Missing Thoughts Literature

Last night, Yu Sui had just resolved the problem of competing for the Five Elements Qi from the Xirang. She had also condensed the Five Elements Light Core into a single core, preparing to focus on cultivating it to raise her realm.

Judging by the realm of her Five Elements Light Core, she was now a First Realm Nine Schools Practitioner. The star chart should have opened a basic Military Formation for her, yet somehow it had opened a Special Grade Armor Formation instead.

The world was shrouded in the smoke of war and filled with bloodlust. This power and atmosphere, bent on destroying everything, inevitably reminded Yu Sui of the strange fire inside her.

If she had to find an explanation within herself, that was the only possibility.

At that moment, Yu Sui wore an innocent expression as she met her companions' scrutiny, but she thought, If I'm going to be exposed, I'd better kill them in the Military Formation.

But they had challenged the Military Formation together, and three of them had died, leaving only her. No matter how you looked at it, she would be suspected.

There would be too much trouble afterward. Unless absolutely necessary, she should avoid taking action.

Wei Ren stared at Yu Sui. "You were a Normal Practitioner for more than ten years, then suddenly gained a Five Elements Light Core, and now you've opened a Special Grade Armor Formation at the First Realm. It's hard not to suspect something's going on."

Yu Sui said, a little surprised, "You seem to know a lot about me."

Wei Ren gave her his usual lazy smile. "We're both from Qingyang, and I'm an Agricultural School Disciple. I grew up hearing your name, County Princess."

His tone was teasing, but everything he said was true.

As soon as Yu Sui heard him mention the Agricultural School, she understood that he was probably connected to Lady Su and the Xirang.

More and more Evil Ghosts emerged from the flames ahead. Their charred bodies were scorched by the fire and dotted with countless sparks. With every step, sparks fell from them. Those that landed on the ground rolled along, gathering in number before igniting another spot.

They continued endlessly, never going out.

"Did it open the wrong formation? Can we get out and start over?" Xue Mushi asked.

Li Jinshuang said, "Break the formation, or wait for time to run out."

"We can't break this, can we?" Xue Mushi scratched his head. "Can you?"

He looked at Yu Sui, thinking that the Military Formation had opened based on her realm, so perhaps she had a way.

Yu Sui scratched her head too. "I really only became a Nine Schools Practitioner last night. This is my first time seeing a Military Formation, so I don't think I have much hope of breaking it. How long will it take to disappear?"

At the end, she looked to Li Jinshuang.

Li Jinshuang's expression was grave. "Hard to say. I've never seen a Special Grade Armor Formation either."

"I'd say it's unlikely to disappear anytime soon. It probably won't vanish for ten days or half a month. Otherwise, we'll have to wait for someone outside to interfere," Wei Ren said. "But who could have known we'd get trapped in a Special Grade Armor Formation? We'd better find a way to break through on our own."

Xue Mushi stared blankly at the scene of purgatory ahead, then asked Yu Sui, "You're Nangong Ming of the Thirteenth Realm, aren't you?"

Yu Sui: "..."

He'd already given up on everything.

Yu Sui glared back at him. "Is that why you got dumped? Because you think about things like that?"

Xue Mushi's head drooped. He shut himself off.

"No matter what happens, we have to survive first." Wei Ren put aside his usual flippant manner and grew serious. Five Elements Qi circled around him, forming a protective barrier. He fixed his gaze on the Evil Ghosts ahead, each carrying a Soul of the Dead Sword. "They're coming."

As Li Jinshuang drew her sword, she stepped in front of Yu Sui. She gripped the sword and slashed sideways. Sword Qi swept out, visibly rippling through the Five Elements Qi.

But the Evil Ghosts charging toward them with swords and blades leapt up, neatly avoiding the strike. Sparks fell from the sky. The shrill cries they let out were attacks in themselves, enough to disrupt the mind and magnify the fear and murderous intent in their hearts.

Wei Ren watched and cursed under his breath. That was a Special Grade Armor Formation for you. Even the foot soldiers were damn sword masters.

The Evil Ghosts swarmed toward them, eyes gleaming red-gold, baring their sharp teeth in eerie grins as they charged at the four, consumed by bloodlust.

Xue Mushi and Wei Ren retreated with the Wind Riding Technique. The Evil Ghosts that had leapt over Li Jinshuang's Sword Qi hurled their weapons at them. The swords and blades shattered in midair, bursting into countless shards that shot toward the two as they fled on the wind.

