Stealing Lotus
Suddenly, a faint wolf howl came from afar, its sound mournful and shrill.
Almost simultaneously, Xie Lanchen, who was meditating nearby, opened his eyes, grabbed Yun Wei's wrist, and stood up. "We can't stay here any longer. This wolf howl came out so suddenly. Elder Wu, that old fox, is probably already impatient and about to make a move against you."
Yun Wei felt a warmth on her wrist as he pulled her up without a word. She was startled: he was exactly as she had feared.
Xie Lanchen's keen insight is indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. The brief confrontation in the cave just now, although it reopened old wounds, also showed that he was by no means just a person who knew only resentment. His accurate judgment and decisive action in a crisis far surpassed those of ordinary disciples.
His father's high regard for him may not have been entirely blind.
The scene outside the cave had changed drastically. A thin layer of gray mist had appeared out of nowhere, and the shadows of the trees were indistinct. The howling of wolves came from the depths of the mist, sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right, as if forming an encirclement. Only in the northeast direction was the mist slightly thinner, and there seemed to be a path to follow.
"Go that way." Xie Lanchen pointed northeast, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Get out of this foggy area as soon as possible and find an open space, so you don't get trapped in the cave and have your hands tied."
Yun frowned slightly, his intuition stirring: "This fog is strange. The northeastern route seems like a safe way out, but it may not be safe. It could be a strategy to lure the enemy deeper into our territory."
"Even if it's a trap, it's better than being trapped in a dead end and becoming a sitting duck, isn't it?" Xie Lanchen gripped her hand tightly, his strength firm. "Stay close to me. If anything changes, act accordingly." Before he finished speaking, he had already taken the lead and rushed out.
The two quickly leaped out of the cave and stepped into the gray mist.
The mist was damp and cold, clinging to my clothes and carrying a faint, fishy smell.
However, after traveling only a few dozen feet, the surrounding gray mist suddenly surged, and pairs of eerie green lights shone from the mist, carrying a bloodthirsty desire.
More than ten burly, fang-baring demon wolves appeared and surrounded them. The lead wolf had a strange wisp of crimson fur on its forehead and its aura was far more ferocious than its companions.
Red-browed demon wolf... Yun Wei's mind raced; the demon wolf's appearance looked strangely familiar.
Yes, the wolf demon that massacred Xie Lanchen's village seven years ago, making him an orphan, had such red hairs on its forehead.
She immediately looked at Xie Lanchen, only to see that the young man's face was extremely tense, and the Lone Goose Sword was drawn with a clang and held horizontally in front of him, the sword light flowing and reflecting his suddenly cold and stern profile.
Yunwei understood, and her heart sank.
His actions were not only to protect her, but also to avenge the wolf demon's massacre of the village seven years ago.
Years of grudges finally came to an end. But his abdominal wounds hadn't healed, and facing this pack of exceptionally ferocious demon wolves alone... how could he truly stand idly by?
She subconsciously circulated her spiritual power, but the spirit-suppressing talisman on her chest immediately began to burn, severely restricting her cultivation.
It is not impossible to force a breakthrough, but it will inevitably backfire, damaging the meridians and putting the current situation at a great disadvantage.
The young man seemed to understand her thoughts, and immediately turned his head, saying sternly, "Don't force the seal on! Stay put!" His tone was urgent, carrying an unquestionable command, and he quickly added in a low voice, "This spirit-sealing talisman will automatically dissipate in three hours at most, at which time your cultivation will naturally recover. There's no need to risk your life for me now; I can handle it."
Yunwei was taken aback, not expecting him to be so perceptive and to obstruct her so directly.
"Seven years have passed. I am no longer the child I was back then, who could only watch helplessly as my village was massacred, my family was brutally murdered, and I was powerless to fight back, needing someone else to take me in," Xie Lanchen said coldly.
He looked directly at the wolf pack again, holding the Lone Goose Sword in his left hand, the tip of the sword slightly raised, pointing directly at the leader, the red-browed demon wolf, protecting her tightly behind him, his posture resolute.
