Chapter 52

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Chapter 52: Title

The whistle shrieked. Puppets surged toward Yan Li like tide.

"A Li!" Lu Ciyou lunged to her side.

Yan Li’s heart fluttered, though her voice stayed cool. "Why come? I’m her target."

The young lady swung her spear, scattering puppets like leaves. "You’re mine! Who dares claim you?"

A faint smile touched Yan Li’s lips as she pressed her back to Lu Ciyou’s. Their weapons danced in unison against the onslaught.

Meanwhile, Suiyin shielded Xia Shi with Wugui, confronting the mindless Jiang Jin.

"Play nicely, children." Qing Gui perched on a watery throne, examining her grafted jade-white fingers. "These pretty girls make fine toys."

Suddenly lifting her gaze, Qing Gui found the icy sword tip barely two fingers’ width from her forehead. Her eyes, lined with crimson rouge, widened abruptly as she gulped twice.

"You… you…"

The sword wielder’s face appeared ordinary, yet his chilling eyes held unsettling depth. Qing Gui had initially dismissed him as the least remarkable among the four, yet here he stood as the greatest threat – overshadowing even the young master of Liujin Pavilion and the two prodigies from Sanqing Realm.

She’d miscalculated.

"Creating puppets from living souls violates the Heavenly Dao," Xia Shi intoned coldly, her gaze dropping to Qing Gui’s left arm. "You’ll face divine retribution – total annihilation of body and spirit. And you even tore that arm from its original owner."

"Such evil cannot be tolerated!"

The sword flashed sideways. Frost-laden sword energy froze falling raindrops into ice needles that arrowed toward Qing Gui’s vital points, killing intent erupting.

Qing Gui paled. Though skilled in control techniques, she couldn’t match cultivators of equal strength in direct combat. Thankfully this sword cultivator’s lower cultivation realm allowed her to dodge most deadly projectiles, though minor wounds still littered her body. Several bloody gashes marred her cherished face.

Clutching her bleeding cheek, Qing Gui screamed at her puppets: "Kill her! Now!"

The puppets battling three others immediately switched targets, ignoring pursuing sword moves to focus solely on Xia Shi.

Jiang Jin, strongest among the puppets, materialized behind Xia Shi with raised blade. Steel met steel as Suiyin and Yan Li intercepted the strike, flanking their companion.

Lu Ciyou stood isolated, watching through narrowed eyes.

Suiyin’s swift assistance made sense, but Yan Li…?

Shaking off her unease, the young lady joined the fray.

These former Canghai sect elites – now unfeeling, undying puppets – threatened to exhaust their spiritual power and rupture meridians through sheer attrition.

Lu Ciyou’s extravagant spear techniques drained spiritual power fastest. Even gulping elixirs couldn’t match her expenditure.

"Cease the Cloud-Stepping Thrusts!" Yan Li shouted between sword strokes, torn between aiding her friend and maintaining defensive formations. "You’ll burn out!"

"Don’t lecture me!" Lu Ciyou retorted, executing another spear arc that emptied her dantian. The puppets kept rising.

"Damnation!" She leaned on her spear, rummaging through her storage ring. Only healing pills remained.

"A Ci!"

A shove at Yan Li’s back accompanied Suiyin’s gruff voice: "Go. I’ll protect Xia Shi."

As Yan Li stumbled forward, Suiyin cleared approaching puppets with a sword sweep. "I’ve got you," she murmured.

Xia Shi’s lips thinned. She wasn’t some helpless maiden needing constant protection.

Across the battlefield, Qing Gui blew frenzied notes on her bone whistle. "Slaughter them all!"

Xia Shi’s eyes narrowed. "Lend me spiritual power," she told Suiyin through gritted teeth. The request shamed her, but stopping Qing Gui came first.

“Okay!” Suiyin nodded without hesitation, not even asking what to do.

Their palms pressed together, and Suiyin generously transferred half her spiritual power.

Xia Shi knew without doubt that Suiyin would’ve given all her spiritual power if she hadn’t pulled back.

“Enough.”

The moment she spoke, Xia Shi flickered like a phantom through the puppets, sword energy freezing most in their tracks.

Suiyin suddenly remembered the dragon sinew buried in her storage ring. She yanked it out and lashed the frozen puppets into a clumped mass.

Swinging the ice-bound bundle like a hammer, she smashed the remaining puppets one by one. Though laborious, it saved spiritual power. She gleefully pulverized the puppets chasing Xia Shi.

Lu Ciyou: “……”

Yan Li: “……”

The tide turned abruptly. Qing Gui spun to escape but found Xia Shi blocking her path.

Though using borrowed spiritual power, Xia Shi wielded it effortlessly. Even the Heartless Sword hummed with vigor.

“Going nowhere!”

Her cold shout froze raindrops midair under the spell-net. Golden spiritual power wove through droplets, conjuring countless spectral swords.

“Ten Thousand Arrows Piercing Hearts?” Qing Gui sneered, glancing at Xia Shi’s allies. “Ganging up on me? How righteous!”

The four: “……”

Said the woman commanding an army of puppets.

“Thick-faced hypocrite!” Lu Ciyou shot back. “Who brought more fighters?”

