Dust and Ashes

"Miss! We are disciples of Shu Mountain, now part of the national security department. We came to the Monster Alliance to investigate matters and mistook you for monsters, so... what is the young lady's name?" Xiang Hui was deliberately toying with Zhou Chen. He thought to himself: One is injured, the other unconscious—they can't escape my grasp anyway. No need to act yet; teasing this little girl is a pleasant diversion.

Zhou Chen suddenly smiled sweetly, like a hundred flowers blooming, and the air around seemed to ripple with the breath of spring, spreading a lazy, languid feeling. Xiang Hui, Xie Xiaohong, Liu Zhihua, and Lu Hongchen shuddered, their bones turning soft, their whole bodies going limp. "Little Sister is called Zhou Chen, Four Big Brothers!" Her voice, like celestial music, entered their ears. Their eyes went wide, drool trickling from the corners of their mouths—utter fools.

"Such a formidable Charm Technique. If my Second Primordial Spirit weren't considered a high-grade demon, I'd have fallen for it too. Who knew my disciple had this advantage?" Zhou Qing, while fully channeling his True Fire to expel the Blood Demon Killing Curse left by the Tianxuan Blood Demon in his primordial spirit, couldn't help but marvel. The Blood Demon Killing Curse clung like a viscous, bloody mass within his spirit, and even his full effort to summon the Samadhi True Fire only resulted in a stalemate.

"I'm Xiang Hui. He, he, and he are Xie Xiaohong, Liu Zhihua, and Lu Hongchen. We're all members of the Dragon Group. We came to the Monster Alliance to pick up some easy gains. Chenchen, you're really beautiful!" Xiang Hui suddenly jolted and roared: "Damn it! A monster, bewitching us!" He had been drooling moments before, and at Zhou Chen's question, he spilled all their secrets. But Xiang Hui was a disciple of a famous sect, steeped in years of Daoist cultivation. Although Zhou Chen had grown much stronger with Zhou Qing's help, she was still evenly matched with these four. Xiang Hui, with a slightly higher cultivation, bit his tongue sharply, snapped awake, and saw the other three in a daze, drooling. Remembering his own state, he flew into a rage, shouted, and sent his flying sword arcing several zhang long in a crimson flash, slashing down at Zhou Qing's head.

Xiang Hui was furious at Zhou Chen for using the Charm Technique but couldn't bring himself to kill her, so he vented his anger on Zhou Qing, who was healing. The other three, jolted awake by Xiang Hui's roar, realized their situation and drew their flying swords in unison. Xiang Hui quickly called out: "Don't kill her! You three restrain that female monster. Didn't she want to seduce me? I'll let her have her fill later!" As the words left his mouth, the fiery red sword light clashed heavily with Zhou Qing's Great Seal. Boom! The impact erupted into clumps of flame the size of a dou, which spun around and surged toward Zhou Qing. Startled, Zhou Qing realized his Great Seal couldn't withstand this fiery flying sword. He hastily halted his Second Primordial Spirit's operation and tossed out a Water Spirit Talisman. Wisps of water essence coalesced, forming shimmering curtains of water in the air.

Puff! Puff! Puff! The three water curtains Zhou Qing set up were shattered by the clumps of flame, which only dissipated after losing all their force. "This flying sword's fire energy is heavy and fierce!" Zhou Qing muttered, secretly tossing out eight Jade Tablets. The tablets seemed to merge with the air as soon as they left his hand, leaving no trace. Xiang Hui was even more shocked. His flying sword was forged from the scorching fire energy of earth-fire magma by Shu Mountain elders, infused with secret formations. Though inferior in quality to the Prime Gold of Taiyi, its power was the most insidious—its fire poison could even melt steel! And now a single talisman had neutralized it.

