Zhuo Huan gave a muffled snort, his figure swayed slightly, and his expression changed drastically. Then his eyes widened in anger, and his voice boomed like thunder, "Mortal ephemeral, you dare to strike an Immortal! You seek death!"
Before his voice had even faded, his sleeves billowed, Spirit Qi oscillated, and he suddenly lunged out, turning into an afterimage and pouncing straight at Lin Dalu.
Seeing this, Xiang'er's eyes turned cold, and Spirit Power surged within her sleeves. Before Zhuo Huan's attack could reach, she gave a light shout, her slender waist rotating, and her long sleeves swept across. Firelight suddenly rose, as the Fireball Spell turned into several arcs of light, whistling through the night, lighting up the shadows beneath the cliff, and also reflecting Zhuo Huan's sinister face.
Zhuo Huan roared, "Trivial tricks! A mere firefly, how can you overcome my earth and stone power." Both palms closed, gravel was reborn, condensing into a stone shield in front of him. When the fierce flames hit it, a burst of sparks exploded.
"Boom—" dust and sand churned, and the heavens and earth seemed to be torn apart by the fierce flames.
Xiang'er tapped the ground with her toes, leaping half a zhang into the air, a cold light flashing in her eyes. The Hand Seal in her hands spun rapidly, and the fire suddenly condensed into shape, turning into a fire line that coiled toward Zhuo Huan's face.
Zhuo Huan's sleeve shadows spread rapidly. While he was blocking it, the color drained from his face. Xiang'er's figure landed, half-kneeling, her breathing slightly disordered, yet her eyes were still like cold stars.
"Qi Refinement Level 7...?" Zhuo Huan's voice was low, clearly showing both shock and anger.
Xiang'er's lips curved slightly, "Knowing it now is too late."
Zhuo Huan was enraged, and grit his teeth and roared, "Senior Brother—aren't you coming out yet?! How long are you going to wait!"
As his voice fell, a tree shadow behind the forest trembled, withered leaves flew, and a flame whistled through the air. The fire was rolling, and its fierce flames overwhelmed Xiang'er's fireball. The red light reflected in the sky, and the heatwave was pressing.
Xiang'er's expression changed drastically, her pupils constricted, and her mind was shaken.
"Qi Refinement Level 10!"
The firelight illuminated the three faces, and the mountain forest was in a dead silence. The mountain wind was like a blade, coiling and making the stone chips fly. The setting sun struggled behind the clouds, its half-round blood color reflecting on the summit of the cliff.
A burst of cold laughter came from deep within the forest. The voice was sinister, like a meandering snake's tongue, coiling back and forth between the stone walls. A grey shadow was seen stepping out slowly, the dust and sand beneath his feet did not rise, yet his lapels billowed without wind.
The person was in his thirties, his face was pale, with a thin donkey face, and his eight-character mustache was oily and meandering. His grey-brown Daoist robe had wide sleeves trailing on the ground, and the corner of his earthy-yellow crown was slightly crooked, an aura of sinister coldness rushing over.
[Illustration ↓]
https://i.postimg.cc/CMt7QVRT/Q0009D.jpg
Lin Dalu's brow tightened, and he felt an unease in his heart.
Xiang'er lifted her jade-like finger and said in a low voice, "The elite disciple of the Yin Spirit Pavilion... Diao Sandai!"
Hearing this, Lin Dalu was slightly surprised, "Xiang'er, you know this person?"
Xiang'er's gaze was cold, and she nodded lightly, "He is the nephew of Diao Zeyi, the newly appointed elder of the outer pavilion of the Yin Spirit Pavilion. Years ago, Diao Zeyi snatched my father's Foundation Establishment Pill to achieve Foundation Establishment, and now that he has power and is appointed as an elder... this person's disposition is just as despicable as his uncle's."
Before she finished speaking, Diao Sandai had already slowly raised his hand. A point of Spiritual Light on his fingertip, and then a crimson firelight burst out.
"Fireball Spell—" Xiang'er gave a low shout, her hands forming a Hand Seal, as Spirit Power surrounded her like mist.
