When Li Hai Mo clashed with Hei Bai Xuan Jian, Xue Nu and Dong Jun encountered Xue Yi Hou Bai Yi Fei, who had come to watch the spectacle.
"The Yin-Yang School's Dong Jun?" Bai Yi Fei didn't recognize Xue Nu, but he identified Dong Jun at a glance. After all, Li Hai Mo's earlier provocation had left him sensing Dong Jun's aura, making her unmistakable.
"And the Daoist Six Paths Jia Zi Lock!" Xue Yi Hou Bai Yi Fei was somewhat surprised. It seemed the Daoists had captured the Yin-Yang School's Dong Jun, and they were even moving to eliminate Hei Bai Xuan Jian. But why did Dong Jun emanate an aura that drew him in so irresistibly—far more tempting than the one from Yan Ling Ji?
"Hand her over to me, and I'll let you go!" Bai Yi Fei said to Xue Nu. As a half-step Tian Ren He Yi expert, he outmatched her, backed by his army. He wasn't afraid of Daoist reinforcements—Hei Bai Xuan Jian's entanglement would buy him time. So Bai Yi Fei gambled boldly.
"No chance!" Xue Nu didn't know why Xue Yi Hou was blocking her or demanding Dong Jun, but Dong Jun belonged to the Daoists now—handing her over was out of the question.
"You're forcing my hand, little girl. Maybe I'd hesitate against your master, but you..." Xue Yi Hou drew his red-and-white twin swords, channeling waves of icy true qi that twisted into pale, withered vines snaking toward Xue Nu.
"Neither yin nor yang—lifeless and stagnant." Xue Nu instinctively recoiled from the chilling aura. Jian Jia unsheathed, she shattered all the ice crystals with a single stroke.
"Death qi and yin qi—what kind of dark art is this!" Dong Jun analyzed it too. It wasn't true ice power—just a fusion of death qi and yin qi, mimicking frost. Her inner You Long qi stirred restlessly, craving to devour this energy.
"You're not afraid of offending the Daoists?" Xue Nu warned, pulling Dong Jun behind her.
"The Daoists sealed their mountains long ago—they won't break it just for one Dong Jun!" Bai Yi Fei retorted coldly.
"You think you can take me down that easily?" Xue Nu knew a fight was inevitable, but she wasn't intimidated. She'd bested Ge Nie and Wei Zhuang—why fear Xue Yi Hou?
Yi Swordsmanship erupted, Chong Xu Sword Arts flowing seamlessly. Strike after strike assaulted Bai Yi Fei.
At first, Bai Yi Fei dismissed her, but once engaged, he realized this girl was no pushover—she pierced his sword paths effortlessly. If she'd faced dual-wielders before, she'd have him on the ropes. So Bai Yi Fei got serious.
"Use the Daoist Lin Zi Seal!" Dong Jun advised. The Lin Zi Seal warded off evils, countering the yin and death qi in Bai Yi Fei's sword energy.
"I don't know it!" Xue Nu admitted awkwardly. She'd joined the Daoists less than three years ago—beyond swordsmanship, she hadn't mastered any Daoist seals.
Dong Jun froze. How did you elevate your Daoist cultivation this far without knowing the Nine Seals? You don't need mastery—just cast it to fend off the death and yin qi!
Seeing this, Bai Yi Fei smirked wickedly. No Daoist seals? Easy pickings. He abandoned direct clashes, unleashing barrages of ice-white sword qi fused from death and yin energies.
Xue Nu couldn't close on Bai Yi Fei, encircled by death and yin qi—she poured more true qi into shielding herself. Decisively, she grabbed Dong Jun, preparing Meng Die Zhi Dun.
Bai Yi Fei sensed her intent and charged.
"You're the one who fell for it!" Xue Nu declared. Her sword thrust upward—a colossal whale burst from the earth, surging straight at Bai Yi Fei.
Bai Yi Fei jolted, twin swords slashing down to encase the whale in ice—but the force hurled him skyward.
"Don't use Ping Xu Yu Feng!" Dong Jun urged hastily.
Xue Nu paused, realizing instantly: Bai Yi Fei was merely flung aloft—his cultivation unbroken, still a half-step Tian Ren He Yi. Ascending would play to his advantage; unlike Ge Nie, he could find aerial footholds.
"Use Tian Di Shi Se!" Dong Jun suggested.
"I don't know it!" Xue Nu admitted blankly. She truly didn't—she only knew three sword sets: Yi Swordsmanship, Chong Xu Sword Arts' Bei Ming You Yu and Ping Xu Yu Feng, plus the Ren sect grandmaster's Xue Hou Chu Qing.
Dong Jun gaped harder. A first-rate expert—and you don't know Tian Di Shi Se, a Daoist staple?
"What about Wan Wu Hui Chun?" Dong Jun pressed.
"Still learning it," Xue Nu replied. Indeed, she was midway through—barely functional.
Dong Jun's face darkened with despair. Doomed—this is it.
"But I know this!" Xue Nu said, positioning Jian Jia before her. Left hand on hilt, right tracing golden Dao runes.
Bai Yi Fei hovered aloft, eavesdropping on their exchange, smirking at what tricks they might pull next.
"Xue Hou Chu Qing?" Dong Jun's rosy lips parted in shock. You're poisoned—or your master is. Skipping Tian Di Shi Se, Wan Wu Hui Chun—to teach you the grandmaster's blade, Xue Hou Chu Qing?