She was still a little worried.
I am a remnant soul existing through the Lone Goose Sword, and my mind is connected with the sword. Perhaps I can use this to help you?
Thinking of this, Yunwei stepped forward and gently placed her left hand over the boy's right hand, which was tightly gripping the sword hilt.
In an instant, the Lone Goose Sword rang out with a clear cry, and a blazing silver light shot into the sky, dispelling the surrounding gray mist. Wherever the sword's edge pointed, a chilling aura intensified.
"You..." Xie Lanchen stared incredulously at the longsword in his hand, which was buzzing and shimmering with light.
Yun Wei quickly withdrew her hand, her expression unchanged. She glanced at him indifferently and spoke rapidly: "The sword is a fine sword, and it is also spiritual. Hold it tight and don't let it down."
Her words seemed to be about the sword, but in reality, they implied that he didn't need to ask any more questions and should make good use of the power within the sword at this moment.
The young man was incredibly intelligent. Although he was shocked and confused, he reacted quickly and immediately understood that she had temporarily enhanced the power of the Lone Goose Sword with her remnant soul. Without hesitation, he formed a hand seal with his left hand, and spiritual light burst forth from his fingertips. He uttered a low shout: "Ember Fire!"
Suddenly, a fire dragon, composed entirely of blazing white flames, with clearly defined scales and incredibly lifelike features, solidified in mid-air and then charged fiercely towards the densest part of the wolf pack.
Wherever the fire dragon passed, the air distorted, and the vegetation withered instantly. Several demon wolves in front were unable to dodge in time and were engulfed by the flames. Their fur burned instantly, and they let out a shrill howl as they rolled wildly on the ground.
Taking advantage of the moment, the young man leaped up, his Lone Goose Sword gleaming with silver light, its sword energy surging more than ten feet. He swept his sword horizontally in mid-air, the sword light pouring out like a silver river, surging out in a crescent shape.
Where the sword light fell, the wolves howled in agony, and blood and flesh flew everywhere. The leader, the red-browed demon wolf, though it tried its best to pounce, was also slashed through the chest by the sword energy, letting out a mournful cry of unwillingness before falling heavily to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten ferocious demon wolves were all killed, leaving the ground in a mess and filled with the stench of blood.
Xie Lanchen landed gracefully, but his steps faltered slightly, and his face paled even more. As he sheathed his sword, his right hand instinctively covered the wound on his waist and abdomen.
Bright red blood seeped from between his fingers, indicating that the violent movements had aggravated his wounds.
Yun Wei immediately stepped forward to support his arm, a faint trace of worry flashing across her usually cool face: "Your injury..."
The boy avoided her gaze, only saying coldly, "It's nothing." He glanced at the increasingly dim sky, his tone turning urgent, "We must find the Twin Lotuses as soon as possible. You..." He paused, turning to glare at her, his eyes filled with lingering anger and fear, "Don't you dare act recklessly again! How could you use that method so casually? What if it damaged your foundation? If I weren't there, would you have acted so recklessly?"
“I know what I’m doing,” Yunwei replied. “If you are seriously injured and unable to continue, you will only be a burden to me.”
After all, they are bound together by a life-sharing pact.
Xie Lanchen was taken aback by her words, as if he had choked. He glared at her, his eyes swirling with emotion, but ultimately swallowed back his harsher rebuke, saying irritably, "...This is sophistry! If we weren't still searching for the Twin Lotuses, I..."
The boy snorted coldly, then closed his eyes, his fingertips pointing lightly in the air. A wisp of spiritual light emanated from his fingertips, spreading out in all directions like a thread, before pointing towards the cliff.
Xie Lanchen opened his eyes and said coldly, "Found it. The closest one is hidden in a cave on the opposite cliff face, which is sealed by rubble. Its aura is well concealed; it would be difficult to detect without the 'Spiritual Acupuncture Point'."