The Evil Ghosts were fast. They weren't running at all; they were using the Wind Riding Technique, just like the four of them.

Li Jinshuang fought the Evil Ghost at the head of the charge. Their weapons clashed with a crisp ring, trembling against each other. Li Jinshuang put strength into her hand and cut through the Evil Ghost's weapons. With a sweeping slash, she took its head.

Yu Sui had no time to praise the beautiful decapitation before more Evil Ghosts leapt up and slashed at Li Jinshuang.

Li Jinshuang never stopped. One step, one slash. She always completed a cycle within nine steps, drawing the charging Evil Ghosts into her sword formation, disarming them before taking their heads.

Military School Nine Streams Technique: Nine Revolutions. Every nine steps formed a cycle, disarming any enemy who entered the Nine Revolutions Sword Formation.

But there were too many Evil Ghosts.

Li Jinshuang was held in place, killing one only for a hundred more to come.

As she beheaded the Evil Ghosts with her Nine Revolutions Sword Formation, those following behind stopped blindly charging in. They watched from the edge for a moment, then formed hand seals with one hand and pressed them against their swords to cast a technique.

Li Jinshuang caught sight of them out of the corner of her eye as she fought. Her brows had just begun to furrow when the Evil Ghosts casting techniques on their swords attacked in unison. They leapt up and slashed down at her, one after another, breaking through her sword formation. Seven weapons came down at once. Li Jinshuang knocked away several Evil Ghosts at close range, then immediately raised her sword to block the seven strikes. Sword Qi drove her out of the Nine Revolutions Sword Formation.

The clang of weapons clashing rang out without pause.

The seven Evil Ghosts forced Li Jinshuang back. She could barely keep her footing; another step and she would be driven into the horde.

Almost all the Evil Ghosts in the army ahead were masters of blade and sword. They had fought countless battles. They were not only excellent soldiers, but also Nine Schools Practitioners.

Each movement sent stray sparks falling from the Evil Ghosts. Yu Sui dodged their pursuit with the Wind Riding Technique. Several times, three to five Evil Ghosts surrounded her, but each time she broke through.

At this rate, she had no choice but to act.

Yu Sui halted and spun around as she dodged. The Evil Ghost charging at the front gripped its sword in both hands and slashed at her.

Zhen Hexagram, Birth Technique, Thunder Breath.

The instant Yu Sui turned, a faint blue light flashed in her eyes. Tiny Thunder Serpents leapt from the long sword, coiling around it and halting the attack. They crawled over the Evil Ghost's entire body, then exploded, burning it to ash.

The Xirang problem still hadn't been resolved, but under Sage Chang Gen's instruction, Yu Sui had memorized how to use the Birth Techniques of the Sixty-Four Hexagrams.

Time had been limited last night, and her emotions had gotten in the way, so she had only sparred with Mei Chengyu using the Wind Riding Technique.

Now, the Evil Ghosts in the Military Formation were perfect practice for Yu Sui.

Five Elements Qi spread over her body, forming a protective barrier. Yu Sui snatched up a long sword and slashed at the Evil Ghosts chasing her. After cutting a path through the horde, she leapt into the air with the Wind Riding Technique and swung her sword toward Li Jinshuang.

The sword swept sideways. Its Sword Qi scattered the sparks and reed fluff in the air, while Thunder Serpents fell with the strike and lunged at the seven Evil Ghosts.

Yu Sui took an Evil Ghost's head. Three others reacted quickly and retreated. With the pressure on Li Jinshuang eased, she joined Yu Sui's counterattack, beheading the four who had failed to escape in time.

Ash and sparks brushed Yu Sui's face. She wiped them away and tidied her slightly disheveled hair. Meeting Li Jinshuang's astonished gaze, she said gently, "I studied swordsmanship for four years at the National Academy too. I was slow to learn, but I can at least manage."

In Li Jinshuang's eyes, Yu Sui was delicate, innocent, and beautiful.

Those were traits her grandmother said she neither needed nor was allowed to possess. Her grandmother had told her to despise every delicate, innocent, beautiful child, because they were all weaklings.

Even though the ash had smudged Yu Sui's face, her clear, bright almond eyes remained calm as she watched the Evil Ghosts ahead. There wasn't a trace of panic or fear in them. The fierce wind of the battlefield stirred her pink skirt, her waist ornaments, and the decorations in her hair, all of them chiming softly against one another.

