Chapter 36

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Chapter 36: The Emergence of the Spiritual Artifact

Ming He trailed the girl in black, using Phantom Steps to maintain a discreet distance. They navigated past familiar black stones and over the cliff’s edge, her feet finally landing on solid ground. The deep forest around them was cloaked in an enigmatic and perilous mist, its depths shrouded in mystery.

The forest’s usual tranquility was abruptly shattered by the sound of cultivators rushing in. The wind whispered softly on either side, and figures darted through the trees like arrows, all eager to seize what they believed to be a monumental opportunity.

In the heart of the forest stood a blood-red altar, exuding an ancient and profound aura that sent chills down the spine. Surrounding it were mystic stones, and at its center rose a high platform, encircled by a sinister, swirling blood light. Beneath this eerie glow, a pure white formation symbol flickered, showing signs of fading.

At the altar’s core was a towering stone frame, reminiscent of a device used in mortal courts to interrogate prisoners. Atop the frame was a small round platform, its purpose unclear. Suspended above it was the Star Lock, a familiar sight to Ming He, radiating a brilliant light and surrounded by spiritual energy, rivaling the sun and moon in its brilliance.

"Look, that’s the spiritual artifact that can alter the heavens and earth!"

"Such radiance—it must be at least a mysterious-grade spiritual artifact!"

"The artifact is mine; everyone else, back off!"

"Hmph, you think you’re worthy of touching it?"

"Then let’s see who has the skill!"

The arriving cultivators gazed at the glowing light above the altar, their emotions a mix of excitement, madness, determination, and fear. They glanced at one another, some who had just fought side by side against beasts now eyeing each other with suspicion. Some stepped back, others drew their swords, and a few rushed forward, eager to seize the opportunity. The brutal nature of the cultivation world was laid bare before the allure of the spiritual artifact.

Some cultivators, swords in hand, leaped toward the altar, only to be intercepted mid-air, sparking fierce battles. Sect disciples darted around the stone frame, only to be struck down by knife energy. Rogue cultivators, aggressive and reckless, smashed through obstacles with a "those who block me shall die" attitude, only to be severely wounded by a whip strike.

Yet, some pressed on relentlessly. The seriously injured lay screaming on the ground, the slightly injured wiped blood from their eyes, waiting for a chance, and the unscathed surged forward, engaging in combat.

They fought independently, yet when someone neared the spiritual artifact, they united to knock them down, creating a chaotic and bloody scene.

As Ming He stepped into the forest, the sudden cacophony made her wonder if she had entered a living hell, or if her experience was simply lacking.

Her astonishment was brief. Using the Breath Control Technique, she found a black stone to conceal herself, cautiously peering into the forest. Her first sight was the blood-red altar, seemingly from ancient times; her second was the star-shaped spiritual artifact suspended above it—the Star Lock belonging to Qin Chu Yi.

The artifact shimmered with radiant light, basking in the brilliance of the sun and moon—truly, it had the grandeur of an ancient spiritual artifact.

Ming He nodded in approval, then turned her attention to the battling cultivators. She raised an eyebrow in surprise, recognizing many faces: Liu Xiaole from the Glass Pavilion, Zhang Lintian from Qing Shan Sect, higher-ranking inner sect disciples from Liu Yun Sect, and the gentle Su Cheng Feng in white.

And there was Sun Yue.

The sturdy young man, with a fierce expression, wielded a whip radiating chilling murderous intent, cutting through the crowd. Where the whip struck, sands flew and stones rolled, leaving no one untouched—the injured silently stepped aside, clearing a path for him.

Step by step, he ascended the stone steps paved with mystic stones, moving from the last to the first, advancing to the altar amidst the frustration of many cultivators who gritted their teeth in resentment. He confidently reached for the star-shaped spiritual artifact, his eyes gleaming with pride.

Ming He watched as the artifact neared his grasp and almost drew her sword to confront him, but she knew she was no match for Sun Yue.

No matter how talented she was, her Spirit Guiding Sixth Level cultivation couldn’t rival his Spirit Guiding stage nine levels.

Moreover, she was no genius.

Perhaps if Dragon Hero Su Yu were here, he might defeat him, but she knew she couldn’t.

There was no need to rush; changes were bound to come.

Ming He glanced at the empty stone frame, her eyes narrowing. It likely should have sealed someone significant.

