Just as Lin Jiu’s sword tip was about to touch her target, the young man suddenly twisted his head around and looked at her with terror in his eyes. “Not you again!” He shouted in alarm.
Lin Jiu froze for a moment, and in that instant, the young man slithered away from under her sword like a cartilaginous creature.
At the same time, Qin Yunxi charged straight at her.
In desperation, Lin Jiu thrust her sword toward the young man’s arm. “Don’t move, I’m just going to stab you a bit!” she yelled in a low voice.
The young man gasped dramatically, recoiling while crying out, “Why are you so clingy, woman?!”
Lin Jiu coaxed: “Stay still, sweetie, I promise I’ll just make a small cut. It won’t hurt, really!”
The young man: “…” Why does this line sound… so familiar?
Seeing his horrified expression, Lin Jiu couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated. She wanted to say—Bro, what are you so worked up about? You look so much like a zombie, there’s no way I’d be interested in you!
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Qin Yunxi had already crossed half of the jade platform, causing her to grow anxious.
Two nearby Wang family members noticed Lin Jiu’s movements and stepped in front of the young man, asking in a low voice, “Wang Hanling, are you alright? Who is this woman?”
‘Wang Hanling’ pursed his lips and straightened his crooked neckbone, “She’s a stalker!”
Lin Jiu: “…”
Fortunately, Qin Yunxi was also stopped. He and Liu Qingyin were well known, and most of the Nascent Soul youths here had met them at least once. With twelve of their Great Sword Immortals being found murdered, the Wang family already suspected the Wanjiangui Sect, and seeing Qin Yunxi and Liu Qingyin within the secret realm only solidified their suspicions.
“So, it really is Wanjiangui’s doing!”
“Wanjiangui Sect members are here! Prepare for battle!”
The two Nascent Soul stage cultivators in front of Lin Jiu instantly turned serious and dashed forward, leaving her behind. With powerful enemies right in front of them, no one bothered with an insignificant Golden Core cultivator who posed no real threat.
The situation on the white jade platform shifted rapidly as fourteen Wang family Nascent Soul cultivators formed two Seven Stars sword arrays, their sword tips pointed straight at Qin Yunxi and Liu Qingyin. At a glance, it almost appeared as though they were shielding Lin Jiu and Wang Hanling behind them.
“Don’t be afraid!” one of them shouted. “Since they managed to enter, they must have crippled their cultivation down to the Nascent Soul stage and can’t use their sword moves! We outnumber them—there’s nothing to fear!”
“Right! And we also have Wang Weizhi!”
“Since you’ve gone to such lengths to come here, why not stay forever and join Huang Chuan?” A man sneered at Qin Yunxi.
As his fellow clansmen grew increasingly fired up, Wang Weizhi stood unmoved on the white jade platform. His arms crossed, observing coldly.
While tightening his grip on his sword, Qin Yunxi held back Liu Qingyin’s eagerness to attack and quietly whispered, “Here, we are forbidden to harm anyone.”
Liu Qingyin sneered, “The Wang family has already torn off the mask, and you are still going to hold back! If you truly are that person… heh, do you reject me simply out of cowardice?”
Qin Yunxi’s breath stagnated and his eyes overflowed with bitterness, “Qingyin, this is not the time to talk about this.”
The two Seven Stars arrays sprang to life.
“Kill!”
Even without the murder incident, the Wang family would never tolerate outsiders exploring the secret realm and competing for the treasure with them. A confrontation was inevitable. And with a blood feud looming, the Wang family cultivators had no qualms—whether or not the murders outside were truly the work of the Wanjiangui Sect, they already decided who would take the blame.
“Don’t intervene. Let me handle this,” Qin Yunxi said softly. He twirled his sword slightly and then charged forward. His skills were solid; with just a flick and a strike, two Wang disciples felt their wrists go numb, almost losing their grip on their swords.
Liu Qingyin stood frozen, her eyes gradually becoming distant. The swordsmanship this person displayed was entirely unlike that of her Master or Eldest Senior Brother. His technique had been polished to a profound level, carrying the effortless grace of one who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. The Eldest Senior Brother she knew, though similarly steady in his strikes, lacked this level of fluidity. As for Master… his sword was like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, while this man concealed his sharpness, making it impossible to imagine the brilliance he would reveal when fully unleashed.
A person’s sword intent could reveal much about their character and experiences.
Liu Qingyin seemed to drift into a trance until her pupils suddenly constricted. She recalled that day outside Yunshui Plain when Wei Liang had appeared and casually walked into the horde of devils with his sword. His entire presence radiated a bloodthirsty aura, yet his expression remained cold and lofty, like a fallen deity rising from the depths of hell. Compared to the man before her, that Wei Liang had been even more mesmerizing.
Suddenly, a soft swishing sound echoed, like a sword slicing through flesh. Liu Qingyin’s expression changed, and she quickly looked up.
A small cut appeared on Qin Yunxi’s left arm. Fine drips of blood seeped into his white blood, staining it with a thin red line.
“W-What…” The Wang disciple whose sword had drawn blood looked terrified. His body suddenly lifted beyond his control, floating half a foot off the ground before vanishing without a trace.
“Wang Jinzhi!” The sword array faltered slightly.
A middle-aged man shouted at Qin Yunxi, “What did you do to him?!”
Qin Yunxi calmly sheathed his sword, his voice cold. “Those who injure others are expelled. Do you still want to keep fighting?”
The Wang family members exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do next.
“Pfft!” A soft chuckle came from the sidelines. Wang Weizhi, who had been watching coldly from the side, finally walked over, his chin raised arrogantly, “Is there any point of bickering here? Once you step into a secret realm, it’s all about survival of the fittest.”
His fellow clansmen responded with dissatisfaction. “You might be strong, Wang Weizhi, but that doesn’t mean everyone else has your skills. What if the treasure falls into Wanjiangui’s hand? Can you take responsibility for that?”
“Heh!” Wang Weizhi chuckled again, “That won’t happen.”
“But what if he ambushes us?” a young woman asked nervously.
“He’s not as stupid as you,” Wang Weizhi smirked.
“You—!” The woman’s face instantly flushed bright red.
The tension dissipated, and the Wang family dispersed their sword array. One by one, their gazes landed on Lin Jiu, the outsider in the group.
“I’m just here to take a look.” Lin Jiu quickly smiled and explained. “I’m not going to compete for anything, I swear! It wouldn’t be worth your effort to attack me.”
“Golden Core stage,” the young woman, still seething from Wang Weizhi’s remark, mocked coldly, “a perfect match for Wang Hanling—a useless for a useless.”
“Who is the useless calling?” Lin Jiu casually set a word trap.
“Of course it’s you!” Her opponent fell for it immediately.
“Exactly, it is the useless one insulting me.” Lin Jiu shrugged, then winked playfully at Wang Weizhi. “I agree with you.”
Just now, Wang Weizhi mocked this woman’s stupidity.
Wang Weizhi turned his face away, clearly considering it beneath him to talk to a mere Golden Core cultivator.
Lin Jiu, however, continued to behave as if they were already acquainted and sidled up to him. “Nice to meet you, Wang Weizhi—the great prodigy of our generation. I’ve long admired you.”
Wang Weizhi had likely never seen such a brazen woman before. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, but he still offered her a faint nod.
Lin Jiu raised an eyebrow slightly and flashed a subtle smile in Qin Yunxi’s direction. She didn’t need to get close to Wang Weizhi—just sticking by his side would make Qin Yunxi hesitant to act rashly.
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