Chapter 13: A Sword’s Startling Appearance
She pressed the high and mighty person into the chaise lounge…
Ning Ruoque pretended not to hear and continued to walk forward with her head held high.
Yin Buran tossed the Mirage Pearl in her hand, her eyes as dark as ink. “Don’t make me say it a third time.”
An invisible, cold wind seemed to come from behind her. Ning Ruoque’s body stiffened, and she stopped.
Within two breaths, she lowered her head and, feeling quite spineless, returned to Yin Buran.
Still with a two-handed lift, she picked the person up and placed her on the ground.
If her cultivation hadn’t fallen, she wouldn’t have to listen to Yin Buran at all right now and could have sent her away directly.
Yin Buran seemed to see through her little thoughts and snorted coldly, “Don’t even think about it. Even if you were the Sword Venerable, you’d have to listen to me obediently.”
She straightened her wrinkled clothes and tugged on Ning Ruoque’s sleeve, urging, “Hurry up. Don’t lose them.”
She commanded with perfect ease.
Ning Ruoque was helpless against her and could only walk cautiously in front, paying close attention to the movements around them.
The cave was winding and narrow, lit only by a few dim yellow lamps. Water dripped from the damp rock walls.
The path underfoot also became slippery, as if covered with a layer of sticky liquid left by insects.
Ning Ruoque didn’t know where their destination was, but she always had a strong sense of crisis.
She wanted to remind the person beside her to be careful. “Yin Buran.”
Yin Buran replied calmly, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
Ning Ruoque suspected she was doing it on purpose, enjoying the sight of her being at a loss.
She was too embarrassed to say more and could only turn her attention back to Xu Chuo.
As they went deeper into the cave, the number of formations and restrictions before them gradually increased.
Fortunately, with a heaven-tier artifact like the Mirage Pearl as cover, the two of them followed behind the group and slipped in without a sound.
The air was cold and yin, and the smell of rot grew stronger.
Xu Chuo undid the last restriction, and the path ahead suddenly opened up. She raised a lantern.
The light flickered.
Ning Ruoque’s breath caught. She subconsciously blocked Yin Buran behind her, her hand resting on the willow-leaf knife.
Before them was a giant Fei Zhi. Its beastly head alone almost filled the entire space, and its three pairs of wings covered the dome.
Its serpentine body was hidden in the darkness, making it impossible to estimate its size.
Xu Chuo led the dazed group of newcomers, who were not even as large as one of the Fei Zhi’s eyes.
Ning Ruoque muttered, “They’re truly insane.”
No wonder she always felt that something was wrong with this place.
Who would have thought that an immortal sect that subdued demons and monsters would be hiding a bloodthirsty demonic beast underneath!
However, the next moment, she almost couldn’t resist drawing her knife.
Xu Chuo pushed the young, newly admitted disciples forward. The giant Fei Zhi seemed to smell the fresh flesh and blood and twitched its eyelids.
A few small stones rolled down. Although it didn’t open its eyes, several strange black tentacles extended from behind it and then pierced into the brows of those people.
Brightlight Pavilion was actually using living human lives to feed this demonic beast!
There was no blood, but Ning Ruoque could see clearly that strange, dark green patterns had appeared on everyone’s faces and the backs of their hands.
As if their life force was being sucked away, their already dazed expressions became even more rigid.
Only the tentacle attacking Yan Lingge stopped three inches from her forehead, blocked by an invisible barrier.
She didn’t dare to make a sound and was trying her best to pretend to be one of her stupefied companions.
Ning Ruoque took the initiative to pull Yin Buran back and found a remote, dead corner.
Before she could ask, Yin Buran answered first, “It’s parasitism. It won’t harm their lives for the time being.”
“The Fei Zhi can split off a special kind of clone that absorbs a cultivator’s cultivation through parasitism, and can even control them.”
She had already suspected this when Qingtong was treating those people.
Those whose internal organs were eaten and whose cultivation was completely absorbed would no longer have the protection of spiritual energy and would naturally attract demons and ghosts to parasitize them, turning them into living corpses.
In just a few short sentences, Ning Ruoque had already connected the cause and effect. “Yan Lingge’s blood has a strong attraction to them, so the Fei Zhi clones inside those people lost control?”
“Mm. Some of the ‘people’ in Brightlight Pavilion might just be shells for the Fei Zhi.”
But all they had seen were people at the Spirit Induction and Dust Cleansing realms. What about the elders?
Xu Chuo’s sacrificial ceremony was nearing its end. Yin Buran tugged on Ning Ruoque’s sleeve again and shook it.