The black cat, the mysterious red shadow, the blood-red altar, the Star Lock, and the formation symbol—thoughts raced through Ming He’s mind as she pieced together the puzzle.

Yet, the woman’s origins and the cave’s past remained a mystery.

However, judging by the layout, it seemed they were planning something significant.

She pondered this and felt a twinge of concern. Without any destined protagonist here, if the mastermind was too powerful, would she end up losing her life?

But then she recalled the composed and calm demeanor of the girl in black, and inexplicably felt that she was a formidable individual who could handle herself.

So, where was the Black-Clothed Sword Cultivator?

She shifted her gaze and couldn’t spot the Black-Clothed Sword Cultivator amidst the chaos on the altar; instead, she noticed another familiar figure.

Ji Wu Xu.

Still clad in fiery red, she stood in an inconspicuous spot, gazing up at the radiant glow in the sky. From a distance, Ming He couldn’t discern her expression, but the aura surrounding her conveyed a single message: she was determined to succeed.

At that moment, she locked eyes with Sun Yue, and in the next instant, she suddenly ascended into the air. As he swiftly reacted, just before he swung his whip, a charming smile played on her lips, her eyes alluring.

Ming He realized that Sun Yue’s sudden pause indicated he had fallen under her spell—it was that same tactic again.

The art of seduction, which captivated one’s heart and mind.

"Fool!" Just a moment of daze passed, and Sun Yue’s eyes blazed with anger as he realized what had happened. Seeing Ji Wu Xu take advantage of his momentary stillness to seize the spiritual artifact only fueled his fury—he felt both mocked and frustrated.

With a roar, he charged forward, wielding his whip against Ji Wu Xu, unleashing a barrage of sand and stones within a three-foot radius. Those surrounding cultivators who got caught up in it suffered injuries.

"Zing!" Ji Wu Xu clutched the spiritual artifact, feeling a sting in her right hand, and inhaled sharply. As she turned to face Sun Yue’s full-force attack, her expression remained cold—there was a sense of being offended.

A mere Spirit Guiding stage nine levels! If it weren’t for the restrictions of this cave, she wouldn’t even have to deal with such a low level of cultivation in her usual state.

With a stern face, Ji Wu Xu countered, her palm wind clashing with his icy whip wind, matching his strength.

Frowning in displeasure, she felt the cave’s restrictions too strong; her cultivation was forcibly suppressed to Spirit Guiding Eighth Level, and even her innate abilities were weakened.

The red figure engaged in a fierce battle with the young man in black, exchanging blows that stirred the winds. Nearby, some cultivators, realizing they shouldn’t intervene, turned away to seek other opportunities, while others watched with piercing gazes, waiting for an opening to reap the benefits of the two fighters’ clash.

Ming He was among them.

Taking advantage of the forest’s geography and the chaos in front of the altar, Ming He carefully approached the evenly matched duo, her eyes sharp with determination, hiding a resolve ready to strike.

She intended to be the hidden player in the midst of it all, but she also feared that a hunter lurked behind, so she waited patiently for her moment.

The fighting continued on the altar.

Ji Wu Xu couldn’t store the spiritual artifact in her storage ring. Her right hand was injured from the artifact’s sharp edge, bleeding, so she had to defend against Sun Yue’s attacks with her left hand.

Unbeknownst to others, Ji Wu Xu’s background was extraordinary; they simply viewed her as another genius emerging, managing to fight a rogue cultivator at Spirit Guiding Nine Levels with one hand while remaining unyielding. They expressed their admiration and approval.

Sun Yue, hearing the praise for the woman in red, grew even more furious. He already deemed his earlier inability to defeat the two Liu Yun Sect disciples a disgrace; now another challenger appeared—how could he tolerate it?

Genius! He sneered, his expression twisted in bloodthirst. In his view, even geniuses must fall; he would only rise by stepping on others—no one had ever made their name at his expense.

With a slight shake of his right hand, the long whip flickered like a black snake, brimming with murderous intent. He swept over the mystic stones on the altar, and as they shattered into dust, he lashed out directly, aiming to end Ji Wu Xu.

Killing and seizing treasures, he moved seamlessly, envisioning the beauty’s head severed from her body, a grin creeping onto his face, enhancing his chilling demeanor.

"Hmph!" Ji Wu Xu let out a light scoff, showing no regard for his full-force strike. Even if her cultivation was restricted, she was no ordinary person.

If he wanted to kill her, it would be in his next life!