That flash of pink was reflected in Li Jinshuang's eyes. It was as beautiful as peach blossoms, but it was something she could never touch. Even looking at such colors for too long would earn her scolding and interrogation: Do you still cling to weakness in your heart? Do you want to become a weakling who watches her whole family be slaughtered without the power to fight back?

Now, as Li Jinshuang looked at Yu Sui, the light of Thunder Breath flickered and gathered into a pale blue beam in her dark eyes.

She asked herself:

Is this really what weakness looks like?

More Evil Ghosts were chasing Xue Mushi and Wei Ren. The two had failed to escape the encirclement several times and were now completely surrounded, forced to fight back-to-back.

Both of them had Five Elements Qi burning around them as a defense.

Wei Ren glanced over his shoulder and forced a smile. "You're an Agricultural School Disciple. Why haven't you used a single Five Elements Birth Technique? Nangong Sui can use Thunder Breath at the First Realm. What about you?"

Xue Mushi said, "I can't."

"Why can't you?" Wei Ren asked through gritted teeth. "The Five Elements Birth Technique is the strength of the Dao School, Ghost Dao, Yin-Yang School, and Military School. It's a Nine Schools Technique every disciple has to learn. You say you can't, so how did you reach the Fourth Realm?"

Xue Mushi hesitated. "I got there by practicing divination."

Wei Ren: "..."

He said expressionlessly, "Then why didn't you divine that you'd face this calamity before entering Asura Hell?"

Xue Mushi was honest. "My realm wasn't high enough."

Wei Ren twisted the knife without mercy. "You know, being dumped really wasn't the Saintess of the Yin-Yang School's fault."

Xue Mushi lowered his eyes, looking utterly dejected.

"If you don't pull yourself together, I won't bother looking after you. In this Special Grade Armor Formation, even the foot soldiers are Nine Schools Practitioners. We could really die here." Wei Ren had barely finished speaking when the leaping Evil Ghosts brought their swords and blades down, forcing the two apart.

Wei Ren shoved Xue Mushi away. As swordlight flashed, the sleeve of the slower Wei Ren was cut away, and the blade sliced through his skin, leaving a wound that ran all the way to his shoulder.

Wei Ren clicked his tongue and reached back to seize the sword, ready to counterattack. But the Evil Ghost he'd disarmed immediately retreated, replaced by another Evil Ghost with a sword.

Their weapons clashed with a dull ring. The Evil Ghost's attacks sped up, its twin swords spitting sparks. Wei Ren was driven back by the fierce assault, unable to strike back.

The poisons he was good at were useless against the Evil Ghosts in the Military Formation. In Asura Hell, Wei Ren was the one most thoroughly countered.

Wei Ren had already noticed the Evil Ghosts attacking from behind, but the Evil Ghost in front was pressing him too hard to spare any strength. Just as his brows furrowed, he heard the clink of Copper Coins.

Four coins encircled Wei Ren and the Evil Ghost he was fighting. Their crisp chime was sweet, piercing through every barrier in the world to reach the depths of the soul.

Xue Mushi held the fifth Copper Coin in his hand. The transparent Five Elements Qi he released resonated with the four coins, enclosing a separate world within the heavens and earth and stilling every Evil Ghost inside it.

The Evil Ghosts pursuing them from behind froze in midair. One long sword had already fallen over Wei Ren's head, its tip brushing his hair. In front of him, an Evil Ghost's blade came within a hair's breadth of his forehead, stopping only after it had cut a thin line of blood.

Wei Ren reacted quickly. He immediately swung his blade and took the head of the Evil Ghost in front of him, then turned to strike the one behind.

"You had this technique and didn't use it sooner?" Wei Ren glared at Xue Mushi after cutting down the Evil Ghosts.

But Xue Mushi's expression remained tense. "I can't hold them for long. Hurry."

Wei Ren snatched up another long blade and wielded one blade and one sword, cutting down every Evil Ghost inside the Copper Coin boundary.

Xue Mushi's divination technique, Qi Ding, could halt the workings of the world within the divination diagram he arranged. It wasn't simply a matter of freezing time. Instead, it extracted the Five Elements Qi from that world, leaving the Evil Ghosts—who relied on the Five Elements Techniques to exist within the Military Formation—unable to move.

It was a Nine Schools Technique that could somewhat counter the Military Formation.

Wei Ren had just finished killing the Evil Ghosts inside the divination world when he suddenly looked up toward the city. They were still a long way from the city gates, near the very center of the battlefield. They didn't dare approach the City Defense King General stationed by the gates. Only a fool would run that way.

