First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2296 – Close at Hand and Over the Horizon

Lu Qingmei said icily, “I’m your senior apprentice sister, yet you’re colluding with outsiders against me. Aren’t you afraid that master will skin you and pluck your tendons when she finds out?”

Yu Xun couldn’t help but laugh. “Senior Apprentice Sister, Fellow Daoist Severed Heavens told me what happened. There’s more than sufficient proof of your lingering feelings for Yi Daoxuan. If I bring you to see Master, it’ll be an act of great merit!”

He paused, then continued, “You don’t need to explain yourself, and you don’t need to be afraid. You just have to make a choice. Are you going to come quietly? Or do we need to capture you first? Decide for yourself!”

Yu Xun then stood there, perfectly at ease. All the while, he continued to look Lu Qingmei up and down.

The Severed Heavens Demon Master and Li Shuiyun were watching Lu Qingmei intently.

“There’s no way that Master knows about this. If she did, there’s no way she’d let you do this,” Lu Qingmei said icily.

Yu Xun completely disregarded this. “You have ten snaps of the fingers to decide. If you haven’t made your choice by then, I’ll decide for you!”

The atmosphere was instantly stifled and oppressive.

“Just attack, then,” Lu Qingmei said calmly. “If this turns into a life-or-death struggle, I’ll be interested to see which of you I drag to the grave with me, and how many members of the Severed Heavens Demon Court die in the process!”

The Severed Heavens Demon Master’s expression instantly shifted.

“No need for concern, Daoist Brother. My senior apprentice sister excels at mental games. No need to take her paltry threats into account,” Yu Xun said leisurely. “Besides, I’m here, too.”

“The dead will be members of the Severed Heavens Demon Court. You naturally have no reason to care,” Lu Qingmei said flatly. “But Old Severed Heavens cannot disregard their deaths. If you don’t believe me, test him! See if he’s really willing to fight without reservation here.”

She was trying to sow internal discord!

In just a few short sentences, she’d given the Severed Heavens Demon Master reservations.

The reason was simple. The Severed Heavens Demon Master had founded the Severed Heavens Demon Court, and it was home to numerous disciples. If a life-or-death battle between peak Nine-Tribulation Master Gods broke out, it would lead to severe casualties!

This was what the Severed Heavens Demon Master was worried about. Lu Qingmei understood this, which was why she spoke with such assurance.

But this time, her threats fell short. The Severed Heavens Demon Master just snorted and said gravely, “We are the only people left here. Everyone else has long since evacuated and gone into hiding. I won’t care even if we level the place!”

Boom!

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, Li Shuiyun attacked out of nowhere.

A Dao Sword that shone like autumn waters whooshed out of the bundle on his back, then shone with intense sword light. Sword hums swept forth like tidewaters.

Lu Qingmei’s clothing danced around her, her beautiful figure blurring into a beam of flowing light as she shot in the air, avoiding Li Shuiyun’s blow.

But before she’d gotten far, the Severed Heavens Demon Master and Yu Xun joined forces to intercept her.

Yu Xun was particularly ruthless and decisive. He took out a bloody divine pearl and hurled it at her from afar.

Boom!!!

The hall was blasted to bits, and the entirety of Divine Darkness Peak swayed violently. Throughout its slopes, countless formations collapsed with a bang.

Lu Qingmei came back into view beneath the dome of heaven, but this time, her plain white dress was stained red with blood, and her beautiful face was pallid.

Li Shuiyun, the Severed Heavens Demon Master, and Yu Xun appeared around her, blocking off her escape routes.

“Yu Xun, you seriously used a Negative Karma Bloodsoul Pearl against me!?” Lu Qingmei’s eyes blazed with murderous intent. She was obviously enraged.

Negative Karma Bloodsoul Pearls were utterly terrifying tools, and they were incomparably rare. When struck, even a Nine-Tribulation Master God would suffer the brunt of their negative karmic ties!