"Bang—"

In Ming He’s eyes, the arrogant youth who had seemed on the brink of victory suddenly appeared as if his soul had been detached from him. He collapsed heavily onto the ground, like a puppet controlled by its master, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The red-clothed Ji Wu Xu remained in place, showing no hint of surprise. She still smiled, her lips curving into an emotionless smirk, not even glancing at the defeated body on the ground that had already turned into a corpse.

At this moment, her smile was not one of celebrating her victory; she smiled simply because she wanted to.

Sun Yue’s death was her doing.

While the surrounding cultivators were puzzled, wondering if there was some unexpected turn of events, Ming He looked at Ji Wu Xu’s captivating beauty through the dust and made a firm conclusion.

Was it that charm technique again, or some other method?

A flash of wariness crossed her eyes, and in the next moment, her figure sliced through the air like the wind as she lunged at Ji Wu Xu. Gripping the sword hilt, she drew her sword just as she closed in on Ji Wu Xu, the sword light rushing toward her chosen enemy. After the first strike missed, the sword energy shifted direction and aimed for Ji Wu Xu’s right wrist.

"Miss Ji." Ming He called out, lifting her sword as a clang echoed when the sword tip sliced through Ji Wu Xu’s right sleeve. The star-shaped spiritual artifact crashed onto the ground, creating a pit in the black mystic stone, where the artifact lay.

Ming He smiled at Ji Wu Xu, who returned her a haughty glance, slowly uttering, "Long time no see."

Was it not indeed a long time? So long that it almost spanned a life and death.

She met Ji Wu Xu’s alluring gaze with calmness, but inside she heightened her defenses, her soul on high alert; she was gambling.

Gambling that Ji Wu Xu was not just at Spirit Guiding Seventh Level, but that her true cultivation was far beyond the restrictions of this cave. If so, she could enter freely; even if other methods were used, they would surely face limitations, just as the Black-Clothed Sword Cultivator had encountered previously.

She did not believe that Ji Wu Xu could use her charm technique indefinitely, otherwise, she would not have waited for the chance to seize Sun Yue to intimidate the others before attacking. Ming He had her own hesitations.

After all, the last time she had been caught off guard had been far too sudden.

Ming He couldn’t believe that, even now, fully on guard and having experienced Ji Wu Xu’s methods once, she would still be controlled!

"It’s you!" Ji Wu Xu’s expression shifted slightly when she recognized Ming He, clearly surprised that she was still alive. The small Spirit Guiding Sixth Level cultivator surprisingly managed to break free from her charm, how interesting.

In the next moment, she saw that intriguing little Spirit Guiding Sixth Level cultivator brandish her sword, pressing against Ji Wu Xu’s right wrist. The sword energy surged, forcing Ji Wu Xu to abandon her spiritual artifact and sidestep to evade.

"Damn it, trying to be a fisherman, are you?" Ji Wu Xu cursed inwardly. Just against Sun Yue, she had already used her innate abilities. Restricted by this broken cave dwelling’s limitations, she could now only rely on her own skills.

Hmph, did she really think her practical combat abilities were lesser than the little ghost before her?

Ji Wu Xu thought this when she sensed the faint sword intent surrounding Ming He, her pupils dilating. How was that possible? Could she really not hold her own against her?

The woman in red furrowed her brows tightly, and in the next moment, she repressed all her expressions, her brilliant smile highlighting her unparalleled beauty. "Long time no see."

She smiled, gazing at Ming He with eyes filled with charm; those captivating eyes reflected Ming He’s image clearly. "Does my friend Ming He miss me?"

"Ha!" Ming He scoffed, watching her approach calmly. As Ji Wu Xu’s left palm nearly reached her heart, she used the sword tip to block, her long sword unleashing an unending attack, and she bent down to pick up the spiritual artifact.

"Clang—"

Ji Wu Xu smiled, unfazed, showing no sign of panic after her intentions were revealed. Upon seeing Ming He bend down, she maintained her smile, kicking up broken small stones that struck Ming He’s sword, producing sharp sounds that interrupted her movements. In the next instant, she closed the distance, whispering in Ming He’s ear, "It isn’t that easy to be the fisherman."

Ming He, expressionless, turned with her sword to maintain distance while engaging Ji Wu Xu in combat. With her peripheral vision, she kept an eye on the spiritual artifact and was wary of the lurking black cat and the other cultivators eyeing them hungrily, calculating Ji Wu Xu’s weaknesses in her mind.

