Yun Xi sensed something was wrong and immediately ducked behind Yu Feng Zhēnjūn. This wasn't the time to act tough.
The tense standoff had drawn the attention of every cultivator present. With Yun Xi now fully exposed, the way the crowd stared at her had turned scorching hot, making her feel like a piece of meat surrounded by a pack of wolves.
The black-robed cultivator, seeing that Yu Feng had no intention of giving Yun Xi up, raised a hand and conjured a ball of dark energy in his palm. The moment it left his hand, it morphed into a black net, aimed straight at Yu Feng and Yun Xi.
Yu Feng Zhēnjūn flicked his sleeve, sending a hundred sharp blades of green wind to intercept the net. In the next instant, he vanished from sight with Yun Xi in tow.
The clash between the black net and the wind blades triggered a shockwave that sent the onlookers flying. Several cultivators with lower cultivation levels collapsed where they landed, barely breathing. This was why witnessing a battle between high-level cultivators was never just a spectacle.
Although Mo Yuwan had gained plenty from this trip, she was still annoyed at being kicked out of the underground palace so quickly. So instead of immediately seeking out Wei Yun Xi after leaving the ruins of the Yixian Gate, she decided to delay. After all, with Yu Feng protecting her, nothing major should happen.
But now that both of them were intercepted by a high-level cultivator—accidentally injuring others in the process—and on her turf no less, how could she maintain her dignity as the City Lord? With a wave of her hand, she sent out a message talisman, then darted into the sky and threw a punch, joining forces with Yu Feng to attack the black-robed cultivator.
Carried along by Yu Feng Zhēnjūn, Yun Xi now experienced a Nascent Soul level battle up close. Fortunately, her divine sense was strong enough to clearly trace the combatants' trajectories. She circulated Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind, matching Yu Feng Zhēnjūn's movements as best she could to avoid becoming a burden.
Loud crashes echoed through the air. The cultivators below could no longer follow the fight with their eyes. They only saw three blurs darting back and forth—up to the skies, down to the ground, left and right—never staying in one spot for more than half a breath. Yun Xi was clearly the one being dragged along through it all.
Just as the motion was making Yun Xi dizzy, Dian Dian suddenly sent her a voice transmission.
"Master, the one blocking your path is City Lord Li."
Yun Xi's heart skipped a beat.
"You mean Li Chang?"
"Yes, Master."
"You're sure you're not mistaken?"
"Absolutely sure. Though he used something to suppress his aura and I didn't recognize him at first, after fighting for so long and exerting himself against two opponents, he slipped. His aura leaked just enough for me to catch that familiar scent."
Ever since awakening its bloodline, Dian Dian had full confidence in its nose.
Yun Xi narrowed her eyes. This old bastard again. Not only had he helped evil cultivators multiple times, he'd also forced her to hide in a spatial crack for two months last time. She had long wanted revenge. Now the opportunity had come, and she wasn't about to let it go.
She pushed her Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind technique to the limit, no longer concealing the fact that she had reached the mid-Golden Core stage. As the recognized inheritor of the Yixian Gate, no one would believe she hadn't gained any benefits. Rather than hiding it and arousing suspicion, it was better to reveal part of her strength.
At that moment, Yun Xi summoned the Mystic Frost Needle from her dantian. The pale blue needle hovered beside her wrist, already primed for attack.
She quickly sent a voice transmission to Yu Feng Zhēnjūn.
"Martial Uncle Yu Feng, the one attacking us is Li Chang, the former City Lord of Shuangshan City!"
Yu Feng Zhēnjūn's wind blades grew sharper and more violent upon receiving her message. Without pausing his assault, he responded via voice transmission.
"Nephew Wei, are you certain?"
"I'm sure. My Xunzong Mouse caught his scent. Even though he masked his aura and hid his identity, Dian Dian has never once been wrong."
"Understood. Stay alert. City Lord Mo Yu and I will make sure this man doesn't escape."
"Yes, Martial Uncle."
Their exchange took no more than three breaths. Immediately after, both Yu Feng Zhēnjūn and City Lord Mo Yu intensified their attacks, clearly having reached an unspoken agreement: they would not let the culprit leave alive.
Yun Xi also activated the green bamboo hairpin in her bun, forming a flawless protective shield to guard against sneak attacks.
The three-way battle between Yu Feng, Mo Yuwan, and Li Chang was reaching its climax. Wind blades and fist shadows combined with seamless precision, striking Li Chang down from midair. The two prepared to take him into custody the moment he hit the ground.
That was when things took a sudden turn. A streak of black light shot toward them at lightning speed—not to save Li Chang, but to abduct Yun Xi.
Yun Xi had long suspected Li Chang's sudden ambush was too out of place. Given his connections to evil cultivators, the moment Dian Dian identified him, her alarm bells went off. She had been on full alert ever since.
As soon as the black light appeared, she acted. Her divine sense surged, splitting the Mystic Frost Needle into one, then one hundred, then a thousand, then ten thousand. Her lips moved as she whispered:
"Needle Rain Illusion!"
In the next instant, ten thousand icy blue needles rained down like a storm. The black light was too fast to dodge, pierced through by a thousand needles in the blink of an eye. The shimmering cold of the Mystic Frost Needle didn't stop—it turned and locked onto the falling Li Chang.
Yun Xi pushed her dantian and divine sense to their limits, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"Martial Uncle Yu Feng!"
Yu Feng blinked out of place, grabbing Mo Yu Wan's wrist as they vanished from the danger zone.
Li Chang, realizing something was wrong, no longer cared about his exposed identity. He quickly pulled out a teleportation jade talisman. But before he could activate it, his body froze in place. He couldn't even crush the talisman.
The last thing Li Chang saw was the rain of shimmering, icy blue needles bearing down on him. In that moment, it never occurred to him that he, a Nascent Soul cultivator, would die at the hands of a mere Golden Core girl.
As Li Chang fell, so too did the other black-robed cultivator Yun Xi had killed. His body hit the ground hard, still wreathed in evil aura. The entire battle had unfolded so quickly and violently that the cultivators watching were left gaping in stunned silence.
Yun Xi had unleashed a devastating attack. She had instantly killed two high-level cultivators, but in doing so, she had drained every last drop of spiritual energy from her dantian. Tiny cracks had formed along her meridians, and stabbing pain throbbed from her core. As she withdrew the Mystic Frost Needle, her body gave out and she plummeted toward the ground.
In the blink of an eye, Flying Mist Butterfly arrived, growing in size as it caught its master mid-fall with graceful ease.
Yu Feng and Mo Yuwan quickly moved to Yun Xi's side, both of them visibly surprised. This girl was far more formidable than they'd expected. To instantly kill two Nascent Soul cultivators? Genius didn't even begin to describe it.
In Yun Xi's clasped hands were two mid-grade spirit stones, which she was frantically absorbing to replenish her energy. Even in that state, she sent another voice transmission to Yu Feng.
"Martial Uncle Yu Feng, this is Yun Xi's limit. If more enemies come, this disciple can no longer fight."
Yu Feng nodded slightly, then carried Yun Xi and Fei Xia Butterfly high into the clouds.
From above, Hao Hui Zūnzhě had been watching the entire skirmish unfold. As long as Yun Xi wasn't in mortal danger, he had no intention of intervening. But just as he suspected, an evil cultivator made a move—classic misdirection. Fortunately, the little girl was sharp. Not only did she kill the enemy, she also sent a clear warning to others. The smile tugging at his lips could no longer be hidden.