Golden Dao runes multiplied. Xue Nu, seeing Bai Yi Fei hold back, scribed more—a vast Bagua diagram rising from the ground. Bai Yi Fei sensed the shift too late; his cultivation drained by half in an instant. He bolted for the edge.
"Too late to run!" Xue Nu cried. Wielding her golden Dao sword, she slashed at Bai Yi Fei. He parried with twins—only half-strength flowed. Blasted flying.
Xue Nu materialized behind—a second strike hammered him down.
"Use Bei Ming!" Dong Jun prompted. Bei Ming You Yu into Ping Xu Yu Feng now? Bai Yi Fei doomed. Not unjust—he'd never dreamed Xue Nu wielded the Ren sect's supreme Xue Hou Chu Qing. His arrogance gifted her time to unleash its full might, centering him in the Bagua—escape impossible.
Xue Nu heard, golden Dao sword thrusting Bai Yi Fei airborne—the whale's strike launching him further. She rode the winds, blade raining relentless. Bai Yi Fei, defenseless, sprouted dozens of wounds. This from Xue Nu's mercy—sparing vitals. Otherwise, Xue Hou Chu Qing's launch? One stroke ends him. Who'd fault his hubris for granting such vast Bagua coverage, trapping himself dead-center?
Bai Yi Fei knew he'd blown it. Ren sect's pinnacle Xue Hou Chu Qing? And I handed her peak power time—stood smack in the kill-zone.
"Is that Xue Yi Hou?" Han Fei and company gawked at the aerial pummeling of Bai Yi Fei.
Tian Ze's group stared harder. The one who chased us like dogs—hung and thrashed by a young woman?
"Master, should we...?" Qu Shi Mo mimed a throat-slit. Bai Du Wang dead—this vendetta. Chance to end Bai Yi Fei? Unmissable.
"Advise against it. See? The Daoist girl's thrashing him but dodging kills—just a lesson. Bai Yi Fei's wounds aren't fatal. Jump in? Risk Daoist ire," Zi Nu interjected.
"We'll let him slide this time!" Tian Ze grit out. Thrashers of Bai Yi Fei? Untouchable—best avoid extras.
Xue Nu aimed to teach, not kill—she'd never taken life, and Daoists rarely did. Her strikes flashed fierce but evaded lethals.
"You might spare him—but he won't spare you!" Dong Jun warned.
"I know!" Xue Nu bit her lip, thrusting through—not fatal, but grievous. Months bedridden, minimum.
"Let's go!" Xue Nu told Dong Jun, ignoring Bai Yi Fei sprawled in his blood pool.
Ji Wu Ye, hearing of Bai Yi Fei's beating, rushed over—finding him encircled by guards, prepped for Xin Zheng healing.
"That woman!" Mohists Shen and Jing Ke blanked. So dangerous out here now?
Li Hai Mo vs. Hei Bai Xuan Jian? They'd watched, but the shock paled—Tian Ren clashes blurred too fast for grasp. But Xue Nu dismantling Bai Yi Fei? Crystal clear—Bei Ming You Yu and Ping Xu Yu Feng finale. Terrifying.
Li Hai Mo stood firm, sensing Yan Ri's aura. Yan Ri itched to strike—but hesitated, fearing Li Hai Mo's reserves. Lurkers eyed the chaos for gains—but dreaded his lingering strength.
"Scram!" Xiao Meng arrived, Qiu Li in hand. She'd come early, saw Li Hai Mo stable, but Xue Nu tangling Xue Yi Hou—so she'd dashed there. Found Bai Yi Fei arrogant, pummeled by Xue Nu. Rushed back.
Yan Ri and shadows spotted Dao Tian sect's grandmaster—ambitions vaporized. Duo Tian Ren He Yi glare? Death sentence. They scattered.
"You okay?" Xiao Meng reached Li Hai Mo, concern etched.
Her hand probed—true qi depleted, pure bluff.
"I'm fine. Take him back—he's not dead," Li Hai Mo said.
Xiao Meng nodded, lifting him and Hei Bai Xuan Jian—flying straight for Xin Zheng. She messaged Xue Nu: fetch the two swords.
In the courtyard, Li Hai Mo withdrew his hand from his sleeve—palm riddled with sword scars.
"So bad!" Xiao Meng ached, channeling Dao Wan Wu Hui Chun to mend.
"What's his deal?" Xiao Meng eyed the comatose Hei Bai Xuan Jian.
"Strictly speaking, he's dead—and has been for ages," Li Hai Mo explained.
"But a conviction props this shell up—so he's not quite gone either."
"Akin to a sword spirit—just his soul pilots the body," Li Hai Mo clarified.
Humans: brain commands flesh. Hei Bai Xuan Jian: soul steers the husk. Often Ba Ling Long ran the show—Hei Bai the deepest, strongest core. Dead, yet denial kept him "alive."
"You can save him?" Xiao Meng asked.
"A full Tian Ren He Yi delivered gift-wrapped? Pass that up? Foolish," Li Hai Mo quipped.
Xue Nu and Dong Jun returned—Xue Nu clutching two broken swords.
Li Hai Mo glanced—As expected. Blades long snapped; spirits denied it. Sword souls roused the "dead" Hei Bai Xuan Jian; his cultivation sustained the "unbroken" illusion. Twin spirits, intertwined in mutual reliance.
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