♂,
Lightning crashed down. Wan Songxiao's face turned ashen, and Grandma looked grave. I silently invoked a spell and took them away again, deep into the mountains. Setting them down, I said, "Grandma, go ahead! I'll stay and cover your retreat! I'll be fine!"
"That remains to be seen!" No sooner had I spoken than the old immortal's sword shot toward my heart at an absurd speed!
Clang!
The golden Dao sword struck my shield. Wan Songxiao seized the opening to flee, flying straight into the forest. Grandma had intended to counterattack, but the old immortal severed her outstretched hand with a single slash!
My eyes turned bloodshot, but the old immortal merely gave a cold laugh. "By my reckoning, there isn't much time left to play. Let's end things here today!"
Grandma's forehead was drenched in sweat from the pain. The old immortal thrust at her again, and I roared, knocking his Dao sword aside with mine. But he seemed to have done it deliberately. The instant I struck, he redirected his sword toward my heart with uncanny precision!
"Grandma! Run!" My heart was protected by the Heart-Averting Lamp, so I had no fear of a sword piercing it! Taking the opportunity, I handed Grandma the Qingping Sword!
Grandma knew she would only hinder me in close combat, so she immediately fled into the surrounding area with the Qingping Sword!
For now, the Qingping Sword belonged to no one. Without being ritually refined, the treasure would not acknowledge a master.
The old immortal showed not the slightest regret at seeing Wan Songxiao and Grandma escape. His sword still pierced exactly where he had intended it to!
With a metallic hiss, the blade plunged straight into my heart. Landing such a solid thrust brightened his expression considerably. "Heh. A body