Chapter 16

Back then, when several sects heard that the Secret Realm of Qingfeng Temple had opened, they sent their elite disciples through the teleportation array straight to Qingfeng Temple.

Unexpectedly, after entering, they encountered countless dangers.

At the time, Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang happened to be traveling with Xu Lan’er.

They saw that her cultivation wasn’t high, and since she was a woman, they didn’t pay her much mind.

Who would’ve thought that not long after traveling together, Xu Lan’er would insist on going off alone?

Before long, she returned with a wave of pursuers in tow.

As the saying goes, when a fellow cultivator is in trouble, lend a helping hand.

They couldn’t very well stand by and watch her die, so they joined forces to fend off her attackers.

Yet, while they were busy fighting, Xu Lan’er took the chance to slip away, going off to retrieve some treasure from the Secret Realm—only to provoke the monstrous beast lurking within.

If not for the heavy casualties that left only the four of them alive, Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang would’ve long since turned against this two-faced woman.

Now, seeing this all-too-familiar scene, Zhou Kuang couldn’t help but darken his expression.

Don’t mistake him for a rough brute—when push came to shove, he wouldn’t hold back!

His hand shot out to the side, and the axe beneath his feet flew up into his grip.

Seeing Xu Lan’er darting toward them, he didn’t hesitate—he swung the axe straight at her!

Swish!

A dark purple axe-shadow grazed past Xu Lan’er’s pretty face!

“Ah—!” Xu Lan’er shrieked in fright, barely dodging to the side before stopping midair, a hand pressed to her cheek as she stared at Zhou Kuang in shock.

“What are you doing?!”

“What am I doing?”

Zhou Kuang sneered, not sparing her any face.

He spat.

“None of your damn business!”

Jianchou never expected such a bizarre turn of events.

She had long sensed the discord among these four, but she never imagined they’d turn on each other at a time like this.

Meanwhile, Nie Xiaowan actually let out a laugh.

She whispered to Jianchou, “This woman played tricks back in the Secret Realm. Senior Brothers Zhang and Zhou have long despised her, but with Shanren present outside the realm, they had to keep up appearances—after all, they’re all cultivators from the Central Region. They didn’t dare tear off the mask in front of Yashan. So they endured.”

Jianchou nodded in understanding.

So now, they weren’t enduring anymore.

Over on the other side, the four pursuers—all clad in green Daoist robes and riding identical flying swords—closed in.

The leader, a man with his left eye covered and only his right exposed, had an eerie, feminine air about him.

His voice was sharp as a needle when he spoke.

“A year ago, you injured my left eye and escaped. Who would’ve thought that in the vastness of the Nineteen Continents, my brothers and I would cross paths with you again? Hmph! If you gouge out your own eyes today, we’ll let you go!”

His icy tone sent chills down the spine.

Jianchou frowned, glancing at Xu Lan’er, whose chest heaved with panic.

Xu Lan’er had no time to dwell on Zhou Kuang’s earlier outburst. Instead, she addressed the man: “Back then, you were the one who tried to steal my treasure and take my life. Losing one eye was mercy. Today, fellow disciples from the Fengmo Sword Sect, the Wuwang Pavillion, the Chongxiao Sect—even Yashan—are present. Let them judge who’s in the right!”

“Yashan?!”

The man’s visible eye narrowed sharply, his face paling.

But when he swept his gaze over Jianchou and the others, he suddenly chuckled. “So you’re bluffing. The Crownless Yashan, unrivaled in the central region—if they had disciples here, they wouldn’t associate with a scheming wretch like you. I’ll ask one last time: gouge them out, or not?”

Xu Lan’er gritted her teeth in fury.

Zhou Kuang and Zhang Sui had already moved closer to Nie Xiaowan and Jianchou, crossing their arms to watch the show.

Nie Xiaowan, young and carefree, giggled and lightly suggested, “It seems Senior Sister Xu’s past enemies have come knocking. You even took one of his eyes! Well, every deed has its consequence, every debt its repayment. Since you’re the one who wronged him, why not just gouge them out and save your life?”

Her words, though mocking, held some truth.

Cause and effect, karma and retribution.

For a cultivator, losing one’s eyes was merely a blow to pride.

