Blood-Stained Long River

Almost the instant Li Weiyi was struck by the Sword Qi, Yang ZhiYong launched his attack, his halberd whirling like a windmill, aiming to strike while the iron was hot and finish him off. The idea of capturing him alive was long forgotten.

This kid is terrifying; his cultivation speed is heaven-defying.

Who can guarantee that he won't break through to another realm before the Qianlong Lantern Festival ends?

Having broken through another realm, who in the Sui Sect can subdue him?

"I've already told you, your halberd is too long and not suitable for use in confined spaces, why won't you listen?"

After exchanging several blows, Li Weiyi placed a palm on Yang ZhiYong's chest.

"Puff!"

His palm was like a five-fingered iron mountain, striking Yang ZhiYong and shattering his ribs, causing him to spit out blood and fly backward.

Although the Sword Qi from the Profound Needle struck him, most of it was blocked and neutralized by the Nightwalker's Robe and the Corpse Cloth Soft Armor, so he did not suffer serious injuries.

The water flows gently.

The stream of thoughts spread out again.

"Yang Qingxi, do you really think I'm afraid of you? You have helpers, and so do I."

Li Weiyi released the five Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors from the Insect Pouch, and then split into six groups to meet Yang Qingxi's attack.

As soon as they clashed, Yang Qingxi sensed something was wrong.

Li Weiyi's cultivation speed was already fast, but the insects she raised were also growing at an astonishing rate. In terms of speed alone, the five strange insects were no less than hers.

Yang Qingxi was on the offensive.

However, under the siege of one person and five insects, he immediately switched to a defensive stance, using his magical energy and Battle Intent to protect himself and avoid being approached by the strange insects.

The five Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors were no match for Yang Qingxi, as there was a significant gap in their cultivation levels. They were constantly being knocked away by the stream of intent. However, their bodies were as hard as gold and iron, and after shaking themselves, they instantly took flight again.

"The Tai Xuan Supreme Method, the Silk Rain Flying Sword Technique."

"Clang!"

A piercing sword cry rang out.

Yang Qingxi's three-foot-long Profound Needle transformed into a flying sword, as swift as a bright thread, weaving through the hall.

The speed was so fast that it was imperceptible to the naked eye.

Li Weiyi was terrified. He tried to capture the opponent three times and knocked it away with his sword. But he couldn't block the fourth time and was hit in the shoulder by the sword. It felt like being hit by a heavy hammer, and his left arm lost feeling.

"Bang!"

The innermost layer of his Corpse Cloth Soft Armor was activated, releasing blood energy and crimson scriptures that filled the entire hall.

"She actually has such a trump card, what kind of magic is this?"

Li Weiyi dared not remain stationary as before, and immediately Clear Void Cicada Evasion Step, his figure blurring like smoke, constantly changing and shifting. He figured that no matter how fast the needle sword was, it would still be under Yang Qingxi's control.

As long as Yang Qingxi's mind cannot lock onto him, the threat of the needle sword will be greatly reduced.

"Boom!"

The brothel's main gate was rammed open by a war chariot.

A large hole was shattered in the wall, and even the array was torn apart.

That chariot was Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool, a powerful weapon used by the Earth Wolf King Army to break through enemy lines.

Standing on the chariot, Shi Shishi shouted, "Brother Weiyi, is he dead yet?"

"If you had arrived any later, you would have been left only to collect my corpse!" Li Weiyi, in the midst of his escape, leaped onto the chariot.

A Phoenix Wing Moth Emperor stood atop Shi Shishi's head, looking at Li Weiyi with a smug expression, emitting a strange wolf-like howl.

It was too small to have ever howled like a wolf, but its call was very sweet.

Before Li Weiyi entered the brothel, he instructed it to use a wolf howl as a signal to find Shi Shishi.

Shi Shishi looked at the dilapidated brothel lobby in front of him, then at Yang ZhiYong, who was lying on the ground seriously injured, and Yang Qingxi, whose long hair was disheveled and who looked quite miserable.