Countless Evil Ghosts had also chased them from the blaze around the City Defense King General. Now, it wasn't just an endless horde of Evil Ghosts chasing them, but a rain of arrows filling the sky as well.

The starfire-tipped arrows fell like stars plunging from a shattered sky. They came from the far, distant heavens, carrying the power and murderous intent to destroy everything. Flames burned at the arrowheads, flickering under the force of their flight.

The fire arrows shrieked as they flew past Xue Mushi's cheek, leaving a cut that ran red with blood.

At the same time, an arrow struck the floating Copper Coins and sent them flying. Xue Mushi's divination world collapsed, and the Evil Ghosts waiting nearby instantly charged after them.

Yu Sui looked up at the rain of arrows and said to Li Jinshuang, "We can't win. Run."

With that, she used the Wind Riding Technique and flew into the reed beds.

Li Jinshuang cut down the last Evil Ghost and stopped fighting. She turned and ran.

The four scattered to save themselves. To get away from the Evil Ghost army by the city, they ran in the opposite direction. A vast bed of reeds, stretching so far it seemed endless, blocked their way. They had to cross the tall reeds to reach the other side of the battlefield.

The arrows and Evil Ghosts chased after them, moving fast, but the four were faster. The reeds, silent until then, rustled urgently as they ran through them. The reeds swayed, and the blood-stained stalks smeared Yu Sui's pink skirt with a glaring red.

As the reeds swayed, more and more fluff filled the air. Arrows fell, sparks set the ground alight, and the flames rolled through the reeds, beginning to devour everything ahead.

Yu Sui heard the sound of her heartbeat again. Everything around her fell silent, and only her heart kept pounding, reminding her that she was still alive.

Her racing heartbeat, the reeds brushing her cheeks, the crimson fluff flying past her eyes, the scent of blood drifting beneath her nose, the smoke of war that clung to the battlefield—all of it seeped through her eyes, ears, nose, and pores to the deepest part of her soul.

It stirred the desire buried within her.

The bloodlust that endured on the battlefield. The powerful force that commanded it all. The Evil Ghosts wielding their weapons. The sparks as blades clashed, and the blood that splattered with them. So this was what it felt like to be alive.

As Yu Sui ran ahead using the Wind Riding Technique, she smiled at an inopportune moment. Reeds taller than she was obscured the road ahead. It was just like when she had come to this world: the path before her was always hidden, and she could never see where to go.

What lay ahead?

Even knowing it was dangerous, she couldn't tell what the danger was. All she could do was test everything carefully, one step at a time.

Yu Sui felt as though she had walked a long, long road. At last, today, she had found a place where she could briefly stop and rest.

Under the sting of blood and fire on the battlefield, Yu Sui finally felt that she was still alive.

That she had not yet died.

Yu Sui gripped the sword hilt tightly. When she sensed Five Elements Qi colliding ahead, she swung her sword sideways. Sword Qi cut the reeds at the waist, revealing what lay beyond:

Moonlight poked its head through the dark clouds. Silver light spilled across the long river dividing the battlefield. The water flowed gently, clear to the bottom, while Black and White Double Fish played in its depths.

A huge Black Shadow was reflected on the water too.

They stood packed together, covering the bank. The armored horses slowly raised their heads and looked toward the people emerging from the reeds on the opposite shore.

The Black Armored Cavalry bore weapons on their backs. Their bodies were hidden beneath their iron armor, and only the red-gold eyes beneath their helmets could be seen, the same as the Evil Ghosts'. They fixed their gaze on their enemies in the darkness.

As the clouds swallowed the moon above, the golden light shining across the ground came from the Soul Light Cores of the Black Armored Cavalry.

Thousands upon thousands of them.

Yu Sui's feet slammed to a halt. She stared at the Soul Light Cores of the Black Armored Cavalry on the opposite bank, not daring to take another step.

Li Jinshuang arrived behind her and stopped too, silently tightening her grip on her sword.

Wei Ren and Xue Mushi rushed out of the reeds. Seeing what lay across the river, they couldn't help shivering.

If the Evil Ghosts were skilled with swords and blades, then the Black Armored Cavalry on the opposite bank were all Thirteenth Realm Nine Schools Practitioners.

Thousands upon thousands of Thirteenth Realm practitioners.

This damn thing really was the Special Grade Armor Formation: Asura Hell.

It was clearly made for Nine Streams Saints to challenge.

Wei Ren and Xue Mushi slowly turned to look at Yu Sui on their left.

