Wine Boils, Sword Sings—Slaying the Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King! Zhu Zhuqing Encounters...

Deep within the valley.

Sword-tailed Scorpions lay sprawled across the ground, sound asleep.

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King rested alone atop a massive, flattened boulder, its three swordtails swaying unconsciously.

Then, at that moment.

Bang! Bang!

Chunks of stone flew toward the swarm of Sword-tailed Scorpions, startling every one of them awake.

"Come on, chase me."

Zhu Zhuqing gripped the bamboo tube, her palm slick with sweat.

Seeing the Sword-tailed Scorpions raise their swordtails and charge at her with shrill cries, she turned and ran.

"One minute!"

"I can do it!"

"Li Zhixian, the rest is up to you!"

Seeing all its subordinates chase after the enemy,

the Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King remained lazily still.

Such a weak enemy was not worthy of its intervention.

However,

just as it was about to resume its nap,

hurried footsteps sounded, drawing nearer and nearer.

Whoosh—!

The mist deep in the valley was disturbed.

A figure suddenly burst forth, a purple soul ring rising beneath his feet as a streak of azure sword light erupted with terrifying sharpness.

"Azure Blade Severance!"

It was Li Zhixian.

He did not dare waste any time. The moment he entered the valley, he unleashed his soul skill.

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King had not expected another enemy.

Sensing the threat from that sword light, it let out an enraged shriek.

Its three swordtails slashed fiercely outward, flashing with cold bronze light and making the air hum without end.

The Azure Lotus Sword collided head-on with the three swordtails.

Clang—!

A piercing clash of metal exploded!

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King was knocked off the stone platform!

Li Zhixian was also sent violently backward. His feet plowed deep furrows through the ground. He drove the Azure Lotus Sword into the earth and slid several more meters before finally stopping in a wretched state.

"What terrifying power!"

Li Zhixian's right hand, which gripped the sword, trembled uncontrollably.

Yet he did not dare pause for even a moment.

"One minute!"

"Only one minute!"

Through sweat-soaked strands of hair, a faint red glint could be seen in Li Zhixian's eyes.

"My sword and Wine Martial Soul complement each other!"

"Today, Wine Boils, Sword Sings!"

The Clear Spring Wine Gourd floated before him.

Li Zhixian snatched it in one hand, pulled out the stopper, and raised it to pour wine down his throat.

The instant the fiery liquor rolled into his throat,

vast energy erupted from within his body.

The Azure Lotus Sword hummed and trembled, its azure edge surging three inches longer.

At that moment,

the Scorpion King's swordtail shot toward his head like lightning, tearing through the air.

Li Zhixian rolled to the side.

The swordtail crashed down beside him, carving a trench through the earth as spiderweb cracks spread outward.

"Azure Blade Severance!"

Li Zhixian leaped into the air.

The expanded azure edge carried the Azure Lotus Sword's sharpness to its very limit.

Screech—!

One swordtail snapped apart in response.

Bronze-colored blood gushed out like a waterfall.

But before Li Zhixian could rejoice,

the Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King let out a pained shriek. Its remaining two swordtails twisted together into a spiral and shot toward his chest with a piercing sonic boom.

Li Zhixian hastily spun and slashed sideways.

The sword edge collided with the swordtails, scattering fine sparks.

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King's strength was simply too great.

Li Zhixian was smashed into the rock wall, broken stones and bloody foam spilling from his mouth.

And it was not over yet.

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King pounced.

Its two entwined swordtails split apart and viciously pierced through Li Zhixian's shoulders from either side.

Li Zhixian gave a muffled groan as blood streamed down from the corner of his mouth.

He slowly raised his head.

His gaze met the Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King's violent compound eyes.

The clash between man and beast appeared to have ended in Li Zhixian's defeat.

Yet he suddenly smiled.

The Azure Lotus Sword and the Clear Spring Wine Gourd swept up beside him.

Splash, splash—!

The Clear Spring Wine Gourd slowly tipped over.

Clear, fragrant wine poured over the Azure Lotus Sword.

As the amber liquid soaked into the blade, the Azure Lotus Sword, once wreathed in azure light, turned red like molten iron.

Lotuses bloomed one after another along its azure edge!