He felt completely superfluous, utterly shocked. "You must be mistaken! I feel like if I had arrived any later, I would have been calling Miss Yang -in-law'! How did you suddenly become so powerful?"

"Clang!"

The Profound Needle flew over.

Shi Shishi's magical energy surged into the chariot, instantly creating countless wolf shadows in front of it. One hundred and twenty-eight bright scriptures flew out from the chariot, blocking the Profound Needle and forming ripples of light.

Li Weiyi stared intently at the trembling Profound Needle, pondering how to counter Yang Qingxi's move.

It's terrifying. Even a master of the Inheritor-level would probably have a terrible headache facing it.

The "Spirit Treasure Seizing" technique, cultivated through Battle Intent, may be able to steal it. Alternatively, it can directly attack her true form, but this requires extremely high precision in speed and timing.

"Whoosh!"

Li Weiyi flew out, just about to use his Spirit Treasure Seizing.

Yang Qingxi retracted the Profound Needle, and a ripple of magical energy surged from her body, scattering all the Phoenix Wing Moth Emperor. Then, she landed on the ground like a blur, picked up the heavily injured Yang ZhiYong with one hand, smashed through the wooden wall, and rushed out onto the main street.

Now that the Earth Wolf King Army has arrived, they are naturally doomed to a crushing defeat.

Outside.

Tao Yanyan's loud shout rang out, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Boom!"

The gourd-shaped War Hammer, the size of a washbasin, was swung out, knocking Yang Qingxi back to the ground.

"Swish! Swish!"

Li Weiyi and Shi Shishi rushed out of the brothel like lightning, one wielding a sword and the other gripping a claw, their Battle Intent following each other like shadows.

The four masters clashed in a chaotic battle.

After a dozen or so moves, Yang Qingxi let out a low, miserable cry, and was thrown out along with Yang ZhiYong, rolling to the left and right on the wide street.

Yang Qingxi was struck in the back by Tao Yanyan's gourd-shaped War Hammer. Even with his protective battle armor, he still bled from his mouth and nose and was severely injured. It was extremely difficult for him to struggle to his feet.

She is neither Hidden Nine, who has obtained the Battle Intent of the God of Jiu Li, nor Jiang Ning, whose Hundred Meridian Lines All Silver, and she cannot fight three against one.

The martial arts practitioners from the Sui Sect on Changning Street rushed this way, but were blocked by the Earth Wolf King Army.

Yang Yun was unable to escape; his Achilles tendon was severed by the wing of a Phoenix Wing Moth Emperor, and he collapsed on the side of the street.

A voice came from inside the building. "Tao Yanyan, Shi Shishi, let her leave. I, Yao Qian, owe you each a favor."

Upon hearing Yao Qian's voice, Tao Yanyan and Shi Shishi were both shocked, but quickly regained their composure.

Because, on a low wall to the right of the brothel, stood a young woman in a Daoist robe, holding a pen in one hand and a book in the other, quickly writing down. "Li Weiyi of Lizhou, the Fifth Realm of the Five Seas, who led the insects to defeat Yang Qingxi."

Tao Yanyan and Shi Shishi's names and records were not included in the roster, which clearly indicates that this battle was not particularly impressive.

Li Weiyi wasn't afraid of Yao Qian's attack at all. He quickly stepped in front of Yang Qingxi, placed the Yellow Dragon Sword against her neck, and demanded, "Where are my things?"

"What?"

Yang Qingxi was badly injured; her face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were blank.

Li Weiyi didn't want too many people to know that the Spring Coin was in Yang Qingxi's hands, so he used his magical energy to transmit his voice. "Stop pretending, where is the Spring Coin?"

Yang Qingxi was even more confused, having no idea what Li Weiyi meant. Was he risking his life tonight just to steal the Spring Coin from her?

With cold eyes and clenched teeth, she took off her purse and handed it over.

Li Weiyi took the money bag, opened it, and took a look.