Yu Sui said softly, "If we die on the same day, in the same month, and the same year, then we were meant to meet. Let's still be friends in our next lives."

Wei Ren said expressionlessly, "Who said we were friends?"

Yu Sui stared at the Thirteenth Realm Black Armored Cavalry ahead and continued softly, "We're about to die anyway. Making a friend before we go isn't a bad deal. Do you have friends? You don't, do you?"

Wei Ren: "I do."

Xue Mushi scratched his head. Perhaps afraid of disturbing the Thirteenth Realm army across the river, he lowered his voice too. "I do as well."

Only Li Jinshuang didn't answer.

Yu Sui glanced at Li Jinshuang, who remained silent, nerves taut and ready to fight at any moment. "So Li Jinshuang is the only one without friends."

Li Jinshuang still didn't respond.

It seemed there was nothing to deny. She really didn't have any.

Yu Sui continued softly, "This can't be my fault. You all saw it just now. I only have the strength of the First Realm."

Wei Ren retorted, "If it's not your fault, whose fault is it?"

Yu Sui said, "Then it's the star chart's fault. My Senior Martial Brother told me that when something goes wrong, don't look for the cause in yourself. Have some confidence. It's definitely someone else's fault."

Wei Ren's eye twitched slightly. He cursed Mei Chengyu inwardly for teaching her such nonsense.

After a moment of silence, Xue Mushi said, "I don't want to die here."

Wei Ren sneered. "Neither do I."

"Then let's say this: if we die, come find me for revenge. If we live, we'll settle our grudge and go out as friends." Yu Sui said, "Turning enemies into friends counts as a Nine Schools Technique too, doesn't it?"

"Old Man Chang will regret taking you as his disciple," Wei Ren said.

Yu Sui smiled. "I bet he won't."

"Li Jinshuang," Yu Sui called softly, watching the Black Armored Cavalry ahead. "I'm giving you a chance to make a friend. Don't waste it."

Li Jinshuang didn't say anything. She simply changed her grip and held her sword with both hands.

This kind of Special Grade Armor Formation was simply too difficult for them. If the Black Armored Cavalry across the river attacked all at once, thousands upon thousands of Thirteenth Realm Nine Schools Techniques would hit them, and the four of them would be killed outright.

If they retreated, the City Defense King General by the city was still there, though it wasn't of the Thirteenth Realm. Its eyes burned with fire. They might be burned alive the moment they entered its field of vision.

Even if the City Defense King General didn't burn them to death, the endless Evil Ghosts would drain their Five Elements Qi until they died fighting to the last.

No matter what, they couldn't escape death.

Wei Ren said to Xue Mushi, "Aren't you good at divination? Why not try to figure out whether there's a way to break out of this?"

Xue Mushi grimaced. "I don't divine good or bad fortune, wealth or poverty, life or death. I study killing."

At that, the other three all looked at Xue Mushi, each with a different expression.

Xue Mushi sighed softly and said slowly, "The Daoist Seven Kill Hexagram. That's the only thing I've learned."

"If I remember correctly, that's one of the Nine Schools Techniques the Daoists forbade people from practicing," Wei Ren said.

Yu Sui asked curiously, "Is it powerful?"

"Powerful. Powerful and wicked, which is why it was forbidden." Wei Ren looked at Xue Mushi. "Never thought you'd be the daring sort. You look like a wooden-headed dullard, but you actually dared to study a hexagram technique your Daoist school strictly forbids. Is that why your engagement was called off?"

Xue Mushi fell silent.

"What I mean is, I don't want to die. Even if it means exposing the fact that I learned the Seven Kill Hexagram, I'm getting out of here. Even if I'm expelled from the academy, I still want to live." After a moment of silence, Xue Mushi spoke, no longer slow and hesitant. It was as though he had made up his mind.

He took a step forward, but Yu Sui called after him. "Hey, wait. Don't rush in alone. To break the Military Formation, we need to kill the City Defense King General. What are you going to do against those Thirteenth Realm undead soldiers?"

Xue Mushi fell silent.

The boy who had just looked ready to charge off and save the world deflated at her words.

With a humorless smile, Wei Ren asked, "Aside from killing the City Defense King General—which is impossible—is there anything else?"

Li Jinshuang spoke quietly. "This Military Formation has no master, so no one is issuing military commands. It only attacks with techniques when it detects enemies. This river in front of us must be what triggers the Thirteenth Realm undead soldiers on the opposite bank. As long as we don't cross, they won't attack."

