Chapter 63: Old Man Song, I've Come to Help You

You Fengying’s pupils rolled once again, and her neat fingernails grew sharply. Her left hand rotated the black-and-red Rubik’s cube.

Clatter, clatter—

The small blocks rubbed against one another, emitting an ethereal and eerie crisp sound amidst the billowing black smoke.

Rubble shattered and walls broke, reforming once again into a space of some five or six square meters, trapping Lingxi within.

Dark Qi spread wildly inside the space, morphing into all sorts of miserable faces. A half-skull gnashed and rattled the flesh clinging to its head, while a scorched human face lunged forward to bite Lingxi’s rear.

Lingxi’s gaze pierced through the stone wall, casting a glance at Song Mingyi, who was locked in combat with You Fengying; his figure was retreating step by step.

In a daze, visions of all her fellow disciples dying miserably flashed before her eyes.

No, wait. She had already sent her two senior brothers to a safe place.

It was an illusion.

An array-generated illusion—one she could see through.

To be precise, it was a dream, dragging her into a nightmare.

The more afraid she was of something, the more vividly it would appear before her eyes.

Realizing this, Lingxi began to imagine money falling from the sky, glittering gold bricks pelting her, crushing her beneath a mountain of wealth.

To her disappointment, not a single hair, let alone money, could be seen above her head.

Brandishing her sword, Lingxi lashed out at the black smoke with the tip of her blade, beating the dark wisps until they wailed and dared not approach her again.

She shook her heavy head, fighting to stay awake, forcing her eyes wide open as she secretly observed You Fengying’s flaws.

"Witch, let go of my junior sister!"

With a cold shout, dozens of jars and vials came hurtling through the air, and pristine white powder burst overhead, releasing the scent of candy.

Lingxi inhaled a tiny breath and hurriedly held it.

Which sane person makes anesthetic powder smell like candy!

"You're quick on your feet, but so what? I won’t say it a second time—let go of my junior sister!"

White light shimmered across Wen Jue’s crystal shards. Between his fingers he held a row of silver needles, their tips stained a dark, eerie green, as he sneered dangerously at Lingxi.

With a flick of his wrist, Wen Jue cast the needles forward. They sliced through the dark fog, and the moment they touched a ghostly face, it let out a miserable screech and dissolved into smoke.

Daring not to rest for a second, Lingxi drove the [Netherworld Other Shore] skill to its maximum output, executing the Clear Wind Surfing Waves technique beneath her feet until the soles of her shoes sparked against the ground.

"Senior Brother, it’s me, Lingxi! The fiend is over there!" Lingxi fled in a panic, pointing a finger at a wall.

"If you're going to lie, at least keep it within reason. Do I look like a lunatic to you? I can still recognize a wall when I see one."

Wen Jue’s eyes flashed with a frantic smile. His fur-collared fox-fur coat fluttered, and the needles hidden beneath his sleeves vanished without a trace, swift and merciless.

Had it not been for Lingxi’s acute dynamic vision and sprinting speed, she would have long been turned into a hedgehog.

"I really am Lingxi~ Help me~~!" Lingxi screamed at the top of her lungs, occasionally looking back to gauge Wen Jue’s next move.

"I know, so just let my needles comfort you properly, little junior sister." A vicious gleam crossed Wen Jue’s eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly as he utterly refused to believe a single word Lingxi said.

He raised his hand and lunged forward, snatched Lingxi’s sword, hugged it to his chest, and sprinted away with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Little Junior Sister, we are no match for this witch! Let’s get out of here!"

After running a few paces, he thrust the sword out with one palm and bellowed the classic line from television dramas: "You go, don't worry about me!"

Picking up the bronze lamp holder, Lingxi sighed and slammed it down onto the back of Wen Jue’s head without the slightest hesitation.

And he claimed he wasn't a lunatic.

Though she relied on a shred of Jiang Ziwun’s divine power to keep her wits about her, her current level of cultivation could not sustain it for long.

Dragging Wen Jue’s legs, she smashed through a dynamic wall and tossed him among the other disciples, then rapidly phased through the walls herself.

"An Immortal Sect ancestor, and yet you amount to this much. Why not defect and serve my Demon God instead? I promise to reshape a physical body for you! How about that?!"

