That teasing, cold voice came from overhead, like ice beads falling on a jade plate, instantly breaking the tense atmosphere in the field. Everyone subconsciously looked up to see a young woman wearing a goose-yellow dress standing gracefully on a tree branch to the side, her dress skirts lightly swaying in the wind—precisely Third Senior Sister. Her arms were crossed, looking down at those robber cultivators from above, the corners of her mouth holding a half-smile.
Those robber cultivators clearly hadn't expected someone to suddenly appear halfway, and seeing her bearing and the strange movement technique from her sudden appearance, her cultivation was definitely far above theirs! The one-eyed leader's face instantly changed, his previous arrogance immediately dying out by more than half, his single eye filled with uncertainty.
Xiaoqi felt both relief and helplessness seeing Third Senior Sister appear. Indeed, she hadn't been hidden from, or rather, she never intended to hide.
"Senior..." Xiaoqi was just about to speak.
"Shut up, watch." Third Senior Sister interrupted him, her gaze still locked on those robber cultivators. "A few small fry at early Qi Refining—perfect for you to practice on. Senior Sister will hold the line for you, fight freely."
Her voice wasn't loud but clearly transmitted throughout the field, carrying unquestionable confidence.
Those robber cultivators' faces grew even uglier hearing this. Being so slighted by a seemingly young woman was simply a great humiliation! But the faint spiritual pressure from her made them dare not act rashly.
The one-eyed leader grit his teeth, fierceness flashing through his eyes, knowing today couldn't end well—the other side clearly didn't plan to let them go. He abruptly pointed his steel saber at Xiaoqi, shouting harshly: "First slaughter this kid! Attack together!"
In his view, this young Daoist was even younger, his cultivation definitely not high—concentrate on taking one out first, then deal with the woman on the tree!
Seven or eight robber cultivators shouted, brandishing their weapons, catalyzing that bit of thin spiritual power within them, pouncing toward Xiaoqi like hungry wolves. In an instant, saber lights flickered, staff shadows whistled, impure spiritual power churning the air.
The caravan people went pale with fear, retreating one after another. Steward Li even closed his eyes, unable to watch.
Facing the surging attacks, Xiaoqi took a deep breath, suppressing the final trace of distracting thoughts in his heart. With Third Senior Sister present, he didn't need to worry about life and death—this was precisely the best time to test his own strength!
He didn't use the frying pan in his storage bag, nor did he employ that purification technique that couldn't be easily shown, and he didn't even draw the ordinary long sword at his waist. He only circulated the "Everlasting Spring Art's" spiritual power within his body, his feet moving with one step, employing that basic movement technique long familiar to his heart, like a swimming fish nimbly cutting into the gaps between several robber cultivators' attacks.
The "Everlasting Spring Art's" spiritual power was balanced and peaceful, not skilled in strong attacks, but used to catalyze movement techniques, it appeared exceptionally continuous and enduring, carrying a unique resilience. Xiaoqi's figure shuttled through saber light and staff shadows, seemingly dangerous, but always able to evade attacks at the very last moment. The opponents' weapons often grazed past his clothes but couldn't even cut his hem.
"Such a slippery kid!" One robber cultivator roared, his steel saber carrying fierce wind straight-chopping toward Xiaoqi's face.
Xiaoqi's eyes focused, no longer just evading. He sidestepped to let the saber edge pass, his right hand with fingers together like a sword, his internal spiritual power instantly condensing at his fingertips, carrying a trace of the Everlasting Spring Art's unique endless life force, lightning-fast pointing toward that robber cultivator's sword-holding wrist!
"Puff!"
A slight muffled sound. That robber cultivator only felt intense wrist pain, as if pierced by a red-hot iron awl, his entire arm instantly sore and numb. His steel saber "clanged" to the ground. He screamed, holding his wrist and staggering back, his gaze toward Xiaoqi filled with terror.
Xiaoqi didn't pause after one successful strike. His form turned again, evading a staff sweeping from the side, his left leg lashing out like a whip, infused with spiritual power, precisely kicking another robber cultivator's knee side.
"Crack!" A clear bone-breaking sound rang out. That robber cultivator screamed and fell, holding his twisted leg and wailing ceaselessly.
