Page 21

A fleeting smile flashed across the woman's lips. The eight slender spider legs beneath her tensed, and after a brief moment of preparation, she lunged forward with explosive force. Yinshan Ghost Mother moved with such blinding speed that it was impossible to track; by the time Ning Ning sensed a chilling gust of wind behind her and turned around in a panic, the Ghost Mother was already upon her.

Switching sword styles took time. Given her current cultivation, it was impossible for her to execute another set of sword techniques in the blink of an eye.

However, while the Golden Snake Sword Technique was unpredictable, its points of force were extremely scattered, making it suitable for fighting multiple opponents. If one were to collide head-on with a formidable enemy in a one-on-one duel, the impact would appear too weak.

This battle—she would win it.

Yinshan Ghost Mother had been certain of her victory, yet unexpectedly, Ning Ning did not show the shock or fear she had imagined.

The young girl seemed to have anticipated this, arching a brow at her.

Then, the sword light in her hand surged, striking directly at the Ghost Mother's head.

The woman's murky, dim pupils suddenly constricted.

This sword technique...!

Outside the Brass Profound Mirror, Tian Xianzi stood up abruptly in excitement, letting his long robes knock a water cup to the floor. "This... this is a move not recorded in the Golden Snake Sword Technique! Ning Ning has actually comprehended a sword style that transcends the basic forms!"

Zhen Xiao stood with his arms crossed, offering a rare response: "Indeed."

Before this, his impression of Ning Ning had been limited to "a clever person." She understood how to assess a situation, her mind turned quickly, and she could use schemes and strategies to defeat an Yinshan Ghost Mother far stronger than herself—very much in the style of her master, Tian Xianzi.

But that was all.

As a pure-blooded Sword Cultivator, he didn't particularly like these roundabout methods.

In his view, a true Sword Cultivator should draw their blade and charge forward, subduing demons with the most pure and extreme violence. Even if they couldn't win, being able to fight a hearty, unrestrained battle was never a loss.

But at this very moment, the renowned Sword Venerable Zhen Xiao's expression softened, and he couldn't help but curl his lips.

In the Profound Mirror, the girl's skirt fluttered, stirring up a gentle breeze that felt completely out of place in the surrounding environment.

Amidst this delicate grace, the Star Trace Sword let out a crisp hum. The divided starlight sword shadows condensed at this moment, merging into one.

Spirit Snake Exits Cave, Myriad Snake Shadows—as they all converged onto the blade, a dazzling golden light rose defiantly, possessing the momentum of an Azure Dragon raising its head.

Ten thousand small snakes were not enough to devour a giant beast.

But an Azure Dragon could do so with ease.

"This move is called Spirit Snake Transforms into Dragon."

The long sword tore through layers of spider silk, piercing accurately into the Ghost Mother's heart. Ning Ning smiled at her slightly: "If I don't practice my sword, Senior Brother won't give me anything to eat. You have to blame him."

When she had read the original novel, the original host had been severely wounded by the woman's venomous spiders. Ning Ning knew those things were difficult to deal with, so she had been exceptionally diligent when learning the Golden Snake Sword Technique from her Senior Brother.

As for this final trump card, she had comprehended it while in a state of high spirits after eating roast duck and grilled fish. Senior Brother had offered a few pointers afterward, allowing her to concentrate her force more effectively.

This Ning Ning is not strong, but she is overly cautious; how could she trip over the same stone twice in the same place as the original owner?

Yinshan Ghost Mother fell to the ground with a face full of disbelief, gradually ceasing to breathe. A small, emerald-green circular bead slowly floated up from the position of her heart, and Ning Ning grasped it firmly in her hand.

Since this was a once-in-a-century hidden easter egg, it naturally came with a very special reward. This Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl, which condensed the Ghost Mother's cultivation and toxicity, was the spoils of war for clearing this level.

Following the demise of its master, the barrier in the underground cavern began to sway, ready to collapse with a thunderous roar at any moment.

Ning Ning grabbed the bead and rushed outward. As she entered the swaying, narrow passage, she heard a deafening muffled sound from behind—

The stones at the top of the cave all plummeted to the ground, and the surrounding walls collapsed in response. The limp, powerless spider silk and the bloodstains covering the walls reflected each other, creating an indescribable sense of eeriness.

The passage she was in was equally fraught with danger; the surrounding stones fell one after another like collapsing building blocks, completely caught off guard. Just as she finally caught sight of the orange light at the entrance, a familiar black shadow also burst into her line of sight.

Suddenly, a Gale Wind stirred, and a biting sword aura struck toward her direction.

—Immediately followed by the loud sound of stones being struck and shattered. It turned out that the man had deflected a rock that was about to fall on her head.

"Junior Sister, are you alright!"

Another white shadow appeared at the cave entrance; it was Lin Xun, whom she hadn't seen for a while. Seeing Ning Ning safe and sound, he instinctively reached out to grab her arm and quickly pulled her out of the tunnel.

Upon realizing that this action seemed a bit intimate, the small dragon horns on his head couldn't help but twitch quietly, and he quickly let go, his ears turning red.

Ning Ning didn't notice the light pink on his dragon horns and patted her chest, still shaken: "You scared me to death! Thank you, Junior Brother."

She paused, then turned her gaze to Pei Ji, who had saved her life: "And you, thank you too."

Pei Ji still wore his usual aloof expression, his pitch-black eyes holding a hint of lingering ferocity from the slaughter, his voice slightly hoarse: "No need."

He answered coldly, but Ning Ning didn't mind, because she had something more important on her mind.

If she hadn't intervened, according to the original plot, it should have been the male lead, Pei Ji, who slew the Ghost Mother and obtained the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl.

Although the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl was highly toxic, it was exactly what was needed to suppress the Devilish bloodline hidden within Pei Ji. He had been plagued by the erosion of Devilish Qi for many years; not only did he suffer from frequent, intense physical pain, but his temperament had also become exceptionally cold and ruthless. If he had the Ghost Pearl, he would feel much better.

...Not to mention that she had exploited a loophole in the plot; this magical treasure was not meant to be hers.

Ning Ning didn't want a stolen opportunity.

"Why the long face? Looking down on me? I'm not letting you save me for nothing."

Ning Ning snorted coldly, very professionally mimicking the tone of the original owner, and tossed the emerald-green bead from her arms to him: "The Yinshan Ghost Mother was hiding at the bottom of the building, but I've already taken care of her. This bead dropped, so take it as a thank-you gift—I don't want to owe you my life."