Chapter 13: Establishing Authority in the First Battle

Bai Yue Ning’s figure darted swiftly among jagged rocks, leaving Li Mao’s furious roars far behind her. Only after confirming she was no longer being pursued did she slow down, seeking shelter in a naturally formed hollow in the stone to calm her ragged breathing.

“How exhilarating! That was truly satisfying!” Ye Ming’s voice rang with delight, full of vindicated glee. “Did you see how that fellow was hopping mad? Serves him right for being so arrogant, daring to steal from us!”

The pure energy wrought from the Sword-pattern Grass had been completely absorbed by him, its cool currents flowing back into Bai Yue Ning’s meridians, replenishing what she had lost. She could sense that Ye Ming’s sword spirit, nourished by the essence of grass and wood, had grown clearer and more refined, and her connection with him seemed to deepen ever so slightly.

“It was merely a trick,” Bai Yue Ning replied inwardly, not letting the fleeting success cloud her mind. “Had their minds not been disturbed, or if they hadn’t feared that natural sword aura, it wouldn’t have been so easy.”

“Trick or not, a win is a win,” Ye Ming replied, unconcerned and still brimming with energy. “Besides, that grass tasted quite nice—refreshing, even makes my spirit feel lighter. If we ever get another chance like that, don’t hesitate!”

Bai Yue Ning could only shake her head, helpless before Ye Ming’s bluntness.

She stilled her mind and carefully sensed her surroundings. This was no place to linger—after suffering such a loss, Li Mao would hardly let matters rest.

“Hm?”

“Someone’s coming this way, and they’re moving quickly. Three of them, and their auras feel familiar…”

Bai Yue Ning instantly held her breath, suppressing her presence to the utmost, her gaze peering through a crack in the rocks.

Within moments, three figures appeared not far off, led by the ashen-faced Li Mao. He had evidently managed to rouse that junior brother Wang; now, all three wore looks of fury, scanning the area in search.

Li Mao growled through gritted teeth, “Spread out and search. She can’t have gone far!”

“When you find her, don’t hold back! I want her to know what happens when someone crosses me!”

The other two responded at once, fanning out to search. One of them, by unfortunate chance, headed straight toward the hollow where Bai Yue Ning hid.

“The pursuit is quick—things are getting troublesome now.”

“Looks like there’s no avoiding it this time. Get ready to fight!” Ye Ming’s voice was tense.

Bai Yue Ning’s eyes sharpened, knowing she could evade no longer. She drew a steady breath, quietly circulating her spiritual power. Her opponents numbered three, each one stronger than herself—brute force would be unwise.

The disciple drew closer, his gaze sweeping the hollow, but he seemed not to notice anything amiss, merely checking as a matter of routine.

Just as he was about to pass by, Bai Yue Ning struck.

She burst from hiding in a blur, leaving only a fleeting afterimage as she lunged at the disciple. Her fingers formed a sword, their tips brimming with tightly compressed spiritual energy, thrusting straight toward the vital acupoint at his back.

The disciple, though at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, sensed the peril at the last instant. Shocked, he dove forward, swinging his sword backward in a desperate attempt to block.

But how could his hurried reaction match Bai Yue Ning’s carefully prepared strike? The razor-sharp energy at her fingertips pierced his feeble protective aura, landing squarely on his acupoint.

He felt a sharp force penetrate his body—his blood and energy froze, his vision went black, and he stumbled forward, collapsing.

His backward slash was caught by Bai Yue Ning’s other hand; her fingers clamped onto his wrist with lightning precision, twisting deftly.

The sword slipped from his grasp.

Bai Yue Ning caught the falling weapon, her wrist flicking so that the blade’s tip hovered at the throat of the limp, paralyzed disciple.

All of this transpired in a single breath—clean, swift, and decisive.

“Brother Liu!” The other two finally reacted, shock and rage etched on their faces—especially Li Mao, whose eyes seemed to burn with fire.