You Fengying laughed oddly, looking down at Song Mingyi from three paces away.

Song Mingyi’s body dropped from the wall, kicking up flying dust and rubble.

Supporting himself with both hands, he tremblingly rose to his feet. His complexion was frighteningly pale, and thick white powder fell away from his face.

His withered right hand half-cupped the air, gathering dazzling white spiritual energy at its center.

His left thumb brushed across his index finger, and bright red blood seeped from the wound. Drop by drop, beads of blood fell, causing the glowing white spiritual sphere to turn crimson.

The corners of Song Mingyi’s mouth curved into a faint smile as his right hand smashed into his own dantian.

His fading form solidified once more, and the aura surrounding him surged violently, shattering layer after layer of boundary shackles until his cultivation rivaled You Fengying’s.

"You people of the Central Plains truly hold your lives in such low regard. The last time I encountered someone who destroyed their own soul and forced a temporary revival was that foolish senior brother of mine!"

A bone-chilling sneer slipped softly from her thin lips, dripping with profound contempt.

Song Mingyi raised his hand, and a slab of stone fell into his grasp.

Lifting his left hand, spiritual light seeped from his fingertips, eroding the stone.

Baptized by his spiritual energy, the uneven stone gradually took the shape of a stone sword, its sharp, thin blade flashing with a chilling glare.

The fragrance of bamboo drifted through the air, and thousands of bamboo stalks materialized behind him, silver-white tinged with green light, illuminating Song Mingyi’s figure.

The sword-shadow in his hand grew infinitely fast, his movements rivaling lightning. White afterimages flashed across the air as wave upon wave of sword energy surged higher and higher.

The moment the bamboo lunged forward, millions of bamboo leaves flew at an angle, twisting into slender silver threads.

"It’s not about disregarding life, but about leaving life for those who need it more!

This old man has lived for the better part of a lifetime. I’ve seen the devil's caves, and I’ve seen the mortal world; it is high time I left!

To trade a wisp of a remnant soul so that these boys and girls may go see the world and taste all its flavors—that is a bargain indeed!"

Song Mingyi roared, his eyes as clear as mirrors, his sword techniques unceasing.

His white silhouette stood ramrod straight, resembling a bamboo stalk amidst a fierce gale. Radiant spiritual light burst from his entire body, making him appear immensely towering.

"Old man Song, I’ve come to help you!"

Lingxi burst through the wall, tearing off her bandages. She pointed her finger into the void, the wound on her right hand bursting open as her entire hand was enveloped in blood.

Song Mingyi’s pupils constricted slightly. His remaining vital essence surged upward, turning his cheeks a purplish-red.

"You reckless girl! Is this any time for you to be acting up?! Why aren't you getting back right now?!

This old man is not dead yet, so when is it ever your turn to throw away your life?!"

A barrier erupted above Lingxi’s head, engulfing her entirely within its confines.

Song Mingyi’s footwork was swifter than before, and the sword in his hand reached the pinnacle of speed, executing strikes with natural fluidity.

His sword forms shifted endlessly—at times light and nimble, like a bamboo leaf falling in the autumn breeze; at times heavy and ponderous, crashing down like a boulder atop a mountain peak.

Every single move and stance carried the shape of the Earth-Stabilizing Sword, yet seemed something more, while the underlying intent of bamboo possessed boundless might.

"Girl, watch closely! This is the first time I am teaching someone how to wield sword intent!"

Song Mingyi glanced sideways at Lingxi, and the stone sword in his hand flew straight out. Millions of bamboo leaves transformed into ten thousand swords, each streak of cold light accompanied by a ringing blade, overwhelming the sky as they crashed toward You Fengying.

You Fengying shook the Rubik’s cube in her left hand, and layers of walls rapidly assembled themselves to block her path.

Boom—

The sword Qi shattered the stone walls, plunging deep into You Fengying’s body.

The crimson hue in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by pristine clarity. Her clean, bright pupils flowed like the waters of a mountain stream.

"Not bad. At least someone in the Immortal Sect is finally able to see me off. I should have died long ago."

You Fengying laughed heartily as her sword and Rubik’s cube rolled far away. She raised her head and gazed up at the sky.