"But the Evil Ghosts will still chase us from behind," Wei Ren said. "Where can we hide?"

Yu Sui took two steps back. "Whatever happens, we're not crossing."

She would rather keep fighting the Evil Ghosts than cross the river and be wiped out in one move by thousands upon thousands of Thirteenth Realm undead soldiers.

"The Military Formation is also a manifestation of the Five Elements Techniques. If we can't kill the City Defense King General, perhaps we can break down its Five Elements Qi and speed up its disappearance," Li Jinshuang suggested.

Wei Ren rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "That makes some sense. It's like Xue Mushi's hexagram technique just now. It drained the Five Elements Qi from a certain area."

"But I can't cover a Military Formation this large," Xue Mushi said, his head lowered. "If I do it again and again, I'll run out of Five Elements Qi before it changes at all."

They couldn't even imagine how much Five Elements Qi it took to maintain a Special Grade Military Formation. Given the range of Xue Mushi's hexagram technique, Qi Ding, he would be hacked to death by the Evil Ghosts before he could drain enough. Asura Hell would still be holding them fast.

"What if I use the Five Elements Birth Technique to expand it?" Yu Sui asked.

Xue Mushi looked up. "How much can you expand it?"

Yu Sui estimated, "Maybe ten times the original?"

Xue Mushi thought it over. "Not enough. Still far too little. Even ten times as much would be like shaking one leaf off a towering tree."

"Then we'll have to think of another way to destroy the Five Elements Qi," Wei Ren said.

Yu Sui looked at the Black Armored Cavalry on the opposite bank. Although she possessed Divine Mechanism · Heavenly Eye, so far the only time she had resonated with it had been through the Number Mountain related to the Communication Array. At other times, she had no idea how to use this power.

Just like now.

No one had ever taught her, and no one had told her what kind of power this was.

All Yu Sui could do was follow her instincts, guiding herself with this power whenever the need arose.

She was a child with the power to destroy the world, with no combat experience and no one to guide her. All she could do was feel her way forward, little by little.

Getting out of here would actually have been easy for Yu Sui.

She only needed to kindle a wisp of strange fire. That power, capable of destroying heaven and earth, could easily break the Special Grade Military Formation before them.

Yu Sui couldn't help focusing her thoughts on the strange fire. As she lowered her head, the Black and White Double Fish frolicking in the river were reflected in her eyes. In a daze, she heard someone chuckle beside her ear.

The Yu Sui beneath the water laughed in her ear. "How about I lend you my power?"

"Just burn them all to death."

"I can do it."

"Hesitation will only get you killed."

On a battlefield strewn with corpses, killing intent was everywhere. It all seemed to be the strange fire's favorite—and everything before her was exactly what it most wanted to see.

Yu Sui said to the strange fire in her heart, "Shut up."

She looked away and said to Xue Mushi, "A hundred times. I can expand it a hundred times."

Xue Mushi looked up in surprise.

Wei Ren sucked in a breath. "Don't go driving yourself crazy before we even get anywhere."

"I don't want to die either." Yu Sui stared at Xue Mushi. "I worked so hard to live this long. Even if I'm going to die, I won't die here."

Xue Mushi saw himself reflected in Yu Sui's eyes. Different faces, but the same look.

This time, Xue Mushi didn't hesitate to ask if she could really do it. After a moment of silence, he said, "All right."

Wei Ren pinched the bridge of his nose. "Have the two of you gone crazy, or have I? What do you think?"

He turned to ask Li Jinshuang.

Li Jinshuang looked back toward the City Defense King General. She didn't answer, only said, "The Evil Ghosts are catching up."

Wei Ren seemed to give up resisting. He gave a cold laugh, ready to vent all his pent-up frustration on the Evil Ghosts. Then he turned and headed back toward the front, his back to the others. "You two had better hurry. If the Evil Ghosts attack, I can't promise anything."

Li Jinshuang gripped her sword in one hand and joined Wei Ren at the front line.

Yu Sui said to Xue Mushi, "We don't have to drain all the Five Elements Qi. We can focus on one spot. As long as we throw it out of balance, that counts as success."

With the Five Elements Qi out of balance, at least the danger inside the Military Formation would be greatly reduced.

Xue Mushi thought it over. "Then let's target the Five Elements Fire."

That worked perfectly. She had a natural advantage over the Five Elements Fire.

Yu Sui nodded and pointed ahead. "Turn around."

Xue Mushi froze, then obediently did as she said. Once he had turned around, he asked, "Why?"

