Three hundred li beyond Yanhuang City, atop a nameless hill, Ji Bingyan stood at the summit, gazing at the distant scene.
Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and the faint sounds of battle echoed across the wilderness.
Suddenly, Ji Bingyan's brow furrowed. "This aura... it's the arrival of an Emperor. Should I inform the Empress? But I have no ties to the Dragon Han Imperial Court... Best not to interfere..."
Just as she hesitated, preparing to turn away, a sinister laugh echoed from the sky.
"Heh heh heh! This venerable one has barely arrived and already encountered such a talented young woman. Would you care to remain by my side and receive my teachings?"
As the words fell, the dark clouds parted, and a towering figure descended, radiating an aura of world-shattering might.
The moment he landed, the ground beneath Ji Bingyan's feet trembled violently. The nameless hill, unable to withstand the violent pressure, began to crumble.
"Illusionary Form: Pathfinding."
Sensing the impending danger, Ji Bingyan didn't hesitate. She struck first, desperate to seize a path to escape.
However, the Palm Force, which she believed to be flawless, was repelled to the cliff's edge in the instant it neared her opponent, blocked by a surge of Protective True Essence.
"Heh heh heh, such boldness for a little girl! Do you really think you can do as you please in this world just because you've reached the Egoless Realm?"
Ji Bingyan remained silent, acutely aware of the vast disparity between herself and her adversary. After this initial setback, she decisively turned and fled in the opposite direction.
But the moment she leaped, a crushing pressure descended from above. In a lightning-fast evasion, she dodged as a powerful staff strike shattered the air, crashing down with a deafening roar.
The hillside collapsed instantly, the ground trembling violently.
Fortunately, Ji Bingyan's exceptional agility allowed her to narrowly evade the fatal blow, landing on level ground. Yet the shockwave still injured her, drawing a crimson line across her delicate, ruby-red lips.
Her brow furrowed even tighter.
For all around her stood Vajra Sect disciples in their yellow monastic robes.
Sect Leader Darba stood with his back to Ji Bingyan, while the disciple who had previously attacked with the staff stood respectfully to his side—his personal disciple and the Golden Sage Venerable.
"Master, let me kill her."
"Killing an Egoless Realm cultivator while you're in the Manifest Sage Realm? Would that not be a disgrace?"
"Yes, Master. This disciple knows his mistake."
Darba slowly turned, his majestic and solemn form now fully revealed to Ji Bingyan.
Ji Bingyan felt an overwhelming pressure surge towards her, nearly forcing her to her knees.
"Little girl, will you become my disciple?"
"I will not. I already have a master."
"What a pity."
Darba's face was filled with regret. Ji Bingyan's extraordinary talent, had she stayed by his side, would have allowed her to inherit all his legacy.
But since she refused, Darba would not force her.
If he couldn't have her, then...
Kill!
"Little girl, I gave you an opportunity, but you failed to cherish it."
With a soft sigh, Darba turned into a beam of light and departed.
"Leave no survivors. Be swift."
The Golden Sage Venerable gave the order and immediately followed Darba toward Yanhuang City.
At the same moment, Ying Chaoyun, who was playing her zither, frowned. In the next instant, she left the Wind and Rain Pavilion and rushed toward the city gates.
But someone had sensed the anomaly even faster.
Shen Zhao, who was chatting with Di Feijing on the rooftop, saw the celestial anomaly and immediately fled toward the city gates.
***
Outside the city, the battlefield was littered with the corpses of Vajra Sect disciples.
Holding a pair of daggers, Ji Bingyan stood at the center of the battlefield, her gaze unwavering as she faced the endless stream of Vajra Sect disciples advancing toward her.
Using a Secret Art, Ji Bingyan had forcibly elevated her cultivation to the Egoless Realm. However, her foundation was unstable, and after such a grueling battle, her stamina was beginning to falter.
"Heavenly King's Demon-Subduing Melody!"
Seeing that they couldn't defeat Ji Bingyan, the Vajra Sect disciples decisively activated a formation.
Instantly, drums, horns, and golden bowls blared in unison, their deafening sound waves surging forward, relentlessly devouring Ji Bingyan's divine sense.
Meanwhile, Ying Chaoyun, who had sensed something amiss, had just left the walls of Yanhuang City. After traveling less than a hundred li, she collided head-on with Darba.