The air froze, and the fireball boomed out, carrying a scorching wind wave straight toward Diao Sandai's face.
Diao Sandai sneered, the flames within his sleeve rolled, and he threw out a backhanded strike.
Boom!
The two fireballs collided in mid-air, the firelight exploded, the airwaves were immense, and the heatwave sent the pieces of gravel dancing wildly. Xiang'er's sleeves fluttered, her steps were forced back three feet, and a trace of blood oozed from the corner of her lips.
[Illustration ↓]
https://i.postimg.cc/053nBqz1/Q0009E1.jpg
Diao Sandai raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "You are only at Qi Refinement Level 7, yet you dare to fight me with Flame Vortex Art? How can you withstand my technique!" His fingers flicked continuously, and his five fingers turned into five fire lines that suddenly intertwined. The fire lines condensed into a ball, turning into a crimson flame wheel, as dazzling as the sun.
"Flame Vortex Art!"
At that moment, the world lost its color, and the fierce flames rolled like a tide, with a heatwave rushing over, scorching the moss and withered branches by the cliff to a dull color. The air was filled with a scorched smell and the roar of Spirit Power oscillations.
Xiang'er's expression changed drastically, her eyes reflecting that churning sea of fire. She performed several Hand Seals in succession, urgently performing Breath Cultivation, and the Spiritual Light between her palms was like jade snakes coiling, rapidly condensing the flying sand and grass and wood into a shield. The spiritual shield was just formed, with its radiance flowing, like clear ripples protecting the body, yet before it could stabilize, it was crashed and shattered by that flame wheel! "Bang—" the firelight swept past her body, swallowing three zhang in front.
Xiang'er gave a muffled snort, her figure retreated rapidly, her hair flew into disarray, her skirt was scorched through by sparks, her sleeves were charred black, her slender fingers trembled, and her breath stalled. The heat flame rushed over, her face was pale, and the fragrant sweat on her forehead was like dew.
Lin Dalu was greatly shocked, and rushed forward rapidly, wanting to help and rescue her, but he was shouted down by Xiang'er.
"Young Master Lin, don't!" Xiang'er said sharply, her voice carrying anxiety. The Spirit Power within her surged, as she forced herself to stabilize her breath, and she flipped her left hand, patting the Lotus-Pattern Embroidered Storage Bag at her waist, sacrificing a blue Spirit Talisman. The talisman light suddenly appeared, like water ripples spreading, blocking half of the sea of fire.
Amidst the booming sounds, the fierce flames swept through, and the stone surface of the cliff cracked inch by inch. The air was scorched, and sparks flew in all directions, like fireflies dancing wildly.
Xiang'er's steps were staggering, her breathing was slightly disordered, and her Spirit Power was nearly exhausted.
"Oh... you girl, you actually know the power of the five elements' mutual restraint, using this precious Water Spirit Talisman to block me!" Diao Sandai had a surprised expression, and then his cold gaze swept toward Lin Dalu, with a cold smile, "Heh... a mere Mortal thinks he can fight a Cultivator?"
Behind Diao Sandai, a hideous laugh suddenly arose. Zhuo Huan flashed out from the shadows, his Daoist robe fluttering, and his gaze was sinister as he said, "Senior Brother—it is just a water-attribute Spirit Talisman, let me overcome it with the Stone-Shattering Formula. Moreover, Spirit Talismans are precious, and the fact that this girl has one is already her limit!"
"Junior Sister Xiang'er, why should a person of the Dao fight with their life? Why not follow me back to the pavilion, and perhaps your life can be spared." Diao Sandai said, stroking his mustache with a cold smile.
Lin Dalu said angrily, "Don't even think about it!" Before his voice had even faded, Zhuo Huan struck out with a palm through the air, the airwaves exploded, and Lin Dalu was sent flying back several zhang, his back hitting the rock wall, and a sweet fishy taste surged in his throat.
Xiang'er cried out, "Zhuo Huan—how dare you harm him!"