“You’ll not kill me easily.” Qing Gui raised her bone whistle.

Before it touched her lips, Xia Shi flicked her wrist. Illusory blades rained down.

“Less talk.”

Dodging furiously, Qing Gui spat, “Rude brat! Let me finish!”

Xia Shi’s face tightened. The borrowed power wouldn’t last. She surged forward with the swordstorm.

As her blade thrust for Qing Gui’s heart, black energy exploded from the Void. A spear materialized, clashing against her swordtip.

The impact shuddered through Xia Shi. She tasted blood, barely dodging the follow-up strike from the cultivation master shrouded in darkness.

“Useless!” A mellifluous male voice rang from the black energy.

Xia Shi froze. That voice—

Lu. Qing. Yu.

Bloodied Qing Gui clawed at the emerging spear. “Kill them! Now!”

“You command me?” The hidden man’s laugh dripped scorn.

Qing Gui’s expression twisted hatefully.

The spear retracted as the black energy faded.

Seeing this, Qing Gui immediately slipped into the black energy and disappeared with the man.

“Are you hurt?” Suiyin rushed to Xia Shi’s side. She’d clearly seen the spear strike – not fatal, but carrying great force.

Xia Shi shook her head, sliding her sword into its sheath.

“Let’s tend to these disciples.”

They moved Canghai’s disciples into the inn, though only six remained savable.

Luckily, Qing Gui had used the bone whistle to control minds through brain parasites. Once removed, the victims would recover.

Those too badly hurt wouldn’t survive.

“Don’t act recklessly again.” Yan Li pressed her lips thin while bandaging Lu Ciyou’s arm, displeasure evident.

“Not your business.” Lu Ciyou turned away, irritation written across her face. “I do as I like. Never asked for your help.”

The young lady seethed. She’d been the one to save A Li! Yet here this ingrate was, scrambling to protect Xia Shi with Suiyin.

Xia-clan people were unbearable!

Hateverybit!

Deep down, she knew Xia Shi wasn’t to blame. Still, Lu Ciyou glared fire at Yan Li.

Ungrateful wretch!

As they bickered, Suiyin kept staring at Xia Shi, wanting to speak but holding back.

Xia Shi shifted under the gaze, her thoughts lingering on whether the shadowy figure had been Lu Qingyu.

“What?”

“You’re sure you’re unharmed?”

Xia Shi exhaled. “No killing intent. I dodged. You witnessed it.”

“Your breath’s uneven.”

Though calm outwardly, Suiyin sensed ripples within her consciousness sea – the aftermath of their divine connection.

“Old wounds,” Xia Shi dismissed. “Nothing new.”

“Let me check.” Suiyin reached forward.

Xia Shi nearly summoned her Master’s authority to rebuke the boldness, but swallowed the sharp words.

“…Very well.”

Their days of silence had thawed tonight. Suiyin hid a smile as her spiritual power flowed gently through Xia Shi’s meridians, confirming the truth before withdrawing.

The battered inn offered little shelter, its broken walls whistling with night winds.

The innkeeper opened his eyes in the morning to find himself sleeping in water. When he turned and saw the half-collapsed window, his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

Eventually Lu Ciyou intervened, providing spiritual stones as compensation and instructing the innkeeper to properly bury the Canghai disciples. They boarded six disciples including Jiang Jin onto the flying boat, accelerating their journey toward Canghai.

On the flying boat’s third floor, Lu Ciyou sat alone fuming while drinking tea. Yan Li approached carrying tea and snacks, her lips pressed tightly together. She knew Lu Ciyou was angry with her, but couldn’t fathom the reason and didn’t know how to start the conversation.

After setting down the snacks, Yan Li sat beside her and carefully peeled a grape to offer. Lu Ciyou snorted, “Why give that to me? Take it to Xia Shi instead.”

Yan Li: “……”

Suddenly she grasped the situation.

When no explanation came after prolonged silence, Lu Ciyou widened her eyes and jabbed Yan Li’s shoulder. “Cat got your tongue?”

Still holding the peeled grape, Yan Li extended it again. “What would you like me to say?”

This only fueled Lu Ciyou’s irritation.

The young lady swatted the grape away. “I want to hear what you actually think, not just what you think I want to hear!”

Yan Li: “?”

Every word made sense individually, but the sentence left her utterly perplexed.

Lu Ciyou stormed off in a huff, abandoning a bewildered Yan Li. Descending to the second floor, she encountered Suiyin carrying grapes toward Xia Shi.

“Hold it,” Lu Ciyou blocked her path.

Suiyin cheerfully offered, “Want some?” holding out a handful.

“Are those for Xia Shi?”

“Obviously.”

“She doesn’t want them!” Lu Ciyou snatched the plate and began cramming grapes into her mouth, cheeks puffing as she garbled, “Ka’bu’aixi!”

“……” The nonsensical phrase hung in the air.

Suiyin glanced questioningly at Yan Li descending the stairs. What’s wrong with her?

Yan Li shook her head helplessly.

Xia Shi ascended to find the three frozen in awkward silence.

“Jiang Xinian’s awake. Everyone gather.”