Chapter 40 Chapter 40 "Whatever I do for Your Highness is my duty...
The sharp blade slashed across, piercing the snow-white skin.
Ying Luo attacked without hesitation, and the cut was very deep, and blood rich in water poured down from the wrist.
She put her wrist close to Jiu Zhao's neck, and blood spilled onto the seemingly intangible source rope.
Jiu Zhao's six senses were sharp. He smelled the blood and immediately frowned and turned away: "What are you doing——"
Yingluo did not answer.
Continuous drops of blood penetrated the thin line and quickly disappeared into the clouds below.
Due to the power of the Water-type Golden Immortal, her body healed very quickly. Seeing that her injuries were about to heal, she slashed with two more sword strikes.
The sweet and fishy smell around became stronger, and when the blood dripped to a certain level, the tail end of the Jiyuan rope, which was originally firmly buried in Jiuzhao's skin, greedily split into three thin wires and twisted them into a sharp point, which silently reached towards Yingluo.
Ying Luo immediately drew his sword and chopped.
The jade sword still pierced through the air and did not touch the entity of the Jiyuan Rope.
Her brows furrowed quickly, and after a moment's hesitation, she simply unzipped her clothes around her neck and let herself go.
The leech-like sharp needle quickly found the best position, pierced into the back of the neck, and absorbed Ying Luo's pure immortal power.
"Are you crazy?!"
Seeing this, Jiu Zhao opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Shocked, she instinctively reached out, wanting to pull out the Jiyuan Rope before it penetrated her flesh.
"Your Highness, please practice your Qi again and feel the immortal energy within you to see if the rate of its loss has slowed down."
Yingluo held Jiuzhao's fingers tightly and spoke calmly.
Her expression was filled with undeniable determination, so Jiu Zhao had no choice but to follow her instructions and concentrate his attention again.
After a moment, she spoke doubtfully, "...It seems, it's indeed a bit slow."
Ying Luo then revealed a look of relief. "This minister also speculated that the capacity of the Jiyuan Suo to absorb immortal energy is always limited. Ordinary immortals must be careful about the amount of elixirs they take to advance their cultivation. Too much is as bad as too little, and it will definitely damage the immortal body. I believe the same is true for this fox clan secret treasure."
"So, you let it absorb your immortal power as well... so that it can bear half of it for me?"
Jiu Zhao instantly understood Ying Luo's meaning, and a doubt also emerged in her mind.
The status of a celestial being was within her reach, and her actions undoubtedly increased the risk of victory. She also offended Meng Chu, who she didn't need to offend. Why did she do that? "Why are you helping me like this?"
There’s no such thing as a good thing, Jiu Zhao asked subconsciously.
Ying Luo said calmly, "Whatever I do for Your Highness is my duty. This is my duty."
"If someone else says so, perhaps I will believe it."
Jiu Zhao's eyes followed Ying Luo's, staring intently, unwilling to miss any changes in her expression, "But you are Ying Luo."
Yingluo did not give an explanation immediately.
Her eyes, usually calm and gentle, flickered. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke softly, as if unable to speak, "No matter what Your Highness thinks, in my heart, Your Highness has always been Yingluo's most important—well, most important friend."
A mixture of emotions, half complex and half moving, swept Jiu Zhao's mind the moment he heard Ying Luo's confession.
She was so immersed in her chaotic thoughts that she ignored the other party's slightly abrupt pause.
Could it be that I have misunderstood Yingluo all along?
But over the years, they went from being very close to each other and gradually drifted apart, and she never mentioned the reason.
At this moment, there is no time to think too much.
Her expression changed several times before she finally said sternly, "Whatever your purpose, I owe you a favor."
Jiu Zhao, unfazed by aggressive questioning, maintained a focus on the greater good, causing Ying Luo's eyes to flicker once more. Her apprehension about revealing her true feelings in such a situation instantly dissipated, and a look of relief played across her brows. "Meng Chu is using such tactics to scheme against Your Highness. Will Your Highness retaliate?"
"So this is what they were secretly planning in Qichen Palace yesterday."
