Chapter 175 - Blood-sucking
Qing Yun Hill, TongTian Peak.
Before the Illusory Moon Cave, Ghost Li, Lu XueQi and Lin JingYu the three of them facing each other, it was actually a very delicate atmosphere, suddenly it seemed to freeze, all of their attention in that instant were all on that ancient sword stabbed into the ground.
Zhu Xian!
The renowned ancient sword, implicating numerous past events, the legendary sword that determined countless number of people’s fates, right now quietly stuck into the ground, looked ordinary and unremarkable, seemed to be part of this landscape.
Only, that name carved onto the blade, was that glaring and overweeningly arrogant, although silent but obstinate, sternly watching the people around it, causing the onlookers, unable to breathe normally.
For an unknown length of time, like waking up from an inconceivable shock, the three of them at the same time let out a long breath but almost at the same time, the atmosphere had quietly changed.
Lin JingYu instinctively moved and wanted to dash ahead but after he glanced at the two people beside him, he instead frowned and slowly stood firm.
Lu XueQi initially looked shocked and then a bright glint seemed to flash past her eyes, facing this ancient sword which had supreme position in Qing Yun and even in the world, she was also frowning slightly. Following which, she subconsciously glanced at Ghost Li beside her, watching his expression, she quietly, pulled a distance from Ghost Li.
Ghost Li was silent, looked expressionless but in his eyes, a fire seemed to be blazing.
That sword, the ancient sword which had been his nightmare day and night for the past ten years, suddenly was before him, the primitive blade glimmered with faint light in the wild mountains breeze, reflecting in his eyes, it seemed like, stabbing into his chest.
That, slowly falling down from the sky graceful and lifeless green body image ah…
“Ah!...”
A roar which seemed to burst forth from his chest, tearing apart his lungs, charging towards the Zhu Xian ancient sword, dark-green light flashed, the Soul-devouring ahead of him moving swiftly, as if resounding with his master’s emotions.
Just that abruptly, bluish green sword ray cut in from the side, Lin JingYu holding the Dragon Slayer Sword, had already blocked in front of him, boiling with rage the jade-green sword forcefully blocked the screaming dark-green black energy.
A muffled sound, the two magical weapons had already clashed in the mid-air, Lin JingYu wanted to shout but abruptly felt even though it was broad daylight but that weapon which accompanied Ghost Li, suddenly the world dimmed, ghost wails besieged him with a loud sound, his body felt like he was being inextricably tied up with a large silk rope, and before him, many different frightening illusions that looked like they were from the nine netherworlds.
And Ghost Li before him, his eyes had already turned red again, full of murderous intention, his body appearing even more like a ghost.
Lin JingYu glared and shouted loudly, in the black energy the bluish-green light rose suddenly, broke through from above and leapt up, almost at the same time, Ghost Li’s figure had in a blink reached where he was, the black energy dispersed with a rumble like the wings of a demon, spinned and gathered again like a ghost hand, shrouding Ghost Li in it, like an angry tide rolling from all directions, heading for that Zhu Xian ancient sword.
Lin JingYu was forced back from the air, couldn’t defend in time, panicked and was about to shout in fury, suddenly before the ancient sword, deep inside the black energy, a ray as bright as autumn waters, like frost snow bursting into bloom, voiceless yet a clash, reverberating far off, in the black energy, bloomed like flower, a sword stabbed out.
TianYa!
That frost-like snow-like white light, streaked through the sky, where it brushed past, the black energy slumped and scattered, directly attacking towards the recesses of the darkness ahead, blocked its path.
Lu XueQi appeared and blocked before the Zhu Xian sword, her face expressionless, a clear and beautiful face, her face was instead pale and looked without any color.
Deep inside the black energy, two spots like ghost fire stared at Lu XueQi, the ghost wails chilling, wild with anger and irrepressible.
There seemed to be something, ahead, like a wild beast panting and roaring, that unfamiliar?
The black energy exploded, from the ground it suddenly reached several zhang high up in the air, and within the black energy, that two spots of ferocious ghost fires also disappeared. Lu XueQi’s lips slightly moved, her face pale and expressionless, only that glint in her eyes flickered unceasingly, ten thousand torrents and a thousand crags seemed to pass by in that instant, countless emotions, at that instant rushed to her heart.
Just that, the TianYa in her hand, still refused to give up, that ancient sword behind, suddenly seemed to turn into a ten thousand zhang abyss, making her unable to retreat not even a fraction!
