Chapter 96 Who is the Half-Immortal?

who?

Lin Chengye didn't have time to think about whose voice it was, but those words fell into the lake of her heart, stirring up a thousand waves. She shouted towards the cliff.

"Chai Hu Nan! Let go!"

This wasn't a childish shout, nor did it contain despair. It was more like a sharp command. Chai Hu Nan was startled, unconsciously looking in Lin Cheng Ye's direction, and released his arms from Ni Luo.

For some reason, Lin Chengye's words always carried a lot of weight, even shocking her when she made such a decision, thus leading her to choose to believe him.

Seizing the opportunity, Ni Luo struggled free in an instant, shifting her weight onto her feet and bending her upper body into a bow, forcefully dragging her back to the cliff. She was still somewhat shaken, her chest heaving violently, a drop of cold sweat falling from her chin into the abyss of Linjun Mountain, her hand holding the dagger still trembling.

She was almost killed by her disciple. Ni Luo looked at Chai Hu Nan's black clothes fluttering in the air, her expression complicated. She didn't understand why Chai Hu Nan had given up such a good opportunity.

Ni Luo wiped away the blood that had been drawn from Chai Hu Nan's chest cavity from the dagger with two fingers and said calmly.

"...What a useless piece of trash."

The next moment, the earth trembled, and a piercing, sharp friction sound was as if someone had seized one's heart, instantly sending chills down one's spine and making one's scalp tingle.

"Varied……"

Ni Luo turned around in astonishment, still not understanding what had happened. Thousands of black iron wires had sprung up from the ground, turning into a vast, all-encompassing net that lunged at her with its claws outstretched.

Wherever it swept past, everything was severed.

The net reflected in Ni Luo's trembling pupils grew closer and closer. She saw the girl she considered harmless and had never even looked at properly standing at the center of the formation in the distance, using her inner force to activate the entire formation.

The formation seemed to be damaged, with only half of the net remaining. There was a large hole behind where Lin Chengye was standing, but Ni Luo was in the other half, which was relatively intact. She was already on the edge of the cliff, and there was no longer any room for her to hide.

She was helpless and could only watch as the black iron wire drew closer and closer.

As the black iron entered her body and then emerged from behind her, each of the thin strands of black iron, which had been covered in dirt, became dripping with blood.

Ni Luo didn't even have time to scream before her death came silently and quietly.

But Lin Chengye paid no attention to Ni Luo's condition; she just stared blankly in the direction of the cliff, a chill spreading from her limbs, her heart almost stopping.

"Well done."

Suddenly, a sound came from below the cliff. Then a person leaped up, carrying Chai Hu Nan, who was drowsy from blood loss, in their arms. The person walked towards Lin Chengye, quickly passing through the deep forest, creating a strong gust of wind.

Success... Lin Chengye's hand was still on the array's core. She used all her internal energy to drive the array. When she saw that Chai Hu Nan was still alive, she breathed a sigh of relief, her legs went weak, and she knelt down on the ground, panting heavily.

That's great, she won't be alone, she won't be left behind again, at least Chai Hu Nan is still alive... Lin Chengye couldn't tell whether the sweat, blood, or tears streaming down his face fell onto the ground in front of her.

The man landed with a thud like a boulder, the wind he stirred up scattering the surrounding snow and exposing the ground. He strode towards Lin Chengye and carelessly tossed Chai Hu Nan in front of her.

Lin Chengye's internal energy was exhausted, and he could no longer use the Spring Breeze and Rain technique to heal Chai Hu Nan's injuries. Fortunately, although Ni Luo's knife was deep, it did not damage the heart. Lin Chengye tore off his own sleeve and bandaged Chai Hu Nan's wounds, and only then did he truly feel relieved.

"What a pity, such martial arts skills."

The person who saved them stood by, watching coldly, without intervening. Only when they finally caught their breath did he speak in a hoarse voice.

"The meridians in your right arm are severed. Without the Bone-Growing Twin-Headed Serpent and the Golden-Slaying Twin-Headed Poisonous Herb, Bian Yi can't restore you to your original state. It's truly remarkable that you've achieved such a feat at your age."

"Hmm...that's true."

Chai Hu Nan surprisingly gave a bitter laugh.

She thought she was going to die, but unexpectedly she survived. Martial arts should have been her greatest achievement; she had already broken through to the eighth level of internal strength before she was thirty, and ranked fourth in the Yunya Yitian Manual... any one of these achievements would have been the envy of many.