"This is my secret technique. I can't let anyone see it," Yu Sui said. "I'm not as brave as you."

She was referring to the Daoist forbidden technique, the Seven Kill Hexagram, but she was also implying that what she used wasn't an orthodox Nine Schools Technique either.

Xue Mushi said, "All right."

He didn't ask any more questions. He walked a few steps forward, turned his back to Yu Sui, and opened his palm. Four copper coins stood upright in it. "I'm starting."

Li Jinshuang and Wei Ren had both been ordered by Yu Sui not to look back. They didn't have time to turn around anyway; they were busy fighting the pursuing Evil Ghosts to the death.

Wei Ren wasn't going to hold back anymore either. He formed seals with both hands, exhaling golden Five Elements Qi.

Agricultural School Nine Streams Technique, Illusion Beast · Serpent Shadow.

Snakelike phantoms quietly grew out of the darkness. They crawled in from all directions, clinging to the pursuing Evil Ghosts as they followed the darkness. Opening their jaws, they sank their teeth into the Evil Ghosts' vital spots.

Snakelike phantoms born from the darkness tore at the Evil Ghosts' necks, biting their heads off.

The Evil Ghosts' sparks fell onto the phantoms and burned them away. Before long, more grew from the darkness. Like the Evil Ghosts born from the flames, they seemed endless.

Li Jinshuang, who had cut off an Evil Ghost's head with one stroke, couldn't help glancing at Wei Ren, who stood in place, sustaining his Nine Schools Technique. Her brows knit together slightly.

Never mind Xue Mushi; the Nine Schools Technique Wei Ren was using now was also one the Agricultural School forbade. The Agricultural School had even said that anyone who learned the Illusion Beast Technique would become its sworn enemy.

"Don't keep looking at me." Fine beads of sweat covered Wei Ren's forehead as he raised his brows and flashed Li Jinshuang a wicked grin. "You'll get yourself killed."

Three Evil Ghosts leaped high into the air and swung their swords down at Li Jinshuang. She retreated to dodge, then swept her sword across. The snakelike phantoms bit into the hands gripping the Evil Ghosts' swords, helping her knock the weapons away.

The two of them worked together to hold the front line.

A dazzling light suddenly flared behind them, its moon-white radiance shimmering. Neither Li Jinshuang nor Wei Ren turned to look.

Xue Mushi didn't look back either. He was concentrating on stabilizing the world of the hexagram technique enclosed by the Copper Coin Circle, extracting the Five Elements Fire from Asura Hell.

Yu Sui closed her eyes, sank into the depths of her consciousness, and focused on the strange fire. Today, she once again created a hundred Five Elements Light Cores and stripped them away.

The Five Elements Light Cores, glimmering with a pale white light, separated from the strange fire and floated in a line beside Yu Sui. Each was tiny, the sort of thing the naked eye would usually overlook.

The extracted light cores reflected Xue Mushi's hexagram technique, Qi Ding, ahead of them. Yu Sui connected them with the Bagua Life Technique, expanding Xue Mushi's technique a hundredfold as it continuously extracted the Five Elements Fire from the Military Formation.

As they extracted it, the sparks on the Evil Ghosts noticeably dwindled. Without the sparks to sustain them, they were nothing but charred, pitch-black corpses, slow and clumsy in their movements.

The four of them rapidly expended their own Five Elements Qi, but they could see results. Hope rose in their hearts. Maybe they could succeed.

The change came in an instant.

The Black Armored Cavalry watching from across the river suddenly moved.

The horses carrying the Black Armored Cavalry took two steps forward, reaching the very edge of the riverbank. The cavalrymen on their backs had golden-red eyes and long spears in their hands. One bent backward, then sprang forward as though released from a bowstring, hurling a spear straight at Xue Mushi. Its tip flashed with silver light.

Xue Mushi and Yu Sui both sensed the killing intent in the spear at the same time, and both reacted at once.

A hundred or so light cores shattered. The burst of Five Elements Qi slowed the silver spear for a moment. As Yu Sui reached out with both hands to stop it, a Thunder Serpent flashed into being and coiled around the shaft, helping to drag it back.

Xue Mushi turned and saw that the Black Armored Cavalry on the opposite bank were preparing to throw a second spear.

In a flash, lightning blazed. Yu Sui was struck by the first spear and sent flying, tumbling several times through the reeds.

Li Jinshuang and Wei Ren, too far away to catch her, looked back in shock.

Why were the Thirteenth Realm undead army across the river attacking?!