An ancient sword, or maybe a silent and ancient, sect that raised her?
She raised her sword to the sky, quietly stabbed, that sword light like snow, yet carried a trace of desolation.
The black energy ghastly, the wailings abruptly rose, in the air, the direction where TianYa stabbed towards, a black figure emerged suddenly, Ghost Li appeared out from the dark energy recesses, but before him, the Soul-devouring flew up, instantly, the black energy that covered the sky filled the air and descended, the entirely black Soul-devouring stick screamed unceasingly, at the tip of it the blood-red thin lines, had all totally lighted up.
A pale hand, stretched out from the air, grabbed hold of the stick, coming down from the sky, wind and smoke immediately turned wild, unlimited dark gas gathered at the top of the stick and formed a column, struck down from the sky.
Facing Lu XueQi, and also at her back, that silent ancient sword.
Just that, she in the end, still did not retreat…
The sword stances like snow, sprinkled towards the black gas, before it touched it, the surrounding stones and sand, were all swept up by a huge force, like a storm circulating and dancing. Lu XueQi stood in that vortex eye, her face slowly blurring.
TianYa and Soul-devouring, the two weapons flickering and dancing in the mid-air, seemed to be slightly quivering, as if that fight many years ago, again returned before them.
Just that the time available was always short-lived, like the emotions passing by in an instant, an intense crash, finally still reverberated through before Qing Yun Illusory Moon Cave.
The wind and smoke quietly dispersed, the dust and sand fell, and a few small rocks solitary spun on the ground, involuntarily gently rolled out, finally rolled into the grasses, disappeared from sight.
Lu XueQi was still standing at where she was, did not move at all from her original spot. Behind her, the Zhu Xian ancient sword seemed to still emit an ancient light, watching the back of that lady.
For some reason, this woman of unmatched beauty, right now her eyes and face, were that tired, as if that sword just now, had exhausted all of her heart and body strength.
She quietly bended down her head, her eyes indifferent, looking at some unknown spot. After a long time, she then slowly raised her head, looked ahead.
That man!
That man who was like a madman!
A man who was as silent as iron…
That same eyes, quietly watching her, there was no malevolent energy, no anger, and also no affection or warmth.
Lu XueQi suddenly for some reason trembled, that slight quiver, even she herself also felt she could have mistaken, just that what followed, the pain in her chest made her almost bend over, as if the world’s sharpest needle, passed through from deep in her heart.
Her pale like snow face, suddenly turned red, her body wavered gently, at that instant when her brows tightened, when she was about to clench her teeth and bear it, suddenly she closed her eyes and bent over.
TianYa [si] a light sound, inverted and stabbed into the ground, Lu XueQi leaning on the sword, coughed out a small mouthful of blood, spraying it onto that autumn waters-like sword blade.
Blood, slowly congealed into beads, adhered to the smooth TianYa sword blade, gently quivered, then, quietly slided down.
A wind from nowhere blew, on the empty ground before the Illusory Moon Cave, swayed and passed by, the wind was still carrying a few light whistling sounds.
The black gas dispersed totally, Ghost Li still coldly standing there, the Soul-devouring flickering with dark-green light, fell from the sky, he stretched out his hand to catch.
And when Ghost Li turned and looked at Lu XueQi, Lin JingYu had already returned, in a flash stood beside Lu XueQi, blocked that ancient sword behind him.
Ghost Li coldly looked at Lin JingYu, and then at Lu XueQi, the two of them who were to him almost like the most important people in the world, in his eyes, were no different from strangers.
In the mortal world, a lifetime of time, but how many people, could accompany you till old, forever unchanged?
He gritted his teeth, grinned, smiled yet proud and aloof, heartless yet unyielding, energetically stepped forward. That sword, was just ahead, even if it was a bottomless abyss, he would also dash to it! Ten years of time, ten years of heart breaking anguish, how could he give up at once?
Lin JingYu looked angry, the bluish green light in his Dragon Slayer Sword lighted up again, and at this moment, suddenly Lu XueQi stood upright, although her face looked even paler but her voice was still as clear and mesmerizing as that time.
“Stop right there!”
Ghost Li’s body paused, stopped his steps, then looked deeply at Lu XueQi, sternly said, “You make way!”
Lu XueQi had a desolate look, said, “Listen to me, go! Never come back again.”
