Chapter 13: Using Him as a Punching Bag?!

Qin Xixue was perplexed. The three individuals appeared polished and glamorous, while her group looked worn and battered, with many disciples injured. She had narrowly escaped the grasp of a man-eating vine, intensifying her sense of imbalance.

What good was luck? In the cultivation world, power reigned supreme. Treasures belonged to those who deserved them.

Qin Xixue bit her lip, her fingers clenched tightly in her sleeve. She had to obtain the Heart Nurturing Spirit Herb; otherwise, her spiritual root…

Qiu Xiude harbored resentment towards the trio and, dismissing any pretense of negotiation, charged with his sword, declaring, “You ungrateful wretches! I’ll finish you off first!”

Tantai Ming moved swiftly to confront him. Among the three, Tantai Ming was the strongest, yet only at mid-Foundation Establishment. Although the difference between mid and late Foundation Establishment stages seemed minor, the gap in their strength was still significant.

As their swords clashed, a sharp, piercing sound echoed, and sparks flew. A sliver of sword energy grazed Tantai Ming’s left cheek, leaving a thin line of blood, a startling sight.

Qiu Xiude grinned wickedly, channeling all his spiritual energy into his right hand, increasing the pressure on his blade to push closer to Tantai Ming!

“Boom—”

Invisible sword energy^[1]sword qiexploded around them, sweeping through the forest. Both were sent flying several meters apart, with Tantai Ming sustaining heavier injuries. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away nonchalantly, his eyes reflecting a growing ferocity.

Qiu Xiude, like a ghost, darted behind him, striking at Tantai Ming’s back! However, his full-force strike met an invisible barrier—was it a Vajra Talisman!?

In that brief moment of shock, Tantai Ming seized the opportunity, swinging his wrist to unleash a golden sword energy! The disrupted spiritual energy splintered into thousands of golden, tangible blades. Qiu Xiude staggered back, narrowly dodging most attacks, but several blades struck him, tearing through his protective clothing and flesh.

His face twisted in anger; he hadn’t expected Tantai Ming to possess such skill. Initially, Qiu Xiude had the upper hand, overpowering Tantai Ming. Yet, as the fight progressed, he felt increasingly drained. Conversely, Tantai Ming grew bolder, and the tide of battle subtly shifted in his favor.

Qiu Xiude, in frustration, realized that this kid… was using him for sword practice?! Moreover, he noticed that all surrounding spiritual energy was converging into Tantai Ming, while Qiu Xiude felt like a fish stranded in a dry pond, his energy rapidly depleting without any replenishment. Tantai Ming’s moves became increasingly fluid, his sword energy more robust and domineering, making it difficult to counter.

A blade of energy sliced toward Qiu Xiude’s chest, mere inches from his heart!

“Boom!”

He barely dodged, crashing into a tree and coughing up blood, staining his clothes. “Senior Brother!” The disciples noticed Qiu Xiude was faltering and rushed to assist. Chu Sang threw out several explosive talismans, clearing their path.

She flicked the talisman paper, saying, “Your opponent is me. As long as I’m here, you won’t get past.”

Her senior brother, who often slacked off in training, had unwittingly found a sparring partner. She wouldn’t let anyone disturb that.

“You think you can stop us all by yourself?” another disciple sneered. The weakest among them were all at early Foundation Establishment, while she was merely at the same level and expected to hold them off? It was absurd!

After half an hour, the disciple, hands trembling and empty, wondered, “Is this woman a demon? Why? Why had she thrown hundreds of talismans and still had countless more? Was her spatial bag a bottomless pit? How many talismans did it contain?!”

A female cultivator at early Foundation Establishment was actually making them struggle to move forward—what a ridiculous joke! But that was the reality.

Their faces turned grim as they found themselves helpless, just as she had said. Qin Xixue’s face turned pale; she had no idea when Chu Sang had become so wealthy to afford so many talismans. Did her two senior brothers give them to her?

Jealousy surged within her. Why did all the advantages seem to go to Chu Sang?

She had always been close to her master, yet she felt like a secretive mouse raised in the mortal world, while Chu Sang was openly accepted into the sect, becoming the master’s direct disciple, enjoying resources and the envy of others. Even her brother Qingchen, such an outstanding talent, was bound to a marriage with Chu Sang, which only fueled her jealousy.

She thought that after expelling Chu Sang from the sect, everything would return to normal, and she could reclaim what was rightfully hers. But now… Qin Xixue’s mind raced as she discreetly took out a jade-white seal and tossed it into the air. The seal expanded with the wind, growing as large as a small mountain.

“Second Senior Sister, forgive me, but I must obtain the Heart Nurturing Spirit Herb.” She smiled gently, but her intent was clear. Controlling the massive seal, she aimed it directly at the three.

In the cultivation world, weapons are categorized as follows: treasure, magical artifact, spiritual tool, immortal tool, and divine tool.

Each category is further divided into superior, medium, and inferior grades.

Divine tools are nearly extinct in Lingyuan Continent; only sect leaders and ancient ancestors might possess an immortal tool—ordinary people can only dream of it.

Thus, for most cultivators, spiritual tools are the pinnacle of weaponry; many spend their lives seeking one.

With her first move, Qin Xixue unleashed a superior spiritual tool ^[2]Spirit Tool (灵器 / 灵具) General Term: A spirit tool is a broad category that can encompass various types of objects infused with spiritual energy. These can include not just weapons, but also … Continue reading—the Falling Immortal Seal. It was evident that it had been given by her master; it could withstand three attacks from a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator. Although she could currently exert less than one-tenth of its power due to her cultivation level, it was still enough to match a full-force strike from a Golden Core cultivator, more than enough to deal with the three.

Chu Sang pulled out two Vajra talismans, confident that they could counter any attacks below the Golden Core level. She wondered how effective the Vajra Talisman would be against higher-level attacks.

She licked her lips as the Falling Immortal Seal descended at an almost imperceptible speed, feeling a thrill of anticipation… Just then, her gaze fell on a nearby bush, and a shadow crossed her eyes. She quickly stashed the two Vajra talismans back into her spatial bag.

A hint of panic flashed across her youthful face as she turned to her two senior brothers, shouting, “Senior Brothers, run!”

“Run?” Tantai Ming was in the thick of battle; why would he run now? Then, the girl’s clear voice echoed in his mind, causing both of them to change expressions and flee without a second thought.

Once the dust settled, the three had long vanished, leaving no trace behind. “How could they escape? I thought they were brave! Turns out they are just cowards.”

Qiu Xiude retracted his sword and took a moment to recuperate, then looked at Qin Xixue, smiling, “Junior Sister, you truly deserve your reputation as the new generation’s prodigy.”

Qin Xixue blushed and smiled, not denying it, and approached to pick the spiritual herb. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and a massive shadow loomed over them.