"During the sect competition three years ago, you used the 'Spiritual Affinity Token' to find the item?" Yun Wei asked.
Xie Lanchen raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with confusion: "So what if I have? Haven't you ever used such a 'shortcut' before?"
"No," Yunwei replied.
In the past, as the senior disciple of the sect, she had to set an example and temper the disciples' will in the smallest details.
While victory and defeat are important, the insights and growth gained during the process are even more valuable.
Upon hearing this, Xie Lanchen snorted coldly, turned his face away, and muttered in a low voice, "...I knew you would say that. Always so rigid, don't you get tired?" There was not much real sarcasm in his tone, but rather a very subtle hint of heartache and frustration that even he himself did not realize.
He said no more, and grasped Yunwei's hand again with his right hand. "Let's go. If we linger too long, something might go wrong."
The two hurried to the riverbank at the bottom of the cliff.
Xie Lanchen wanted her to wait on the shore, but he immediately changed his mind: "No, it's not good to leave you here alone. If there's another sneak attack, it will be even more dangerous." He gripped Yun Wei's left hand tightly with his right, gathered his energy, and leaped up, using his lightness skill to carry her towards the opposite cliff.
As they approached, the Lone Goose Sword in his left hand aimed precisely and swung out, instantly breaking through the disguised rubble at the cave entrance, revealing an opening large enough for four or five people to pass through.
The cave was pitch black, with a faint, eerie wind seeping out from within.
The boy couldn't help but grip her hand tighter, whispering a warning: "Stay close, don't let go. I can't guarantee that besides the twin lotuses, there aren't any other 'surprises' Elder Wu has prepared in this cave."
"Hmm." Yun Wei responded, quietly gripping the Duan Chen Sword in her hand, fully alert.
The deeper you go, the dimmer the light becomes, and gradually a grayish-white, murky mist rises from the ground, as if you're in the clouds, severely obstructing your vision.
The boy's voice deepened: "Be careful, this fog is strange. It can interfere with spiritual senses and obscure vision. If we are attacked suddenly, it will be extremely disadvantageous."
The two proceeded cautiously for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before finally reaching the end of the cave.
This is a small natural grotto, and right above their heads, a pair of crystal-clear lotus flowers, exuding a faint chill, miraculously hang upside down among the stalactites, their petals slightly closed, shimmering with spiritual light.
"Here." Before Xie Lanchen finished speaking, he had already leaped up, the tip of his Lone Goose Sword lightly reaching for the roots of the twin lotus, intending to cut it off.
Just then, Yun Wei suddenly sensed a murderous aura coming from behind her, sharp and fierce.
Before she could warn anyone, a flying sword shot out of the cave entrance with a crisp clang, colliding with the Lone Goose Sword in Xie Lanchen's hand.
Sparks flew everywhere, and the immense force caused Xie Lanchen to freeze in mid-air, forcing him to fall back to the ground.
Yun Wei's heart skipped a beat. The other party was no ordinary disciple; their purpose was clear: to hinder them from obtaining the lotus, and perhaps even...
Xie Lanchen landed with a swift movement, his gaze turning icy as he swept towards the direction from which the flying sword had come from the cave entrance. He said in a cold voice, "Who's lurking around like that? Come out here!"
Yun Wei turned and stepped back, standing shoulder to shoulder with Xie Lanchen. He held the Duanchen Sword horizontally in front of him, his mind focused and on guard. He said coldly, "Since you have intervened, why not show yourself? Hiding your head and tail is not the behavior of a gentleman."
As the dust settled, two figures, a man and a woman, came into view.
The woman reached out and caught the sword that flew back, then took two steps forward, her face gradually becoming clearer.
It turned out to be Ning Xihe.
Xie Lanchen's eyes darkened slightly: "Senior Sister Ning? What do you mean by this? Are you perhaps trying to openly steal the Twin Lotus?"
Ning Xihe smiled slightly and said gently, "Junior Brother Xie is too kind. Within the forbidden area, this item is something that can be contested."