Given the four pursuers’ cultivation—all likely at least mid-stage Foundation Building—how could Xu Lan’er possibly resist?

Jianchou quickly pieced together the situation, studying the effeminate man before turning back to Xu Lan’er.

What would she do?

On the boundless sea, waves crashed against nearby reefs, sending up sprays of white foam.

Xu Lan’er’s emotions churned like the tides.

She feared the man before her, resented her former companions for abandoning her, and seethed that her usual tricks had failed.

Now, she stood alone.

A bitter fury welled up, reddening her eyes.

Nie Xiaowan, still so young, stood beside Jianchou, flanked by Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang.

Their position—just so—blocked her escape route.

Nie Xiaowan had done this on purpose!

Xu Lan’er glanced back.

The effeminate man and his three companions had already sealed off her retreat.

Above, the vast sky; below, the endless sea.

Yet there was no path left for her.

Her fingers clenched tighter.

Xu Lan’er knew—it was time for a desperate gamble.

She steadied her breath and suddenly smiled, casting a bewitching glance at Nie Xiaowan.

“Little Xiaowan is right. It seems… it’s time for me to make a choice.”

Nie Xiaowan watched her warily.

But Xu Lan’er didn’t move.

Instead, she raised her azure sword and turned to the effeminate man.

“If I recall correctly, you’re Tao Zhang of the Wuyi Sect.”

“Your memory serves you well.”

Tao Zhang’s lips curved, his single exposed eye lending his smile a haunting beauty—more striking than any woman’s.

“Since you remember my name, you must also recall how you took advantage of my injuries to strike me thirteen times, crippling me and gouging out my eye. So, have you decided? Will you repay me with both of yours?”

“A true cultivator knows when to bend and when to stand firm. As Little Xiaowan said, I’ll return your eye if you spare my life. Why not?”

Xu Lan’er kept smiling as she raised her sword, its tip hovering near her own face.

Nie Xiaowan hadn’t expected such resolve—she froze, momentarily stunned.

But Jianchou frowned.

Something wasn’t right.

Xu Lan’er wasn’t the type to yield.

Ahead, Tao Zhang hovered midair, robes fluttering as he watched Xu Lan’er.

Xu Lan’er’s sword gleamed, a radiant light bursting forth over the sea.

The surrounding waters recoiled, forming a depression around her.

With a sharp cry, she drove the sword toward her own eyes—

But in that instant, her hand-seal shifted!

The blazing azure sword veered—streaking like lightning toward Nie Xiaowan!

Nie Xiaowan stood at the center of the group, Jianchou beside her.

In that split second, there was no time to react.

By the time she sensed danger, the sword-light was already upon her.

She barely managed a defensive seal, her battle disc spinning beneath her feet—

But it was too late!

Too fast!

Xu Lan’er’s strike was too sudden, too vicious!

Even Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang, standing further back, were caught off guard.

“Little Xiaowan—!”

The sword-light swallowed everything, about to consume Nie Xiaowan.

Her face paled, teeth clenched in panic.

Like this?

Her first journey beyond her sect—was this how it would end?

She hadn’t even participated in the Left Three Thousand Assembly, hadn’t made her name across the Nineteen Continents, hadn’t become a legendary immortal—

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

Nie Xiaowan realized—she didn’t want to die like this!

The azure sword-light closed in—

Tears welled in her eyes as she summoned a fragile barrier, ready to fight to the death.

But then—

A glimmer of emerald light flickered at the edge of her vision.

Nie Xiaowan blinked.

Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang, rushing toward her, also froze.

Even Tao Zhang, watching from afar, let out a surprised sound.

Though it felt like an eternity, it was but a fleeting moment.

In the next breath, that translucent jade-green light erupted—

Like wildfire, it exploded outward, flooding their vision!

Behind the overwhelming radiance, Jianchou’s figure—gripping the Nine-Jointed Bamboo—became a blur.

Her heart pounded, her hands trembling.

Spiritual energy surged from her body into the bamboo, as if she were being drained dry!

In her desperation, she had swung the bamboo at Xu Lan’er’s attack—only to accidentally channel her power into it.

Once started, she couldn’t stop.

The Nine-Jointed Bamboo blazed, its weathered surface transforming into luminous jade.