"Hmm?"
They exchanged glances, each detecting a hint of suspicion in the other's eyes.
"Vajra Great Buddha Palm!"
Without hesitation, Darba struck out at Ying Chaoyun.
"Butterfly Dance of Heavenly Splendor."
Ying Chaoyun immediately flipped her ancient zither, lightly strumming the strings. In an instant, spiritual energy coalesced around her, forming three thousand luminous butterflies.
*Boom!*
The two attacks collided, shaking the heavens and earth, and turning the wind and clouds upside down.
Ying Chaoyun retreated several steps, stabilizing herself. Behind her butterfly mask, her expression remained composed and serene.
Darba, however, fared far worse.
During their brief exchange, he had already realized that this woman's cultivation was no less than his own.
For the future of the Xiongnu Kingdom, he had to eliminate this hidden threat beforehand.
"Excellent. To encounter such a formidable expert so soon after arriving in the Central Region—the Dragon Han Celestial Dynasty truly harbors hidden talents."
"Darba, the Vajra Sect and the Celestial Dynasty have an agreement of non-interference. By appearing here today, do you intend to break that pact?"
"This is a pact between myself and the Dragon Han Empress. How did you come to know of it?"
"Have you heard of the Wind and Rain Pavilion? It has branches throughout the Central Continent. How could such a significant matter remain unknown to them?"
"Is that so? Then I have even more reason to keep you here today."
"We'll see if you have the skill to do so."
With their words failing to bridge the gap, the two clashed once more.
"Heavenly Buddha Dharma Seal!"
Darba hurled an Emperor-grade prayer bead, channeling his momentum into a strike. Instantly, a swastika-shaped Buddhist hand seal coalesced in the air, plummeting toward Ying Chaoyun.
Ying Chaoyun twirled the zither in her hand, transforming it into an Emperor-grade longsword.
The moment the blade struck, the surroundings erupted in wind and thunder.
"Son of Heaven's Sword: Establishing Spring and Autumn."
A colossal sword qi surged forth, meeting the Buddhist seal in a clash that plunged the world into darkness and ended the mortal realm in a single step.
The raging sandstorm instantly engulfed both figures, yet the battle raged on, the fluctuations of spiritual energy and Dao principles shaking the land for over ten li.
***
On Ji Bingyan's side, the Vajra Sect disciples' powerful sonic offensive left her spirit reeling.
Just as she was about to fall, she hardened her resolve, bit her tongue to stay conscious, and desperately boosted her spiritual energy.
A war drum landed before her.
Without hesitation, Ji Bingyan leaped onto its surface. "Sonic attacks? That's like showing off your axe-making skills in front of Lu Ban. Let me show you the Trapped Formation Shattering Army Tune!"
Using her jade feet as a guide, Ji Bingyan began striking the drum with rhythmic precision. The solemn, battle-hardened aura she exuded instantly blocked the Vajra Sect's Heavenly King True Demon Tune's sonic assault.
The air crackled and warped with the clash of opposing forces.
After several exchanges, many Vajra Sect disciples, unable to withstand the dual sonic onslaught, collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from their seven orifices.
Yet Ji Bingyan was also nearing her limit. The Trapped Formation Shattering Army Tune drained her spiritual energy, and her foundation relied entirely on the Secret Art. Coupled with her exhaustion, her concentration wavered, causing the melody to gradually falter and leaving her once again at a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, the Vajra Sect's disciples advanced relentlessly, their numbers seemingly inexhaustible. The tide of battle turned, and they once again seized the initiative.
*Pfft!*
Suddenly, Ji Bingyan spat a mouthful of blood. The sonic backlash from the music assaulted her mind, and she finally collapsed, unable to sustain her position.
"My Lord, I'm sorry I can't follow you any longer this lifetime. I've brought shame upon you and Po Jun Manor."
Just as her consciousness was fading, she felt someone catch her, steadying her as she fell into their arms.
"Hey!"
The roar jolted Ji Bingyan back to awareness.
When she looked up, she saw Chu Liuxiang's handsome face.
Before she could speak, Shen Zhao sighed helplessly and said, "The Trapped Formation Shattering Army Tune isn't meant to be used like that."
Ji Bingyan's eyes widened in surprise.
Before she could ask, Shen Zhao set her aside and moved toward the war drum.
-----------------------
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