Lin JingYu frowned, glanced at Lu XueQi, wanted to speak but halted.
Ghost Li after hearing it, did not get Lu XueQi’s intention, sneered and said, “Let me destroy Zhu Xian, I will leave immediately.”
Lu XueQi tiredly shook her head, quietly said, “I can’t let you do that, the forces at the front of the mountain will come over soon, you can still make it if you leave now.”
Ghost Li and Lin JingYu were stunned, listening carefully, as expected a faint hubbub could be heard indistinctly from afar, seemed like there was quite a number, arguing about something.
Actually thinking about it carefully, this was not surprising. what kind of celestial weapon was Zhu Xian ancient sword in Qing Yun sect, its importance incomparable, unable to find it after searching the entire battle scene at the front, naturally they would come to the rear to search. Not to mention the rear, even if it was to flip over the entire Qing yun mountains, for the Zhu Xian sword, most likely these disciples and grand disciples of Qing Yun sect would be willing.
Hearing that the hubbub seemed to be getting louder, and clearer, obviously the crowd was heading over to search. Ghost Li’s face turned cold, suddenly with a sneer, he moved, disregarding everything, he headed towards them.
Lu XueQi looked grieved, but without waiting for her reaction, Lin JingYu had already leapt up, the Dragon Slayer Sword [wu] a sound like a split cloth, the sword stabbed over, the sword light glowed brightly, like a swimming dragon it brandished its teeth and danced, pouncing over to Ghost Li.
Ghost Li’s face was cold, his body like an apparition, his left hand waved, the Soul-devouring stick again flew out but it completely disregarded the might of the Dragon Slayer Sword, directly hit towards Lin JingYu’s head. Lin JingYu was taken aback, the style was strong and fierce, and was even more similar to Lin JingYu’s usual style, unexpectedly Ghost Li used it against him. Facing this level of fierce offensive, Lin JingYu’s inert eagerness to do well and arrogance, bit by bit, was inflamed, with a loud shout, he as expected, ignored the stick, the dragon slayer sword did not reduce its force and instead increased, looked like it was intending to bet against Ghost Li, see who's guts was bigger!
Both fought like a battle of life and death, Lu XueQi watched from beside, couldn't help but trembled, watching carefully, subconsciously her eyes had a trace of concern.
Just when the both of them looked like they were going to perish together, Ghost Li’s body suddenly wavered on the spot and dispersed like black smoke, like an illusion. Lin JingYu couldn’t stop in time, his sword continued to stab through the air, felt something greatly amiss, turned his head back in a panic, saw the black figure like apparition, appeared behind him and heading towards Lu XueQi.
This kind of power, naturally was not from Qing Yun sect, TianYin Temple, also not seen before in Evil Sect, it was after reading the third volume of [Tian Shu], gradually comprehended the strange skill from it, not seen by the world. Trying it today, he achieved success as expected, even Lin JingYu with his calibre was also tricked. Lu XueQi also couldn’t help but looked bewildered.
Just that for some reason, Ghost Li who had demonstrated [Tian Shu] skill, his entire body was totally different from before, not as one expected to be full of eerie demonic black energy, dark-green, gold, red, scarlet, several energies took turns to surface, his face had an indistinct pain but his body was as swift as the wind, seemed to be on a higher level than before.
Lu XueQi was bewildered but faintly had some comprehension. Different from Lin JingYu, when they were at the celestial tree in the west great mash, in [Celestial Emperor Treasury], she and Ghost Li both saw that enigmatic [Tian Shu] third volume, with her level of natural aptitude, much higher than Ghost Li, had long already memorized [Tian Shu] in her heart.
[Tian Shu] although was strange and unfathomable but between the lines were all extraordinary esoteric truths, cultivators were naturally obsessed with it, if it was said that she did not put in effort to study it intensively, that would be a lie. Just that this kind of skill could not be told to outsiders, she did not tell anyone and besides, what she saw was only the third volume, the preceding and subsequent portions missing, especially without [Tian Shu] first volume of general principles, it was even harder to grasp, obscure and unclear. These past years, just using her own aptitude intelligence, forced her way to understand it, more or less it helped her own training but it was not obvious, but it was also because of that, those elders in Qing Yun sect did not detect anything, if not with Reverend DaoXuan, Tian BuYi, ShuiYue Master etc their current cultivation levels, how would they not noticed the strange development in Lu XueQi’s cultivation training.