There were only a few dozen Spring Coin and some Silver Coin inside.

Li Weiyi's fingers trembled, and he almost couldn't control his speechless emotions. He was about to die, and they still had to play tricks on him?

"Is this what I want? Hand it over yourself. Don't force me to search you; it'll make things awkward for everyone." Li Weiyi said in a low voice, then chose to compromise. "As long as you return my money... I might spare your life tonight."

Tonight's leniency doesn't mean tomorrow's leniency will follow.

Li Weiyi was confident that any enemy who was defeated by him would never be able to catch up with him again, and the gap would only widen.

At that moment, he couldn't care less about anything else; all he wanted was to get his money back.

Yang Qingxi realized that something she didn't know might have really happened. "You can be more direct."

Li Weiyi took a deep breath and said, word by word, "Those... five... boxes... of... Yuan... coins..."

"The five boxes of Spring Coin stolen from Soldier Ancestor Marsh's arena?" Yang Qingxi suddenly realized, instantly understanding.

Li Weiyi said, "Take it out, and I'll give it to you in exchange for your life."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Yang Qingxi asked, "What makes you think it's in my hands?"

Li Weiyi lost patience with continuing the conversation, "Search her body, search her entire body."

"Okay, I'll do it."

Shi Shishi volunteered.

Li Weiyi glared at him, then looked at Bai Shu: "You come here."

Bai Shu carefully searched Yang Qingxi's body and found a boundary bag.

After examining the boundary bag, Li Weiyi shook his head. "Continue searching!"

After searching the entire area, they naturally found nothing. Bai Shu rested her chin on her finger. "Martial cultivators who cultivate the Seventh Sea can store some extremely important things in their ancestral field. What you're looking for might be in her ancestral field."

Li Weiyi did not believe that Yang Qingxi would hide five boxes of Spring Coin in the ancestral field. He used his mental power to summon "Second Phoenix" and prepared to have it identify the magical energy.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly.

Spatial fluctuations appeared in the ancestral field below Yang Qingxi's navel, and countless needles flew out from it.

"Careful!"

Li Weiyi pushed Bai Shu aside and rammed into Yang Qingxi.

Wearing Nightwalker's Robe and Corpse Cloth Soft Armor, the upper body is immune to flying needles of magical energy.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yang Qingxi disregarded the fact that her neck was about to be severed and forcibly broke free from the Yellow Dragon Sword at her side, leaving a hideous and terrifying sword wound on her snow-white neck.

"Bang! Bang!"

The two exchanged several blows, then both were forced back and separated, allowing Yang Qingxi to escape.

Bai Shu waved her arm, and a beam of Talisman Light struck Yang Qingxi's back.

Behind Xianle Brothel was a wide river. By the time Li Weiyi caught up, Yang Qingxi had already vanished without a trace.

Yang Qingxi's ability to escape from Zuoqiu Ting's grasp demonstrates his exceptional speed and skill in concealment.

Shi Shishi came to Li Weiyi's side and examined him. "It should be the Water Escape technique from the Five Elements Escape Techniques, similar in principle to the Earth Escape technique practiced by our Earth Wolf King Army's martial artists, but even more sophisticated."

Li Weiyi said, "It's no coincidence that Yang Qingxi chose this location as his hiding place. Miss Bai Shu, was that a tracking talisman you just used?"

Bai Shu shook her head. "The Six Desires Talisman!"

Li Weiyi and Shi Shishi both looked at her in astonishment.

"Don't joke around! This woman must have taken Brother Weiyi important treasure; we must catch up with her," Shi Shishi.

Bai Shu said, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Li Weiyi sensed something, squatted down, and looked at the river.

The river water was turning increasingly red.

His gaze drifted upstream, and his expression froze.

This river, which flowed from the Peach Plum Mountain, through the city, and into Soldier Ancestor Marsh, turned into a Blood River.

Some mutilated corpses appeared on the river surface.

"What kind of fierce battle took place upstream? The river water is all stained red."

