Wine Boiling Sword's Cry, Slay the Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King! Zhu Zhuqing in Peril

Deep within the valley.

Sword Scorpions lay sprawled across the ground, sound asleep.

Atop a huge, smoothly hewn boulder, the Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King lay alone, its three sword tails swaying unconsciously.

Just then.

Bang! Bang!

Chunks of rock hurtled toward the Sword Scorpion swarm, waking them all.

"Come on, chase me."

Zhu Zhuqing clutched a bamboo tube, her palm slick with sweat.

As she watched the Sword Scorpions raise their sword tails high and charge at her with hissing cries, she turned and ran.

"One minute!"

"I can do this!"

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

Seeing all its underlings chase after the enemy, the Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King remained lazily motionless.

Such a weak enemy was not worth its intervention.

However, just as it was about to resume its nap, hurried footsteps sounded, drawing nearer and nearer.

Whoosh—!

The mist deep within the valley was disturbed.

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

"Azure Edge Severance!"

The newcomer was Li Zhexian.

He did not dare waste any time. The moment he rushed into the valley, he unleashed his Spirit Skill.

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King had not expected another enemy.

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

Its three sword tails slashed out viciously, flashing with cold bronze light and cleaving the air until it buzzed incessantly.

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

Clang—!

A piercing metallic crash exploded!

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King was blasted off the stone platform!

Li Zhexian was likewise forced into a rapid retreat. His feet plowed deep furrows through the ground. He stabbed the Azure Lotus Sword into the earth and slid several more meters before finally stopping in a sorry state.

"What terrifying strength!"

Li Zhexian's sword-holding right hand trembled uncontrollably.

But he did not dare pause.

"One minute!"

"Only one minute!"

Through sweat-soaked strands of hair, a faint crimson could be seen in Li Zhexian's eyes.

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

"Today, Wine Boiling Sword Cry!"

The Clear Spring Wine Gourd floated before him.

Li Zhexian grabbed it, pulled out the stopper, and raised it to his lips, gulping down the wine.

The instant the fiery liquor rolled down his throat, vast energy erupted from within him.

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

At that moment, the Scorpion King's sword tail flashed like lightning, tearing through the air as it shot straight for his head.

Li Zhexian twisted aside and rolled.

The sword tail crashed down beside him, carving a trench into the ground as spiderweb-like cracks spread outward.

"Azure Edge Severance!"

Li Zhexian soared into the air.

The surging azure edge carried the Azure Lotus Sword's near-ultimate sharpness.

Screech—!

One of the sword tails broke at the sound.

Copper-colored blood gushed out like a waterfall.

But Li Zhexian had no time to rejoice.

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King let out a pained shriek. Its remaining two sword tails twisted into a spiral and shot straight toward his chest with a piercing sonic boom.

Li Zhexian hastily spun and slashed sideways.

The sword edge collided with the sword tails, scattering a shower of fine sparks.

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King was far too powerful.

Li Zhexian was smashed into the rock wall, blood-flecked stone fragments spilling from his mouth.

And it was not over yet.

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King pounced.

Its two entwined sword tails separated and viciously stabbed into Li Zhexian's shoulders, one from each side.

Li Zhexian let out a muffled grunt as blood streamed from the corner of his mouth.

He slowly raised his head.

His gaze met the Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King's compound eyes, filled with brutality.

In this clash between man and beast, Li Zhexian appeared to have lost.

Yet he suddenly smiled.

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

Splash—!

The Clear Spring Wine Gourd slowly tipped over.

Clear, fragrant wine poured over the Azure Lotus Sword.

As the amber liquid soaked the blade, the Azure Lotus Sword, which had been radiating azure light, turned molten-red like smelted iron.

Lotus flowers bloomed across the Azure Blade!

The wine boiled fiercely, and the sword body hummed!

This was Wine Boiling Sword Cry!

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King sensed something was wrong.

It tried to pull back its two sword tails.

But it was already too late.

Crimson sword energy surged forth like a blood dragon emerging from an abyss, and the Azure Lotus Sword erupted with an edge nearly red as blood.

It flashed down at the two sword tails.

The Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King shrieked miserably.

Feeling the sword tails lodged in his shoulders lose their strength, Li Zhexian gritted his teeth and forced himself upright. He gripped the Azure Lotus Sword, and his hand was met with searing heat.

Burning away the last of his Soul Power, Li Zhexian leaped up.

Like a meteor crashing to earth, the sword in his hand stabbed down at the Three-tailed Sword Scorpion King as it frantically retreated.

Screech—!

The blade pierced flesh.

The two severed tails writhed wildly on the ground.

Half-kneeling, Li Zhexian braced himself against the sword embedded in the Scorpion King's head and gasped for breath.

At that moment.

A purple Spirit Ring slowly rose from the Scorpion King's corpse.

Zhu Zhuqing ran with her head lowered.

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

"One minute!"

"One minute!"

"Only... ten seconds have passed!"

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

A sudden whistling sound split the air at her side.

She pushed off with the tip of her foot.

Leaping onto the branch of a massive tree.

At the spot where she had just been.

A sword tail cleaved the ground apart in an explosion.

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 slashed open in several places during her escape.

Zhu Zhuqing felt like crying but had no tears.

Having been pampered since childhood, she had never been in such a sorry state.

"Li Zhexian!"

"You really owe me one!"

"I've sacrificed far too much!"

Zhu Zhuqing thought this as she lifted the bamboo tube in her hand and took a gulp.

Though she did not understand.

Why Li Zhexian had told her to drink Wine while running away.

She still did as he said.

And the instant the Wine entered her throat.

A gentle yet majestic energy spread through her body.

Her legs, which had been somewhat sore and weak, instantly regained their strength.

Even the Soul Power within her began to boil.

"Hm?!"

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

"This Wine..."

She leaped onto a huge boulder.

Dodging another strike from a sword tail.

Then, she tried taking another gulp of Wine.

The same soothing sensation flowed through her entire body.

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

"Good Wine, good Wine!"

Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed red as she thought delightedly:

"No wonder that guy Li Zhexian never lets go of his Wine!"

"So his Wine is this good!"

And so, taking a gulp of Wine every now and then.

Though Zhu Zhuqing was still being chased by the Sword Scorpions, she gradually became far more at ease.

Until...

Two Thousand-year Sword Scorpions joined the pursuit!

"Damn it!"

Watching the two Thousand-year Sword Scorpions rapidly close in from the corner of her eye.

Even Zhu Zhuqing's flushed face turned pale.

"Where did these Thousand-year Sword Scorpions come from? Weren't they out hunting?!"

In her panic, Zhu Zhuqing gulped down Wine again and again.

But before long, the Wine in the bamboo tube had run dry.

At that moment.

The two Thousand-year Sword Scorpions suddenly sprang into the air.

Landing directly in front of her and blocking her path.

One Sword Scorpion after another hissed as they surrounded Zhu Zhuqing.

With nowhere left to retreat, Zhu Zhuqing panicked completely.

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

Now that she was seeing so many ferocious Sword Scorpions up close, her eyes gradually reddened.

"Hiss—!"

A Thousand-year Sword Scorpion charged at her.

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

"Li Zhexian!"

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