Jiu Zhao gritted his teeth. "Meng Chu has really grown in skill. He knows that if he can't do it openly, he'll resort to covert tactics. All he's learned all day is some inferior tactics like the Burning Sea Demon! What a shame—what a shame! If I don't turn him back into his original form as a slutty fox, I'll have to write my name backwards!"
…
Although they wanted to join forces to fight against Meng Chu, Jiu Zhao did not act recklessly out of anger.
As the two continued to climb the sacred Fusang tree, they communicated tactics in secret.
Meng Chu first pretended to attack Jiu Zhao recklessly, and was repelled by Jiu Zhao. At the same time, he used the Jiyuan Rope to absorb Jiu Zhao's immortal power. This means that his purpose is not just as simple as preventing Jiu Zhao from seizing the position of celestial immortal. There is a high probability that there are other conspiracies behind it.
All immortal weapons have a range of effectiveness.
Since the Jiyuansuo was still absorbing power, it was likely that Meng Chu had not withdrawn from the Immortal Test and was lying behind the two of them, ready to strike at any moment - but then again, choosing to attack at any moment during the entire test would not be as effective as attacking at the top level.
After Jiu Zhao and Ying Luo finished their discussion, they both agreed that Meng Chu would most likely keep the absorbed immortal power and launch a surprise attack at the end.
"Once we reach the top of the Fusang tree, Your Highness will only need to feint an attack. Be careful of sneak attacks from the dark."
Hearing Yingluo's concern, Jiuzhao's eyes were fixed on the unknown road ahead hidden in the depths of the clouds, as if he was unaware.
After a long moment, he quickly and awkwardly responded, "You too."
…
The crown of the sacred Fusang tree near the top is like a fertile sea of green.
Endless green leaves transformed into several invulnerable dragons, waiting here. If you get too close, they will unleash a torrential downpour of leaf knives—the blades so sharp, the wood spirit so strong, that a prolonged battle can penetrate the examinee's immortal power barrier, cut the skin, and damage the immortal body.
Not to mention that there are vines that are higher level and thicker than the python vine that Ying Luo cut off, ready to obstruct the action at any time.
Jiu Zhao and Ying Luo did not approach rashly. They each occupied a branch and stood silently.
Not long after, Meng Chu caught up with him.
Perhaps Yingluo's behavior disrupted his plan, so he did not hide, but appeared in front of them openly.
It was quiet under the clouds, and there was no sound from other candidates.
There were only five of them left, facing each other head-on.
He looked at Jiu Zhao, whose eyes were blazing, then tilted his head to examine the back of Ying Luo's neck. He then smiled meaningfully, "I had hoped that Princess Zong would ascend to the Celestial Immortal realm smoothly, but I never imagined that Princess Zong would choose to stand with Her Highness Jiu Zhao."
Ying Luo was unmoved by his veiled words and actions, and said calmly, "It's your opportunistic behavior that I despise."
Meng Chu burst into laughter, and his exaggerated laughter spread, startling the clouds.
After laughing for a while, he pretended to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes and retorted loudly: "I really don't understand what Zong Ji said - what is meant by taking shortcuts? In the examination for the right to be a husband, no matter the means, no matter life or death, everything I did was within the scope permitted by the examination rules!"
Ying Luo looked at him like a clown: "Do you think that if you defeat us like this and ascend to the Huitian Palace on the wooden roof, you will be recognized by the Heavenly Dao?"
This question was quite hurtful, and Meng Chu's proud face immediately fell into gloom.
Unable to think of how to refute it, he sneered, "We'll have to go up there first."
After he finished speaking, he ordered his two companions to attack Yingluo, while he himself attacked Jiuzhao, who was extremely jealous of his enemy.
In the final battle, it didn't matter whether they conserved their immortal power or not. Yingluo and Jiuzhao, one holding a sword and the other holding a whip, their eyes filled with a strong fighting spirit.
Not wanting to be attacked from both sides, they tiptoed, floated in the air, and left the range of the dragon formation.