Upon seeing this scene, Shi Shishi and Bai Shu's faces turned solemn and pale.

The number of corpses rushing downstream kept increasing; some were wearing official robes, some were Demon Race martial artists, and some were martial artists from the Jiu Li Tribe and the Zuoqiu Courtyard.

Li Weiyi's expression suddenly changed, and a strand of magical energy flew out from his fingertips, retrieving a brocade-clad corpse and placing it on the shore.

To be precise, it was half a body.

Qi Wangshu was cut in half at the waist, leaving only his upper body.

Shi Shishi knew that Qi Wangshu was Li Weiyi's friend, and comforted him, "Brother Weiyi, this is war, and tonight is a war of life and death. The Imperial Court must win, and the Zuoqiu Courtyard and the Jiu Li Tribe must also win, which means it is destined to be a bloodbath. Moreover, judging from the looks of it, the Ash Region of the Far West has also joined in."

Li Weiyi, with a heavy heart, put Qi Wangshu's half-body body into a bag, then took Yang ZhiYong and Yang Yun with him and rushed back to Qin Garden.

Even in the most dangerous situations, Yang Qingxi always took Yang ZhiYong with her when she escaped. This shows that the two of them were useful, and that Yang Qingxi also had her weaknesses.

Bai Shu and Li Weiyi traveled together.

"Once Yang Qingxi realizes she's been afflicted by the Six Desires Talisman, she'll definitely come looking for you. This is the best way to control her!"

With three trump cards in hand, Li Weiyi was convinced he couldn't find the five boxes of Spring Coin.

He decided to return to Qin Garden and hide for a while, using the Dao Fruit to cultivate his fourth Qi Sea to perfection.

Tonight's battle is destined to be fierce.

Nobody knows what the layout of Qiuzhou city will be like tomorrow.

Only with sufficiently strong cultivation can one protect oneself and then advance.

Back at Qin Garden, Li Weiyi and Bai Shu immediately used their telekinetic powers to set up more formations and defensive measures.

The sounds of battle echoed throughout the city all night.

The next day, it was barely dawn.

Hidden Nine and Cangli fled to Qin Garden, covered in blood.

Li Weiyi immediately activated the formation, allowing them to enter, and instructed Bai Shu to clean up the bloodstains along the way.

Hidden Nine had lost an arm, his Nightwalker's Robe were long since torn to shreds, and his exposed upper body was like a rotten mess, covered in bloody wounds, with countless broken bones. His battle axe was full of chips and looked like scrap metal.

Cangli's armor was tattered, his back was dented from being struck by a claw, and his skull was severely deformed.

He gently placed Yin Shi, whom he was holding, on the ground.

Yin Shi's body was pierced by a claw, leaving a bloody hole the size of a bowl. His internal organs were shattered. It was only by Cangli continuously channeling his magical energy that he was kept alive.

Blood kept gushing from her mouth. "Brother... Brother..."

Hidden Nine quickly bent down and grasped her cold little hand with his one-armed one, tears streaming down his face. "A-Li... A-Li... I'm here... We escaped from Phoenix-born Unicorn-young's clutches... It's all thanks to you, all thanks to you..."

Yin Shi was speechless. His hand went limp, and although his eyes remained open, the pupils had lost their luster.

Even when Hidden Nine, Cangli, Li Weiyi all channeled their magical energy together, it was to no avail.

Hidden Nine, with his strong and resilient character, was now weeping and unable to speak.

Cangli to one side, his eyes red and bloodshot.

Li Weiyi found it hard to accept this fact; her eyes were blank and empty as she gazed at the lakeside cottage in the distance.

In my mind, the image of Yin Shi's exquisite dance in his room that night floated into my mind: her flowing silk dress, the tinkling of her jade pendants, her white gauze shawl, her slender waist cinched. When the song ended, she was gone, leaving only the fragrance filling the room.

Another 7,000 words or so, I guess I'll just have to pay it back slowly.