[Step on Grass +1 time!]
[Imitate Tiger's Roar +1 time!]
[Conceal Blood +1 time!]
[...]
Qin Shuang had stuffed grass beneath his soles. As he used Step on Grass to race along, he let out low tiger roars, concealed blood with his left hand, and balanced pills in his right. In his mind, a voice rang out in a rapid-fire barrage.
He moved swiftly. Half an hour later, he stood outside Fusheng Restaurant, carrying more than ten steamed buns and a roast chicken.
He opened the door.
Qin Shuang headed straight for the third floor, but Nangong Wan'er was nowhere to be seen.
Just as Qin Shuang was wondering where she had gone, a voice as melodious as an oriole sounded behind him. "You're back?"
"Mm."
"I brought you some food."
Qin Shuang turned to look at Nangong Wan'er and offered her the buns and roast chicken. He noticed that her complexion looked much better than before.
"Are you going out again?"
Nangong Wan'er took the buns and roast chicken and asked.
"Yes. I went to the Xuan Yin Mountain Range and killed a White Jade Golden Pattern Python. I need to buy an Alchemy Furnace to extract its blood essence."
Qin Shuang nodded and replied.
"All right, go ahead..."
Nangong Wan'er nodded and was about to say something else when her pretty face suddenly changed. She looked toward the roof of an inn outside the restaurant, her beautiful eyes turning solemn.
"Miss Nangong...?"
Seeing that something was wrong with Nangong Wan'er, Qin Shuang immediately asked.
"People from the Divine Saber Sect have arrived. Go downstairs first."
Nangong Wan'er spoke to Qin Shuang.
At that moment, Nangong Wan'er's expression was extremely grave. She had never expected Situ Rui to be so patient and still be waiting in Qingzhou City. If he had waited just one more day, she would have been free of worry.
Because...
Her injuries had already healed by more than ninety percent. One more day, and she would be completely recovered!
By then, she would have been confident of escaping Situ Rui's pursuit.
"Hmph!"
"You dare shelter a traitor to my Divine Saber Sect and think you'll live?"
"I'll send the two of you to hell together!"
Just then, a chilling voice rang out. The instant it reached Qin Shuang's ears, he felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar, like a venomous snake had fixed its gaze on him!
As the voice sounded, a tall young man in his early twenties appeared on the roof of the inn across Long Street from the restaurant. He wore fine clothes and carried a saber on his back.
The Brocade-robed Youth had thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes, giving him the air of a man with a deep, calculating nature.
At that moment, a white, circular Light Wheel, one zhang across, appeared behind him. Its radiance blazed, and two crimson halos ringed its edge. It exuded a powerful, terrifying aura that made people dare not look directly at it!
"Situ Rui, without your father's Startling Swan Saber, you wouldn't be a match for me!"
Nangong Wan'er looked at the brocade-clad youth opposite her, wariness in her beautiful eyes, and spoke in a low voice.
"Nangong Wan'er, did you think I'd fall for your provocation and leave my Startling Swan Saber unused?"
Situ Rui's gaze roamed brazenly over Nangong Wan'er's figure as he let out a sinister chuckle. "Keep dreaming! I'm going to capture you alive and have my way with you. When I'm done, you won't be able to bear killing me!"
"Shing!"
Nangong Wan'er's pretty face darkened with fury. Her saber flashed from its sheath, pointing at Situ Rui. She wasn't afraid of him; she was simply wary of how sharp his Startling Swan Saber was!
"Miss Nangong, use this saber!"
Qin Shuang looked at Situ Rui across from them, narrowed his eyes, and held out the Yellow Springs Saber to Nangong Wan'er.
From what Nangong Wan'er had said, he understood that she wasn't outmatched by Situ Rui in strength. The problem was that Situ Rui had a saber called Startling Swan!
Judging by Situ Rui's words, if Nangong Wan'er lost, Qin Shuang would certainly be doomed as well.
So...
If he gave Nangong Wan'er the Yellow Springs Saber, perhaps she would have a chance of winning!
He had obtained this saber from the mysterious senior. It could cut through iron like mud, and Qin Shuang had a feeling it was no ordinary weapon.
