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A fleeting smile flashed across the woman's lips. The eight slender spider legs beneath her tensed, ready to strike. After a brief moment of preparation, she suddenly launched herself forward. Yinshan Ghost Mother moved so fast she was almost impossible to make out. By the time Ning Ning sensed a gust of sinister wind behind her and hurriedly turned, the Ghost Mother had already closed in.

Changing sword forms took time. With her level of cultivation, it was impossible to switch to another set of moves in an instant;

But although the Golden Snake Sword Technique was unpredictable, its force was spread too widely. It was suited to fighting many opponents at once, but against a formidable enemy in a one-on-one head-on clash, its strikes lacked weight.

She had won this battle.

Yinshan Ghost Mother had been certain of victory, yet, to her surprise, Ning Ning didn't look nearly as shocked and frightened as she had imagined.

The young girl seemed to have anticipated this. She raised an eyebrow at her.

Then swordlight surged from her hand, aimed straight at the Ghost Mother's head.

The woman's murky, dim pupils abruptly contracted.

This sword technique...!

Outside the Brass Profound Mirror, Tian Xianzi sprang excitedly to his feet, his long robe knocking a cup to the floor. "Th-this is a move that's never been recorded in the Golden Snake Sword Technique! Ning Ning has actually comprehended sword moves beyond the basic forms!"

Zhen Xiao stood with his arms folded, and, unusually, offered a response. "Not bad."

Before this, his impression of Ning Ning had been limited to "a clever person." She knew how to read the situation, thought quickly, and could use schemes and stratagems to defeat Yinshan Ghost Mother, whose strength far surpassed hers. It was very much in the style of her master, Tian Xianzi.

But that was all.

As a thoroughly orthodox Sword Cultivator, he didn't particularly care for such roundabout methods.

In his view, a true Sword Cultivator ought to draw his sword and charge, subduing demons with the purest, most overwhelming force. Even if he couldn't win, a hearty battle was never a loss.

But at this very moment, the renowned Sword Venerable Zhenxiao's expression softened, and he couldn't help lifting the corners of his lips.

Within the Mystic Mirror, the young girl's skirts fluttered, stirring a gentle breeze that seemed wholly out of place in her surroundings.

Amid this soft, fragrant breeze, the Star Trace Sword rang out with a clear hum. Its scattered, starry sword-shadows gathered and took shape, converging into one.

The Spirit Snake Exits Cave; Myriad Snake Shadows gather upon the sword. Dazzling golden light rose up majestically, taking on the bearing of a coiling dragon lifting its head.

Ten thousand little snakes weren't enough to devour a giant beast.

But a coiling dragon could do so with ease.

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

The long sword broke through layer upon layer of spider silk and plunged unerringly into the Ghost Mother's heart. Ning Ning smiled at her. "If I don't practice my swordsmanship, Senior Brother won't give me anything to eat. You can blame him."

When she'd read the original novel, the original Ning Ning had been badly wounded by the Ghost Mother's poisonous spiders. Knowing how difficult they were to deal with, Ning Ning had taken her lessons in the Golden Snake Sword Technique from her senior brother especially seriously.

As for this last move, her ultimate trump card, she'd comprehended it after eating roast duck and grilled fish, when she was so delighted and brimming with energy. Senior Brother had then given her a few pointers, helping her concentrate the force of her strikes.

This Ning Ning wasn't strong, but she was far too cautious to stumble over the same stone twice.

Yinshan Ghost Mother crashed to the ground, disbelief written all over her face. Gradually, her breathing stopped. A round, emerald-green pearl slowly rose from the place where her heart had been, and Ning Ning caught it in her hand.

As a rare bonus encounter that appeared only once in a century, it was bound to offer an unusually special reward. This Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl, infused with the Ghost Mother's cultivation and poison, was her spoils for clearing the encounter.

With its master's death, the barrier in the underground cavern began to totter, threatening to collapse at any moment.

Ning Ning grabbed the pearl and hurried out. As she entered the swaying, narrow passage, a thunderous rumble sounded behind her—

The stones at the top of the cavern crashed to the ground. The surrounding walls collapsed with them, their lifeless webs set against bloodstains covering every surface in a sight of indescribable eeriness.

The passage she was in was just as dangerous. Stones tumbled down all around her like a tower of blocks collapsing, one after another, without warning. At last, she caught sight of the entrance's orange-yellow light. Along with it, another sight entered her view: a black silhouette that seemed familiar.

Suddenly, the Gale Wind stirred, and a sharp Sword Qi shot toward her.

—Then came the deafening crash of a stone being blasted apart. The person had struck away a rock that was about to land on her head.

"Little Senior Sister, are you all right?"

Another white figure appeared at the cave entrance. It was Lin Xun, whom she hadn't seen for quite a while. Seeing that Ning Ning was unharmed, he instinctively grabbed her by the arm and quickly pulled her out of the tunnel.

Once he realized the gesture might have been a little too intimate, the tiny dragon horns on his head twitched ever so slightly. His ears reddened as he hurriedly let go.

Ning Ning didn't notice the faint pink on his dragon horns. Still shaken, she patted her chest. "That scared me half to death! Thanks, Junior Brother."

After a pause, she turned to look at Pei Ji, who had saved her life as well. "Thanks to you, too."

Pei Ji still looked as distant as ever. A trace of killing intent lingered in his dark eyes, and his voice was somewhat hoarse. "Don't mention it."

He replied coldly, but Ning Ning didn't mind. There was something more important on her mind.

If she hadn't interfered, the original story would have had the male protagonist, Pei Ji, slay the Ghost Mother and obtain the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl.

Though the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl was intensely poisonous, it happened to suppress the Devil Race bloodline hidden within Pei Ji. After enduring the erosion of devilish energy for years, he not only suffered frequent physical pain but had also grown especially cold and ruthless. Having the pearl with him would ease his suffering.

...And besides, she'd taken advantage of a loophole in the plot. This treasure shouldn't have belonged to her.

Ning Ning didn't want a chance that she'd stolen, either.

"What's with the long face? Looking down on me? I didn't let you save me for nothing, you know."

Ning Ning snorted. Putting on the original Ning Ning's tone with great commitment, she tossed him the emerald-green pearl in her arms. "The Yinshan Ghost Mother was hiding at the bottom of the cave. I've already dealt with her. She dropped this pearl, so take it as a thank-you gift—I don't want to owe you my life."