Chapter 078: Private Collection!
The four figures who appeared in Murong Qingyi’s courtyard, including Zhou Zhengyang, were all immortals from the Seven Star Sect, and all were sword cultivators.
“You little brat, there’s no one left to save you now!” Zhou Zhengyang gripped his sword, his sinister voice chilling in the stillness of the night.
“If you wish to live, you’d best confess everything you know about the Bloodsword Demon Lord. I won’t be as soft-hearted as that Su Immortalist from earlier today.”
“But if you dare lie to us, or hide anything, by morning your neighbors will discover an extra corpse here!”
Murong Qingyi had always kept her true cultivation hidden for certain reasons. Yet she knew, even if she unleashed her full strength tonight, she stood no chance against these four immortals of the Seven Star Sect.
She quickly formed a hand seal.
Wind Element, Sixth Technique—Riding the Wind!
A gust sprang beneath her feet as she tried to soar away and escape.
But Zhou Zhengyang, faster than lightning, slashed at her with a blade of sword energy.
Just as Murong Qingyi lifted off the ground, the ferocious sword energy struck her down. With a muffled cry, she spat out blood.
Suddenly, Zhou Zhengyang raised his left hand, and with a gesture, pulled her body through the air, his hand clamping mercilessly around her throat.
“You ignorant little wretch! Still trying to run, are you?”
He immediately formed another hand seal.
Thunder Element, Seventh Technique—Descending Violet Lightning!
Though a sword cultivator, Zhou Zhengyang knew a few techniques from other elements as well. A bolt of violet lightning fell from the sky, striking Murong Qingyi squarely on the head.
“Aah!!” Murong Qingyi let out a heartrending scream as the purple lightning surged through her, her body convulsing violently, her consciousness beginning to fade.
One of Zhou Zhengyang’s fellow disciples warned, “Senior Brother Zhengyang, be careful not to kill her. If she dies, we’ll get nothing from her!”
Zhou Zhengyang grinned wickedly. “Don’t worry, junior brother. This girl’s cultivation isn’t low. This much won’t kill her!”
At this moment, Song Ye arrived outside the courtyard. Murong Jingtian was nowhere to be seen.
Just then, he heard Murong Qingyi’s anguished cries from within the courtyard. At the same time, a prompt chimed in his mind:
“Ding! Chance Encounter Quest triggered!”
“Ding! Chance Encounter Quest: [Preserve Life]”
“[Preserve Life]: Protect Murong Qingyi and ensure she survives until the hour of mao!”
“Quest Reward: Guardian Summon Voucher!”
Song Ye was ecstatic. Just the day before yesterday, he’d triggered another chance encounter quest with the same reward. Now, another one—truly, when fortune comes, nothing can stand in its way.
If he could draw a gold-grade guardian with this voucher, it would be beyond his wildest dreams.
The Guardian Summon Voucher was a rare item—no matter how difficult this quest was, Song Ye had to find a way to succeed.
Without hesitation, he burst through the door.
As Murong Qingyi’s consciousness faded, the last thing she saw was Song Ye’s figure at the entrance before her eyes closed heavily.
Zhou Zhengyang, seeing Murong Qingyi lose consciousness, grabbed her and flung her forcefully toward the courtyard wall, as if hoping the impact would revive her.
He knew she had cultivation protecting her—this rough treatment wouldn’t kill her.
But Song Ye, with a flash, caught her steadily just before she crashed into the wall, then gently laid her on the ground.
Zhou Zhengyang was startled. “You know the Flash Step technique?”
He couldn’t understand it—this petty official showed no sign of cultivation, yet how could he use such a technique?
Zhou Zhengyang assumed Song Ye had performed a movement technique, but in truth, Song Ye relied solely on his own explosive speed.
He was so fast that even Zhou Zhengyang’s eyes couldn’t follow his movements, leading to the mistaken belief that Song Ye had used a mystical movement technique.
“Hmph! No wonder you dared stand against us earlier, you’ve been hiding your strength all along!” Zhou Zhengyang sneered. “If that pretentious Su Xiqiu hadn’t stopped me today, you’d already be dead by my sword.”
“Well then, since you’ve come seeking death—let me send you on your way!”
With that, Zhou Zhengyang raised his sword and unleashed a fierce blade of energy at Song Ye.
To everyone’s astonishment, Song Ye simply raised his right hand and caught the energy blade between his five fingers.
What?! Catching a blade of energy with bare hands?!
Zhou Zhengyang’s face was filled with disbelief. His cultivation was at the fifth level of the Void Spirit Realm. To catch his energy blade with bare hands, without projecting any spiritual power, required at least a body cultivator at the same level or higher!
Yet body cultivators also possessed internal cultivation—their spiritual power circulated rapidly within, even if not outwardly displayed.
But this petty official still showed no trace of cultivation at all.
How had he done it? Was it pure physical strength alone?
Zhou Zhengyang’s worldview began to crumble. Perhaps everything he’d learned in his cultivation classes was flawed, for how else could he explain Song Ye’s existence?
Song Ye, having caught the energy blade, casually tossed it to the ground, where it vanished into the earth.
His right hand sustained a minor injury—a faint line of blood across his palm, but nothing serious.
Song Ye scanned the four enemies surrounding him. All were in the Void Spirit Realm, all immortals, with Zhou Zhengyang the strongest among them.
To defeat four immortals quickly, he would have to use a guardian skill.
At present, Song Ye possessed two such skills: the “Heavenly Secrets Without Dust” of Wine Immortal Cheng Wanting, and “Extinguish All Beings” of Yu Muqiu.
“Heavenly Secrets Without Dust” was a single-target attack, but in this situation, the wide-range attack “Extinguish All Beings” was more suitable.
Instantly, a Purple Firmament Sword appeared in Song Ye’s right hand, while the towering figure of Yu Muqiu manifested behind him.
When Zhou Zhengyang saw the lifelike phantom behind Song Ye, he was dumbstruck. “That… that’s the ‘Purple Firmament Immortal Lord’ Yu Muqiu?!”
Zhou Zhengyang had a peculiar hobby: collecting portraits of female immortal lords from every era, often studying his private collection to refresh his memory.
Thus, even a female immortal lord who had perished tens of thousands of years ago could be recognized at a glance from the portraits.
But as he gaped in astonishment, Song Ye unleashed the guardian skill—Extinguish All Beings—upon Zhou Zhengyang and his three fellow disciples.