Chapter 33: Where the Heart Leads, Death Brings No Regret

A spiritual radiance erupted from the ground, surging into the night sky. The silver light, tinged with crimson, outshone the stars and the moon, its afterglow spreading across the firmament and stretching for thousands of miles.

Not far from Zhuxi City, a group of travelers halted, gazing up at the sky in sheer astonishment.

"A Spirit-Ascension Array? I only recall reading about its existence in ancient texts; I’ve never actually encountered one in reality."

"Qingchuan is relatively affluent, but it can’t sustain many locations of such poverty. Aside from sword cultivators, we are severely lacking in other artisans. It would be a miracle if we’d ever seen one before."

"Li Yi, you’re a body cultivator, so stop spouting nonsense. Old Qi has studied arrays extensively; he once came from a prestigious background... Forget it, never mind."

...

As these words were spoken, the members of the Qingyun team, stationed in Qingchuan, fell silent for several seconds. A minute later, Zhang Qi, the team leader, finally spoke again.

"Li Yi, you said that someone from the Tianheng Sect got into a fight with two Face-Scrapers at the inn today, is that right?!"

"Yes, Brother Zhang. That little girl had incense ash all over her face; I couldn't discern her cultivation level, but her reaction speed was fast, and the way she sold her goods was quite unique."

"It seems we must hurry, or a promising talent will be lost."

Zhang Qi’s eyes darkened. Gritting his teeth, he touched his ghost-god copper coins. Five talismans lay in his palm; their colors were slightly faded compared to standard ones, clearly old treasures cherished for many years.

"Whoa—acceleration talismans! Brother Zhang, you’ve really gone all out. I hope you haven't blown your entire marriage fund!" Li Yi’s eyes lit up as he snatched one of the talismans.

"Less chatter, hurry up and apply it. If we don’t save that talent, just wait and see how I punish you."

Five figures transformed into a flashing line, weaving through the woods and heading straight for the Land Deity Temple outside the city.

A rare talent like this was the hope of the Immortal Alliance. With a little cultivation, she could one day hold up the heavens and protect the common people.

—

At the Land Deity Temple.

The walls were shattered into pieces. Lingxi climbed out of the human-shaped crater once more, brushing the dust from her body and wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her fingers were dripping with blood, and her form began to flicker and fade.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Lingxi’s mouth. She swept her finger across the air, arranging blood-red runes before her, from which a terrifying aura emanated.

With a light flick of her finger, thousands of runes flew outward, the sound of tearing wind constant and unrelenting.

"Explode!"

Lingxi snapped her fingers. The crisp sound ignited the talismans, which detonated into waves of fire, painting the depths of the night sky in crimson.

Flames several meters high roared, crackling with a rhythmic popping sound.

The fire coalesced into spheres, tongues of flame dancing with wisps of black vapor, suspended around the fiery thicket.

A blood-stained arm rose from the center of the pyre. A mangled, gore-covered body slowly emerged. Its clothes had long since burned away. As its flat feet hit the ground, the earth trembled; when it lifted its feet, bloody footprints left behind seethed with black mist.

It had all four limbs, yet lacked fingers and toes, appearing like a crudely fashioned mud figure. On its face, only a single line moved, acting as a mouth.

A strange sound emanated from its mouth—ethereal and eerie—as if it were summoning something.

"I told you to run if you couldn't win, yet you stayed to stall for time. Your stubborn nature never changes. Very well, I shall transfer all my spiritual power to you. With the red thread, you can temporarily utilize my cultivation techniques. She is summoning her kin; be careful, more Face-Scrapers will gather soon. Your cultivation is insufficient, so don't act recklessly. Fight exactly as I instruct. And please... don't cause any unnecessary trouble for me," Luo Chen said helplessly.

"I know, Master. I’m not a three-year-old child," Lingxi giggled, sticking out her tongue.

"Don't stick out your tongue. Pay close attention to the enemy's movements. If you get seriously injured, just wait and see... how I punish you," Luo Chen threatened, though he had no real choice.

In the pitch-black forest, heavy wheezing accompanied by eerie, cackling laughter drew closer to Lingxi, shifting from near to far, making it impossible to tell where the sounds originated.