Yu Xun sighed. “Senior Apprentice Sister, I’m far too keenly aware of your strength, and I have to keep you from escaping. Otherwise, how could I bear to use a treasure like this against you?”

Even as he spoke, he, Li Shuiyun, and the Severed Heavens Demon Master attacked once more. They had no intention of letting her catch her breath.

Boom!!

Heaven and earth swayed. The clouds collapsed, and a current of destructive power enveloped one hundred thousand feet of sky.

Divine Darkness Peak came crashing down.

A battle between peak Nine-Tribulation Master Gods was incomparably terrifying to begin with. It could have reduced a whole city to ash in the time it took to snap your fingers.

The aftermath of their battle now swept through the Severed Heavens Demon Court, causing severe destruction. The sight made the Severed Heavens Demon Master’s heart ache, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and bear it. This was the price of capturing Lu Qingmei.

Fortunately, he’d immediately activated the Profound Dragon Jade Seal and used the sect’s main defensive formation to restrict the aftershock to the surrounding three hundred thousand feet.

Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The battle raged with great intensity.

Li Shuiyun’s performance was the most eye-catching. His attacks flew across the battlefield, and he was ruthless and decisive. His Dao Sword drew upon countless stars, which sealed the area off on all sides, blocking off all of Lu Qingmei’s potential escape routes.

Yu Xun, meanwhile, had obviously come prepared. Of the three of them, he understood Lu Qingmei’s abilities best. Thus, whenever Lu Qingmei unleashed her killer weapons, he had means of neutralizing them.

Time slipped by, and soon, Lu Qingmei was covered in wounds.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t strong enough. In a one-on-one duel, she was confident that she could take any of her three opponents down.

But she obviously wasn’t strong enough to fight them three against one!

Bang!

Yet another of her attacks was neutralized, and Lu Qingmei was sent flying backward.

Li Shuiyun seized the opportunity to flash through the air and cleave at her neck.

Although Lu Qingmei dodged in the end, the slash left her with a wound in the back so deep that her bones were visible. Blood splattered in all four directions.

“Careful! Senior Apprentice Sister is going to be my woman. You cannot kill her!” Yu Xun glared at Li Shuiyun.

Fuck! That bastard wants to put a green hat on my head!! The Severed Heavens Demon Master cursed inwardly.

Even though he and Lu Qingmei were Dao Partners in name only, he couldn’t tolerate others making a cuckold out of him. If word got out, his reputation would be ruined!

“Senior Apprentice Sister, just admit defeat. I’m sure you know that I won’t kill you,” said Yu Xun. He sounded pained. “Seeing you like this is agony.”

Lu Qingmei did indeed look quite wretched. Her clothes were stained with blood, and she was covered in wounds. Her unparalleled, jade-like face was deathly pale.

Even just standing there, blood gushed in a non-stop flow. Her wounds were severe!

“Admit defeat?” Lu Qingmei’s gaze was utterly cold. “There’s no way. I’m actually rather curious. If I die by your hands and Master finds out, will she be upset?”

Boom!

Li Shuiyun poured his strength into his Dao Sword and attacked. He’d yet to waste a single breath on chatter this entire time, nor did he once hesitate. He was attacking to kill!

Lu Qingmei blocked his attack, but her wounds worsened.

“Is this really necessary, dear?” The Severed Heavens Demon Master sighed.

“Senior Apprentice Sister, rest assured that I won’t let you die. I’ll bring you back to Master’s side alive,” Yu Xun said staunchly.

Li Shuiyun said nothing, but just as he was about to attack once more, a burst of applause rang out.

“Splendid! Truly splendid!’

The group was stunned, and all of them stopped what they were doing to look over.

Four people were shooting over from afar. These were none other than Su Yi, Wan Zitian, Zang Wushu, and the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor!

Yu Xun, the Severed Heavens Demon Master, and Li Shuiyun all looked stricken. Lu Qingmei was stunned, too. Her beautiful eyes shifted erratically.