Right now, Lu XueQi saw Ghost Li’s strange skills, her brows frowning slightly, Ghost Li after tricking Lin JingYu, like a formless object it solidified from the black smoke, swiftly transformed into himself, without reducing speed, heading straight to Lu XueQi.
Lu XueQi clenched her teeth tight, suddenly moved three steps back sideways, revealing the Zhu Xian sword behind her, appearing before Ghost Li. This move shocked both Ghost Li and Lin JingYu, the difference was that delight was shown on Ghost Li’s face, Lin JingYu instead angrily shouted, “Lu junior sister, what are you doing?”
Lu XueQi turned a deaf ear, a glint was seen in her eyes, she seemed to hesitate for a moment but eventually with a soft shout, TianYa sword facing the wind and thrust out but where the sword ray was pointing, was instead opposite of Ghost Li, three chi before the ancient sword.
[Pu!]
A light sound, TianYa sword seemed to draw a blank but for some reason, Lu XueQi’s body shook, and at the tip of the sword, after a moment of silence, blood splattered, sprinkled into the air. And that Ghost Li who was heading swiftly towards the sword, emitted a [ya] sound, again transformed into black smoke, scattered.
And at this shocking instant, where blood splattered like flower, Lu XueQi’s pale face looked somehow distracted, a roar was heard, Ghost Li’s figure suddenly flashed out in the air, TianYa sword was stabbed into his shoulder but he did not look to feel the pain at all, viciously pouncing over, the Sinister Orb at the tip of the stick was totally red, a blood-sucking evil energy overwhelming swept over, enveloping Lu XueQi in it.
Lu XueQi turned pale, felt all of her blood in that moment, like boiling water surged and tossed, almost bursting out of her body, a [weng weng] sound rang out in her head, the severe pain unbearable, her legs weakened, unable to sustain anymore, sat down.
Ghost Li with a long scream, the sound desolate, at that moment when the Sinister Orb flashed before Lu XueQi’s beautiful face, forcibly twisted it back, at the same time his left hand waved, swept Lu XueQi out. The same time Lu XueQi flew out, TianYa sword also followed along, at that moment when the sword was pulled out, blood like fountain poured out from Ghost Li’s shoulder. And Lu XueQi in the air, the Sinister Orb evil power was still raging, pounding and moving unceasingly, a severe pain in her chest, with a [wa] sound a mouthful of blood splattered out.
In the scene, Ghost Li landed, there was no other object in his eyes, only that ancient sword. Right now he was drenched in blood, half of his body was swiftly dyed red with blood but as if he did not feel it, he seemed to be gnashing his teeth, stared straight at Zhu Xian ancient sword.
The primitive Zhu Xian sword quietly stabbed in the ground before him, the not-stone-not-jade sword couldn’t even reflect his face. Only that faint thin crack, seemed new.
Ghost Li laughed loudly to the sky, his demeanour like mad, ten years of time in that instant flashed past, without any more words, his left hand abruptly grabbed the sword hilt, right hand summoned the Soul-devouring stick grabbed tightly in his hand, hatefully facing the sword blade, struck towards that crack.
Lin JingYu bellowed from behind, rushed forward with all of his might but it was still too late, Lu XueQi had just descended, her mind still in a mess, far away, the hubbub suddenly became louder, as if discovering something, all swiftly rushed towards the Illusory Moon Cave.
Just that, in that moment of time, who could do anything?
Like, nobody could ever, detain a moment of time!
That Soul-devouring flickering with dark-green light came screaming down, its master right now with blood streaming down, following his left hand trickling down, drop by drop landed on Zhu Xian, flowing past that crude-looking Zhu Xian blade, slowly concealing it, not one seemed to land on the ground.
Indistinctly, in that instant, Ghost Li’s heart moved, as if there was some strange yet familiar scene that touched his heart, like a lightning flashed past his mind.
The next moment, he suddenly realized.
It was blood!
In that instant at the corner of his eye, he saw his own blood, flowing on the Zhu Xian sword blade, especially towards that crack, it slowly disappeared, swiftly and soundlessly merging into the sword.
Zhu Xian! Zhu Xian! Zhu Xian!
Zhu Xian was actually like Sinister Orb, it could absorb living things’ blood!
He was stunned and could not control himself but the Soul-devouring stick which was smashing down in his hand, had long surpassed the speed of thought in his mind, hit hard on that ancient sword!