Bai Yue Ning stood with sword in hand, the tip unwavering as stone, her cold gaze sweeping over the advancing two, finally settling on Li Mao.

“Take one more step and he dies.”

Li Mao halted abruptly, caught between anger and fear, unable to advance.

They glanced at their fallen companion, then at Bai Yue Ning, standing cold and resolute with sword in hand—disbelief written all over their faces.

A fifth-level Qi Refiner—how could she subdue a seventh-level in an instant? Even if it was a sneak attack, such strength was beyond any ordinary fifth level.

“Beautifully done!” Ye Ming cheered in her mind. “That’s how it should be—let them know we’re not to be trifled with!”

Li Mao glared at Bai Yue Ning, forcing out his words through clenched teeth. “Let him go! Or I’ll tear you limb from limb!”

“All of you, back away.”

Bai Yue Ning remained unmoved, the sword tip advancing half an inch, pressing a faint red line against Brother Liu’s throat.

Brother Liu stiffened with terror, cold sweat pouring down, unable even to beg for mercy.

Li Mao’s face shifted through a storm of emotions, his chest heaving with barely contained rage, yet he was helpless to act.

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles whitened, finally spitting out a single word: “Retreat!”

The other disciple exchanged glances with Li Mao, then slowly retreated a few steps.

Bai Yue Ning watched their every move, her mind racing for a way to escape—she knew she could not hold a hostage for long.

“To the right—those stone pillars, lots of branching paths, easy to lose them,” Ye Ming advised at just the right moment.

At the instant Li Mao and his companion’s attention was momentarily drawn by their retreating friend, Bai Yue Ning acted.

She lashed out with a kick to Brother Liu’s side, sending him hurtling like a sandbag toward Li Mao, then without hesitation, she darted into the stone forest to the right.

Li Mao reflexively caught his flying companion, his movement stalled for an instant.

That single instant was all Bai Yue Ning needed to vanish into the labyrinthine stone forest.

“After her!” Li Mao roared in fury, shoving his companion aside and racing after her, the other following close behind.

Yet once inside the stone forest, Bai Yue Ning’s figure seemed to vanish after a few quick turns. The sword aura was even more chaotic here, vision and spiritual senses both hindered.

“Left at the next fork, squeeze through the third gap, then straight on.”

“Stop—there’s a sword aura eddy on the right, don’t touch it… Good, keep going…” Ye Ming’s voice guided her with precision.

Following his directions, Bai Yue Ning wove nimbly through the narrow crevices, evading every danger and leaving the frustrated sounds of pursuit far behind.

Li Mao and his companions blundered through the stone forest like headless flies—not only did they lose her trail, they nearly triggered several sword aura traps, ending up battered and even more irate.

In no time, Bai Yue Ning slipped out the far side of the stone forest, with no sign of pursuit behind her.

She did not pause, choosing a direction opposite to the next energy point Ye Ming sensed, and hurried away.

Only when she had run a safe distance and was certain she was out of danger did she stop, breathing lightly.

In her hand, she still held the sword she had seized.

“We lost them—well done!” Ye Ming was in high spirits. “A bit thrilling, but the outcome’s great: we got a free sword and thoroughly put them in their place!”

Bai Yue Ning examined the sword in her hand. Though ordinary in make, she had sensed a trace of Ye Ming’s will clinging to it as she wielded it earlier.

It seemed her sword techniques had become that much smoother and more precise. The realization stirred her thoughts.

“Can you influence this sword?” she asked inwardly.

“A little,” Ye Ming replied. “After consuming that sword energy crystal and spiritual herb, I seem more attuned to metal objects like this. I can use it as a remote hand, though it’s not as handy as my true form.”

Even so, this meant that her combat strength could increase without exposing Ye Ming’s true form—a welcome discovery.

She swung the sword a few times to get a feel for it, then stored it away for later use.

“Well, that’s the end of the interlude,” Ye Ming said, quickly returning his attention to their true purpose. “Now that we’ve shaken off those pests, it’s time to resume our grand foraging enterprise!”