It seemed… flawless.

Ji Wu Xu was like a cloud of mist; she couldn’t pinpoint her flaws, just as Ji Wu Xu found herself helpless against her now.

"Clang—"

Ming He exchanged a glance with Ji Wu Xu and resumed fighting. The blue-clad figure danced while the woman in red shone brightly. Below them, some cultivators could no longer resist the allure of the spiritual artifact as the two battled fiercely, estimating that they were too focused on the fight to notice other matters as they hastily summoned their spiritual energy to sneak toward the pit.

Before they could arrive, they prepared to turn midair for a quick escape after securing the artifact. That cultivator, glancing back, felt a sense of triumph upon seeing the two duel intensely.

However, other cultivators noticed his actions and suddenly realized that they had been so enchanted by the battle that they forgot about the spiritual artifact, now feeling frustrated watching the faster cultivator.

With a smile, the cultivator bent down toward the pit, but in the next moment, a bright sword light emerged before his eyes, followed by a gust of wind carrying endless murderous intent.

Ming He shot a glance at Ji Wu Xu; before Ji Wu Xu’s unmasked murderous wind arrived, she swiftly kicked the cultivator off the altar, the sword tip angled toward the space beneath the altar as she slowly spoke, "The master of this spiritual artifact can only be one of us two. Anyone else hoping to gain benefits will be sent down first."

"Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Ji?" Ming He turned to Ji Wu Xu, her corners of her mouth lifting in confidence that Ji Wu Xu would feel the same way.

Ji Wu Xu’s smile deepened, and she regarded Ming He with newfound interest. "Ming He, my friend, you’re absolutely correct~"

Her voice, as ethereal as if imbued with charm, filled the air. Ji Wu Xu nodded at Ming He and threw her a flirtatious glance, her smile becoming even more dazzling. "We truly have a wonderful understanding."

With that, she leaned in closer to Ming He, burying herself in her embrace, her delicate hand brushing through Ming He’s loose strands of hair, appearing as if a flower awaited to be plucked.

Ming He had never seen such a scene and could hardly believe Ji Wu Xu would act this way. She suddenly froze, instinctively thrusting her sword forward, but it was too late.

Ji Wu Xu revealed a triumphant smile, gently pushing Ming He away while teasingly making a face at her, then bent down to snatch the star-shaped spiritual artifact in her hand, her toes lightly touching the ground as she prepared to leap off the altar.

Ming He, "…Damn it!" She had fallen into another trap.

Watching Ji Wu Xu move leisurely toward the edge of the altar and into the deep forest, a thunderous roar suddenly reverberated from somewhere, echoing as loudly as the cry of the ancient fierce beast Kui.

A black cat sprang out from the depths of the forest, meowing softly, "Meow!"

Ji Wu Xu halted in her tracks, and Ming He was taken aback, noticing the other cultivators wincing in pain, blood flowing from their ears, realizing the black cat was up to its old tricks. Thankfully, she had the Breath Control Technique.

"Since you’re sealed here, don’t even think about escaping!" A crisp voice rang out, as Ming He looked up to see a figure cutting through the air with flashing sword shadows and icy sword energy. Amidst the sounds of battle, the figure dashed over and smashed down on the blood-red altar, creating another pit.

After a moment, the cultivator straightened and spat out blood. Ming He recognized her as the Black-Clothed Sword Cultivator who had chased her earlier.

But the chaos was far from over.

The dark-colored fierce beast Kui roared as it entered the scene amidst the earthquake-like rumble, breathing fire as it charged forward, effortlessly snapping trees in its path.

Blood-red vines erupted from the ground, entangling the arms and legs of the cultivators present, dragging them back and pinning them against the tree trunks. The barbs pierced through their robes, blood flowing down as it followed a predetermined path to the ground.

In addition, the blood-sucking bees Ming He had encountered previously, along with creatures she had only seen in the Liu Yun Sect library—the spectral sparrow, man-eating flowers, soul-devouring birds…

Compared to before, this place was a true inferno on earth.

But whether it was the blood-red vines or the spectral sparrows, they seemed to bypass her, not attacking her at all.

Ming He narrowed her eyes at Ji Wu Xu, who held the spiritual artifact, a curious look crossing her face as she pondered.

Did they not attack Ji Wu Xu because of the star-shaped spiritual artifact?