"This..."
Nangong Wan'er looked at Qin Shuang, a thoughtful glimmer in her beautiful eyes. The saber in her hand was a thousand-forged weapon, but it was a whole grade below the Startling Swan Saber.
Qin Shuang's saber was dark and gloomy. Could it really be stronger than her thousand-forged weapon?
Still, Nangong Wan'er accepted the Black Saber from Qin Shuang. The instant she took the Yellow Springs Saber, a flicker of surprise crossed her beautiful eyes.
The moment she touched Qin Shuang's saber, she felt how heavy it was. A chill like that of ten thousand-year-old ice surged into her meridians!
"Hmph! It doesn't matter what saber you use; your fate won't change! Make your move!"
When the Brocade-robed Youth, Situ Rui, had finished speaking, he leaped into the air and abruptly drew his saber. A flash of white light streaked out, and a three-zhang blade arc descended toward Nangong Wan'er like a startled swan!
"Clang!"
Nangong Wan'er drew the Yellow Springs Saber. A white Light Wheel appeared around her as well, identical to Situ Rui's!
Two halos ringed its edge, too!
An equally terrifying aura spread from her!
Nangong Wan'er charged at Situ Rui and swung her saber. A three-zhang Azure Blade Light immediately cleaved toward his white blade arc. Beside Nangong Wan'er, Qin Shuang felt an extreme chill spreading from the Yellow Springs Saber!
The temperature around them plunged by five or six times in an instant!
Qin Shuang quickly used his movement technique to retreat, putting more distance between himself and Nangong Wan'er.
"Clang!"
"Ding!"
"Rumble!"
A thunderous roar erupted as the two clashed repeatedly in midair!
Their forces surged skyward. In an instant, half of the third floor of Fusheng Restaurant was sliced away. A two-foot-long section of blade spun into the air and landed on Long Street, dozens of zhang away. The violent force hurled the street's bluestone slabs more than a zhang into the air!
The instant Situ Rui's and Nangong Wan'er's sabers collided, their hands suddenly felt light. Then, their chests throbbed with pain, and a tremendous force sent them hurtling away!
"My saber... No!"
As Situ Rui landed, he looked at the hilt that was all that remained of the Startling Swan Saber in his hand. Shock and disbelief filled his eyes.
How was this possible?
The Startling Swan Saber had been his father's treasured weapon. It was a Mid-grade Spirit Artifact, sharp enough to cut through iron like mud and capable of negating thirty percent of an enemy's power. How could it have been broken by the saber Nangong Wan'er held?
Could the saber in Nangong Wan'er's hands have surpassed the Mid-grade Spirit Artifact rank and given birth to an Artifact Spirit?
"Pfft!"
Situ Rui spat out a mouthful of blood. The moment it hit the ground, it turned into blood-red ice chips!
He looked down and saw a horrific wound on his chest, deep enough to expose bone. The Dragon Scale Armor his father had given him had been cut open by that strike as well. A wave of lingering fear washed over him. If the armor hadn't blocked some of the blade's force, he would already be dead!
"What kind of saber is that?"
As Nangong Wan'er charged toward him, a look of horror flashed through Situ Rui's eyes. The two layers of his Divine Wheel blazed with light, and the wound on his chest gradually stopped bleeding. He retreated to a rooftop dozens of zhang away, then vanished in a flash!
"Nangong Wan'er, you little bastard, you won't get away!"
A furious voice came from the distance. It gradually faded; Situ Rui had clearly fled.
By then, Nangong Wan'er's battle with Situ Rui had drawn quite a crowd of commoners and Jianghu travelers. They gathered at a distance, watching and chattering among themselves.
"What's going on...?"
Qin Shuang noticed that Nangong Wan'er hadn't pursued Situ Rui after gaining the upper hand. Instead, her face was grave as she set the Yellow Springs Saber aside, sat cross-legged on the third floor, and circulated her cultivation technique to recover. He couldn't help feeling puzzled.
As Nangong Wan'er meditated, Qin Shuang saw frost gathering all over her body. Even her delicate eyebrows had turned white.
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