Chapter 3: Pierce It!

The armored rhinoceros turned its massive body and charged straight toward Bai Yue Ning!

"It's over! Why is that brute coming at me? No, it's coming at you—quick, dodge!"

"To the side, move to the side!"

"Yue Ning, retreat into formation!"

Liu Ling Yun shouted sharply, and together with Zhou Qing Wan, shifted their positions in an instant. The three formed a triangle stance.

A glow of magical power rose beneath their feet, weaving into a translucent shield that barely stood in front of Bai Yue Ning.

The armored rhinoceros's horn struck violently against the hastily formed shield of magic.

The shield held for only a moment before shattering with a thunderous crash.

The two senior sisters groaned, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths.

The next second, the wild impact sent them flying, slamming them brutally to the ground.

"Liu Senior Sister! Zhou Senior Sister!"

"Damn, it's turning again—looks like it's locked onto your Liu Senior Sister this time!"

Ye Ming, growing accustomed to this unique "perception" ability, now sensed the beast's murderous intent and movements with increasing clarity.

Indeed, the armored rhinoceros shook its enormous head, its crimson gaze instantly fixing on Liu Ling Yun, who was struggling to rise.

It let out a savage, guttural roar. Its thick hind legs pawed the earth, horn aimed at Liu Ling Yun, clearly preparing for a second charge.

But Liu Ling Yun's breath was disordered, her strength drained—she could no longer evade!

"Damn it!"

Bai Yue Ning's heart clenched. Liu Senior Sister was injured protecting her; how could she stand by and do nothing?

A rush of blood surged to her head. She almost dashed forward, heedless of everything.

"Calm down, don't rush to your death!" Ye Ming hurriedly stopped her.

"I think I can vaguely sense a flow of energy within it..."

"There’s something odd in its mouth—the energy seems sluggish there."

"Listen to me, focus, feel the hilt. I’ll share what I ‘see’ with you."

Bai Yue Ning gritted her teeth, suppressed her churning emotions, closed her eyes, and immersed her mind fully into the sword in her hand.

When she opened her eyes again, a strange, faint ripple emanated from the sword’s hilt.

Through a blurry vision, inside the armored rhinoceros’s massive body, she could see a dim light flickering deep within its mouth.

"That’s it, near the upper palate close to the throat—the color is deeper there!"

"Go for it! Three steps to your left, try stabbing its left eye to force it to open its mouth! Hurry, it’s moving!"

Just as the armored rhinoceros’s hind legs dug into the earth, about to charge at Liu Ling Yun, Bai Yue Ning acted without hesitation.

She pushed off the ground with both feet, her body darting forward to the left like an arrow released from the bow!

Her blue-steel sword became a faint azure streak, thrusting straight at the beast’s massive, crimson left eye.

"Roar!" The armored rhinoceros let out a furious howl.

Its huge head jerked sharply to the right, instinctively opening its maw lined with sharp teeth.

The gaping mouth revealed an abyssal throat and a mucus-covered upper palate.

"Energy... no, give me a bit of the spiritual power you cultivators have. I need it to guide!"

Ye Ming shouted urgently, trying to enhance the vague perception.

Bai Yue Ning instantly channeled what little spiritual power she had left, pouring it all into the sword.

The blue-steel sword trembled violently, the newly mended cracks glowing faintly once more.

Ye Ming felt his "consciousness" ignited by the surge of spiritual power.

Almost instinctively, he forcefully directed this energy into the sword, pushing its sharpness and resilience to the very limits the blade could endure.

On the sword’s tip, a barely visible glint of cold light suddenly gathered!

"Now—strike that spot with all your might!"

Bai Yue Ning obeyed, her sword stabbing precisely!

A dull yet exceptionally clear sound of flesh being pierced rang out!

The blade penetrated the relatively thin membrane and muscle, burying itself deeply!

A terrifying, ear-splitting scream erupted from the rhinoceros's huge mouth.

Its massive body stiffened, then its limbs convulsed and trembled violently.

After several short, agonized cries, its crimson pupils quickly faded. The enormous body collapsed, raising a cloud of dust.

At that moment, a translucent screen appeared before Bai Yue Ning’s eyes:

[Detected high-purity essence absorbed into the sword. Sword body automatically repaired and converted to spiritual reserves.]

[Sword status: moderately worn → lightly worn]

[Sword spiritual reserves: minuscule → small amount]

[Symbiotic state: stable]

She watched as every crack on the sword began to heal at an unprecedented pace.

"Hiss, that hurt—but we won!"

"This energy is potent, much better than those bone fragments."

Ye Ming’s voice echoed in Bai Yue Ning’s mind, nearly exhausted yet deeply satisfied.

Meanwhile, she, drained and suddenly relaxed, collapsed to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of congealed blood.

At the same time, she could distinctly feel the sluggishness in her spiritual power fading, and even the pain in her meridians disappeared.

She struggled upright, gazing at the fallen beast in the distance, her heart filled with incredulous awe.

Had she really done it?

As an outer disciple at the fifth level of Qi Refining, had she truly slain a second-rank armored rhinoceros?

“Yue Ning? Are you... are you alright?”

Liu Ling Yun struggled to push herself up, ignoring her own wounds, her gaze at Bai Yue Ning full of shock and confusion.

Zhou Qing Wan, clutching her aching chest, painfully walked over to Bai Yue Ning.

She first glanced at Bai Yue Ning’s pale face and blood-stained grip, then stared at the massive beast’s corpse.

And at the blue-steel sword, buried deep in the beast’s mouth, its hilt still visible.

On Zhou Qing Wan’s face, shock, doubt, and probing curiosity intertwined.

“Junior Sister Bai, you…”

“That last strike—how did you do it?”

Zhou Qing Wan saw it clearly: that strike was precise, decisive, piercing straight for the vital point!

It was nothing a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator should have the insight or courage for.

Bai Yue Ning’s lips moved, her throat dry and tight.

What could she say? That her sword told her? That her sword sensed the beast’s weakness? That she and her sword had just performed an incredible, deadly synergy?

Bai Yue Ning lowered her head, avoiding Zhou Qing Wan’s gaze.

"I... I don’t know..."

"Seeing you both fall, I just felt I had to do something. Then my mind went blank and I rushed in..."

Before Bai Yue Ning could finish, Ye Ming’s voice sounded again in her mind, lazy and impatient after a “full meal”:

"Hey, don’t just stand there—never mind their questions!"

"Pull me out, quick! Being stuck in this thing’s mouth is unbearable!"

"And that horn—the hardest, brightest one!"

"I can sense it holds even more power. It’s the finest essence, don’t let it go to waste!"

Bai Yue Ning’s eye twitched at his words, a deep sense of helplessness and absurdity flooding her heart once more.

She met Zhou Qing Wan’s and Liu Ling Yun’s probing, incredulous gazes.

Then looked at the battered sword, still “feasting” in the beast’s mouth, yet eyeing the horn for a “takeaway.”

For the first time, Bai Yue Ning felt an unprecedented confusion about her cultivation journey…