Slaughter Sword Intent, The Sword Cultivator's Sword

She composed herself, taking the battle a bit more seriously.

Mu Jin wiped the water from his face and let out a cold laugh. "So what if she's at Golden Core stage! I didn't get to where I am today by never killing Golden Core cultivators!"

With a low growl, fierce sword energy erupted from the ground, his killing intent surging like a tide, uprooting trees in all directions.

This Slaughter Sword Intent materialized, converging before Yuan Xi, aiming directly for her life.

Yuan Xi remained unhurried. She tossed her longsword, spiritual energy surging from her fingertips.

Countless illusory sword lights spun before her, each blade entwined with fine Water Silk, emitting a chilling aura.

Mu Jin's Slaughter Sword Intent swept in, its powerful impact crashing against the illusory sword lights.

Yuan Xi held a sword in her hand, calmly executing the Tai Chi Swordplay.

The fierce, aggressive sword energy that rushed towards her was met with a gentle parry, shattering instantly.

It was the epitome of overcoming the strong with the soft.

Countless strands of Water Silk coiled around her, moving with her sword techniques, invisibly shattering all of Mu Jin's Slaughter Sword Intent.

Mu Jin hadn't expected Yuan Xi to break his sword intent formation so easily. His expression grew more serious.

He closed the distance while Yuan Xi was occupied defending against his sword energy. His longsword flashed like a rainbow, his killing intent surging as he tore through the Water Silk, striking directly at Yuan Xi's face.

In a flash, Yuan Xi blocked with her longsword, spiritual energy erupting and repelling them both a few steps back.

Within moments, the two were locked in combat once more.

Sword energy cleaved mountains, Water Silk entangled swords, dragons roared, and cold light split the sky.

The resounding shockwaves reached the heavens, alerting the evil cultivators performing their sacrifice nearby.

Priestess Gu Ming had just withdrawn her dagger when the sounds of explosions and splashing water disturbed her. She turned and ordered, "Send someone to investigate what's happening."

Her deputy asked with a worried frown, "Lord Gu Ming, could it be that someone from Ming City has discovered something?"

"If Ming City had discovered anything, they wouldn't dare make such a commotion in the middle of the night. They'd be utterly foolish."

"That's true..."

Gu Ming ascended the sacrificial altar. She flipped the dagger in her palm, a cold glint slashing an afterimage, cutting open the flesh of the sacrifice on the altar.

The evil cultivators lined up below shouted excitedly, their eyes brimming with intense hunger, their expressions frenzied.

Gu Ming's red lips curved into a smile, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Not long after, the scout returned, bringing a Grey-robed Daoist with him.

"Priestess, two cultivators are fighting by Luo Jiao Lake. This man was lurking around suspiciously. We don't know what he's up to!"

Upon hearing the word "Priestess," the Grey-robed Daoist instinctively shivered.

Black clothes with red flowers, a venomous beauty, a purple-gold mask, by the shore of the other world's flowers.

It was Gu Ming, one of the Twelve Priests!

"Priestess Gu Ming, spare me! I'm under Lord Gu Hun's command. Please let me go."

Gu Ming parted her red lips, her voice sweet and charming. "Someone from Gu Hun? What are you doing on my territory?"

"We were initially targeting three children. Who knew these three children came from a Sect, and their talent was exceptional? We didn't capture them and almost got ourselves killed."

"I wasn't willing to let the mission fail, so I kept following these three, waiting for an opportunity to strike. I didn't expect to accidentally wander onto your territory..."

"Talent was exceptional?" Gu Ming's charming voice slowly repeated the phrase.

The Grey-robed Daoist nodded vigorously. "I didn't see the eldest one make a move, but there were two children, about five or six years old, who had reached the Fifth Stage of Qi Refining... I simply couldn't bear to give up, so I followed them all the way."

"Couldn't bear to give up?"

Gu Ming swayed as she walked down the steps. Her fair, slender fingers lifted the Grey-robed Daoist's chin. "Is it that you couldn't bear to give up, or that you couldn't swallow your pride?"

"Listening to the sounds of this fight, they're at least at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. You must not want to live much longer if you're so eager to rush to your death?"

The Grey-robed Daoist was forced to look up. As his eyes met Gu Ming's, it felt like a needle had pierced his brain, causing him to contort his face in pain.

A dozen breaths later, Gu Ming released him and stood up, lowering her gaze to wipe her fingertips.

The Grey-robed Daoist lay on the ground, eyes vacant and unfocused. He twitched a few times and then lay still.

After wiping her hands, Gu Ming slowly spoke, "I've decided I'm taking the heads of those three!"

Geniuses?

She loved geniuses the most!

Swords clashed, sparks flying. The powerful airflow flattened everything within a ten-mile radius.

More than half of Luo Jiao Lake had been emptied, and the ground was crisscrossed with cracks, now filled with lake water.

Shrubs were bent and broken, some even pulverized into dust, with debris scattered everywhere.

As the sword light subsided, a translucent strand of Water Silk chased the wind and clouds, piercing the void with the momentum of a rainbow, heading straight for Mu Jin's face.

Mu Jin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

He used his finger like a blade, slicing open a gash on his palm. Bright red blood spurted out.

Mu Jin drew a talisman in the air, the blood dragging a long tail through the void as the spiritual energy in his Dantian rapidly depleted.

"The commotion we're making with our fight is this huge, and you still want my life?"

A wicked smile flickered across his pale face.

Yuan Xi eyed him coldly, "We have a private vendetta. Why would I need many excuses to kill you?"

"You..." Mu Jin felt an urge to curse at that moment.

While he was indeed arrogant, he genuinely had no idea where he had offended this girl. She had been radiating murderous intent towards him since the first day they met.

It was him who had been at a disadvantage all along, wasn't it?!

Yuan Xi unleashed the Vertical Thunder Art, nimbly pulling her sword from the ground and instantly covering it with spiritual energy.

The sword body trembled, releasing a powerful wave of energy that rippled outwards. She swept her sword, its tip pointing directly at Mu Jin.

"Your spiritual energy is almost depleted. There's no point in stalling for time!"

"You noticed? Heh."

Mu Jin chuckled softly, the blood talisman in his hand now complete. "But time is just about up."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Xi's Water Silk charged towards him. Mu Jin blocked with his sword, and under the enhancement of the blood talisman, an impenetrable shield formed around him.

Yuan Xi stood still in the air, her tone flat.

"When a sword cultivator's sword can only be used for defense, you have already lost."

Mu Jin's eyes turned red as he channeled all his spiritual energy to resist the Water Silk.

Just as he was about to retort, he saw Yuan Xi unleash the Tai Chi Swordplay again, furiously gathering spiritual energy from all directions.

His eyes widened in astonishment, and he muttered in a low voice, "So this is the might of a Sect cultivator?"

Before his words could fully register, Yuan Xi's sword stance was charged, all her spiritual energy converging at the sword's tip.

The immense pressure made it difficult for Mu Jin to breathe.

A single drop of water fell from the void, landing on the mirror-like sword tip.

Yuan Xi held her sword with one hand and flicked her fingertip in the air.

Water elements from all directions were mobilized, countless water droplets suspended in the void. In the distance, Luo Jiao Lake churned with monstrous waves.

Today's first chapter. The second will likely be later. I feel a bit dizzy from absorbing too much carbon monoxide by the fire.