The wine boiled fiercely, and the sword body hummed!

This was Wine Boils, Sword Sings!

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King sensed that something was wrong.

It tried to retract its two swordtails.

But it was already too late.

Crimson sword qi surged forth like a blood dragon emerging from the abyss, and the Azure Lotus Sword burst with a nearly blood-red edge.

It slashed down upon the two swordtails in an instant.

The Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King let out a miserable shriek.

Feeling the swordtails embedded in his shoulders lose their strength, Li Zhixian gritted his teeth and forced himself upright. He grasped the Azure Lotus Sword, and scorching heat flooded his hand.

Burning away the last of his Soul Power, Li Zhixian sprang upward.

The sword in his hand fell like a meteor, stabbing down from above at the Three-Tailed Swordtail Scorpion King as it frantically retreated.

Screech—!

The blade pierced flesh.

The two severed tails writhed wildly on the ground.

Li Zhixian knelt on one knee, bracing himself against the sword embedded in the Scorpion King's skull as he panted heavily.

Then,

a purple soul ring slowly rose from the Scorpion King's corpse.

Zhu Zhuqing ran with her head down.

About five or six meters behind her, Sword-tailed Scorpions pursued her relentlessly.

"One minute!"

"One minute!"

"It's only been... ten seconds!"

Zhu Zhuqing clenched her pearly teeth tightly, sweat beading across her smooth forehead.

A whistling sound suddenly rang out beside her.

She pushed off with the tip of her foot.

She leaped onto the branch of a massive tree.

At her previous position,

a swordtail split the ground apart.

Zhu Zhuqing's delicate brows twitched as she hurriedly continued fleeing.

Her long black hair was whipped into a mess by the wind, sticking to her cheeks.

Her fitted black outfit had also been torn with gashes during her escape.

Zhu Zhuqing felt like crying.

Having been pampered since childhood, she had never been this miserable before.

"Li Zhixian!"

"You really owe me one!"

"I've sacrificed far too much!"

Thinking this, Zhu Zhuqing lifted the bamboo tube in her hand and took a gulp.

Although she did not understand

why Li Zhixian had told her to drink while running,

she still did as he said.

And the instant the wine entered her throat,

gentle yet mighty energy spread through her body.

Her legs, which had begun to ache and weaken, were instantly revitalized.

Even the Soul Power within her began to boil.

"Huh?!"

Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes widened as she stared at the bamboo tube in her hand in astonishment.

"This wine..."

She jumped onto a huge boulder.

Once again evading a swordtail's attack.

Then, she cautiously took another gulp of wine.

The same pleasant sensation flowed throughout her body.

Her speed suddenly increased by thirty percent, instantly widening the distance between herself and the Sword-tailed Scorpions by several meters.

"Good wine, good wine!"

Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed as she thought joyfully:

"No wonder Li Zhixian never lets go of his wine!"

"So his wine is this good!"

And so, taking a sip now and then,

Zhu Zhuqing was still being chased by the Sword-tailed Scorpions, but she gradually began to handle it with ease.

Until...

Two Thousand-Year Swordtail Scorpions joined the pursuit!

"Damn it!"

Watching the two Thousand-Year Swordtail Scorpions rapidly approach from the corner of her eye,

even Zhu Zhuqing's flushed face turned pale.

"Where did these Thousand-Year Swordtail Scorpions come from? Weren't they out foraging?!"

Zhu Zhuqing anxiously drank gulp after gulp.

But before long, the wine in the bamboo tube ran dry.

Then,

the two Thousand-Year Swordtail Scorpions suddenly sprang into the air.

They landed directly in front of her, blocking the path.

The Sword-tailed Scorpions shrieked as they surrounded Zhu Zhuqing from all sides.

With nowhere left to retreat, Zhu Zhuqing completely panicked.

After all, she was only a twelve-year-old girl.

Seeing so many hideous Sword-tailed Scorpions up close, her eyes gradually reddened.

"Hiss—!"

One Thousand-Year Swordtail Scorpion charged at her.

Exhausted, Zhu Zhuqing had no time to dodge. She could only close her eyes in despair and think:

"Li Zhixian!"

"It's already been a minute. Where are you?!"