It was just too unexpected.

After all, this was the Severed Heavens Demon Court, and they were currently locked in fierce combat. Who could have imagined that Su Yi would show up at a time like this, much less that he’d be leading a group of three such terrifying and famous existences?

The atmosphere was instantly stifled. It couldn’t have been any heavier.

“You bitch! Did you tell Su Yi to bring them here?” The Severed Heavens Demon Master roared, his face ashen with fury.

Yu Xun and Li Shuiyun had unsightly looks on their faces, too. Su Yi and his companions had arrived with such perfect timing that they couldn’t help but suspect that Lu Qingmei had long since been in contact with them.

“As if! My Brother Fuyou would love nothing more than to cleave the Blue Rose Demon Master apart. How could he possibly be colluding with her?” The Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor sneered.

“Don’t just stand there. Keep attacking! Just pretend we don’t exist,” said Wan Zitian, his face nothing but smiles. “We’ll play with you once you’ve dealt with Lu Qingmei.”

The Severed Heavens Demon Master and the others were increasingly uncertain. They were even less willing to act recklessly.

The situation was full of mysteries. They had no choice but to be careful.

“Senior Apprentice Sister, are you still going to deny it?” Yu Xun’s expression darkened. “I knew all along that you still had feelings for Yi Daoxuan!!”

Lu Qingmei remained silent. She just wiped the blood from the corners of her lips, her gaze complicated.

Su Yi’s arrival surprised her, too. She still wasn’t certain what he’d come here to do.

“You’re mistaken,” Su Yi said calmly. He completely disregarded the severity of Lu Qingmei’s wounds. “I’m just here to kill my enemies. I didn’t expect that I’d arrive just in time to watch a pack of dogs tearing into each other. What a farce.”

Su Yi wasn’t in disguise, and he was wearing his usual blue robes. He looked calm and detached.

‘Dogs tearing into each other!?’ Yu Xun and the others were furious.

Lu Qingmei was stunned, too. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Just as I thought. He really isn’t here to save me.

For a moment, an indescribable agony and bitterness flooded her heart. Her eyes dimmed.

“Attack already!” urged Wan Zitian. “Our time is precious, you know!”

It seemed he was disappointed by the spectacle; he wanted more excitement.

Yu Xun and the others’ expressions shifted. Were we really mistaken? Was Lu Qingmei not colluding with Su Yi after all?

But in that case, how do you explain Su Yi and his companions arriving right in the nick of time?

Li Shuiyun was the most direct of the group. He just swung his sword and attacked Lu Qingmei.

It was obvious that he wanted to finish her off first, then focus on Su Yi and his companions.

But Yu Xun blocked his attack and cursed him out. “We still don’t understand the situation. What are you doing? Have you gone insane!?”

“If you’re not going to kill her, we’ll help you!” said the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor. He leaped through the air, stirring up a flood of blood-red power of the natural order that descended upon Lu Qingmei.

Its power was terrifying beyond limit.

“How dare you!?” Yu Xun roared in fury and intercepted the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor.

Practically simultaneously, Zang Wushu snorted coldly, shifted through the air, and swung the Blood River Spear at Lu Qingmei.

The Severed Heavens Demon Master roared and charged at Zang Wushu. At the same time, he called out, “Junior Apprentice Brother, Lu Qingmei is injured to the brink of death. Don’t worry about her. We need to defeat Su Yi and his allies first. Quickly!”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, Wan Zitian drew his sword and attacked Lu Qingmei, just as the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor and Zang Wushu had before him.

The three terrifying existences accompanying Su Yi had all attacked Lu Qingmei without hesitation!

When Li Shuiyun saw this, his brow furrowed, and he no longer hesitated. He swung his sword and attacked Wan Zitian.

Of those present, only Su Yi and Lu Qingmei had yet to attack.

The two of them stood there, a man and a woman. A grand, heaven-shaking battle raged between them.

It was as if they were worlds apart.