Unfortunately, after today, she will probably not only decline in her cultivation level, but also find it difficult to make further progress in the future. The fourth place in the Yunya Yitian Ranking will also be replaced.

But she was not yet thirty, and her life was far from over. This would eventually become a regret that kept her tossing and turning at night.

Chai Hu Nan took a deep breath, smacked his head hard with his left hand, and warned himself not to think too much; he was lucky to be alive. But for a moment, the deep sense of defeat overwhelmed the joy of surviving.

Lin Chengye gently patted Chai Hu Nan's shoulder, but didn't know how to comfort him, as any words would seem inadequate at this moment. After a while, Chai Hu Nan shook his head first and said...

"Young Alliance Leader, I'm fine, I just need some time to recover."

Lin Chengye remained silent for a long time before raising his head and looking at the mysterious person in the dim moonlight.

"Thank you for saving me, hero. May I ask..."

The man was dressed in a crimson, close-fitting outfit, his robes billowing in the wind like fiery flames. His sharply defined face featured sword-like eyebrows that swept into his temples, and his lips were pursed, exuding an air of authority without anger. Although wrinkles etched their marks on his face, they did not diminish his striking appearance; rather, they made him even more captivating. His figure was as immovable as a mountain rock.

But her hair was disheveled, a long, bloody gash ran down her neck, and her clothes were torn and stained with blood. Moreover, about three inches from her heart, there was a very deep yet narrow wound—clearly a sword wound—from someone quite skilled with a sword. It was obvious this person had just been through a fierce battle.

The blade was straight and uncurved, its entire body seemingly forged from dark iron, its color resembling solidified ink. However, upon closer inspection, the blade revealed hidden crimson patterns, as if flowing with subterranean fire. The hilt was adorned with a relief of an ochre-colored lion's head, solemn and majestic.

Even before getting close, Lin Chengye could sense that this sword was of superior quality, containing extremely ferocious power. Without immense strength, it would be impossible to wield this sword.

A swordsman who could possibly appear here?

Lin Chengye's heart skipped a beat, and he spoke incredulously, slowly uttering that name.

"...Qin Ruoliu?"

She had heard this name mentioned repeatedly, but she never expected to see her here.

"You recognize me?"

The woman nodded slowly, her movements somewhat strange, stiff like a puppet. Even lowering her eyes was extremely slow. She glanced at Lin Chengye, then suddenly and laboriously raised her finger and tapped it on the knife.

"Ah...you know it?"

"No, it's not, it's just a guess." Lin Chengye was about to explain when he was suddenly interrupted by a small but extremely painful groan.

"Master...Master..."

The distant forest had been almost completely destroyed by the Ninth Yellow Springs Formation, with broken trees scattered everywhere, devoid of any life. From the dark, tangled, low grass, intermittent cries could be heard, and that was the very spot where Lin Chengye and Ni Xiao had just fought.

"...She's really lucky to be alive." Lin Chengye frowned, drew his long sword from his waist, and prepared to finish Ni Xiao off.

"I'll go, Young Alliance Leader."

Chai Hu Nan's voice suddenly came from behind him. Lin Chengye turned around, but gripped the sword in his hand even tighter.

She knew she was a little too tense. Even if the lotus ring hadn't killed Ni Xiao, that person's meridians were definitely severed, making him half-dead. The possibility of him having any backup plan was extremely slim, but she didn't want to put Chai Hu Nan in any danger whatsoever.

Chai Hu Nan struggled to his feet and pressed down Lin Cheng Ye's raised hand.

"She'll die if I leave her alone, so let me say a few last words to her."

Lin Chengye pursed his lips, slowly nodded, and stepped aside.

...

The path to Ni Xiao was short, no more than a hundred steps. Chai Hu Nan's steps were heavy, and she felt pain with every step, but she still stumbled along.

Her heart felt light, as if the world had briefly quieted down.

Chai Hu Nan walked to Ni Xiao's side, squatted down, and looked at her face, which was completely unrecognizable. Her mouth and nose were covered with overflowing blood, but her eyes were still moving. When she saw Chai Hu Nan approaching, the fingers on the side of her body twitched twice.

Chai Hu Nan never understood what Ni Xiao hated.

Her hatred was elusive, indescribable yet incredibly specific, focused solely on Ni Sang. And after Ni Sang left, this hatred seemed to undergo a transformation, becoming even more intense.