In the space of a rabbit rising and a falcon swooping, Xiaoqi using only movement technique, finger power, and leg skills easily disabled two robber cultivators, himself unharmed, his breath not even disordered.
The remaining robber cultivators seeing this, their attacks couldn't help but pause, fear showing on their faces. This kid was no soft persimmon they had imagined!
The one-eyed leader was both shocked and furious. He knew he couldn't continue like this. "Damn it, I'll fight you!" He roared, the third-layer Qi Refining spiritual power within him erupting without reservation. His steel saber showed a faint black light—clearly using some crude demonic path method—carrying a bloody wind, chopping down toward Xiaoqi's head with the force of splitting Mount Hua! This strike's speed and power far exceeded before!
Sensing the strange power in this strike, Xiaoqi's brows slightly furrowed. He no longer held back, his right hand that had been on the sword hilt finally moved!
"Zheng!"
A clear sword sound rang out. The ordinary long sword suddenly left its sheath. Xiaoqi didn't employ any flashy sword move but still that basic sword technique's "straight thrust." But under his peak sixth-layer Qi Refining spiritual power infusion, this sword was fast as lightning, the sword tip precisely pointing toward the saber's weakest point of power—the connection between saber body and hilt!
At the same time, the Everlasting Spring Art's spiritual power within him naturally attached to the sword body. That balanced, peaceful, life-force-rich aura formed a sharp contrast with the strange black light on the opponent's saber.
"Ding!"
A crisp sound of metal meeting metal rang out.
The one-eyed leader only felt a thick yet resilient power transmit from the sword tip, not only instantly breaking the black light on his saber, but that power also penetrating his arm along the saber body, shaking his tiger's mouth until it split, his entire right arm instantly numb! The steel saber in his hand could no longer be held, flying out, "thunking" deeply into a nearby tree trunk.
And Xiaoqi's sword tip, after point-deflecting the saber, continued without stopping, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, steadily stopping before the one-eyed leader's throat, just a hair's breadth away!
The entire scene instantly went silent.
Those robber cultivators who had been fiercely pouncing were all stunned, looking at their leader whose face was pale and covered in cold sweat, at the sword tip that could take his life at any moment, then at the calm youth holding the sword—dare not move another step.
A third-layer Qi Refining robber cultivator, in just one exchange, was completely defeated by a disciple who looked only at middle Qi Refining!
"You... you..." The one-eyed leader's voice trembled, no longer having any of his previous arrogance.
"Who sent you?" Xiaoqi didn't immediately act but asked coldly, his sword tip not retreating a single inch, "Don't tell me it was just for some cargo and spirit stones."
The one-eyed leader's eyes wildly darted. Just as he was about to speak, Third Senior Sister's figure on the tree moved, instantly appearing beside him. A cold light flashed, and a palm knife precisely chopped on his neck. The one-eyed leader's eyes rolled back, directly fainting.
"Let's keep a live one for interrogation." Third Senior Sister said calmly, then turned to look at the remaining robber cultivators who had completely lost their will to fight. She snorted coldly, her Foundation Establishment late-stage aura fully erupting. An invisible pressure made those robber cultivators feel as if a great mountain was pressing on them, their legs going weak and kneeling on the ground.
"Qingxu Temple disciples handling business—idlers leave!"
This cold shout was like a thunderclap in their ears. Those robber cultivators were overjoyed as if granted amnesty, scrambling away without even daring to look back, hating their parents for giving them only two legs.
In an instant, only the fainted one-eyed leader and that deeply embedded steel saber remained on the official road.
"Immortal... Immortal Master!" Steward Li and the others just now reacted, hurrying over, their faces still pale but their eyes toward Xiaoqi filled with even more reverence and gratitude. If not for this young Immortal Master, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Xiaoqi withdrew his sword, his expression peaceful, saying to Steward Li: "Steward Li, let the caravan rest a moment, then continue on the road. This person... I'll hand over to the sect's law enforcement disciples to handle."
"Yes, yes! Thank you, Immortal Master! Thank you, Immortal Master!" Steward Li nodded repeatedly, immediately going to arrange the caravan's departure.
Xiaoqi and Third Senior Sister looked at each other, both seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.
This matter... I'm afraid it wasn't simple.
[Continuing with the remaining chapters to complete the translation...]