Her gaze swept over the spirit-suppressing talisman on Yun Wei's chest, she paused slightly, then sighed softly and looked at her, saying, "Miss Wuming, you've suffered a lot of undeserved misfortune these past few days because of this face, haven't you? I saw it all the day Zhao Changsheng made things difficult for you. To be honest, I feel quite sorry for you, and it's unfair to me. We are both women, and it's inherently more difficult for us to fight for a place in this sect than for men."
She paused, then spoke sincerely, "I also want to compete for this top spot to prove that women are by no means inferior to men. The late Senior Sister Yunwei of Guiyun Sect once did it, and I aspire to it as well. Please do not hold a grudge against me for competing for the lotus at this time. I am not targeting you; I just want to win."
Yun Wei met her gaze, her expression calm and composed: "Senior Sister Ning is too kind. I haven't taken any criticism to heart."
She continued, "If I'm not mistaken, Senior Sister Ning's cultivation is solid, and her sword energy is profound, far surpassing that of ordinary disciples. She doesn't seem like someone whose foundation is damaged. Perhaps it's just because you are a woman that the sect leader feels you don't need to strive too hard and should just stay on Jing Peak. Now that you want to compete, it's a good thing."
Upon hearing this, Ning Xihe's pupils contracted sharply, and the gentle smile on his face gradually faded. He stared at Yun Wei for a long time before slowly saying, "...You see things clearly. In that case, you should understand even more that I must fight for this. This twin lotus is of utmost importance to me."
“That is exactly right.” Yunwei nodded. “If I were to show you pity simply because we are both women, and give way to you, it would be an insult to your aspirations and the sword in your hand.”
Ning Xihe's dedication to the Dao is truly rare. Although rumors circulate that her foundation is damaged, her aura and movements clearly demonstrate her diligent cultivation and considerable strength. This battle is not a malicious contest, but a contest for the Dao; only by giving it our all can we show her the greatest respect. Yun Wei thought to herself.
"You don't need to lift a finger; I can handle it all myself," Xie Lanchen said coldly.
Although he was still injured, his momentum only increased, clearly provoked by the repeated obstruction.
Before he finished speaking, the young man had already moved with his sword, attacking Ning Xihe and the other two.
Swords flashed, and although he was fighting two opponents, he did not lose ground for a while.
Yun Wei watched the battle intently, seeing it clearly.
The boy was forcing himself to keep going. After a prolonged battle, his physical and spiritual energy were being depleted, and his back injury would inevitably become a fatal weakness.
She couldn't wait any longer; even if the backlash intensified, she needed to act quickly to break the deadlock.
Thinking of this, Yun Wei pointed her fingers like a sword and quickly struck several acupoints on her body, forcefully breaking through the restriction.
A surge of blood rushed to her throat, and she groaned as she forced it down.
The remaining mark of the spirit-suppressing talisman on his chest instantly turned to ashes and vanished without a trace.
Just then, Ning Xihe and her companions seemed to sense the sudden disruption in Xie Lanchen's aura, and their attacks intensified abruptly, with their swords striking together from the left and right.
The young man parried with his sword, and blood instantly gushed from his waist and abdomen, staining a patch of his clothes red.
Right now.
Yun Wei's eyes narrowed, and she raised the Duan Chen Sword high. The cold sword light instantly illuminated the cave. She swung it in mid-air, and two silver-white sword energies crossed and slashed out, forcing Ning Xihe and the other to join forces to block this sudden attack.
"Why did you forcibly break the seal?" Ning Xihe asked in surprise, sheathing her sword. "Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, you can only recover at most 50% of your cultivation... You're willing to go to such lengths to save him?"
Xie Lanchen also looked at Yun Wei, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and alarm, and blurted out, "You! Who told you to act recklessly again!"
Yun Wei seemed not to hear him, and walked steadily to Xie Lanchen's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. She looked calmly at Ning Xihe: "I am not doing this for him alone. I am doing this for myself as well. I also want the top spot."