The five copper coins in Xue Mushi's formation instantly blocked his path. Their holes faced one another, and countless black lines shot out, connecting heaven and earth. Fine and straight, they sliced through everything in the world the moment they appeared.

Seven Kill Hexagram, First Hexagram · Slaughter.

The black lines spread behind them, shredding the Evil Ghosts that had regained their normal mobility after the hexagram technique, Qi Ding, vanished.

But they still couldn't stop the Black Armored Cavalry's second spear.

When the spear shattered, the Five Elements Qi released by its impact also shattered Xue Mushi's Seven Kill Hexagram. The black lines disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Yu Sui rose to her feet and wiped the blood from her face. In her ears, she heard the Thirteenth Realm Myriad Army across the river drawing their swords.

Tens of thousands of undead soldiers drew their swords at the four of them across the river, preparing for battle.

The breath of death spread, pressing heavily on everyone's hearts. Facing tens of thousands of Thirteenth Realm Nine Schools Practitioners, they had no chance of winning.

Wei Ren thought they were finished.

Li Jinshuang would never make another friend in her life.

Xue Mushi, knocked back and thrown to the ground, clenched his fists.

The fierce wind on the battlefield stirred the blood-red reeds, setting them swaying. Some fell into the river. As Yu Sui looked up at the army across the bank, a magnificent light shimmered in her eyes.

It had only just grown dark.

As night fell, the stars appeared once more alongside the earth.

Mei Chengyu and the others emerged from the Martial Path Arena looking grim. They weren't satisfied with the day's result. Although Wei Kun hadn't managed to advance to the top grade, he also hadn't been beaten to a pulp by them. When he drew Mei Chengyu as his opponent, he had simply forfeited.

Mei Chengyu had waited for him all day, only to get this result. His expression was cold as a snowman in winter.

Nian Qiuyan was busy calming Kong Yiyi, who was about to go find Wei Kun and beat him up on the spot. He held her back, but couldn't do it alone, so he called for Cang Shu to help restrain her.

Cang Shu glanced at Mei Chengyu, who was striding out of the Martial Path Arena, then asked Xing Chun, "Can you hold her back?"

Xing Chun gestured for him not to worry. "I've got her. I've got her."

Cang Shu went over to help Nian Qiuyan.

Xing Chun chased after Mei Chengyu and caught up with him outside the Martial Path Arena. It was lively out there too. Plenty of students trying to advance hadn't left yet, including Gu Gan and the others.

Gu Gan stood by the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Field, waiting for someone. Hearing the commotion from the Martial Path Arena, he looked over and saw Mei Chengyu walking out with a cold expression. He raised a brow slightly.

Xing Chun caught up with Mei Chengyu and called out, "Hey, it's a good thing he didn't get back into the top grade. He's been hiding from you like a dog darting into every hole it can find. As long as you're here, he won't dare leave the outer city. Besides—hey, what the hell is going on over there?"

Mei Chengyu kept walking. Xing Chun stared at the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Field. "Hey, hey, come back. Look at Nangong Sui, your junior martial sister. Did they just come out of the beginner trial?"

The star chart inside the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Field activated, sending the disciples who had taken the trial back.

At that moment, starlight blazed across the field.

Mei Chengyu looked back. His gaze passed over Gu Gan and the others, landing at once on Yu Sui, covered in blood and raising a hand to wipe her face. He stopped in his tracks, his gaze tightening.

Gu Gan, who had been waiting for Yu Sui by the edge of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Field, was also stunned by the four who had emerged.

Not one of the four who came out was clean. They were covered in blood, every one of them injured.

Yu Sui was lowering her head to wipe the blood and soot from her face. When she looked up, she found quite a few people standing in the field. They were all familiar faces, and she paused.

Wei Ren swept a cold glance over Gu Gan and the others. "What are you looking at? Never seen someone come out of a trial before?"

He was in a thoroughly foul mood.

Yu Sui was too tired to explain. She looked at Xue Mushi and said, "Restart it. I can't lose two points."

Xue Mushi pointed at Li Jinshuang. "Let her do it."

Before Li Jinshuang could refuse, Wei Ren said, "We're all in the Fifth Realm. It's the same whether you go or I go. I don't fucking believe it. Go on, set up another Asura Hell and see what happens."

Li Jinshuang was just as direct. She reached out and activated a new trial on the star chart.

The four bloodied figures who had just come out vanished from the Yin-Yang and Five Elements Field in the blink of an eye, leaving only the onlookers staring in bewilderment.