Ah! Just as Zhou Qing tossed out the Jade Tablets, Zhou Chen was trapped in the middle by three sword lights, her clothes slashed with many gashes, revealing snow-white skin. The three men leered: "Little Demon, your skin's pretty fair!" "This demon's got a great figure! Tsk tsk!" Zhou Chen was on par with them in skill but lacked a weapon, helpless against the sword formation they formed. Shu Mountain's sword cultivation was immensely powerful, and with three attacking at once, she couldn't hold out. If they hadn't been toying with her, the fight would have ended long ago. Seeing more and more cuts on her body, a resolute glint flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes. She resolved to use the Disintegration Great Art rather than suffer humiliation. Swoosh! Another sword light shot out, shredding the coat Zhou Qing had given her. The three let out another round of jeers. Zhou Chen glanced at Zhou Qing, screamed, and prepared to activate the Disintegration Great Art.

Suddenly! A massive Bagua Diagram appeared in the sky. Four pillars of light, condensed from water, fire, wind, and thunder, shot out from the diagram, blasting toward the four men. Caught off guard, they hastily channeled their full True Essence to block. Boom! The four figures tumbled like rolling gourds, dizzy and disoriented. Zhou Chen was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Zhou Qing grabbed her hand and said: "Carry your sister and run! Find Xiao Jin outside!" "Master, what about you?" "I'll be fine! These four can't do anything to me. I'll teach them a lesson and leave!" Zhou Chen nodded, picked up Little Fox, and shot away like a streak of light.

Over here, Xiang Hui was struck by a Water Thunder. Luckily, Zhou Qing's impaired cultivation weakened the formation's power, and Xiang Hui's fire-attributed flying sword spared him injury, though he scrambled up covered in dust. The other three weren't so fortunate—each was blasted to the ground with minor injuries, temporarily unable to move. Xie Xiaohong, hit by a Fire Thunder, was charred black, giving off a smell of burnt flesh. Xiang Hui saw Zhou Qing smirking there and seethed with rage. Never in his life had he suffered such a loss. Biting his tongue, he spat a mouthful of blood essence onto his flying sword. The red light blazed, and the fiery sword twisted in the air, instantly splitting into over a dozen sword lights, each twice the size of the original.

Zhou Qing said: "Good! With your Qi Induction Stage - Mid Phase cultivation, being able to use the Myriad Swords Technique to split into thirteen sword lights is impressive!" Xiang Hui, already brimming with resentment at Zhou Qing's condescending tone, was now nearly exploding with fury. His face twisted in rage, he shouted: "Then die!" The thirteen sword lights turned into thirteen pillars of fire, enveloping Zhou Qing, then slammed down fiercely.

Zhou Qing spoke lightly but was on full alert. Seeing the fire pillars descending, he quickly gestured with a hand seal. The massive Bagua Formation formed by the eight Jade Tablets in the sky suddenly inverted, its invisible force firmly blocking the fire pillars' impact. Xiang Hui channeled his True Essence with all his might, pushing the fire pillars forward a few inches before they were repelled. The two locked in a contest of True Essence.

Xiang Hui's sharp eyes caught a trickle of blood at the corner of Zhou Qing's mouth. He laughed: "I knew you were injured! Can't hold out now, can you? I'll burn you to ash!" He spat another mouthful of blood essence, which flew three zhang through the air and splattered onto the fire pillars. Nourished by the blood essence, the pillars swelled slightly, pressing within three feet of Zhou Qing. Instead of panicking, Zhou Qing grinned and shouted: "Explode!" A distant voice rang out: "Stop! Show mercy!" But it was too late. The Bagua Formation from the eight Jade Tablets suddenly expanded outward, the tablets shattering one by one. The immense force erupted, sending the thirteen fire pillars flying back.

Zhou Qing had used the fire pillars' impact to detonate the Bagua Formation. Seeing the fire pillars hurtling toward him, Xiang Hui was terrified out of his wits. His crotch grew wet as he pissed himself in fear.

The Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Yin Grand Formation was suddenly slashed open by a streak of light. A golden sword light rushed in, blocking Xiang Hui, and twisted forcefully, scattering the thirteen fire pillars in one stroke. Zhou Qing saw a formidable figure arrive and dared not linger. He slapped a Swift Travel Talisman on his leg and vanished to who knows where.

Just as Xiang Hui was awaiting death, this savior appeared. Seeing the golden sword light, he cried out: "Senior Brother!" Within moments, a young man stood before him—the same one who had appeared in the valley where Zhou Qing had gone into seclusion.