Zhuo Huan sneered, Spirit Power gathered into a sharp edge in his palm, and he said coldly, "This person is extremely detestable, and without a severe punishment, it is not enough to vent the hatred in my heart! You ephemeral Mortal, now die!"
As his voice fell, the palm wind suddenly arrived!
Lin Dalu was almost unable to avoid it, when a figure flashed before his eyes.
—"Liu Hai!"
The thin figure, with eyes showing faint red threads, mixed with tears and full of hatred, blocked Zhuo Huan's palm momentum. "Pa—" the mountain wind whistled, and a muffled sound seemed to come out, making one's heart skip. Liu Hai was lifted by the airwaves, a trace of blood oozed out, and he was sent flying backwards, straight toward the mouth of the cliff, falling downwards.
"Liu Hai—!" Lin Dalu shouted hoarsely.
Zhuo Huan's face was contorted, and he gave a grim smile, "The person who should be eliminated... you also should not think of escaping!" His hands gathered Spirit Power again, and his palm momentum carried stones.
Xiang'er ignored her exhausted Spirit Power, and turned back to rush rapidly, her Spirit Power surging forcefully to protect Lin Dalu. Both figures were struck at the same time!
Boom—
The cliff surface exploded, and flying stones fell like rain. Xiang'er and Lin Dalu were sent tumbling by the impact, falling into the abyss. The wind was shrill, and the heavens and earth were turned upside down.
While falling, Lin Dalu held Xiang'er tightly, his eyes bloodshot. Her face was deathly pale, and her breathing was weak, yet she still lifted her hand to touch his chest, whispering, "If there is a next life... I am willing to depend on you..."
Lin Dalu's heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, his tears mixed with bloodstains, and he replied in a low voice, "Xiang'er—I, Lin, will also not let this life down."
The two figures disappeared into the mist, falling into the dark abyss at the bottom of the cliff.
[Illustration ↓]
https://i.postimg.cc/h4ws5qXB/Q0009F.jpg
—
Above the cliff, the fierce wind was howling. Diao Sandai stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep.
Zhuo Huan breathed for a moment, his expression manic.
Diao Sandai said coldly, "Junior Brother, we were careless for a moment and let this girl be lost again, it will be hard to give an account to the pavilion."
Zhuo Huan said hurriedly, "Senior Brother, do not worry, the pavilion has already given clear instructions, find the Sacred Relic, regardless of life or death. As long as we find a way to the bottom of the cliff and pick up its remains, it will be fine."
The expression on Diao Sandai's face softened slightly, but then his brow furrowed as he said, "However, this time, you have caused a great disaster. The Iron Law of the Cultivation World—Mortal cannot be killed! If the sect knows, at the least your cultivation will be abolished and your Spirit Root severed, at the most your Divine Soul will be completely dissipated, falling forever into the deep abyss."
Zhuo Huan gave a cold laugh, "If there are no traces of these two, who can prove my crime? I also hope Senior Brother will help me keep this secret. If others inquire, we will say that boy was terrified and lost control of his mind, falling off the cliff. A mortal body has no spiritual traces, so it will be hard for the pavilion to investigate deeply."
Diao Sandai pondered for a long time and gave a long sigh, "Alas... that is the only way."
The wind passed over the top of the cliff, coiling up dust and gravel.
Suddenly behind the two of them, a shadow quietly emerged. That figure was half-hidden and half-visible, standing in mid-air, appearing like mist and yet solid, no sound was heard, but its aura already caused the heavens and earth to stagnate.
Zhuo Huan's heart skipped, and he turned back sharply, his expression changing instantly as he bowed and performed a salute, "Disciple Zhuo Huan pays respects to the Elder!"
Diao Sandai also had a solemn expression, stepping forward rapidly and whispering with his head lowered, "Nephew Diao Sandai pays respects to Uncle."
In mid-air, only half of that figure's body was visible, his robes were earthy-yellow like sinking mud, and his long sleeves billowed without wind, as a voice like it came from the nine netherworlds said slowly—
"The two of you, follow me..."
As the words fell, the heavens and earth seemed to suddenly darken, enveloping the entire cliff.
——(End of Chapter)