But Chai Hu Nan no longer wanted to understand. This time, she just wanted to speak frankly and openly. Maybe there was some misunderstanding between them. If it was resolved, she hoped that Ni Xiao wouldn't carry the resentment of this life when she was reincarnated in the underworld.

“The day before I left, Ni Luo said she had thought about the trials for me to become the young sect leader.”

"...Do you know what it is?"

To make sure Ni Xiao could hear him clearly, Chai Hu Nan leaned down slightly and spoke very slowly.

"I'll kill you."

Ni Xiao's eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at Chai Hu Nan.

Chai Hu Nan still doesn't know what her master Ni Luo is thinking, but she no longer has the chance to ask. Perhaps Ni Luo is just unhappy that the tragedy of sisters killing each other only happened to her, and wants to make her and Ni Xiao repeat it.

But… Chai Hu Nan paused, and just as Ni Xiao’s pupils began to dilate, he spoke again, word by word.

“Ni Xiao, I don’t hate you, nor do I love you. I just find it meaningless, not because I care about you.”

"I ran away simply because I wanted to live a different life. Ultimately, it has little to do with you."

Chai Hu Nan wasn't sure if Ni Xiao had heard him clearly, but Ni Xiao's eyes were wide open like a frog's, and with each breath, large gushes of blood gushed from her mouth, her chest heaving.

With her last breath, she grabbed Chai Hu Nan's hair, which was hanging down from his hood. Her expression was indescribably terrifying, yet it also revealed the despair of a dying person. She stared intently at Chai Hu Nan, her lips moving slightly, as if she wanted to say something.

Chai Hu Nan was somewhat surprised. She actually saw a tear roll down the cheek of Ni Xiao, a venomous snake, but it was also filled with hatred and intense resentment.

She leaned closer, placing her ear near Ni Xiao's lips to listen to what she was saying.

"You're not allowed to leave the Masked River, you're not allowed to leave, you're not allowed to..."

Ni Xiao kept repeating the same sentence, her voice growing softer and softer until the very last moment of her life.

...

On the other side, after Chai Hu Nan walked away, Qin Ruo Liu's face suddenly contorted, her pupils began to dilate, and her hand trembled as she drew the knife from her waist. But Qin Ruo Liu seemed to resist extremely, using her left hand to restrain her right hand, as if she were playing a game with herself. Her expression was extremely painful, and her molars were grinding together.

Suddenly, Qin Ruoliu reached out and clutched her chest, her fingers digging into the sword wound. Her face turned ashen, but her dazed eyes gradually cleared, and she regained her senses.

"Wait, how did you get here? Weren't you controlled by the Mother Beetle?"

Upon seeing this, Lin Chengye's mind, dulled by pain and blood loss, finally came to its senses. She glanced at the sky, which was already turning white but still tinged with blood red. No longer caring about what kind of demigod was in front of her, she grabbed Qin Ruoliu's wrist.

"How is it over there? How is Bian Yi? She..."

"You knew all that? That's really impressive. No wonder Wuma Yi wanted to kill you so much."

Qin Ruoliu chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

"Ha, Bian Yi is far stronger than I expected, he actually managed to push Wuma Yi to this point."

"Is she injured?" Lin Chengye pressed. She wanted to see for herself how the person was doing, but she knew that if she went now, she would only be a hindrance. However, if she were just left to wait like this, it would be as painful as being slowly sliced ​​to death.

Why are you so worried about her?

Qin Ruoliu glanced at her, puzzled, and then said.

"That's a fight between half-immortals, what are you worrying about, you little kid?"

Lin Chengye's mind suddenly went blank for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, a dense chill crept up the back of her head, and her heart shattered, like a plum blossom knocked into the snow, lying scattered on the ground.

How should we interpret Qin Ruoli's words? Is it what she thinks?

"...A struggle between half-immortals?" Lin Chengye asked, trying his best to control the trembling of his lips.

"...Two people? Who are you talking about? Wuma Yi? Or Bian Yi?"

Bian Yi is... a demigod?

"You didn't guess? That can't be right."

Qin Ruoliu looked at her with a half-smile, her eyes filled with mockery.

"What? Did all the people in my Yulin City commit suicide overnight?"

Author's Note: All the foreshadowing should have been completed by now.

And good news! This novel will be available for purchase on October 29th, starting from Chapter 21.

Thank you everyone for your support! [cat paw emoji]