and bright. The night receded, and the blazing sun hung high in the sky, bathing the world in light once more.

"Ming He, Ming He, am I amazing?"

The colossal beast grinned as it watched the puppet army vanish. It bent its fearsome head to nuzzle Ming He’s cheek, its breath warm against her skin.

She looked up, noticing its tail swishing proudly in the air, radiating an unmistakable sense of pride.

"You are amazing," Ming He admitted, standing and patting the beast’s lowered head. She felt a mix of amusement and awe. She had always known Qi Qi was extraordinary, but she had never imagined it to be this extraordinary.

It was the divine beast Pi Xiu, capable of annihilating the puppet army with a single breath. No wonder Mo She feared it—one bore the bloodline of a soaring snake, while the other was a being from antiquity. The gap in their existence and power was immeasurable.

"Of course," Pi Xiu replied with a grin. With a wave of its body, it emitted a radiant glow. When the light faded, it had transformed back into the familiar little black beast, perched on Ming He’s head. Its voice returned to its childlike tone. "Now, let’s go find Sister Qin."

Though it had been asleep for a long time, it was still aware of the events unfolding in the outside world.

"Alright," Ming He said with a soft laugh, stroking Qi Qi’s fluffy fur. She quickly accepted the reality that Qi Qi was Pi Xiu, a divine beast capable of speech and transformation. A smile tugged at her lips—she had indeed stumbled upon a priceless treasure in the Tian Cang Secret Realm.

"Young leader, Dream Sea," Ming He said with a slight smile, sheathing her Jing Ying Sword. "It was a pleasure working with you. We survived."

"Likewise," Ji Wu Xu replied, her eyes widening as she stared at Qi Qi perched on Ming He’s head. She was at a loss for words to describe Ming He’s incredible luck, feeling a mix of envy and admiration. After all, it was an ancient divine beast!

"Ming He," Ji Wu Xu called out, standing still as a flicker of light passed through her eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she added, "Would you be interested in cooperating again?"

She watched Ming He’s determined stride, a confident smile forming on her lips. "With your Master as the wager."

"What do you mean?" Ming He paused and turned to face Ji Wu Xu, her eyes sharp with the cold intensity of battle. The Jing Ying Sword swayed at her waist, stirred by the wind.

"Let’s cooperate once more. Help me kill the leader of the Demon Race, and I’ll restore your Master, Qu Lingyun, to half a lifetime of freedom, along with everything she lost to the Demon Race."

Ji Wu Xu’s smile was radiant, but her eyes held a ruthless determination as she spoke of killing the Demon Race’s leader. There was no trace of jest in her words.