Faintly, within the green light, everyone saw phantom bamboo leaves swirling—

The sword-light arrived!

Jianchou didn’t hesitate—she swung the bamboo with all her might!

BOOM!

The two forces collided—

A shockwave ripped outward, sending up monstrous waves that towered dozens of feet high!

Xu Lan’er’s face twisted in horror.

The moment her sword-light met the emerald glow, her soul nearly fled her body.

“Pfft—!”

A mouthful of heart’s blood sprayed from her lips as she was slammed into the depths of the sea!

SPLASH!

Crimson stained the water.

The azure light faded.

The jade-green glow dimmed.

The illusions scattered.

Jianchou stood firm, the Nine-Jointed Bamboo in hand—outwardly calm, but her limbs were weak, her vision swimming.

She nearly collapsed.

Beside her, Nie Xiaowan coughed up blood, her face flushed, qi and blood in turmoil.

She tried to smile, but another mouthful of blood spilled out.

“Little Xiaowan!”

Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang, though also shaken by the blast, managed to stay aloft.

Seeing Nie Xiaowan’s state, they paled.

Without her control, the silver disc shrank back into a bracelet around her wrist.

Both she and Jianchou plummeted toward the sea—

Zhang Sui dove, catching them just in time and landing on a nearby reef.

Zhou Kuang followed.

“Are they alright?”

Zhang Sui shook his head.

“Don’t know yet.”

Jianchou steadied herself against Zhang Sui’s arm, barely standing.

She turned to Nie Xiaowan. “Xiaowan? Xiaowan!”

Nie Xiaowan’s eyes were closed, her body bloodied, her face deathly pale.

Unconscious.

Panic clawed at Jianchou’s chest.

She didn’t know what to do.

Then she remembered Xu Lan’er—

She whirled toward the sea.

The raging waves had calmed.

Tao Zhang skimmed the surface on his sword, scanning the waters.

Finding no trace, his remaining eye turned glacial.

“Impressive. Even heavily wounded, she escaped.”

Escaped?

Jianchou’s heart sank.

Xu Lan’er had targeted Nie Xiaowan because Jianchou stood beside her.

Even if Nie Xiaowan was mid-stage Foundation Building, protecting someone weaker would leave an opening.

Xu Lan’er had meant to exploit that—

But she hadn’t accounted for the Nine-Jointed Bamboo in Jianchou’s hands.

Yet now, though foiled, Xu Lan’er had still fled—

And Nie Xiaowan lay unconscious.

Jianchou’s mind was in chaos.

She gripped Nie Xiaowan’s limp hand, looking helplessly at Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang.

“How is she?”

“The Jianzhu Sect’s ‘Abyssal Strike’ is infamous for its lethality,” came a cool voice from above.

Jianchou looked up to see Tao Zhang hovering on his sword.

“Even with your intervention, your friend took the brunt of it. Caught off guard, unprotected… I fear the worst.”

Jianchou’s breath hitched.

Tao Zhang’s lone eye studied her.

“Xu Lan’er spouted nonsense, but it seems she spoke truth on one point. You’re the Law Executor of the central region, Fudao Shanren’s disciple—a disciple of Yashan?”

Jianchou didn’t know much, but she was a disciple of Yashan, Fudao Shanren’s student.

She didn’t know his intentions, but she tightened her grip on the Nine-Jointed Bamboo, forcing herself upright to shield Nie Xiaowan.

Neither confirming nor denying, her voice was eerily calm.

“Xu Lan’er has fled. Your enemy has now harmed our friend. We share a common foe. Do you intend to finish us off?”

As she spoke, the bamboo glowed faintly, phantom leaves flickering within its light.

Jianchou’s gaze never wavered from Tao Zhang.

His eyes dropped to her steady hands, as if gauging whether she could strike again.

Tension crackled between them.

Then—

A soft chuckle.

Jianchou braced herself—

But it turned into laughter.

“Ha… A disciple of Yashan… hahaha!”

Tao Zhang threw his head back, no longer sparing her a glance as he turned to leave.

“Yashan… Yashan…”

His laughter carried a strange mix of grandeur and sorrow.

As the sound faded into the crashing waves, Jianchou felt an inexplicable melancholy.

“Yashan…”