“This Fei Zhi’s appetite is getting bigger and bigger, and it could go berserk at any time. So much so that Xu Chuo had to take the risk and act right under our noses.”
“This matter needs to be considered carefully. Let’s go back first.”
Ning Ruoque came back to her senses and this time, trailed behind Yin Buran.
It was already late when they left the cave. The magnificent sunset clouds lit up half the sky, as if about to burn down the high tower of Brightlight Pavilion.
Until the two of them returned to the small courtyard without anyone knowing, she still hadn’t said a word.
Like a sheathed sword, she had retracted all her sharpness, silently recuperating.
Or perhaps, brewing for the next time she would be unsheathed.
As soon as they returned to the room, Yin Buran was no longer willing to stand.
She grabbed a soft pillow and sat down on the chaise lounge, lazily asking the sword cultivator who was as silent as a block of wood, “Are you thinking about what your chances of winning against that Fei Zhi are?”
Ning Ruoque paused, then nodded.
Yin Buran then asked, “What are the chances?”
“Not high, only fifty percent,” she didn’t forget to add, “That Fei Zhi seems to be seriously injured and is still in its recovery period. It’s not impossible for me to fight it alone.”
She could choose to kill the Fei Zhi to save people, but she couldn’t find a reason to persuade Yin Buran to take the risk with her.
Yin Buran propped up her head and studied her for a while.
The undisguised gaze made Ning Ruoque’s neck stiffen, and she subconsciously wanted to move away from her, or find something to hide behind.
After a long while, Yin Buran suddenly stood up and grabbed Ning Ruoque’s collar. “How did you calculate that? Are you overestimating yourself?”
The cold incense became extremely aggressive. As she leaned forward, Ning Ruoque began to retreat.
Just as Ning Ruoque was about to find a chance to push Yin Buran away, a cool fingertip unexpectedly tapped her brow.
She was stunned. Her spiritual soul was like a frightened little animal, uncontrollably curling up into a ball, and even half of her body went numb.
Just like that, she lost all ability to resist and was pushed onto the chaise lounge by Yin Buran, who looked down at her.
Yin Buran reached out and unceremoniously pinched the sword cultivator’s cheek. “Where did you get this confidence? From your fragile spiritual soul?”
Ning Ruoque’s eyes widened.
Perhaps because she couldn’t speak or move, a hint of grievance actually appeared on her pretty face.
This was truly a rare expression. Yin Buran couldn’t help but rub it a few more times, then looked at this disguise with dissatisfaction and frowned.
She ignored the slight struggle under her hand and, with a blank expression, pried open Ning Ruoque’s mouth and stuffed a pill inside.
It still melted the moment it entered her mouth. The bitter and fishy taste filled her entire mouth, but there was also a warmth that spread throughout her body, melting the stiffness in her limbs.
Ning Ruoque’s fingers trembled slightly.
When Yin Buran tried to pinch her face again, she turned her head to dodge and grabbed the other’s wrist.
Almost effortlessly, their positions were reversed. She pressed the high and mighty person into the chaise lounge.
The ebony hairpin that held up her hair slipped off, and Yin Buran’s snow-white hair all came loose, her clear, shallow eyes filled with bewilderment.
But it quickly turned into shame and anger. She scolded sharply, “Let go! Don’t force me to make a move!”
She was all claws and teeth, but in reality, without her artifacts, her threat was almost zero.
Ning Ruoque thought of this person’s strength, and the corners of her mouth twitched unconsciously.
But she quickly released her grip, obediently lowered her eyes, and apologized for her offense just now.
Then she quickly glanced at Yin Buran, who was straightening her clothes, and asked softly, “The medicine you gave me, is it for treating the spiritual soul?”
The effect was not obvious last time, but this time, her spiritual soul was restrained by Yin Buran, and it became exceptionally effective.
Yin Buran replied in a second, “No, it’s poison.”
“Thank you.”
Yin Buran emphasized with some annoyance, “No, it’s poison.”
She was annoyed at herself for being too soft-hearted. After all, Ning Ruoque didn’t believe her words at all and was always thinking of running away.
Ning Ruoque didn’t know her concerns and was still pondering what to use to repay Yin Buran’s favor.
“I… I can give you a sword in the future.”
She was very poor. The swords collected at Mount Xuansu were probably the only things she could offer.
It could be used for self-defense and for appreciation. In Ning Ruoque’s opinion, it was very practical.
Yin Buran was speechless, but she was used to it.
She questioned coldly, “Do you think I can lift it?”
Ning Ruoque pressed her lips together and said in a small voice, “I can give you a lighter sword.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, a self-doubting voice sounded in the room, “What on earth did I see in you back then?”