Lingxi stepped into a Bagua pattern, closed her eyes, and let her ears twitch slightly.

Brilliant golden spiritual light scattered from her body. Her braided hair burst loose, the strands flying in the wind.

The token hanging at her waist clattered against her bells, emitting a crisp, bright sound—resonant and powerful, seemingly capable of purging all filth from the world. The sound rippled throughout the forest.

*Clang—Clang—*

Lingxi opened her eyes. Deep purple light flecked with gold emerged from within her pupils—a noble, magnificent radiance that lacked none of its divinity.

The surrounding Face-Scrapers trembled, a lingering fear flashing within them at the pressure of a deity.

Lingxi raised her hand slightly. The stars in the sky twinkled, their brightness surging until they fell like fireworks toward her back.

Lingxi tapped her index finger lightly, uttering the words, "Starfall Across the Myriad Miles." The stars behind her connected, revealing an ancient, hidden array.

Golden lines swirled frantically, and vortices of light shone above Lingxi’s head, radiating brilliance.

The points of light fanned out in a pyramidal shape, with Lingxi at the center.

Within the range of the starlight, the Face-Scrapers’ flat features twitched. They clutched their heads and rolled on the ground, curling into balls while white smoke rose from their bodies.

Lingxi raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. A Face-Scraper in front of her exploded, and within the circle of light, the others followed suit.

Blood-red beads flew from their chests, emitting an eerie glow. Red gashes split open in the center, spewing black mist.

Lingxi frowned. Her hands moved rapidly, blood seeping out as strings of runes took shape.

With a flick of her fingers, the runes flew up, forming a barrier to contain the black mist.

"Ke-ke-ke... Little girl, I’ve decided I want your face."

The Face-Scraper King, having leaped from the fire, flashed a few steps to reach Lingxi, swiping a claw directly at her face.

If she were struck, the wound would be nearly impossible to heal.

Just as she was about to be disfigured, a white sword aura swept across the scene. The blade sparked against the claw, causing the sword to bounce away and embed itself deep into the stone steps of the temple, cracks spreading from the impact.

Baili Ze pulled out the cracked sword, letting out a muffled grunt; his palms were slick with thick blood.

"Didn't I tell you to take my senior brother and leave?! Why did you come back!" Lingxi’s tone was icy.

"Junior Sister Lin is loyal and righteous. As the Senior Brother of the Tianheng Sect, how could Baili Ze abandon her?" The youth glanced at her, a glimmer in his eyes, before turning back around instantly.

"Fine. Your sect is either full of arrogant, overbearing tyrants or dense wooden blocks. Do as you please; if you die, I won't be held responsible."

"Where the heart points, there is no regret even in death!" the youth murmured, raising his sword for a diagonal strike.

Lingxi traced runes with her fingers, pointing into the void. The stars danced, and golden spiritual light surrounded the Face-Scraper King.

*Boom—*

The Face-Scraper King exploded into eight pieces, its eyeless half-face twitching in defiance.

With the first wave of Face-Scrapers vanquished, the "ke-ke" sounds echoed once more from the bushes, and the creatures swarmed toward the pair in overwhelming numbers.

The two figures stood back-to-back, one slaying the monsters while the other processed the black mist and destroyed the blood beads.

After cutting down the final Face-Scraper, Lingxi could no longer hold on, and her knees buckled, causing her to collapse.

She could not withstand the full force of Luo Chen’s spiritual power; her entire body was racked with unbearable pain, as if her soul were being torn asunder.

She absolutely could not do this again in such a short time, unless she wanted to contribute to Jiang Ziwen’s soul-collecting quota.

Luo Chen was definitely more than just a peak Golden Core cultivator.

Baili Ze instinctively reached out to support her.

Both of them were drenched in blood; their magnificent robes had become blood-soaked rags, clinging to their bodies like mummy bandages.

Lingxi thanked him, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something more, but her expression suddenly turned grave.

In a corner they hadn't noticed, the scattered remains of the corpses began to tremble, reassembling and stitching themselves back together.