Ning Xihe chuckled and with a flick of her wrist, summoned a pair of silver bracelets from her sleeve.
Is that the Bracelet of Shared Dust?
Yunwei recognized this item; during the last incident, this bracelet could lock people's movements, restricting the two from straying more than a foot apart.
As the silver light flashed, Xie Lanchen tried to slash it with his sword, but she was faster, grabbing both silver bracelets into her palm at the same time.
Before Ning Xihe could activate her magic, a dark blue spiritual fire suddenly rose from her palm, burning the Tongchen Bracelet until it was twisted and deformed.
Yunwei threw the broken bracelet on the ground and said coldly, "It's best for Senior Sister Ning to avoid using such unorthodox items."
Ning Xihe and the disciple exchanged a glance, then immediately drew their swords and gathered their energy. When the sword strikes rose again, they were even more resolute than before.
The disciple rushed straight at Xie Lanchen, while Ning Xihe drew his sword and ran towards Yunwei.
Yun Wei swung her Duan Chen sword to meet the attack. The two exchanged blows, their figures intertwined, and their sword energy surged, drawing streaks of light in the dim cave.
After several dozen moves, the tips of their swords clashed fiercely once more, each being forced back a step.
Ning Xihe was slightly out of breath, but her eyes grew even sharper.
She suddenly changed her sword style, no longer pursuing direct attacks, but instead becoming elusive and unpredictable.
Yun Wei remained calm, moving lightly with her feet, using her sword to parry or deflect, neutralizing each of her opponent's attacks.
Just as Ning Xihe's sword missed its mark and her figure momentarily faltered, a glint of light flashed in Yun Wei's eyes, and the Broken Dust Sword shadow flickered before stabbing straight at her throat.
Ning Xihe hurriedly parried with her sword to protect her vitals, unaware that it was a feint.
Taking advantage of her distraction and shifted defensive focus upwards, Yunwei flashed behind her and delivered a chop to her neck.
Ning Xihe groaned and fell softly backward, but was caught by Yun Wei.
Yunwei supported her, sighing inwardly. Her swordsmanship already possessed the flair of a master; given time, she would surely advance further, perhaps even surpassing her former self. However, her composure was still easily swayed by her opponent, causing her to lose absolute calm, and she needed further refinement.
On the other side, Xie Lanchen also found an opening and severed the disciple's sword with a single strike, the tip of the sword pointing directly at his throat.
The disciple begged for mercy repeatedly, "Thank you, Senior Brother, for sparing our lives! We admit defeat!"
The young man sheathed his sword, turned around and met her gaze, his eyes seeking her opinion.
"Let's go get the Twin Lotuses first," Yunwei said.
Xie Lanchen nodded and took flight again. This time, no one interfered. With a nimble swipe of his Lone Goose Sword, he precisely severed the lotus stem and caught the twin lotus that exuded a faint chill, landing back beside Yun Wei.
Seeing Ning Xihe still leaning against him, he immediately frowned in displeasure and said in a harsh tone, "How long do you intend to keep holding her? Let her go now."
Yun glanced at him, wondering what was bothering him now.
She raised her hand, gathering a wisp of spiritual energy at her fingertips, and gently touched Ning Xihe's brow.
Seeing that the other person had woken up, Yunwei immediately let go of her hand.
Ning Xihe steadied himself, looked at Yun Wei with a complicated expression, and said with a wry smile, "I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. Your swordsmanship is far superior to mine."
The boy stood to the side with his hands at his sides and said coldly, "Alright. Since you admit defeat, hurry up and find another twin lotus. Time is running out."
His tone was harsh and impatient, but then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned his face away and casually added, "There seems to be another one about three miles to the southeast that hasn't been discovered yet. You might still make it there if you hurry."
Xie Lanchen watched them disappear. He turned around to say something to her, but saw Yun Wei's face turn pale. She coughed up a mouthful of black blood and swayed slightly.
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