Although Yingluo's immortal power is imperfect, he still retains his majesty.
The jade sword shone brightly, like a rainbow piercing through the enemy's vitals. Wherever the sword passed, it turned into ice, freezing the enemy's dodging steps.
Her sword moves are the result of years of hard training, and when she uses Feng Yueyun, she can make the enemy secretly groan in pain even when she is two against one.
Without having to rely solely on branches for balance, and with distance between her and Meng Chu, Jiu Zhao's divine whip was finally able to unleash its full potential. Her movements were as unpredictable as her own, sometimes piercing the air to meet the enemy's face, sometimes striking low to snake around his ankles.
Without using his immortal power to fight, Meng Chu was far inferior to her in physical skills and weapons.
Seeing that his folding fan could not give him the upper hand in the fight, he simply threw the fan in front of his chest and quickly made some hand gestures.
"Hold up the heaven and earth, and open the folding fan!"
With a loud shout, the golden fan quickly lost its shape and turned into a defensive barrier as tall as a person. Meng Chu hid behind the barrier, resisting the continuous attacks of the divine whip while slowly approaching Jiu Zhao.
By using magic tools, one can form the strongest barrier.
However, without weapons, many attack techniques cannot be used, and on the other hand, the consumption of spiritual energy is also enormous.
Since it wasn't his own energy that was being consumed, he naturally had nothing to worry about.
Jiu Zhao cursed inwardly as a despicable villain, and nine exploding round fireballs suddenly appeared behind him, continuously hitting the golden barrier.
At this moment, Ying Luo's whispered voice reached his ears hastily: "Your Highness, I seem to have discovered the weakness of the Jiyuansuo! Please see if there is a ring on Meng Chu's little finger. The thin thread extending from that ring is the medium for absorbing immortal power——"
The fireball paused, and Jiu Zhao immediately looked at Meng Chu's hands that were supporting themselves on the barrier against him.
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, there is a thin line that seems to be there and not there, and a few inches away from the skin of the little finger, the line gradually becomes solid.
They couldn't deal with a beam of virtual light, but they could deal with something tangible.
Jiu Zhao was delighted. As long as he cut the source rope, he would still have the strength to fight before his immortal power was completely exhausted.
However, the whip is not as sharp as the sword, and with the help of the defensive barrier, it is not easy to break it by remote means alone.
Jiu Zhao happened to catch a glimpse of the leaf dragon and python-like vines crawling on the treetops, ready to devour anyone, and he suddenly had an idea.
Water can extinguish fire, and fire can burn wood.
Although the wood-attributed fairies are not afraid of ordinary flames, they have to avoid the fire of nirvana from the phoenix.
After the death of the Queen of Gods, the Phoenix Clan has been extinct in Sanqingtian for ten thousand years. How many young immortals like Meng Chu know the power of their bloodline? The power of true blood has been fully improved in the past three months. Jiu Zhao is determined to test the extent of his progress.
Thinking of this, she no longer lingered on the battle, put away the magic whip, and flew deep into the tree canopy.
"Your Highness, why fear battle? Nor fear tarnishing your divine reputation!"
Seeing Jiu Zhao trying to escape, Meng Chu was even more proud.
As usual, he used words to stimulate Jiu Zhao, and then quickened his pace to catch up with Jiu Zhao.
As they were chasing, a blazing fire suddenly burst out from Jiu Zhao's body a few feet away.
The fire is bright red and the fever is overwhelming.
Even though they were far apart, Meng Chu could still feel the heat that was enough to ignite his soul.
What's this?
Questions popped up in Meng Chu's mind, and before he could delve into it, the leaf dragon vine that attacked Jiu Zhao suddenly froze in place the moment it touched the flames. But in the blink of an eye, it retreated in fear and scattered.
On the contrary, it’s Meng Chu here.
"not good--"
Outside his defensive barrier, layers of green completely surrounded him.
While Meng Chu was unable to move, Jiu Zhao endured the pain of his immortal power being drained, while urging Ying Luo in a secret voice:
"Hurry and help me cut off the source rope!"
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